Roasted Pork Roast

Ingredients
1 boneless pork shoulder (about 4 pounds), skin on
4 garlic cloves, smashed
2-3 tablespoons oregano
2-3 tablespoons rosemary
3 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (optional)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (optional)

Place the pork, fat-side up, in a roasting pan fitted with a rack insert, and using a sharp knife, score the surface of the meat with small slits. Mash the garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper into a paste on a cutting board with the flat side of a knife; place the adobo in a bowl and stir in the oil and vinegar (optional).

Rub the garlic paste all over the pork, being sure to get into the incisions so the salt can penetrate the meat and pull out the moisture - this will help form a crust on the outside when cooked. Cover the pork with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

Allow the meat to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Roast the pork for 3 hours, uncovered, until the skin is crispy-brown. Let the meat rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing.

Roasted Potato Wedges

Ingredients
2-3 tbsp olive oil
Various spices - cayenne pepper, garlic salt, onion powder, paprika, emeril's essence, thyme, rosemary -- whatever you want
2-3 pounds potatoes, each cut into 8 wedges
Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 450. Combine olive oil, spices, and potatoes in a large ziploc bag, seal bag, shake well to combine ingredients.

Arrange potatoes on a cooking sheet covered with aluminum foil and cooking spray.

Bake at 450 until potatoes are cooked and golden brown.

Roasted Leg of Lamb with Rosemary & Garlic

1 boneless leg of lamb, about 5 pounds
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Using your hands, rub the lamb all over with the lemon juice. Pat the garlic and rosemary evenly all over the surface of the meat. Season the meat with the salt and pepper and place the lamb in a roasting pan.

Place the lamb in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to cook for about 1 hour longer for medium-rare, or until temp is a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the roast registers about 130 to 135 degrees F (about 20 minutes per pound). Remove lamb from pan and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Aunt Marian's Crab Cakes

2 green onions
1 lb. crab meat
1/4 cup half and half
3 tbs. mayo
1 egg beaten
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tbs. worcestershire sauce
2 cups italian bread crumbs
Extra italian bread crumbs for coating.

Combine first 9 ingredients. Make patties, coat with italian breadcrumbs and fry until golden brown on both sides.

Shrimp Scampi with linguini

1 pound large (16-20 count per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons Emeril's Essence
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon capers, crushed
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound cooked linguini
3 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with the Essence.

Place the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp and spread them out evenly in the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes and quickly turn the shrimp.

Add the garlic and capers to the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Add the wine, lemon juice, and remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter to the skillet and cook for 1 1/2 minutes.

Season the shrimp with the salt and pepper and add the pasta, tossing to coat well. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the parsley. Serve hot.

Chicken Marsala

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Emeril's Essence
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups sliced mushrooms (cremini, oyster, shiitake)
1/2 cup diced red onion
3 ounces diced prosciutto
3/4 cup Marsala
1 cup chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped chives, for garnish
Seasonings for chicken, your choice

Season the chicken.  In a shallow plate combine the flour and Essence and stir to combine thoroughly. Quickly dredge the chicken thighs in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking to remove any excess flour.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook the chicken thighs until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Add the other 2 tablespoons of the butter to the pan and add the mushrooms and onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are golden brown around the edges and have given off their liquid. Add the prosciutto and saute for 1 minute. Add the Marsala wine and bring to a boil, scraping to remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When the wine has reduced by half, add the chicken stock and cook for 3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly.

Lower the heat to medium and return the chicken thighs to the pan and continue to cook until they are cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes.  If sauce is not thickening, add a little flour/water mixture to thicken.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped chives and serve immediately.