The pyramid-shaped spice is already very popular at home and takes the taste of food to a new level

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Due to its unusual appearance, crispy texture and intense taste, it is a favorite of 21st century chefs, but can also be found in more and more households.

Although most people in the world use classic table salt, there is a salt version that is increasingly conquering the gastronomy in fine dining. (More and more chefs are also using it in local restaurants.) The history of the gourmet Maldon salt flower began around 140 years ago in England.

It is not surprising that salt mining has a tradition going back thousands of years. The remains of the earliest salt mines were found in the Hallstatt settlement in Austria, where the craft was practiced as early as 5000 BC. was exercised. Thanks to technological developments, salt mining no longer poses a particular risk, but before the time of machines it was not only dangerous to health but also an extremely expensive process. Direct contact with salt causes severe dehydration and inhaling sodium is also not good for the lungs. According to records, ancient China was the earliest civilization to engage in trade in addition to salt mining. They usually gained access to the vital spice from the sea or through evaporation in salt lakes.

Maldon salt flower is a type of sea salt mined, processed and sold by the Maldon Salt company in Essex. The salt can be recognized by its characteristic, pyramid-shaped crystal grains and is mined at the mouth of the Blackwater River in southeast England (Blackwater Estuary National Park). Due to its texture and taste, experts consider it to be one of the highest quality salts in the world.

The pyramid shape is created by the unique production technology. The authorities allow the seawater to evaporate until only the larger salt crystals remain. Although technology has of course made this process much easier, Maldon Salt still places great emphasis on maintaining traditional methods. For this reason, salt is usually collected during spring tide, when the difference between high and low water levels is greatest.

What is the difference between Maldon salt and other salts?

Currently, salts worldwide can be divided into three main categories.

The most common is a normal salt, which consists of tiny crystals. Due to the anti-caking substances contained in table salt, it is also used in restaurants, private individuals and kitchens, as table salt can retain its consistency even in humid climates.

Another type of salt is also often used in the kitchen. THE kosher salt Ideal for seasoning meat. Its larger particles adhere well to the meat and are distributed relatively evenly on the respective product. Due to its coarse-grained texture, kosher salt is considered one of the purest salts in the world.

In terms of cleanliness a Maldon Salt Flower closely followed by kosher salt. The irregularly shaped crystals of the Maldon salt flower contain extremely high concentrations of minerals. Its large, harder flakes give the dish a delicious crunch in every bite. For this very reason, this salt is often sprinkled on the food immediately before serving.

Maldon saltflower is not just for eating. If we listen to thekitchn authors, we’ll also coat the rims of cocktail glasses with it instead of table salt.

Below we present a steak recipe from Maldon Salt, the end result of which is guaranteed to be enhanced by the crispiness of the special salt.

Dry marinated ribeye steak with spiced butter

Photo: KTRYNA / Unsplash

Ingredients for steak

• Rib-eye steak (2 x 4 cm thick slices, 350-400 g/slice)
• 1 tsp Maldon salt flower
• some table salt
• some olive oil

Ingredients for the blue cheese flavored butter

• 100g egg
• 100g blue cheese
• a small bunch of chives
• Pepper (to taste)

This is how it is made

Start dry marinating the day before you plan to cook it: Sprinkle the steak with a little table salt, place it on a rack, and then leave it uncovered in the refrigerator overnight.

To make the sauce, mix butter, cheese and chopped chives in a small bowl. Pour the mixture onto a piece of baking paper and then roll it out into a cylinder. Place in the refrigerator to cool.

When you’re ready to grill, turn the grill to high and give it enough time to heat up properly.

Drizzle the steak with olive oil and season with salt. Fry the steak over the fire, turning constantly, for about 5-6 minutes until the outside begins to caramelize nicely. The internal temperature of the steak should be between 52 and 60 degrees Celsius to achieve a medium rare result.

Let the steak rest for a while and season with Maldon salt.

Before serving, add some seasoned butter to the slices; it will melt nicely on the meat.

Cover photo: sweet marshmallow / Shutterstock

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