Recipes: Emeril's Gumbo Cookoff

May 23, 2003 -- As a treat for the military personnel who are in New York for Fleet Week, chef Emeril Lagasse presided over a kitchen battle between the Navy and Marine Corps. The Navy crew cooked up seafood gumbo, while the Marines dished out chicken and andouille sausage gumbo.

If you want to decide which is best, roll up your sleeves and start the gumbo.

Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo

•1 chicken (about 4 to 4 1/2 pounds), cut into 8 pieces, liver reserved for Dirty Rice (see recipe) • 2 teaspoons Emeril's Original Essence (recipe below) • 1 cup vegetable oil • 1 cup all-purpose flour • 2 cups chopped yellow onions • 1 cup chopped celery • 1 cup chopped green bell peppers • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne • 1 pound andouille or other smoked sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices • 2 bay leaves • 3 quarts chicken broth • Dirty Rice (see recipe), or steamed long-grain white rice • 2 tablespoons chopped green onions or scallions (green part only) Emeril's Original Essence

• 5 tablespoons sweet paprika • 1/4 cup salt • 1/4 cup garlic powder • 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper • 2 tablespoons onion powder • 2 tablespoons cayenne • 2 tablespoons dried oregano • 2 tablespoons dried thyme

(The Essence recipe makes more than you will need for the casserole. Store the remaining essence in an airtight container.)

1. Season the chicken with the Emeril's Essence.

2. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter and set aside.

3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the flour to the fat remaining in the pan. Stir slowly and constantly to make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the onions, celery, bell peppers, salt, and cayenne. Cook, stirring constantly until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the sausage and bay leaves and continue to cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Stir in the broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour. Add the chicken and simmer for another hour.

4. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves. Skim off any oil that has risen to the surface.

5. Serve immediately ladled into soup bowls over Dirty Rice, or over steamed long-grain rice. Garnish with the green onions.

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings

Recipe courtesy of chef Emeril Lagasse, copyright 2003

Dirty Rice

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil • 1 pound chicken or duck livers, chopped fine • 1/2 pound pork sausage, removed from casings and crumbled • 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion • 3/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper • 1/4 cup finely chopped celery • 2 teaspoons minced garlic • 1 tablespoon Emeril's Original Essence (recipe above) • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper • 2 cups chicken stock • 2 bay leaves • 5 cups cooked rice, chilled • 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1. In a large, heavy sauté pan or pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken livers and sausage and cook, stirring, until the meat is browned, about 6 minutes. 2. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, the onions, bell peppers, celery, garlic, Essence, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the stock and bay leaves, and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Add the rice and stir thoroughly.

5. Cook until the rice is heated through, about 5 minutes.

6. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves. Stir in the parsley and serve.

Yield: 8 servings

Recipe courtesy of chef Emeril Lagasse, Copyright 2003

Seafood Gumbo

• 3/4 cup vegetable oil • 3/4 cup bleached all-purpose flour • 2 cups chopped yellow onions • 1 cup chopped green bell peppers • 1 cup chopped celery • 1 tablespoon salt • 1 teaspoon cayenne • 5 bay leaves • 8 cups shrimp stock or water • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined • 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage • 2 dozen oysters, shucked, with their liquor • 2 tablespoons chopped green onions or scallions (green part only) • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves • Shrimp and Ham Jambalaya (see recipe), or steamed long-grain white rice

1. Combine the oil and flour in a large cast-iron Dutch oven or large heavy pot over medium heat. Stirring slowly and constantly, make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 10 minutes. Add the stock, and stir to blend with the roux. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 hours.

2. Add the shrimp and crabmeat and cook for 15 minutes. Add the oysters, green onions, and parsley and cook until the edges of the oysters curl, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaves. Serve immediately ladled into soup bowls over Shrimp and Ham Jambalaya, or over steamed long-grain rice.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

From Every Day's A Party, by Emeril Lagasse, with Marcelle Bienvenu and Felicia Willett, William Morrow and Company, Copyright, 1999.

Shrimp and Ham Jambalaya

• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil • 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions • 1/2 cup chopped bell peppers • 1/2 cup chopped celery • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined • 4 bay leaves • 1 pound boiled ham, cut into 1/2-inch cubes • 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) whole tomatoes, chopped, with juice • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic • 1 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme • 1 cup long-grain white rice • 2 cups water • 1/4 cup chopped green onions

1. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, and celery and sauté for 7 to 8 minutes, or until golden and soft. Add the shrimp and bay leaves and sauté until the shrimp turn pink, about 2 minutes. Add the ham and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, the garlic, salt, cayenne, black pepper, and thyme. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the rice and stir to mix. Add the water, stir well, cover and cook undisturbed over medium-low heat until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 25 to 30 minutes.

2. Remove from the heat and let stand undisturbed for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the green onions and serve with the Seafood Gumbo or on its own.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Recipe courtesy of chef Emeril Lagasse, from Louisiana Real & Rustic, by Emeril Lagasse and Marcelle Bienvenu, William Morrow and Company, Copyright, 1996.