Emeril's Pulled Pork Sanwiches with Homemade BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 pork shoulder roast (Boston Butt or Picnic roast), about 6 to 8 pounds
• 4 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Homemade Barbecue Sauce, recipe follows
• 10 to 12 sandwich buns

Directions

Remove the pork from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before proceeding. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil. Season the roast well on all sides with the Essence, salt, and cayenne pepper. Place a roasting rack inside the roasting pan and place the seasoned pork on the rack, fat side up. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 4 hours.
Remove the foil from the roast and continue to bake until the roast is very tender and will pull apart easily with a fork, about 2 hours longer. Remove the pork from the oven and set aside to cool slightly. Remove any excess fat from the roast and discard if desired; I just love the crunchy bits of skin left on top! Using 2 forks or your hands, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces. Serve with sauce and buns to make sandwiches.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning
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 ingredients thoroughly.

Homemade Barbecue Sauce:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 1/4 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup cider vinegar
6 tablespoons dark brown sugar

In a medium non-reactive saucepan set over medium-high heat, add the butter and, when melted, add the onions and cook until they are very soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, Essence, ground mustard, salt, crushed red pepper, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes, or until the tomato paste begins to brown. Add the water, cider vinegar, and dark brown sugar, and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the sauce has thickened and the flavors have come together, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Set aside to cool before using. The sauce may be made up to 1 week in advance and refrigerated in an airtight, non-reactive container.

Yield: about 3 cups sauce

Breakfast Throw Down - Alton, Emeril, & Daisy

Refrigerator Pie (Quiche)

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
• 2 eggs
• 2 pinches kosher salt
• Freshly grated nutmeg

For 1 Refrigerator Pie:

• 1 frozen 9-inch pie crust

Any one of the following combinations:

(I used Bacon, Spinach, Monterey Jack/Swiss)

• Cooked spinach, cheddar cheese, cubed cooked ham
• Bacon, Sauteed leeks, and Gruyere cheese
• Cooked spinach, canned artichoke hearts, and Parmesan cheese
• Roasted chicken, goat cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes
• Blanched asparagus and smoked salmon
• Port Salut and Spam

Directions

In a nonreactive, stainless steel bowl, combine the cream or half-and-half and the eggs. Whisk until combined thoroughly. Add the salt and the nutmeg. Whisk to combine.
Refrigerator Pie Rules: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Evenly distribute the pie fillings in the pie crust. Do not overfill the crust with the filling ingredients. Do not pour too much royale into the crust. The eggs will expand upon cooking. Bake the pie until it is firm to the touch like set Jell-O, about 45 minutes. Cool the pie for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
 

Hash Brown Potatoes - Emeril

Ingredients

• 5 medium baking potatoes, like russets (about 4 pounds), scrubbed
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup diced yellow onions
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Place the whole potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until half-cooked and almost tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and let sit until cool enough to handle. Slip the skins from the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice.
Heat the oil and melt the butter in a skillet over high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, for 20 seconds. Add the potatoes, Essence, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook without stirring, but shaking the pan occasionally to keep from burning, until the potatoes begin to color and crisp on the underside, about 4 minutes. Turn the potatoes with a spatula being careful not to mash, and continue cooking until uniformly golden.
Remove from the pan and serve hot.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
Yield: about 2/3 cup

Avocado Grapefruit Salad - Daisy Martinez

Ingredients

• 4 ruby red grapefruit
• 2 Hass avocados
• 2/3 cup pitted oil-cured olives- I didn't use these
• 1 lime, juiced
• About 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

To make the grapefruit segments: Cut both ends off the grapefruits and stand the grapefruits on a cutting board. With a paring knife, trim off the peel and white pith from the grapefruits, removing as little of the grapefruit flesh as possible. Working over a bowl, cut the segments free of the membrane, letting the segments drop into the bowl. After you've cut all the segments, squeeze all the juice out of the membranes into the bowl. Refrigerate the segments in the juice until needed, up to 2 hours.
Just before serving, cut the avocados in half, remove the pit and peel the halves. Slice each half lengthwise into 6 thin slices. Drain the grapefruit and reserve the juice (for the salad, if using, or as a treat for the cook). Add the avocado to the grapefruit along with the olives and lime juice. Toss gently to mix, while adding just enough olive oil to coat the avocado. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and toss again. If you like, use a little of the reserved grapefruit juice to add a little zing to the salad.

Ritzy Chicken Nuggets- Nigella Lawson

Ritzy Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients

• 2  chicken breasts
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup oil (if you are frying the nuggets)
• 1 3/4 cups cracker crumbs (recommended: Ritz crackers

Directions

Put the chicken breasts one at a time into a freezer bag so that it lies flat. Bash with a rolling pin until the chicken is quite thin, and then take it out and slice into about 6 to 8 slices. Repeat with the other chicken breast. This is easiest done with scissors.

Put the slices into a freezer bag with the buttermilk and leave in the refrigerator to marinade for up to 2 days.

When you are ready to cook them, heat the oil in a large frying pan, or preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Tip the cracker crumbs into a wide shallow bowl, and then shake off the excess buttermilk from the nuggets and dip them in the crumbs. Coat them well before lying gently in the hot oil, and cooking for about 2 minutes or so a side until they are golden brown. Transfer to a kitchen towel on a plate to blot the excess oil.

Alternatively, you can lay the crumb-coated chicken nuggets on a lined baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. They can also be frozen once marinated and crumbed. If cooking from frozen, add 5 minutes to the oven cooking time.

Fajitas and Mexican Rice

Fajitas - Tyler Florence

Ingredients

Marinade:

• 1 orange, juiced
• 2 limes, juiced
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 pounds skirt or flank steak, trimmed of fat
• 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• Guacamole, recipe follows
• Salsa Fresca, recipe follows
• 12 flour tortillas, warm

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients. Place steak in a shallow container, and pour marinade over it. Refrigerate, covered, 8 hours or overnight to tenderize meat.
Drain the marinade from the meat. Grill the steak in a ridged grill pan over medium-high heat for 4 minutes each side. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let stand.
In the same pan with the steak juices, add the bell peppers and onions. Saute the mixture for 3 minutes until the vegetables are limp. Thinly slice the steak against the grain on a diagonal.
Spread some guacamole on a tortilla, top with a few slices of steak, peppers and onions and salsa fresca. Roll up the tortilla to enclose the filling.
May also serve with sour cream and shredded cheese

Mexican Rice - Paula Deen

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 cups water
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar

Directions

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the rice, onion, peppers, and garlic. Cook until the rice is browned and vegetables are tender. Stir in the water, tomatoes, chili powder, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the rice is tender, about 15 to 17 minutes. Stir in the cheese and transfer to a serving bowl.

Chicken Tetrazzini - Ala Giada De Laurentis

Chicken Tetrazzini

Ingredients

• 9 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk, room temperature
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 12 ounces linguine
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup dried Italian-style breadcrumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Spread 1 tablespoon of butter over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Melt 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil in a deep large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot pan and cook until pale golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool slightly. Coarsely shred the chicken into bite-size pieces and into a large bowl.
Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil to the same pan. Add the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms become pale golden, about 12 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme, and saute until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it evaporates, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture to the bowl with the chicken.
Melt 3 more tablespoons butter in the same pan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk, cream, broth, nutmeg, remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase the heat to high. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes. Drain. Add the linguine, sauce, peas, and parsley to the chicken mixture. Toss until the sauce coats the pasta and the mixture is well blended.
Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Stir the cheese and breadcrumbs in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the pasta. Dot with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown on top and the sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes.