Recipe: Emeril Lagasse’s Beer Battered Fried Trout Tacos With Spicy Horseradish Coleslaw

Chef Emeril Lagasse at a book signing Image via Wikipedia

Emeril Lagasse’s Beer Battered Fried Trout Tacos With Spicy Horseradish Coleslaw

From Denny: Louisiana in the summer is all about quick and easy, usually seafood. Chef Emeril Lagasse came down from New England, was embraced by the New Orleans food establishment when he was a young man and taught how to really cook.

Down South folks are willing to mentor to help someone develop. Nor do they get angry when the student is ready to mentor his own, starting up his own restaurants. Emeril has previous shows and recipes stashed at Food Network and now teaches on the green network. He's one busy guy! Below is one of his recipes he developed where he really captures the essence of Louisiana food.

To make the recipe you require two other recipes first: the Cajun seasoning and the coleslaw recipe so I'll put these up first.

Emeril’s Essence Creole Seasoning

From: “New Orleans Cooking” by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch

Makes: 2/3 cup

Ingredients:

2-1/2 tbls. paprika

2 tbls. salt

2 tbls. garlic powder

1 tbl. black pepper

1 tbl. onion powder

1 tbl. cayenne pepper

1 tbl. dried oregano

1 tbl. dried thyme

Directions: Combine all ingredients. Emeril sells this product in your grocery store too if you don't want to mix up your own.


Spicy Horseradish Coleslaw

From: Chef Emeril Lagasse
Serves: 6

2-1/2 cups shredded green cabbage

2-1/2 cups shredded red cabbage

1 cup shredded carrots

2 tbls. finely sliced green onions

1-1/2 cups peeled, seeded and diced cucumber

2 jalapeños, stem and seeds removed, minced

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 tbls. plus 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar

3/4 tsp. salt, or to taste

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tbls. sour cream

3 tbls. freshly grated horseradish or 1-1/2 tbls. prepared horseradish

1-1/2 tsps. Creole or coarse-grain mustard

Directions:

1. Combine cabbages, carrots and green onions in large mixing bowl. In a small bowl toss the cucumbers and jalapeños with the lemon juice and add to the cabbage mixture.

2. In small mixing bowl combine vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Pour vinegar mixture over cabbage mixture and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

3. In small bowl, blend mayonnaise, sour cream, horseradish and mustard. Add mayonnaise mixture to coleslaw and toss. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to overnight.



Emeril Lagasse’s Beer Battered Fried Trout Tacos With Spicy Horseradish Coleslaw

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

Oil for frying

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 tsp. baking powder

1-1/2 tsps. salt

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tbl. vegetable oil

1 cup beer

1/2 tsp. hot sauce

4 trout fillets, about 6 ozs. each

2 tbls. Emeril’s Essence Creole Seasoning

6 large, soft flour tortillas

Spicy Horseradish Coleslaw

Hot sauce, if desired when serving

Directions:

1. Heat oil in deep fryer or in a large saucepan to 375 degrees.
2. Sift 1 cup flour, the baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper together into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add the oil, beer and hot sauce. Stir until thoroughly incorporated and smooth. Set aside.

3. Season each fillet with 1 teaspoon of the Essence. Cut each fillet into diagonal 1-1/2-inch strips. Combine the remaining 1/2 cup flour with the remaining 2 teaspoons of Essence. Dredge the fish strips in the seasoned flour then shake to release any excess flour. Transfer to a plate.

4. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Wrap the flour tortillas in aluminum foil and place in the oven to warm or warm according to manufacturer’s instructions.

5. Dredge each piece of fish in the beer batter, making sure the fish is completely coated. Allow any excess batter to drip into the bowl, and then slowly lower the fish into the hot oil. Repeat with remaining fish, working in batches if necessary.

6. Fry until fish is puffed, golden brown and crispy (4 to 5 minutes). Remove the fish with slotted spoon or tongs and drain on paper-lined plate. Place in warm oven while cooking remaining fish or until you’re ready to assemble tacos.

7. To serve: Divide the fish among the warmed flour tortillas and top with some of the Spicy Horseradish Coleslaw. Drizzle with hot sauce if desired.

Recipe: Savory Meat Roll

Similar idea of a meat roll, our meat roll has a biscuit crust rather than a meat crust, no photo for our recipe up on Food Network - Image by Gio JL via Flickr

From Denny: I just got through watching this Food Network show called Guy's Big Bite and he is quite the entertainer. He also loves calorie monster food! He loves comfort food of all kinds. Though I'm not the heavy meat eater and high calorie consumer he is, I liked this recipe for a few reasons.

One, it's something simple you can easily cook up for a family or a large crowd. Two, you can break down the steps and do them over a few days if you like. It's that kind of recipe that can be interrupted and resumed and still tastes just fine. Three, this recipe is one of those you can change the ingredients from meat savory to vegetarian friendly if you desire.

In the summer heat we don't eat a lot of meat. Why? Meat is harder to digest which means your body heats up hotter and for a longer period of time than if you are eating plant proteins and cheeses. Today I'm going to work on developing a Mexican refried bean version, using the same principles in this recipe, and will get back to you as to how it went! (Sorry, no photo up on their site yet and no video up. Will check back and embed if they do put it up.) Enjoy this killer recipe!

Savory Meat Roll

From: Sarah Simington, Blue Moon Cafe, Baltimore, Maryland

Prep Time: 20 min
Inactive Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 1 hr 0 min
Level: Intermediate
Serves: 7 to 8 rolls plus ends

Ingredients

For the pesto:

1 small bunch fresh basil (about 2 cups packed)

1/2 cup cashews

4 garlic cloves

1/2 cup grated Asiago

Fresh lemon juice, to taste

Salt

1/2 cup olive oil

For the filling:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 pounds country sausage

2 cups shredded mozzarella

2 cups grated Asiago

For the topping:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 red pepper, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1/2 onion, diced

2 teaspoons granulated garlic

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

6 Roma tomatoes, diced

10 button mushrooms, sliced

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1 cup grated Asiago

For the biscuit:

5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface and kneading

3 tablespoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick cold butter, cubed

2 cups milk

To slather on the biscuit dough when assembling the roll:

1 stick butter, softened

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

To make the pesto: Place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until mixture turns into a smooth paste. Set aside.

To make the filling: In a saute pan over medium heat, add oil and then the sausage. Saute the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until it cooks through and it turns golden brown. Cool slightly and drain the fat. Set sausage aside in a bowl. Keep mozzarella and Asiago cheese on standby.

To make the topping: Heat a large saute pan with oil, add the peppers, onion, granulated garlic and Italian seasoning. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes. Don't overcook the tomatoes. They should retain their shape. Set aside.

To make the biscuit dough: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and with your fingertips or with a pastry blender blend together until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in milk, using a fork, until the dough comes together. Sprinkle flour on a clean work surface, remove the dough from the bowl and knead several times on the floured surface. Add small amounts of flour, as needed, so that dough will be easy to roll out. Roll the dough out to roughly 15-inches in diameter.

To assemble: (Good thing I proof read these recipes as they forgot to include the obvious for you! Make sure you slather the biscuit dough with the softened butter stick before assembly! The butter will act as a barrier to keep the biscuit dough coating from becoming gooey and help hold the filling properly.)

Sprinkle the top of the dough evenly with the sausage and top with the mozzarella and Asiago. Roll the dough into a log. Cut the ends off to create even edges then cut the log into 7 or 8 pieces, depending on the length of the roll. Place slices (on their side so the spiral design shows facing up) on a baking sheet and press the tops down. Put the ends on the baking sheet and press those tops down. Bake 20 to 30 minutes until biscuits turn golden. Transfer the rolls to a serving platter. Serve topped with the sauteed vegetables and sprinkled with remaining cheese.

This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The FN chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

Video: Money-Saving Meals from Sandra Lee

From Denny: Chef Sandra Lee from the Food Network has launched her new show about Money Saving Meals. She is a creative person AND a joy to watch while she figures out how to save us money and make it taste good!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Here are the recipes from NBC:

Slow-cooked orange margarita tacos

Throw a cheap but fabulous party by making margarita tacos

From: Chef Sandra Lee
Makes 10 servings$14.03, $1.40 per person

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 8 hours

Inactive prep time: 5 minutes

Ease of preparation: Easy

INGREDIENTS

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup margarita mix with orange liquor added

1 10-pound bone-in pork shoulder picnic

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 cup orange marmalade

20 corn tortillas

DIRECTIONS

Place the onions and margarita mix and liquor in the bottom of a 5-quart slow cooker. Season the pork roast with salt and pepper. Stir together garlic and soy sauce and rub all over pork roast. Place the roast in the slow cooker and spoon marmalade over the top. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

When meat is done, remove from slow cooker, let rest for 5 minutes then shred or break up with a fork and arrange on platter. Strain sauce and stir 1 cup into shredded pork.

Warm tortillas slightly in a 250° F oven or in microwave. Set out pork and tortillas with red cabbage slaw and have guests assemble their own tacos.

*****

Simple red slaw

From: Chef Sandra Lee

Makes 10 servings$2.89, $.29 per person

Prep time: 10 minutes

Ease of preparation: Easy

INGREDIENTS

1 small head red cabbage

4 medium carrots, coarsely grated

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

Fresh-ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Finely shred cabbage with a sharp knife. Mix cider vinegar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss, add cabbage and carrots and toss to combine.

Use as topping for pulled pork tacos.

*****

Grilled corn and bean salsa with baked corn chips


From: Chef Sandra Lee

Makes 10 servings$4.29, $.43 per person

Prep time: 10 minutes

Ease of preparation: Easy

INGREDIENTS

4 ears corn, shucked or 4.5 cups frozen corn kernels

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoons chili powder

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes (well drained)

1 can (15 ounces) black beans (drained and rinsed)

1/2 medium red onion, diced

1 minced jalapeno

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

DIRECTIONS

For salsa:
Set up grill for direct cooking over medium heat.

Brush corn with oil and season with chili powder, salt and pepper. Place on hot grill and cook 8 to 12 minutes, turning frequently. Remover and let cool. When cool enough to handle, cut kernels from the cob. Place corn in a bowl with tomatoes, beans, onion, and jalapeño. Whisk together lime, garlic, cilantro. Pour over vegetables and beans and toss to combine. Season with salt & pepper.

Optional indoor roasted corn: Preheat oven to 400°. Cut corn kernels from cob and place on baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, chili powder, salt and pepper. Roast in over for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.

For chips:

Preheat oven to 400°

Cut each tortilla into 8 triangular portions. Arrange in a single layer on a sheet pan. Spray with canola oil cooking spray, sprinkle with salt and bake until crisp and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Allow to cool and serve with salsa.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Cheesecake

Another version of a peach cheesecake Image by babe_kl via Flickr

From Denny: This unusual method for baking a cheesecake really caught my eye today! Chef Sandra Lee from the Food Network has launched a new cost effective meals program called Sandra's Money Saving Meals.

This woman is stuffed full of personality AND she can cook well within a budget! Well, Louisiana food is all about the wallet and innovation. We often adopt smart ideas like the one presented today.

We sure love our cheesecake in this state as one version or another in on restaurant menus from diner to sophisticate. Give this one a try and save on your electricity as a slow cooker generally costs about three cents an hour to operate as opposed to a full oven for much more. Definitely more "green." Hope you enjoy!


Slow Cooker Cheesecake

Prep Time: 10 min
Inactive Prep Time: 1 hr 0 min
Cook Time: 1 hr 30 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 8 servings


Ingredients For Cheesecake:

1 (15-ounce) container ricotta

3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 orange, zested

Pinch salt

1 (9-inch) prepared graham cracker crust


For Topping:

1 (15-ounce) can peaches, juice reserved and peaches chopped

1 orange, juiced

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon sugar

Pinch salt


Directions For Cheesecake:

Puree ricotta in a food processor until smooth. Scraping down the sides. Add the sugar and puree for approximately 1 minute so that it is not grainy. Add the eggs, vanilla, orange zest and salt. Puree until smooth and combined.

Place a small bowl in the bottom of a 5 quart slow cooker and place a small plate on top of the bowl. Place pie crust on top of the plate and pour the filling into the pie crust. Place 4 paper towels over the top of slow cooker bowl making sure not to let the towels touch the top of the cheesecake. Secure with lid and cook on high setting for 1 1/2 hours, or until set. Remove from slow cooker and let sit for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 30 minutes or until chilled.

For Topping:

In a small pot whisk together the reserved peach juice, orange juice, cornstarch, sugar and salt. Stir in the chopped peaches and heat over medium heat. Cook until liquid thickens about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve warm over a slice of cheesecake.


* If you prefer to bake in an oven rather than a slow cooker *

Oven Instructions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the pie crust into a baking dish or roasting pan large enough to accommodate the pie tin. Pour the filling into the crust. Add about 1-inch of warm water into the bottom of the baking dish and cover with foil. Using a skewer, pierce about 12 holes into the foil to allow steam to vent. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until cheesecake set. Remove cheesecake from water bath and let rest on the counter for 30 minutes. Then place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until chilled.

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