[Sca-cooks] filet powder

[grizly]

-----Original Message-----
Does anyone know exactly what is in filet powder? It shouldn't be hard to
make our own.


~Aislinn~
Et si omnes ego non.> > > > > > >

Powdered sassafrass leves.  See
http://www.foodreference.com/html/artfilegumbo.html  to wit:

FILE (GUMBO FILE)
File, or as it is also known because of its association with gumbo, gumbo
file, is the powdered dried leaves of the sassafras tree. The Choctaw
Indians (Mississippi and Alabama) first used this seasoning. It has a flavor
resembling that of root beer. It is an essential flavoring and thickening
ingredient of gumbo and other Creole dishes. File is generally added after
cooking, when the dish has been removed from the heat, but still hot,
because it becomes stringy with cooking.

Buy in small quantities, file powder loses its flavor when stored for long
periods.

Store in a cool dry place for 3-4 months.
1 pound = 6 cups.


Also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fil%C3%A9_powder  to wit:

File powder, also called gumbo file, is a spice made from dried and ground
sassafras leaves. It is used in the making of some types of gumbo, a thick
Cajun soup. It is sprinkled sparingly over gumbo as a flavoring and
thickening agent, giving it a distinctive flavor and texture. Mixing okra
and file is considered a cardinal sin in Louisianan cuisine, as file was
originally an okra substitute when okra was not in season.

Safrole, the main constituent of sassafras oil which is distilled from the
bark of sassafras roots, has been shown to cause liver cancer in laboratory
rats[1], and this has caused concern over the use of file powder. For this
reason, major grocery-store spice brands sell a mixture of other herbs as
file powder. However, sassafras leaves contain little or no safrole. Genuine
sassafras is available from specialty suppliers and is used extensively in
Louisiana.




niccolo difrancesco