Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato, and Cheesy Custard Blintz with Orange Rayu Sauce Recipe Idea Based on Yotam Ottolenghi Recipe Butternut Squash in Cheesy Custard with Orange Rayu Recipe

Incase you don’t know Yotam Ottolenghi is a James Beard and Multi Award wining chef, restauranteur, and cookbook author. Somehow he comes up with the most interesting unique amazing recipes ever. I did a variation of his Butternut Squash in Cheesy Custard before.

Five-Spice Butternut Squash in Cheesy Custard

This time I added sweet potato, used different cheeses, made crepes, and made the rayu sauce.

Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato in Cheesy Custard Blintzes with Orange Rayu

Used a nonstick pan to fry blintzes. You will get 9-11 crepes. For the filling feel welcome to cut the recipe in half. I got about double the filling I needed….I used 1/2 and froze the other half.

Crepes

4 eggs

1 cup water

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter – melted + MORE BUTTER TO FRY BLINTZES

2 Tablespoons Greek yogurt

couple drops vanilla extract

1 cup flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Filling

6 oz vegetable stock

8 oz heavy cream

2 garlic cloves – ground to paste

2 teaspoons corn starch

2 teaspoons white miso

3 oz Swiss Cheese – shredded

3 oz Gouda Cheese – shredded

about 2 lbs butternut squash (large dice) (I precooked mine with around 2 Tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper and a sprinkle of turbinado sugar.

about 1 pound sweet potatoes (large dice) (I precooked mine with a small amount of oil and salt and pepper.

non stick spray.

This all gets mixed together and goes in a sprayed baking dish in a preheated 400 degree F oven.

Orange Rayu

2 ounces olive oil

2 scallions cut in thin slices

1/2 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger

3 garlic cloves – ground to paste

1/2 teaspoon ground Aleppo

1 Tablespoon white sesame seeds

1 teaspoon black sesame seeds

1 large orange – fresh squeezed juice and all the zest

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

Heat all the ingredients up in a sauce pan for a few minutes on medium heat.

Assemble

Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato in Cheesy Custard Blintzes with Orange Rayu

A special THANKS!!!! To Yotam Ottolenghi for an amazing recipe that keeps giving and giving!

The Forking Truth

Dish Of The Week – Grilled Salmon from 1228 Main – Las Vegas NV

The Dish Of The Week that impressed me the most was the Grilled Salmon from 1228 Main. This Restaurant is in the family of Wolfgang Puck Restaurants and is located in downtown Las Vegas Nevada. The Grilled Salmon dish impressed me for several reasons.

1 – They didn’t even ask how I wanted it done and prepared it medium-ish

2 – They removed most of the bloodline that gives fish a fishier taste

3 – They crisped up the skin so much that it was like eating a crispy potato chip

4 – the fish was great and sauce and vegetables were unusually FORKING DELICIOUS

Everything we had on all our visits to 1228 Main were all VERY GOOD but I do need to mention that the menu changed on my every visit there. In case you don’t know 1228 serves daily made fresh baked goods, breakfast, lunch, brunch, dinner, and also has a bar.

The other plates we enjoyed on our last visit were –

Focaccia with provolone cheese and mortadella on the side

Spanish style cheese cake

This time we sat in the bar area

The Dish of the Week came from –

1228 Main – at – 1228 S. Main Street Las Vegas NV

702-602-0531

www.1228MainLV.com

The Forking Truth

My Visit to Thai St Cafe Las Vegas

Thai St Cafe has two locations in Las Vegas Nevada. I went to the Centennial Location. I wanted to come here because I read that they also do the fried Spinach Salad that many Thai Restaurants do here…….WTFork?……We walked in and immediately I knew I was here before……..But last time this restaurant was named Secret Of Siam…….Then I read about Secret of Siam in trouble for accidentally adding THC to their curries and many people got sick. The restaurant closed while under investigation and the judgement concluded Accidental. The Restaurant re-opened and in a short time became Thai St Cafe. I have found out that they are under a new ownership now.

It looks exactly the same inside as before.

The menu is exactly the same as before.

I decide not to get the spinach salad.

Got the eggplant with chicken with a #3 heat out of 5.

It looks exactly the same as before. It’s actually slightly less flavorful and not as spicy so it differs some. It’s good but not my favorite version of this dish. I like when the eggplants are more firm and less oily and more sweet like white eggplants.

My husband tried the drunken noodles with chicken.

He said that his chicken was dry and he got grumpy.

That was my visit to Thai St Cafe.

5705 Centennial Center Blvd Las Vegas NV

702-331-4406

www.ThatStCafe.com

Every THING is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

Bleu Kitchen Garlic Noodle Bar Las Vegas NV – Asian-Soul-Fusion – Worth a Fork!

Blue Kitchen Garlic Noodle Bar is an Asian – Soul – Fusion sort of restaurant that offers various noodle dishes and also a lot of seafood dishes. They also offer sharable plates such as bao buns, wings, and shrimp fried rice balls. They also offer small plates like Asian style chicken or oxtail tacos, deep fried lobster tails, and jumbo stuffed shrimp. The main dig might be the garlic noodles that come in a few varieties of shrimp, a couple in chicken, salmon, lamb, crab cake salmon, oxtail, ribeye, bbq ribs, and Gumbo Pot pie. Soft beverages and house made lemonades are served here. This restaurant is located in the North-West part of Las Vegas Nevada.

It’s comfortable inside with soft soul music in the air.

We started out by sharing the Chicken Asian Style Tacos.

They are 4 tacos made with fried potsticker skins and are stuffed with juicy Asian style chicken, sesame seeds, chives, sweet garlic aioli, and wasabi avocado aioli. They are crunchy light and delicious with lots of layers of flavors.

I tried the Korean Sticky Chicken with Garlic Noodles and a Pineapple lemonade.

The lemonade is not too sweet and is refreshing and comes with a lot of fresh fruit.

The Korean Sticky Chicken was expertly fried. The exteriors of each piece of chicken are shattering crisp and the interiors are extra juicy and flavorful in a sticky slightly sweet and spicy sauce. The noodles are chewy and tasty and not too garlic-ee. It also an extra generous portion of food…I doubt most people can eat more than half.

My husband thinks he ordered the Pan Fried Garlic Shrimp?

Well anyway he got one of the shrimp dishes that he said was delicious with perfectly prepared shrimp.

Tasty Fresh Food.

Extra large portions.

Reasonable prices.

Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

Bleu Kitchen Garlic Noodle Bar – 702-992-3290

7450 W Cheyenne Ave Las Vegas NV

www.TheBleuKitchen.com

Every THING is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

Oh La La French Bistro Las Vegas NV – Restaurant Week 2024 – 3 Courses $60.

Oh La La French Bistro is located in the Summerlin part of Las Vegas Nevada. They bake their own bread here and I was told nearly everything is made in house. They are open for lunch, brunch, and dinner.

Oh La La French Bistro is also participating in Las Vegas Restaurant Week that has been extended to June 21. They are offering a lunch Restaurant Week 3 course menu for $40. and a Dinner Restaurant Week 3 course menu for $60. A portion of the proceeds benefits Three Square Food Bank.

The Restaurant Week Dinner Menu –

Whatever you order they start you off with their house made baguette and butter.

Course one –

Warm Pistachio Goat Cheese with onion confit jam, honey, and pistachios…WOW! This is BOMBalicious……Who knew?

Escargot – snails, parsley, butter, shallots, garlic – my husband enjoyed this and some of the warm pistachio goat cheese.

Course two –

Sole Meunière – with brown butter, garlic, capers, lemon, and parsley. Fingerling potatoes. The fish seemed fresh as can be and was the lightest sole meunière I ever had anywhere.

Duck with green beans and mustard sauce – I heard that this was good.

Course Three

Chocolate mousse

Chocolate liégeois – chocolate and vanilla ice cream with house made whipped cream and ganache. Both desserts were delicious but the favorite was the chocolate liegeois.

Everything above is also on the regular dinner menu.

Restaurant Week was extended to June 21 2024 for Oh La La French Bistro.

Oh La La French Bistro

2120 N Rampart Blvd Las Vegas NV

702-222-3522

www.OhLaLaFrenchBistro.com

Every THING is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

Focaccia Di Recco Recipe based on Food & Wine Magazine’s Recipe

Focaccia Di Recco is a cheese stuffed cracker type bread from North Italy. I became familiar with this tasty treat from Pomo Pizzeria in Scottsdale Arizona.

Pomo’s Focaccia di Recco

It was so darn tasty and different I had to try to make one myself.

The first attempt was Ciao Italia Mary Ann Esposito’s Recipe.

It came out much thicker and softer than from Pomo……….But since then I learned a new trick to get my dough thinner so maybe I can do better?

I tried Food & Wine Magazine’s recipe.

The methods and the recipe did differ some. I got a thin crust this time that was crisper but the center wasn’t quite crisp enough……..I’m thinking if I made two smaller focaccias then maybe I can get a better crisp…….Or maybe just by re-heating it I can get that perfect crisp all the way through?

Ingredients for around 6 servings

1 3/4 cup bread flour

1/2 cup + 1 1/2 Tablespoons water

8 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided into 1/4 cup and the rest for brushing top

1 + 1/4 teaspoon sea salt divided into 1 teaspoon for the dough and the rest for the top

6 oz cheese torn or cut into almost one inch flat chunks (stracchino, crescenza, or caciocavallo cheese)

non stick spray

Directions

Use a stand mixer and add the flour, water, 1/4 cup oil, 1 teaspoon salt. Use a dough hook and mix on medium high speed for 8 minutes.

Make two even dough balls and wrap them in plastic wrap. Let them rest on the counter for three hours.

Roll one dough ball out (use flour as needed) sandwiched between parchment and plastic wrap.

This goes on a pan that is safe at 550 degrees F that was sprayed with non stick spray. Peel the plastic wrap off and flop dough on pan. Add cheese in small pieces.

Repeat second dough ball. It goes on top of the cheese topped dough.

Spray or brush with olive oil.

Sprinkle with sea salt.

Prick with a thin chip stick or skewer.

This goes in a preheated 550 F oven for 12-15 minutes.

I was told that this is too good to share with others.

Focaccia Di Recco

A Special THANKS!!!!! To Food & Wine Magazine so I could do what I got here!

ENJOY!!!

The Forking Truth

Showing Off

Just showing off some things I made recently for the once a week get together we have here. Made two kinds of crostini from some rolls I previously made that I kept in my freezer. Some are topped with onion goat cheese with fresh scallions. The other crostini it topped with my fresh pesto, fresh marinated mozzarella and tomatoes, balsamic, and basil.

Next to that are sweet potato hand pies.

Here are cannoli (home made ricotta & home made shells) and more crostini with basil, pesto, marinated mozzarella cheese, balsamic, and parmesan

For the next gathering I made cookies and had leftover cannoli shells and cheese so I also brought some cannoli. The cookies were butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies, pistachio cookies, and peanut butter with strawberry jam cookies.

Made Brownies and Hasselback Potatoes with smoked mushrooms and crispy onions.

Spiced (5 spice & cinnamon) Butternut Squash filled crepes and bread crisps with spinach artichoke dip.

What I made this past month for gatherings and parties.

The Forking Truth

Market Grille Cafe Las Vegas NV – Greek Italian Mediterranean Restaurant – Worth a Try!

The Market Grill Cafe is a full service Greek, Italian, Mediterranean Restaurant located in the Centennial Area of Las Vegas Nevada. This is a family owned and ran restaurant that has been voted “Best of Las Vegas” for several years. The Proprietors are Joe and Rhonda Pierro and one is Greek and the other is Italian so the restaurant is a spin on what they know.

Some of the appetizers they offer are saganaki (flaming cheese), tabouli, and baba ganoush. They also offer soups and salads, Greek favorites like moussaka (beef, eggplant, potato casserole), pastitsio (beef macaroni pie), spanakopita (spinach and cheese pastry). They also offer a list of pastas, and offer several entrees including three lamb dishes. Their signature award wining dish is their pomegranate chicken (I’ll describe it in a bit). They also offer a variety of desserts.

You can dine on the patio for outdoor dining but most of the seating is inside.

At night they have live music.

Here’s the saganaki.

They set it in fire before it reaches your table. The Greek cheese is flamed with lemon and brandy and comes with lots of flat pita breads.

This is delicious!

Entrees come with small Greek Salads.

For my main I had to try the Pomegranate Chicken.

This is 24 hour marinated chicken (herbs & pomegranate juice) that was grilled and sliced and topped with pomegranate glaze and crushed walnuts. This also comes with a side of hummus, pita bread, and fluffy basmati rice. The chicken is moist and tasty with a little zing from the pomegranate. I’d get this again.

My husband tried the other dish I was thinking about getting….The white fish scallopini.

The orzo that it comes with is very good but the fish isn’t so great. It’s edible but taste like from frozen fish from any of our local supermarkets and is slightly over cooked. But hey a lot of restaurants don’t do fish as well as their other dishes in the southwest.

Market Grille Cafe is Worth a Try!

7070 North Durango Dr Las Vegas NV

702-396-0070

www.MarketGrilleCafe.com

Every THING is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

Poke Sushitto North Las Vegas NV Poke Bowls & Sushi Burritos Oh My! – Worth a Fork!

Poke Sushitto is a casual restaurant in North Las Vegas Nevada that offers Poke Bowls and burritos. You can order sushi bowls or sushi burritos “Chipotle Style.” For beverages they offer fountain drinks, bottled water, bubble tea, Asian Fruit Drinks, Asian Teas, and Pokka Coffee. Kids meals are also offered and there are a few additional side orders. If you can’t make up your mind there also are a few suggested bowls.

If you order your way then you can order 2 or three protein bowls. The proteins I noticed were raw or baked salmon, crab, sweet or tempura shrimp, regular tuna, spicy tuna, scallops, chicken, and tofu. If you ordered a bowl you pick rice or salad or half rice and half salad as your base. They offer all kinds of vegetables and sauces and a few toppings.

I tried baked salmon with spicy tuna.

I asked for 1/2 brown rice and half salad…….I guess the girl couldn’t hear me and gave me all salad. For added vegetables I got carrots, cabbage, and corn. I also got crunchy fried strips, some ginger, scallions, yuzu miso sauce and cilantro. On the side I got a sweet soy type sauce, and sriracha mayo. Somehow it turned out flavorful and tasty.

My husband tried a three meat bowl.

I think it was mostly similar to what I got but it had tuna, shrimp, and salmon, pickled, radishes, sushi rice, and jalapeños. I forgot what sauces he went with but he also was surprised that it came out delicious! He also thought that the price was very reasonable for what he got!

Since it was very tasty and the fish seemed fresher that from a lot of neighborhood sushi places I have to say Poke Sushitto is Worth a Fork!

Worth A Fork!

Poke Sushitto – 702-522-9668

2520 E Craig Road North Las Vegas NV

Their website connects to Lotus of Siam……But you can find them on Facebook.

Every THING is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

Restaurant Week 2024 at Al Solito Posto – 3 Courses $50. Las Vegas NV – Very Good!

Al Solito Posto is a richly decorated high quality Italian Restaurant located in Tivoli Village in the Summerlin part of Las Vegas Nevada. They are participating in the 2024 Las Vegas Restaurant Week and offer a 3 course menu for $50. A Portion of the proceeds benefits Three Square Food Bank.

What to pick?

We ordered and they started us off with their focaccia and table side oil that is embellished with smashed beans, dry herbs, and cheese.

We started out with meatballs and squash blossoms.

main meals were rigatoni and chicken marsala (portions were very generous)

Desserts were Italian Lemon Cake and Bombolini

For the most part everything was great and this was a great Restaurant Week Choice.

Al Solito Posto

420 S Rampart Blvd Las Vegas NV

702-463-6781

www.AlSolito.com

Every THING is subject to change.

The Forking Truth