Las Vegas is brimming with dining options across the board, but these dishes give you a taste of the glitz without the gamble.
Golden Steer Steakhouse, established in the late 1950s, offers Las Vegas residents and tourists a glimpse and taste of the city’s bygone Rat Pack era. The restaurant still serves table-side caesar salad! It was a prime choice to feature in our Taste of the West Las Vegas entry this year. Grill up this strip steak and sauce and the clams casino recipes to find out why.
New York Strip with Pizzaiola Sauce
(Serves 1)
1 New York strip steak
½ tablespoon canola oil
½ beefsteak tomato, chopped large
½ teaspoon minced garlic
1 pinch salt
1 pinch white pepper
½ tablespoon salted butter
1 tablespoon marinara sauce
½ tablespoon white wine
1 pinch oregano
½ teaspoon roux
½ teaspoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
Lightly season the New York strip with seasoned salt. Place it on a prepared outdoor grill or under the broiler and cook until your desired internal temperature is achieved, about 4 – 5 minutes on each side, for medium-rare. Remove from the heat and let rest for 5 – 10 minutes. Plate and serve with Pizzaiola Sauce (instructions below) over the top.
Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the tomato, garlic, salt, pepper, and butter. Toss well to combine and cook for about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce, white wine, and oregano, and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the roux to reduce the water in the pan. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes, or until the tomato is soft and the liquid is the consistency of a thin sauce. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with parsley, and serve atop the steak.
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Clams Casino
(Serves 12)
12 clams
Clam Mixture
½ roasted red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ yellow onion, peeled and diced
½ teaspoon minced garlic
2 pinches dried oregano
2 pinches white pepper
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon salted butter
¼ cup white wine
1 cup chopped clams
½ cup clam juice
½ cup bread crumbs
Lemon wedges, for garnish (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Shuck each clam to loosen the clam meat from the muscle. Keep the meat in the shell, and detach and discard the other/empty shell.
Roast a red bell pepper by placing it under the broiler or on a hot outdoor barbecue, turning often to blister all sides. When the skin is charred and soft, remove from the heat and immediately place in a paper bag, foil, or sealed container to trap the steam. Keep sealed for about 10 minutes. Slice the roasted pepper, removing the stem, seeds, and loose skin, and dice.
Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the diced pepper, onion, garlic, oregano, pepper, salt, and butter. Let it cook for about 2 minutes. Add the white wine and reduce the heat to low, letting the mixture simmer for about 2 minutes. Add the chopped clams and clam juice, and simmer for another 3 – 4 minutes. Stir in the breadcrumbs to thicken the mixture. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Next, pack the clamshell with 1 or 2 tablespoons of clam mixture, depending on its size. The mixture should be rounded off on top. Add some crumbled bacon to the top of the mixture, pressing slightly so the bacon doesn’t fall off. Arrange the clam on a baking sheet.
Place the sheet of clams in the oven and bake for 8 – 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and arrange the baked clams on a serving tray lined with lettuce (if desired) and accompanied by lemon wedges.
For more about the Golden Steer Steakhouse or to make reservations, visit the restaurant’s website.
Photography: Chris Wessling/Courtesy Golden Steer Steakhouse
From the October 2019 issue