Rabbit Food For Lions
Do-it-Yourself Spice Mixes: No Salt, Maximum Style

We hear “rabbit food” and think all that’s bad about dieting. Dull, lifeless, uninspiring. Not our thing — fitness and fine food should both enliven your experience of life, not deaden it. So the food Kevin and Russ cook, and the techniques and philosophy they share, turn standard rabbit food and make it fit for a lion. Read more about our cooking philosophy in the Second Helping Toolbox.

Let’s see. The country’s growing more concerned in recent years with additives placed into food, i.e. high fructose corn syrup or excess salt. The American pallet is growing more diverse. You don’t need ornate market research for that assertion – if you can purchase fig balsamic vinegar in Wal-Mart, it’s mainstream already.

So why rely on prepared spice mixes when you can make your own?

There’s literally no downside. You gain more control over your seasonings, your additives (or lack thereof), your cooking and health. They also allow you the ability to quickly throw in a complex flavor in your dishes. You can also venture far beyond the confines of ordinary seasoning mixes.

Kevin and I crafted some stylish mixes that can double as rubs, marinade fodder, oil infusions, and quick boosts of flavor for little effort.

In making these blends, we intentionally included plenty of a pepper and no salt. Salt’s often given a bad reputation in health realms — thanks mostly to excess sodium in packaged foods. Regardless, it’s an essential cooking tool. We strike a balance by eliminating salt from our blends so you can add it to individual recipes as needed. When you take control of your cooking, salt becomes less an issue — like fat, you’ll notice your amounts gradually decrease as you become more comfortable cooking.

We intentionally wrote these recipes with low-yields — most yield half a cup or less. If you particularly love a blend, or want to personalize it to your tastes,look at the basic relationship between the amounts (we picked one or two ingredients to serve as a “base” and everything else for nuance) and use that as your guide. If you feel comfortable with exact measurements, try an online conversion calculator (we often use the basic calculator on Gourmet Sleuth(http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/conversions.htm)

If you want to be absolutely sure on a spice blend before you invest in quantities of spices new to you, Kevin suggests a quick test. Put a tablespoon of olive oil in a small skillet and add the spices over medium-low heat. Heat the spices in oil until fragrant and let cool. Take a taste and adjust the blends to your tastes before committing to a large quantity.

Caribbean Spice

• 1/2 teaspoon Orange Zest

• 1 teaspoon Allspice

• 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder

• 1/4 teaspoon Onion Powder

• 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon Ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon Fresh-Cracked Black Pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon Thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon Sweet Paprika

• Pinch of Clove

• Pinch of Cayenne

If making homemade dried peel, place lime zest on a covered cookie sheet and bake at 275 F until fragrant.

Once cooled, combine with remaining spices. Store in a cool, dark place until ready for use.

Chili-Coco Mix

• 2 teaspoons Cumin seeds, toasted

• 1 tablespoon Unsweetened (Dutch-process) Cocoa Powder

• 1 tablespoon Chili Powder

• 1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder

• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder

• 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon

• 1/8 teaspoon Dried Thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

In a small skillet or fry pan, toast the cumin seed over medium heat, swirling constantly to avoid burning. Remove from heat when fragrant. Allow spice to cool before grinding with a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.

Once cooled and ground, combine with remaining spices. Store in a cool, dark place until ready for use.

Moroccan Spice

• 1 tablespoon Coriander Seed, toasted

• 1 tablespoon Cumin Seed, toasted

• 1/4 teaspoon Lemon Zest

• 1/2 teaspoon Sweet Paprika

• 1/8 teaspoon Cardamon

• 1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg

• 1/8 teaspoon Black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon Onion powder

• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder

• 1/8 teaspoon Turmeric

• 1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon

• 1/8 teaspoon Hot Paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon Sumac

In a small skillet or fry pan, toast the coriander seed, sesame seeds and peppercorns over medium heat, swirling constantly to avoid burning. Remove from heat when fragrant. If making homemade dried peel, place lime zest on a covered cookie sheet and bake at 275 F until fragrant. Allow spices to cool before grinding with a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.

Once cooled and ground, combine with remaining spices. Store in a cool, dark place until ready for use.

Spanish Spice

• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seed, toasted

• 1/2 teaspoon Fennel Seed, toasted

• 1/8 teaspoon Orange zest

• 1 tablespoon Smoke paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon Saffron

• 1/2 teaspoon Onion powder

• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder

• 1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon Thyme

In a small skillet or fry pan, toast the cumin and fennell seeds over medium heat, swirling constantly to avoid burning. Remove from heat when fragrant. If making homemade dried peel, place lime zest on a covered cookie sheet and bake at 275 F until fragrant. Allow spices to cool before grinding with a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.

Once cooled and ground, combine with remaining spices. Store in a cool, dark place until ready for use.