5 Reasons to Visit Foxwoods this Fall
Where
do chefs go after New York? Recently, a number of them have resurfaced
at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. It’s a little like a
recession-friendly Vegas minus the airfare. Chef Kevin Long worked at
Park Avenue Cafe before turning up at Shrine at the MGM casino, while Chris Shea spent time at David Burke before DB Prime. If you’ve never dined at Radius, Michael Schlow’s highly acclaimed Boston restaurant, you might want to head to Foxwoods to eat at his new spot, Alta Strada. Not a bad day idea for a day trip.
Alta Strada’s Spaghettini Pomodoro
By Executive Chef Michael Schlow
(Serves 1)
Ingredients:
- 2oz Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 11oz Milled Tomatoes
- sliced garlic (11 slices)
- 4.5oz spaghettini
- Salt
- Pepper
- Crushed Red Pepper Flake
- Sugar
- 1oz chopped Italian Parsley
Procedure:
Place olive oil and garlic in a cold sautee pan and turn heat to
medium high. When edges of garlic start to turn brown quickly add 2
pinches of black pepper, 1 pinch each of salt and crushed red pepper
flake, and the milled tomatoes (if tomatoes are very acidic add 1-3
pinches of sugar to taste.) Simmer for 3-1/2 to 4 minutes.
Cook spaghettini per instructions on box until just al dente, drain and
toss in sauce for 30 seconds, add parsley, salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately.
Address: 240 MGM Grand Ave., Ledyard, CT
Phone: (860) 312-2582
DB Prime’s Pretzel-Crusted Crab Cake
By Executive Chef Chris Shea
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp peanut oil
- ¾ cup finely diced onion
- ½ cup finely diced celery
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 lbs lump crabmeat, picked clean of all shell and cartilage
- 3 tbsp minced fresh chives
- 1 tbsp freshly grated lemon zest
- 2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup water
- 1 box Pretz pretzel sticks (can be purchased in Japanese gourmet stores)
- Approx. 1 cup clarified butter
Heat the oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté the vegetables for about four minutes, or until they are soft and translucent. Remove them from the heat and drain off and discard the excess oil. Set aside.
Combine the butter and mayonnaise in a large mixing bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer or a wooden spoon beat until the mixture is well blended and very smooth. Fold in the crabmeat, chives, lemon zest, Old Bay, and cayenne along with the reserved onions and celery. Cover and refrigerate the crab cake mixture for 15 minutes to chill slightly.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Remove the crab cake mixture from the refrigerator. Line 1 row of pretz (about six pretzels) closely together and top with about ¼ cup of crab mixture. Line the top with the same amount of pretzels (creating a raft). Place the pretzel–coated cakes on the prepared baking sheet.
Lightly cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until the cakes are firm.
Heat the clarified butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat until it begins to smoke. In batches, using additional butter as needed, fry the crab cakes for about 3 minutes per side, or until they are golden brown. Place them on paper towels to drain. Place the crab cakes on a serving platter.
Address: 39 Norwich Westerly Rd./Rte. 2
Phone: (860) 312-7210
Scorpion Bar’s Scorption Wings
By Executive Chef Kevin Long
(Makes about 2 pounds of wings)
Prep Work:
Brine 2 lbs. wings overnight in:
- 1 gal. of water
- 4 oz. kosher salt
- 6 oz. natural sugar
Procedure:
Remove wings and toss with 2 oz. salad oil. Roast wings in a single layer at 325˚ for 30-40 min.
Prepare homemade BBQ Sauce (recipe below)
Reheat wings on the grill and baste with homemade sauce.
Serve with blue cheese and corn salad.
Homemade BBQ sauce
Combine and simmer:
- 2 oz. prepared favorite hot sauce
- ½ sautéed onion
- 1 oz. agave nectar
- 1 – 2 pinch cayenne pepper
- Drizzle of corn syrup
- 2 oz. white vinegar
- 3 oz. tomato paste
- 3 oz. ketchup
- 2 oz. chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
Address: 39 Norwich Westerly Rd., Ledyard, CT
Phone: (860) 312-8487
Junior’s Original Cheesecake
By Chef Mike Swift
(Makes one 9-inch cheesecake, about 2-½ inches high)
Ingredients:
- 1 recipe 9-inch Junior’s Sponge Cake Crust (see below)
- Four 8-ounce packages cream cheese (use only full fat), at room temperature
- 1-2/3 cups Sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1-tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 extra-large eggs
- ¾ cup heavy or whipping cream
Procedure:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides. Make and bake the cake crust and leave it in the pan. Keep the oven on.
Put one package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the corn-starch in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3-minutes, scraping the bowl several times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each one.
Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1-1/3 cups sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after adding each one. Beat in the cream just until completely blended. Be careful not to over mix! Gently spoon the batter over the crust.
Place the cake in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1-inch up the sides of the springform. Bake until the edges are light golden brown and the top is slightly golden tan, about 1-¼ hours. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 2-hours (just walk away – don’t move it). Then, leave the cake in the pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely cold, preferably overnight or for at least 4 hours.
Sponge Cake Crust
Makes one 9 inch cake crust
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup sifted cake flour
- ¾-teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 2 extra-large eggs, separated
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1-teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 drops pure lemon extract
- 2-tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Procedure:
Pre-heat the oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit and generously butter the bottom and sides of a 8- or 9-inch springform pan (preferable a non-stick one). Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides.
In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
Now, wash the mixing bowl and beaters really well (if even a little fat is left, this can cause the egg whites not to whip). Put the egg whites and cream of tartar into the bowl and beat with the mixer on high until frothy. Gradually add the remaining sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the whites will stand up and look glossy, not dry). Fold about one-third of the whites into the batter, then the remaining whites. Don’t worry if you still see a few white specks, they’ll disappear during baking.
Gently spread out the batter over the bottom of the pan, and bake just until set and golden (not wet or sticky), about 10-minutes. Touch the cake gently in the center. If it springs back, it’s done. Watch carefully and don’t let the top brown. Leave the crust in the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Leave the oven on while you prepare the batter.
Address: 39 Norwich Westerly Rd.
Phone: (800) 958-6467
Shrine’s Kalbi Skirt Steak Glaze
By Executive Chef Kevin Long
Ingredients:
· 2oz chop garlic
· 2oz chop ginger
· 2oz natural sugar
· 3oz water
· 3oz soy sauce
· 2T sesame oil
· Pinch Salt
· 2 8oz trimmed skirt steaks
Procedure:
1) Combine all ingredients for marinade and mix well. Marinate steaks overnight.
2) Grill to desired temperature slowly
3) Continually baste with extra Kalbi Glaze
Address: 240 MGM Grand Drive, Mashantucket, CT
Phone: (860) 312-8888
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