Chefs on the Cheap
It must be nice to be a chef, right? Access to all those exotic foods. All that equipment, all that space, all that help — not to mention a budget that in some cases is virtually unlimited. Except that many chefs — and cooks — also toil away in their home kitchens, where they don’t have quite as many bells and whistles, and where they, too, are feeling the pinch of the foundering economy.
Since they’re the creative experts, we asked some local chefs to create a main dish that would serve four people for $10, maybe a little more. And we got quite a selection of recipes, which follow.
CHICKEN CHILAQUILES
4-quart container of tortilla chips
1 pound cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
3 cups shredded Mexican cheeses (Manchego and panela)
2 cups tomatillo sauce
1/2 cup salsa roja
Break the chips down a little, then combine all ingredients, turn into a casserole and bake at 350 degrees until top is golden brown and crisp around the edges, about 15 minutes.
Option: Dish can be served with sunny-side-up eggs on top.
— Recipe from Mike Minor, executive chef, Border Grill, Mandalay Bay
TOTAL COST — $10.30
1 pound chicken — $2.80
4-quart container of tortilla chips — $2.10
3 cups Mexican cheeses, manchego and panela — $2.90
2 cups tomatillo sauce — $1.25
1/2 cup salsa roja — $1.25
GRILLED LONDON BROIL STEAK WITH YUKON POTATOES, BRAISED ITALIAN KALE AND SMOKY BACON
2 pounds London broil (top-round)
Canola oil
Salt, to taste
Cracked black pepper, to taste
Fennel seed, ground, to taste
11/2 pounds potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice
4 ounces bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 pound onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 bunches kale, deveined (see note)
Butter
3 ounces blue cheese
Fennel seed, ground, to taste
Brush steak with canola oil, season with salt and cracked black pepper and dust with ground fennel seed. Grill to desired degree of doneness (medium recommended).
Put a small amount of oil in the bottom of a large saute pan (use an 8- to 10-inch pan; you want it large enough that the potatoes will cover the bottom and no more). Put potatoes in pan and brown slightly on all sides over medium heat, until they’re about half-cooked, about 5 minutes. Add bacon and onions and continue to cook until some of the fat is rendered from the bacon and onions begin to brown, about another 5 minutes. Add kale on top, season with salt and pepper and cover pan; cook until kale begins to wilt and potatoes are cooked. Add a lump of butter, if desired.
After removing steak from grill, let rest about 5 minutes before slicing so juices don’t all run out. Divide kale mixture among four plates. Add sliced steak, then cheese, and then melt the cheese slightly under the broiler, about 2 minutes (note that plates will be hot to the touch).
Note: To devein kale, grasp stem and pull off leafy parts.
— Recipe from Matt Seeber, executive chef, Craftsteak, MGM Grand
TOTAL COST — $15.37
1 pound potatoes –$2.54
2 bunches kales – $2.58
1/2 pound onions — 50 cents,br>Bacon — $1.50
3 ounces blue cheese — $2.25
2 pounds London Broil (top round) — $6
TOMATO AND GREEN CHILI BRAISED PORK TACOS
3 pounds pork butt
Salt
Canola oil for frying
1 white onion, cut in 1/2-inch dice
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
12 8-inch flour tortillas
Cut pork into large (2- to 3-inch) cubes, place in a stockpot and cover with water and 2 tablespoons salt. Bring to a boil and simmer 3 hours, until fork-tender. Remove from liquid and hand-shred. Reserve.
In a separate pan, crisp up the shredded pork in canola oil on high heat until brown.
In a separate pan, saute the onion until dark brown; add the garlic and brown.
Transfer the crispy shredded pork into the onion-and-garlic mixture and add the canned tomatoes. Simmer for 12 minutes on medium heat. Cook the liquid down partially, until the meat has soaked all the liquid in but is not dry.
Season with salt and remove from heat.
Fold in fresh chopped green onion and chopped cilantro.
In a hot skillet, warm the tortillas individually and keep in a towel to prevent drying out.
The dish can be served with queso fresco, sour cream, fresh tomatoes, chopped onions and cilantro.
— Recipe from Noel Santos, executive chef, Diego and Wet Republic, MGM Grand
WHOLE GRAIN ROTINI ALLA TURKEY BOLOGNESE
Olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 large yellow sweet onion, peeled and cut into medium dice
2 carrots, peeled and cut into medium dice
20 ounces Foster’s Farm 97 percent lean ground turkey
29 ounces Albertsons tomato sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
13.25 ounces Barilla rotini whole-grain pasta
1 bunch Italian parsley, cleaned and chopped
Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated (optional)
Place a small amount of olive oil in a large pot and heat over medium. When oil is warm, add garlic, onion and carrots and saute for 3 minutes. Add ground turkey and cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the tomato sauce and salt and pepper and simmer for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions. When pasta is cooked, drain and add to sauce. Serve with Italian parsley sprinkled over top, and Parmesan cheese, if desired.
— Recipe from Carlos Buscaglia, executive chef, Fiamma, MGM Grand
LINGUINE WITH TUNA SAUCE
Coarse salt
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil (divided use)
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 (6-ounce) can tuna packed in olive oil, drained
1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (or a pinch of crushed red pepper)
1 pound linguine
Parsley (optional)
Put a large pot of salted water on to boil.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup olive oil and the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the anchovies and cook, stirring, until they start to fall apart. This, too, will take just a minute or two. Add the tuna and cook, stirring to break the tuna up, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cayenne or crushed red pepper and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so the sauce is at an active simmer.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the pot of water until it’s just shy of al dente (firm to the bite). Scoop out about 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and toss it with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Add the parsley and the pasta to the sauce. Toss, still over the heat, for about 1 minute, adding some pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
Serve right away, with some chopped parsley on top if you desire.
Variations: If you want to be bold, reconstitute some sun-dried tomatoes, chop them and add with the tomatoes. Or add some drained capers along with the parsley. Or both.
— Recipe from Rick Moonen, chef/owner, rm seafood, Mandalay Bay
PENNE A LA NO VODKA
3 ounces unsalted butter
1 ounce olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 ounces diced salami
1 16-ounce jar Barilla Tomato Basil Sauce
4 ounces half-and-half
12 ounces Barilla Plus penne pasta
1 ounce domestic Parmesan cheese
1/3 ounce fresh basil leaves
In a deep saucepan, heat butter and oil over medium heat. Lightly brown garlic. Add salami and saute for one minute. Add jar of prepared sauce. Whisk in half-and-half and simmer.
Cook and drain pasta according to instructions; add pasta to sauce and toss until evenly coated. Sprinkle with grated cheese and garnish with fresh basil leaves.
Chef’s note: This is a great East Coast restaurant-style staple that’s simple, inexpensive and nutritious. By eliminating the vodka and substituting salami for the traditional — and more costly — prosciutto, we can make this a family-friendly meal that’s sophisticated enough for company, too. Using the Barilla Plus pasta adds protein and Omega 3 to the dish.
— Recipe from John Arena, chef/co-owner, Metro Pizza
BASIC SHEPHERD’S PIE
11/2 to 2 pounds ground beef, chicken or turkey
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 bell pepper (or poblano, if you like spicy), diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 cup corn, frozen or canned
1/2 cup water
1 bottle beer, preferably dark
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
4 tablespoons prepared hot sauce, such as Tabasco or Durkee Red Hot
3 pounds mashed potatoes
1/4 cup cracker crumbs
1/4 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Saute beef in an oiled pan until cooked; add salt and pepper, then onion, carrot and pepper, and saute until the vegetables are translucent. Drain fat; add celery, corn, water and beer and cook until the beer has almost evaporated. Add chili flakes and hot sauce.
In an oven-proof dish, place the meat mixture in the bottom; top with potatoes and press down until the potatoes are even and smooth on the top (this is easier if they are warm), then top with the crumbs and Parmesan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned and some juices have come to the top of the potato mixture.
Remove from oven and serve. Leftovers will reheat well in the microwave.
— Recipe from Todd Clore, chef/owner, Todd’s Unique Dining
CHICKEN AND SPICED SAUSAGE PIES
1 whole roasted chicken (about 3 pounds)
4 potatoes, diced
Salt and pepper, to taste
5 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
4 spicy Italian sausage links, casings removed, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
3 ounces butter
1/2 bag frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
2 prebaked pie crusts
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cool chicken before picking the meat off the bones.
Cook potatoes in salted water until done. Remove potatoes from water and mash with a fork. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper before cooling. After potatoes are cooled, add half of the shredded cheese.
In a sauce pot, saute the sausages until light brown, then add the onion, carrots, celery and butter and cook until vegetables are translucent. Add the peas, chopped thyme and chicken meat to the mixture and cook for about 4 minutes. Mix the rest of the cheese into the mixture and divide between the two pie crusts. Cover the pies with the potato mixture and bake until golden brown.
Makes 2 pies, enough to serve 8-12 people.
— Recipe from Rene Lenger, executive chef, The Country Club, Wynn Las Vegas
Contact reporter Heidi Knapp Rinella at hrinella@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0474.
CHEFS’ BUDGET- STRETCHING TIPS Mike Minor, executive chef at Border Grill at Mandalay Bay, suggests using leftovers: "If I had a nice grilled chicken the night before, I dice it up, get a can of tomato sauce out and start making enchiladas." "Don’t throw anything away," he says. "Save chicken bones and make chicken stock. Put it in ice-cube trays and put it in the freezer," to pop out when needed. When you buy food, notes Matt Seeber, executive chef at Craftsteak at the MGM Grand, remember that the fewer hands that have touched it, the less expensive it’s going to be. "Buy a whole chicken instead of boneless skinless chicken breasts and you’re going to be able to save yourself some money and do more than what you could do with just the chicken breasts," he says. Use the carcass to make soup on a Sunday afternoon, he suggests. Also, Seeber says, "when you have a refrigerator full of odds and ends, it’s amazing how creative you can be." Stock the pantry with a variety of spices and oils, because "when you start playing with food as opposed to following a recipe, that’s where the fun really comes in." "I’m really big on soups and pastas," says Carlos Buscaglia, executive chef at Fiamma at the MGM Grand. "They’re simple to make, a lot of flavor and the main thing, they’re filling. "Turkey meatballs, turkey burgers, stuff like that. Healthy stuff. You can buy a whole chicken for like $4, put some seasoning on it and put it in the oven at 350 and in about an hour and a half you have a nice roasted chicken. You can feed a lot of people with a chicken."
