Whether you’ve watched him on TV or experienced his food firsthand down in N’Awlins, it’s hard to resist the allure of Emeril Lagasse. As he embarks on his new show The Originals With Emeril, you can watch Chef Lagasse find authentic cuisine from some of the most original restaurants all across America, and also make a few of his very own “originals” for dinner with these standout signature recipes. If you are looking to add some spice to your life (or next meal!) or are dying to try a decadent dessert, we have you covered. Here are five iconic recipes from one of the culinary world’s biggest and most loved personalities:
1. Barbecued Shrimp With Petite Rosemary Biscuits (makes 4 to 6 servings) Recipe from From Emeril’s Kitchens: Favorite Recipes from Emeril’s Restaurants.
2 pounds medium (21–24 count) raw shrimp, in their shells 1 tablespoon Emeril’s Original Essence or Creole Seasoning (recipe listed at end of article) ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 cup heavy cream ¼ cup Barbecue Sauce Base, recipe follows 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces 12 Petite Rosemary Biscuits, recipe follows
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Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving only their tails attached. (Reserve the shells, if desired, to make the shrimp stock.) Season the shrimp with the Essence and black pepper, tossing to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate while making the sauce base and biscuits. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the seasoned shrimp and cook, stirring, until they begin to turn pink, about 2 minutes. Add the cream and barbecue sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring, until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a platter with tongs. Gradually whisk the butter into the sauce. Remove from the heat. Place 2 or 3 biscuits on each plate. Divide the shrimp among the biscuits, and top each serving with 1/3 to ½ cup of the sauce. Serve immediately.
Barbecue Sauce Base (Makes about ½ cup)
1 tablespoon olive oil ½ cup finely chopped yellow onions 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 3 bay leaves 1 tablespoon minced garlic 3 lemons, peeled, white pith removed, and quartered ½ cup dry white wine 2 cups shrimp stock (see recipe above) 1 cup Worcestershire sauce
Heat the olive oil in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, and bay leaves, and cook, stirring, until the onions are soft, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, lemons, and white wine, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp stock and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is reduced to ½ cup, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer, pressing on the solids with the back of a spoon. Set aside until needed. (The sauce base can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.)
Petite Rosemary Biscuits (Makes 12 mini-biscuits)
1 cup all purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ to ¾ cup buttermilk 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Sift the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Work the butter into the flour with your fingers or a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add ½ cup of the buttermilk, a little at a time, using your hands, to work it in just until thoroughly incorporated and a smooth ball of dough forms. Add up to an additional 1/4 cup buttermilk if the mixture is too dry, being very careful not to overwork or overhandle the dough, or the biscuits will be tough. On a lightly floured surface, pat the dough into a circle about 7 inches in diameter and ½-inch thick. Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 12 biscuits. Place the biscuits on a large baking sheet. Bake until golden on top and lightly brown on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve warm.
2. Kick Butt Gumbo (Makes 8 servings) Recipe from From Emeril’s Kitchens: Favorite Recipes from Emeril’s Restaurants.
1 pound boneless pork butt, cut into ½-inch cubes 2 teaspoons Emeril’s Original Essence or Creole Seasoning (recipe listed at end of article) 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon Emeril’s Kick It Up Red Pepper Sauce or other hot pepper sauce 1 cup vegetable oil 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 pound andouille sausage, cut into ¼-inch slices ¼ pound tasso, diced 1 ½ cups chopped yellow onions 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup chopped green bell peppers 6 cups chicken stock, at room temperature One 12-ounce dark beer 1½ teaspoons salt ¼ teaspoon cayenne 3 bay leaves 4 cups cooked long-grain white rice, accompaniment ½ cup chopped green onions (green parts only), garnish ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, garnish
Put the pork in a bowl and season with the Essence, Worcestershire, and hot sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the flour and stirring constantly with a large wooden spoon, make a dark-chocolate-brown roux, 30 to 35 minutes. Add the seasoned pork, the sausage, and tasso and cook, stirring, until caramelized, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the onions, celery, bell peppers, and cook, stirring constantly, until soft and the roux is hot again, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Add the beer, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves, and stir to blend. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender, 1½ to 2 hours. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves. Ladle the gumbo among 8 large soup bowls. Spoon the rice into the center of the gumbo, and sprinkle each serving with green onions and parsley. Serve immediately.
3. Banana Cream Pie with Caramel Drizzles & Chocolate Sauce (Makes one 9-inch pie, 10 servings) Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, copyright MSLO, Inc., all rights reserved.
4 cups heavy cream 1½ cups whole milk 1½ cups plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise and seeds scraped 3 large egg yolks 2 large eggs ½ cup cornstarch Graham Cracker Crust 3 pounds (about 9) firm but ripe bananas, peeled and cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract Caramel Sauce Chocolate Sauce Shaved chocolate, for garnish Confectioner’s sugar, for garnish
Combine 2 cups of the cream, the milk, ½ cup of the sugar, the vanilla bean, and the vanilla seeds in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil, whisking to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat. Combine the egg yolks, eggs, cornstarch, and 1 cup of the sugar in a medium bowl, and whisk to pale yellow in color. Set aside. Whisk 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks. Gradually add the egg mixture to the hot cream, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly with a large wooden spoon to cook out the cornstarch and thicken the mixture, about 5 minutes. (The mixture may separate slightly. If so, remove from the heat and beat with an electric mixer until thick and smooth.) Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for about 4 hours. To assemble, spread ½ cup of the custard over the bottom of the prepared crust, smoothing with the back of a large spoon or rubber spatula. Arrange enough banana slices (not quite 1/3 of them) in a tight, tiled pattern over the custard, pressing down with your hands to pack them firmly. Repeat to build a second layer, using ¾ cup of the custard and enough bananas to cover, smoothing down the layer evenly. For the third layer, spread ¾ cup of custard over the bananas and top with the remaining bananas, starting 1-inch from the outer edge and working toward the center. Spread 1 cup of custard evenly over the bananas to prevent discoloration. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. In a medium bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar and the vanilla extract and whip until stiff peaks form. Remove the pie from the refrigerator. With a sharp knife dipped in hot water, cut the pie into 10 equal slices. Transfer the slices to dessert plates. Fill a pastry bag with the whipped cream and pipe onto each slice. (Alternately, spread the whipped cream evenly over the pie before cutting.) Drizzle each slice with the caramel sauce and chocolate sauce, sprinkle with the chocolate shavings and confectioners’ sugar, and serve.
*There’re a few secrets necessary to successfully making this pie (which, incidentally, has been on the menu at Emeril’s since Day One, and continues to be one of our most requested desserts). First, the bananas, while ripe, need to be firm so that they hold their shape when pushed into place. Second, the custard needs to be very stiff, so that when sliced, the pie will not crumble or slide. It’s also important to cover the bananas completely with the last layer of custard to prevent them from discoloring. And while at Emeril’s they pipe the whipped cream over each individual slice before serving, feel free to spread your whipped cream over the whole pie, if you’d prefer.
4. Andouille-Crusted Redfish With a Roasted-Pecan Vegetable Relish, Meunière Sauce and Shoestring Potatoes (Makes 4 servings) Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, copyright MSLO, Inc., all rights reserved.
6 tablespoons olive oil, in all 2 1-inch slices of zucchini, sliced lengthwise 2 1-inch slices of yellow squash, sliced lengthwise 2 1-inch slices of eggplant, sliced lengthwise 1 cup roasted pecan pieces 2 teaspoons chopped garlic ¼ cup chopped green onions ¾ cup Worcestershire sauce 2 whole lemons, skin and pith removed 2 bay leaves ¾ pound cold butter, cubed 3 ounces Andouille sausage, finely diced 1 cup bread crumbs 4 (6 to 8 ounces each) redfish fillet 1 tablespoon Creole Seasoning (recipe listed at end of article) 2 cups shoestring potatoes, fried and seasoned with salt and pepper 1 tablespoon brunoise red peppers 1 tablespoon brunoise yellow peppers 1 tablespoon chopped chives ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese Salt and white pepper
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Season the vegetables with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place the vegetables on a roasting pan and roast for 10 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the oven and cool. Dice the vegetables and set aside. In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Sauté the roasted vegetables, pecans, and garlic for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the green onions and keep warm. In a saucepan, combine the Worcestershire sauce, lemons, and bay leaves. Bring the liquid up to a simmer; simmer until it reduces by two thirds, about 4 minutes. Whisk the cold butter cubes into the sauce, a cube at a time, until all the butter is incorporated. The sauce should be thick and coat the back of a spoon. Keep the sauce warm—do not allow to boil once the butter is incorporated. In a hot sauté pan, render the andouille sausage for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool the sausage completely. Turn the cooled sausage into a mixing bowl. Stir in the bread crumbs. Season the fillets with the Creole seasoning. In a large, ovenproof sauté pan, heat the remaining olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the redfish, presentation side down first. Sauté the redfish for 4 minutes on the first side and carefully flip over. Cover the top of each fillet with a quarter of the andouille crust mixture. Place the sauté pan in the oven and cook for 5 minutes. To assemble: Spoon the sauce in the center and around the rim of each plate. Mound the shoestring potatoes in the center of each plate. Place three piles of the relish around the shoestrings on each plate. Gently lay a fillet on the shoestrings. Garnish the plates with red and yellow peppers, chives and cheese.
5. Double-Cut Pork Chops With Tamarind Glaze, Green Mole Sauce, and Caramelized Sweet Potatoes (Make about 6 servings) Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, copyright MSLO, Inc., all rights reserved.
½ cup seeded tamarind paste (available in Latin, Indian, or Indonesian markets; ingredients should specify 100 percent tamarind extract) ½ cup molasses ¼ cup ketchup 2 tablespoons water 1 clove garlic, minced 6½ teaspoons Southwest Seasoning 6 (14 to 16 ounces) loin pork chops, each about 2-inches thick 1 tablespoon olive oil Green Mole Sauce, recipe follows Caramelized Sweet Potatoes, recipe follows
To prepare glaze: Combine tamarind, molasses, ketchup, water, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of Southwest Seasoning in a food processor; blend until it forms a smooth paste. (Makes a generous 1 1/4 cups.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Rub both sides of pork chops with the remaining 6 teaspoons of Southwest Seasoning. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add chops and sear until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes each side, then transfer to an ovenproof baking sheet and bake until a thermometer registers between 145 and 150 degrees F, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let chops rest slightly before serving. When ready to serve, place a pork chop with some of the sweet potatoes on each plate and spoon 1/3 cup of the Green Mole Sauce over all. Place the tamarind glaze in a squeeze bottle and drizzle decoratively over the top of the chop. Serve immediately.
Green Molé Sauce (Makes about 3 cups)
1 medium onion, roasted and peeled 1 green poblano pepper, roasted, peeled, and stemmed 1 green bell pepper, roasted, peeled, and stemmed 1 jalapeño pepper, roasted, peeled, and stemmed 1/3 cup shelled, toasted pistachio nuts 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts 2 cloves garlic, smashed 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 cups chicken stock 1/4 cup parsley leaves 1/4 cup cilantro leaves 1/2 cup heavy cream
In a saucepan combine all ingredients except parsley, cilantro, and cream, and bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Pour sauce into a food processor or blender, add the parsley and cilantro and process, stopping once to scrape sides of bowl. Strain sauce through a fine sieve into a small bowl. In a clean saucepan, heat the heavy cream until it comes to a simmer and reduces by about a thirdé. Add the molé base to the cream and bring sauce up to a simmer. Serve hot.
Note: Any leftover sauce may be kept in a nonreactive bowl, covered, and refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Caramelized Sweet Potatoes
6 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed 3 tablespoons olive oil 3/4 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons brown sugar 3 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Rub potato skins with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast until just tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Peel potatoes while still warm and cut each into several pieces. Butter a small baking dish and arrange potato pieces in a single layer. Sprinkle potatoes with sugar and dot with butter. Return to oven and bake until sugar melts and potatoes are glazed, about 15 minutes.
Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning* (Makes about 2/3 cup)
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika 2 tablespoons salt 2 tablespoons garlic powder 1 tablespoon black pepper 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all the ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Well known to Food Network and Cooking Channel fans, Chef Emeril Lagasse is an acclaimed chef and national TV personality. He has hosted more than 2,000 shows on Food Network, and has been the food correspondent for ABC’s Good Morning America for more than 13 years. His shows, Fresh Food Fast, which launched in July 2010, and Emeril Live (formerly on Food Network), can currently be seen on Cooking Channel. Additionally, he hosts the original television series Emeril Green and a live, call-in radio program, Cooking with Emeril, which airs twice weekly exclusively on Martha Stewart Living Radio on SIRIUS XM. Chef Emeril Lagasse is the chef/proprietor of 12 restaurants including three in New Orleans, four in Las Vegas, two in Orlando, one in Miami, and in Pennsylvania. He is also the best-selling author of 15 cookbooks; his latest book is Farm to Fork: Cooking Local, Cooking Fresh .
