The Connections Warren Watchung Edition June July August 2021

theconnectionsnj.com PAGE 41 DINING & PROVISIONS A Pinch of LOCAL FLAVOR Salmon with Mango Salsa For the salmon • 2 lb. whole skinless salmon fillet • Olive oil • 2 Tablespoons smoked paprika • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt • 1 teaspoon black pepper • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder • 1/4 cup honey • 1/2 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar For the Mango Salsa • 2 large ripe mangoes, chopped (or substitute 2 1/2 cups frozen mango) • ½ cup chopped pineapple • 1/2 red onion, diced • 1/2 sweet bell pepper, chopped • 1 jalapeno (seeded if you don’t want a lot of heat), diced • Squeeze of lime (about ½ lime) • Lots of fresh chopped cilantro • Salt and pepper to taste 1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. 2. Toss all the mango salsa ingredients together in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. This can be made several hours in advance as the avor actually gets better as it sits. 3. Place salmon on a double sheet of heavy duty foil large enough to wrap and seal around the let. 4. Whisk together the olive oil, paprika, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper and garlic powder. Rub seasonings on the salmon and pour the mixture of honey and apple cider vinegar over the salmon. Once the salmon is seasoned, top with 3-4 spoonfuls of salsa. Double wrap it in heavy duty foil, sealing it on top. 5. Bake for 12 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 2-4 minutes or until salmon registers 125 degrees, for medium or 145 for well done. 6. Remove the salmon from the oven and loosely cover with foil again. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. 7. To serve, divide the salmon up into individual portions and spoon the mango salsa on top. 8. Serve with white rice or the rice of your choice and enjoy! INSTRUCTIONS Submitted by: see ad on page 4 BARTH’S Market 41 South Street New Providence, NJ 07974 908-464-8555 Barthsmarket.com NOT JUST BLOWING SMOKE – TRADE SECRETS OF BARTH’S ARTISAN SMOKED AND CURED MEATS A couple of years ago, Barth’s “Ba- con-101” Facebook post prompted Barth’s bacon enthusiasts to post photos of their egg and bacon breakfast platters, videos of their bacon sizzling on the skillet and com- ments about THE..BEST..BACON...EVER. What is the secret to the rage behind Barth’s bacon and the cravings that are induced by the sight of their homemade bratwurst, hams, and cold cuts? The not-so-secret truth is that it starts with top quality ingredients, perfectly seasoned according to family recipes that have been handed down from one Barth generation to the next. But, the true se- cret to the delicious taste may be the small batch pro- cesses in which these prod- ucts are made. While a lot of seemingly niche brands out-source commercially mass-produced meats and then put a private label on them, Barth’s products are all prepared in-house and then cured and smoked on the premises. Owner of Barth’s Mar- ket, Jim Barth has worked for 50 years to perfect his craft. “There are years of knowledge that go into making a simple hot dog,” he explained, adding that the smoking process may need to be adjusted based on atmospheric tem- perature and humidity in order to provide a consistent product all year long. “It also helps that we don’t take short cuts and we are always investing in the best equipment to help us make delicious, high quality prod- ucts.” In the case of Barth’s smoked and cured meats, that equipment includes three state-of-the-art smoke houses, which gently waft the savory aroma of specialty hams, tur- keys, bratwurst, and Polish kielbasa into the parking lot of Barth’s. So what is the process of bringing Barth’s artisan ham to your table? The honey-glazed ham begins as a fresh ham that spends a week cur- ing in honey brine and then proceeds to 8 stages of cooking and curing in the smoke house. These stages include a smok- ing stage, a heating stage and a cooling stage. With careful attention to detail, Barth’s hams are prepared in small batches –about 50 at a time for honey hams. This curing and smok- ing process yields a high quality natural juice ham. (Compare this to many other hams that have “wa- ter added” on their label- meaning that up to 35% of their product is added water weight.) Barth’s Westphalia and Hot Capicola hams are made in even smaller batches ( ve or less per batch); each of these hams starts with a 30-day dry salt cure followed by a lower-temperature smoking process. Similar to their hams, Barth’s sausages, cold cuts, and smoked turkeys all have their own stories of being crafted with care. Next time you are in the neighborhood, stop by at Barth’s and have the butcher slice you a sample of their honey-cured or Black Forest ham. And while you’re there, you’ll probably want to grab some of their other craft specialties, including bacon, bologna, and brats. So what is the process of bringing Barth’s artisan ham to your table? The honey-glazed ham begins as a fresh ham that spends a week curing in honey brine and then proceeds to 8 stages of cooking and curing in the smoke house. Capicola hams are made in even smaller batches ( ve or less per batch); each of these hams starts with a 30-day dry salt cure followed by a lower-temperature smoking process. Similar to their hams, Barth’s sausages, cold cuts, and smoked turkeys all have their own stories of being crafted with care.