Dipping into culinary tips

Newport Coast resident and celebrity chef Jamie Gwen thinks a tasty party dip is essential for any New Year’s Eve party.

“I believe hot dips make a great party — it brings a party together and can be made very easily and inexpensively,� Gwen said.

The radio host and Home Shopping Network star will make her Food Network debut and share her recipe for hot clam dip with gourmet superstar Chef Emeril Lagasse on the show “Emeril Live� on Tuesday.

The bacon-and-cream-cheese-laden dip is featured in Gwen’s cookbook “Good Food for Good Times.�

The show was one of Lagasse’s final shows taped at the Food Network studios in New York last year. Earlier this year, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. acquired the rights to Emeril products, including his television shows. Locally, viewers can catch Gwen’s guest spot on the show at 7 a.m. Tuesday on the Food Network. The “Emeril Live� episode featuring Gwen also will air on Stewart’s Fine Living Network in 2009.

Gwen has known Lagasse for the past 10 years. The two chefs met while Gwen was the resident chef on the Family Channel’s “Home & Family Show.�

“This was just after the advent of the Food Network, and Emeril was this New Orleans chef who was making it big on TV — he’s been an incredible mentor and friend to me for a lot of years,� Gwen said.

Gwen later went on to become Lagasse’s chef and food stylist on the now-canceled NBC sitcom “Emeril,� which debuted in fall 2001.

Gwen was responsible for creating all of the food on the show, as well as feeding the crew.

“They built a huge, glorious kitchen on the set. Food was intertwined with every aspect of the show — there was food everywhere and it was all completely edible. I spent 17 hours a day cooking,� Gwen said.

Gwen plans to post her recipes from the “Emeril Live� show on her website, www.chefjamie.com.

The chef has co-authored four cookbooks with her mother, Lana Sills.

CHEF JAMIE’S HOT CLAM DIP

 Cut out the center of a round sourdough bread and form chunks from the inside of the loaf for dipping or serve the dip with chips, veggies or pretzels.

 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

 2 tablespoons yellow onion, grated

 2 tablespoons beer

 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

 3 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams, drained

 1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon, for topping

 Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium-size bowl combine the cream cheese, onion, beer, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and hot pepper sauce.

 Mix well, then fold the clams into the mixture. Pour the clam mixture into a shallow baking dish or a hollowed out bread bowl and top with the crumbled bacon.

 Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through and serve warm.