12 fresh oysters in the half-shell 2 sticks butter, melted 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan French bread, optional Prepare your grill for direct grilling. When coals are white hot, place 12 oysters, shell side down directly on the grate. Pour melted butter over each oyster. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and grill for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove to a platter and serve with French bread for dipping, if using.

Vegetable oil, for frying 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons House Seasoning 3 eggs 1/2 cup hot sauce (recommended: Texas Pete) 7 medium shrimp, peeled 5 medium oysters, shucked 1 hoagie roll, split, buttered and lightly toasted Tartar Sauce, recipe follows Shredded lettuce Sliced tomato Salt and pepper Garlic powder Heat the oil in a Dutch oven to 375 degrees F. Place flour in a bowl and add House Seasoning. In another bowl, beat the eggs and add the hot sauce. Dredge shrimp in egg mixture then the flour mixture and drop into hot oil 1 at a time. Fry until light brown (do not over cook). Drain on paper towels. Lightly flour oysters and drop 1 at a time into hot oil. Fry until golden brown and drain. To assemble sandwich, spread both insides of bread with tartar sauce. On the bottom piece, place shredded lettuce and sliced tomato. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Place oysters on top of tomato. Add another layer of shredded lettuce and then place shrimp on top. Top that with bread and a toothpick to hold the sandwich together. House Seasoning: 1 cup salt 1/4 cup black pepper 1/4 cup garlic powder Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Tartar Sauce: 1/2 cup chopped green onion 1/2 cup chopped dill pickle 1 cup mayonnaise 1/2 teaspoon House Seasoning In a bowl, combine chopped onion, pickle, mayonnaise, and House Seasoning and mix well. Yield: 2 cups tartar sauce Prep time: 3 minutes Ease of preparation: easy House Seasoning: 1 cup salt 1/4 cup black pepper 1/4 cup garlic powder Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Vegetable oil 12 large Louisiana oysters Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 cups flour 2 eggs 2 tablespoons milk Essence, recipe follows 12 medium leaves of Bibb lettuce, washed and patted dry 4 ounces caviar, preferably Osetra 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves Pour the oil into a deep fryer or deep, heavy pot 1 1/2-inches high and heat to 365 degrees F, using a deep-fry thermometer to gauge oil temperature. Do not let the oil smoke before frying. Using a paper towel, pat the oysters dry and season with salt and pepper. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add flour and season with salt and pepper. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together and season with salt and pepper. Dredge the oysters in the flour, coating each oyster completely, shaking off any excess. Dip each oyster in the egg wash, letting excess drip off. Dredge oysters in flour a second time to coat completely. Place oysters in the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Season with Essence. Arrange 3 lettuce leaves in the center of a plate and place 3 oysters in the center of lettuce leaves. Place a teaspoonful of the caviar on top of the oysters, dividing it equally among the 4 portions. Fold the edges of the lettuce in, like an envelope, to secure oysters in the middle. Garnish with parsley. Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning): 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 leaf oregano 1 tablespoon dried thyme Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Yield: 2/3 cup

1/4 cup blanched corn 4 ripe Italian plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced 1/4 cup minced onions 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno peppers 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice Salt and black pepper 3/4 cup freshly grated horseradish or bottled, if not prepared with cream 3 tablespoons minced shallots 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard White pepper 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 1 cup flour 2 tablespoons Essence, recipe follows 1 cup masa harina 2 large eggs 1 cup milk 1/2 cup olive oil 24 large freshly shucked oysters, liquor drained and reserved Combine the corn, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, cilantro, lime juice, and lemon juice. Mix well. Season the salsa with salt and pepper. Set the salsa aside. In a saucepan, combine the horseradish, shallots, garlic, mustard and cream. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, whisking gently. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, for about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm. In a small bowl, season the flour with Essence. In another bowl, season the masa with Essence. In a third bowl, beat the eggs with the milk. Season the oysters with Essence. Dredge the oysters in the seasoned flour. Dip the oysters in the egg wash, letting the excess drip off. Dredge the oysters in the seasoned masa, coating each side completely. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, carefully lay the oysters in the hot oil. Pan-fry the oysters for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove the oysters form the pan and drain on a paper-lined plate. Season the oysters with Essence. Serve the oysters with the horseradish cream and salsa. 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

20 oysters (plus juice) 1 carrot 1 leek 2 ounces snow peas 8 ounces fresh leaf spinach 3 shallots, sliced 1 glass white wine 1-ounce cream 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes Salt and pepper 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 ounces champagne 1 clove garlic 2 ounces prosciutto, julienned Salt, freshly ground pepper Shuck the oysters. Reserve the oyster juice. Wash the shells. Cut the vegetables into strips and steam. Set aside Blanch the spinach and set aside Peel and cut the shallots into small dice, then add the white wine and reduce until only 1 tablespoon remains. Add the cream reduce for 30 seconds, then whisk in the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat a sauteuse. Pour in the cream, oyster juice, champagne and garlic. Add the oyster, prosciutto and poach for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the shallot-butter sauce off the heat. Spoon into the oyster shells; top with the spinach, then top with the oysters and place a small pile of the steamed vegetables on each oyster. Serve on a bed of blanched seaweed or on a bed of mixed peppercorns.

Recipe Summary Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 18 minutes Yield: 4 servings User Rating:

1 dozen shucked Louisiana Oysters Essence, recipe follows 1 cup flour 1/2 cup vegetable oil 4-ounce wheel of Brie, cut into 12 equal slices 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons minced shallots 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 1 pound fresh spinach, washed and stemmed Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pat the oysters dry. Season the oysters with Essence. Season the flour with Essence. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the oil. Dredge the oysters in the flour, shaking off the excess flour. Pan-fry the oysters for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Place the oysters on a baking sheet. Lay a slice of the cheese on top of each oyster. Bake for about 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese melts. In a saute pan, over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the shallots and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 1 minute. Add the spinach and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, mound the spinach in the center of each plate. Arrange 3 oysters around each mound of spinach and serve warm. 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

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 tablespoons minced parsley 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 24 oysters in their shells, washed In a bowl combine all the ingredients except the oysters, and mix well. Adjust the seasoning to taste and transfer the mixture to a large piece of plastic wrap. Roll up the flavored butter to form a tight log and freeze. (Alternately, the flavored butter can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.) Preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Remove the cold log of butter from the freezer and unwrap. Shuck the oysters and discard the top shell, leaving the oysters on the bottom half shell. Slice thin rounds of butter, about 1 1/2 teaspoons each, and place 1 round on top of each oyster. Place the oysters on the heated grill, close the grill cover, and cook, covered, until the butter is melted and bubbly, and the oysters are no longer opaque and have curled around the edges, about 4 minutes. Serve immediately.

Recipe Summary Difficulty: Medium Prep Time: 35 minutes Inactive Prep Time: 45 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Yield: 1 (9-inch) pie User Rating:

1 double recipe savory pie crust, recipe follows 4 strips bacon, chopped 1 cup chopped yellow onions 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped green onions 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon Essence, recipe follows 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 cayenne 1 quart oysters, cut in half or quarters if large, well drained and 3/4 cup liqueur reserved 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Divide the pie crust dough in half. Roll out 1/2 on a lightly floured surface to measure 11-inches in diameter. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan and fit into the bottom. Roll out the second crust to the same size and set aside until ready to assemble the pie. In a large saute pan or cast iron skillet, cook the bacon over medium high heat until browned and almost crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, reserving 1/4 cup of grease in the pan (add vegetable oil to equal 1/4 cup if more fat is needed). Add the onions and celery and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the green onions, garlic, Essence, salt, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring, to make a light roux, about 3 minutes. Gradually add the oyster liqueur, cream, and lemon juice, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the oysters and cook, stirring, just until they start to curl, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and fold in the cooked bacon and parsley. Let cool slightly. Adjust seasoning, to taste. Pour into the prepared pie crust and top with the remaining crust, crimping around the edges to seal. Cut several decorative slits across the top for venting. Bake until golden brown and the filling is bubbly, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning): 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 leaf oregano 1 tablespoon dried thyme Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container. Yield: about 2/3 cup Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993. Double Savory Pie Crust: 3 1/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening 4 to 5 tablespoons ice water Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Using your fingers, work in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, working it in with your hands to make a smooth dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured surface. For each crust, roll out the dough on the lightly floured surface about 1/8-inch thick. Proceed as directed in the recipe. Yield: 2 pie crusts