A look inside Emeril Lagasse's new cookbook

Make a little room on your bookshelf, and dust off the grill.

Chef Emeril Lagasse's got a new cookbook — "Emeril at the Grill, A Cookbook for All Seasons" (Harper Studio, $24.99).

It's his first cookbook in more than three years, and it's packed with more than 150 recipes for grilling indoors and outdoors, all year long. Chapters cover drinks, salads, sides, burgers, kabobs, meatballs, sandwiches, desserts and more.

The book is softbound, with a nod to these tight economic times, when people are cooking more at home and carefully watching their grocery bills. "We didn't want to make it a pricey book," Emeril said. "We shied away from that."

Emeril likes grilling for a lot of reasons. "You can get very creative, enjoy the outdoors and be with your family. If you do some stuff ahead of time, you can really do the whole meal."

Start with a cool caipirinha, prepare a grilled sweet potato salad, try Northern Italian-style chicken under a brick and whip up a batch of grilled chocolate sandwiches. Then just forget about your stove.

There really isn't much excuse not to grill, is Emeril's philosophy. "I'm grilling outside three times a week, at least," he said.

The cookbook also provides helpful information on what to do and not do when it comes to grilling.

"If they read this book first they're going to learn how to treat your grill, and what tools you'll need," plus how to properly use various cooking temperatures to avoid common rookie mistakes. "You can't just put protein on a hot grill and then wonder why everything's charred," Emeril said.

If you buy only three grilling accessories, Emeril suggests you get a pair of long tongs, a long-handled spatula and a meat thermometer "not only for safety but for not drying things out." He also strongly recommends keeping a cooking-temperature chart on hand for safety reasons.

On the gas vs. charcoal grill question, Emeril said he prefers charcoal, but he uses both.

Here's a sample of some recipes:

Grilled Asparagus with Garlic

Makes 4 servings

1 pound large asparagus, woody ends trimmed

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1. Preheat a grill to medium.

2. In a shallow baking dish, toss the asparagus with the oil to coat well. Add the salt and pepper, and toss to coat evenly.

3. Place the asparagus on the grill in a single layer (preferably in a grill basket), and cook, turning occasionally, until the spears are marked and tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to a platter, sprinkle with the lemon juice and garlic, and toss to combine. Cover with aluminum foil and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Vietnamese-Style Chicken Wings

Makes 4 to 6 appetizer servings

3 to 3 1/2 pounds chicken wings, separated at the joints, tips reserved for another use

1/2 cup roughly chopped lemongrass bases

1/4 cup chopped shallots

1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger

3 tablespoons chopped green onions (white part only)

3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons roughly chopped garlic

1/3 cup Vietnamese fish sauce (nuoc nam)

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

3 tablespoons peanut oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped dry-roasted salted peanuts

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Rinse the wing pieces under cold running water and pat them dry with paper towels. Set them aside in a resealable plastic bag.

2. Combine the lemongrass, shallots, ginger, green onions, brown sugar, garlic, fish sauce, lime juice and peanut oil in a food processor and process until smooth. Pour the marinade over the chicken wings, and seal the bag. Refrigerate overnight.

3. Preheat grill to medium.

4. Remove the chicken wings from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Place the wings on the grill and season them with the salt. Cook, turning frequently and basting often with the marinade, for 15 minutes. Discard any remaining marinade and continue to grill the wings until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes longer.

5. Place the chicken on a platter and garnish with the chopped peanuts and cilantro. Serve immediately.

(c) 2009, The Sun Herald (Biloxi, Miss.).