Toronto cookbook author Naomi Duguid explains 19 different types of salt and when best to add each, among other revelations in her new book.

Salt preserves food, intensifies its taste, mellows bitter flavours, and enhances sweetness. And we need it for our health, about half a teaspoon (2 mL) a day, say doctors.

In her new book, The Miracle of Salt (Artisan/Thomas Allen, $57), veteran Toronto cookbook author Naomi Duguid tells the story of this seasoning and preservative in serious but understandable terms, explaining 19 different types of salt on the market and when best to add each, and also providing the serious cook with basic methods of brining, fermenting and pickling.

The book takes the reader salt-harvesting far and wide, including Canada’s east and west coasts. Naomi’s photographs show salt harvesters in action. Worried about your salt intake? Stop eating commercially produced food, often heavily salted. The book’s more than 100 recipes range from Quebec’s traditional salted herbs and Fogo Island’s split pea soup to how to make your own sauerkraut, miso, kimchi and gravlax.

Today’s dish of comfort food may be made with wedges of cabbage or coarsely chopped bok choy instead of Brussels sprouts.

4 to 5 medium (675 g) waxy potatoes

2 teaspoons (10 mL) fine sea salt

6 ounces (175 g) pancetta or salt pork*

1 tablespoon (15 mL) lard or butter

1 medium dry shallot, minced, or ¼ cup (60 mL) minced onion

1/8 teaspoon (.5 mL or large pinch) ground cloves

15 medium to large Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced lengthwise

*Pre-chopped pancetta is sold in 175 g packages.

Put potatoes in a medium pot with cold water to cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add salt and cook just until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside, covered.

Cut pancetta or salt pork into small cubes or buy ready-chopped pancetta. Heat a large, heavy frying pan over medium heat and cook the salt pork or pancetta until crisp and lightly browned on all sides. Salt pork will take a little longer to render fat out. Remove meat from pan and set aside, leaving fat in the pan.

Add lard or butter to the pan, and, when it is hot, add shallot, fennel seeds and cloves. Cook, stirring, for several minutes until shallot is translucent, then add the sliced Brussels sprouts and cook for about 5 minutes, turning them frequently, until they begin to soften.

Peel potatoes, cut in cubes, and place in a wide, shallow serving bowl.

Raise heat under frying pan to medium-high, add ¼ cup (60 mL) water, cover, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until sprouts are barely tender. Add wine and boil vigorously for about a minute, uncovered.

Add pork or pancetta, lower heat to medium, and cook another minute or two to blend flavours. Season to taste with pepper. (More salt is probably not needed.)

Pour contents of pan into the bowl of potatoes, tossing to distribute ingredients. Serve hot.

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