1 quart buttermilk
1/2 cup Essence, divided, recipe follows
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 head garlic, cloves peeled and crushed
2 (3 1/2 to 4-pound) chickens, cut into 8 pieces each
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
Peanut oil, for frying
Mashed Potatoes, for serving, recipe follows
Oven-Steamed Buttered Corn, for serving, recipe follows

Combine the buttermilk, 1/4 cup Essence, salt, sugar, and garlic in a large nonreactive bowl. Stir to blend. Immerse the chicken in the mixture, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and for up to 24 hours.
Combine the flour, the remaining 1/4 cup Essence, and the cayenne in a large doubled brown paper bag or plastic freezer bag and shake to blend. Drop the chicken, a few pieces at a time, into the flour mixture and shake thoroughly to completely coat. Remove the chicken and shake off the excess flour. Repeat the coating process with the remaining chicken pieces. Place the coated chicken on a large wire rack set over a sheet pan and let rest until ready to fry, at least 20 minutes.

Heat 4 inches of oil to 300 degrees F over medium-high heat in a medium Dutch oven or heavy pot. Fry the chicken in batches, skin side down, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Turn and fry until golden brown on the second side, 8 to 10 minutes longer. Remove the chicken and drain on paper towels. (Note: An even oil temperature is the key to success; a clip-on candy/deep-fry thermometer should be kept in the pot at all times. And the temperature should remain between 280 degrees F and 300 degrees F at all times.) Allow the chicken to rest at least 5 minutes before serving.

Emeril’s ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

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.
Yield: 2/3 cup

Recipe from “New New Orleans Cooking”, by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch
Published by William Morrow, 1993.

Mashed Potatoes:

3 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
1 stick butter, cubed
1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream
Salt
white pepper
1/4 cup chopped chives, for garnish, optional
1 to 2 cups shredded Cheddar, for garnish, optional

Place the potatoes in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the potatoes until fork tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and drain. Place the potatoes back in the pot and return to the heat. Stir the potatoes, constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes to dehydrate the potatoes. Remove the potatoes from the heat. Add the butter. Using a handheld masher, mash the butter into the potatoes. Add enough cream until desired smoothness is achieved. The potatoes should still be sort of lumpy. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper. Top with chopped chives and cheese, if using.
Yield: 6 servings

Oven-Steamed Buttered Corn:

6 ears corn
3 tablespoons cold salted butter
3/4 teaspoon Essence
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper, for serving

Make sure the oven rack is in the center position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove the husks and silk from each ear of corn. Rinse the corn under cold running water and pat dry.

Cut 6 pieces of foil large enough to wrap each ear of corn.
Divide the butter into 6 equal pieces and place 1 piece a 1/3 of the way up from the bottom on each piece of foil. Set 1 ear of corn on top of each butter pat and sprinkle with some of the Essence. Roll up the foil over the corn, starting at the bottom. Keep rolling until only 4 inches of foil are left at the top, then fold the left and right sides in toward the center. Finish rolling the foil over the corn. Place the corn on a baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before taking the corn out of the hot foil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings

6 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, very thinly sliced 1/8-inch thick
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3/4 teaspoon Asian spice blend
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 pound green beans, stem ends trimmed, cut into 3-inch lengths
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup roughly chopped cashews
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon lightly toasted white sesame seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons roasted garlic-red pepper sauce (recommended: Sriracha)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Chopped green onions, for garnish

In a bowl, combine the chicken, 4 1/2 teaspoons of the soy sauce, and Asian spice blend. Toss to coat and let sit for 10 minutes.
In a large wok or saute pan, heat the oil over high heat. Add the chicken and stirring constantly, cook until brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the beans and stir-fry until wrinkled, stirring, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 10 seconds. Add the cashews, hoisin, remaining 3 teaspoons of soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, red pepper sauce and red pepper flakes. Stir to coat, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and serve immediately, over white or basmati rice. Garnish with green onions.

courtesy Emeril Lagasse

1 large zucchini, peeled and trimmed
1 large carrot, peeled and trimmed
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into slivers
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 3/4 teaspoons herbes de Provence, divided
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (6 to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 (16 by 24-inch) pieces parchment paper
4 teaspoons dry white wine
1 large egg white, lightly beaten, optional
Emeril’s Lemon Butter Sauce, recipe follows
4 sprigs parsley, garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a large baking sheet and set aside.
Using a vegetable peeler, cut the zucchini and carrot into thin, wide ribbons. Place the ribbons in a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the butter slivers, the shallots, 3/4 teaspoon of the herbes de Provence, the garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Set aside.

Lightly season each chicken breast on both sides with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Set aside.

Fold each parchment sheet in half lengthwise and using scissors, cut each folded sheet into a large heart shape, as if making a valentine. Open the sheets flat and arrange 1/4 of the vegetable mixture in the center of the bottom portion of each sheet and top with a chicken breast. Sprinkle each portion with 1/4 teaspoon of the remaining herbes de Provence, 1 teaspoon of the wine, and dot with 1/2 tablespoon of the remaining butter slivers. Fold the top section of parchment over the chicken and roll the edges together to seal the breasts tightly in the bags.

Place the bags on the prepared baking sheet. If desired, using a pastry brush, paint the tops with the egg white. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 18 minutes.

Place the packets on 4 large plates. Using scissors, cut along the top of each bag and roll it back with a fork to expose the chicken and vegetables. Spoon lemon butter sauce over the chicken, garnish each plate with 1 parsley sprig, and serve immediately.

Emeril’s Lemon-Butter Sauce:
1/4 cup chopped shallots
3 medium-size lemons, peeled and quartered
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 sticks unsalted cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

In a small non-reactive saucepan, combine the shallots, lemons, and wine and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced by half, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and mashing the lemons with the back of a wooden spoon to break them up. Add the cream and cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
Whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, adding each piece before the previous one has been completely incorporated and removing the pan from the heat periodically to prevent the sauce from getting too hot and breaking; it should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Whisk in the salt and pepper.

Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a saucepan or bowl, pressing against the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Fold in the parsley and cover to keep warm until ready to serve, stirring occasionally.

Yield: about 1 1/2 cups

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse

4 chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat, about 2 pounds total
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion, plus 1 large onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
3 carrots, cut on the diagonal into 1/2-inch slices, plus 1/4 cup coarsely chopped carrot
1/4 cup coarsely chopped celery plus 2 stalks celery, cut on the diagonal into 1/2-inch slices
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
6 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
For the dumplings:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt

Season the chicken thighs on both sides with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a cast iron Dutch oven and, when hot, add the chicken thighs, skin side down, and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn the chicken thighs over and add the chopped onion, carrot and celery and cook until the thighs are lightly browned on the second side, about 3 minutes. Add the thyme, bay leaf, and chicken broth. Cover the pan and cook on medium heat until the thighs are tender and the meat pulls away from the bone easily, 25 to 30 minutes.
While the chicken is cooking, combine the butter and flour in a small heatproof bowl and, using your fingers or a pastry blender, blend until smooth. Set aside.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken thighs and chopped vegetables from the cooking liquid and transfer to a plate to cool. Ladle 1 cup of the hot cooking liquid into the bowl with the butter-flour mixture and whisk to combine. Add this mixture to the pan along with the onion chunks, sliced carrot and sliced celery and stir to combine. Cover and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, or until the vegetables are just tender.

While the veggies are cooking, make the dumplings by combining the flour, baking powder and salt in a small mixing bowl. Heat the milk and butter until warm and the butter is melted. Add the warm milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Transfer to a floured work surface and knead lightly once or twice. Using a floured rolling pin, roll to a thickness of 1/8-inch. Using a knife, cut the rolled out dumpling batter into 1 1/2-inch strips.

When the chicken has cooled enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and discard the bones, chicken skin and cooked vegetables. Reserve the meat separately.

When the veggies are crisp-tender, uncover the pan and add the reserved chicken meat, peas, and parsley to the cooking liquid. Stir to combine, increase the heat to medium-high and, when the mixture comes to a boil, add the dumplings, 1 strip at a time, to the pan, using a spoon to gently submerge the dumplings in the hot mixture. Cook, uncovered and undisturbed, until the dumplings are cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir gently and serve in wide shallow bowls