Sel Fou
Every year in October , the Western Reserve Herb Society holds an Herb Fair and this year because I'm in charge of Ways and Means I'm one of the chairmen! It's a colossol job but it's also a wonderful job. It takes a huge committee to put it on and we all learn so much from each other. Everything that we make comes from the huge herb garden that we lovingly tend. Tuesdays and Thursdays are the days that we spend in the garden and the summer is spent harvesting fresh herbs every week. My friends and I just got done harvesting thousands of historical rose petals for potpourri and vinegar and now we're harvesting fresh oregano , lavender, thyme and basil actually we're harvesting whatever is ready in the garden and that changes every week! In autumn we'll be harvesting fresh quinces to make membrillo, which is a luscious Spanish fruit paste that is eaten with marcona almonds and cheese and apples to make pulp for spicy apple pulp pomanders! I encourage all of you if you have the time (and even if you don't!) to do something nice for yourself and join your local botanical garden and if you have one a local Herb Society. You can join the Herb Society of America even if you don't have a local one. Trust me. You'll enjoy it alot! I am fortunate that The Herb Society of America is housed close to Cleveland where I live. I love to go out to their beautiful location in Kirtland Ohio and explore their library for hours.
One of my jobs this year is Culinary chairman and I'm having a ball coming up with different things to make and sell at the fair. I'm working on a line of slow cooker blends and a apple cider/ maple Manhattan mixer. I decided that this year it would be fun to throw a few exotic things into the mix. Hence this recipe for Sel Fou, which means Fools Salt and if you didn't know what it was you'd be fooled indeed!
Sel Fou is a classic French seasoning salt and it is my understanding that every French woman has a recipe that is very much a reflection of her own cooking style. It's very simple to make. This is my personal recipe! Yours might be different!
You will need:
3 tablespoons of fine sea salt
1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch
1/2 tablespoon of confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon of powdered horseradish
1 tablespoon of garlic powder
1 tablespoon of onion salt (do not use shallot salt- too moist)
1 tablespoon of dried thyme
1 tablespoon of dried marjoram
1/2 tablespoon of dried dill
1/2 tablespoon of dried chives
That's it! I put all of it into a jar and shake it well and then whisk it with a fork. You must use the cornstarch and the sugar because it works as a stabilizer, keeping everything dry and mixed well. Decant it into a salt pig or a covered jar and keep it by your stove. This is a wonderful secret ingredient. I use it in stews , soups and braises of all kinds and it will turn an omelet into a gourmet meal. Sprinkled onto a salad which has been dressed with a simple oil and vinegar dressing...Unbelievable! Do yourself a favor and make some. If you come up with a different mixture , please share your creation with me on Facebook at My Outlander Love Affair - Milady's Pantry and Stillroom!
