Emeril Lagasse just might be America's foremost top-of-mind celebrity chef; after all, he's been filling big shoes since he took over as executive chef at New Orleans staple Commander's Palace in 1982, just four years out of culinary school. In 1990, he opened his first restaurant, Emeril's, and by 1993, he was regularly appearing on the Food Network, where he's hosted more than 2,000 shows. He operates five restaurants, has authored nearly 20 cookbooks, and has received endless honors, including multiple James Beard Awards. Here, the star chef shares a selection of his delicious recipes, including classic dishes such as Oysters Rockefeller, Steak Diane, and Shrimp Creole, which he contributed to Food & Wine during a visit to the test kitchen in 1984.
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Oysters Rockefeller
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First created at Antoine's Restaurant in New Orleans in 1899, this famous baked oyster dish was named for the Rockefeller family because of its incredibly rich sauce. Try making it at home with Emeril Lagasse's expert recipe.
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Overstuffed Twice-Baked Potatoes
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"These potatoes are so large and filling that we have customers who order this as their entrée," says Emeril Lagasse. He calls them overstuffed because he adds an extra baked potato to the stuffing mixture. Feel free to scale them down by baking and mashing only four (instead of the five used here), or use smaller potatoes.
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Steak Diane
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When planning the 1998 reopening of the Emeril's Delmonico in New Orleans after a historic renovation, Emeril Lagasse wanted to bring back the tableside service that was so popular in dining rooms long ago. Steak cooked Diane-style has come to mean sautéing thinly sliced or pounded filet mignon in butter and then flambéing and basting it in a luxe Cognac sauce; Lagasse adds sliced mushrooms to the pan for more rich flavor.
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Shrimp Creole
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Lagasse's spicy Creole sauce has layers of flavor built on a foundation of the Cajun flavor trinity — onion, celery, and green bell pepper — mixed with garlic and sautéed in butter until tender. In 2018, we named this recipe one of our 40 best.
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Clam Chowder
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Emeril Lagasse created this creamy chowder, which is rich with clams, potatoes, and corn, based on the ones he ate while growing up in Massachusetts. He demonstrated how to make his chowder while presenting at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen in 2007.
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Fettuccine with Spicy Shellfish
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Emeril Lagasse's hearty pasta is packed with fresh shellfish and spicy chorizo, garnished with fresh shredded basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Pair it with a robust, cherry-rich rosé.
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Emeril's Muffuletta
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The muffuletta is the quintessential New Orleans sandwich of cured meats, cheese, and tangy olive salad piled onto a sturdy Italian loaf. Emeril Lagasse's delicious muffuletta is packed with briny olives and pickled vegetables.
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E.J.'s Vegetable Noodle Soup
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In this nutrient-rich soup, the vegetables are cut very small and the flavors are simple. "It's one of the first dishes I cooked for E.J. and Meril," says Emeril Lagasse. "It's great for young kids."
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Apple Pie Granita
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Natural-style apple juice is less filtered than the standard variety. Here, Lagasse transforms it into a refreshing granita.
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Pork and Clam Cataplana
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This dish relies on a lot of good Portuguese olive oil; with the wine, it creates a delicious sauce to soak up with crusty Portuguese bread. The recipe originated in the southern Algarve region, where cooks use a special copper pan called a cataplana. Since few people in the U.S. have them, Emeril Lagasse suggests trying a deep skillet with a tight lid.
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Sautéed Radishes with Orange Butter
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For this dish, Emeril Lagasse sautés radishes and their greens with bacon, shallots, and orange juice until they're perfectly crisp-tender.
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Fresh Tuna and Butter Lettuce Wraps with Yuzu Ponzu
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This simple Emeril Lagasse recipe is from the 2007 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.
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Piri Piri Pasta
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This is another Emeril Lagasse recipe from the 2007 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. The pasta is loaded with lobster, shrimp, chorizo, clams, mussels, and oysters, all bathed in the Portuguese chile sauce called piri piri.
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Marinated Black-Eyed Pea Salad
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Emeril Lagasse usually serves this salad at room temperature as a first course with slices of smoked ham and cheese, and crusty bread — Portuguese or not.
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Pasta with Roasted Squash, Sausage, and Pecans
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Emeril Lagasse tosses pasta with sausage, butternut squash, sage, and pecans for a terrific, hearty dish.
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Rice Pudding
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This classic dessert is served at almost every Portuguese celebration, but it originated in the Minho province, where Emeril Lagasse's mother's family is from. The pudding is very sweet — as are most desserts in Portugal — but this recipe has been modified to American tastes.
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Shrimp and Corn Bisque
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Emeril Lagasse uses a rich, homemade shrimp stock here, which makes all the difference in this creamy, corn-flecked shrimp soup.
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Grilled Shrimp Summer Rolls
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"Kids love rolling food in rice paper," Lagasse says of this family-friendly dish. The rolls are served with a dipping sauce made from soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger, sesame seeds, scallion, and sesame oil.
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Madeira-Braised Short Ribs with Parslied Potatoes
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Emeril Lagasse uses boneless short ribs for this dish. The butcher at any market will remove the ribs for you.
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