Features

Try your hand at some classic Las Vegas restaurant dishes this holiday season

Image
Golden Steer’s prime rib
Photo: Wade Vandervort

Are you thinking what I’m thinking? We’ve all been cooking at home a bit more in the past two years, and maybe we’re ready to reach beyond roasted turkey or reheated ham for this year’s holiday meal. Consider a classic Vegas-themed menu that samples from some of our most legendary restaurants. It could be a fun way to add some flash and flavor to your table.

Prime Rib from Golden Steer 308 W. Sahara Ave., 702-384-4470, goldensteerlasvegas.com.

Vegas doesn’t get more classic than the Steer, where you can still order the exact meal Frank Sinatra used to enjoy after a show. And there’s no centerpiece of a dish more appropriate for the holidays than a perfect prime rib ready for slicing at the table. Luckily, you can pick up a copy of the Golden Steer Steakhouse book at the restaurant, full of recipes and stories from the past, which details the preparation for its famous prime rib.

This kitchen works with a 20-pound, nine-rib roast that serves from nine to 14. Coat your beef in coarse salt for a thicker, savory crust, place it in a roasting pan with the fat side up and bake at 300 degrees for two hours. That should result in medium-well cuts at the ends and rare in the middle. Serve with au jus and horseradish cream sauce for that special Golden Steer touch.

Pommes Purées (mashed potatoes) from Joël Robuchon MGM Grand, 702-891-7925, mgmgrand.com.

If you haven’t upgraded your mashies a la Robuchon for a family meal at home, you can still join the club. The secret has been out for a while now: Use way too much butter. Boil a pound of potatoes (we like Yukon Gold), mash them using a ricer, then throw them back in a pot with a half-pound of unsalted butter and mix well. Add a few splashes of milk, season with salt and pepper (we like rosemary, too) and you’re ready to impress four or more with the most indulgent “mashed potatoes” they’ve ever tasted.

Chicken Carciofi from Piero’s 355 Convention Center Drive, 702-369-2305, pieroscuisine.com.

Make a superior poultry decision with this bright, simple and versatile dish from Chef Chris Conlon, who’s been adding modern, flavorful touches to one of the city’s most celebrated Italian restaurant menus. For each serving, you’ll need a diced chicken breast and a few artichoke heart bottoms (also chopped), along with fresh garlic, white wine, lemon juice, butter, parsley, Wondra flour, salt, pepper and olive oil.

Start by seasoning the chicken and tossing it in the Wondra, then heat a sauté pan and add your olive oil. Sauté the chicken until golden brown, add artichokes and chopped garlic and keep cooking until the garlic is toasty. Deglaze with wine and add butter, then reduce until the sauce thickens to your preference. Finish with a healthy squeeze of lemon and chopped parsley.

Wine Braised Mushrooms from Top of the World The Strat, 702-380-7711, thestrat.com.

Umami-packed sautéed mushrooms don’t get enough credit as a holiday-friendly dish that goes with almost anything. “It’s often difficult to find a side to pair with a variety of main dishes, but this one can stand up next to all of your holiday favorites,” says Top of the World Chef Chad Castanino. “Plus, there is nothing better than creating a little luxury for your guests.”

Melt butter over high heat in a big pan, add sliced cremini mushrooms and salt and stir and cook until the ’shrooms have browned and all the liquid has evaporated. When the pan is almost dry, add diced shallots and garlic confit and cook for five minutes. Add small amounts of red wine vinegar, Burgundy cooking wine, thyme and sugar and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook until the sauce is thick and glossy.

Emeril’s Banana Cream Pie from Delmonico Venetian, 702-414-3737, venetian.com.

Name an iconic dessert that a) works for any occasion, b) makes something fancy out of something simple and c) satisfies both kids and adults. Emeril Lagasse’s banana cream pie is the right choice for any celebratory meal—creamy and smooth and packed into a graham cracker crust. This one’s a bit more complicated, so visit emerils.com if you need more details.

Combine 2 cups cream, 1 and a half cups whole milk, a half-cup of sugar and one vanilla bean (split and scraped with seeds) in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil while whisking, then remove from heat. Combine 3 egg yolks, 2 eggs, a half-cup of cornstarch and 1 cup sugar in a bowl, and whisk until pale yellow in color.

Whisk 1 cup of hot cream mixture into egg yolk mixture. Gradually add egg mixture to hot cream mixture, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer, stirring continuously to cook out cornstarch, and thicken for about 5 minutes. (If it separates, remove from heat and beat with an electric mixer until thick and smooth.) Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface. Chill in refrigerator for about 4 hours.

To assemble, spread a half-cup of custard over the bottom of the prepared crust, smoothing with the back of a large spoon or rubber spatula. Arrange banana slices in a tight pattern over custard, pressing down to pack them firmly. Repeat to build a second layer, using 3/4 cup custard and enough bananas to cover. For the third layer, spread 3/4 cup custard over bananas and top with remaining bananas, starting 1 inch from outer edge and working toward center. Spread 1 cup custard evenly over bananas to prevent discoloration. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Serve topped with whipped cream, caramel and chocolate sauces, chocolate shavings and fresh mint, if you want to be fancy like Emeril.

Share
Photo of Brock Radke

Brock Radke

Brock Radke is an award-winning writer and columnist who currently occupies the role of managing editor at Las Vegas Weekly ...

Get more Brock Radke
Top of Story