Emeril's Potluck: Comfort Food with a Kicked-Up Attitude

by Emeril Lagasse

Overview

America's favorite chef Emeril Lagasse is ready to party. Parties and celebrations mean food. Lots of food: tureens of soup, platters of chicken, bowls of salad, casseroles of baked pasta. From family reunions to holiday buffets, summer barbecues to tailgate parties, and weekend brunches to bridal showers, Emeril's Potluck offers crowd-pleasing dishes perfect for gatherings with friends and family.

Emeril's Potluck brings together everything Emeril loves most about cooking and eating. The food is simple, flavorful, and perfect for sharing at any get-together. Each recipe serves a whopping 8 to 10 people, but don't assume you're making too much — everyone will be heading back for seconds and thirds of these Emerilized starters, entrees, drinks, sides, and desserts.

Start by toasting the occasion with a glass of Champagne Punch, a Watermelon Daiquiri, or an Orange Emeril. Then let the feast begin! Classic Blue Cheese Dip, Alain's Sweet and Spicy Asian Wings, or Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms will get your party started right! Main courses range from Olive-Stuffed Leg of Lamb and Creole Mustard and Herb-Wrapped Beef Tenderloin to homey favorites such as Charlotte's Lasagna Bolognese, Penne à la Vodka Casserole, and Tuna Tetrazzini. Of course, it wouldn't be a party without dessert, so save room for Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie, Strawberry Shortcake, and Emeril's Tiramisu.

The recipes are quick, easy, and portable. Enjoy these dishes at home or take them on the road. Emeril's Potluck — so foolproof, so easy, so crowd pleasing that luck has nothing to do with it.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780688164317
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	10/12/2004
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Emeril Lagasse is a chef, restaurateur, and the author of eighteen bestselling cookbooks, including the recent Emeril's Kicked-Up Sandwiches and Sizzling Skillets and Other One Pot Wonders. He is the proprietor of thirteen award-winning restaurants across the country and is the host of The Originals with Emeril and Emeril's Florida, both airing on the Cooking Channel. He has been the food correspondent for ABC's Good Morning America for fourteen years. In 2002, Emeril established the Emeril Lagasse Foundation to support children's educational programs that inspire and mentor young people through the culinary arts and promote nutrition and healthy eating.

Hometown:

New Orleans, Louisiana

Date of Birth:

October 15, 1959

Place of Birth:

Fall River, Massachusetts

Education:

Culinary degree, Johnson & Wales University

Website:

http://www.emerils.com

First Chapter

Emeril's Potluck
Comfort Food with a Kicked-Up Attitude

Eggplant, Sausage, and Ziti Casserole

Makes 8 to 10 Servings

Ingredients

¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large eggplant, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/3-inchthick half circles
1 tablespoon salt, possibly more or less depending on saltiness of sausage
2 teaspoons Emeril's Italian Essence or Italian herb blend
1¼ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 pound Italian sausage, removed from casings
1 cup chopped yellow onions
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon minced garlic

Editorial Reviews

The 10th addition to the Emeril Lagasse cookbook franchise is as uneven as a real potluck dinner: the occasional delicious dish is lost amid all too familiar and unsurprising foods. Admirers will welcome the energetic voice of their favorite TV chef as he "bams!" his way through homey dishes such as Chicken Jambalaya, Macaroni with Four Cheeses, and Tuna Tetrazzini. But it's hard to find anything new, as Emeril retreads ground covered in his earlier books on Louisiana cuisine, party food and cooking for holidays. The "potluck" theme doesn't succeed in tying the book together: though casserole dishes such as Beef Stroganoff and Emerilized Green Beans are ideal potluck offerings, some of the book's most interesting recipes, such as Oysters Rockefeller Soup, Osso Buco with Orzo Risotto, and Olive-Stuffed Leg of Lamb, would be a stretch, especially since there isn't much guidance in helping cooks match such dishes to events. The book's attractive layout and clear instructions are geared to beginners, though there are lapses (a piecrust recipe offers no tips on how to roll out dough; the deviled egg section doesn't even hint how long to hard-boil an egg); and a few recipes, such as Antipasto Pasta Salad, aren't worthy of a chef of Emeril's caliber. (Oct.) Forecast: Though author publicity and Food Network promotions will bring this book to the attention of Emeril's wide fan base, in essence, it reads too much like a rerun. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly