Citrus salts are a fun way to keep your food interesting. They can awaken your taste buds and make an ordinary dish, dressing, or sauce flavorful and zesty. You can be experimental with various citrus fruits and spices, creating unusual flavors that cater to different cuisines.
You can always build more flavors on top of other flavors. Citrus zest offers a subtle yet signature hint of citrus to whatever you are making. You can use mandarins, lemons, limes, grapefruit, oranges, or tangerines, and you’ll be reaping the many health benefits of each citrus peel. Here are a couple reasons why you should regularly add citrus peels to your salts.
Antioxidant-Rich
Much like citrus fruits themselves, the peels are rich in antioxidants. These antioxidants work to protect your DNA from free radical damage, and can help boost the immune system as well. Plus, many citrus fruits, specifically lemons and limes, are great for helping the body reach an alkaline state.
Lowering Cholesterol
Several studies indicate that consuming citrus peels can help lower cholesterol levels and decrease a person’s risk of heart disease. Citrus peels actually contain PMF compounds, which help to lower bad LDL cholesterol levels by 30%.
IMPORTANT: ONLY USE SEA SALT WHEN MAKING THESE CITRUS SALTS. HIMALAYAN PINK SALT IS ALSO OKAY TO USE.
Making The Salts
The best way to zest the citrus peels is with a microplane grater. The amount of grated citrus peel should always be the same as the amount of sea salt used. For example, if you have one ounce of grated lemon peel, you should mix it with one ounce of sea salt. When you zest the citrus peel, mix it in the sea salt with your fingers. Let the citrus salt dry in the open air and then cover it in a glass jar. You can store it in your cupboard. Just keep adding sea salt and more citrus zest to keep up your supply. Try out some combos below and see how they enhance your dishes!
Orange Tarragon Salt
Mix together equal parts orange zest and sea salt and combine with tarragon to your desired taste. This can be a great seasoning for a salad dressing.
Lime Chili Salt
Mix together equal parts lime zest and sea salt and add your desired amount of cayenne pepper or red chili flakes. Using more cayenne or chili flakes will obviously intensify the heat.
Lemon Lavender Salt
This can be a great seasoning for raw ice cream recipes. The subtlety of lemon and lavender set up a beautifully refreshing flavor.
