Raw Scallop Amuse Bouche 💋
Blood Orange Emulsion 🍊
A pristine day-boat scallop with a vibrant blood orange emulsion makes an exquisite and sophisticated amuse-bouche, combining the delicate sweetness of the buttery scallop with the lively, citrusy zing of the blood orange. This elegant bite certainly exemplifies the essence of an amuse-bouche: a small yet impactful introduction to the meal.
Enmoladas are similar to the more familiar Mexican enchiladas, but with a mole sauce instead of a chile sauce. And where enchiladas are usually baked in the sauce as a casserole, enmoladas are usually stuffed with fillings, rolled, and plated then the sauce is ladled on top. The word enmolada translates to “covered in mole.”
Originally from Mexico City, Chef Fernando Olea was named Best Chef Southwest 2022 by the James Beard Foundation for his unique interpretation of contemporary and traditional Mexican dishes.
The menu states that mole is a sauce of complex flavors that usually includes toasted and ground spices, seeds, nuts, chocolate and chile. Many mole recipes contain more than thirty ingredients and some recipes have five varieties of chile alone. Moles can be defined by their color such as rojo, verde, and negro; the town they are from such as Puebla, Oaxaca, Michoacan; and social class, such as pobres and ricos.
Not only does the Chef offer a tasting of his unique moles at the restaurant, he also sells them online so we can enjoy them at home!
A delightful dinner at Michael Mina’s Bardot Brasserie in the Aria Las Vegas served as the inspiration for this dish. But alas, with no snails on hand, I decided to try a monkfish version of Escargots de Bourgogne instead.
Et voilà, it exceeded our expectations!
The flesh of monkfish is dense, meaty, and succulent, with a sweet flavor. It has a firm texture that holds up well to baking at high heat in garlic butter, making it a perfect substitute for snails in this escargots-style recipe.
Monkfish, also known as lotte in French cuisine, is a unique-looking fish found in both the Atlantic and Mediterranean. It’s known for its rather unattractive appearance, with a large, flat head, tapering body, and a wide mouth filled with sharp teeth.
Despite its unappealing looks, monkfish is prized for its delicious, firm flesh, often compared to lobster or scallops in taste and texture. It’s also a sustainable seafood choice, as monkfish populations are relatively abundant and well-managed.
The Original Still Life with Fruit Dish and Yellow Vase at The Bellagio by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)
Re-Creating Picasso Restaurant At The Bellagio, Las Vegas
If you’ve been following Taste With The Eyes for a while, you know that I love to re-create dishes. Not just the food but the entire experience, including the ambience right down to the china, glass, and silver.
One of my most cherished creative outlets is to re-create historical events through food. The most popular by far is the re-enactment of Julia Child’s first meal in France in 1948 including her recipe for Sole Meunière.
Another favorite is the reimagining Julia’s kitchen in Cambridge, Massachusetts where we sneak a peek at her kitchen table with husband Paul as they enjoy a light supper that begins with Vichyssoise on a hot August night.
Our evening at Picasso Restaurant by Chef Julian Serrano in Las Vegas was worthy of re-creating. We had a fantastic meal where we enjoyed several fabulous courses, were awed by the ambiance and artwork, and thoroughly impressed by the service.
The Chef’s menu is drawn from his own background in the regional cuisines of Spain and France, and in honor of Pablo Picasso’s Spanish heritage and years the master artist spent living in France.
The Day Boat Scallop, Potato Mousseline, Jus de Veau course was especially captivating for its diminutive yet powerful presentation, combination of flavors and textures, and quality. If a restaurant is serving only one scallop, it had better be perfect!
Taste With The Eyes Re-Creation of Picasso’s Scallop Course
Dubliner is a robust aged cow’s milk cheese from West Cork, Ireland with a texture similar to a cheddar. It has nutty, sharp, sweet flavors that come from the milk of Irish grass-fed cows.
Here, the ubiquitous broccoli cheese soup is taken to another level – adding another vegetable profile – cauliflower, and creamy earthy white beans plus Irish cheese for a St. Paddy’s Day celebration!
The silky smooth texture is achieved by the action of a high-performance blender. It is that velvety texture that makes the soup so extraordinary. It could easily be served naked…
…but the blank green canvas begs for something jazzy. Queue up a range of garnishes such as micro greens, super-thin radish, chili oil, shredded cheese, and even a creamy shamrock! Erin go bragh.
Monkfish Cargot (Escargots-Style)
Picasso’s Scallop Recipe