Cover of Emeril 20-40-60: Fresh Food FastFrom Denny: These Emeril recipes come from his cookbook, one of many, " Emeril 20-40-60: Fresh Food Fast." All the recipes are designed to get food on the table in about 30 minutes, full of flavor and a breeze to make.
I own a number of his cookbooks and enjoy every one of them. He really understands when people are pressed for time to produce a good meal but don't want to skimp on freshness or full flavor. Emeril always hits the right note, especially with his famous Emeril's Essence, with his recipe provided here too.
When you make your own spice combinations you can adjust the salt and peppers to your taste or even add more exotic spices to the blend. Try out this basic Cajun seasoning recipe. It was first developed back in the 1960's by Tony Chachere, a brand still well loved and used here in south Louisiana. Emeril's is a very good comparable version.
Gaaalicky Sizzling Shrimp
Servings: 2-4
Difficulty: Easy
Cook Time: 1-30 min
If you like garlic, this is the dish for you.
Ingredients:
2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons Emeril's Original Essence or Creole Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons roughly chopped garlic
6 tablespoons shrimp or chicken stock or canned, low-sodium shrimp or chicken broth
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with the Essence and the salt. Set aside.
Heat a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the butter and garlic. Once the butter is nearly melted (about 20 seconds), add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Add the stock, lemon juice, and parsley, and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.
Serve immediately.
Penne with Sausage and Escarole
From: Chef Emeril Lagasse
Servings: 6-8
Difficulty: Easy
Cook Time: 1-30 min
Ingredients:
1 pound penne pasta
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 medium onions, cut into small dice (about 2 cups)
1 red bell pepper, cut into medium dice (about 1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for the pasta water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage, casings removed (or bulk sausage)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 bunch escarole or mustard greens, rinsed, stemmed, and torn into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook until just tender, about 11 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water, and set aside.
While the water is heating and the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a 14-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, bell pepper, 1 /2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper, and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking the pieces up with the back of a wooden spoon, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and escarole, and cook for 5 minutes longer.
Add the cooked pasta and the reserved cooking water, and stir gently to combine. Simmer just until everything is heated through, about 2 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a large serving bowl. Add the cheese and crushed red pepper, and toss to combine. Drizzle with the extra-virgin olive oil, and serve immediately.
Fettuccini with Peas and Ham
From: Chef Emeril Lagasse
Servings: 4-6
Difficulty: Easy
Cook Time: 30-60 min
Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for the pasta water
1 pound fettuccine
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallot
1 tablespoon Emeril's Original Essence or Creole Seasoning
1 teaspoon minced garlic
8 ounces ham steak, diced (about 2 cups)
1 cup frozen green peas
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper, for serving (optional)
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fettuccine until al dente, about 12 minutes.
While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce: In a 12-inch (or larger) sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, shallot, Essence, and the 1 /2 teaspoon salt, and cook until the onions are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, ham, and peas and cook for 2 minutes longer. Increase the heat to high, add the cream, and bring it to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the cream thickens, about 5 minutes.
Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
Add the drained pasta, 1 /2 cup of the reserved cooking water, and the parsley and cheese to the sauce and cook, tossing constantly, until heated through and well combined, about 1 minute. If the mixture seems dry, add the remaining cooking water, a little at a time, as needed.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the pasta mixture to a large serving bowl or to individual bowls. Sprinkle with additional cheese and black pepper if desired.
Emeril's Favorite Stuffed Shrimp
From: Chef Emeril Lagasse, this shrimp dish is a favorite childhood dish of his.
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Moderate
Cook Time: 30-60 min
Stuffed shrimp is made with crab meat filling, topped with crumbled Ritz crackers and then happily drizzled with butter.
Ingredients:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
2 1/4 teaspoons Baby Bam (recipe below)
1/2 cup yellow onions, minced
1/4 cup celery, minced
1/4 cup green bell pepper, minced
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons Emeril's Hot Sauce or other red hot sauce
1 1/2 cups Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
20 fresh jumbo shrimp (about 2 pounds), peeled, leaving tail and first connecting shell segment, de-veined, and butterflied lengthwise
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted for drizzling over the shrimp
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Baby Bam
3 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
Directions:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Using 1 tablespoon of butter, grease a large baking dish and set aside.
Place the crab meat in a large bowl and season with 2 teaspoons of the Baby Bam. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
In a medium skillet, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the parsley and the garlic, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool.
Add the cooled vegetables to the crabmeat and toss to combine. Add the mayonnaise, beaten egg, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce and stir gently with a large wooden spoon. Add 1 cup of the cracker crumbs, the salt, and pepper, and stir gently, being careful not to break up the crabmeat.
Season the peeled, deveined shrimp lightly with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of the Baby Bam. Mound about 2 tablespoons of the crabmeat stuffing onto the top of each shrimp, pressing gently so that stuffing sticks to shrimp.
Place the shrimp, stuffed sides up, in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of the cracker crumbs over the tops of the shrimp. Drizzle with the melted butter. Using oven mitts or pot holders, place the baking dish in the oven and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
Using oven mitts or pot holders, remove the baking dish from the oven and divide the shrimp among plates. Garnish with the remaining tablespoon of parsley and the lemon wedges. Serve immediately.
Baby Bam
From Emeril: Here's something to season children's food the way adults do with Emeril's Original Essence. Give food another dimension by sprinkling Baby Bam into everything, from soups and sauces to pizza and hamburger patties. Fearless bammers out there can kick this up a notch by adding cayenne (I'd start with about 1/4 teaspoon, and then take it from there.)
Place all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir well to combine, using a wooden spoon. Then store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Enjoy some more recipes from one of Emeril's many successful restaurants:
Emeril's Gulf Coast Fish House Shrimp and Grits
From: Chef Emeril Lagasse
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Moderate
Cook Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Chef Steve D'Angelo leads as Emeril's chef de cuisine at Emeril's Gulf Coast Fish House and he has held that post since June 2008.
Chef D'Angelo enjoys the bounty of the Gulf waters. He prefers the fresh local oysters, fish and shrimp where he finds them straight off the docks. Other fresh exotic catches are flown in daily to the restaurant to round out the menu. Locally grown produce and farm products are also promoted.
Emeril's Gulf Coast Fish House Shrimp and Grits
Ingredients:
Shrimp:
2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 1/2 teaspoons Essence
3/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 recipe Smoked Cremini Mushrooms and Rendered Bacon
1 recipe Lazy Magnolia BBQ Sauce
1 recipe Smoked Cheddar Grits
1 recipe Citrus Buerre Blanc
1 recipe Creole Tomato Glaze
1 recipe Grilled Green Onions
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the shrimp with the Essence and salt and toss to blend. Set aside as you prepare the skillet. Place a large, 14-inch skillet over high heat and add the olive oil and heat until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the pan.
Swirl to melt, and then add the shrimp to the pan, being sure that the shrimp are in 1 layer in the pan. Sear the shrimp until well caramelized on the first side, about 1 minute. Turn the shrimp over and add the Smoked Mushrooms and Bacon and Lazy Magnolia BBQ Sauce to the pan.
Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are well coated with the sauce and just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining butter to the pan and swirl until melted into the sauce.
To serve, divide the grits between 8 entree-sized shallow bowls. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of the Citrus Beurre Blanc and Creole Tomato Glaze around the edge of the grits near the rim of the bowl. Divide the shrimp-mushroom mixture evenly between the bowls, and place a grilled green onion on top of the grits in a circle. Serve immediately.
Emeril's Lazy Magnolia BBQ Sauce
From: Chef Emeril Lagasse
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Yield: 1 1/4 cups
Ingredients:
1 cup ketchup
1 cup Lazy Magnolia beer
6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
Directions:
Combine the ketchup, beer, brown sugar and crushed red pepper in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and continue to cook at a steady simmer until the sauce is translucent and reduces to a consistency thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside. You should have about 1 1/4 cups of sauce.
Citrus Beurre Blanc
From: Chef Emeril Lagasse
Servings: 4-6
Difficulty: Moderate
Yield: about 1 1/4 cups
Ingredients:
1/2 cup orange juice, fresh squeezed
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1/4 cup lime juice, fresh squeezed
1/4 cup shallots, thinly sliced
1 2-inch strip orange zest
1 2-inch strip lemon zest
1 2-inch strip lime zest
1 garlic clove, smashed
1/2 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/3 cup heavy cream
Butter, cubed, (2 sticks), cold, unsalted
Directions:
Place all the ingredients except the heavy cream and butter in a 1-quart saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce until the liquid is nearly evaporated, 12 to 14 minutes. Add the heavy cream to the pan and reduce by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and reduce the temperature to medium-low.
Add a few cubes of the butter to the pan and use a whisk to stir constantly until the butter is melted. Return to the heat and add a few more pieces. Continue to place the pan on and off the heat, adding a few cubes of butter to the pan and whisking until all the butter is used.
Remove the sauce from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Keep warm until ready to serve - do not allow the sauce to boil or it will separate.
Emeril's Creole Tomato Glaze
From: Chef Emeril Lagasse
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Yield: about 1 cup
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup hot sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Creole mustard
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon powdered bay leaves
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon coriander, dried
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan and cook until sugar is dissolved or 220°F, about 5 minutes. Strain. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Emeril's Smoked Cremini Mushrooms and Rendered Bacon
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Moderate
Cook Time: 30-60 min
Ingredients:
3/4 pound cremini mushrooms, halved, or quartered if large
1 1/2 teaspoons Essence
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 pound apple bacon, diced
Special equipment: stovetop smoker
Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the mushrooms, Essence and olive oil. Toss to combine and place on the rack of a stovetop smoker. Prepare the smoker over medium-high heat using applewood smoking dust, or the smoke chips of your choice. When the smoker begins to smoke, close the lid. Smoke the mushrooms until cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the smoker and set aside until ready to use.
While the mushrooms smoke, place the bacon in a 10-inch saute pan over medium-low heat and render the fat from them until they are just beginning to get crispy, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan using a slotted spoon and transfer to paper towels to drain. Set aside until ready to use.
Emeril's Grilled Green Onions
From: Chef Emeril Lagasse
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:
8 green onions, root end and tips trimmed
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Directions:
Place a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the green onions with the olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. Place the green onions on the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, turning occasionally to ensure even browning. Remove the green onions from the heat and set aside as you prepare the rest of the dish.
Emeril's Smoked Cheddar Grits
From: Chef Emeril Lagasse
Servings: 4-6
Difficulty: Easy
Cook Time: 30-60 min
Yield: almost 2 quarts
Ingredients:
6 cups water
Salt
1 1/2 cups grits, quick cooking or old-fashioned (not instant!)
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons butter
6 ounces white cheddar, grated smoked
Black pepper, freshly ground
Directions:
In a large, heavy saucepan bring the water to a boil. Add a generous teaspoon of salt and the grits and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. When grits thicken, add the milk, cream and butter and return to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover the sauce pan and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until grits are very tender, smooth, and creamy-thick. Add the cheddar, season with black pepper, and stir until cheese is melted. Serve hot.
Emeril's Essence
From: Chef Emeril Lagasse
Servings: Over 8
Difficulty: Easy
Yield: Makes about 2/3 cup
Ingredients:
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Directions:
In a small bowl combine all the ingredients thoroughly. Store in an airtight container.
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