• 2½ pounds cornbread
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, plus more as needed
• 2 cups  celery (about 6 medium stalks), medium-dice
• 1 cup celery root,  peeled, medium-dice - also known as celeriac (about 1/2 medium celery root)
• 3/4 cup red onion, small-dice 
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon celery seeds, crushed
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ cups stock or low-sodium chicken broth
• 12 fresh oysters, shucked and liquid reserved
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, finely chopped

Note: It is best if oysters are fresh from the shell. Choose oysters that are heavy for their size and smell like the sea. If you don’t like oysters, mild Italian sausage is a great substitute.

To save time, you can make your cornbread ahead of time and freeze it. If you don’t want to make your own, buy a pan of good-quality cornbread at a bakery or specialty-foods store.

Oyster Cornbread Stuffing

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• 1/4 cup ginger, unpeeled and sliced
• 1/4 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 4 to 6 tablespoons olive oil, in all
• 1/2 cup Marsala wine
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups demi-glace
• Salt, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, plus additional to taste
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup each of chopped mango, kiwi and raspberries
• 1/2 cup white wine
• Juice of 3 lemons
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 sticks (1/2 pound) butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 cup corn flour (finely ground corn meal)
• 12 shucked Louisiana oysters

Chef's note: Demi-glace can be purchased pre-made in gourmet food stores and on-line. If it is not available, 5 cups low-sodium beef broth, reduced to 1 1/2 cups can be substituted for the demi-glace in this recipe.

 Oysters ala Cafe Giovanni

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• 1 quart shucked oysters
• 3 cups oyster liquor
• 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled, diced into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1 cup finely sliced leeks, white part only, rinsed carefully
• 1 cup finely chopped celery hearts, leafy parts included
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced or pressed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2-3 small bay leaves
• 1 1/2 cup total of milk or half-and-half
• 1/3 cup plain flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Your favorite Louisiana-style hot sauce to taste

 Oyster Chowder

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• 1 pound (21-25 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
• 1 pint select oysters in liquid
• 1 pound redfish, cubed
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup onions, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1 cup bell peppers, diced
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 8 ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon jalapeños, minced
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1½ quarts fish stock
• 1 cup green onions, sliced
• 1 cup parsley, chopped
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Seafood Sauce Piquant

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• 6-12 freshly shucked Louisiana oysters
• 6 slices of jalapeno
• 2 slices of bacon, cooked and sliced in 1 inch strips
• 6 oz cocktail sauce
• 3 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

Cocktail sauce for the order of 6:

• 4 oz. ketchup
• 1 T. finely chopped celery
• 1 ½ T. horseradish
• ½ T. lemon juice
• Dash Worcestershire sauce
   

Bouillabaisse Seafood Ingredients 

• 1 lb peeled, de-veined, raw shrimp
• 1/2 lb fresh fish, trout, pompano etc., cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 cup raw oysters
• 1/2 lb lump crabmeat
• 1/2 lb raw scallops
• 1/2 lb peeled crawfish tail meat 
• 18 fresh mussels

Other ingredients

• 1/2 lb carrots, chopped
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 1/2 lb celery ribs, chopped
• 1 gallon shrimp or fish stock
• 1/2 lb onions, chopped
• 2 cups tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 fennel
• 1/8 oz saffron
• 1/2 green peppers, chopped
• salt to taste, white pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup shallots, chopped

Broussard's Bouillabaisse

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• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1½ cups finely chopped onions
• 3/4 cup finely chopped green bell peppers
• 3/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• One 12-ounce bottle amber beer
• 6 cups shrimp stock*
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 pound gumbo crabs* (about 2)
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 pound white fish fillets, such as catfish, grouper, snapper, or sole
• 1 tablespoon Emeril's Original Essence
• 2 cups shucked oysters with their liquor
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped tender green onion tops
• Cooked white rice, for serving

Chef's note: Gumbo crabs are simply blue crabs that are used to flavor soups, stews, and gumbos in Louisiana. They are typically the smallest crabs in the catch, graded “gumbo crabs” because they are not large enough to command the highest price in a fisherman’s catch. That said, any fresh or frozen blue crabs can be substituted for gumbo crabs.

Emeril’s Classic Seafood Gumbo

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Seasoning Mix

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Dressing

• 20 small Louisiana oysters in their liquor (about ½ pound)
• 1 cup cold water
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) margarine
• 1½ cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped bell peppers
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 to 2 cups fine, dry Italian bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions

Creole Oyster Dressing 

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• 1 pound (21-25 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
• 1 pint select oysters in liquid
• 1 pound redfish, cubed
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup diced onions
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon minced jalapeños
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1 1/2 quarts fish stock
• 1 cup sliced green onions
• 1 cup chopped parsley
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Louisiana Seafood Sauce Piquant

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• 2 tablespoons olive oil mixed with 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter plus 12 thin pats butter
• 4 slices country ham, soaked overnight, coarsely chopped
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 bunches mustard greens, cut in a fine julienne
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 cups cornbread crumbs
• 12 Gulf oysters, shucked, on the half shell

Baked Gulf  Oysters with Country Ham, Braised Greens and Cornbread Crumbs

Click for Video of Cooking Demonstration