Emeril's Easy Recipes For Kids
Oct. 3, 2006 — -- Emeril Lagasse has written a new cookbook for kids called "There's a Chef In My World."
The recipes below are fun to prepare and are sure to please even finicky eaters.
Swedish Meatballs
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, "Emeril's There's a Chef in My World," HarperCollins Publishers, 2006
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups finely chopped red onion
4 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 pound ground chuck
3/4 pound ground pork
1 ¾ teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoon plus 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup plain dried bread crumbs
½ cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 large egg, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 (14-ounce) cans reduced-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup red currant jelly
Directions:
In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, sauté 1 cup of the onion in 1 ½ tablespoons of the butter until soft and light golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Set aside to cool, then add the onion to a medium mixing bowl along with the ground chuck, ground pork, 1 ½ teaspoons of the salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper, the allspice, and the nutmeg.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the milk and 1/4 cup of the cream, and allow to sit until the bread crumbs are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the bread-crumb mixture and the beaten egg to the meat mixture and, using clean hands, mix well to thoroughly combine.
Using a tablespoon measure as a guide, scoop the meat mixture into meatball portions, about 1 heaping tablespoon each. Using lightly damp clean hands, roll the meatballs until they are smooth and round. Transfer to a large plate or baking dish while you form the remaining meatballs.
In a medium skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon of the remaining butter until foamy. Add one-third of the meatballs and cook, turning frequently, until the meatballs are browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes total. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked meatballs to a Dutch oven or heavy large saucepan and repeat with the remaining meatballs, adding another 1/2 tablespoon of butter to the skillet before each batch.
Add the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons of butter and the remaining 1/2 cup onion to the skillet and cook until the onion is soft, about 4 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Whisk in the beef broth little by little and cook until the sauce is smooth and thick, about 4 minutes. Transfer the sauce to the Dutch oven or large saucepan and add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, a pinch of black pepper, the remaining heavy cream, and the currant jelly. Be careful when stirring not to break up the meatballs.
Bring the contents of the Dutch oven or large saucepan to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat so that the sauce simmers. Cook, uncovered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the meatballs are very tender and the sauce is thick and flavorful.
Mexican Tortilla Soup
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, "Emeril's There's a Chef in My World," HarperCollins Publishers, 2006
Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup diced yellow onion
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 small jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped (about 2 teaspoons)
4 ½ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
1 cup chopped tomatoes (2 to 3 small Roma tomatoes)
Crushed tortilla chips
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pit removed, and diced (optional)
Sour cream (optional)
Cheddar cheese, grated (optional)
Directions:
Season the chicken with salt and pepper and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a medium stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened.
Add the garlic and jalapeño and sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. The chicken will brown slightly.
Stir in the chicken broth, cumin, coriander, and lime juice.
Bring the soup to a boil, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow the soup to simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in the cilantro and tomatoes and simmer an additional 5 minutes.
Place about 1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips in each serving bowl. Ladle the hot soup over the tortillas and garnish with a little extra cilantro, diced avocado, sour cream, and grated cheese, as you prefer.
B.L.T. Hot Dogs
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, "Emeril's There's a Chef in My World," HarperCollins Publishers, 2006
Ingredients:
8 hot dogs (organic, all-beef hot dogs recommended)
8 regular thin-cut bacon slices
8 iceberg lettuce leaves
8 hot dog buns
1 cup diced tomatoes (about 2 small tomatoes)
Mustard
Mayonnaise
Directions:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.
Wrap each hot dog with a slice of bacon, tucking both edges under so that the bacon does not come unwrapped during baking.
Place the hot dogs on a small baking sheet. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the bacon is crispy and well browned. Using oven mitts or pot holders, remove the baking sheet from the oven.
Stack the lettuce leaves on top of each other and roll up tightly. Thinly slice into ribbonlike strips.
Place one hot dog in each bun and top with diced tomatoes and lettuce.
Serve with mustard and mayonnaise or other desired condiments.
Chocolate Cookie -- Peanut Butter Banana Pie
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, "Emeril's There's a Chef in My World," HarperCollins Publishers, 2006
Ingredients:
16 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, plus 4 for garnish (optional)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey-roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup heavy cream
2 small bananas
Directions:
In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine 16 of the chocolate sandwich cookies and 1/4 cup of the peanuts. Process until finely crumbled.
Place the crumbs in a medium mixing bowl and drizzle with the melted butter, stirring until moistened. Press the crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie pan, covering the bottom and sides evenly. Chill the piecrust in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the peanut butter and cream cheese. Mix on low until creamy. With the mixer still on low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, mixing until combined. Turn the mixer off, remove the peanut butter mixture, and place in a large mixing bowl.
Clean the bowl of the mixer and remove the paddle attachment. Add the whisk attachment and, in the clean bowl, whisk the cream on medium-high until stiff peaks form. Turn the mixer off.
Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture, adding the cream a little at a time, and being careful not to overmix.
Peel and slice the bananas, about 1/4 inch thick. Lay the banana slices in one even layer in the bottom of the chilled piecrust.
Spoon the peanut butter filling into the piecrust over the bananas and smooth the top with the back of the spoon. (The filling will be taller than the edges of the piecrust.)
Cover the pie lightly with plastic wrap and freeze for 4 hours or overnight.
To serve, cut the 4 remaining sandwich cookies in half and place the cookie halves around the top of the pie. Chop the remaining 2 tablespoons of peanuts and sprinkle over the top of the pie. Cut into 8 even slices.
Note: If the pie has been frozen for longer than 4 hours, allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.