Archive for the ‘Restaurants’ Category

Homemade Guacamole at Taqueria Canonita

Saturday, March 10th, 2012

Guacamole Canonita Photo: Brenda C Hill

What a delightful surprise to taste authentic guacamole prepared tableside at Cabonita (little canon) in Las Vegas. This is true Mexico City food discovered is in the luxurious Venetian Hotel. I have enjoyed guacamole in Mexico, and San Diego, never dreaming that Las Vegas was one of the best I would ever experience.

Our merry group of food writers from IFWTWA were thrilled with Chef Reed’s hand crafted presentation. This guacamole was so tasty that I returned that evening for happy hour. Chef Reed prepared this treat for our culinary group of 18, using perfectly ripe avacados and the freshest herbs and vegetables.

Canonita Guacamole

Ingedients:

1 large ripe avacado

1 tbs diced onions

1 tbsp minced jalapeño

1 tbsp minced cilantro

1 tbsp salt (per readers observation and your own taste, you may want to cut this to 1 teaspoon)

1 tbsp diced tomatoes

1/2 squeezed lime juice

Method:

Place onions, jalapeño, cilantro and salt in a large molcajete (mortar) and smash with pestel until juice is formed.

Add avacado, lime juice and tomatoes.

Lightly chop with spoon until guacamole is smooth yet still retains a chunky texture.

The perfect pairing for fresh taco chips, salsa and guacamole is one of Danny’s classic margaritas. This mixologist uses only top tequela and fresh squeezed lime juice. Nine gallons of lime juice is made fresh daily. This labor of love takes over 2 hours to prepare.

For restaurant reservation, please call 702.414.3773.

Taqueria Canonita available for breakfast, lunch and dinner large group events. Please call 702.414.3776 or email Valerie Taylor at vtaylor@tavistockrestaurants.com.

Ole!

Brenda C. Hill
International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association
Books By Hills Success With Writing Where And What in the World

Tags: brenda c hill, guacamole, ifwtwa, ifwtwa conference, Las Vegas, Mexican recipes, Taqueria Canonita, The Venetian Hotel, Where and What in the World
Posted in Destinations, Ethnic Recipes, Restaurants, Tastes, Tastes - Appetizers, appetizers, recipes, travel, vegetable recipes | 4 Comments »

Moussaka from Summer Jo’s in Grant’s Pass, Oregon

Friday, February 24th, 2012

When I visited Summer Jo’s, the food was outstanding. I have friends who I know continue to eat there regularly. So, I never hesitate to recommend a recipe from Summer Jo’s. This twist on Moussaka is great.

Moussaka from Summer Jo's

Slice eggplants in half and score deeply, being careful not to pierce the outer skin. Sprinkle generously with salt and set aside to drain for 30 minutes. Place eggplant halves cut side up in a baking pan and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour, until tender.

Heat olive oil in skillet. Add onions and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Add zucchini, chopped tomatoes, garbanzo beans, capers, nuts, parsley, and basil and cook 15 to 20 minutes, until zucchini is tender.

Remove eggplants from oven and scrape the pulp away from the skin, taking care to leave the skin intact. Chop pulp coarsely and add to zucchini mixture along with lemon juice, breadcrumbs, and beaten egg. Season with plenty of salt and pepper.

Oil a 6-cup souffle dish and line it with the eggplant skin, slit so they lie flat, the shiny side against the mold. Fill with half the eggplant mixture and distribute the halved artichoke hearts evenly over the top. Cover with remaining filling. Cover dish with aluminum foil.

Place souffle dish in a baking pan with one inch of water on the bottom. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for one hour. Invert on a serving platter and serve hot, surrounded by a drizzle of your favorite tomato sauce.

Ingredients

3 Eggplants

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 cup chopped Onion

1-1/2 teaspoon finely chopped Garlic

2 cups Zucchini, 4-inch dice

1 Tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped

3/4 cup cooked Garbanzo Beans

3 tablespoons Capers

3 tablespoons Pine Nuts

3 tablespoons Chopped Parsley

1-1/2 teaspoon Basil

1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

1 cup Breadcrumbs

1 Egg

3 Artichoke Hearts, halved

: Maralyn D. Hill

The Epicurean Explorer

President, International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association

Editor-at-Large, CityRoom

Contributor: The Epoch Times, Spa Review Magazine, Global Writes, JustLuxe

Columnist: Big Blend Magazines,

Blogs: Where and What in the World & Success with Writing

Tags: eggplant, Ethnic Recipes, Greek recipes, maralyn d hill, moussaka, recipes, Southern Oregon, Summer Jo's, The Epicurean Explorer, Where and What in the World
Posted in Casseroles, Ethnic Recipes, Restaurants, food, recipes, vegetable recipes | 3 Comments »

Gayot’s Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. for 2011

Monday, December 19th, 2011

In sharing this list from Gayot, it is nice to know that I’ve been fortunate enough to eat at several of the top 40. But I’ve a long way to go to hit them all.

TOP 40 RESTAURANTS IN THE U.S. 2011

From left to right: a creation from Chef Mavro, John Besh of Restaurant August in New Orleans, Studio in Laguna Beach, CA

Culinary genius is not the only attribute a restaurant needs to make it to our Top 40 list. Destination dining needs to be exciting, intelligent and offer an exceptional experience that truly makes it heads and tails above the rest. Passion is essential because that is at the heart of a chef or restaurateur who can offer us a meal we will never forget. We congratulate our seasoned “old timers” who demonstrate unwavering focus to maintaining culinary quality that wins — and keeps — a loyal audience. And we offer kudos to the thrilling newcomers here who shine with hard-fought achievement, promise and innovation. From the glamorous metropolitan centers of New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Las Vegas to the rustic farmhouses of Maine, the verdant hills of Napa Valley and the tropical shores of Hawaii, each restaurant on our list adds its own unique contributions to the very best of American dining.