When I’m dining at a world-renowned chef’s restaurant, I don’t expect the menu items to be made with just five ingredients or less. If something tastes amazing, I immediately assume that it’s virtually impossible to recreate at home.
I’ve been proven wrong countless times—as in Gordon Ramsay’s Lobster RisottoBut never as bad as I was. Emeral Lagasse Restaurants On a recent visit to the newly renovated Caesars New Orleans Hotel, I dined at one of Lagasse’s nine restaurants, Emeral’s Brasserie. Everything I ate, from French onion soup To Peanut Butter Piewas delicious, but (always the easy home cook) one of my favorite parts of the meal was the simple appetizer of blue crab tumblers.
The crab on a bed of avocado was delicious, but what stole the show were the crackers that accompanied the seafood dip: Lagasse’s Fire Crackers.
I know that draws from Lagasse. Creole and Cajun cuisinebut who knew it would serve. An Alabama classic On his menu? And a classic that’s so easy it only takes two ingredients?
Emeral Lagasse’s Firecrackers
Fire crackers—also known as Alabama fire crackers—are the easiest way to elevate a boring saltine cracker. Traditionally, they are made with Khet Dressing Masala Add a pungent flavor and red pepper flakes to add some heat – hence the name “fire”.
However, Lagasse added a little Louisiana flair to his crackers, which are typical of the New Orleans menu, by substituting packets of ranch dressing and red pepper flakes. Cajun spice. Cooking adds a mildly spicy, deep garlicky flavor to the crackers—making them so delicious that I found myself eating the crackers alone without the shrimp and avocado.
Lagasse takes his firecrackers a step further than most recipes. Many recipes don’t call for cooking fire crackers—that’s what makes them so appealing. Instead, you marinate the crackers in canola oil and spices for a few hours to infuse the flavors, then let them dry overnight before serving. If you want a crispier bite, you can bake or air fry them for about 15 minutes, but it’s not necessary.
closelyOn the other hand, chooses to deep fry his snacks. It may sound over the top, but this is what takes these crackers to a whole new level of taste and deliciousness.
The team at Emeril’s Brasserie at Caesars New Orleans shares Lagasse’s firecracker recipe — and it’s as easy as “deep-fry saltine crackers in 350-degree oil for one minute. Place on a rack and season with your favorite Cajun seasoning.” Sprinkle with
If you don’t want to deep fry the crackers, you can follow the regular method. Fire Cracker Recipe And marinate the crackers in oil and Cajun seasoning before setting them on a baking sheet to dry overnight.
Personally, I could eat these crackers on their own, but as Lagasse’s appetizers prove, they make a great accompaniment. At any dip. Whether you deep-fry crackers or replace your ranch seasoning with Cajun seasoning the next time you try firecrackers, you’ll want this easy snack from here for every occasion.