{"id":229,"date":"2017-04-26T20:23:29","date_gmt":"2017-04-26T20:23:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theworkinglunchproject.com\/?post_type=recipe&p=229"},"modified":"2017-08-18T23:13:39","modified_gmt":"2017-08-18T23:13:39","slug":"toasted-szechuan-peppercorn-salt","status":"publish","type":"recipe","link":"http:\/\/www.theworkinglunchproject.com\/?recipe=toasted-szechuan-peppercorn-salt","title":{"rendered":"Toasted Szechuan Peppercorn Salt"},"content":{"rendered":"

This recipe for Toasted Szechuan Peppercorn Salt is a great seasoned salt to have on hand, lending an Asian flair to many dishes.<\/p>\n

\"Toasted
Photo: Cynthia Dalton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sometimes the difference between a really great lunch and just a ho-hum affair is experimenting with new and different flavors. This is why a few homemade seasoned salt recipes are great to have in one’s pantry \u2014 it just keeps life interesting!<\/p>\n

Seasoned salts can add a note of something special to all kinds of simple mainstays, such as an otherwise innocuous scoop of cottage cheese or the ubiquitous boiled egg.<\/p>\n

So, here’s my take on\u00a0Toasted Szechuan Peppercorn Salt. Some recipes call for toasting the peppercorns in some oil before grinding but I don’t find the oil necessary. I just toast the peppercorns in a dry skillet on medium high heat for about 3 minutes or until the peppercorns fill the kitchen with their fragrance. Once cooled, I grind them in a spice grinder, run them through a sieve, and mix them with fine sea salt.<\/p>\n

I do find that salt blends don’t really taste their best until they’ve had a chance to sit in a cool, dark, dry place for 2 or 3 days, so plan ahead on this one.<\/p>\n

For some additional information on Szechuan pepper and to visit a really fun site with some interesting recipes, check out Omnivor’s Cookbook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You’ll find lots of different spellings for these peppercorns \u2014 Schezwan, Sichuan, or Szechuan to name a few but anyway you spell it, the flavor is unique. It’s somewhat citrusy, somewhat floral, has a bit of a gingery sting (but it’s not too hot), and is slightly astringent, as in balsam or pine. Toasting does seem to cut way down on the slight numbing quality on the lips and tongue that these peppercorns possess.<\/p>\n

Szechuan peppercorns* aren’t really peppercorns at all, but are actually a dried berry. Here’s more information on\u00a0Szechuan peppercorns<\/a>\u00a0from The Epicentre.<\/p>\n

I hope you enjoy this recipe for\u00a0Toasted Szechuan Peppercorn Salt. Please use the Comments section below to share your thoughts.
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