Spice Rub : Making Up for Lost Flavor

Let’s face it: Fat tastes good. The marbling or internal fat is what gives meats their flavor, and so does the butter and oil that we slather on during and after cooking.

When we reduce the fat in our food, whether by choosing leaner cuts or by reducing the amount of sauce used, we need to compensate by adding flavor through spices, fresh herbs and other flavor enhancers such as garlic, lemon and lime juices.

In the following recipes we used “skinny” cuts of meats--those with the least intrinsic fat--and spiced them up with low-fat marinades. As a result, all of the recipes come in at five grams of fat or less per serving, except for the flank steak, which has seven grams.

Though the flank steak contains a little more fat than the rest, it is still very lean for beef. And when trimmed of any surface fat and cooked properly, it can be one of the tastiest and most economical steaks on the market.

First, make small slits all over the top side of the meat and insert slivers of garlic (this dish tastes--and looks--best when the meat is sliced and there are one or two pieces of garlic in each slice). Then lightly score the surface with a sharp knife and rub in the adobo seasoning.

Don’t cook flank steak much past the medium-rare stage. When overcooked, it tends to toughen. To make it even more tender, slice the meat very thin, cutting diagonally across the grain.

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A combination of spices, garlic and lemon juice rubbed on and under the skin gives this stuffed turkey breast a robust flavor despite containing only five grams of fat per serving. The skin is left on during roasting to keep the turkey breast moist, then removed before serving to keep the fat low.

The grilled chicken breast and vegetables tossed with fettuccine, a favorite among testers in The Times Test Kitchen, is just about a meal-in-one. All that’s needed to complete the menu is a crisp salad.

After rubbing the chicken breasts with chopped herbs and letting them stand for a bit, we grilled them on our heavy iron stove-top grill. A light spray of mesquite-flavored nonstick cooking spray gave them that great barbecued flavor. Leaving the skin on during cooking helped to keep the chicken juicy and moist during grilling; taking it off before serving cut the fat by 10 grams.

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Shrimp fried rice, spiked with red pepper flakes, has only three grams of fat per serving. Remember that cooked rice should be cold for stir-frying, so it doesn’t get a “gummy” texture. It is fried in a wok sprayed with sesame-flavored cooking spray. Egg substitute, rather than of real eggs, is stirred into the rice at the end of frying. The remainder of the egg substitute is used to make an omelet that is then cut into strips and lightly stirred in just before serving.

This twist on the classic Cajun jambalaya is made with grilled, marinated shrimp and comes out to only five grams of fat per serving. Spoon the grilled shrimp on top of the cooked rice--stained bright-yellow by the turmeric--and toss lightly just before serving. Don’t forget the chopped cilantro. Despite being decidedly un-Cajun, it adds just the right touch needed to complete the dish.

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This terrific flank steak recipe was a favorite among tasters in The Times Test Kitchen. The meat can be seasoned with the dry rub and left to marinate in the refrigerator for one or two days. The steak can then be grilled and served within minutes.

GRILLED FLANK STEAK ADOBO

1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak

3 to 4 cloves garlic, cut into slivers

Adobo Seasoning Rub

Trim excess fat from flank steak. Lightly score surface of both sides of meat in crisscross diamond pattern. Make slits with knife large enough to insert slivers of garlic over top surface of meat. Rub Adobo Seasoning Rub over both sides of meat to cover. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 days.

Spray grill pan or grill with mesquite flavor nonstick cooking spray and grill over high heat 7 to 9 minutes until steak is rare inside and outside is charred. Slice meat thinly on diagonal across grain. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

142 calories; 858 mg sodium; 43 mg cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 18 grams protein; 0.46 grams fiber.

Adobo Seasoning Rub

2 teaspoons pasilla chile powder

2 teaspoons paprika

1 3/4 teaspoons oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dry mustard

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In bowl combine chile powder, paprika, oregano, cumin, mustard, salt and cayenne. Store in covered container. Makes 1/4 cup.

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The combination of flavors in this spice rub adds a whole new dimension to turkey breast. Stuffed with spinach, turkey sausage and nonfat ricotta cheese, this is great served hot or cold.

STUFFED TURKEY BREAST

1 (1-pound) boneless turkey breast

1 tablespoon lemon juice

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed

1 teaspoon oregano leaves

1 teaspoon paprika

Salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 ounces turkey sausage

2 tablespoons minced green onions

1 (6-ounce) package small spinach leaves, rinsed

Pepper

2 tablespoons nonfat ricotta cheese

Cut pocket along one side of turkey breast for stuffing. Combine lemon juice, garlic, cumin, coriander, oregano, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt and cayenne pepper. Loosen skin on turkey breast. Rub some of mixture under skin and rest over top, sides and in pocket of breast.

Slightly saute sausage in skillet. Add green onions and saute just until onions are tender. Add spinach leaves. Saute until leaves are wilted and water evaporates. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon sausage stuffing into pocket. Spoon dollops of ricotta cheese on top of spinach mixture. Press edges together. Roast at 325 degrees 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until turkey tests done and is no longer pink. Remove skin and cut into slices to serve. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

177 calories; 675 mg sodium; 75 mg cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 5 grams carbohydrates; 28 grams protein; 0.8 grams fiber.

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A seasoning paste made from lemon zest, basil and garlic is rubbed over chicken breasts and then left to marinate. The juices from the grilled tomatoes and the sweet red and yellow peppers act as a sauce when tossed with the pasta and chicken.

GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST AND VEGETABLES WITH FETTUCCINE

1/4 cup shredded lemon zest

1/4 cup shredded basil leaves

3 tablespoons minced garlic

4 boneless chicken breast halves

Salt, pepper

2 firm ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch-thick slices

1/2 large sweet yellow pepper, cut in half lengthwise

1/2 large sweet red pepper, cut in half lengthwise

1/2 pound fettuccine, cooked according to package directions and drained

3 tablespoons shredded basil

In bowl, combine lemon zest, basil and garlic. Loosen skin in middle of each chicken breast. Rub half of basil mixture over chicken breasts under skin. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and let stand.

Meanwhile, spray grill with mesquite-flavored nonstick cooking spray. Grill tomatoes until charred and tender. While tomatoes are grilling, season to taste with salt and pepper and mist lightly with mesquite spray. Remove from grill. Set aside to cool. Cut into thirds and set aside.

Cut sweet red and yellow pepper quarters crosswise into julienne strips. Grill pepper strips on grill pan, sprayed with mesquite-flavored nonstick cooking spray, until edges begin to char and peppers are tender yet slightly crunchy. Season to taste with salt and pepper while grilling and mist lightly with mesquite spray.

Grill chicken over high heat on both sides until done through, about 10 minutes. Lightly mist to taste with mesquite spray. Cover during last half of cooking. Remove skin from chicken. Cut crosswise into 1-inch slices.

Toss together cooked and drained fettuccine, chicken, pepper strips and tomatoes with any juices that have accumulated on standing. Toss in remaining gremolata. Sprinkle with shredded basil and serve. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

381 calories; 167 mg sodium; 79 mg cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 49 grams carbohydrates; 40 grams protein; 0.41 gram fiber.

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Fresh peeled shrimp are rubbed with a garlic-chili seasoning and then grilled before tossing with the rice mixture. Chopped cilantro sprinkled over the top just before serving adds just the right touch of flavor.

SHRIMP JAMBALAYA

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon California chili powder

2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 1/2 cups long-grain rice

2 tomatoes, diced

1 bay leaf

2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup frozen peas

Chopped cilantro

Toss together shrimp, 2 cloves minced garlic and lemon juice in bowl. Combine chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt and cayenne pepper in bowl. Stir into shrimp to coat. Cover and and let marinate, about 1 hour in refrigerator.

Saute garlic, ginger, onion and green pepper in oil or in pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray until tender. Stir in turmeric, rice, tomatoes, bay leaf and chicken broth. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed (but not dry) and rice is cooked, about 20 minutes. Stir in peas. Remove from heat.

Grill shrimp just until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir into rice mixture. Spoon into serving dish. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

316 calories; 917 mg sodium; 92 mg cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 49 grams carbohydrates; 19 grams protein; 1.62 grams fiber.

* Serving bowl in chicken and vegetables with fettuccine photo is from Bristol Farms Cook ‘N’ Things, South Pasadena.

* Shell plate in shrimp jambalaya photo is from Bristol Farms Cook ‘N’ Things, South Pasadena.

* Food Styling by Donna Deane and Mayi Brady