By Cynthia Ferris-Bennett
Monday, April 26, 2021
Gadgets … oh yes, I am a gadget girl. My good friend Marie has dubbed me “Go Go Gadget” and it is very true.
The new favorite must have is the handheld smoke infuser … it is amazing! This ingenious little device allows you to add smokiness to almost anything. Just add your favorite chips (applewood and hickory are the latest favorites), light it up and get smoking.
There is nothing better than treating your guests to a fresh, cold smoked glass of whiskey, plate of smoked oysters or a hinged Mason jar smoke stack filled with tasty bites… in this case, oven roast tomatoes on the vine, crispy baby asparagus and smoked salmon.
An aromatic smoke rolls out of the Mason jars when opened making for an impressive presentation. While it may sound a little intimidating, no worries, with a little practice you will be smoking anything and everything like a pro.
A portable handheld smoke infuser relies on cold smoke to impart flavor to drinks and food. Handheld smokers do not provide enough smoke heat or smoking longevity to actually cook but are instead used to provide a nice smoky finish to already cooked food.
Most handheld smokers have a filter and basket where you burn a small amount of herbs, spices and/or wood chips. This basket sits inside a fire chamber of the handheld smoker and a fan blows the smoke through a tube into a sealed bag, beverage disk, cloche dome or hinged Mason jar. As the smoke travels through the tube, the heat dissipates, and leaves only the flavor of the smoke. Cold and moist food will attract smoke molecules more than hot and dry foods.
For the Mason Jar Smoke Stack you will need the following:
• (6) 8-9 ounce Hinged Mason Jars
• Pre-smoked Salmon, it must be smoked, not fresh – (I suggest the Cold Smoked Scottish Salmon from Trader Joes)
• Small tomatoes on the vine – 2 per Mason Jar, Trader Joe’s usually has these as well
• Baby asparagus
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt
Place the tomatoes on a baking dish, drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or until the skin begins to blister. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.
Place asparagus on a baking dish, drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes or until slightly crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Once the tomatoes and asparagus are cool begin assembly of the Mason jar smoke stack. Add two tomatoes on the vine to the bottom of the Mason jar fill the rest of the jar with salmon chunks and top with the crispy asparagus. Drizzle a little EVOO over the top and close the jars.
Five minutes before you are ready to serve your guests prepare the handheld smoker with your favorite smoker chips and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for lighting the unit. Begin to pump smoke through the tube and close the hinged top quickly to seal in the smoke … serve immediately, mangia!
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