Mark's Creole Seasoning

Cook time: 5 minutes yield 1 cup Serving size: I tablespoon 2 Tablespoons garlic powder 2 Tablespoons smoked paprika 2 table spoons freshlv ground black pepper 1 Tablespoon dried onion chips 1 Tablespoon cavenne pepper 1 Tablespoon dried leaf oregano 1 Tablespoon dried I Tablcspvon tarragon Combine all ingredients thoroughly in a coffee grinder and store in an airtight jar or container. This recipe has no sodium and less heat than other Creole and/ or Cajun •easonings on the market. If you want salt, add it.

Citrus Vinergrette

Citrus Vinaigrette "ith lots offresh lnuisiana oranges and lemons available, this is' a winner. Prep Titue: 10 Illinutes Cook Time: O 1 3/4 cups (serving size: I Tablespoon) RE INGREDIENT 1 1/4 cup orange juice 6 tablespoons fresh limne juice 1/4 cup Illinced fresh basil 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon I V2 teaspoons Creole or Dijon mustard 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt Combine all ingredients, and stir mixture well with a wire whisk. Serve chilled or at room temperature over mixed salad greens, fruit, or seafood. Exchanges per serving: 1 fat exchange. Nutrition per serving about: Calories 20; Calories from fat 7; Total Fat 0.8g; SatFat 0. lg; Cholesterol Omg; Sodium 18mg; Carbohydrates 3.2g; Fiber 0.1g; Protein 0.2g.

Oven Roux

Prep Time: 15 minutes 30 minutes

Yield: 4 cups (64 servings)

Serving size l tablespoon

Traditionally a Roux is made from flour and fat, but who can afford all those extra calories. A roux lends taste and texture to many Cajun and Creole dishes.

Here's a roux, made by simply browning the flour, that adds the same flavor as fat-based roux.

It's not hard to make, but like a traditional roux, it does require your full attention-so. No phone calls or interruptions when making it!

If stored in a tightly covered container, roux flour will keep for 2 to 3 months.

AMOUNT/MEASURE INGREDIENT

4 cups all-purpose flour

Place the flour in a large skillet over high heat; with a wire whisk stir constantly for 25 minutes, or until the flour turns the color of light brown sugar. If the flour begins to darken too fast, remove the skillet from the heat and stir to allow flour to cool and color evenly before putting it back on a lower heat setting. If the flour burns, throw it away and try again. Remove from the heat and continue stirring until the flour is completely cooled.

Sift the flour into a container, and store, covered, until needed.

Exchanges per serving: 1/2 starch Nutrition per serving about:

Calories 28; Calories from fat l ;

Total fat 0. lg; Sat Fat 0g; Cholesterol Omg;

Sodium Omg; Carbohydrates 6g;

Fiber 0.2g; Protein 0.8g.

What else?

Seafood Crepes with a Lobster Champagne Sauce

For something very special try this. Most Q/' the alcohol content will evaporate leaving that mysterious flavor great wine. Tillie• 20 niintltcA Cook Titnc: 2() minutes Yield: 4 sevx ings CRÉPES: Basic Crvpe recipe LOBSTER CHAMPAGNE SAUCE: RE INGREDIENT I cup diced yellow onion I cup chopped carrots I cup chopped celery large shallot, minced 2 tablespoons chopped garlic 4 tablespoons canola oil cups white wine 3 tablespoons commercial lobster base (or use lobster shells to make the base) 2 cups water 2 cans evaporatedfat-free milk 12 ounce cans) 1/2 cup champagne 4 ounces oven dry roux 2 teaspoons Mark's Creole Seasoning (p. 10) 1/8 teaspoon FILLING: White pepper AMOUNT/MEASURE INGREDIENT 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 ounces each lobster meat: cubed , crawfish tail meat, shrimp pieces: large, crabmeat 1/2 cup champagne 1/2 cup plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced 1/2 cup chopped green onions (scallions) 1/8 teaspoon each kosher salt andfreshly ground pepper LOBSTER CHAMPAGNE SAUCE: Sweat the onions, carrots, celery, shallots, and garlic in a medium saucepan with canola oil for about 5 minutes. (continued on next page) longer. Strain the nil \tutv and Pilt back in 'saucepot Add the and cook for 5 to Illinutes. Add the chan)pagne and cook for 2 Il)! nutes. NVhisk the Creole Seasoning and oven roux and bring hack to a Gmmer to thicken. Sea»yn ith hite pepper. to taste. FILLING: In a inedium saute pan. add the olive oil. Add the seafood and let the shrimp cook through, about 3 minutes. Add the champagne and reduce for I minute. Add the lobster champagne sauce and let cook for another 2 minutes. Fold in the diced tomatoes and scallions and season with salt and peppen Mixture is ready to serve. Take 2 Crépes and fill with some of the mixture and roll the Crépes. Place in a shallow gratin dish. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Add the remaining sauce and seafood on top of the Crepes. Exchanges per serving: I starch, 11/2 milk, I other carbohydrate, 2 very-lean meat, I vegetable, 2 fat Nutrition per serving about: Calories 444; Calories from Fat 110; Total Fat 12.3g; SatFat 2g; Cholesterol 31mg; Sodium 674mg; Carbohydrate 58g; Fiber 3.7g Protein 25.6g.

Pompano en papillote

This is a classic Creole dish in which the fish is baked in parchment paper with mu€hroornv and a veloutc sauce. is the [ood cooks and letc of/' steam, the ingredients cook and blend flavors; the parchinent puffs up into a dome. At the table. thc paper is slit. steam escapes. and the food is exposed. It 's impressive. Prep Time: Illinutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Yield: 4 sen ines Serving size: I fish orot NTAIE.ASURE INGREDIENT Cooking parchment 4 Synall pompano or trout (about 6 oz each after they are cleaned and boned) 4 slices whole-wheat bread, toasted (or another grain bread) 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill I sntall onion, diced 8 oz. sliced mushrooms. I teaspoon lemon juice (optional) fresh ground pepper to taste Preheat the oven to 3500 F. Tear off 4 sheets of parchment, each a little more than double the size of one deboned fish. Rinse each fish inside and out with cool water; pat dry. Process the bread in a blender or food processor until you have soft bread crumbs. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining ingredients. Stuff the cavity of each fish with the bread mixture. Wrap each fish in a piece of parchment (a semicircle fold works well). Bake the wrapped fish for about 15-20 minutes, turning once or twice. The fish will be mildly flavored and moist when done. To serve, transfer each packet to an individual plate. Exchanges per serving: 1 starch, 5 lean meat, 1/2 fat Nutrition per serving about: Calories 334; Total Fat 14g; SatFat 2g; Calories from Fat 126; Cholesterol.92 mg; Sodium 234mg; Carbohydrate 15 g; Fiber 2 g; Protein 36g.

Baked Stuffed Artichokes

PREP TIME 25 mins COOK TIME 60 mins TOTAL TIME 85 mins SERVINGS 4 servings Ingredients • 6 slices white bread • 1 teaspoon lemon zest • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese • 8 cloves garlic, divided • 1/2 cup chopped parsley • 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided • 1/8 teaspoon Mark’s creole seasoning • 2 large globe artichokes • 4 slices lemon, divided • 1 bay leaf • Salt, optional Method 1. Make fresh breadcrumbs: Cut off the crust from 6 slices of bread. Chop the centers and put into a food processor. Pulse until you have coarse breadcrumbs. You should have about 3 cups. 2. Make the stuffing: In a large bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, Parmesan cheese, minced garlic (from 6 of the garlic cloves, reserving the remaining 2 cloves), chopped parsley, minced oregano, 1/2 cup olive oil, and black pepper. Set aside. 3. Prep the artichokes: Cut off the stem, leaving 1/2 inch from the bottom row of leaves. Using kitchen scissors, cut off 1/2 inch of the tips of all of the artichoke leaves. Cut 1 inch from the top of the artichoke. (It helps to use a serrated knife like a bread knife for this.) Take a slice of lemon and rub over the cut edges of the artichokes to keep them from turning brown. 4. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). 5. Stuff the artichokes: Use your finger to gently pull open the center leaves of the artichokes. Pull out the inner tender yellow artichoke leaves. Use a small metal spoon to scrape and scoop out all of the inner fuzzy choke. Place artichokes on a sheet pan (to catch the breadcrumbs) and start stuffing the artichoke with your stuffing mix. Put some stuffing mix between each large leaf and the artichoke, as well as a generous amount in the center. 6. Bake the artichokes: Put about 1 inch of boiling water in the bottom of a Dutch oven that will snugly hold the artichokes. Add 2 slices of lemon, a bay leaf, the 2 remaining garlic cloves, halved, to the water. Place the artichokes sitting upright in the water. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cover the pot tightly with a lid. (Remember to cover the dish or this method will not work!) Bake for 1 hour at 375°F (190°C), or until a knife easily penetrates the heart of the artichoke or you can easily remove one of the outer petals. (Depending on the size of the artichoke baking time can vary from 50 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or longer.) Remove the cover and broil for a minute or so, enough to get some browning on the top of the stuffing. Remove artichokes to a serving dish to serve. The Parmesan adds a good amount of saltiness, but if you prefer more salt, add more to taste. NUTRITION FACTS(PER SERVING) 537 CALORIES 39g FAT 39g CARBS 11g PROTEIN .

Creole Flank Steak

Ingredients 1 beef Flank steak (about 1-1½ pounds) ½ cup red wine 2 Tbsp. lime juice 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 Tbsp. Mark's Creole seasoning ½ tsp. crushed red pepper ½ tsp. Kosher salt ½ tsp. coarse ground black pepper Preparation Combine red wine, lime juice, garlic, Creole seasoning, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper in a food-safe plastic bag. Add steak, close bag securely. Marinate in refrigerator for 6 hours to overnight. Remove steak from marinade; discard marinade. Place steak on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 11 to 16 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 16 to 21 minutes) for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally. Allow to rest.

Crepes Suzette

Supposedly this dish was nmned a/ier Madenu»iselle Suzette, an actress playing at thc ('mnédie l"rancacisc in Paris. thank herfor her inspiration for this e.vciting dessert. Prep l'ilne: 10 Illinutes Cook Tinoc: minutes 4 Sen ings 3 Crepes each X T(MEASt RF INGREDIENT 1/4 cup light Inarqarine (Parkav) peel (IT 2 oranges, thinly slivered peel of I lemon, thinly slivered 1/2 cup sugar juice Q/ 1/2 orange juice of 1/2 lemon 3 tablespoons Grand Marnier 12 Crépes Basic Crepe Recipe (p. 120) Melt the margarine in a chafing dish or skillet. Add the orange and lemon peel to the pan and cook briefly until tender. Stir in the sugar, orange juice, and lemon juice; cook the sauce, stirring, until syrupy. Place the Crepes in the sauce, three at a time. When the Crepes are coated with sauce, fold each crepe in half and then into quarters. When all 12 crepes have been added to the pan, TAKE THE PAN OFF THE STOVE and pour the Cointreau, Grand Marnier, and brandy over them, then tip the pan slightly to ignite the brandy. When the flames subside, place 3 Crepes on each plate, and top with some of the sauce and citrus peel. Exchanges per serving: 2 other carbohydrate, 2 fat Nutrition per serving about: Calories 227; Calories from Fat 103; Total Fat I I .4g; SatFat 2g; Cholesterol Omg; Sodium 153mg; Carbohydrate 30.7g; Fiber 0.9g; Protein 0.3g.