The late great Chef Anne Burrell famously said, “salt and pepper are not married, they are just dating.” Pretty much all you need to know about this duo is packed into that quote, however, I will elaborate.
Salt (aka, table salt, kosher salt), is a flavor enhancer. It lifts the flavors of a dish and gives it the intensity you look for in a well prepared dish. It intensifies flavors but has little flavor on its own. It also intensifies sweetness which is why most sweet dishes and baked goods have a pinch (or more) of salt. It can also help balance the flavors in a dish keeping it from being too bitter.
If you have ever had a baked good or soup that just does not taste good or tastes flat; most likely, not enough salt. One of the reasons that restaurant food is so tasty is that professional chefs are not afraid to add salt,
sometimes too much but that is a story for another day. Simply said, salt makes the dish pop.
Pepper, and what I am referring to here is black pepper or freshly ground black peppercorns, adds a whole new flavor to a dish. It does not and cannot lift or balance the other flavors in the dish; it can only add its own new flavor. While this may be the additional flavor you need to make the dish delicious; it
can’t replace salt.
So, why do we say that salt and pepper are just dating and not married? Because they are not ALWAYS used together. A scrambled egg – both please. Clam chowder – again both. Both of these dishes flavors are enhanced by salt with the pepper adding another flavor note that is perfect. On the other hand ginger curry mashed carrot, salt only. Stir fried vegetables, salt (or soy sauce) only. Adding pepper to either of these dishes is adding a flavor that does not go with the dish. In fact, many Asian or Asian-inspired dishes do not use black pepper. Notice the next time you go to an Asian restaurant, usually no black pepper is on the table. Also, dishes that are white or light in color generally don’t use black pepper due to it interfering with the look of the dish. I make butternut squash soup that would not look its best with black pepper floating in it.
So, how do you know what to use and how much? First, it is your food. If you want black pepper in everything that is fine. You need to understand, however that adding black pepper will not balance the dish, salt does that. What if you are limiting your salt? The only other ingredient that can lift a dishes flavor besides salt is acid. If you are trying to limit salt, use some salt sparingly and try adding lemon, lime, or vinegar to balance flavors.
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