Spicy Creole Crab Balls and Creole Tartar Sauce

One of my favorite blogs to visit when I'm in the mood for some spicy cajun food is Cajun Delights.  Marguerite weaves wonderful stories of her culture and happenings at her home in the Cajun Country.  

Not only does she provide awesome recipes, but she lays out a whole themed party, like her Cajun Christmas Party Preview that this recipe comes from.  She includes appetizers, salads, sides, bread, main meal and dessert ideas.   The link to the blog post follows the recipe.

1 lb. lump crab meat, picked over
1/2 cup crushed saltine crackers
1 large egg
1/4 cup mayo
1 tsp. Creole seasoning
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Creole or Dijon mustard
2 tbs. chopped bell pepper
2 tbs. chopped green onions
Vegetable oil for frying

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the egg mayo, Creole seasoning Worcestershire sauce, and Creole mustard. Add crab meat and mix gently. Add cracker crumbs evenly. Stir in the peppers and green onions. 

Form the mixture into 3 inch balls and place on a large cookie sheet and chill for 1 hour. 

Deep fry at 350 degrees for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. 

Drain on paper towels and transfer to a serving platter. 


Serve with Marguerite's Creole Tartar Sauce . . .

1 cup light mayo
1 tbs. Creole mustard
1 tbsp. each, green onions and fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Few shakes Tabasco
Combine all ingredients in bowl and chill.


Click here for Marguerite's Cajun Christmas Party Preview 

Creole seasonings . . . a guide

Herbs and spices add important flavors to Creole dishes.

Here are the main seasonings used, as described by The Spice Hunter, a
firm that packages herbs and spices.

Bay leaves: Used whole to add a signature pungent flavor to hearty
dishes such as gumbo and red beans and rice.
Remove before serving.

Black and white pepper: From the berries of the pepper plant, black is
hot with a slightly piney flavor while
white is milder and more delicate. Both are used liberally in Creole
cooking.

Cayenne pepper (also called ground red pepper): Made from the dried pods
of chili peppers, it adds heat to red beans and rice, etouffee and jambalaya.

Celery seed: Lends the slightly bitter flavor of fresh celery to any dish.
Used in most Creole seasoning blends.

Garlic powder: Dehydrated ground garlic often is used because it
disperses better in dishes.
To use fresh garlic, 1 clove equals 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder.

Gumbo file: Dried, ground sassafras leaf, used to add flavor to and
thicken gumbo.

Onion powder: Dehydrated, ground onions are used in Creole seasoning
blends for meat and fish.

Oregano: Used with meat, fish and vegetable dishes, oregano has a
pungent odor and flavor that lend depth to meat and vegetable dishes.

Sweet basil: Intensely fragrant and slightly sweet, basil can be added
to any dish but is especially good with meat, cheese and eggs.
One tablespoon of fresh equals 1 teaspoon of dried.

Sweet paprika: A warming spice with a pungent flavor, it's great for
fish and vegetable dishes and remoulade sauce.

Thyme: Found in most traditional Creole dishes, thyme adds a slight
minty flavor and subtle aroma to gumbos and etouffee.
The leaves from three to four sprigs of fresh thyme equal about 3/4
teaspoon dried thyme.

Source : Your about.com guide to cajun/creole cooking

Creole Green Beans

Green beans are low in calories and loaded with nutrients — an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin C, manganese, vitamin A, dietary fiber, potassium, foliate, and iron . . . they are a good source of magnesium, thiamin, riboflavin, copper, calcium, phosphorus, protein, omega-3 fatty acids and niacin. Substitute olive oil instead of butter and use fresh green beans to make this recipe healthier.  Bacon? Up to you . . . but bacon makes everything better.

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 (14 ounce) package frozen green beans

6 thick slices bacon, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon Creole seasoning

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

salt to taste

Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet. 

Stir in green beans, bacon, onion, green pepper, and garlic; cook and stir until onions are translucent, about 2 minutes. 

Stir in cayenne pepper, Creole seasoning, and black pepper. Cover; reduce heat to low. 

Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. 

Season to taste with salt. 

Source: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DoriesRecipeBox/

Emeril's "Essence" Creole Seasoning

BAM . . . kick anything up a notch

(also referred to as Bayou Blast)

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch
Published by William Morrow, 1993.