Vegas Food and Treasures from 2011
Delectable edibles from pro pastry chefs
By Nikki Villoria
Article courtesy of www.BestofLasVegas.com
When it comes to the holiday season, sweets and sugary confections are a given. Before you reach for the traditional standbys that you bake and share every year, try some of these delectable treats. Patisserie chef Jean-Philippe Maury, from his pastry shop Jean-Philippe inside the Bellagio, and pastry chef Ana Funes, from Sugar Factory American Brasserie inside Paris Las Vegas, shared some of their recipes in time for the holidays.
Patisserie chef Jean-Philippe Maury
Christmas cookies
Cookie ingredients:
3 C all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 C (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 C sugar
1 large egg
2 Tbs sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
Additional granulated sugar for decoration (optional)
Cookie preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Sift the first three ingredients into a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and 1 cup of sugar in large bowl to blend well. Add one egg, the sour cream and vanilla and beat for one minute. Beat in the dry ingredients in two additions until just blended. Gather the dough together and divide it in half. Flatten each half into a disc, wrap the discs in plastic and chill for an hour. (The dough can be prepared up to a day in advance. Keep the dough chilled and soften it slightly at room temperature before rolling it out.)
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Sprinkle the work surface and the tops of the dough discs with additional sugar. Working with one disc at a time, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness (dough will be very soft). Using assorted 2- to 3-inch cookie cutters, cut out cookies. Transfer these to prepared sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Gather the scraps, roll them out on the sugared surface and cut out more cookies. Repeat until all the dough is used. Chill the cookies on baking sheets for at least 15 minutes and up to an hour.
Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until lightly golden at the edges, about 12 minutes. Transfer the cookies to racks and cool completely.
Icing ingredients:
4 C (or more) sifted powdered sugar (sifted, then measured)
3 Tbs (or more) egg white
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon juice
Colored sugar crystals, sprinkles or other decorations
Food-safe, water-based colors
Icing preparation:
Combine 4 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons egg white, vanilla extract and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Stir until the icing is well blended, smooth and spreadable. Add more egg white a teaspoonful at a time if it’s too thick or more sugar a tablespoonful at a time if it’s too thin. Add the chosen coloring.
Using a small icing spatula or table-knife, spread a thin layer of icing atop each cookie. If you’re using colored sugar crystals, sprinkle them over the cookies before the icing sets.
Decorate the cookies as desired. (These can be made up to three days in advance. Store them in an airtight container between sheets of waxed paper at room temperature.)
Holiday chocolate truffles
Yields approximately 50 pieces
Ingredients:
11 ounces dark chocolate (58 percent cacao, minimum)
8 ounces for ganache
3 ounces for coating
2/3 C heavy cream
1 orange
1 Tbs Grand Marnier liqueur
5 ounces cocoa powder for dusting
Preparation:
Finely chop 8 ounces of chocolate and put in a bowl. Zest the orange, add to the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a boil in a small saucepan.
Strain the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for one minute. Stir gently with a whisk (do not beat or you’ll incorporate air), starting in the center and working your way to the edge until the ganache is smooth.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it thicken at room temperature until it can hold its shape, approximately two hours.
Using a pastry bag with a 3/8-inch opening tip, pipe the ganache into mounds about ¾ inch high and ¾ inch wide on parchment-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt 3 more ounces of the same chocolate and, while wearing gloves, coat the palms of your hands. Gently coat each chilled ganache mound and immediately toss them in chocolate powder, using a fork to coat them evenly.
Store the truffles inside an airtight box at room temperature.
Pastry chef Ana Funes
Milk chocolate fondue
Ingredients:
16 ounces milk chocolate
2 ounces grape seed oil
6 ounces water
Preparation:
In a medium-size saucepan, bring the water to a simmer. In a metal bowl, combine the chocolate and the grape seed oil. Place the bowl over the saucepan, creating a double boiler. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and combined with the grape seed oil. Transfer the mixture to a fondue pot or set the mixing bowl on a rack above a small candle.
Red velvet cupcakes
Ingredients:
15 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 C vegetable oil
13 ounces granulated sugar
1 1/4 C buttermilk
3 eggs
¼ C chocolate chips
2 Tbs plus 2 tsp red food coloring
1 1/4 tsp vinegar
1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 C water
Cream cheese frosting:
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound butter, room temperature
2 pounds powdered sugar, sifted
1 Tbs vanilla extract
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and let chill until you’re ready to decorate cupcakes.
Cupcake preparation:
Preheat the oven 350 F.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder into a bowl and set aside.
In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the oil, sugar and buttermilk until combined. Add the eggs, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla and water and mix well. Add the dry ingredients a little bit at a time and mix on low, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Mix until the ingredients are just combined. Be sure not to over-mix or the batter will come out tough. Add the chocolate chips.
Line a 16-cup cupcake pan with paper liners, scoop the batter into the
liners and bake at 350 F for 20 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the batter comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool. Frost by hand or pipe frosting onto cupcakes with a pastry bag.
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Sink your teeth into 2011’s best bites
by Jim Begley, John Curtas, Brock Radke
Article courtesy of www.lasvegasweekly.com
Almost too beautiful to eat, the P.J. Clarke’s cheddar cheeseburger was one of John Curtas’ favorite meals of 2011.
On the plate, it was a very good year. In revisiting their best bites of 2011, the Weekly food critics will get you salivating for 2012.
John Curtas
1. Oxtail Bucatini with Oxtail Sauce (Le Cirque, at Bellagio) This Gregory Pugin dish looks like a plain, savory custard but unspools to reveal bucatini strands hiding insanely rich braised oxtail. It’s a meat dish made by angels with a devilish calorie count, and it might be the biggest umami bomb of the year.
2. Roasted Sea Bass over Arugula (Due Forni, 3555 S. Town Center Dr.) Take a talented Italian chef (Carlos Buscaglia) and give him an 800 degree oven and a juicy piece of branzino—in a minute or two he can turn out a crispy, succulent seafood wonder, atop a bed of tangy arugula sprinkled with capers. The best off-Strip seafood dish I had this year.
3. Dover Sole Meuniere (Eiffel Tower Restaurant, at Paris Las Vegas) Simple and sublime fish, served with just the right crust and just a touch of lemon. Sure, it’s expensive ($69), but it’s also one of the best tasting fish in the world, and they don’t charge for the view.
4. Mascarpone Cheesecake (RM Seafood, at Mandalay Place) Theresa Gwizdaloski’s deceptively simple concoction of sublime sophistication performs the seemingly impossible feat of being both adult and childlike. It combines silky, grown-up cheesecake with three flavors (caramel sauce, bubble gum sorbet and malted milk foam) straight from the kiddie-pleasing playbook.
5. Cheddar Cheeseburger (P.J. Clarke’s, at the Forum Shops) Meyer Ranch beef, the perfect grind, seasoned right and cooked to medium rare—this is the gold standard of Strip burgers, for $5-$10 less than those at most steakhouses. The squishy bun is a plus and a must.
At KoMex, you might get a dish named after you.
Jim Begley
1. Bulgogi-Fried Rice (KoMex Fusion Express, 633 N. Decatur Blvd.) KoMex’s menu is strewn with dishes requested by—and named for—its patrons. You can find this smoky, sweet offering under “Jim’s fried rice.”
2. Caramel Budino (D.O.C.G. Enoteca, at the Cosmopolitan) Sweet and salty? Yes and yes! The Italian pudding at Scott Conant’s casual Cosmo eatery comes adorned with sea salt for a simple flavor contrast in every spoonful.
3. Pad See-Yew (David Wong’s Pan Asian, 2980 S. Durango Dr.) David’s name is on the marquee, but his wife Lisa does the hard work, wok-frying this wide-noodle dish just long enough for perfect smokiness, caramelization and texture.
4. Oxtail Eggs Benedict (Comme Ça, at the Cosmopolitan) Chef Brian Howard’s maniacal mastery brings us braised oxtail, poached eggs and organic spinach atop a Gruyere and pepper pastry—all smothered in bone marrow and truffle Hollandaise sauce.
5. Pepperoni and Meatball Panzarotti (Papa Geo’s, 5597 S. Rainbow Blvd.) Mama Geo hand-prepares each wonderful pocket of joy. If you ask nicely, she’ll combine her housemade meatballs with some pepperoni for a cheesy, meaty extravaganza.
Scarpariello is Italian for delicious. Not really, but this Rao’s dish is.
Brock Radke
1. Zooza Benny (Zoozacrackers, at Wynn Las Vegas) Old-school deli gets decadent with chef Sammy Morse’s housemade pastrami and corned beef stacked on crisp potato latkes with poached eggs, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing. I just drooled on my keyboard.
2. Ricotta Ravioli with Smoked Salmon (Aureole, at Mandalay Bay) This incredibly refined starting dish—a smoky, creamy masterpiece augmented with baby artichokes, sugar snap peas and a lemon-thyme sauce—packs enough flavor for an entire meal.
3. Chicken Scarpariello (Rao’s, at Caesars Palace) Perfect poultry and spicy-sweet Italian sausage swim in a sea of vinegary peppers and garlicky butter sauce. It’s tough to pick a favorite dish at Rao’s; it’s even tougher not to order this one.
4. Maple Glazed Quail (Vic & Anthony’s, at Golden Nugget) The Nugget’s steakhouse is Downtown’s best restaurant overall because of inventive dishes like this, a beautifully caramelized bird that looks as good as it tastes.
5. Chips and Irish Curry Sauce (Rí Rá, at Mandalay Place) This is the guilty pleasure pick, full of simple savory goodness: crispy French fries (doesn’t matter what they call them across the pond) are drizzled with a powerful curry-ish gravy. Consider it Irish poutine.
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Some treasures of Las Vegas Nevada and the surrounding area
by Eileen Di Rocco
Read Eileen every week reporting on Vegas news at www.gamingtoday.com
This is the time of year writers typically sum up everything they consider important that happened the preceding 12 months. Or they opine on what is to come in the New Year.
But we are a firm believer in leaving the past where it is, and our powers of prognostication have never been outstanding.
Instead, we thought we’d continue the upbeat theme we espoused a few weeks ago and remind readers of some of the treasures of Las Vegas and the surrounding area. Some are places, some are people. They all help make our city great. In no particular order, here they are.
Valley of Fire – Great winter get-away. On a sunny day, as you round that last curve and see the valley below, the view is breathtaking. It’s a beautiful spot to hike and enjoy some peace and quiet.
Las Vegas Strip – On a Saturday night there is no better people-watching place in the world. In fact, just when you think you’ve seen everything, you will be proven wrong. Nothing, but nothing, compares with the Las Vegas Strip.
Steve Wynn – Although he has turned some of his attention away from Nevada, the Magic Man still has an undeniable legacy here. Among other things, he gave us The Mirage and Bellagio. Then he outdid himself with Wynn Las Vegas and Encore. He is largely responsible for the big is better attitude that garnered our valley the attention of the world.
Jerry’s Famous Coffee Shop – Located in Jerry’s Nugget casino in North Las Vegas, this warm, friendly restaurant offers one of the largest menu selections in a casino coffee shop. And, as you might expect, the price is right. As a friend once told us, “Value is the confluence of price and quality.” Those two elements combine beautifully at Jerry’s, especially for breakfast.
Bill Boyd – Look up the word gentleman in the dictionary and that’s Bill. The son of gaming pioneer Sam Boyd, Bill has been a strong pillar in the community, not just gaming.
Mt. Charleston Lodge – Although the mountain has gotten a bit overdeveloped, taking away from the pristine natural beauty, the lodge is still a fun place to get away from the hustle and bustle of every day. We like a window seat so we can watch the hummingbirds that come to enjoy the many feeders hanging from the eaves. And, we don’t know of any other place around where you can order an elk burger.
Clint Holmes – There’s a reason he packed them in on the Strip for so many years. The man has talent. His voice is better than ever and we can hardly wait until he starts his monthly concerts at the new Smith Center in downtown. Beginning in April he will appear the first weekend of each month for one full year.
Maestro David Itkin – The conductor/musical director of the Las Vegas Symphony is a musical treasure. He does it all and does it all masterfully. We all should have his energy.
Downtown Las Vegas – Friends say a revival is already underway. It is lots of fun on weekends with many different things to do. The Golden Nugget is leading the way and others are following. The Plaza has done major refurbishing and recently opened Oscar’s. It’s also the second best people-watching venue.
I-15 – Its current configuration is a huge improvement, especially between Silverado Rancho to the south and Lake Mead Blvd. to the north. We especially approve of the new lanes that keep exiting traffic in its own lanes and the new pavement. After years of complaints things on I-15 are looking up.
Baguette Café – A hard-to-find little gem near Durango and the 215 in the southwest part of town (8359 W Sunset Rd # 100). It has a unique menu and is a great spot for a quick breakfast or lunch. The soups are the best, a must-have is you stop in.
A NEW “PUP:” Congratulations to GT columnist Dennis “Denny the Dog” Ball and wife Renee on the birth of their first grandchild, Jack Dennis Ball, born Dec. 8. The new “pup,” son of Dane and Casey Ball, came in at 6 lbs, 13 oz.
“As you can imagine, Renee and I are very excited,” Dennis told us last week. “But Renee is even more excited because Jack was born on her birthday!”
See you around town.
