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A recipe of Mark Bitterman's take on Gravlax from his book, Salt Block Cooking.     A take on the classic using 400 million year old slabs of Himalayan salt in place of traditional kosher salt. Use fresh, wild-caught salmon in season if you can find it. Serves 4 Ingredients: 2 4x8x2 inch "brick" salt blocks 1 bunch fresh dill sprigs 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon cracked fennel seeds 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 pound salmon fillet, skin on, pin bones removed Whole-grain crackers, for serving Crème fraîche, for garnish Chopped fresh dill, for garnish Cover one block with half of the dill sprigs. Mix the dry ingredients. Place the salmon on the dill-covered salt block, skin down. Coat the fleshy parts of the salmon, and cover with the remainder of the dill sprigs. Place the second salt block on top, wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap, and place in a fridge. Leave in the fridge until the fish becomes resilient but not firm to the touch. The top surface should be dry, the sides moist, and the flesh will be slightly opaque. Allow one to three days. Thinner and wild salmon cure faster, while thicker and farm-raised salmon take longer. When it is ready, unwrap the gravlax, rinse off the spices, and pat dry. Serve skin side down crackers and top with crème fraîche and dill.  Recipe and photos by Mark Bitterman. To see more, check out Salt Block Cooking      

Sautéeing on Himalayan salt blocks creates exponentially more flavor than sautéeing in a conventional skillet. This is because a salt block cooks your food in two ways. At a blazing 500 degrees or higher, the heavy block of salt has enormous thermal mass, sizzling away moisture to produce a thick crust of rich, concentrated flavor. At the same time, the Himalayan salt itself sets to work, bursting cell membranes, intermingling juices, and breaking loose new flavors that in turn sizzle away to make for even more concentrated flavors. Want to make the most of this miracle of cooking chemistry? Balance out the scallop’s rich buttery flavors with a spritz of citrus and reinforce everything with the lip-tingling spice of Szechuan peppercorns. You’ll not have another scallop that’s this fun to cook, impressive to serve, or tasty to eat. Serves 4 Ingredients: 2 4x8x2 inch salt block 1 1/4 pounds large wild-caught sea scallops (about 16) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon cracked red Sichuan peppercorns Finely shredded zest and juice of 1/2 lemon and 1/2 lime Place the salt block(s) over a low gas flame and heat for 15 minutes. Raise the flame to medium and heat another 10 minutes. Raise the flame to high and heat another 15 minutes, until it is uncomfortable to hold your hand about 2 inches from the surface of the block for longer than 3 seconds (approximately 500°F). While the salt block is heating pat the scallops dry and pull off their white gristly tendons (located on the side of the scallop) if not already removed. Coat the scallops with the olive oil and Szechuan pepper and let stand at room temperature until the salt block is hot. Place the scallops on the hot block. The scallops should almost skitter across the top. If they just plop there and sizzle modestly, the salt is and sear until browned and springy to the touch but still a little soft in the center, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Work in batches if your salt block cannot comfortably fit all the scallops at once. Remove to a platter or plates, or move the entire salt block to the table and set on an oven mitt or trivet to serve still sizzling to your guests. Scatter the citrus zest over top and drizzle with the juice. Eat immediately.

A refreshing and comforting salad, drizzled with Italian balsamic and buttery smooth olive oil, and salted by sitting on top of a plate made of Himalayan Pink Rock Salt.      

In the dog days of summer, this crunchy, cool, sweet, salty, juicy, tangy salad fits the bill: no oven or stove top required, minimal work, maximum flavor.  Recipe adapted from Mark Bitterman's best-selling cookbook Salt Block Cooking. Sweet, juicy watermelon slices, creamy goat cheese, and fragrant mint are made only better when served on a stunning slab of pink salt.      

Summer time is also grilling time! Change up your grilled chicken recipe this year by throwing a salt brick into the mix.     Serves 6 to 8 Ingredients: 2 4x8x2 pink himalayan salt bricks 1 (4-pound) chicken, preferably free-range 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Juice of ½ lemon Place the salt blocks on the grill grate of a gas grill over low heat, close the lid, and warm for 10 minutes while you prepare the chicken (see Read Before Heating!, page 25 of Salt Block Cooking). Turn the heat to medium and heat the block for 10 more minutes. Its surface should be about 375°F (see Getting It Hot, page 24 of Salt Block Cooking). If you are using a charcoal fire, set up a bi-level fire with half the grill set up for low heat (one layer of coals) and the other half set up for medium heat (two layers of coals). Remove and discard the neck and package of innards from the cavity of the chicken. Place the chicken, breast side down, on a cutting board. With a large knife or poultry shears, cut down the length of the spine on both sides. Remove the spine. Cut the breast side of the chicken in half lengthwise. You will now have two chicken halves. Wash the halves in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Coat with the olive oil and rub all over with the cut sides of the garlic cloves; tuck the pieces of garlic under the edges of the skin. Season all over with pepper. Clean the area of the grill grate not occupied by the salt block with a wire brush. Put the chicken halves, skin side down, on the grill grate and, using grill gloves/mitts, put a hot salt block on top of each half. Close the lid and cook until the chicken skin is crisp and deeply grill-marked, about 15 minutes. Remove the blocks using the grill gloves. Flip the chicken halves with tongs, put the blocks back on top of the chicken, close the lid, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the inside of the thicker thigh registers 170°F, about 10 to 15 minutes on the grill. Remove the salt blocks. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before cutting into parts. Drizzle with the lemon juice and serve. Recipe and photos by Mark Bitterman. To see more, check out Salt Block Cooking.      

Cubanos are usually encased in foil prior to grilling and pressing— it helps to keep the edges from crumbling and falling away. But when you’re grilling between hot salt bricks, wrapping is counterproductive. The bread toasts up beautifully, with the moisture lurking in the butter that’s slathered on picking up just enough salt to push flavor into this sandwich from the outside in. The effect is not unlike an explosion, a Cubano supernova.   Cubanos are usually encased in foil prior to grilling and pressing— it helps to keep the edges from crumbling and falling away. But when you’re grilling between hot salt blocks, wrapping is counterproductive. The bread toasts up beautifully, with the moisture lurking in the butter that’s slathered on picking up just enough salt to push flavor into this sandwich from the outside in. The effect is not unlike an explosion, a Cubano supernova. Serves 4 hungry people Ingredients: 4 salt bricks 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 1 loaf Cuban (or Italian) bread, halved lengthwise 1/4 cup yellow mustard 12 ounces thinly sliced boiled ham 12 ounces thinly sliced roasted pork 8 ounces thinly sliced Swiss cheese 1 large dill pickle, thinly sliced lengthwise 1/2 cup mojo   Half an hour before you are ready to start grilling, put the salt blocks on an unheated gas grill. Heat the grill to low, cover the grill, and warm the blocks for 10 minutes. Raise the heat to medium and wait another 10 minutes. Raise it to high and wait another 10 minutes. A laser thermometer aimed at the center of a block should register around 450°F. If using charcoal, bank a chimney of red-hot charcoal briquettes to one side of the firebox. Put the blocks on the grill grate away from the fire and cover the grill. In 20 minutes, using grill gloves, move the blocks so that they are over the coals. In 10 minutes, your blocks will be 450°F and ready for grilling.Spread 2 tablespoons of the butter on one half of the loaf and the mustard on the other half. Make layers of ham, pork, cheese, and pickles on the buttered half; top with the mustard-spread half. Use both hands to press down on the sandwich to flatten it slightly. Smear the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter all over the outside. Using grill gloves, arrange 2 blocks end to end. Put the sandwich on the blocks and top with the other 2 bricks, pressing them down to balance them on top of the sandwich. Cover the grill and grill for about 10 minutes, until the bread is toasted and the cheese has melted. Remove the sandwich to a cutting board and cut on an angle into 8 thick slices. Serve with mojo for dipping. Enjoy! Original recipe from Mark Bitterman's Salt Block Grilling - Grab your copy and get grilling!

What other taste is more perfect for hot weather than Thai food? This tangy, salty dish is a Thai inspired recipe from Mark Bitterman's Salt Block Cooking.  Serves 4 Ingredients: 1 stovetop round Himalayan Salt Block ¼ cup fresh lime juice ¼ cup Thai fish sauce 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 1 garlic clove, minced 1 hot chili pepper, such as bird chile, habanero, cayenne or Scotch bonnet, stem and seeds removed, minced ¼ cup finely shredded carrot 1¼ pounds large, wild-caught sea scallops (about 16) ½ teaspoon freshly ground Lampong Black Pepper Place the stovetop round Himalayan Salt Block over low heat on a gas grill or stovetop for 10 minutes (see Read Before Heating, in Salt Block Cooking, pg. 25). Turn the heat to medium and heat for 10 more minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high and heat the block to about 600 °F, about 20 more minutes (see Getting It Hot, in Salt Block Cooking, pg. 24). To make the dipping sauce, mix the lime juice, fish sauce, ¼ cup water, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, chili pepper and carrot; set aside. Pat the scallops dry and pull off their white gristly tendons if not already removed. Season the scallops with the black pepper and let stand at room temperature until the salt block is hot. When the salt block is very hot (you should only be able to hold your hand above it for just a few seconds), place the scallops on the hot block and sear until browned and springy to the touch but still a little soft in the center, about 3 minutes per side. Work in batches if your salt block cannot comfortably fit all the scallops at once. Transfer to a platter or plates and serve with the dipping sauce.  Recipe & Photos by Mark Bitterman. To see more of Mark's photos and recipes, check out Salt Block Cooking

Fish has been a delicacy for as long as humans can remember. It's light, beautifully presented, and delicious. There are many ways to cook up fish, but the easiest (and most flavorful) way to cook it is whole. Here is a recipe from Salt Block Cooking, by Mark Bitterman, for a fresh, crispy, and visually dramatic way to cook up and serve fish.   Serves 4 to 6 Ingredients: 2 8x12x1.5 inch salt block 2 whole fish (about 1½" lbs. each) with skin attached, such as snapper, pompano, striped bass, etc. 2 tablespoons packed pickled ginger slices for sushi, finely chopped 1 garlic glove, minced Leaves from 4 large mint sprigs 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Juice and zest of 1 large lime Place the salt block over low heat on a gas grill or stovetop for 10 minutes. Turn the heat to medium and heat for 10 more minutes (see Read Before Heating!, page 25 in Salt Block Cooking). Raise the heat to medium-high and heat the block to about 500°F, about 10 more minutes. For the last 10 minutes, preheat the oven to 500°F (see Getting It Hot, page 24 in Salt Block Cooking). Meanwhile, mix the ginger, garlic, mint and 1 teaspoon of the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cut three diagonal slices in the sides of both fish. Fill each slit with 1 teaspoon of the ginger mixture. Pack the rest into the fishes’ cavities. Rub the remaining 1 teaspoon oil all over the fish. Using two heavy oven mitts, transfer the block to a baking sheet. Put the fish on the hot block and slip the pan into the preheated oven. Roast for 5-minutes, then turn over with a metal spatula, scraping carefully to avoid tearing the skin. Roast until the flesh of the fish flakes to gentle pressure, about 5 more minutes. Transfer the fish to a serving platter using a wide spatula. Scatter the lime zest over the fish and drizzle with lime juice. Serve, removing the fish from the bone at the table. To serve the fish, make a slit through the skin of the cooked fish down the length on the spine right above the dorsal fin, using a narrow knife. Insert a spatula into the slit and slide it between the flesh and the bone. Make a slice just behind the head and just in front of the tail, separating the top fillet from the skeleton. Lift the released fillet from the carcass and serve. Using the spatula or two forks, lift the central skeleton, including the head and the tail, from the bottom fillet and discard. Serve the bottom fillet.   Recipe and photos by Mark Bitterman. To see more, check out Salt Block Cooking.      

This summer's heat has been record breaking! Here is a remedy to help you through the marathon of hot days we have been having. Mark Bitterman's recipe for Parmesan Ice Cream with Tomato Marmalade and Basil Gremolata from the original book of salt block recipes, Salt Block Cooking.  Serves a crowd Ingredients: For the ice cream: 1 round Himalayan salt block 5 cups heavy cream  8 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated For the marmalade: 1 pound plum tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped ⅓ cup sugar 1½ tablespoons sherry vinegar 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, use high-quality For the gremolata: 12 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped ¼ garlic clove, minced ½ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest To finish: 2 tablespoons olive oil, use high-quality Chill the salt block in the freezer for 6 hours before you want to finish the ice cream. To make the ice cream, bring the cream to a simmer in a large saucepan. Add the cheese slowly, stirring all the time, and continue to simmer and stir over low heat until the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth, about 5 minutes. Pass through a strainer to remove any lumps, and let cool to room temperature. Put in a closed container and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. An hour before you want to finish the ice cream, put the container of ice cream mixture in the freezer. To make the marmalade, cook the tomatoes, sugar, and vinegar in a medium saucepan, stirring frequently until lightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in the olive oil and let cool to room temperature. To make the gremolata, mix the basil, garlic, hazelnuts, and lemon zest together in a small bowl. To finish the ice cream, put the frozen salt block on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Spoon half of the chilled ice cream mixture onto the frozen salt block, using a pastry scraper or the side of a spatula to control its flow. Scrape and fold the ice cream across the surface of the salt until it sets up. Scrape into a chilled bowl put in the freezer while repeating the process with the remaining half of the ice cream mixture. To serve, scoop the ice cream into chilled bowls. Drizzle each serving with the olive oil, and top each with a spoonful of marmalade and a sprinkling of gremolata. Recipe and photos by Mark Bitterman. To see more, check out Salt Block Cooking.