Morton's the Steakhouse -recipes

Located in Caesars Casino in Atlantic City is Morton's the Steakhouse.My husband and I took our kids over to the boardwalk to enjoy the day.It had been a while since we have been out so I wanted to splurge and go experience first class service at one of my favorite restaurants.Morton's the Steakhouse is the nation's premier steakhouse, specializing in classic,top of the line food with extra generous portions of USDA prime aged beef, as well as fresh caught fish, lobster and chicken entrees.The large door is always so intriguing to me.I wait with anticipation holding the velvet rope.The doors open at 4:45 and we walk into the bar area .I always feel transformed when I enter the restaurant and bar area.I expect to see businessmen in suits sipping whiskey and smoking cigars.Always reminds me of a fancy private club.Morton's is famous for its animated signature table-side menu presentation which amazes my daughter to no avail.The server presents on a cart rolled to your table-side,steaks,whole Maine lobsters and other main course selections, along with fresh vegetables, then precedes to describe each menu item in appetizing and entertaining detail.At home my daughter tries to replicate our waiter on her platform.The menu, which is the same at all locations, features a variety of favorite cuts,including a 24 ounce porterhouse, which is the house specialty; a 20 ounce New York sirloin and a 14 ounce double cut fillet.You could not go wrong with any of these cuts of meat. Every Friday and Saturday nights, enjoy the famous slow roasted Prime Rib. Morton's Prime Rib is a double cut, served bone-in and roasted to a perfect medium rare.One of my all time favorite meals.I would wait in line for hours to eat my melt in my mouth Prime Rib.The best of the best.My husband loves the lobster tail & fillet combo.He raves about it every time we eat at Morton's the Steakhouse!I also enjoy the lamb chops which are delicious.As an appetizer my husband enjoyed the jumbo lump crab cake and I the grilled asparagus which has roasted red pepper and balsamic vinegar,yum!The desserts are so amazing we try a different one each and every time.We decided to split these three this time creme brulee ,key lime pie and hot upside-own apple pie.All three are a little piece of heaven!I would recommend reservations but I never make them!We go as soon as they open because we bring our kids!The staff is always extraordinary with our children!I hate to brag but I have very well behaved girls who make our dining experience so much easier.My girls love to get dressed up and be waited on.Next time you want a first class meal dine at Morton's the Steakhouse in Caesars Casino.Best of the best of highest ratings!I am so honored to have been given permission to share these two famous recipes with everyone.Now if you do not have the cookbook get one.Fabulous recipes as well as history and tradition.Enjoy!




Steak Florentine – recipe from MORTON’S THE COOKBOOK



These tasty steaks are served on a bed of spinach, which earns them their name. Both round and butt steaks are full of flavor, and they are so well appreciated all across America that we think of them as “American cuts.” They are chewier than sirloin or tenderloin but full of great beef flavor. If you can find prime beef, buy it, but choice will do just fine here. Serves 2



Two 10-ounce round or butt steaks, each about 1 inch thick

1½ tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon minced shallot (1 small shallot)

1 pound fresh spinach, stemmed

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese



Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let them rest at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a large sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat and when hot, add the shallots and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until soft. Add the spinach to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, or until the spinach just wilts. Do not let it get too limp. Remove the pan from the heat, cover to keep warm, and set aside.

In a small sauté pan, heat the remaining ½ tablespoon butter over medium-low heat and cook the garlic for 2 to 3 minutes or until it begins to brown. Set aside.

Lightly sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper.

In another large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and when very hot, sear the steaks for about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the steaks to a roasting pan and roast for 3 to 4 minutes or until barely medium-rare.

Remove the steaks from the oven and turn on the broiler.

Drain the liquid from the spinach and spread the spinach in a broiler pan. Set the steaks on top of the spinach and then top each steak with the garlic and butter. Sprinkle a tablespoon of cheese over each steak and broil for 1 to 2 minutes or until the cheese melts and is lightly browned. Let the steak rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Divide between 2 plates.



Wine recommendation:

Pinotage wine from New Zealand has medium body with low tannin and high acidity, making it a good match for both the mildly bitter spinach and the Parmesan cheese. Try Te Awa Winery’s Pinotage from Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.

Rosso di Montalcino is the little brother to Brunello di Montalcino and will complement this dish nicely. It is a fruity, low-tannin wine that balances the bitter spinach but does not overpower the lean meat. We recommend Banfi Rosso di Montalcino from Tuscany.







Mrs. Artinian’s Carrot Cake



When we were looking for a great carrot cake, our President and CEO, Chris Artinian, shared this recipe with us, which is one of his mother’s, Marianne Artinian. We’re glad he did.

Serves 12 to 14

Cake:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

2 cups sugar

¾ cup vegetable oil

¾ cup buttermilk

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup crushed pineapple, drained

2 cups carrots, peeled and coarsely grated

1 1/3 cups loosely packed shredded, sweetened coconut

2 cups finely chopped walnuts

Buttermilk glaze:

1 cup sugar

½ cup buttermilk

½ cup unsalted butter

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Frosting:

1 ½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature

12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 ½ teaspoons fresh orange juice

1 ½ teaspoons grated orange zest

1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract



To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Generously butter two 9-inch round cake pans, each about 1 ½ inches deep. Dust each cake pan with about 1 tablespoon of flour and tap out the excess.
In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Add the sugar, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla and mix well.
Stir the flour into the batter.
Add the pineapple, carrots, coconut and 1 cup of the walnuts and mix well. Add the flour and fold into the batter with a rubber spatula.
Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans. Bake on the center rack of the over for about 40 minutes, or until the sides of the cakes pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a small saucepan, mix together the sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda until well blended. Set the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring, until heated through and the sugar dissolves.
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla. Set aside, covered, to keep warm.
Remove the cakes from the oven and put them, still in the pans, on wire racks sitting on baking sheets. Using a toothpick, poke about 20 holes in the top crust of each cake layer. Do not go any further than halfway through the cakes.
Whisk the glaze and pour it evenly over the cake layers. Let the cakes cool completely and then cover them, still in the pans, with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours, or until completely chilled.
To make the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and set on medium speed, beat the butter and cream cheese for about 2 minutes or until fluffy.
Add the confectioners’ sugar, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla. Mix slowly so that the sugar doesn’t fly out of the bowl. Gradually increase the speed and beat for about 1 minute or until the frosting is smooth.
To assemble: Remove the cake layers from the refrigerator and invert them on a work surface. You might need to run a kitchen knife around the edges to loosen the layers. Put 1 layer on a platter, glazed-side down.
Put about 1 ½ cups (a third) of the frosting on the center of the cake layer and spread it evenly over the cake. There should be a layer of frosting about ½-inch thick. If the frosting is soft, return the cake to the refrigerator to stiffen it up.
Put the other layer on top of the cake, glazed-side down, and frost the top of the cake with about 1 ½ cups (a third) of the frosting.
With the remainder of the frosting, cover the sides of the cakes with a thin layer.
With the tip of the spatula, press lightly into the top layer of frosting and pull it up to form little spikes. Repeat over the entire top of the cake.
Lightly sprinkle top