Category: Edible Flowers

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

Continue reading “Fried Prawns with Candied Walnuts, Inspired by Wing Lei-Las Vegas”

French Rolled Omelette, Boursin Cheese, Caviar

French Rolled Omelette, Boursin Cheese, Caviar

French Rolled Omelette
Boursin Cheese, Caviar

Bonjour! Happy Bastille Day! July 14th is the day when the French celebrate the birth of the French Republic, liberté, égalité, fraternité, and it is the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789 – a turning point for the success of the French Revolution.

Fête nationale is a national holiday throughout France, and we’re joining the celebration with a French Rolled Omelette filled with French cheese and topped with caviar!

Divine custardy soft-set eggs envelop the creamy shallot & chive soft cheese. The omelette is topped with plenty crunchy-salty caviar and chopped chives, adorned with ruffled edible flowers. It is a simple French masterpiece. Bon appétit!

The story of Boursin Cheese started with one man, François Boursin. In 1957, this young Normandy cheesemaker opened a cheese factory in Croisy-sur-Eure, a small community nestled in northern France. His own original recipe was inspired by fromage frais, a traditional French party dish that blended garlic, fresh cream, soft cheese, herbs, salt and pepper.

French Rolled Omelette, Boursin Cheese, Caviar

French Rolled Omelette Recipe

Continue reading “French Rolled Omelette, Boursin Cheese, Caviar”

Cod, Caviar, Champagne Sauce à la Joël Robuchon

Cod, Caviar, Champagne Sauce à la Joël Robuchon

Cod, Caviar, Champagne Sauce à la Joël Robuchon🌺 Cod, Caviar, Champagne Sauce 🌺
à la L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon

Sooner or later the question was bound to be asked, “What is your favorite restaurant in Las Vegas?” So many great chefs, so many fabulous restaurants… But after much consideration, I chose L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon at the MGM Grand for several reasons. With 31 stars, he is The Most Awarded Michelin-Star Chef in the World. 

But surprisingly far from being stuffy, L’Atelier is fun! As one would expect, the French-inspired dishes are second to none. Each one prepared with the exactness the Chef became known for, his relentless perfectionism; he famously said there is no such thing as the perfect meal – one can always do better.

With that black & red decor, intentionally designed to be the opposite of old-style French white & gold, the atmosphere is striking and modern. The service is simultaneously easy-going and top-notch. Wines are meticulously paired to elevate the entire dining experience. A seat at the counter often results in a genial and lively evening. Strangers become friends, there is a gregariousness in shared appreciation of the late Chef’s vision of stellar dishes, prepared in view of the guests, offered in a spirit of conviviality.

L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon

In 2003, the first L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon opened its doors in Paris, in the 7th arrondissement, and simultaneously in Tokyo. The success of L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Paris encouraged Joël Robuchon to develop its concept all over the world. The Las Vegas restaurant opened in 2005, followed by New York, London and Hong Kong, Taipei and many more.

Here, I re-create an exquisite dish and table setting from our most recent meal at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon – Cod with Caviar and Champagne Sauce.

Cod, Caviar, Champagne Sauce à la Joël Robuchon

Cod, Caviar, Champagne Sauce à la Joël Robuchon

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Las Vegas

Continue reading “Cod, Caviar, Champagne Sauce à la Joël Robuchon”

Spiced Chilled Blueberry Soup

Spiced Chilled Blueberry Soup🫐 Spiced Chilled Blueberry Soup 🫐
with
Fresh Blueberries, Toasted Hazelnuts, Kefir, Sour Cream

Sure, we could serve this delightful Spiced Chilled Blueberry Soup without the garnishes but what fun would that be?

While cinnamon, cardamon, ginger, allspice, and vanilla take a simple fruit soup to another level, the garnish gives it the wow-factor. Plump juicy blueberries and chopped toasted hazelnuts are mounded in the center. It turns out that blueberries and hazelnuts have an affinity for one another. And if a few edible flowers and fresh mint are available, why not add those too? Now the soup is ready to serve for a colorful summer luncheon. Bon appétit! 🌷

Spiced Chilled Blueberry Soup

Spiced Chilled Blueberry Soup Recipe

Continue reading “Spiced Chilled Blueberry Soup”

Loaf-Pan Focaccia and Avocado Toast

Small-Batch Focaccia and Avocado Toast

🫒 🧀 🍞 Loaf-Pan Focaccia 🍞 🧀 🫒
and
🥑 Avocado Focaccia Toasts 🥑

Small-batch focaccia dough is topped with olive salad, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, and baked in a loaf pan. It is heavenly, served warm with herbaceous fruity olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar for dipping.

The leftover portion is wrapped up and saved for the next morning’s breakfast – avocado toasts served two ways, plain and loaded. Focaccia is great as a sandwich bread, and loaf-pan focaccia makes for the absolute best avocado toast!

The dough is made with five simple ingredients – bread flour, instant yeast, salt, water, and olive oil. Compared to all-purpose, the amount of protein found in bread flour is higher in order to contain and produce more gluten and achieve the desired rise in bread. Because of this higher protein level, bread flour is able to absorb more liquid, allowing it to hold its shape and rise upward. The high amount of gluten in bread flour also creates a more elastic dough, which helps achieve focaccia’s airy crumb and chewy texture. Olive oil is added to the dough for tenderness and flavor.

Loaf-Pan Focaccia and Avocado ToastSmall-Batch Focaccia and Avocado Toast

Loaf-Pan Focaccia and Avocado Toast Recipes

Continue reading “Loaf-Pan Focaccia and Avocado Toast”