Well Fed Network

Posted by Colleen Fischer on Edible TV

While Sara Moulton’s show Cooking Live may have sucked me into the world of Food Network, it was the phenomenon known as Emeril Live that seduced my family at large.

My grandfather especially felt drawn to the bold flavors and celebratory attitude espoused by New Orleans chef Emeril Lagasse. Grandpa went on a Creole-cooking tear, whipping up garlic-laden dinners and Emeril’s famed banana cream pie, with ample Essence sprinkling and “Bam!” shouting thrown in for fun.

Once, he invited me over to turn our Thanksgiving leftovers into some turkey gumbo. Alas, while he was in the kitchen that day crafting a dark roux - cooked it as long as it takes to drink two beers, per Emeril’s instructions - I ended up passed out on the living room couch with a nasty 24-hour stomach bug. Needless to say, no gumbo stayed down, but I heard it was kicked up to notches unknown to mankind.

To this day you’re likely to find one or another of Emeril’s shows flipped on during peaceful afternoons at my grandparents’ home. He’s like part of the family.

Now, go get yourself one of those Oreo things from the freezer while Doc Gibbs and the Emeril Live Band play us some flashback music as we head down memory lane.

The Show

Emeril Live once served as the anchor of Food Network’s primetime lineup, airing weeknights at 8 p.m. The show has moved around the schedule since its glory days, landing most recently at 2 p.m. on weekdays. However, you can catch Emeril in primetime every night at 7 p.m. on Fine Living, Food Network’s little sibling network.

I recall once reading that the idea for the show emerged from Emeril’s habit of chatting with the crew behind the camera while filming his earlier Food Network series, The Essence of Emeril. Clearly, this was a man crying out for an audience; in front of one, his personality exploded. You can still see that dichotomy at work today if you compare episodes of Emeril Live with the new Essence of Emeril series, which features a much more subdued chef behind the counter.

Emeril starts off each episode by bantering with the studio audience, members of which sit either in stadium-style seats or at restaurant-style tables and chairs. A few lucky folks get to eat right at the chef’s counter, getting first crack at every new dish. Often, special guests claim these seats so Emeril can chat with them directly about their recipes as he prepares them.

Emeril insists cooking isn’t “rocket science” and that therefore you, too, can make these often restaurant-quality dishes at home. In addition, he always lets the audience know that he’s “really cooking” on his show - which means the occasional mistake happens. Emeril acknowledges it when something doesn’t go quite as planned, and he demonstrates that it’s not the end of the world by taking steps to fix his error.

For example, when his fried chicken emerged still pink in the middle on one episode, he used the opportunity to show us we could simply finish the cooking in the oven. Yes, the kitchen is unpredictable, he tells us, but with a little bit of thought and creativity, a dish doesn’t have to be declared ruined because of it.

Of course, most people know Emeril for his “Bam!” He shouts his catchphrase whenever he’s “kicking it up a notch” by adding extra flavor to his food. Garlic is a favorite, as is Essence, Emeril’s personal blend of seasonings.

Where Are They Now?

As I mentioned, you can still catch Emeril Live on both Food Network and Fine Living, although production on the show ceased on Dec. 11, 2007.

Emeril also hosts Food Network’s The Essence of Emeril, which airs weekdays at 10:30 a.m. Eastern and Sundays at 8 a.m. As far as I know, it’s still in production, although it lacks the energy that made Emeril Live famous. Emeril also hosts the show Emeril Green on the Planet Green network, a show focused on helping people cook in an environmentally friendly way.

Emeril also pops up on The Martha Stewart Show from time to time and contributes a column to Stewart’s Everyday Food magazine. He and Martha have worked together frequently since her company purchased the rights to all his products in February 2008.

The Recipe

Here it is: the recipe I almost made with my grandpa all those years ago. He used leftover Thanksgiving turkey rather than cooking a whole bird just for this purpose. Remember, it takes about two beers’ worth of standing and stirring to get that roux a nice chocolate brown. Emeril made this recipe on the Emeril Live episode “Emeril Talks Turkey.”

Gumbo Turkey Ya-Ya
Source: Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

1 small fresh turkey (about 10 pounds)
10 cups water
2 medium-size yellow onions, quartered
2 ribs celery, each cut into 6 pieces
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 pound andouille or other smoked sausage, finely chopped, plus 1 pound smoked sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices
2 tablespoons chopped green onions or scallions (green part only)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Put the turkey, water, quartered onions, celery pieces, bay leaves 1 tablespoon of the salt, and 1 teaspoon of the cayenne in a large, heavy pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cook, partially covered, until the turkey is tender, about 2 hours. Remove the turkey, strain and reserve the broth.

In a large, heavy pot or a Dutch oven, over medium heat, combine the oil and flour. Stirring slowly and constantly, make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the chopped onions, bell peppers, chopped celery, and chopped sausage. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are very soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the reserved broth and stir until the roux mixture and broth are well combined. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, remove the skin from the turkey and pick the meat off the bones, discarding the skin and bones. Coarsely chop the turkey meat. Add the turkey and the sliced sausage to the gumbo. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes before skimming off the fat that has risen to the surface. Stir in the green onions and parsley and serve the gumbo in individual soup or gumbo bowls.

Photo: Food Network.com