RecipeMuncher

On days like this, I’d like to think I might have been a butcher in a past life.
You know, a quintessential old-fashioned butcher: stout, white-haired, stained apron, big cleaver, enthusiasm for chopping things up.
I have the cleaver and the enthusiasm. That’s a start, I guess.
In a perfect world, I’d quit my day job and apprentice [...]

2 lb pork loinspice mixture2 tablespoon salt2 tablespoons light brown sugar2 tablespoons smashed Sichuan peppercorns1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds1 tablespoon five spice powder2 teaspoons garlic powder2 teaspoons onion powder1 teaspoon ground ginger1 teaspoon freshly ground black peppersteam flavoring1/4 cup whole star anise1/4 cup white tea leavesmesquite chipsDirections:Whisk together the

I’m never too excited about baking fish–fish in the oven usually means a smelly kitchen in my mind. Then there’s this concept of salt crusting fish. Maybe you’ve heard of it before–you start with a whole fish, cover it all over with a thick layer of salt (yes, its a lot of salt), and bake it. The way it works is the salt forms a hard crust while the fish cooks inside (stuffed with various aromatics), retaining a tremendous deal of moisture and yielding incredibly tender, delicious fish that quite simply highlights the inherent flavors of great fresh fish. I thought I’d give this a shot and made Salt Encrusted Yellowtail Snapper.

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