Tis the Seasoning...

Seasoning food is a very important part of a recipe; it can make or break the dish! Growing up in a Mexican household, I learned early on that the seasoning you use to flavor a dish is as important as the main ingredients, and now as a grown up and a full-fledged foodie, I couldn’t be more certain of this. Something as simple as too little salt can take away the WOW factor of a recipe, but on the flip side, over salting a dish, will kill it altogether.

Nevertheless, thank goodness we have some pretty fantastic chefs in our culture that we can turn to for ideas on flavoring our food. In this case, I will take Emeril Lagasse and his savoir-faire for all things Cajun. Coming from the South, our friend uses all the right spices to give his creations a kick of flavor… this, my friends, is why he canned the exclamation, “BAM!” when he cooks! It’s inevitable when using all the seasonings that he uses to shout that in the kitchen!

I must admit, I am an avid fan of all shows on Food Network, and I watch as often as time permits (often using TiVo to record some of these geniuses in the kitchen). For those of you who are familiar with his culinary techniques, Emeril uses a mix of spices he calls “Essence” as a key ingredient for many recipes. I have used this mix time and time again to season everything from stir-fried veggies and salads to seasoning chicken and fish. This mix also lends itself as a great rub to marinate meats or seafood, my favorite being shrimp… I put my raw shrimp in a large sealable plastic bag, shake in the Essence, rubbing it into the shrimp and refrigerate at least an hour prior to cooking. Served alongside brown rice and veggies or accompanying a simple pasta… simply delish!

As I mentioned in a previous blog entry, I am posting the recipe, if you will, for this mixture. This gives you a good amount of seasoning mix to be able to use as a rub with a shrimp dish like the one I mentioned, or simply to share with a friend in pretty jar as a hostess gift!! (You didn’t think of that, did you?) This makes for a very thoughtful gift, and adds a personal touch to show your appreciation for the host/hostess of any occasion.

Essence of Emeril

Ingredients:

2 1/2 tbsp. Paprika
2 tbsp. Salt
2 tbsp. Garlic Powder
1 tbsp. Black Pepper
1 tbsp. Onion Powder
1 tbsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 tbsp. Dried Oregano
1 tbsp. Dried Thyme

Directions:

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
(I recommend storing in airtight spice jars…or shaker jars for sprinkling. These jars can be found in stores like Cost Plus World Market or Bed, Bath and Beyond)

Yield: 2/3 cup

Happy cooking!!

Elle :)