Season 9 2005

Emeril fries up some classic Southern dishes as he breaks from conventional wisdom and shows that frying can be good – if it's done right.

Emeril explores the fusion of flavors found in Southwestern cuisine tonight, but not without some of his personal twists such as replacing masa with grits in his tamales.

Just off a 20-hour flight, Martin Yan visits the studio for an Asian cook-off. The thing is he keeps getting the smaller cuts of protein. Watch the challenge spurs each of them on to excellence and dishes one can't imagine.

Emeril is cooking nothing but these crustaceans tonight, but you won't be bored because he's serving them traditionally, snack-size, fusion-style – any way his imagination can design, and he's not short of inspiration.

It's all about sausage tonight, and Emeril's going to show not only how to use them, but how to make them. First he'll demonstrate two homemade sausage recipes, one so versatile he will use it in three subsequent recipes, and then he'll use the classic bratwurst in a yummy stew.

Emeril raids the Food Network kitchen and prepares some surprise dishes. Recipes include rosemary lamb chops with asparagus; Portugese-style trout; shrimp gratin with mornay sauce; and strawberries romanoff.

Emeril uses a plethora of exotic fungi tonight as he shows us unusual mushrooms and then proceeds to use them to delicious effect in a variety of appetizers, salads and entrées.

It's fish, fish and more fish tonight after Emeril visits his local fish monger downstairs at Chelsea Market. He brings back so much bounty that even he may run out of ideas by the end of the hour.

Everyone's exhausted from taping the 1500th episode special last night and the celebration afterward, but Emeril won't let that slow him down any. He's here to extoll the emerging New World cuisine, with its fusion of Caribbean, Latin and Southern cuisines. Just in case, though, Raul Midón has joined Doc Gibbs and the band to help keep everybody awake.

Meals suggested by children, including barbecued shrimp and biscuits, spaghetti and meatballs, and nutty buttery green beans, are prepared.

Emeril and an all-male audience celebrate what he calls "manly man cuisine": lots of meat or fish, huge portions, and as many kicks up as he can devise. But first the Emeril Live crew hits the streets of New York to check out the evening's menu with men at work and play. Menu: • Funky Stovetop Crawfish Boil • Nut-Crusted Rack of Venison – Served with Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding • Manly Meat Lasagna • Blazing Banana Split Sundae

Emeril and Michael Lomonico present some comfort food favorites. Wonton Soup; Curried Pea Soup with Frizzed Ginger; Emeril's Knife and Fork Open-Faced Sandwich; Philly Cheese Steak; Peanut Butter Cream Pie; Double Crust Apple Pie

Emeril loves to kick it up, and cookin' Cajun is a great way to do just that. Tonight there'll be some ragin' cajun in the kitchen. It's going to be hot!

Emeril shows how to add flavor to add flavor to a meal by cooking with spirits. Long Island Iced Tea; Roasted Corn Salsa with Tequila Lime Dressing; Pan Sauteed Filet Mignon with Caramel Brandy Mushroom Sauce; Steamed Mussels in a Cagnac Cream Sauce; Bourbon Nut Cake

Recipes in This Episode

* Long Island Iced Tea

* Roasted Corn Salsa with Tequila-Lime Dressing

* Pan Sauteed Filet Mignon with Caramel-Brandy Mushroom Sauce

* Steamed Mussels in a Creole Mustard, Bacon, and Cognac Cream Sauce

* Bourbon Nut Cake