GUERANDE coarse salt

What is Guerande salt, and where does it come from?

Guerande salt is an unrefined natural salt enriched with elements, especially magnesium. It is harvested by hand in France and celebrated in kitchens worldwide. The origins of Guerande Salt run deep in history as it has been gathered since the iron age. 

After the Roman conquest in the 3rd century, the first saltworks to use the storage capacity of the lagoon arose. The monks from Landevennec Abbey carved the Guerande salt marshes out in the year 945. The monks mapped out the layout of the salt works, which is the one we can see today, by observing the tides, wind, and sun. This salt project opened Europe's very first trade roads and brought prosperity to Guerande for many centuries.

The technique used nowadays goes way back to the 9th century, and at least five salt marshes from the same period are still in work. The Guerande marshes have survived through modern times due to the tradition of the salt workers' profession and the preservation of their skills.

The production of salt in the salt marshes of Guérande is entirely natural. The salt in the saltwater accumulates until it crystallizes and may be harvested thanks to a system of tanks encouraging water evaporation. Seawater slowly evaporates with the help of wind, moist heat, and moderate sunlight, and the salt concentration rises to create the rare (and expensive) Guérande salt.

The gray color of Guerande salt comes from the rain, slightly disturbing the clay at the bottom of the salt ponds from which the salt is harvested. 

Guerande coarse salt is recognizable by its beautiful gray crystals. The fine version of the Guerande salt is obtained after this coarse salt has been carefully dried, crushed, and sieved.

Guerande is also well-known for their oysters and many restaurants serve the Guerande salt together with the oysters. 

How is Guerande salt used, and what does it taste like?

Guerande salt is an excellent choice as a finishing and table salt. It is a relatively moist salt, so it does not dry out the food while seasoning. In addition, it is denser than regular table salt, so less of it has to be used to bring out the best flavors in the dishes. 

Guerande salt improves all dishes and goes exceptionally well with meat, seafood, and other ingredients you may find in French cuisine. It works with many different foods and preparations. It can be melted for use in cooking meat, poultry, fish, pasta, or rice; for this, you should, without a doubt, select the coarse Guerande salt.

This salt must readily melt to provide diverse salting in tiny drops of water or grains that dissolve on your tongue.

Cooking in a salt crust is an interesting cooking technique that works incredibly well with coarse Guerande salt. In this method, fish, poultry, or vegetables are enclosed in a mixture of moist, coarse salt, egg whites, and occasionally herbs.

You should cook them on medium heat in the oven for at least an hour. This way, the food will have a great feel of flavors and moistness.

The Guerande Fine salt is ideal as your regular table salt. Due to its health benefits, it is a great choice to switch out your ordinary table salt with the Guerande fine salt. 

A fun dessert to try out with our Guerande Coarse salt:

Caramel and salted Butter soufflé

You will need (this is a recipe for six people):

• One cup of milk 
• Three egg yolks
• Eight egg whites 
• 6.4oz of white sugar
• ⅛ of a cup of flour
• ⅛ of a cup of corn flour

For the sauce:

• ¾ cup of sugar 
• ⅘ cup of single cream 
• ½ cup of MILK
• 1 ½ tablespoon of butter
• Guerande Coarse salt, to your taste 

Instructions: 

The soufflé

• Firstly on a pan, dissolve sugar with water. Remove the caramel from the fire once it has turned brown, then add the warmed milk.
• In a bowl, quickly whisk the egg yolks with sugar before stirring in the flour and cornstarch. Over this preparation, pour the caramel milk.
• Re-heat the mixture for 3 minutes while stirring constantly. Take the mixture off the heat and whisk it until smooth.
• With the remaining sugar, beat the egg whites until they are soft and fluffy. Pour into individually-sized ramekin dishes that have been lightly greased and coated with sugar after incorporating them into the initial mixture.
• Place the soufflés in a preheated oven (355 Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes.
• After the soufflés have finished cooking, place a bit of sauce in the center of each one before serving.

• Firstly for the sauce, cook the sugar in water. 
• Remove it from the fire once the sugar caramelizes, then add the milk, salt, and cream. 
• Let it boil for three minutes, and add little butter bits gradually while mixing simultaneously.
• Let it come to room temperature, and then pour it onto the soufflés. 

Enjoy! :)