I've found the perfect bonfire candle

And it's inspired me to cook these smoky autumn dishes

As you know I’m working alongside Cornish Sea Salt to celebrate their fantastic collaboration with Keynvor Candle Company and it’s really sparked some recipe ideas, which I would love to share with you.

But let’s go back a bit first, in case you haven’t ‘met’ these extraordinary candles yet. A few months ago the team at Cornish Sea Salt felt inspired by the thousands of customers who loved the smell of their Smoked Sea Salt flakes (when you crack open the tub, your senses are engulfed by a fire-pit perfume of sweet, smoky, flame-grilled deliciousness blended with the back-molar-pinging tang of crunchy sea salt. It is wild and wonderful!). They got in touch with local Cornish candle company Keynvor, who coincidentally had been working on a firewood-style candle scent for a while. It was destiny. Brad, Keynvor’s founder and candlemaker, added extra aromatic inspirations, such as the oak, cherry and apple wood smoker used for the salts, plus some magical touches to help the scent project in a room comfortably (and not make your living room smell like an aggressively smoked German sausage!). The result? A smooth, warm, cosy and smouldering candle that smells like you’re huddled around a beachside bonfire on a chilly evening. On top of that, the quality of the burn is sensational (you know I’m a stickler for that sort of thing). The melt is flat and even, the projection is huge and full, and the price of the candle is only £28.

There’s also a beautiful Sea Salt candle that’s more crisp and refreshing, with touches of lemon, sage and pine needles that cleanses your space. I talked a lot about it in this French Onion Soup recipe post recently.

Anyway, all of us at Casa dP are crazy for the Smoky Sea Salt candle, and it’s inspired me to experiment more with the barbecue-vibes smoked sea salt flakes in my kitchen.

A really easy way to incorporate them is in a stew or soup, in lieu of normal salty seasoning. In the supermarket recently, Pops and Belle said they wanted to try venison (said no other child in the land) so I bought a couple of packets of this inexpensive Diced Wild Venison.

I knew we had a weekend full of bike rides and woodland walks, so I leant into my Autumnal Main Character Energy and made a super rich and indulgent Smoked Venison Stew. I did it in a big Le Creuset casserole (mine is ancient. I’m horrified at how expensive they are today - my French granny would be spinning in her grave); but you could use any large, deep pan with a well-fitting lid.

If you look at the photos from top left to right, per row, these are the basic steps I did.

• Line 1: Sear the meat pieces in good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Mine didn’t go brown but instead released a huge amount of liquid, which I decided to keep as a ready-made stock. Meanwhile chop and fry up a couple of onions (seasoned with the Smoked Sea Salt), and grate one large carrot. Add those both to the casserole, along with a few glugs of cheapo supermarket port or red wine.

• Line 2: Once it’s back to the boil, add a big 700g bottle of tomato passata. I then poured a bit of balsamic vinegar into the almost-empty passata bottle to loosen up the remaining sauce and add a sweet, tangy kick to the stew. Add a really good pinch of Smoked Salt flakes, put the lid on and leave it on the lowest heat on the smallest ring for 30 minutes.

• Line 3: Uncover and marvel at the alchemy of caramelised protein, sugar, salt and umami veggies when left to ‘do their thing’. If it looks too thin, ramp up the heat to max and let it bubble away for 15minutes until reduced slightly. I served it up with some sautéed hispi cabbage and fluffy basmati rice. Cue enormous cheers from all the fam, and happy, warmed, winter tummies ready for some Attenborough under blankets on the sofa.

Another recipe I’ve made a few times now is Smoked Honey and Sesame Aubergine, which I cook in my beloved Ninja Max Pro air-fryer. It’s quick and easy, and works well as a mid-week dinner or mashed up as a dip.

The live-action recipe is over on my Instagram, and here’s the full step-by-step method below. You can do it in a traditional oven too, using the same timings and temperatures.

SMOKED HONEY & SESAME AUBERGINE

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

- 1 aubergine, cut into 1/2 inch slices (do this at the last minute to prevent them oxidising and going brown)

- 1 tbsp good quality runny honey

- 2 tbsps sesame oil

- Cornish Sea Salt Smoked Flakes

- Sesame seeds

METHOD

1. In a small bowl, mix the honey and sesame oil together until combined.

2. Slice your aubergine and score each piece in a criss-cross pattern on both sides, about 2mm deep. Place the slices in one layer in your air fryer basket, then using a pastry brush paint the top side only, really getting that mixture into the slits. Sprinkle each slice with a generous pinch of Smoked Salt, then do the same with some sesame seeds.

3. Put them in the air fryer on 190 for 12 minutes. When the timer goes, turn each slice over and paint them with the remaining honey and sesame oil mix. Add another sprinkle of smoked salt and sesame seeds, then pop back in for 5 minutes on 200.

4. I serve these sticky, sweet, smoky aubergine slices with some veggie egg fried rice as a main meal (up to you if you want to eat the skin or not). Alternatively, scrape the flesh off the skin and mash them up with a fork to create a tasty dip - either scooped up with toasted pitta bread strips, or smudged onto a wrap with a lamb kofta. Bon appetit! 

Are you a Cornish Sea Salt smoked salt superfan? How do you use yours? Let me know below!