Have you ever been to a Morton's? If you haven't and can't afford to spend AT LEAST $125 on dinner for 2, have no fear! I have a collection of recipes that are from the Internet or adapted from their book The Morton's Steak Bible(buy it, its a great investment!)Here are some of my favorite things that I make for special occasions(such as Valentine's Day! at home)
Shrimp Alexander with Beurre BlancIngredients:18 fresh large shrimp (8/11 count), shells on
1 cup warm clarified butter
½ cups Alex's Bread Crumbs (recipe included below)
1 ½ cups Beurre Blanc (recipe included below)
3 lemons, halved, for garnish
Directions: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Peel the shrimp as far as the tail; leave the tail shell intact. Devein the shrimp and rinse well. With a small, sharp knife, cut open the shrimp along the vein line approximately two-thirds of the way through the shrimp. Put the warm, melted butter in one shallow bowl or deep plate and the bread crumbs in another (Glass plates also work well.) Dip a shrimp in the butter and let the butter drip off the shrimp. Dip the shrimp in the bread crumbs and press the crumbs on the shrimp so that it is completely coated. Put the shrimp on a cutting board, cut side down, and press slightly to flatten and form a base so that the shrimp can stand upright. Bring the tail over the shrimp and insert the point between the tail fins into the thick end of the shrimp. Repeat with the remaining shrimp. As each shrimp is prepared, set it, cut side down, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Pour any remaining butter over the shrimp. Bake shrimp for 12 to 13 minutes, or until cooked through and the bread crumbs are crisp and lightly brown. Spoon ¼ cup of Beurre Blanc on each of six serving plates. Top with three shrimp and garnish with a lemon half.
Alex's Bread CrumbsMakes about 2 cups
8 ounces firm white bread (4 to 5 slices)
5 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced shallot
2 teaspoons chopped fresh curly-leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Directions: Slice the crusts from the bread and then cut the bread into large chunks. Discard the crusts or reserve them for another use. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, grind the bread to fine crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a mixing bowl. Pat the garlic and shallot dry with a paper towel. Add to the bread crumbs and toss to mix. Add the parsley, toss, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix well. Use right away or store the bread crumbs in a tightly covered container for up to 24 hours.
Beurre BlancMakes about 2 cups
1 teaspoon clarified butter or olive oil
1 large shallot, minced (about ¼ cup)
1/3 cup dry white wine
¾ cup heavy cream
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground white pepper
Directions: In a medium saucepan, heat the clarified butter over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it softens without coloring. Add the wine, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the wine reduces and the liquid coats the bottom of the pan. Add the cream and simmer, stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until reduced by half. Reduce the heat to low and begin adding the butter, a tablespoon at a time, whisking after each addition. Do not allow the cream to boil once the butter is added.
Sea Scallops Wrapped with Bacon:Ingredients:18 slices bacon (about 1 pound)
18 jumbo sea scallops (1 ¼ to1 ½ pounds), side tendons removed
18 to 24 large leaves fresh spinach, stemmed, rinsed, and patted dry
6 tablespoons Apricot Chutney (recipe included below)
Directions: Preheat the oven to 450 F. Soak six 6-inch long bamboo skewers in cold water for 20 minutes. Place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet, and spread the bacon out on the rack. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the bacon is lightly browned but still pliable enough to wrap around the scallops. (Alternatively, cook the bacon in two skillets over medium heat until lightly browned but still pliable.) Drain the bacon on paper towels. If not using immediately, wrap in a moist paper towel; this keeps it soft. Wrap a slice of bacon around each scallop. Thread the scallops through the bacon onto the skewers leaving ½ inch between each scallop. There should be 3 scallops on each skewer. Cook immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Pour the butter into a 9 x 13 - inch ovenproof dish large enough to hold the skewers in a single layer. Put the skewers in the dish and rotate in the butter to evenly coat the scallops, then lay the skewers flat in the pan. Roast the scallops for 4 minutes. Turn and roast for about 4 minutes longer, or until the scallops are opaque and the bacon crisps up. Arrange three or four spinach leaves on each of six small plates. Carefully slide the scallops from the skewers using a fork or small, blunt knife and put three scallops on each plate on top of the leaves. Spoon a tablespoon of chutney beside the scallops. Serve garnished with lemon halves. Note: Buy large, fresh scallops without any added preserving solution. Known as dry scallops, these fresh scallops are never bright white but instead are creamy to pale pink.
Apricot ChutneyIngredients:1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 cups prepared horseradish (16 ounces)
2 cups apricot preserves (one 18-ounce jar or a little more)
Directions: Put the peppercorns on a cutting board. Crush them by pressing down on them with the bottom of a heave saucepan. In a fine-mesh sieve or another sieve lined with cheesecloth, strain the horseradish for 2 to 3 minutes, or until reduced to 1 tightly packed cup. Press on the horseradish with a spoon or squeeze the cheesecloth to extract the liquid. In a small bowl, whisk the apricot preserves until smooth. Whisk in the strained horseradish and crushed peppercorns. Serve immediately or transfer to a covered storage container ad refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Morton's Chopped Saladserves 6-8
Salad Mix1 medium head iceberg lettuce, washed and dried
1 medium head romaine lettuce, washed and dried
10-12 frozen artichoke hearts or canned artichoke hearts (in brine, not marinated, about 12 ounces drained)
1 cup hearts of palm (about 12 ounces drained)
1 avocado
6 ounces blue cheese, such as Saga, Maytag (1 cup) or Gorgonzola, crumbled (1 cup)
12-14 slices cooked bacon, slices (crumbled, crisp-cooked bacon strips or equivalent amount of crisp real-bacon bits)
3/4 cup chopped hard-cooked egg (2 large eggs, see Note)
3/4 cup finely minced red onion
3/4 cup seeded chopped plum tomato
Dijon Vinaigrette (use 3/4 cup)
2/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
3 1/2 tablespoons Italian salad dressing mix, such as Good Seasons (see note)
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Directions1. To prepare vinaigrette: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the vinegar and 1/3 cup cup of water.
2. Whisk the mustard and salad dressing mix until well mixed.
3. Add the olive oil and whisk until the dressing is emulsified.
4. Let the dressing rest for a few minutes before using so that the flavors can blend. Refrigerate in a tightly-lidded glass or rigid plastic container for up to 7 days and whisk before using.
5.
Note: If you use Good Seasons brand mix, two packets work well.
6. To prepare salad: Cut the iceberg and romaine lettuces into ½-inch squares. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
7. Cut the artichoke hearts into eighths and the hearts of palm into 1/4-inch-long pieces and add to the lettuce.
8. Peel the avocado and remove the pit. Cut the avocado into ½-inch cubes and add to the lettuce.
9. Crumble the blue cheese over the salad. Sprinkle the bacon bits, chopped egg, onion, and tomato over the salad.
10. Add the vinaigrette, toss well, and serve.
11.
Note: To hard-cook eggs, put them in a saucepan with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, remove from the heat, and set aside for 15 minutes, during which time the eggs will harden. This is a better method than cooking the eggs in boiling water. There is less chance of the eggs cracking.
Morton's lyonnaise potatoesMAKES 6 SERVINGS
Ingredients:3/4 pounds (3 to 5 large) baking potatoes, baked and cooled (see note)
1 cup bacon fat (see Note)
2-1/4 pounds (3 medium) Spanish onions, sliced one-fourth-inch thick
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 teaspoon chopped fresh curly-leaf parsley
Directions:1. Cut the ends off the potatoes, peel and slice in half lengthwise. Cut each half across into three-eighths-inch thick slices and set aside.
2. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When warm, add half the bacon fat and heat until hot. Add half the potatoes and toss in the fat. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until light golden brown.
3. Add half the onions. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a large bowl, cover loosely and set aside to keep warm. Repeat to make the second batch with the remaining fat, potatoes, onions and seasoning.
4. When all of the potatoes are in the bowl, add the parsley and toss. Serve immediately.
Note: To bake potatoes, scrub the skins, pierce them several times with the tines of a fork, and bake them for 60 to 80 minutes in a preheated 400-degree oven until tender when pierced with a small knife or skewer. For 1 cup of bacon fat, cook 1-1/2 pounds of bacon until crisp. Reserve the bacon for another use.
Creamed SpinachMakes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients:1/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup minced yellow onion
1 1/4 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups half-and-half
2 1/4 pounds chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:1. In large saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté for about 10 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
Stir in salt, pepper and nutmeg.
2. Sprinkle flour over onion and cook over low heat, stirring with wooden spoon, about 4 minutes or until there is a nutty aroma. Add half-and-half and cook over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally, until hot. Raise heat to medium-high and bring to boil.
3. Whisk continuously 6 to 8 minutes, or until mixture thickens.
Remove pan from heat. Using handheld immersion blender, blend sauce for 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth.
4. Stir in spinach until well-mixed and heated through. Just before serving, set over medium heat, add Parmesan and stir until well-mixed and heated through.
Morton's Hot Chocolate Cakemakes 6 individual cakes
Ingredients:1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature (plus more for the souffle cups)
granulated sugar
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
8 large egg yolks, plus
7 large eggs
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
18 fresh raspberries
6 scoops vanilla ice cream
Directions:1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Generously butter the six 6-inch souffle cups and sprinkle each with granulated sugar.
3. Tap out the excess sugar.
4. In the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate together.
5. Remove the top of the double boiler pan from the heat.
6. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and set on low speed, beat the egg yolks and eggs for about 2 minutes, or until light and smooth.
7. With the mixer running, pour the melted chocolate into the bowl and mix for about 2 minutes longer.
8. Put the confectioner's sugar and flour in a fine-mesh sieve and sprinkle it into the chocolate mixture.
9. With the mixer on medium speed, beat for 30 seconds, or until well mixed.
10. Pour the batter into the prepared souffle cups, leaving about 1/4 inch of space below the rim.
11. Set the souffle cups on a baking sheet and back for 18 to 20 minutes, or until puffed and about 1 inch higher than the rim.
12. The centers will be soft but not sticky.
13. Remove the cakes from the oven and immediately invert each onto a serving plate.
14. Remove the cup and garnish each plate with three raspberries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
