Local chefs create ‘True Blood’-themed treats
Not so long ago, we seemed to confine our scaring-the-daylights-out-of-ourselves to late October, the period around Halloween. But that was before vampires took over the world -- or seemed to, anyway. Now, there's continual skulking and spooking, not to mention the letting of a whole lot of (blessedly fake ) blood in books and on the large and small screens.
With all of our bright-lights, big-city glitz, Las Vegas wouldn't seem a natural draw for vampires, who tend to like the dark, so maybe it's a given that local native Rutina Wesley, who plays Tara Thornton on HBO's "True Blood," is a mere mortal. The fact that the end of the show's fourth season left that mortality in doubt -- a gunshot wound in the side of the head will tend to do that -- may be the reason we weren't able to reach Wesley for this story.
We did, however, ask local chefs to conjure up some "True Blood"-themed treats, in case you would like to throw a Halloween party in the spirit of Sookie Stackhouse and friends.
They definitely got into it: Luxor executive chef Tom Gorball themed Sookie's roll because, he said, the sesame and tobiko look like fairy dust (Sookie is part fairy) and the staff at Simon Restaurant & Lounge at Palms Place created Alcide Herveaux's lobster beignets because they are moon-shaped (and Herveaux is a werewolf). The beignets will be featured at Simon's special Halloween brunch on Sunday.
Johannes Bernau of Santa Fe Station's Charcoal Room went even further. His Bill Compton's Blood Sphere Martini is technically a cocktail, but the magic of molecular gastronomy has turned it into a solid; besides, he said, it's an hors d'oeuvre and not a drink "because blood is food to a vampire."
And the silver garnish?
"Yes, silver hurts vampires," Bernau said, "but just the right amount gives this drink a kick big enough to wake the dead."
ERIC NORTHMAN'S O NEGATIVE COCKTAIL
2 ounces blood orange juice
½ ounce Solerno blood orange liqueur
1 ounce Hangar One Mandarin Blossom
½ ounce Yuzu Luxe Sour (yuzu, kaffir lime leaves and fresh lemon juice)
Cinzano Brachetto
Mix first four ingredients and top with Cinzano Brachetto (a sparkling red-hued wine)
For garnish: a blood orange chip that has been dehydrated but still maintains its tart flavor and crimson color
-- Recipe from Mariena Mercer, mixologist, The Cosmopolitan
BILL COMPTON'S BLOOD SPHERE MARTINI
For the sphere:
½ cup blood orange juice
1 cup vodka
½ cup simple syrup
10 grams calcium lactate gulcanate
2 grams xanthan gum
For alginate bath:
5 grams sodium alginate
1 quart bottled water
For red wine syrup:
1 bottle red wine
½ cup sugar
Zest of 1 blood orange
3 ounces blood orange juice
For garnish:
1 gram silver dust
3 small blood orange wedges
For sphere, mix first four ingredients in a blender for 1 minute. With blender going, add xanthan gum. Set aside for 24 hours, or until bubbles are gone.
For alginate bath, mix sodium alginate and bottled water in a blender. Set aside for four hours, or until bubbles are gone.
For red wine syrup, mix all ingredients in a stainless-steel pot and heat until thick and syrupy.
Drop 1 tablespoon of sphere mixture into the alginate bath for 30 seconds (it should sink to the bottom). Slightly agitate mix; sphere should be taking shape. Using a slotted spoon, move to a plain water bath to stop the chemical reaction.
To serve, place a pool of syrup on plate and top with a sphere; garnish with silver and orange wedges.
Makes 1.
-- Recipe from Johannes Bernau, room chef at The Charcoal Room, Santa Fe Station
JASON STACKHOUSE'S PANKO-CRUSTED OYSTERS WITH SPICY WASABI CREAM
For Napa cabbage slaw:
1 medium head Napa cabbage, shredded
1 small carrot, finely julienned
1 red Fresno pepper, finely julienned, or other red chili pepper
4 scallions, finely julienned
½ teaspoon grated ginger
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
For spicy wasabi cream:
2 tablespoons powdered wasabi
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon sour cream
For panko-crusted oysters:
12 oysters in shell, shucked, bottom shells reserved
1 egg
2 tablespoons heavy cream
½ cup all-purpose flour
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1 cup peanut oil
Kosher salt
1 bunch cilantro
To make slaw, combine all ingredients and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
For wasabi cream, combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth. Adjust seasoning with additional soy sauce as desired.
For oysters, whisk together the egg and cream. Season flour with pepper. Dredge the oysters in flour and shake off excess. Dip in egg mixture, then roll in panko. Refrigerate.
Heat oil in a large saute pan to 350 degrees (do not allow to smoke). Fry oysters until golden brown on both sides, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.
To serve, put a small pile of slaw in each of the reserved oyster shells. Top with a fried oyster. Drizzle with wasabi cream and garnish with kosher salt and cilantro sprig.
Makes 12.
-- Recipe from Texas Department of Agriculture
ALCIDE HERVEAUX'S LOBSTER BEIGNETS WITH NEW ORLEANS REMOULADE
3 eggs, beaten
1 bottle of beer
3¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Creole seasoning, to taste
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 chopped green onions
2 cups chopped lobster meat
Oil for frying
Whisk together eggs and beer; reserve.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and pepper and Creole seasoning. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, chopped onions and lobster. Fold in egg mixture until combined well and no flour remains on side or bottom of bowl. Let stand 15 minutes.
Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop dough balls into oil heated to 360 degrees. Fry until golden brown. Remove with slotted spoon and transfer to paper towels. Sprinkle with Creole seasoning and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
-- Recipe from Simon Restaurant & Lounge, Palms Place
SOOKIE STACKHOUSE'S FAIRY ROLL
8 ounces prepared sushi rice
1 sheet seaweed
¼ avocado
2 ounces cucumber, cut julienne
3 ounces spicy tuna
3 ounces yellowtail
3 tablespoons spicy garlic ponzu sauce
Sprinkling of sesame seeds and tobiko
Spread rice on the seaweed and flip over so rice is on bottom.
Add avocado, cucumber and spicy tuna, layering evenly.
Roll seaweed tightly by hand, or use bamboo sushi roller.
Add yellowtail on top of roll, making sure fish is pressed down firmly to keep roll from falling apart.
Slice; top with sauce and garnish with sesame seeds and tobiko
-- Recipe from Rice & Co., Luxor
SAM MERLOTTE'S HALLOWEEN
JIGGLERS HANDS
Three 3-ounce packages grape-flavor gelatin
One 3-ounce package orange-flavor gelatin
2½ cups boiling water
Combine gelatin mixes in large bowl. Add boiling water and stir 3 minutes, until completely dissolved. Pour into 13-by-9-inch pan and refrigerate three hours, or until firm.
Trace outline of hand on piece of paper. Cut out pattern; place on top of gelatin. Cut around pattern with sharp knife, making sure to cut all the way through gelatin to bottom of pan. Repeat with remaining gelatin.
Dip bottom of pan in warm water for 15 seconds. Carefully remove hand cutouts from pan. Serve on individual plates or add to Halloween punch.
-- Recipe from Kraft
Contact reporter Heidi Knapp Rinella at hrinella@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0474.
