Creole Seasoning

Louisiana Creole cuisine originated in Louisiana, United States which is influenced by French, Spanish, German, Italian, West African, Native American as well as Southern (American) cuisines. New Orleans is the largest city in the state and food capital of the state. There are many famous restaurants and great chefs from the region. One of the celebrity chefs from the region is Emeril Lagasse and today’s seasoning is his recipe. This flavoring is used to enhance flavor of the food. I use it primarily as a rub for my seafood and meats or as one of the main ingredients in my marinade. This post has been in my drafts for almost 2 years. If I remember, I was not happy the pictures and did not post the recipe right away. Then I completely forgot about the draft though this seasoning has been used very often in my kitchen. The pictures I am using today are also 2 years old.

Couple of years ago I tried out a dish that called for Creole seasoning. I usually buy the seasoning if it is readily available in the market and most of the times, these spices and seasonings sit on my spice rack for months & months and eventually end up in the trash can. While I was looking for other recipes for one particular dish, I came across Emeril Lagasse’s Jambalaya recipe with a recipe for homemade creole seasoning. I had all the ingredients that go into the seasoning and followed that recipe to make my own seasoning at home. That was indeed a smart move on my part as this seasoning was spicy just like I would prefer, and am using it more often than I normally use store bought spice mixes. I followed the recipe exactly as given and have made this seasoning several times. Sometimes I add an extra 1 tbsp of chili powder when making the seasoning. I use it in my fish, baby back ribs marinade and also in chicken saute.

Source: Emeril Lagasse on Food Network
Yields: ⅔ cups (I did not measure it but the recipe says ⅔ cups)

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ tbsp. Paprika
• 2 tbsp. Salt
• 2 tbsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 tbsp. Black Pepper Powder
• 1 tbsp. Onion Powder
• 1 Tbsp. Cayenne Powder
• 1 tbsp. Dried Oregano
• 1 tbsp. Dried Thyme
• 1 tbsp. Chili Powder (opt. & it is my addition)

Preparation:

• Mix all the ingredients together and store in an air tight container.
• I use it to marinate my fish and meats.

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