Sauteed Cantaloupe With Fleur De Sel Recipes

FLEUR DE SEL CARAMELS

Steps:

• Prep the pan.
• Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing it to drape over 2 sides, then brush the paper lightly with oil.
• Boil the sugar.
• In a deep saucepan (6 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches deep), combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar and corn syrup and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown. Don't stir -- just swirl the pan.
• Heat the cream.
• In the meantime, in a small pot, bring the cream, butter and 1 teaspoon of fleur de sel to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat and set aside.
• Finish the caramel.
• When the sugar mixture is done, turn off the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Be careful -- it will bubble up violently. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees F (firm ball) on a candy thermometer.
• Fill the pan.
• Very carefully (it's hot!) pour the caramel into the prepared pan and refrigerate for a few hours, until firm.
• Cut the caramel.
• When the caramel is cold, pry the sheet from the pan onto a cutting board. Cut the square in half.
• Roll it up.
• Starting with a long side, roll the caramel up tightly into an 8-inch-long log.
• Cut into pieces.
• Sprinkle the log with fleur de sel, trim the ends and cut into 8 pieces. (Start by cutting the log in half, then continue cutting each piece in half until you have 8 equal pieces.) It's easier to cut the caramels if you brush the knife with flavorless oil like corn oil.
• Wrap the candies.
• Cut glassine or parchment paper into 4-by-5-inch pieces and wrap each caramel individually, twisting the ends. Store in the refrigerator and serve the caramels chilled.

SAUTEED CANTALOUPE WITH FLEUR DE SEL

Steps:

• Using a serrated knife, remove peel of both cantaloupes. Cut them in half lengthwise. With a spoon, gently remove seeds, being careful not to bruise the fruit.
• Set aside one cantaloupe half. Place remaining three halves cut side down on a cutting board. Slice each half lengthwise into six spears, for a total of 18 spears. Using a vegetable peeler, shave remaining cantaloupe half into paper-thin slices, and refrigerate.
• In a large saute pan over low heat, melt 4 tablespoons sugar until it liquefies and turns a light caramel color, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add half the cantaloupe spears, and saute for about 30 seconds on each side. Add 1/4 cup water, and simmer until water is almost gone, about 5 minutes. Transfer cantaloupe to a plate, and repeat with remaining cantaloupe spears, the remaining 4 tablespoons sugar, and an additional 1/4 cup water.
• To serve, sprinkle spears evenly with fleur de sel. Place three spears on each of six serving plates, and garnish with the chilled paper-thin cantaloupe slices and two turns of freshly ground pepper.

FLEUR DE SEL CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, then brush the paper lightly with oil, allowing the paper to drape over 2 sides.
• In a deep saucepan (6 inches diameter * 4 1/2 inches deep), stir together 1/4 cup water with the sugar, and corn syrup, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown color. Don't stir - just swirl the pan to mix. Watch carefully, as it will burn quickly at the end!
• In the meantime, in a small pan, bring the cream, butter, and 1 teaspoon of fleur de sel to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat, and set aside.
• When the sugar mixture is a warm golden color, turn off the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Be careful! It will bubble up violently. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon and cook over medium low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees (firm ball) on a candy thermometer. Very carefully (it's hot!) pour the caramel into the prepared pan and refrigerate for a few hours until firm.
• When the caramels are cold, pry the sheet from the pan onto a cutting board. Cut the sheet in half. Starting with the long end, roll the caramel up tightly into an 8 inch log. Repeat with the second piece. Sprinkle both logs with fleur de sel, trim the ends, and cut each log in 8 pieces. Cut glacene or parchment papers into squares and wrap each caramel in a paper, twisting the ends. Store in the refrigerator and serve the caramels chilled.

SAUTéED FLUKE WITH GRAPEFRUIT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a small saucepan, whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar, harissa, ginger and garlic. Over a bowl to catch the juices, cut the grapefruit segments free from the membrane. Set the segments aside and squeeze the remaining juice from the membrane into the bowl. Whisk 3 tablespoons grapefruit juice into the olive oil mixture.
• Lightly season the fluke on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet. When the oil shimmers, add 2 fluke fillets and cook for about 1 minute. Flip and cook for 30 more seconds. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for about 2 minutes. Keep the fish warm, and repeat with the remaining canola oil and 2 fillets.
• To serve, warm the vinaigrette over medium-low heat. Just before serving the fish, add the mint, rosemary and grapefruit segments and warm for about 1 minute, or until the segments are heated through. Lay a handful of frisee on each plate, followed by a piece of fish. Top the fish and frisee with grapefruit segments and a few spoonfuls of vinaigrette.

FLEUR DE SEL TOFFEE

Steps:

• Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Bring butter, sugar, water, and corn syrup to a boil in a large saucepan, whisking frequently until sugar dissolves and butter melts. Cook, undisturbed, until mixture registers 300 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 12 minutes.
• Whisk toffee mixture, then immediately pour onto prepared sheet, tilting pan to spread over entire surface. Let stand for 30 seconds, then sprinkle with fleur de sel. Let cool. (Do not move the pan for first 30 minutes.) Break toffee into pieces.

FLEUR DE SEL CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, then lightly oil parchment.
• Bring cream, butter, and fleur de sel to a boil in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and set aside.
• Boil sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil, without stirring but gently swirling pan, until mixture is a light golden caramel.
• Carefully stir in cream mixture (mixture will bubble up) and simmer, stirring frequently, until caramel registers 248°F on thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour into baking pan and cool 2 hours. Cut into 1-inch pieces, then wrap each piece in a 4-inch square of wax paper, twisting 2 ends to close.
• *Available at specialty foods shops and SaltWorks (800-353-7258).

SAUTEED ASPARAGUS WITH FLEUR DE SEL

Steps:

• In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter. When bubbling, add the asparagus spears, placing them in a single layer. Immediately cover with a piece of parchment paper cut to the size of the pan, and lower the heat to low so the asparagus sweat without browning. Turn the asparagus from time to time, and continue cooking until just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. (You may need to do this in batches. For a second batch, wipe out the pan and add 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh butter; keep the first batch warm in a low oven.)
• To serve, transfer the asparagus to 4 serving plates and sprinkle with fleur de sel. Drizzle a little white truffle oil, if you like, around the asparagus, and serve.

SMALL POTATOES WITH FLEUR DE SEL

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover with 2 inches of water, and season with about 1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt. Bring to a boil, and cook until the potatoes are just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.
• In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, and saute, shaking the pan from time to time, until the potatoes are browned in patches, 10 to 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve, passing a small dish of fleur de sel at the table.