I’m certain every “authentic” Remoulade Sauce is slightly different.

Mayonnaise is the primary ingredient in this flavorful kicked up condiment. It’s believed that remoulade sauce originated in France and is derived from the word ramolas which means horseradish. One of the key flavor components in this mayonnaise based sauce.

My husband is from New Orleans and he’s certain this Louisiana version pairs perfectly with his favorite Shrimp Po’ Boys.

There is also a French version of remoulade which is very similar but often includes anchovy paste in place of creole mustard.

Comeback Sauce is also a kind of mayonnaise based remoulade but typically includes ketchup in place of hot sauce.

Since we’re talking about sauces – check out these Homemade Fry Sauce recipes. There’s nothing like dunking crispy oven fries into a trio of sauces!

We made this sauce to go with our Crab Cake Balls. Trust me you’ll want to dunk these delightful nuggets into this punchy sauce! We also serve remoulade sauce with our Classic Crab Cakes and Fried Shrimp Po’Boys.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Homemade Remoulade Sauce

This slightly spicy, super creamy Remoulade Sauce is the perfect pairing for crab cakes, fried fish or shrimp, po' boys, or even fried pickles

Course Sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 Tablespoon dill relish
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cajun seasoning

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Chill.

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One of our favorite dishes enjoyed at Desta Ethiopian Kitchen was Miser.  Red lentils stewed in a rich spicy berbere sauce with onion, garlic, and ginger.  I set out to recreate this warm and flavorful dish from the ground up.

Here is my version of the Berbere spice blend (pronounced burr-burr-ee and meaning “hot”).  I slightly adapted this recipe from Epicurious according to the spices I had on hand and reduced it by half.

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Berbere {Ethiopian Spice Mix}

Author Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients

• 2 Tbl. Peri Peri or ground Serrano pepper
• 4 Tbl. paprika
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp. ground fenugreek seed or yellow mustard
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• pinch clove
• pinch garlic powder
• pinch cinnamon
• pinch allspice

Instructions

• Combine all spices and store in an air tight container.

The post Berbere {Ethiopian Spice Mix} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Parmesan Crusted Homemade Fish Sticks

I grew up in a very small New England town in southern New Hampshire.  There was a large Catholic population which meant every Friday night was fish night in most households.  And while some of my friends grumbled, I begged to be invited for dinner in hopes they’d be serving fish sticks and French fries.  Loved them.  Please tell me I’m not alone on this one.

30 years later I decided to recreate this Friday night comfort food classic at home.  As in homemade Parmesan Crusted Fish Sticks.

I can generally count on fresh cod being available at my local seafood counter.  Cod is the perfect mild white flaky fish to turn into fish sticks.  I cut the fillet into pieces and dipped them in egg white before encrusting them with a seasoned panko parmesan coating.  I baked them along side my fries, in this case Sweet Potato Fries, until they were both crispy and golden brown.  Served with a side of Tartar Sauce and Coleslaw and dinner is done.  Yum!

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Parmesan Crusted Homemade Fish Sticks

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb. cod fillet cut into pieces (about 2-3 oz. each)
• 1/2 cup egg whites or 1 egg beaten
• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• spray olive oil

Instructions

• Combine Parmesan cheese, panko, Cajun seasoning and paprika in a shallow dish.
• Dip cod pieces in egg white then dredge in Parmesan panko mixture coating well. Place pieces on a plate and put in freezer for 10 minutes before baking. This helps the coating to adhere during baking.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with olive oil spray.
• When ready to bake place fish pieces on cooking sheet then lightly spray tops with olive oil spray. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until beginning to brown.

The post Parmesan Crusted Homemade Fish Sticks appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I separated this Tandoori Spice Blend from the Whole Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower post because it’s so versatile it’s worth a post of it’s own.  I can see myself using this in various dishes and thankfully the recipe made enough to for us and to share with Shelby.

I also learned that a coffee grinder is one powerful little gadget.  Yes, the cinnamon sticks go in whole and come out as part of this blend.  Pretty amazing.

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Tandoori Spice Blend

Author Sarah B’s Tandoori Spice Blend

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. chili or cayenne
• 1 Tbl. cardamom ground or seeds
• 4 Tbl. cumin seeds
• 2 Tbl. coriander seeds
• ½ whole nutmeg grated
• 2 tsp. whole cloves
• 2-3 cinnamon sticks
• 2 Tbl. ground turmeric
• 2 Tbl. paprika

Instructions

• Place all ingredients except for turmeric and paprika in a spice mill, mortar and pestle or coffee grinder. Grind until powder. Add turmeric and paprika. Store in a glass jar away from light and heat. Will keep for up to six months.

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I wanted to share one more Winter Thyme Spice Exploration dish before I mentally checked into Spring.  When I discovered Kefta Mkaouara, a traditional Moroccan tagine dish, it offered all the right components.  Lovely spices, fresh herbs, wonderfully seasoned mini-meatballs, and poached eggs all slow cooked in glorious tomato and olive sauce in our new Tagine.  Beautiful. 

The word ‘Tagine’ can refer to the cooking method (slow braising of meats, chicken, or fish with vegetables or fruits) or the cooking vessel (an earthenware pot with a dome shaped cover, designed to return condensation to the bottom).  In this case I used both the method and the vessel.  This dish could easily be made on the stove top in a large deep skillet with a lid, however the tagine makes a lovely oven to table serving piece, perfect for a family style meal.

For this recipe, the meatballs are slow braised in the tomato and olive sauce.  Near the end of the cooking time, the eggs are poached in the sauce.  While Kefta Mkaouara {Moroccan Spicy Meatball & Tomato Tagine with Poached Eggs} incorporates quite a few herbs and spices, this is not a hot & spicy dish.  Instead it’s an aromatic dish bursting with the flavors of cinnamon, paprika, and cumin.  We served ours with white rice, infused with a hint of cinnamon.  This meal would be wonderful served with Moroccan flat bread as well.

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Kefta Mkaouara {Moroccan Spicy Meatball & Tomato Tagine with Poached Eggs}

Kefta Mkaouara has all the right components. Lovely spices, fresh herbs, wonderfully seasoned mini-meatballs, and poached eggs all slow cooked in a tomato and olive sauce.

Course Entree

Cuisine Moroccan

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author adapted from Christine Benlafquih

Ingredients

For the Kefta (meatballs)…

• 1 lb. ground beef or lamb
• 1 small onion fine diced
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. hot paprika
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped

For the Mkaouara sauce…

• 2 lbs. ripe tomatoes peeled, seeded, chopped or 2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes)
• 1 onion diced
• 1 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. hot paprika
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 12-15 small green olives sliced

To serve…

• 4 eggs for poaching
• 2 cups cooked long grain rice
• fresh cilantro and parsley for garnish

Instructions

• When using a tagine or dutch oven, preheat oven to 325 degrees.

For the Kefta (meatballs)…

• Mix all ingredients until just combined. Do not overwork. Form into small meatballs, about 1-inch in diameter.

For the Mkaouara sauce…

• In a large sauce pan over medium heat, combine all sauce ingredients (except green olives) and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Transfer into bottom portion of the tagine.
• Nestle meatballs into sauce. Sprinkle with sliced olives. Cover tagine base with lid and bake for 30-35 minutes.
• Remove tagine from oven, remove lid, with large spoon make 4 wells in sauce. Crack an egg into each well. Return lid and return tagine to oven. Cook for an additional 10 minutes until egg whites are set.

To serve…

• Serve family style with rice and fresh cilantro and parsley.

The post Kefta Mkaouara {Moroccan Spicy Meatball & Tomato Tagine with Poached Eggs} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Santa Claus is quite perceptive.  I mean he brought me a Terracotta Tagine for Christmas and it wasn’t even on my list.  How did he know?!!  Working perfectly into our Winter Thyme Spice Exploration plan, we put that baby to good use tonight.  We turned a basic beef stew into a fragrant adventure with this Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash.  Paprika, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne came together with tangy tomatoes and sweet butternut squash to create a BIG flavor sauce.  The beef was tender, as slow braised beef should be, and completely infused with Moroccan love.  I’m smiling.

Simple steps to wonderful flavor.  The Tagine’s dome-shaped cover is designed to return all of the condensation to the bottom, allowing a slow braising process, resulting in tender moist meats.  If Santa didn’t bring you a Tagine don’t let that stop you from making this wonderful Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash.  Feel free to use your dutch oven and get happy.  Trust me, the aromas alone dancing through your kitchen will make you happy.

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Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash

Course Entree

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Inspired by Cooking Light, January 2011

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1 lb. beef shoulder roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 4 shallots sliced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 14.5 oz can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 3 cups 1 inch cubed peeled butternut squash
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add beef, toss well to coat.
• Heat oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add beef and shallots, cook 4 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.
• Add garlic, cook 1 minute stirring frequently. Stir in broth and tomatoes, bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes. Add squash.
• Transfer mixture to Tagine. Bake covered for 90 minutes. Remove from oven, stir in frozen peas and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
• Serve over rice sprinkled with fresh cilantro.

The post Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash {B is for Braising} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Peruvian Chicken.  When my co-worker Cindy told me she had a recipe that was right up my alley…I listened.  She knows me.  Peruvian Chicken she promised was packed full of incredible make-you-get-a-little-giddy flavor…and wouldn’t you know this recipe is just in time for Winter Thyme Spice Exploration.  She really knows me.

You might know this about us by now….every week we cook a whole chicken.  Why wouldn’t we?  You get an amazing chicken dinner on night #1, glorious homemade chicken broth and leftover chicken on night #2 (or 3 if you don’t feel like dealing with it), and on subsequent days you can make sumptuous soups, stews, or chilis.  Why not cook a whole chicken every week?!!  Peruvian Chicken Soup here we come.

Once Peruvian Roast Chicken was on my radar I did my typical recipe research.  There are many similar recipes out there for this make-you-get-a-little-giddy dish.  They call for a marinade of white vinegar or lemon juice, olive oil or canola, garlic , paprika, cumin, oregano, pepper, and salt.  We mostly followed this recipe for El Pollo Rico aka Peruvian Chicken.  A slow mud bath in the divine paste (4-24 hours) and then onto the…..grill, rotisserie, beer can chicken Bodacious roaster.  We chose to use our Bodacious roaster because it gives the chicken skin the most exposure, resulting in crispy skin which we love.  In addition, this roaster has what we call ‘the moat’.  The place where delicious juicy love ends up at the end of cooking.  We’ll come back to that in a moment.  We started roasting slow in a cold oven set at 300 degree for 1 hour, moved up to 350 for the next 45 minutes, then crisped this South American Goddess for another 15 minutes at 400 degrees, until her timer said “Pop.”

Recipe note:  you can stick a thermometer in it or you can just trust what chicken experts have already figured out….the pop-up timer. 

Recipe note #2: you could just cook this at 350 degrees the entire time.  Not sure why we didn’t.

We paired this glorious bird with an absolutely amazing Quinoa recipe I pulled together incorporating as many Peruvian ingredients we had on hand.  I did not know, but my research helped me discover, that Quinoa originated in the Andean region of Peru, Ecuador, and neighboring countries in South America.  It was delicious on it’s own and may find it’s way into our next post.

As it turns out, Peruvian Roast Chicken yields a nice amount of pan drippings (which collected in the moat).  While carving the chicken I raked a piece through the this juicy love and out of no where there was one of those angels-singing moments in our kitchen.  Holy Moat…the paprika based marinade combined with the chicken drippings made the most glorious sauce.  So we liberally spooned it over our chicken and Quinoa.  I recommend you do the same.

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Peruvian Roast Chicken

Prep Time 12 hours hours

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 14 hours hours

Servings 4 -6

Ingredients

For the marinade…

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2-3 garlic cloves minced
• 2 Tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

For the chicken…

• 1 whole chicken the biggest you can find (aka 6-7 lbs.)

Instructions

• Mix all marinade ingredients together and slather over chicken and under chicken skin. Place chicken in a zip lock bag or bowl for 4 – 24 hours
• We used our Bodacious beer-can chicken roaster, however a shallow roasting pan with a rack would work as well.
• Place chicken in cold oven, then set to 300 degrees. Bake 1 hour, then increase temp. to 350 degrees for an additional 45 minutes. Increase temp. to 375 degrees for final 15 minutes, or until done.
• Let chicken rest for 15 – 20 minutes before carving.
• Reserve pan drippings to spoon over chicken.

The post Peruvian Roast Chicken {She Knows Me} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Sometimes a dish needs a touch of color and sometimes it needs the tiniest burst of flavor.  That is why we make Paprika Oil and keep it on hand.

In a glass jar or bottle, combine 1 tsp. paprika for every 1/4 cup of good quality olive oil.  Gently shake, then allow to sit for 3-5 days.  The paprika will settle to the bottom of the jar.  Do not stir from this point forward.  Pour off the beautifully colored oil through multiple layers of cheese cloth and store as you would olive oil.

Experiment with different flavored oils and paprikas.  Paprika Oil is wonderful as a salad dressing, garnish, or subtle flavor boost.

Pan Seared Sage Brown Butter Scallops with Sweet Pea Puree, Crispy Sage Leaves, and Paprika Oil.

Sweet Pea & Parmesan Soup with Parmesan Crisps, Greek Yogurt, and Paprika Oil.

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