The first of two Palm Beach County-focused episodes of Emeril Lagasse’s new Florida food-and-travel TV show aired yesterday morning on The Cooking Channel.
If you missed it, it re-airs at 11:30 a.m. Thursday.
This Sunday, the second Palm Beach County episode of “Emeril’s Florida” debuts at 10:30 a.m.
Spoiler alert: A recap of yesterday’s “Emeril’s Florida” episode follows.
First, Emeril informs us he’s in “downtown Palm Beach” as he steps into Buccan for a chat and food tasting with chef/co-owner Clay Conley, who describes the dining experience and small-plates concept at Buccan as “coming over to our house and
having dinner with friends.”
Then there’s footage of a prior visit Conley and Lagasse paid to Loxahatchee’s Swank Farms, where the two selected such produce as purple brussels sprouts, so it’s no surprise that, when back at Buccan, Conley serves Lagasse a brussels-sprouts riff on a Caesar salad.
Among other dishes Conley shares with Lagasse: a short-rib empanada with two Peruvian sauces, and a hot dog panini with braised sauerkraut and Gruyere.
Then the two head to the kitchen, where Conley prepares a dish that employs swordfish he has marinated for 12 hours in yogurt, mustard oil, garlic, turmeric, ginger, chili powder, cumin and coriander.
Lagasse, after taking a bite: “Unbelievable flavor.”
Then he’s off to downtown Delray Beach to visit 32 East, where Chef Nick Morfogen shares wine-paired dishes with Lagasse and talks about Florida’s bounty of food producers.
Among Morfogen’s dishes for Lagasse: thinly sliced hog snapper caught that morning.
On a Jupiter leg of yesterday’s “Emeril’s Florida,” Lagasse visits Guanabanas, the open-air Inlet-front restaurant and bar where partner and general manager Jon Sullivan says the scene offers a “full outdoor experience.”
Ganabanas head chef Vinny Trupia takes Emeril to the back of the house and shows him how he schedules a constant influx of fresh fish the restaurant acquires and serves—everything from triple tail to golden tile fish.
At Guanabanas, Lagasse tastes such dishes as steamed Sanibel Island clams and sweet chili-glazed grilled shrimp.
Lagasse’s last stop is Quantum House in West Palm Beach.
Quantum, located on the St. Mary’s Medical Center campus, is “a home away from home” for families whose child or children are being treated for a serious illness.
Dinner each night at Quantum, we’re told, is an important component and cooked by chef-volunteers, who during Lagasse’s visit include The Breakers’ executive chef of banquets, Jeff Simms.
Simms and his team prepare a dinner spread that includes a couple of Peruvian dishes—caldo verde, for one—in honor of a Peruvian couple in residence while their young daughter is undergoing medical treatment.
