This holiday season we gave gifts from the garden, which came primarily from our citrus trees. Sunset Magazine featured an easy home made gift idea that struck a chord: citrus salt. Sprinkle it on salads, meats, and in soups to brighten flavors just before serving. Here’s how we did it.
Citrus salt ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 cup course flake salt (we used Penzeys – our favorite spice company)
- 3 Tbsp. citrus zest, any kind (we used lemon, lime and orange, divided)
Course salt mixed with lemon, lime and orange zest
How-to:
- Combine salt and citrus zest in a bowl and work with your fingers to incorporate.
- Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet and leave overnight to dry.
- Pour cured mixture into glass jars and use labels to decorate. Use within 2 months.
It’s really that easy. In fact, the hardest part personally was to create an orange salt label in Photoshop, since Sunset only provides a lime and lemon label.
Finished Citrus Salt, ready for gifts. Each jar holds a little less than 1 cup.
So if you’re looking for a use for all that winter citrus, give this nifty idea a try.
How would you use this citrus salt? Post your suggestions here.
Sounds a great idea for Margaritas!
I’m going to try the lime salt on Pommes Frites, too.
BTW: Can the same method be used to make Herb Salts? What are the most delicious? I had a Black Truffle Salt that was sublime!
I’ve seen a recipe for basil preserved in salt. I think the process is a little more involved than this (more drying time and oven use, if I recall) but it should work. Salt was the great preservative of ancient times.
Also, Pommes Frites and margaritas sound great too!