Recipes

Join “Jayni’s Kitchen” this week for “A Taste of Louisiana Cooking with James Otten.”

Host Jayni Carey and Otten, a Lawrence dentist, will prepare the following recipes.

A new show debuts at 6:30 p.m. each Tuesday on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6 and repeats at 8:30 p.m. The show is also broadcast at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 9:30 a.m. Sunday and 8:30 p.m. Monday.

Creole Seasoning

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1/3 cup paprika
1/3 cup salt
1/4 cup fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
2 teaspoon dried mustard
2 tablespoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoon dried thyme
2 tablespoon dried oregano
2 tablespoon onion powder

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl.

Store the mixture in an airtight jar in a dark, dry place.

Keeps indefinitely.

Blackened Ahi Tuna with Mango Salsa

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2 mangoes, peeled and diced
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup sweet red pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup sweet yellow pepper, finely chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped
3 tablespoons lime juice
4 to 6 chilled Ahi tuna steaks, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inches thick

Creole Seasoning

1/2 cup butter, melted

In a medium bowl, combine mangoes, onion, peppers and lime juice to make the salsa. Cover and chill for 2 to 3 hours.

Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat to white smoking hot. Keep the tuna steaks chilled until ready to use. Season both sides of the chilled fish with the Creole Seasoning, to taste. Dab on melted butter with a basting brush. (The butter should reharden on the cold surface of the fish, sealing in the spices.) Carefully place the fish in the hot skillet and sear for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare, pink center. Serve the blackened tuna topped with salsa. Serves 4 to 6.

Sauteed Crawfish with Orzo Pesto

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16 ounces orzo pasta
2 tablespoons basil pesto
6 tablespoons butter, divided
1 pound fresh crawfish tail meat (see note)
1 cup chopped green onion
1/3 cup chopped parsley
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons Creole Seasoning
1/3 cup fish stock or clam juice
splash of white wine (optional)

Cook the orzo in boiling, salted water until tender; drain well. Stir in the pesto and set aside.

Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the green onion, parsley and garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the crawfish tails and sprinkle with Creole Seasoning, to taste. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the liquid from the tail meat has evaporated. Add the fish stock, and white wine, if desired. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until only a small amount liquid remains in the pan. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and stir until just melted. Remove the pan from the heat. Serve the crawfish over the orzo. Serves 4 to 6.

Note: If using pre-cooked crawfish tail meat, reduce the cooking time by half.

Bananas Foster

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1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons banana liqueur
3 ounces dark rum
French vanilla ice cream

Melt the butter in a flat chafing dish or skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until melted. Add the bananas and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with cinnamon while cooking.

Increase the heat to medium-high and pour the banana liqueur and rum over the bananas, shaking the pan to distribute the liquid. Quickly set aflame. Baste the bananas with the flaming sauce until the flames die out. Serve immediately over ice cream. Serves 2 to 4.