Article Type: Blog

We welcome you to a cosy Q&A session with fellow Bold Bean icon and renowned recipe creator, Hannah Wilding, also known as @hans.hungry!

Get ready to dive into the world of culinary creativity with Hannah as she shares her insights, tips and mouth-watering recipes that will inspire your kitchen adventures.

Hey Hannah! We’re big fans of your (seriously) delicious recipes that you whip up across socials. Tell us, how did @hans.hungry come about?

It all started with a bowl of porridge. Yup! 

It’s a bit of a rollercoaster story – but I’ll try and keep it short and sweet. 

I actually grew up in the musical theatre industry, with big ambitions of being on the West End. But the year I graduated from drama school was the year of the dreaded covid. I was getting no auditions, theatres were put into blackout and I was truly lost.

So, I turned to my other passion – FOOD! I pretty much took over the kitchen in lockdown, experimenting with different flavours, ingredients, ended up taking pictures of everything (as us foodies do) and decided to document it all on an Instagram page, and so @hans.hungry was born. I kept it pretty consistent, posting a bunch of different recipes and overtime grew a following of fellow foodies – which still to this day makes me do a double take! 

Oh yes, the porridge – I became a bit of a porridge-fanatic over lockdown. We’re talking seriously “pimped up” bowls of hearty, creamy oats, loaded with the works – different nut butters, seeds, fruit, fancy flavours (lets face it, we had all the time in the world) and so a bowl of porridge was my first ever post, presented oh so elegantly on my..radiator. You’ll still find the odd porridge bowl on my feed but I’d say my cooking style is very veg-centric, feel good and homely. 

Can you share a memorable cooking experience that influenced your culinary journey?

I guess it was during lockdown, really! I’ve always been into the “eating” part of food but the “cooking” part only came towards the end of university. And so lockdown gave me that creative freedom and time to experiment in the kitchen. I’ve been incredibly lucky to have met such amazing food writers, stylists and brands within the industry who have shared such great knowledge with me and have been a huge influence to my culinary journey – and so weirdly, I’m very grateful for that time. 

Are there any culinary trends or techniques that you’re excited about?!

This isn’t a trend as such, but there’s a small but mighty handful of cookbooks that have just been/are soon to be released – Kitty Coles’ ‘Make more with Less’, Ed Smith’s ‘Good Eggs’ and Sophie Wyburd’s ‘Tucking In’ – these 3 INCREDIBLE food writers have been huge inspirations in my own writing and food creativity and so I can’t wait to get my hands on these books.

Your ultimate comfort food dish?

It has to be something beany. Usually a Queen Butter Bean stew using my trusty Bold Beans simmered in a rich tomato sauce, any veggies I’ve got going in the fridge, probably some olives, a good showering of parmesan and a generous glug of olive oil. 

What advice would you give to aspiring food creators who are just starting out?

Do it because YOU love it. Don’t go posting content that you “think” people will want to see, post content that YOU love, as that genuine passion will shine through and will generate a following of lovely, like minded people. Our uniqueness is what makes us brilliant, so although it’s natural to compare ourselves with others, trust the process and be yourself!

Name three things in the kitchen you can’t live without!

A trusty non-stick pan, a good quality olive oil + silicone spatula! 

What’s one dish you ALWAYS use Maldon Sea Salt for?

My go-to dish for when I’m in a rush or need a quick lunch is always eggs (in some form) on toast, and I’m always sprinkling a pinch of Maldon Sea Salt on top for that extra hit of flavour – it’s such a winner when you want to jazz up the flavour a little, say with chilli, garlic or a hint of smokiness. 

Looking for some recipe inspo?

Check out Hannah’s socials where she shares delicious recipes weekly that will certainly inspire you to get creative in the kitchen! We’ve shared one of our current favourite; creamy whipped Garlic Salt Ricotta with Spring Peas on Toast. The ricotta is infused with Maldon Garlic Sea Salt for a flavour burst of wild and roasted garlic!

Ingredients: (serves 2)

• 90g peas, fresh if you can get them, frozen will work just as well
• 100g ricotta cheese
• 1 lemon
• A good pinch of Maldon Garlic Sea Salt
• Sourdough or bread of choice
• Extra virgin olive oil, to serve

Method:

1. Blanch the peas in a pan of boiling salted water for just a couple minutes until tender.
2. To a mixing bowl, add the ricotta, zest of the whole lemon and a good pinch of Maldon Garlic Sea Salt and whip to a soft and pillow consistency.
3. Toast your bread. Slather the whipped ricotta onto the toast and tumble over the peas. Finish with a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and cracked black pepper.

Make sure you have your Maldon Salt ready for these recipes! If you are running out, please feel free to browse on our Where to Buy Page to find your nearest store in which stocks our beloved Maldon Salt.

Lastly, we LOVE seeing your creations – please tag us on Instagram using the #maldonsalt so we can share your own take on Hannah’s recipes!

We are delighted to team up with Penguin Books this month to review the talented Anisa Karolia and her debut cookbook: ‘The Ramadan Family Cookbook’.

Anisa is one of the UK’s most popular Muslim food bloggers, with an online community of over 240,000 followers! Since 2015, her mission is to share all her favourite authentic, quick and accessible recipes, including favourites from her childhood.

Food is very important during Ramadan, both abstaining from it and coming together over it for Iftar. It’s this importance that Anisa wanted to dedicate her first cookbook to the holy month.

This is when ‘The Ramadan Family Cookbook’ was born! The book itself is an ultimate guide to cooking during the annual month of fasting observed throughout the Muslim world. With a collection of 80 delicious recipes to choose from, this cookbook will have you and your family covered for Ramadan. With dishes that everyone will enjoy, Anisa has included chapters of hearty family meals, sweets and drinks that are delicious, fillings, and quick and easy to prepare cooking recipes.

Enjoy immersing yourself on one-pot wonders, healthier alternatives, crowd-pleasing bites, baking and drink recipes. ‘The Ramadan Family Cookbook’ is a highly valuable resource for cooking and spending times with your loved ones during Ramadan.

In conversation with Anisa Karolia…

Anisa, we’re big fans of your cookbook! Tell us, what was the inspiration behind writing the book?

I always wanted to write a cookbook, but didn’t know where to start. I knew wanted to share my favourite childhood recipes that I loved and grew up with, so when Ebury reached out, I was like yes of course I’m in! 

My grandmother taught me a lot about cooking, she being my primary inspiration but I also found that not many people wanted to share their recipes, so I made it my mission to get people into cooking homemade food for themselves and their families.

Would you say food brings families together?

Yes, food plays a central role in bringing and connecting families together, creating memories and sharing experiences.

Sitting around the table, sharing meals having conversations and bonding is one of the best feelings in the world, appreciating how blessed we are. Food really does unite people. 

Do you have any top tips/pieces of advice for people preparing for Ramadan?

You want to make the most of this blessed month by spending time getting closer to our creator, removing bad habits and creating new ones.

Spending time in charity work, helping those less fortunate and self-reflection are important so I like to batch cook and prepare my savouries like samosas, spring rolls, pastries at least three weeks before Ramadan. I then store them in my freezer, giving me more time to focus on other important aspects during the holy month.

There are 80 delicious recipes to choose from! Come on, you must have a favourite!?

It’s so hard to choose just one, I have a few recipes that I love! In the One Pot section of my book, the Chicken Tikka Rice is so easy and quick to prepare, throw everything in and let in cook. It’s mouth-watering! 

What does a normal day in the life look like for you Anisa?

We have a very busy family life with three children and I also work in a Special Needs School so that keeps me super busy but I love it and it’s so rewarding.

I also love working as a content creator, sharing recipes online and interacting with my followers, giving recipe advice. Of course my husband Adam who works in IT helps me where he can too.

Name three things in the kitchen you can’t live without!

My air fryer:  I use it almost every day, it’s the best kitchen gadget I own. We use it for our savouries during Ramadan for a healthier iftar and it’s so good as only used a drop of oil. Our kids love the air fried chips too as they don’t find them any different to normal fried chips.

My portable induction hob: it’s so versatile, flexible and lightweight. I love cooking with it in the garden as well. 

My Kitchen knife: the only one that I use for my vegetables. I would be lost without it.

Do you have a favourite cookbook that you’re currently reading?

Of course I would say my first one, The Ramadan Cookbook!

But I also love baking, it’s a hobby of mine. I’ve been recently picking through Fast Cakes by Mary Berry picking out the recipes I want to try.

Desi Omelette Recipe

Desi omelette is a traditional Indian version of the classic omelette. Its beauty lies in its versatility – you can get creative and adjust it to your taste preference, adding
different spices, herbs and vegetables. It’s very popular at breakfast time, but is so
quick and easy to make that you can have it any time of the day. Serve with Masala Beans and chapati.

Serves: 4-5people

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 5-6 minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 1/2 red pepper, cut into small cubes
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 5g fresh coriander, finely chopped
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped (optional for an extra kick!)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• Maldon Sea Salt, to taste

Method:

1. Crack the eggs into a bowl and add the chilli powder, ground turmeric, ground cumin, black pepper, onion, red pepper, garlic, spring onions, coriander, fresh chilli, if using, and salt to taste. Whisk it all up with a fork.
2. Heat the oil in a medium frying pan on a medium heat. Pour the egg mixture into the heated pan and swirl the pan to spread the eggs evenly. You can cook the egg mixture in batches if needed. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for3–4 minutes until the bottom side is set and browned lightly.
3. Using a flat spatula, flip the omelette and cook the other side uncovered for 1–2 minutes.

Top Tip!

To make your omelette cheesy, sprinkle grated cheese over the top once flipped, then cover, and it will melt nicely.

Buy ‘The Family Ramadan Cookbook’ and Create a Recipe!

You can find where to purchase Anisa’s NEW cookbook here and start being creative with food and flavours in the comfort of your kitchen.

Make sure you have your Maldon Salt ready for these recipes! If you are running out, please feel free to browse on our Where to Buy Page to find your nearest store in which stocks our beloved Maldon Salt.

Lastly, we LOVE seeing your creations – please tag us on Instagram using the #maldonsalt so we can share your own take on Anisa’s recipes!

We welcome the new year with a brand-new collaboration with Penguin Books and the incredibly talented Jon Kung!

Jon Kung grew up as a ‘third-culture’ child, born in Los Angeles, raised in Hong Kong and Toronto, and now living in Detroit. After pivoting his career from a law school graduate, Jon learned to embrace his diasporic identity through cooking and eventually became a self-taught cook.

Jon begun working at supper clubs and pop-ups around the city of Detroit, assisting chefs before setting up his very own pop-up. When the pandemic struck, he turned to social media – not just as a means of creative expression, but as a way to teach and inspire!

Through his videos, Jon was able to share his third-culture identity through cooking. Delicious creations including pasta dishes seasoned with authentic Chinese condiments (Curry Mac and Cheese) to beloved Italian classics with an Asian twist (Dan Dan Lasagne).

The popularity of Jon’s tasty combinations led to the release of his debut cookbook: ‘Kung Food: Chinese American Recipes from a Third-Culture Kitchen’.

The cookbook explores the exciting and unexpected collection of 100 recipes that re-examine Chinese food.

The boundaries of flavours are broken down by:

• Snacky Snacks, Bites, and Cravings (Sesame Prawn Toast, Vegan Fried Oyster Mushroom Sandwich)
• Noodles & Dumplings (Ginger Spring Onion Noodles, Buffalo Chicken Rangoons)
• Rice & Congee (‘Clay Pot’ Rice Tahdig, Mushroom and Tempeh Fried Rice)
• Stir-Fries (Szechuan Paneer with Mexican Chillies, Motor City Orange Chicken)
• Kung Foo Means ‘with Effort’ (Hong Kong Chicken and Waffles)

Through beautiful, playful and high-energy photos and Jon’s wit and humility, he brings forward recipes that blended cultural traditions, ingredients and flavours with his ultimate goal of redefining what Chinese food can be!

In Conversation with Jon Kung

We were lucky enough to step into Jon’s kitchen and grab a few minutes to understand the talented chef a little bit more. From getting a sneak peek into what his day-to-day looks like, to his personal favourite recipe from the cookbook!

Jon, huge congratulations on the launch of your cookbook ‘Kung Food’! Tell us, what is it about your creative combinations and complexity in dishes that you want readers to learn from?

I’d like people to see how fun and familiar dishes from other cultures can be. Being able to fuse together two different cuisines requires some kind of common ground or a love of a taste, a sensation, an aroma can is the bases for the combination. It’s about finding the things we love in common that makes these dishes work and it celebrates one of the greatest benefits of a live open to diversity. 

In the book, we see a collection of seriously delicious recipes. Come on, you must have a favourite!

I’m so partial to the sauce and condiments in the book because – while the dishes are truly great – condiments are things that will last you up to a month in the fridge and they are things that can make a meal. Throw some noodles on ginger scallion oil or chili crisp and its delicious but you can put that chili crisp on the pizza, fried chicken, or mac and cheese that you have later that week. Or you can fry an egg in that ginger scallion oil for you BLT or work it in as the fat for your flour tortilla.

We love your ‘Curry Mac and Cheese’; we see it all the time on TikTok! Do you think social media plays a part in blending cultural traditions/cuisines together?

It absolutely does. Social media not only gave us the opportunity to reclaim our narratives and food stories but it also provided a platform that allows us to talk to each other.

What does a normal day in the life look like for you, Jon?

I wake up really early, around 5 am and I find a burst of productivity then so I’ll make myself a coffee and maybe edit a video before going doing my workout at 7. By 9 the rest of the world is a awake and it’s sometimes calls or meetings, or responding to email. If not then I’ll be filming content. By noon I’ll try to fix up a quick lunch for my partner and I who also works from home. And then it’s more filming (or writing, grocery shopping… all the production parts of content) and by 6 I try to be wrapped up for early dinner and tv time before bed.

Embedded in the day is plenty of time to walk, play, cuddle, and procrastinate with my two pitbulls Mochi and Boba.

Your ultimate comfort-food dish?

Something saucy full of carbs that someone else makes.

Name three things in the kitchen you can’t live without!

I immediately thought of boring basics like a knife a cutting board and a pot for water but more fun are things that are unique in my home kitchen that I thing people should consider:

A speed rack. A wheeled rack that holds large sheet pans. I use mine for pan storage, and some tiers are open shelving and a couple of tiers are actually dedicated to cooking food. It’s the most versatile storage space in my kitchen.

A huge hood: I designed my over-range ventilation to go over the countertop so if I have any  countertop appliances like an electric grill, deep fryer, or extra induction stove it still goes under a hood.

Electric everything: I don’t have any gas in my kitchen. It’s not energy efficient, its uncomfortable and it’s extremely bad for your health. I went full induction only over a decade ago at my underground private kitchen and I made sure my home kitchen would follow suit. I have my heath to over a decade next to a gas stove and I feel like I’m trying to make up for it now.

Do you have a current favourite cookbook that you’re reading?

Frist Generation by Frankie Gaw people need to know more about the artistry of Taiwanese cuisine and his third culture interpretations are stunning.

Cold Chilli Oil Noodles

Jon doesn’t remember when he first started eating cold noodles regularly, but before he got air-conditioning, they were on of his favourite ways to keep cool in the kitchen. Chilling the noodles after cooking also gives them a delightfully bouncy bite. Jon prefers Shanxi planed noodles, which are not as broad as those he used in the Ginger Spring Onion Noodles (recipes on page 125), but they are still thick and provide a satisfying chew. You can also use spaghetti-like Shanghai-style noodles for this.

Serves: 2 people

Ingredients:

• 225g noodles
• 2 tablespoons Fragrant Chilli
• Oil (page 45) or Chorizo Chilli Oil (page 47)
• 1 teaspoon Zhenjiang black vinegar
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 25g spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon toasted hulled sesame seeds
• Pinch of Maldon Sea Salt flakes
• Optional toppings: pickled vegetables, chopped roasted peanuts, poached egg, gan lan cai (Chinese preserved olive vegetable), slivered cucumber, kohlrabi, pak choi.

Method:

1. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions and drain well.
   Fill a large bowl with ice and water and place the noodles in the ice bath to fully cool, then drain well again.
2. Transfer the noodles to a large bowl and add the chilli oil, vinegar and soy sauce. Add the spring onions and sesame seeds and use two spoons to toss and distribute the ingredients evenly. Serve with additional toppings alongside.

Buy ‘Kung Food’ and Create a Recipe!

You can find where to purchase Jon’s ’ NEW cookbook here and start being creative with food and flavours in the comfort of your kitchen.

Make sure you have your Maldon Salt ready for these recipes! If you are running out, please feel free to browse on our Where to Buy Page to find your nearest store in which stocks our beloved Maldon Salt.

Lastly, we LOVE seeing your creations – please tag us on Instagram using the #maldonsalt so we can share your own take on Jon’s recipes!

In October 2023, Maldon Salt were going to dispose of a surplus amount of IT equipment that was no longer in use to employees. As a company, we are proud to support a variety of important charities around the UK, so we were keen to donate the kit to an establishment that could reuse the equipment and enjoy for future years.

A simple Google search for charities who reuse kit from companies led us to the wonderful charity, Every Child Online.

Every Child Online is a start-up charity based in Basildon Essex, whose goal is to help close the digital divide and help play a significant role in ending digital poverty. Their mission is to improve the online and digital education of children and young people. Since the start of their mission, they have received over 12,000 donated laptops and PCs from companies and the public across the UK. To this day, Every Child Online has received refurbished and donated 3.5 million pounds worth of devices to schools and other charitable organisations supporting underprivileged children and young adults.

Impressed by their ethos and work, we called Every Child Online to announce that we had a high amount of kit that was no longer in use and willing to give away. They were very welcoming to the kit donation, and within a few days we joined forces with PDQ IT Support to ensure that the kit was completely wiped out and ready to be used!

Every Child Online collected the kit, in which they do their own system wipe out as an additional layer of data protection, before reconfiguring and distributing across the UK to children and young people in need.

It’s important to recognise that whilst the kit may not be suitable for a corporate environment, it is certainly needed by schools and children. Most classrooms often just need a web browser to get them online to be able to use platforms such as Google Classroom. This can be achieved with a much older kit (like the ones we have donated), with simple configured systems/applications. This can provide a second lease of life and help a lot of children and organisations that need a laptop or PC.

To conclude, we ask on behalf of Every Child Online that UK companies, IT managers and individuals to please consider donating your old surplus PCs and laptops. If you’re planning to upgrade your IT equipment, or maybe if you are a business with shelves full of older PCs, laptops and monitors, don’t hesitate to contact.

Every Online Child provides professional and secure ITAD services to hundreds of UK businesses. They accept devices with or without hard drives and of all ages. In addition to repurposing your old technology, any broken or unusable devices are harvested for spare parts or broken down and fully recycled. Click here for details about their refurbishment services

Maldon Salt has released a new flavoured salt…Garlic Sea Salt! In this article we explore what garlic salt is and how it is different from your regular salts and seasonings.

After this, we delve into the different uses of garlic salt and how it can simplify the cooking process when making a meal. With tummies sure to be rumbling, we end things by looking at what recipes go well with garlic salt and sharing our personal favourite dishes that you can make during the week.

What is garlic salt?

Garlic salt is a blend of ground garlic and sea salt flakes or kosher salt. Maldon Garlic Sea Salt is a combination of our hand-harvested sea salt flakes mixed with roasted and wild garlic for delicious fragrant taste. The ratio is usually three parts salt to one part grounded garlic.

The premium blend of ingredients easily elevates the flavours of your creations, adding a delightful garlicky twist to every bite. With the combination of our unique pyramid-shaped crystals, Maldon Garlic Sea Salt provides an irresistible crunch with a burst of fresh intensity.

What is the difference between garlic salt and garlic powder?

As MasterClass states, ‘garlic salt and garlic powder are ground garlic, but the critical difference is salt’.

Garlic powder, also known as ground garlic, is dehydrated garlic that has been grounded continuously until it forms a powder-like consistency. The fine consistency allows the powder to disintegrate quickly into a dish. Due to the small, granule size of garlic powder, it is known to be the most concentrated and pungent of garlic flavours. In contrast, garlic salt is grinded garlic with sea salt added to the mixture. The typical ratio of salt to garlic is 3:1, having a gentle flavour of garlic in comparison to garlic powder.

If you are looking to enhance the flavour of your dish while wanting to include salt, garlic salt is a fantastic substitute for garlic powder! Garlic powder can be over-powering at times due to being solely comprised of dehydrated garlic, whereas garlic salt is ideal when you want to add a gentle hint of garlic to your dish. This is because garlic salt is a combination of both garlic powder and sea salt flakes, causing the garlic flavour to be less intense than garlic powder or granules. You can use garlic salt in any recipe that is calling for both salt and garlic.

As a result, if you are wanting a milder garlic flavour in your dishes, garlic salt is your go-to! Please make sure to take your daily salt intake into consideration when using this product- we recommend using garlic salt slowly to your dishes to ensure you are not over-salting when using this iconic, time-saving product.

How is garlic salt made, and what sets it apart from regular salt?

Our garlic sea salt flakes are made using our much-loved sea salt flakes, expertly blended with wild and roasted garlic.

We harvest the seawater from the Blackwater Estuary in Maldon, Essex, during the Spring tide, where through a perfected art in the temperature and timing, the brine solution in the salt pans is evaporated. This is where we hand-harvest the naturally formed pyramid-shaped crystals that has become Maldon’s signature for over 140 years.

This artisanal method is still used today, where our salt makers use the same time-honoured techniques with skilled hands poised over every small batch made. You can find out more where Maldon Sea Salt comes from and how it is made on our YouTube channel or through Marcus Wareing, where he visits Maldon to learn about salt making on Tales from a Kitchen Guide.

Once the salt has been harvested, we then professionally blend the sea salt flakes with premium wild and roasted garlic to provide a delicious garlic taste that has a sweet, nutty and rich undertones to it. No other additives or preservatives are added the Maldon Garlic Sea Salt, being an anti-cacking free product.

This makes it different from a regular salt, as there is an added ‘oomph’ to the flavouring of the flakes, making it ideal for when you are wanting to enhance the taste of a dish without having to use more seasoning products.

Best uses for garlic salt

Garlic salt is a quick way to enhance the flavour of any dish. Most home chefs mix their own flavoured salts already, combining Maldon Sea Salt Flakes with herbs and spices to add oomph to their food. For more time pressured cooks, a flavoured salt like Garlic Sea Salt is a much quicker and more efficient way to boost the flavour in their cooking!

You can use garlic salt on any savoury dish where both the taste for a garlicky flavour and fresh intensity of salt is required.

Substitute

If there’s a recipe requiring garlic cloves or fresh, minced garlic, you can easily substitute this for garlic salt instead. For example, stir-frying vegetables with garlic salt will add both a fresh intensity from the sea salt flakes, whilst adding a comforting flavour of wild and roasted garlic to the dish.

Seasoning

Garlic salt is perfect for seasoning dishes. You can use the flavoured salt as a dry rub or marinade for meats. Take our delicious Garlic and Tarragon Chicken, where we use Maldon Garlic Sea Salt in the stock to give a beautiful hint of garlic as it seeps into the tender chicken legs.

Dressing

You can create flavourful dressings for salads with the simple addition of garlic salt instead of having to mince your own garlic, (which can be highly time-consuming!) Our classic radicchio salad can be elevated further with the use of garlic salt with it’s citrus dressing. Lemon brings a kick of acidity to the dish, while garlic adds a warming, savoury flavour. The duo is a match-made-in-heaven for the salad and will certainly make you go up for seconds.

Recipes using Garlic Sea Salt

New Potatoes with Garlic Salt

Creamy, tender, and full of flavour, new potatoes are the ultimate comfort food. This recipe only uses four ingredients, with the main star being Maldon Garlic Sea Salt.

Tear and Share Garlic Bread

What’s not to love about freshly baked garlic bread?! Deliciously golden and crispy with an irresistibly soft and spongy centre. Maldon Garlic Sea Salt flakes is used to add extra garlicky flavour to the dish, providing notes of wild and roasted garlic to make your taste buds sing as you take in your first bite.

To Conclude…

Garlic Sea Salt is a versatile product that can enhance any dish, every day. Ideal for creatives and time-pressured cooks who want to add oomph to their cooking.

You can purchase our flavoured range on Amazon and direct retailers now.

• Maldon Garlic Sea Salt – Available to purchase on Amazon and Ocado.

• Maldon Chilli Sea Salt – Available to purchase on Amazon.

• Maldon Smoked Sea Salt – Available to purchase at Sainsburys.

Make sure you have your Maldon Salt ready when making any of these recipes! If you are running out, please feel free to browse our Where to Buy Page to find your nearest store that stocks our beloved Maldon Salt.

Lastly, we LOVE seeing your creations – please tag us on Instagram using the #maldonsalt so we can share your own culinary masterpieces!

Within this article, we will take you on a journey of learning everything you need to know about smoked salt and how to use it.

We first explore the basic composition and characteristics of smoked salt, before deep-diving into how the flavoured salt can enhance profiles of dishes and the many ways you can use the condiment in your cooking, baking and drinks!

What is smoked salt?

Our Maldon Smoked Sea Salt flakes is created through hand-harvesting our pyramid-shaped flakes and gently smoking over oak for a distinctively deep, rich and bold taste. Due to the way it is smoked over the wood, the sea salt flakes have a slightly brown/beige colourisation, holding a deliciously smoky flavour that is perfect for fish and grilled vegetables.

Smoked salt is suitable for vegetarians and often acts as a great alternative to bacon crumble/bits. The salt is a natural product, being completely different from a smoke-flavoured salt, as this would contain an additive, which is not natural.

Maldon Salt offers two formats of the Smoked Sea Salt:

Smoked Sea Salt 125g packet is the perfect size for everyday use in households. Available to purchase at Sainsburys.

Smoked Sea Salt 500g tub is a larger size, making it ideal for kitchens and cafes. Available to purchase via Wholesale only. Please get in touch for stocklists.

How to use smoked salt?

Maldon Smoked Sea Salt holds a signature, smoky flavour where a delicate blend of fresh sea salt flakes is hit with a balanced smokiness from the oak wood. Because it is our much-loved sea salt that is used and nothing else, the flakes allow a beautiful, textural crunch as you bite into your food, whilst obtaining that delicious grilled flavour – without having the need to grill!

Cooking with smoked salt

Sprinkled over griddled meat and vegetables, smoked salt elevates the food to add a richer, wood-smoked flavour that is perfect for both summer and winter dishes when you need a ‘smoky’ kick to warm yourself up!

Meats

Our beautiful seared steak recipe uses Maldon Smoked Sea Salt to elevate the flame-grilled flavour further. If you are craving the smoky flavour profile, but do not have a griddled pan to achieve this, sprinkle a good pinch of smoked salt before serving and you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference! We pair the juicy steak with purple sprouting broccoli and broad beans to give some earthy goodness to the dish.

Additionally, a delicious chilli & herb dressing is drizzled over the the dish, where smoked sea salt flakes is used to elevate the red chillies and herbs (parsley and coriander).

Vegetables

To make vegetables taste like they have been grilled over a smoky BBQ, make sure to generously sprinkle them with smoked sea salt straight after pulling them out of the oven. Our padron peppers showcase just how easy it can be to achieve a smoky flavour profile without having to grill/bbq the vegetables. Super easy and a great crowd-pleasing appetizer for a dinner party.

Baking with smoked salt

Did you know that smoked flavours work wonders with baked goods? Sprinkling a good handful of smoked sea salt into the mixture for a gingerbread loaf will make your taste buds sing as the smoky flavours compliment the spicy ginger notes perfectly!

To give chocolate a gentle smokiness, we also recommend adding a pinch of the smoked salt to fudgy brownies, both in the mixture and topped before serving. The smoky notes from the salt balances out the sweet, richness from the chocolate, creating the ultimate flavour sensation.

Drinks made with smoked salt

For a fun twist, try adding smoked salt to the rim of a glass to your classic margarita. Our refreshing mango and jalapeno margarita uses a blend of smoked salt and chilli powder to give a fiery kick to the drink, adding a perfect balance of sweet and spicy from the fresh mango juice.

If you prefer the tangy aroma of tomato juice, try our Bloody Mary recipe, where we incorporate a smoked salt rim to the glass to elevate the smoky notes of the drink further.

Get the grilled flavour without having to grill…

This article has explored the delicious flavour profile of Maldon Smoked Sea Salt and the many ways it can be used in your kitchens, whether that be cooking, baking or making drinks!

Make sure you have your Maldon Salt ready when making any of these recipes! If you are running out, please feel free to browse on our Where to Buy Page to find your nearest store in which stocks our beloved Maldon Salt.

Lastly, we LOVE seeing your creations – please tag us on Instagram using the #maldonsalt so we can share your own culinary masterpieces!

If you’re the head chef in your household, you deserve a kitchen designed for the way you cook. Naked Kitchens make bespoke kitchens that are both beautiful and very practical: built for real life. So we invited them to share their expert tips on creating the perfect home cook’s kitchen…

Even for people who don’t particularly love cooking, the kitchen is the hub of the home: the place where all life happens, from homework supervision to epic dinner parties. But if you are a passionate chef and good cooking is a major part of your identity – whether that’s intimate suppers for two or Christmas lunch for twenty – then a really well-designed kitchen can make your home life so much better. 

A space where everything is conveniently to hand when you need it, where every nook and corner is utilised to help not hinder, and where you can feel truly in your element – that’s the dream home cook’s kitchen. So if you’re thinking about a kitchen redesign, here are six tips for making that dream a reality…

1) Base the kitchen design around what and how you cook

When people are thinking about a new kitchen they usually start with visual inspiration – dreamily browsing those showroom stunners on Instagram or in sumptuous brochures, all beautifully photographed and impossibly empty. But in real life, kitchens should be designed for use, not just for show. 

So whether designing your own kitchen or working with a planner, the key is to think about how you use it every day. What do you cook, and what do you use to cook it? How can you conveniently store your most used ingredients and implements? How are your cooker, sink and fridge – the three corners of the famous kitchen work triangle – laid out?

A kitchen designed for efficiency and tailored to your individual cooking style – with all the little annoying things removed (no unnecessary reaching, bending etc) – is the first step to creating your happy place. (There is a science to this, called kitchen ergonomics. You can read more about that in their blog post: Kitchen ergonomics: 5 clever ways to make your kitchen design more efficient.)

2) Design for your space

Another thing to remember when lusting after Instagram and brochure kitchens is that very often they’re built for photoshoots in huge empty studios. So recreating a showroom kitchen within the physical constraints of your own home may be quite impossible.

In real life, you need to think about the space you have available in your home, and how you make every square inch of it work for you. Instead of thinking ‘how can I fit that showroom kitchen into my house’, start with the space you have and think how you can best make it work. A truly bespoke kitchen can be precision-engineered to fit your home, creating beautiful storage and cooking solutions that work with your home’s character and bring the space alive. Sloping ceilings, low beams, immovable pillars and awkward corners can become characterful features to embrace, rather than problems to try and work around.

(And don’t despair if your kitchen space is small – size is no barrier to a great kitchen. See Small but beautiful: A complete guide to designing and maximising the space in a small kitchen.)

3) Go for bespoke kitchen storage

Is there anything more pleasing for a cook than having everything you need shelved, ordered and readily accessible? Just imagine opening a door into a cool and fragrant space and seeing all your dry goods, spices, Maldon Salt boxes and cooking implements conveniently arranged, all ready for you to get cracking on that culinary masterpiece…

Bespoke pantries and larders can be calibrated precisely to your food and cooking preferences. Think pull-out pasta compartments, spice racks integrated into your cupboard doors, pegboard drawers for your pots and pans… If you want your kitchen to warm your heart every time you use it, invest in bespoke storage tailored to what and how you cook, rather than standard cabinetry. 

4) Invest in quality materials, built to last

When you’re a keen cook, your kitchen gets seriously heavy use. So if you want your dream kitchen to stay dreamy even after years of hard work – chopping, slicing, the endless opening and closing of doors and drawers – then it needs to be well-made out of good, hard-wearing materials. 

High-quality timber cabinets and worktops of solid wood, quartz or marble are worthwhile long-term investments.

5) Don’t forget beauty 

So far we’ve talked a lot about the practical side of a well-designed cook’s kitchen. But of course beauty is important too! When you spend so much of your time in it, a kitchen should be a lovely space: a joy to enter, a refuge from stress, a place to be proud of. 

Your choice of cabinet style and finish can be an expression of your personality, whether you like calming Scandi minimalism or energising colour explosions. And little details like cabinet handles, taps and splashbacks can have a huge visual impact. 

Very often the kitchen sets the tone for your whole home interior décor – and you’re going to be living with it for a long time. So it’s really important to take your time, look carefully at all the options and choose a look that you’re going to love forever. (For more tips on style, check out Choosing colours for your kitchen – an expert guide.)

6) Make room for a touch of magic

One of the great things about bespoke kitchen design is that you can come up with brand new ideas. At Naked Kitchens, they love working with customers to create things that are totally unique to them. It might be a special coffee station, a brilliantly concealed TV cabinet or a bar with both an integrated wine rack and a dedicated wine fridge, so both reds and whites can be stored at the perfect drinking temperature. 

That unique touch is what can really make a kitchen magical. So if you’ve got a special kitchen something you’ve always dreamed about, talk to your designer – you may be surprised at how achievable it is.

Naked Kitchens make beautiful, bespoke, bomb-proof kitchens which, thanks to their unique combination of British craftsmanship and cutting-edge automation, don’t cost the earth. They can custom-make the cook’s kitchen you dream about: any size, any space, any design; and built for life.

See more at nakedkitchens.com and follow them on Instagram @nakedkitchens

This article will be exploring all things kimchi and understanding the fermentation process behind it.

We first delve into what kimchi is and the history behind the dish, before looking into how you can serve it with different dishes.

After that, we take a look at the science of kimchi, understanding the fermentation process involved to make the dish and the chemical processes that occur. With belly’s sure to be rumbling, we finish off by catching up with the talented Chef Judy Joo, where we share her incredibly tasty pogi kimchi recipe, (cabbage kimchi), and demonstrate her methods of making the much-loved dish.

What is kimchi?

Kimchi is a traditional, fermented vegetable condiment for many Korean households, and has been for generations. The original name for kimchi was ‘chimchae’, which translates to ‘salted vegetables’. The origin of the dish began over 3,000 years ago, where Korean ancestors salted and fermented their vegetables to keep during the cold winter months, obtaining a balance between health and nutrition.

The dish has a complex flavour profile comprising of vegetables, such as napa cabbage, and the unique paste that you make from Korean red pepper powder (gochujangyong gochugaru), garlic, ginger, chilli, salt and fish sauce. This leaves a strikingly rich, red colour that has become kimchi’s signature.

You then slather the paste into the vegetables to make the kimchi. Although cabbage is the most popular vegetable to use, you can also include carrots, radishes and scallions which are all frequently used, depending on the region and season in which they are produced.

The taste of the mixture, once pickled and fermented, can vary depending on the ingredients used, but the dish generally has a spicy, sour and almost tangy taste to it. Generally, the longer you let the paste ferment in the fridge, the flavour will get deeper and intense.

Kimchi uses

In Korean culture, kimchi can be served with every meal. For breakfast, it is usually paired with rice. Kimchi bokkeumbap (fried rice) is one of the post popular ways to enjoy kimchi in Korea.

The options are endless when serving kimchi for lunch and dinner, but kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew) is a staple in Korea. It’s a combination of kimchi, tofu and juicy pork, with each ingredients slowly melting in your mouth to create the ultimate flavour sensation.

What can you serve with kimchi?

• Prawn Pad Thai

• Edamame beans

• Steak Salad with purple broccoli

Kimchi and fermentation

The process of making kimchi involves brining (salting) the vegetable mix to draw out the water content. This helps to preserve the ingredients and help the seasonings to penetrate and seep into the food over time. We recommend using Maldon sea salt flakes to provide the ideal concentration, which is a range between 2-5% to create the perfect kimchi.

Organic lactic acid, produced by the bacteria during fermentation of the vegetables, creates the optimum PH of 4.2 for kimchi to obtain it’s delicious and unique flavour that we all know and love.

The process can only occur when a salty and oxygen-free environment is successful. To put it simply, mix vegetables and salt together and put them in a air-tight container/jar.

The fermentation process of kimchi is considerably short in comparison to other fermented-based dishes such as sauerkraut. Kimchi can easily ferment at room temperature for 2-3 days, whereas sauerkraut would need to ferment for about 3-4 weeks!

Chef Judy Joo

Judy Joo is a talented Korean-American chef, restaurateur and author of two best-selling cookery books, as well as being featured in Forbes Travel Guide, National Geographic and The Guardian. Considered as being the leading expert in Korean cooking for the West, Judy showcases Korea’s cuisine in many distinctive and vibrant flavours, sharing her heritage throughout the dishes she creates.

From moving to London, Judy has shared her talent and skillset in an impressive selection of restaurants, including Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Claridge’s and Boxwood Café. Today, she is admired by many for battling her way through the food industry and encouraging people to live outside of their comfort zone.

Cabbage Kimchi Recipe (Pogi Kimchi)

Judy reassures us that although kimchi may look daunting, the recipe is very straightforward! You only need to have one/two large bowls for the brining of the cabbage and large container to ferment it in. She does recommend that you wear plastic or latex gloves when smearing the paste onto the cabbage leaves to avoid them feeling a little tingly and potentially staining your hands (only temporally!).

Serves: 4.5 litres (8 pints)

Ingredients:

• 2 litres (3 1⁄2 pints) warm water
• 225 g (8 oz) coarse sea salt (we recommend Maldon Salt)
• 1 very large Korean cabbage or several heads Chinese cabbage (2.2–2.7 kg/5–6 lb total), bottom(s) trimmed, wilted and tough outer leaves discarded and rinsed well
• 2 small onions, roughly chopped
• 12 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 10 dried anchovies (myulchi), head and guts removed
• 6 spring onions, roughly chopped
• 64 cloves garlic, 8 crushed and the rest left whole
• 1 (25 cm/10 in long) piece dried kelp (dashima)
• 250 g (9 oz) gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes)
• 14 tbsp fish sauce or anchovy sauce
• 10 tbsp salted shrimp (saewoo jeot), rinsed
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1 (18 cm/7 in) knob fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 3 carrots, julienned
• 12 spring onions, cut into 5 cm (2 in) pieces
• 200 g (7 oz) Korean white radish (mu) or mooli, peeled and julienned

Method:

1. In a large bowl, stir together the warm water and 115 g (4 oz) of the salt until the salt has dissolved; let the salted water cool. Meanwhile, partially cut the cabbage(s) in half lengthways, starting from the root end and cutting about halfway to the top. Using your hands, pull the cabbage(s) apart to split in half completely. Repeat so that each half is halved in the same way, which keeps the leaves intact and whole.
2. Loosen the leaves of each wedge so that they are easy to spread. Sprinkle the remaining 115 g (4 oz) salt over and between all the leaves, salting the core area more heavily. Put the cabbage into a large bowl (use two if they don’t fit) cut-side up. Pour the cooled salted water over the cabbage, then pour enough cold water into the bowl to cover the cabbage; don’t overfill the bowl, as some liquid will be drawn out of the cabbage. Weigh down the cabbage with a plate so the wedges are completely immersed. Leave at room temperature for 6–8 hours, flipping the wedges halfway through.
3. Rinse the wedges well under cold running water and gently squeeze out any excess moisture. Put the wedges, cut-side down, in a colander and leave to drain for at least 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the onions, mushrooms, anchovies, spring onions, the 8 crushed garlic cloves and the kelp and bring to the boil over a high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the liquid, discarding the solids and leave the anchovy stock to cool completely.
5. When the stock has cooled, in a food processor, combine the remaining garlic cloves, chilli flakes, fish sauce, salted shrimp, sugar and ginger and process until smooth. Add enough of the stock to make a smooth paste, about 475 ml (16 fl oz) total. Discard any remaining stock. Transfer the spice paste to a large bowl and stir in the carrots, spring onions and radish.
6. Rub the spice paste all over the cabbage wedges and between each leaf. Pull the outermost leaf of each wedge tightly over the rest of the wedge, forming a tidy parcel. Pack the wedges into one or more glass or other non-reactive containers with a tight-fitting lid (see Tip, below). Press a piece of clingfilm directly on the surface of the kimchi, then cover. The kimchi can be eaten at this young stage or after it sits at room temperature and starts to get sour and ‘bubble’, about 2–3 days. Store the kimchi in the fridge, where it will continue to ferment at a slower pace. I like to age mine at least 2 weeks, but it really is up to preference. Cut the kimchi before serving.

Recipe: https://www.judyjoo.com/recipes/cabbage-kimchi-pogi-kimchi-50/

To Conclude…

This article has explored the unique history of kimchi and understanding the fermentation process behind it. Judy Joo’s tasty cabbage kimchi is a perfect example of how straightforward the dish is to make, with her recommendations on how to store the recipe before serving.

Make sure you have your Maldon Salt ready when making kimchi! If you are running out, please feel free to browse on our Where to Buy Page to find your nearest store in which stocks our beloved Maldon Salt.

Lastly, we LOVE seeing your creations – please tag us on Instagram using the #maldonsalt so we can share your own kimchi creations!