Tag: las vegas food

Seared Scallops, Crispy Prosciutto, Smoky Chickpeas

Seared Scallops, Crispy Prosciutto, Smoky Chickpeas

Seared Sea Scallops, Crispy Prosciutto
Smoky Chickpeas with Spinach

The inspiration for this super dish comes from another Las Vegas restaurant, this time, Superfrico at The Cosmopolitan.

Their current menu serves roasted sea scallops with cannellini beans, smoked butter, and prosciutto. A past menu served the scallops with chickpeas, Calabrian chile, and kale. Here, with a nod to both the old and new menus, I heat the chickpeas with a smoked paprika butter, then add baby spinach to wilt.

The pan-seared buttery sea scallops have a rich, sweet flavor. Prosciutto brings savory salty notes and when cooked, it develops a delightful crunch while retaining its intense umami taste. Nutty, earthy, and slightly creamy chickpeas are paired with tender garlicky spinach where the paprika butter adds complexity, depth, and an alluring smokiness. It is one tasty Vegas-style dish that comes together in minutes with very little prep!

Superfrico Instagram: Scallops, Prosciutto, and Cannellini Beans
Superfrico Instagram: Scallops, Prosciutto, and Cannellini Beans

Seared Scallops, Crispy Prosciutto Recipe

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Michael Mina Las Vegas and The Black Cod

Michael Mina Bellagio Las Vegas

Michael Mina Restaurant
Bellagio, Las Vegas
and
The Black Cod with Black Truffle Dashi

Nestled within the luxurious Bellagio resort in Las Vegas, the Michael Mina restaurant offers an exquisite dining experience that reflects the Chef’s commitment to culinary innovation and top-notch service. Boasting an upscale atmosphere, the restaurant’s interior design is chic and contemporary, creating a stylish backdrop for a most memorable meal.

Chef Mina is renowned for his modern take on American cuisine. He often combines classic flavors with a fresh perspective, resulting in dishes that are both sophisticated and approachable.

Michael Mina Las Vegas and The Black Cod

The Miso Black Cod with Aromatique Vegetables and Black Truffle Dashi is a superb dish in true Michael Mina style, an elegant presentation with dashi poured at the table.

Black cod is glazed with a miso-based marinade.  The fish has a delicate, buttery texture and rich umami flavor. It is broiled to perfection and the result is a beautifully caramelized exterior with a slightly crispy texture and a lusciously moist and flaky interior. The sweet and savory miso glaze not only enhances the natural sweetness of the black cod but also imparts a unique depth of flavor to the dish.

Black Cod, Black Truffle Dashi

Black truffle dashi adds a layer of sophistication, a heady aroma, and a sumptuous touch. The dish showcases the culinary artistry of balancing flavors and textures while highlighting the natural qualities of the black cod.

Michael Mina Restaurant and My Black Cod Recipe

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Lemony Salmon Crudo, Local Basil

Salmon Crudo, Local Lemon Basil Leaves, Italian Basil Oil

🐟 🌿 🍋 Lemony Salmon Crudo 🍋 🌿 🐟

Sashimi-Quality Sockeye Salmon
Local Lemon Basil Leaves, Italian Basil Oil
Lemon Emulsion, Red and Green Jalapeño
Lemon Slices, Maldon Sea Salt Flakes

Lemon Basil has a distinct flavor profile that combines the aromatic notes of basil with a bright, citrusy twist. I was thrilled to find this herb as well as a super flavorful and aromatic Italian Basil grown right here in Las Vegas at a local urban indoor farm! Frontier Farms grows fresh Herbs & Greens & Edible Flowers without pesticides or herbicides in a controlled state-of-the-art growing environment.

With a basil-like anise flavor, lemon basil is often described as slightly sweet, herbaceous, and peppery. And as the name suggests, lemon basil has a pronounced lemony or citrusy aroma and taste. This lemony aspect adds a refreshing and zesty quality to the herb. Also detectable are minty undertones, which contribute to its complexity.

When it comes to pairing lemon basil with foods, it pairs well with a variety of dishes and ingredients, especially seafood. It can be used as a garnish to give sushi or sashimi a unique kick.

Sockeye salmon have a beautiful bright red flesh that is bold and intense and exquisite. Its dense, meaty texture facilitates the cutting of lovely raw thin slices. The leaner flesh of sockeye balances and harmonizes with rich citrusy olive oil emulsions. Lemon lovers will swoon over this sockeye salmon crudo recipe with 3 layers of lemon – lemon basil, lemon slices, and lemon emulsion.

Lemony Salmon Crudo Recipe

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Fried Prawns with Candied Walnuts, Inspired by Wing Lei-Las Vegas

Fried Prawns with Candied Walnuts, Inspired by Wing Lei🦐 Fried Prawns with Creamy Calamansi Sauce 🦐
Date Syrup Candied Walnuts with Chinese Five Spice

Wing Lei is the first Chinese restaurant in North America to earn a Michelin star – serving Cantonese, Shanghai and Szechuan flavors, and featuring tableside-carved Imperial Peking duck.

The meaning of the Chinese characters that represent Wing Lei, is twofold: not only does it mean “forever prosperous” but it also represents “Wynn” itself, the luxury Las Vegas resort and casino. All the menu items are priced ending in 88 cents. Representing prosperity and completeness, the number 88 is especially popular in Chinese culture because of the double eights but also because of its visual similarity to the sign for double happiness 囍.

Places are set with two sets of chopsticks per person. Black chopsticks are used to take food from mutual dishes to one’s plate. White ones are meant to carry food to one’s mouth.

We recently enjoyed an extraordinary meal at Wing Lei, celebrating my nephew’s 21st birthday. The service and ambiance were impeccable, the food sublime. One of our favorite dishes was Fried Prawns, I re-create my version here.

Fried Prawns with Candied Walnuts, Inspired by Wing Lei

Fried Prawns Recipe

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THIS IS HOW WE VEGAS

THIS IS HOW WE VEGAS

THIS IS HOW WE VEGAS

Yes, we have an ongoing LOVE AFFAIR with French Cuisine. And Italian, and Spanish, and California and so on and so on. We also have a LOVE AFFAIR with Vegas. THE Foodie Paradise where gorgeous restaurants are designed as if money-were-no-object, with the highest concentration of World-Class chefs, and our favorite alfresco-dining galore. Yes, we love to play blackjack (thanks Dr. Thorp), take long walks along the strip early in the morning, spend time at the spa and pools, and take in the fabulous shows  – but truth be told, it’s the food that is our main attraction. THIS is how we Vegas, last weekend:

Bardot Brasserie by Michael Mina – Aria

Lavo Italian Restaurant – The Palazzo

Lago by Julian Serrano – The Bellagio

Giada by Giada De Laurentiis – The Cromwell

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