Salt Hank’s love for food began when he first tasted salami on Christmas Day at six years old, and it changed the trajectory of his life. Hank, also known as Henry Laporte, now makes big-personality videos about the most flavour-packed food imaginable for millions of die-hard fans. His TikTok and Instagram videos may not have a lot of talking (except to capture Hank’s gasps of joy when he tastes the final dish), but they do have many mouthwatering close-ups of dripping sauce, juicy meats, crispy bread, and whatever else is sure to stir the heart of viewers and leave them craving more.

Salt Hank is his first cookbook that includes an entire chapter of fried food; main courses like Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos or Duck Breast with Potato Chips and Pan Sauce; a chapter dedicated to sauces and dips because Salt Hank wouldn’t be Salt Hank without decadent sauces; plenty of recipes for pickles; and of course, sandwiches…a lot of sandwiches.

Including viral favourites like his Lamb Burger, Steak Frites Sandwich, Vodka Parmesan, and Pesto Chicken this book also includes brand-new recipes. If the incredibly delicious recipes and Hank’s (sometimes irreverent) sense of humor aren’t enticing enough, the brilliant photography will make just about anyone drool. Hank also offers insider advice on how you can create awesome food photography and videos. This book is perfect for fans but it is also for anyone who loves great-tasting food.

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Lamb Burger

As mentioned in the Whipped Feta headnote, this burger is my baby. But this baby was conceived by my friend Jerry, so it’s a stolen baby. No matter where it came from, this was my first viral recipe and the burger that basically turned my dreams into a reality. Thankfully, it’s actually one of the best burgers I’ve ever made as well. If I had been discovered for some stupid gimmick, I’d probably be stuck doing that. Instead, it’s this beautiful lamb burger and now I get to write a cookbook. Once again, totally stole this idea from Jerry, so in a weird butterfly effect way, you guys basically have Jerry to thank for this book existing and for you reading this headnote right now. Thanks, Jerry!

¼ cup harissa paste

¼  cup Hellmann’s or Best Foods mayonnaise

1 pound freshly ground lamb

Flaky salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1  tablespoon vegetable oil

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

1 rustic baguette

1½ cups arugula

Whipped Feta (below)

Pickled Onions (below)

In a small bowl, stir together the harissa and mayonnaise. Set aside.

Form the meat into 2 patties and season heavily with flaky salt and pepper on both sides.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium to medium- high heat and add the patties, pressing down to ensure full surface coverage. Once they’re well seared, about 3 minutes, flip the burgers and add the butter. Basting the burgers continuously, finish cooking to medium rare, about 3 more minutes, and remove.

To build the burger, start by toasting both sides of your baguette. Slather the bottom half with the harissa mayo, then add arugula, burger, a large pile of Whipped Feta, Pickled Onions, and the top of the baguette. Eat!

 

WHIPPED FETA

Without this dip/spread I wouldn’t be where I am today. It’s one of the main components of my baby, my first viral recipe ever, the lamb burger. And I have a huge confession to make. I’m a gigantic fraud. The lamb burger was entirely my friend Jerry’s idea. We always used to brainstorm shit to make,

and one day he sent over a pretty comprehensive idea for a lamb burger with whipped feta, pickled onions, harissa mayo, and arugula. Before even filming the video, I knew it was going to crush, but without Jerry’s text I wouldn’t have come up with that idea in a billion years. One hundred million views later and he hasn’t complained once. What a guy. I still feel it’s necessary to finally thank him and come clean about this masterpiece of a recipe. THANKS, JERRY, LOVE YA, BUD.

2 cups crumbled feta

1 cup cream cheese, cut into cubes

2 garlic bulbs, roasted (see Note) plus 4 garlic cloves, roughly minced

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

½ cup roughly sliced fresh chives Juice of 1 fresh lemon

In a food processor, combine the feta, cream cheese, garlic, olive oil, mint, chives, and lemon juice, and blend until smooth. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

NOTE: To roast the garlic bulbs, wrap them in foil and roast in a 400ºF oven for 1 hour. Squeeze the softened garlic cloves out of their skins when done.

 

PICKLED ONIONS

This is where it all started, where my love for pickling began. Onions were the only thing I knew how to pickle until I was like twenty, and I didn’t even really know how to pickle them. I’d just put sliced onions in a bowl with vinegar (and honestly it works just as well). I have a giant jar of these in my fridge at all times and you should too.

2 medium red onions

3½ cups white wine vinegar

1½ cups water

2 tablespoons Pickling Spice Blend (see Note, page 193)

2 tablespoons non-iodized sea salt

½ tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon dried oregano

Using a mandoline, slice your onions on setting #2, or 1/8-inch thick. Stuff them into a heatproof container, ideally a 32-ounce Mason jar.

In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring the vinegar, water, Pickling Spice Blend, salt, and sugar to a boil. Pour the mixture over your onions, stir in the oregano, and let them sit in the fridge for 12 hours, and up to 2 months.

NOTE: For the Pickling Spice Blend, use what you have or prefer of these ingredients: black peppercorns, coriander seed, mustard seed, caraway seed, dill seed, fennel, red pepper flakes, dill seed, and a bay leaf.

Excerpted from Salt Hank by Henry Laporte. Copyright © by Salt Hank, LLC. Photography Copyright © 2024 by Ed Anderson. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.