Review: Salt's Cure

7494 Santa Monica Blvd

West Hollywood, CA

www.saltscure.com

Salt’s Cure is a brand-new bistro in the heart of West Hollywood serving up fresh California cuisine, with a new menu every day. They also have a deli case offering up some of their scrumptious creations! We went for brunch at Salt’s Cure last Sunday. Although they are definitely still ironing out a few wrinkles, overall we had a very pleasant experience.

The host was very friendly and although we had to wait about 20 minutes for a table (no reservations or call-aheads here!), he brought us each some water and kept us updated on our wait time. We were seated at a simple table covered in white butcher paper. 

The menu is featured prominently on a black chalkboard mounted high above the tables. The menu changes daily to reflect the freshest produce available to the chefs. An emphasis is definitely placed on California produced items – for example, they don’t serve maple syrup with their griddle cakes because, alas, California does not produce it. This is definitely a huge positive for the bistro, as it ensures that all of the produce is as fresh and flavorful as possible.

For brunch, they offered a variety of items: griddle cakes, fried oysters, steak & eggs, and a selection of tarts and pastries to name a few. We started with the lamb-liver pate, which was absolutely scrumptious!

It was rich, smooth and addictive. It was served with a whole grains of mustard as a garnish, along with crispy slices of warm bread and pickled radishes (yum!).  

Another wonderful thing about Salt’s Cure is that they hand-grind all of their coffee with an antique, hand-cranked coffee mill. They do this before each cup of coffee that they brew, which may add a few minutes before it arrives, but it makes a world of difference! As an avid coffee drinker, this was a huge plus for Salt’s Cure.

For our entrees, we both decided to order the “2 x 2 x 2”. This included two eggs, two slices of the best bacon I have ever eaten, and two pieces of chorizo sausage.

It was absolutely delicious! We could not get enough of the food. I also particularly enjoyed the biscuit with strawberry preserves that was served alongside this protein-fest!

We were too full for dessert, however their selection of pastries was mouth-watering. They offered a maple-walnut coffee cake, a plum tart, and Julia Child’s brownies! We definitely plan on stopping by to try these out soon.

One of my favorite things about Salt’s Cure is the openness of the entire restaurant – light floods in, waiters mingle with patrons, and the kitchen itself is right in the middle of the restaurant, so that you can watch as the chefs prepare your culinary creations!

If you plan on going, be prepared to wait for a table. Also, please bring your appetite! You will want to try everything on the menu, guaranteed! We cannot wait to stop back in and see what they are offering!

--

 

What Others Are Saying:

LA Weekly: “Salt’s Cure: Promising Start”

http://www.laweekly.com/2010-08-26/eat-drink/salt-s-cure-promising-start/

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Lemon Zest

Even if you don’t like Brussels sprouts, you are sure to love this dish! It is a nice blend of the slight bitterness of the sprouts, with the savory bacon and refreshing lemon. It's a great way to introduce sprouts, which are often underappreciated, into your meals.

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

½ red onion, chopped

1 pound Brussels sprouts, quartered

4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 t. lemon zest

1 T fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts, and continue to cook over medium heat until they are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, and toss well to mix. Heat thoroughly for another few minutes, then serve.

Cornmeal Muffins with Pesto Cream Cheese Frosting

These were absolutely delicious! The sweetness of the cornmeal cake paired perfectly with the salty, savory flavor of the frosting. They are a great addition to any picnic, or as an appetizer to a summer meal. You can substitute any kind of pesto for a variation on this recipe!

3/4 C cornmeal
1 C all-purpose flour
2 t.  baking powder
3 T. sugar
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 C skim milk
4 T (1/2 stick) sweet butter, melted
1/2 C basil pesto8 ounces cream cheese, softened

Preheat the oven to 350F. Place paper baking cups in a muffin pan. In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, milk, and butter with an electric mixer. Add the flour mixture into the egg mixture, and stir until just combined. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups. Bake for about 20 minutes (if using a mini-muffin pan, it takes about 10 minutes, depending on your oven). Remove from pan and cool for a few minutes, then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.

For the frosting, beat the pesto and cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Smear the frosting onto the cooled muffins. You can store the muffins, unfrosted, in an airtight container for about 3 days. You can also freeze them, unfroted, for up to 3 months. These are best enjoyed the day they are made!

Java Mud Pie

This was absolutely delicious! It consisted of my two favorite things: coffee and chocolate. It got that wonderful java flavor from both the ice cream and from the hint of coffee in the ganache. The crust was also exactly how it should be - crunchy, and not too thin. I also lightened the ganache a bit, so the chocolate topping is not too rich. It all balanced out quite nicely to create a superb ice cream pie!

Crust:
30 chocolate cookie wafers (I used Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers)
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

Ganache:
4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 C skim milk
1/4 C strong-brewed coffee, cooled
1 T unsalted butter, melted

1 quart reduced-fat coffee ice cream

Preheat oven to 350* F.

Place the cookies in the food processor. Process until the crumbs are about the size of a pea. Add the melted butter, and process until finely ground. Scoop the crumbles into a pie plate, press firmly. Bake for 10 minutes, then let cool.

After the crust has cooled, place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Transfer the ice cream from the freezer to the fridge so that it can soften.

To create the ganache, bring the milk and coffee to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Place the chocolate in a small, heat-proof bowl, then pour the milk and coffee mixture over the chocolate, and let stand for 5 minutes. Add the melted butter and stir until smooth.

Remove the ice cream from the fridge and scoop into a bowl. Stir the ice cream until it is easily spreadable but not liquidy. Remove the pie plate from the freezer, and spread the ice cream over the crust in a single, smooth layer. Pour the warm (but not hot!) ganache over the ice cream. Freeze for 3 hours, then enjoy!

Public Fruit Jam!

The Salty Cook attended last weekend’s Public Fruit Jam! The 5^th annual ‘jam’ was presented by LACMA and Fallen Fruit, two separate organizations that have joined forces to encourage the use of fresh local fruit in the community.

The Public Fruit Jam invited people to bring homegrown, street-picked or otherwise acquired fruit and participate in a mass jam making session! Working together, participants created unique flavor combinations, swapped fruits, and sampled each others’ jam creations! A great way to spend a sunny afternoon – plus, we got to bring home our jars of fruit jam! We even swapped with some newly-made friends for their jars of jam as well.

Lavender Lemon Fig Jam

We decided to make a batch of fig jam, but we could not decide on what herbs to include! There were so many options to choose from – mint, thyme, and rosemary were some other contenders. After chopping up about 3 pounds of fruit (we used about 15 or 16 medium-sized figs and 3 lemons), we proceeded to the cooking station.

Here, we tossed our fruit into a pot and brought it to a simmer, stirring constantly. We added 1 cup of pectin to help thicken the jam, then covered and let simmer for about 5 minutes. We stirred some more, then added 3 cups of sugar. Stir, stir, stir, simmer, simmer, simmer, and voila! Jam. As a finishing touch, we added 1 tablespoon of fresh lavender. We spooned it into 6 waiting jars, tightened the lids, and turned them upside-down to seal. 

This method is great for small batches of jam, or for those of us who do not want to fuss with the wonderful (and time consuming) canning process. The jam we made will stay good in the fridge for 2-3 weeks, but we popped all but one jar into the freezer, where it should stay good for a few months. Don’t forget to label the lids with the kind of jam you made as well as the date concocted!

What is Fallen Fruit

“Fallen Fruit investigates urban space, ideas of neighborhood and new forms of located citizenship and community. From protests to proposals for new urban green spaces, we aim to reconfigure the relation between those who have resources and those who do not, to examine the nature of & in the city, and to investigate new, shared forms of land use and property. Fallen Fruit is an art collaboration that began with creating maps of public fruit: the fruit trees growing on or over public property in Los Angeles.

Over time our interests have expanded from mapping public fruit to include Public Fruit Jams in which we invite the citizens to bring homegrown or public fruit and join in communal jam-making; Nocturnal Fruit Forages, nighttime neighborhood fruit tours; Community Fruit Tree Plantings on the margins of private property and in community gardens; Public Fruit Park proposals in Hollywood, Los Feliz and downtown LA; and Neighborhood Infusions, taking the fruit found on one street and infusing it in alcohol to capture the spirit of the place.”

– According to the Fallen Fruit website: www.fallenfruit.org

Canning and Jamming

For those of your interested in the very rewarding jamming and canning process, here are some helpful resources:

The National Center for Home Food Preservation 

Foodinjars.com (a popular canning blog)

The New Can-Do Spirit (Los Angeles Times)

Make Your Own Preserves: How to Hold on to Summer’s Best Produce (Chow.com)

Simple Granola

This granola was easy to make and really tasty! A cheaper, healthier, and wholesome alternative to the store-bought variety!

6 C old-fashioned oats
1 1/4 C whole almonds
1/4 C sunflower seeds
3/4 t. ground cinnamon
3 egg whites
3/4 t. kosher salt
3/4 C molasses
1/3 C extra-virgin olive oil
1 C dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine oats, nuts, seeds and cinnamon in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites and salt until frothy. Whisk in molasses and olive oil. Gradually add to oats, stirring until combined.

Spread flat on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes, then stir the granola so that the granola from the outer edges is rotated to the center of the sheet. Bake for an additional 10 minutes. Cool completely, then transfer to a large bowl and stir in the cranberries.

Corn and Summer Squash Chowder

2 slices bacon
3/4 C onion
1/4 C chopped celery
1 pound yellow summer squash, chopped
1 pound corn kernels, thawed and divided
2 1/4 C skim milk, divided
1/2 t. thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 C shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Cook the bacon in a large pan over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove from pan, reserving any drippings. Crumble the bacon and set aside. Add 1/2 cup onions, celery and squash to the drippings in the pan. Saute 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Reserve 1 cup of corn and set aside. Place the remaining corn and 1 cup of milk in a blender, processing until smooth. Add the remaining milk, thyme, salt and pepper to the blender. Process until just combined.

Add the pureed corn mixture and reserved cup of corn to the pan with the vegetables. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/4 cup of cheese, and stir until combined. Ladle about 1 1/2 cups of soup into bowls, topping with a tablespoon each of cheese and bacon.

"Sassy" Chipotle Snack Mix

This was a huge hit! The entire mix was gone in less than a week! The perfect mix of sweet and spicy.

1/4 C sugar
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 large chipotle chile peppers, diced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper
1 large egg white
1 C slivered almonds
1 C unsalted cashews
1 C unsalted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Preheat the oven to 325F. Combine the first six ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well until entirely coated. Place egg white in a large bowl, whisk until foamy. Add the almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds. Toss well to coat. Sprinkle with spice mixture, toss well to coat. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring once. Turn the oven off, and remove the baking sheet from the oven. Stir the snack mix thoroughly. Immediately return the pan to the oven for an additional 15 minutes, leaving the oven off. Remove the sheet from the oven and place on a wire rack, cool completely. Store the snack mix in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Eggplant Crostini

These were so easy to make, and perfectly refreshing! A great starter to any summer meal!

1 eggplant
1/4 C extra-virgin olive oil
Cooking spray
16 slices of baguette
1/2 t. salt, divided
1/2 t. black pepper
2 1/2 T fresh lemon juice, divided
1/4 C non-fat yogurt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 C cherry tomatoes, sliced
2 T fresh mint leaves, shredded
1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated

Slice eggplant into 1-inch-thick slices. Brush both sides evenly with one tablespoon of olive oil. Place eggplant in a single layer under the broiler. Broil on high for about 5 minutes on each side, or until eggplant is tender. Remove from broiler and let cool.

Slice baguette into thing slices. Place in a single layer on a broiler rack lined with aluminum foil, coated with cooking spray. Broil for about one minute on each side, or until toasted.

Combine eggplant, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, yogurt, pepper, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the eggplant mixture onto each bread slice.

Combine tomatoes and mint in a bowl. Drizzle with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of the lemon juice and remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss to coat evenly. Divide the tomato mixture evenly among the bread slices, then top evenly with the cheese.

Cheese Stuffed Jalapenos

Eater beware! These jalapenos are spicy, but so delicious!

4 ounces low-fat cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 C sharp cheddar cheese, grated
6 large jalapenos
Coarse salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 450F. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Halve and seed the jalapenos. Arrange the jalapenos on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Fill each jalapeno half with a tablespoon of the cheese mixture. Bake the peppers until the cheese is golden brown and slightly bubbling, about 10 minutes.

Tequila-Infused Grilled Shimp

This was a really great side dish for a summer meal!

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 C tequila
1/4 C fresh lime juice
Fresh orange juice from 1 large orange
Coarse salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill shrimp until opaque throughout, about 5 minutes. Flip the shrimp once, about half way through cooking. Sprinkle fresh lime juice over the shrimp before serving.

Shoofly Pie

This pie is very rich--you only need a sliver to be satisfied!

1 3/4 C all-purpose flour
3 T cold butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 C light brown sugar
1 t. baking soda
3/4 C boiling water
3/4 C molasses
1 egg, lightly beaten
I prepared pie crust

Preheat the oven to 375F. Gently placed the prepared pie dough into a 9-inch pie plate, trimming off any excess. In a food processor, combine flour, butter and brown sugar. In a bowl, combine baking soda with the boiling water. Whisk to dissolve. Whisk in molasses and egg until well combined.

Fill the crust with the molasses mixture, then evenly sprinkle the crumb mixture over the top surface. Some of the crumb mixture will sink into the filling. Bake the pie 45 to 55 minutes, or until set in the middle. Let cool 1 hour. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

Roasted Zucchini and Squash Pasta with Ricotta

 This was a really satisfying meal--and quick to prepare! Great for a weeknight dinner.

2 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 large zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 large yellow squash, thinly sliced lengthwise
Coarse salt and ground pepper, to taste
1 pound angel hair pasta
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup skim ricotta

Preheat oven to 450F. Brush a baking sheet with oil. Arrange slices of zucchini and squash in a single layer, then brush the tops with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast under tender and lightly golden brown, about 15 minutes. Rotate the sheet halfway through to ensure even baking.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente (about 9 minutes). Drain pasta, then return to pot. Add oil and lemon zest, tossing to combine. Top with zucchini, squash and ricotta.