SALT ROCK

From free flowing to coarse crystals, salt is available in another guise: a thick slab, which is creating waves in the cooking arena.

Ithought slabs of salt licks belonged exclusively in the livestock domain until I stumbled across a pretty mottled pink, almost marble-like, salt slab that promised to change the way of cooking. Like many things, it languished in the back of the cupboard until, prompted by the launch of Himalayan Salt Cooking by Liezel Maree, I was inspired to dig it out and put it to good use. It’s novel and fun to use, a natural, healthy seasoning — full of minerals — and can be used to cook on different heat sources: over a gas flame, in a large pan on the stove, in the oven and even on the braai. The only proviso? You preheat it on medium heat for at least 15 minutes before using. The beauty of it is that, once heated, it retains heat for up to 20 minutes, away from the heat source, allowing food to be cooked at the table.

Cooking on the salt slab can be healthier as most dishes require little or no oil or butter — meaning there are also no greasy pots or baking trays to wash up. And, because the slab is antimicrobial, it needs only a scrub down after cooking. Using a cut lemon dipped in salt makes cleaning a breeze.

To demystify the pink slab, the cookbook introduction offers comprehensive dos and don’ts on how to master the slab, then goes on to a selection of recipes, from meat, chicken and fish to toasted sarmies, pizza and even scones cooked on the slab. At the launch some of the tasters included a guacamole served in well-chilled salt serving bowls, baby potatoes and an oozing, well-flavoured baked camembert.

The highlight was watching Maree take a chocolate ganache spread, spoon it onto a frozen slab, sprinkle it with nuts, chilli, seeds and fruit — and in minutes there were homemade choccies.

At home, the pink slab has become a favourite way of cooking a good well-aged steak. Simple to cook, no washing up and the steak is tender, a little smokey with just the right amount of saltiness.