Recettes du Chef

Chef's Recipes

Original recipes from a working chef

SALT TYPE
GENRE
The Ultimate Salt Onigiri
Sel Fin
Japanese
The Ultimate Salt Onigiri
Onigiri au Sel fin de Guérande

When the salt is good, the rice ball needs nothing more. Guérande sel fin coaxes out the natural sweetness of the rice — simplicity at its purest.

Time: 10 min Difficulty: ★☆☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

Makes 2
  • Freshly cooked rice … 300g
  • Sel fin … 1/2 tsp (for salting the hands)
  • Toasted nori … 2 sheets
  • Filling of your choice … to taste

PRÉPARATION

  1. Turn the freshly cooked rice into a bowl and fluff it gently with a paddle, using a cutting motion to release some of the steam.
  2. Lightly wet your hands with water, then spread a pinch of sel fin across your palm.
  3. Take 150g of rice in your hand and tuck the filling into the center.
  4. Shape with three presses. Use a light touch so the grains stay whole — think "gathering," not "squeezing."
  5. Wrap in toasted nori and serve.

CHEF'S POINT

Salt the hands, not the rice. Spreading the salt on your palm before shaping puts the seasoning only on the surface. The first bite brings the mineral note of the sel fin, and the sweetness of the rice follows right behind — that order is everything. The rice should be just-cooked, with only a little of the steam let off.

Sea Bream Carpaccio
Fleur de Sel
Western
Sea Bream Carpaccio
Carpaccio de Dorade à la Fleur de Sel

Over fresh sea bream, the delicate crystals of fleur de sel slowly dissolve. The "flower of salt" brings the fish into full bloom — the simplest of luxuries.

Time: 15 min Difficulty: ★★☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

Serves 2
  • Sea bream (sashimi-grade block) … 150g
  • Fleur de sel … 1/3 tsp
  • Extra-virgin olive oil … 2 tbsp
  • Lemon juice … 1 tbsp
  • Pink peppercorns … a little
  • Dill or microherbs … to taste
  • Capers … 1 tsp

PRÉPARATION

  1. Slice the block of sea bream thinly on the bias (about 2mm). Arrange the slices in a fan on a chilled plate.
  2. Whisk the olive oil and lemon juice together and drizzle over the fish.
  3. Scatter over the capers and pink peppercorns.
  4. Just before serving, pinch the fleur de sel between your fingers and place a little over each slice.
  5. Garnish with dill or microherbs and serve.

CHEF'S POINT

Always add fleur de sel at the very last moment. Salt it too early and osmosis draws moisture from the fish, ruining the texture you worked for. Pinch the crystals and "place" two or three on each slice. The moment they crack between your teeth is the soul of this carpaccio. And chill the plate in the fridge beforehand.

Sea Bream Baked in a Salt Crust
Gros Sel
Japanese
Sea Bream Baked in a Salt Crust
Dorade en Croûte de Gros Sel

The fish is sealed completely in gros sel and roasted in its own steam. The aroma that escapes the moment you crack the crust is something only Guérande salt can give.

Time: 50 min Difficulty: ★★★
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INGRÉDIENTS

Serves 2–3
  • Whole sea bream … 1 (about 500g)
  • Gros sel … 1kg
  • Egg whites … 2
  • Rosemary … 2 sprigs
  • Lemon (sliced) … 4 slices
  • Garlic … 2 cloves

PRÉPARATION

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Gut the sea bream and stuff the cavity with lemon, rosemary, and garlic.
  2. Mix the gros sel and egg whites well, until they hold together with a damp, packable consistency.
  3. Line a baking tray with parchment and spread a third of the salt in the shape of the fish. Lay the sea bream on top.
  4. Cover the fish completely with the remaining salt, sealing every gap. Press firmly by hand to compact the crust.
  5. Bake at 200°C for 30–35 minutes, until the crust takes on a faint color.
  6. Crack the crust open at the table to serve.

CHEF'S POINT

The moisture content of gros sel makes all the difference. Dry refined salt won't set into a proper crust, and ordinary coarse salt has grains so uniform that steam escapes too easily. Guérande gros sel has just the right variation in grain size to build the sealed chamber that gentle steam-roasting needs. Adjust the firmness with the egg white — a little less, and the crust shatters dramatically at the table.

Guérande Aglio e Olio
Gros Sel Fleur de Sel
Pasta
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio au Sel de Guérande

Gros sel in the cooking water, fleur de sel to finish. Two salts, each in its place — a chef's touch that elevates the most stripped-back pasta there is.

Time: 20 min Difficulty: ★★☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

Serves 2
  • Spaghetti … 200g
  • Gros sel … 20g (for 2L of cooking water)
  • Fleur de sel … a pinch (to finish)
  • Garlic … 3 cloves
  • Dried chili … 1
  • Extra-virgin olive oil … 4 tbsp
  • Flat-leaf parsley … to taste

PRÉPARATION

  1. Bring a large pot of water (2L) to the boil and add 20g of gros sel. Cook the spaghetti for one minute less than the package time.
  2. Thinly slice the garlic and put it in a frying pan with the olive oil. Warm gently over low heat to draw out the aroma. Once golden, add the chili.
  3. Add two ladles of pasta water to the pan and emulsify.
  4. Transfer the cooked pasta to the pan and toss quickly with tongs. Add more pasta water if it needs loosening.
  5. Plate up, scatter over the parsley, and finish with a pinch of fleur de sel.

CHEF'S POINT

The cooking water should be "a touch less salty than seawater" — about 10g of gros sel per liter. Boiling pasta in Guérande gros sel gives the noodles a roundness you simply don't get from refined salt. Then the finishing fleur de sel goes on after the emulsion is done. Building the salt in layers means every bite shifts a little. The simpler the dish, the more honestly the quality of the salt shows.

Tomato and Mozzarella Caprese
Fleur de Sel
Western
Tomato and Mozzarella Caprese
Caprese à la Fleur de Sel

The sweetness of ripe tomato, the milkiness of mozzarella, the perfume of basil. Fleur de sel draws all three into a single, unified flavor.

Time: 5 min Difficulty: ★☆☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

Serves 2
  • Ripe tomatoes (medium) … 2
  • Mozzarella … 1 ball (125g)
  • Fleur de sel … 1/4 tsp
  • Extra-virgin olive oil … 2 tbsp
  • Fresh basil … 6–8 leaves
  • Black pepper … a little

PRÉPARATION

  1. Slice the tomatoes into 1cm rounds, and the mozzarella to the same thickness.
  2. Arrange tomato and mozzarella alternately on a plate, tucking a basil leaf between each.
  3. Drizzle olive oil over the whole dish.
  4. Just before serving, scatter fleur de sel evenly over the top and grind over some black pepper.

CHEF'S POINT

The real star of a caprese isn't the tomato or the cheese — it's the salt. Refined salt pulls the moisture out of the tomato all at once, but fleur de sel dissolves slowly, drawing out that sweetness gradually as you eat. Let the tomatoes come to room temperature before slicing; straight from the fridge, their sweetness stays locked away.

Lightly Pickled Seasonal Vegetables
Sel Fin
Japanese
Lightly Pickled Seasonal Vegetables
Légumes Marinés au Sel fin

Pickled with Guérande sel fin, the vegetables keep their bright color while their natural sweetness comes forward. A quiet companion to the everyday table.

Time: 10 min + 30 min to pickle Difficulty: ★☆☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

Makes a convenient batch
  • Cucumbers … 2
  • Turnips … 2
  • Myoga ginger … 2
  • Sel fin … 2 tsp (about 2% of the vegetables' weight)
  • Kombu (5cm square) … 1 piece
  • Dried chili … 1 (optional)

PRÉPARATION

  1. Slice the cucumbers thinly on the bias, peel and cut the turnips into thin wedges, and halve the myoga lengthwise.
  2. Put the vegetables in a bowl and sprinkle the sel fin evenly over them.
  3. Add the kombu and chili, and massage gently.
  4. Transfer to a zip-top bag, press out the air, and pickle for 30 minutes to an hour.
  5. Squeeze out the excess moisture lightly and serve.

CHEF'S POINT

Quick pickles show the quality of the salt directly. Refined salt tends to push only the saltiness forward, but the gentle bitterness of the magnesium in sel fin complements the vegetables' sweetness. Use salt at about 2% of the vegetables' weight. From there, the glutamates in the kombu lift the savory depth. Swap the vegetables with the seasons and enjoy it all year round.

Guérande Salt Focaccia
Gros Sel Fleur de Sel
Bread
Guérande Salt Focaccia
Focaccia au Sel de Guérande

Gros sel in the dough, fleur de sel across the top. The contrast between the two salts is the secret to this focaccia.

Time: 2 hr (including proving) Difficulty: ★★☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

Makes 1 tray
  • Bread flour … 300g
  • Warm water … 210ml
  • Dried yeast … 5g
  • Gros sel … 6g (for the dough)
  • Fleur de sel … to taste (for topping)
  • Extra-virgin olive oil … 3 tbsp + more to finish
  • Rosemary … 2 sprigs

PRÉPARATION

  1. In a bowl, combine the bread flour, dried yeast, and gros sel. Add the warm water and bring it together into a single mass.
  2. Knead on the work surface for about 10 minutes. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil and knead further until the dough is smooth.
  3. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and prove in a warm spot for 1 hour, until doubled in size.
  4. Oil a baking tray and spread the dough out. Dimple it all over with your fingers.
  5. Drizzle generously with olive oil and scatter over the rosemary leaves. Rest for 20 minutes.
  6. Bake in an oven preheated to 220°C for 15–18 minutes, until the surface is golden.
  7. Sprinkle fleur de sel over the top straight out of the oven and serve.

CHEF'S POINT

Always use gros sel in bread dough. It tightens the gluten more gently than refined salt, giving a chewy, tender crumb. And the fleur de sel goes on while the bread is still hot — the residual heat lets it dissolve just slightly and set, while the crystal crunch remains. That "crisp, chewy, then a burst of salt" is exactly what makes focaccia.

Herb-Salt Grilled Salmon
Herb Salt
Western
Herb-Salt Grilled Salmon
Saumon Grillé au Sel Marin aux Herbes

Guérande herb salt blends six organic herbs into one. Just a shake brings restaurant flavor to the plate — a lifesaver on a busy night.

Time: 20 min Difficulty: ★☆☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

Serves 2
  • Salmon fillets … 2
  • Herb salt (Sel marin aux herbes) … 1 tsp
  • Olive oil … 1 tbsp
  • Lemon … 1/2
  • Baby greens … to taste

PRÉPARATION

  1. Season both sides of the salmon evenly with herb salt and leave for 10 minutes.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the salmon skin-side down over medium heat for 4 minutes.
  3. Turn it over, lower the heat, and cook for 3 minutes more, until the center is faintly rosé.
  4. Lay the baby greens on a plate, set the salmon on top, and finish with a squeeze of lemon.

CHEF'S POINT

This herb salt carries parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme, bay, and tarragon — six herbs in one, so it seasons a dish completely on its own. During the 10-minute rest, the herb fragrance settles into the fish, and it doubles in aroma as it cooks. It's just as good on grilled chicken thighs. Any dish where you'd reach for MSG can be made with this instead.

Three Finishing Salts for Tempura
Fleur de Sel
Japanese
Three Finishing Salts for Tempura
Trois Sels pour Tempura

Tempura eaten with salt rather than dipping sauce. Three variations built on fleur de sel — a new way to enjoy tempura.

Time: 10 min Difficulty: ★☆☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

3 kinds, one small dish each
  • ① Plain salt
  • Fleur de sel … 2 tsp
  • ② Matcha salt
  • Fleur de sel … 2 tsp
  • Matcha powder … 1/2 tsp
  • ③ Yuzu salt
  • Fleur de sel … 2 tsp
  • Yuzu zest (grated) … 1 tsp

PRÉPARATION

  1. ① Plain salt: simply mound the fleur de sel in a small dish. Perfect for shrimp and whiting tempura.
  2. ② Matcha salt: mix the fleur de sel and matcha powder thoroughly. Lovely with vegetable tempura — especially maitake mushroom and sweet potato.
  3. ③ Yuzu salt: mix grated yuzu zest into the fleur de sel and work it in with your fingertips. Try it with white fish or lotus root tempura.
  4. Mound each into its own dish and serve alongside the tempura, fresh from the fryer.

CHEF'S POINT

If you're eating tempura with salt, fleur de sel is the only choice — because of how it dissolves. Refined salt is repelled by the oil in the batter and tends to clump, but the thin, flaky crystals of fleur de sel cling to the coating and melt evenly in the mouth. Hot tempura straight from the fryer, cold crystals of salt: that contrast in temperature is part of the flavor. Mix the salts just before serving — the yuzu salt especially loses its fragrance quickly.

Guérande Salted Caramels
Fleur de Sel
Sweets
Guérande Salted Caramels
Caramel au Beurre Salé à la Fleur de Sel

The famous salted-butter caramel of Brittany. Made with the very same fleur de sel as in its homeland — a sweet, salty morsel of pure bliss.

Time: 30 min + 2 hr to set Difficulty: ★★☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

Makes about 30 pieces
  • Granulated sugar … 200g
  • Heavy cream (35%) … 200ml
  • Unsalted butter … 30g
  • Fleur de sel … 1 tsp (for the caramel)
  • Fleur de sel … to taste (to finish)
  • Water … 2 tbsp

PRÉPARATION

  1. Put the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Don't stir — wait for it to take on color.
  2. Once it reaches a deep amber, take it off the heat and add the warmed cream a little at a time (it will bubble up violently, so take care).
  3. Return to low heat and stir in the butter and 1 tsp of fleur de sel.
  4. Cook down to 115°C (a thermometer is recommended). It's ready once it reaches a thick, syrupy caramel.
  5. Pour into a parchment-lined mold, and once the worst of the heat has gone, sprinkle fleur de sel over the surface.
  6. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours to set, then cut into pieces of your liking.

CHEF'S POINT

Salted caramel made with Guérande fleur de sel is the Breton classic itself. The key is using the salt in two stages — salt dissolved into the caramel builds the base of the flavor, while the crystals scattered on top become a textural accent. Caramel temperature is best at 115°C. Go over and it turns hard like candy; too low and it stays saucy and won't set. A thermometer is essential.

The Guérande salt marshes
Recettes de Guérande

Recipes from France

From the official Le Guérandais site

Salmon Gravlax
Gros Sel Fleur de Sel
🇫🇷 LE GUÉRANDAIS OFFICIAL
Homemade Salmon Gravlax
Gravlax de Saumon au Sel de Guérande

Salmon cured in Guérande gros sel — a French staple starter with Nordic roots. The deep flavor that brown sugar and dill bring out makes it a restaurant favorite.

Prep: 5 min + 24–36 hr to cure Serves 4 Difficulty: ★☆☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

Serves 4
  • [Cure]
  • Salmon fillet (boneless, skin on) … about 500g
  • Guérande gros sel … 150g
  • Brown sugar … 100g
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Fresh dill … 1 bunch
  • Pink peppercorns … 1 tsp
  • Fleur de sel … to finish
  • [Sauce]
  • Mustard … 1 tbsp
  • Honey … 1 tsp
  • Apple cider vinegar … 1 tsp
  • Vegetable oil … 3 tbsp
  • Dill (finely chopped) … to taste

PRÉPARATION

  1. In a bowl, combine the gros sel, brown sugar, lemon zest, crushed pink peppercorns, pepper, and dill to make the cure.
  2. Spread half the cure in a dish and lay the salmon on top, skin-side down. Cover the whole fillet with the remaining cure.
  3. Seal with plastic wrap, set a weight on top, and cure in the fridge for 24–36 hours.
  4. Rinse off the cure thoroughly under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
  5. Slice thinly on the bias and sprinkle with fleur de sel.
  6. For the sauce: mix the mustard, honey, and vinegar, then add the oil a little at a time to emulsify. Stir in the dill and season with salt and pepper.

TIPS FROM LE GUÉRANDAIS

The uneven grain size of gros sel is actually what makes a good gravlax. The larger grains dissolve slowly and sustain the cure over time, while the finer grains dissolve quickly and firm up the surface. This unevenness — impossible with refined salt — is the secret to that supple, silky texture. Serve it the French way, with dark bread or blinis. It keeps in the fridge for 4–5 days.

Kouign-Amann
Fleur de Sel
🇫🇷 LE GUÉRANDAIS OFFICIAL
Kouign-Amann
Kouign Amann à la Fleur de Sel

The signature pastry of Brittany. Butter, sugar, and fleur de sel — a trinity caramelizing together into the richest viennoiserie in France.

Prep: 60 min / Bake: 40 min Serves 8 Difficulty: ★★★
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INGRÉDIENTS

Serves 8
  • Bread flour … 550g
  • Fleur de sel … 15g
  • Dried yeast … 10g
  • Melted butter … 500g (20g of it for the dough)
  • Granulated sugar … 450g
  • Water … 350ml

PRÉPARATION

  1. Combine the flour, fleur de sel, yeast, 20g of melted butter, and water to make a smooth, supple dough. Prove at room temperature (20–22°C) for about 30 minutes.
  2. Roll out the dough and place 450g of butter in the center, then fold the dough around it. After chilling for 20 minutes in the fridge, fold in thirds. Chill for another hour.
  3. Repeat the same fold in thirds while adding the granulated sugar, then rest for 30 minutes.
  4. Roll the dough out to 4mm thick and cut into 8cm squares.
  5. Prove at 24–26°C for 1 hour 30 minutes, until increased by about half in volume.
  6. Bake at 180°C for 40 minutes, until the surface is caramel-colored.

TIPS FROM LE GUÉRANDAIS

Brittany's pâtisseries always use Guérande salt. The pairing of granulated sugar and fleur de sel is what gives this pastry its deep, signature caramelization. It's best eaten the day it's baked — once the sugar cools it takes on that distinctive crackle, and the minerality of the fleur de sel adds depth to the sweetness. This is the taste of Brittany.

Poulet en Croûte de Sel
Gros Sel
🇫🇷 LE GUÉRANDAIS OFFICIAL
Poulet en Croûte de Sel
Poulet en Croûte de Sel de Guérande

A whole chicken wrapped in Guérande gros sel and sent to the oven. A French bistro staple — the salt crust seals in every bit of the bird's flavor.

Time: about 90 min Serves 4 Difficulty: ★★☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

Serves 4
  • Whole chicken … 1 (about 1.5kg)
  • Guérande gros sel … 2–3kg
  • Egg whites … 3–4
  • Thyme … a few sprigs
  • Bay leaves … 2
  • Garlic … 4 cloves
  • Lemon … 1/2

PRÉPARATION

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Stuff the chicken cavity with thyme, bay, garlic, and lemon.
  2. Mix the gros sel and egg whites into a damp, sandy consistency.
  3. Spread a third of the gros sel in a large Dutch oven or on a baking tray and set the chicken on it. Cover the whole bird with the remaining gros sel, pressing firmly by hand to seal.
  4. Bake at 200°C for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes (roughly 50 minutes per kilo of chicken).
  5. Take it out and crack the crust open at the table to serve. The chicken inside comes out remarkably juicy.

TIPS FROM LE GUÉRANDAIS

In French bistros, "poulet en croûte de sel de Guérande" is a menu fixture — the chicken counterpart to salt-crusted sea bream. The key is the moisture content of the gros sel. Because Guérande gros sel is sun-dried and holds just the right amount of water, it forms a perfect seal when mixed with egg white. Inside the crust the chicken cooks in its own steam, sealed in by the salt, so it turns out unbelievably juicy.

Salted Caramel Ice Cream
Fleur de Sel
🇫🇷 LE GUÉRANDAIS OFFICIAL
Salted Caramel Ice Cream
Glace au Caramel et Fleur de Sel de Guérande

Brittany's two great specialties — salted-butter caramel and Guérande salt — brought together in one. A flavor beloved at ice cream parlors all across France.

Prep: 30 min + 4 hr to freeze Serves 6 Difficulty: ★★☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

Serves 6
  • Granulated sugar … 150g
  • Heavy cream (35%) … 250ml
  • Milk … 250ml
  • Egg yolks … 4
  • Salted butter … 30g
  • Fleur de sel … 1/2 tsp (for the base)
  • Fleur de sel … to taste (to finish)

PRÉPARATION

  1. Put the sugar in a saucepan and heat over medium without stirring until it turns caramel-colored.
  2. Take it off the heat and add the warmed cream a little at a time (it will spatter, so take care). Stir in the butter and 1/2 tsp of fleur de sel until dissolved.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and gradually add the warmed milk, as you would for a crème anglaise.
  4. Combine the caramel and the custard and heat gently to 82°C — until it coats the back of a spoon.
  5. Strain, cool completely, and churn in an ice cream maker. Or freeze in a container for 4 hours, stirring with a fork every hour.
  6. To serve, top with a few crystals of fleur de sel.

TIPS FROM LE GUÉRANDAIS

"Glace au caramel beurre salé" is always among the top three flavors at French ice cream shops, and most of them call specifically for Guérande fleur de sel. Place the finishing salt "on top of the frozen ice cream" so the crystals stay intact rather than melting in — and you get that alternating sweet-then-salty experience with every bite. This is exactly why the French are so devoted to it.

Preserved Lemons
Gros Sel
🇫🇷 LE GUÉRANDAIS OFFICIAL
Preserved Lemons
Citrons Confits au Sel de Guérande

Whole lemons cured in gros sel — a French pantry staple with Moroccan roots. A single piece transforms a tagine, a salad, or a fish dish entirely.

Prep: 15 min + 3–4 weeks to cure Makes 1 jar Difficulty: ★☆☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

Makes 1 preserving jar
  • Lemons (unwaxed, ideally organic) … 6
  • Guérande gros sel … 200g
  • Lemon juice … from 3–4 lemons (to fill the jar)
  • Bay leaves … 2
  • Coriander seeds … 1 tsp (optional)

PRÉPARATION

  1. Wash the lemons well and trim off the tops and bottoms slightly. Cut a deep cross into each, but leave the base intact so they stay attached.
  2. Pack plenty of gros sel into the cuts.
  3. Press the lemons tightly into a sterilized preserving jar. Add the bay leaves and coriander seeds.
  4. Pour in the lemon juice to fill the jar, making sure the lemons are completely submerged.
  5. Seal and cure in a cool, dark place for 3–4 weeks, turning the jar upside down now and then.
  6. To use, lift out a lemon, take the peel, and chop it finely into your dish (discard the flesh).

TIPS FROM LE GUÉRANDAIS

Almost every French home and restaurant fridge holds a jar of preserved lemons. Cured in Guérande gros sel, they take on a depth of flavor that refined salt simply can't match. Chop them over grilled fish, fold them into tabbouleh, stir them into a vinaigrette — the uses are endless. Make a batch once and it keeps in the fridge for more than six months. The ultimate pantry seasoning.

Seared Scallops with Vanilla Salt
Vanilla Salt
Western
Seared Scallops with Vanilla Salt
Saint-Jacques Poêlées au Sel Vanillé

Scallops seared crisp on the outside, finished with a shake of vanilla salt. The rich fragrance of vanilla and the salinity of fleur de sel bring out the scallops' sweetness like nothing else.

Time: 15 min Difficulty: ★★☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

Serves 2
  • Sashimi-grade scallops … 6
  • Vanilla salt … to taste (to finish)
  • Unsalted butter … 20g
  • Olive oil … 1 tbsp
  • Lemon juice … a little
  • Flat-leaf parsley … to taste

PRÉPARATION

  1. Pat the scallops thoroughly dry with paper towels. Take them out of the fridge 10 minutes before cooking to come to room temperature.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over high heat, just to the point before it smokes.
  3. Lay in the scallops and leave them undisturbed for 1.5–2 minutes — don't touch them until a beautiful sear forms.
  4. Flip them and add the butter. Once it foams, spoon it over them and cook for another minute.
  5. Take off the heat and add a squeeze of lemon. Plate up and shake over the vanilla salt, pinched between your fingers.

CHEF'S POINT

Always add the vanilla salt "after the heat is off." Cooking it drives off the vanilla aroma. Place a few crystals at a time over the scallops, and the first bite brings the sweet scent of vanilla, followed by the crystals of fleur de sel cracking on the tongue. That two-part play is the heart of this dish. Its affinity with white wine goes without saying.

Roast Duck Breast with Vanilla Salt and Honey
Vanilla Salt
Western
Roast Duck Breast with Vanilla Salt & Honey
Magret de Canard, Sel Vanillé et Miel

The bold flavor of duck, layered with the deep fragrance of vanilla and the sweetness of honey. A grown-up plate, the kind you'd find in a French bistro.

Time: 30 min Difficulty: ★★☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

Serves 2
  • Duck breast … 1 (about 300g)
  • Vanilla salt … 1/2 tsp + more to finish
  • Honey … 1 tbsp
  • Balsamic vinegar … 2 tbsp
  • Black pepper … a little
  • Thyme … 2–3 sprigs

PRÉPARATION

  1. Score the skin side of the duck in a crosshatch at 5mm intervals. Rub 1/2 tsp of vanilla salt all over and leave for 30 minutes.
  2. Place the duck skin-side down in a cold pan and cook slowly over low heat, spooning off the rendered fat as it comes, for 12–15 minutes.
  3. Once the skin is crisp and golden, flip it and cook over medium heat for 3–4 minutes for medium-rare. Wrap in foil and rest for 5 minutes.
  4. Pour off the excess fat from the same pan, add the balsamic vinegar and honey, and reduce over medium heat. Take off the heat once it thickens.
  5. Slice the duck, plate it up, and spoon the sauce over. Finish with a shake of vanilla salt and black pepper.

CHEF'S POINT

The golden rule with duck: start it in a cold pan. Hit it with high heat from the start and the skin shrinks before the fat can render out. Melting the subcutaneous fat slowly over low heat is what gives you that crisp skin. Use the vanilla salt twice — as a seasoning and as a finish. The first rub works the vanilla into the meat, and the final shake sends the aroma to your nose. It pairs beautifully with the honey-balsamic sauce.

Caramelized Banana with Vanilla Salt Ice Cream
Vanilla Salt
Sweets
Caramelized Banana with Vanilla Salt Ice Cream
Banane Caramélisée, Glace au Sel Vanillé

The sweetness of caramelized banana, set against the salinity of vanilla salt in perfect contrast. Just a shake over vanilla ice cream takes the dessert to another level.

Time: 10 min Difficulty: ★☆☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

Serves 2
  • Bananas … 2
  • Vanilla salt … a pinch
  • Vanilla ice cream … 2 scoops
  • Unsalted butter … 15g
  • Granulated sugar … 2 tbsp
  • Rum (optional) … 1 tbsp

PRÉPARATION

  1. Halve the bananas lengthwise.
  2. Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the granulated sugar, and heat over medium. Once the sugar melts and begins to caramelize, lay the bananas in cut-side down.
  3. Cook for 1–2 minutes until nicely colored, then flip. Add the rum and flambé, if you like.
  4. Plate the caramelized bananas, add the vanilla ice cream, and finish with a shake of vanilla salt.

CHEF'S POINT

Shake vanilla salt over the ice cream and the rich fragrance of vanilla rises out of the cold. The saltiness tightens the sweetness of the ice cream, and a contrast forms against the caramel notes of the banana. The way the fleur de sel crystals dissolve slowly on the tongue is something plain vanilla ice cream could never give you. Perfect, too, as a dessert for guests.

Sautéed Pumpkin and Chicken with Vanilla Salt
Vanilla Salt
Western
Sautéed Pumpkin and Chicken with Vanilla Salt
Poulet et Potimarron au Sel Vanillé

The natural sweetness of pumpkin and the savor of chicken. Vanilla salt wraps both together into a warm dish made for autumn and winter.

Time: 25 min Difficulty: ★★☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

Serves 2
  • Chicken thigh … 1 (about 300g)
  • Pumpkin … 200g
  • Vanilla salt … 1/2 tsp + more to finish
  • Olive oil … 1 tbsp
  • Butter … 10g
  • White wine … 2 tbsp
  • Thyme … 2 sprigs

PRÉPARATION

  1. Trim the excess fat from the chicken thigh and cut into bite-sized pieces. Toss with 1/2 tsp of vanilla salt and leave for 10 minutes.
  2. Deseed the pumpkin and cut into 5mm-thick wedges, leaving the skin on.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the chicken skin-side down over medium heat. Once the skin is crisp, turn it over and arrange the pumpkin alongside.
  4. Pour in the white wine, add the thyme, cover, and steam-cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Once the pumpkin is tender, remove the lid.
  5. Add the butter and toss to coat everything, then plate up and finish with a shake of vanilla salt.

CHEF'S POINT

The affinity between the sweetness of pumpkin and the fragrance of vanilla is remarkable. In France, a soup of potimarron (red kuri squash) paired with vanilla is a classic — this applies the same principle to a sauté. The seasoning of vanilla salt works the aroma into the chicken, and the finishing shake makes people wonder, "wait, what is that scent?" Serve it without giving the secret away and the conversation flows.

Guérande Minestrone
Vegetable & Herb
Western
Guérande Minestrone
Minestrone au Sel Marin Légumes & Herbes

The classic Italian soup, brimming with vegetables. With Vegetable & Herb salt, you get deep flavor without a stock cube in sight.

Time: 30 min Difficulty: ★☆☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

Serves 4
  • Onion … 1
  • Carrot … 1
  • Celery … 1 stalk
  • Zucchini … 1
  • Potato … 1
  • Canned tomatoes … 1 can (400g)
  • Vegetable & Herb salt … 2 tsp
  • Olive oil … 2 tbsp
  • Water … 800ml
  • Parmesan … to taste

PRÉPARATION

  1. Cut all the vegetables into even 1cm dice.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a pot and cook the onion until translucent. Add the carrot, celery, and potato, and cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Add the canned tomatoes and water, stir in the Vegetable & Herb salt, and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
  4. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the zucchini at the end and cook for 5 minutes more.
  5. Taste and adjust the salt. Ladle into bowls and top with Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.

CHEF'S POINT

Vegetable & Herb salt contains celery, garlic, onion, leek, and seaweed — in other words, the savory "base" is already blended in. So there's no need for a stock cube; in fact, leaving it out lets the vegetables' own flavor come forward. If it tastes a little thin, build it up with an extra drizzle of olive oil and some Parmesan — the European way.

Tomato Gazpacho
Vegetable & Herb
Western
Tomato Gazpacho
Gazpacho au Sel Marin Légumes & Herbes

A no-cook chilled soup for summer. The vegetable and seaweed savor of Vegetable & Herb salt rounds out the acidity of the tomatoes.

Time: 15 min (+ 1 hr chilling) Difficulty: ★☆☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

Serves 4
  • Ripe tomatoes … 5–6 (about 600g)
  • Cucumber … 1/2
  • Red bell pepper … 1/2
  • Garlic … 1 clove
  • Vegetable & Herb salt … 1 tsp
  • Sherry vinegar (or white wine vinegar) … 1 tbsp
  • Extra-virgin olive oil … 3 tbsp
  • Cold water … 100ml

PRÉPARATION

  1. Blanch and peel the tomatoes, then chop roughly. Cut the cucumber, bell pepper, and garlic into rough pieces too.
  2. Put all the ingredients in a blender and blitz until smooth.
  3. Add the Vegetable & Herb salt, vinegar, and olive oil, and blend again.
  4. Taste and adjust, then chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
  5. Pour into chilled glasses and serve with a swirl of olive oil.

CHEF'S POINT

Le Guérandais themselves recommend this Vegetable & Herb salt as "ideal for tomato juice and gazpacho." The seaweed and herbs in the salt carry their fragrance straight through in dishes that aren't cooked. Make it the day before and rest it in the fridge overnight to let the flavors come together. Served in a wine glass, it's a real crowd-pleaser at a midsummer gathering.

Oven-Roasted Seasonal Vegetables
Vegetable & Herb
Western
Oven-Roasted Seasonal Vegetables
Légumes Grillés au Sel Marin Légumes & Herbes

A simple dish of seasonal vegetables roasted in the oven. Just a sprinkle of Vegetable & Herb salt gives them the depth of vegetables cooked in herb oil.

Time: 30 min Difficulty: ★☆☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

Serves 2–3
  • Zucchini … 1
  • Bell peppers (red and yellow) … 1/2 each
  • Eggplant … 1
  • Cherry tomatoes … 8
  • Garlic … 2 cloves (skin on)
  • Vegetable & Herb salt … 1 tsp
  • Extra-virgin olive oil … 3 tbsp

PRÉPARATION

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
  2. Cut the vegetables into large irregular chunks. Line a baking tray with parchment and spread the vegetables in a single layer.
  3. Drizzle olive oil over the lot and sprinkle on the Vegetable & Herb salt. Toss by hand to coat evenly.
  4. Roast at 220°C for 20–25 minutes, turning once partway through. They're ready once the edges have caught some color.
  5. Serve straight from the oven, on their own or with a baguette.

CHEF'S POINT

The lovage (a celery-like herb) and marjoram in Vegetable & Herb salt release their fragrance under the oven's high heat — and the great advantage is that you don't need to reach for any separate dried herbs. Cut the vegetables large. Cut too small, they release moisture and steam rather than roast, losing that signature char. Toss any leftovers through pasta — exquisite.

Guérande-Style Root Vegetable Pot-au-Feu
Vegetable & Herb
Japanese
Guérande-Style Root Vegetable Pot-au-Feu
Pot-au-feu de Légumes Racines

Daikon, carrot, turnip — Japanese root vegetables given the French pot-au-feu treatment. Vegetable & Herb salt stands in for the stock cube, for a soup that's rustic and quietly deep.

Time: 40 min Difficulty: ★☆☆
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INGRÉDIENTS

Serves 4
  • Daikon radish … 1/3
  • Carrot … 1
  • Turnips … 2
  • Potatoes … 2
  • Sausages (coarse-ground, if available) … 4
  • Vegetable & Herb salt … 2 tsp
  • Water … 1L
  • Bay leaf … 1
  • Whole-grain mustard … to taste (to serve)

PRÉPARATION

  1. Cut the vegetables large: the daikon into 3cm rounds, the carrot into irregular chunks, the turnips into quarters, and the potatoes in half.
  2. Put the water, vegetables, and bay leaf in a pot over medium heat. Once it boils, skim off the scum and add the Vegetable & Herb salt.
  3. Simmer over low heat for 25–30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the sausages partway through to warm them.
  4. Arrange the vegetables and sausages in deep bowls and pour over the broth. Serve with whole-grain mustard alongside.

CHEF'S POINT

"Pot-au-feu" may come from "the poor man's dish," but the quality of the ingredients makes a world of difference. The leek and seaweed in Vegetable & Herb salt give a stock-like savor, so you need neither a Western consommé nor a Japanese dashi. Bevel the daikon edges and parboil it for a more French look — though it's plenty delicious without. Turn any leftover broth into a risotto the next day.