Marilyn's Essence
Marilyn's Essence

Years ago we were making an Emeril Lagasse recipe that called for what he calls Essence or Bayou Blast. Boy does it blast! Knocks your socks right off. I do like a little spice, but even my friends who like spicy food couldn’t tolerate it. Sorry, Emeril!
Adapting his original recipe, I’ve created this spice blend in three versions: Spicy (but still not as spicy as Emeril’s), Mildly Spice, and No-Sodium. In The Nourishing Well Kitchen, we add it to a lot of our dishes – stews, meatloaf, sauces, soups. It makes so many dishes taste just that much better.
I was trying to figure out what to call it and my assistant Cadhla said I should simply call it Marilyn’s Essence. So here it is.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ tablespoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt- leave this out for a low sodium diet
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
Directions
Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Blend well.
Can be stored in an airtight container in your spice cabinet for up to 3 months.
Source
A variation from Emeril Lagasse's Bayou Blast.