EMERIL SHARES HIS POTLUCK POINT OF VIEW.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

BAM! Let's have a potluck party. Emeril Lagasse, the enthusiastic and entertaining Food Network king of cooking (host of ``Emeril Live!'' and ``Essence of Emeril'' with more than 1,000 shows under his belt) and ABC's ``Good Morning America'' food correspondent, loves nothing better than having a great party, lots of fun and kicking it up a notch.

He's especially fond of potlucks because he grew up with them in Fall River, Mass.

``My mother entertained with potlucks, - someone brought a soup, a salad, etc. Some of my best memories are of potluck parties.''

He still enjoys them today, so much so that his recently released 10th cookbook, ``Emeril's Potluck: Comfort Food With a Kicked-Up Attitude,'' (William Morrow; $24.95), revolves around the topic.

``This is what I cook at home for friends and family,'' notes Lagasse, the father of three children who does 98 percent of the cooking at home and always cooks a big family dinner on Sunday.

``I'm crazy about this book. It brings together everything that I love about cooking and eating. The food is straightforward, delicious and meant to be shared.''

Lagasse said he took on the topic of the book because ``I am seeing more people doing potlucks on weekends as a way to entertain.''

The potluck meal can be designed from an ethnic perspective or built around a specific theme. It's about sharing on a variety of occasions, be it Thanksgiving, a reunion, picnic, birthday, tailgate party or just a casual, last-minute gathering of friends.

With 150 recipes, you'll find chapters on drinks, savvy starters, super salads, wonderful soups and gumbos, unbelievable casseroles and sides. The creations, many of which can be prepared a day in advance, have pizazz.

He's updated some classics, including Retro Ambrosia, Emeril's Pot Roast, Beer Bread, Curried Chicken Salad, Alden's Grandmother's Meat and Potato Casserole, Tuna Tetrazzini, Kicked-Up Cabbage Rolls, Macaroni With Four Cheeses and Gigi's Carrot Cake.

Throughout the book, his universal cooking style with influences of Louisiana comes through. Don't expect any low-calorie creations. A tempting-sounding artichoke bread pudding has three cups of cream and a pound of Brie cheese for 12 servings.

In all his creations, taste is the top priority.

``Presentation is important, but who cares what it looks like if it doesn't taste good?''

Lagasse is a member of the balance-the-menu potluck school. You can opt to map out a menu (with specific dishes and recipes), pull the names out of a hat and then give guests the recipes you'd like them to make. Or you might ask guests to bring a specific type or category of dish. Be sure to suggest the number of servings to bring.

For Thanksgiving, Lagasse is serving favorites from the book, among them Creole Cornbread Stuffing, Miss Hilda's Portuguese Dressing, Spinach and Artichoke Bread Pudding, Emerilized Green Bean Casserole, Carrot Souffle and Portuguese Tomato and Sausage Soup.

In addition, he's deep-frying a turkey. Guests will also contribute a brined turkey and a roasted turkey.

Lagasse thinks ``all turkeys are delicious if you cook them right.'' The biggest mistake is overcooking them. Invest in a meat thermometer, he advises, and roast the turkey to 155 degrees F, then let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes prior to carving (it will continue cooking; it should reach 160 to 165 degrees F) - and you should end up with a moist bird.

Now when you're asked to contribute something to a potluck, there's no excuse for a boring, uninspired creation. Give it that Lagasse flavor and flair and kick it up with attitude.

Natalie Haughton, [phone]

natalie.haughton(at)dailynews.com

Recipes are from ``Emeril's Potluck, Comfort Food With a Kicked-Up Attitude'' by Emeril Lagasse.

GOLDEN SHRIMP STEW

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cups finely chopped onions

2 cups finely chopped red bell peppers

2 tablespoons minced jalapenos

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons turmeric 

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 1 tablespoon water for 20 minutes

2 cups dry white wine

6 cups shrimp stock

2 cups diced new potatoes

2 cups diced tomatoes

2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add onions, bell peppers and jalapenos and cook, stirring, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tumeric, mustard and saffron and stir to combine. Add wine and cook another 2 minutes. Add shrimp stock and potatoes and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer and add tomatoes. Cook 20 minutes. Add shrimp and simmer unitl cooked through, about 4 minutes longer. Season with salt. Stir in cilantro, remove from heat and serve. Makes about 3 quarts, 10 to 12 servings.

SPICED NUTS

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 cups unsalted mixed nuts, such as walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts and almonds

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Mix spices and reserve.

Heat nuts in a large, dry skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to toast, about 4 minutes. Add butter and cook, stirring, until nuts begin to darken, about 1 minute. Add spices, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon water and salt and cook, stirring, until sauce thickens and nuts are glazed, about 5 minutes.

Remove nuts from heat and transfer to a baking sheet lined with foil, separating with a fork. Let nuts stand until cooled and sugar has hardened, about 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container. Makes 4 cups.

CLASSIC BLUE CHEESE DIP

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup finely chopped onions

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Fresh vegetables, such as celery and carrots cut into sticks, and cherry tomatoes

Combine all ingredients except blue cheese and fresh vegetables in bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in crumbled blue cheese. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl, cover and chill at least 1 hour or up to 3 days before serving. Serve with a platter of fresh vegetables. Makes about 3 cups dip.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER PIE

1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs

1 cup finely ground Oreo cookies (cream filling removed)

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

6 tablespoons granulated sugar

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted

2/3 cup smooth peanut butter

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup toasted chopped peanuts

Rich Chocolate Sauce

Combine graham cracker crumbs, Oreo cookie crumbs, butter and 4 tablespoons granulated sugar in a medium bowl. Stir to thoroughly combine. Press mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie pan. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven, let crust cool completely, then wrap with plastic wrap and place in freezer at least 1 hour or up to 2 weeks. Allow crust to come to room temperature before filling.

Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar and milk in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until well blended and smooth, about 1 minute on medium speed. Add melted chocolate and peanut butter and continue to blend for another minute on medium speed.

Combine cream with remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar in another medium bowl. Beat with a whisk or electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into chocolate and peanut butter mixture until thoroughly incorporated and smooth. Pour filling into piecrust. Smooth top with a spatula, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

To serve, use a hot wet knife to cut pie into 8 portions. Garnish with peanuts and drizzle Rich Chocolate Sauce. Makes 1 (9-inch) pie, 8 servings.

RICH CHOCOLATE SAUCE: In a small heavy saucepan, bring 3/4 cup half-and-half to a bare simmer over medium-low heat. Remove from heat. Place 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips in a medium heatproof bowl. Whisk half-and-half slowly into chocolate. Add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon butter and whisk until butter is completely incorporated. Sauce can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for several days, but it must be returned to room temperature before serving. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Planning ahead

We're heading into that frantic holiday season with lots of get-togethers, often potlucks where everyone brings a dish to share. They not only ease the shopping and cooking for the host (and give the pocketbook a break, too), but give others a chance to show off their prowess in the kitchen. If you're invited to a potluck, do your part to make it terrific.

Some tips:

-- Select recipes that can be made in advance, don't dry out and travel well, suggests Emeril Lagasse.

-- Plan to take the food in a serving dish (make sure it's transportable), ready to go and don't forget serving utensils. Or you can transport the food in airtight plastic containers, assemble and arrange it in your serving dish at the site.

-- Pack food in a box with newspapers or towels around it to keep it from moving around and spilling. There's nothing worse than ending up with a mess on the floor of your car (don't laugh, it's happened and getting rid of the smell, no matter what it is, is difficult). Or use an insulated cooler or chest, with gel or ice packs for cold items - or newspapers and towels for hot items.

-- If your item needs last-minute heating, ask the host in advance if it's feasible to use a microwave, oven, broiler, cooktop, etc. Otherwise, change your plans. A little secret: It's a lot simpler to take something ready to serve, that doesn't require any last-minute preparation in a strange kitchen.

-- Keep in mind that hot or cold foods should not be kept at room temperature for more than two hours, so plan accordingly.

-- If you're the host, don't forget to clean out the fridge before guests arrive.

- N.H.

CAPTION(S):

5 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) BAM! Emeril kicks POTLUCKS up a notch

(2 -- color) no caption (Emeril Lagasse)

(3 -- color) CLASSIC BLUE CHEESE DIP

(4 -- color) GOLDEN SHRIMP STEW

(5 -- color) CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER PIE

Food photos from ``Emeril's Potluck, Comfort Food With a Kicked-Up Attitude,'' William Morrow

Box:

Planning ahead (see text)