From Emeril's Kitchens: Favorite Recipes from Emeril's Restaurants (Hardcover)

by Emeril Lagasse (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Emeril is probably the best-known food personality in America today, and in this latest offering, he draws on the signature dishes of his eight (soon to be nine) restaurants and their chefs to provide a cookbook sure to please his legions of fans. Spreading his philosophy and history in the introduction, he entreats the user not to be put off by the complexity of many of the recipes, but to use the components and mix and match the dishes. The first chapter, "Basics," contains the building blocks of many of the dishes, ranging from the customary stocks to Hard Boiled Eggs and Roast Duck. Subsequent chapters are structured in the usual manner ranging from appetizers and first courses through desserts. Each dish is attributed to its restaurant or chef and results in a range of styles and inspirations. Some knowledge and skill is required (more, perhaps than in his previous books): there's the Warm Watercress Salad with Stir Fried Beef and Kimchee, where the Kimchee is made 24 hours in advance, as well as the Roasted Atlantic Salmon with Herbed Potato Cakes, Granny Smith Apple Butter, Citrus Fennel Salad, and Salmon Roe. It is within these components that the real strength of the book lies, where dressings, sides and garnishes add polish and sophistication that inspire the home cook to greater heights and confidence.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
From the dean of celebrity chefs comes his latest volume accumulating recipes from his ever-growing restaurant empire. From Emeril's Kitchens brings together favorites from Emeril Lagasse's New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Orlando eateries. Emeril's genius, beyond his winning charismatic personality, lies in his ability to bring together disparate components to form complex dishes. For example, he marries veal medallions with creamed spinach, spiced ham, and ricotta-stuffed ravioli in a unique Creole-spiced marinara sauce. Rabbit tenderloin combines with mustard-flavored spaetzle, southern greens, and ham-hock gravy. Caramelized onions and bourbon-infused sweet potatoes crown pork chops glazed with root-beer reduction. In typical restaurant tradition, many of these recipes call for stocks, reductions, and glazes not common in home kitchens. Nevertheless, expect high demand for this new title from television's most popular chef. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Cookbooks; 1 edition (October 14, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006018535X
• ISBN-13: 978-0060185350
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #102,172 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Emeril cookbook so far, October 16, 2003

By	Todd Post (Arlington, VA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

After Emeril's last cookbook, "Prime Time Emeril", I had doubts about whether this new cookbook would be more egotistical rants with shameless "Bam"s thrown in with very little actual content. Not only were my fears unwarrented, this book exceeded every expectation I had and may be better than his first book, "New New Orleans Cooking".

It was my fear that Emeril was getting too full of himself and his popularity, but this book goes back to what makes his cooking popular, pairing "comfort food" and regional cooking with classic French-style preparations. He takes the foods you love and cooks them using the techniques that separates average everyday cooking from culinary masterpieces. This book is much less commerical and self-centered as the last, although he does happen to hawk his own hot sauce when a recipe calls for it.

This book has a little of everything, so just about everyone should be able to find something for their taste. The first chapter deals with basics such as stocks and seasonings, then Emeril works his way through appetizers, salads, seafood, meats, soups, sides, and desserts. Some are very complicated, while others are quite simple, so you can also decide just how fancy you want to get. I will say that most of them have long ingredient lists, but if this is what you must have for good eats, so be it.

This book is especially a treat for those of us who have enjoyed meals at Emeril's various restaurants. I've been trying to decode a Bibb lettuce wedge salad with warm black-eyed pea and bacon dressing that I had at Emerils in March and low and behold it's there for me to try at home. If you own his other books, you'll see some repeats like barbecued shrimp, banana cream pie, etc., but not enough to really complain about.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional Recipe Collection From Superstar, November 6, 2003

By	rodboomboom (Dearborn, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

Nevermind if you dig his TV antics or not, this guy can cook and this is proven by this marvelously creative and fun collection from his restaurants.

I especially enjoy the history behind the recipe and the wild ingredients, techniques and serving suggestions which accompany this all-star lineup.

Try these, they're kicked up notches! Caribbean-Style Chicken with Brown-Sugar-Peanut Spice Rub, Sweet Potatio-Banana Casserole, Guacomole, and Crispy Plantain Stips; Blue Crab, Smoked Salmon, and Caviar Salad with Dilled Buttermilk Dressing; Chicken Baked In Aromatic Salt Crust; Root Beer-Glazed Pork Chops with Bourbon-Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Carmelized Onions; Sour Cream Toffee Fudge Cake; White Chocolate Raspberry Mascarpone Cream Pie in a Pistachio Crust.

Yes, for the cook who is not use to ingredients that are not common to the average chef, this can be intimidating as well as the steps to pull it all off. But, for those who want to expand and have fun preparing and serving, this is exceptional!

Also included is good source listing.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Serious Fans Only, December 16, 2005

By	Penny Dreadful (Under Your Skin) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

I say serious fans only because these recipes are almost universally too time consuming and difficult for the average--or even advanced--home cook. If you're someone who seriously loves Emeril Lagasse, then you might want this book since his personality is stamped into it and it does have charm and some nice illustrations of delicious-looking dishes, but what I said up there stands: this is for show, not real life use. Without a lot of experienced help, you're not going to be able to create most of the items featured in here, and isn't a cookbook supposed to be about fixing the foods listed within it?