Why make it by hand
The mortar bruises the herbs into the salt so their oils tint it pale green and flavor every grain. A food processor is faster, but a 4-inch mortar is the right size for a small batch, and a small batch is about what a 3-inch salt cellar holds.
Where to use it
- On roast chicken, potatoes and vegetables before they go in the oven.
- Pinched over sliced tomatoes, avocado toast or fried eggs.
- On the rim of a Bloody Mary.
- As a hostess gift: a small jar with a linen napkin tied around the lid.
The recipe
Homemade Herb Salt
Fresh rosemary, thyme and sage pounded into coarse salt with lemon zest, then air-dried for 1 to 2 days. Enough to fill a 3-inch salt cellar, with a little left for a jar.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coarse kosher salt or coarse sea salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 4 fresh sage leaves
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
You'll need
- 4-inch marble mortar and pestle
- Small mixing bowl
- Rimmed baking sheet and parchment
- Marble salt cellar and a small airtight jar
Method
Chop the rosemary, thyme and sage roughly with a knife.
Put half the herbs in the mortar with 1 tablespoon of the salt and pound until the salt turns green and the herbs are fine. Tip into a small bowl and repeat with the rest of the herbs and another tablespoon of salt (a 4-inch mortar works best in two small batches).
Stir the rest of the salt, the lemon zest and the pepper into the bowl.
Spread the salt thinly on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let it air-dry for 1 to 2 days, stirring now and then, until completely dry. In a hurry? Dry it in the oven at its lowest setting, stirring every 10 minutes, until it feels dry to the touch.
Break up any clumps with the pestle. Fill the salt cellar and keep the rest in an airtight jar.
Notes
Storage. Keep the dried salt airtight at room temperature and use it within about 2 months (the window Bon Appetit gives for its fresh-herb salt). The color fades before the flavor does.
The cellar isn't airtight. It holds about 3 1/2 ounces, so keep a small amount in it and refill from the jar, so humidity doesn't clump the whole batch.
Dried-herb shortcut. Make it with dried rosemary, thyme or oregano instead: no drying needed, and Bon Appetit's dried-herb version keeps for about 6 months.
Marble care. Wipe the mortar right away: herb oils can stain marble and lemon can etch it.
What we used
- 01
Marble salt cellar with lid, 3 inch
3 inches across and 3 inches tall with a lid: a small, solid marble cellar for herb salt by the stove.
Shop on Amazon - 02
White marble mortar and pestle, 4 inch
Its unpolished inside grips herbs and salt, and it's heavy enough not to slide while you pound.
Shop on Amazon - 03
White linen cocktail napkins, set of 12
Tie one around a jar of herb salt for a hostess gift.
Shop on Amazon
Questions people ask
Why does it need to dry?
Fresh herbs and zest add moisture. Drying keeps the salt from clumping and helps it hold its color and flavor.
Which salt works best?
Coarse kosher or flaky sea salt. Fine table salt turns pasty.
Can I add garlic?
Use 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, not fresh garlic, so the salt stays dry.
Adapted from Bon Appetit's herb salts. The Muse Shelf is not affiliated with Marblous Krafts or Fox Run.
