WEB EXCLUSIVE
Big-screen TV? Check. House full of
football fans? Check. Biggest game of the year about to begin? Check. All you need now are some Super Bowl-caliber dishes to serve your ravenous guests. We turned to Chef Emeril Lagasse for help, and he delivered. Exclusively for American Way readers, Emeril suggests five of his favorite recipes for all your football-watching needs.
SHRIMP AND CHORIZO TAPAS
Prep: 7 minutes, Cook: 13 minutes Total: 20 minutes
Impress your guests with this unique combination of spicy chorizo and sweet shrimp … so simple and tasty! The trick is using the best chorizo sausage you can find, the freshest shrimp available, and a good quality olive oil.
1 tablespoon plus ¼ cup Spanish olive oil
1 pound firm or smoked chorizo, sliced on the diagonal into ½-inch slices
1 ½ cups thinly sliced onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ cup dry (fino) sherry
1 ½ pounds peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1 tablespoon Spanish paprika
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced parsley
Crusty bread, for serving
1. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the
olive oil. When hot, sauté the sliced chorizo until it begins to brown around the edges on both sides, turning as necessary, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized around the edges and softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup of the sherry and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add the shrimp, paprika, salt, and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are pink and just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of sherry and remaining 1/4 cup olive
oil, lemon juice, and parsley; stir to combine and, when heated through, remove from the heat.
3. Serve immediately on small plates, with any accumulated cooking juices spooned over the top. Pass the bread at the table.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
BLACK BEAN CAKES
Prep time: 16 minutes Cook time: 8 minutes Total: 24 minutes
Talk about knock your socks off! These bean cakes end up crispy and crusty on the outside, but oh so tender and creamy on the inside. A true study in contrasts, this dish is elevated to notches unknown when served garnished with your favorite guacamole, salsa, and sour cream.
7 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion (5 to 6 ounces), cut into small dice
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons Emeril’s Original Essence or Creole Seasoning (page 29)
Two 15.5-ounce cans black beans, drained and quickly rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. When it is hot, add the onion and cook until soft and lightly caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
2. Place the flour in a shallow bowl or plate, and stir in the Essence. Set aside.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, mash the black beans well with the back of a fork—the mixture should be relatively smooth, with no whole beans remaining. Stir in the cooled onion mixture, cilantro, egg, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, and hot sauce and mix well. Divide the mixture into 8 evenly sized patties (about 1 /3 cup each).
4. Heat the remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, dust the patties in the seasoned flour mixture and carefully transfer them to the hot skillet (the cakes will be delicate). Cook the cakes until golden brown on both sides and heated through, about 2 minutes per side.
5. If necessary, season with more salt. Garnish with chopped cilantro, and serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings
SAUSAGE AND PEPPER PO-BOY
Prep time: 8 min Cook time: 10 to 12 min Total time: 18 to 20 min
This is my rendition of the traditional Italian sandwich, which is also popular at New York City’s street festivals. It is a favorite at the San Gennaro festival in New York’s Little Italy. I have added a New Orleans spin here by kicking the mayo up with a little Louisiana hot sauce.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, sliced into strips
1 green bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, sliced into strips
2 cups yellow onion, sliced
2 teaspoons Emeril’s Original Essence or Creole Seasoning, see page ___
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
1 pound crumbled mild Italian sausage, removed from casings
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce, or other red hot sauce
4 ounces sliced provolone
1 loaf of soft French bread, cut into 4 6-inch sections, and sliced in half horizontally
In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. When the oil is hot add the peppers, onions, Essence, and Italian herbs and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the peppers and onions to a paper towel-lined plate. Add the crumbled sausage to the hot pan and cook until the sausage is cooked through and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Preheat the broiler. In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise and the hot sauce.
To assemble the po-boy, spread the cut sides of each piece of bread with the spicy mayonnaise. Divide the sausage evenly between the 4 bottom pieces of bread, then top evenly with the peppers and onions. Place ½ an ounce of cheese over each filled bottom sandwich half and ½ ounce onto the cut side of each top portion.
Place the sandwich halves on a baking sheet, cheese sides up, and place under the broiler just until the cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes. Place sandwich halves together and serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings