Las Vegas Weekly

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Sarah Feldberg

Wed, Nov 17, 2010 (11:04 p.m.)

Thanksgiving dinner is boring. There, I said it. Sure, the holiday is known for soul-satisfying, once-a-year fare like stuffing and roast turkey, but even the best-prepared standards can feel a little uninspired when you’re having them for the Nth year in a row. We turned to a few of our city’s kitchen professionals and asked them to contribute recipes to a more exciting Thanksgiving menu that reflects Las Vegas’ culinary chops. Here we’ve published a soup-to-nuts menu including Morels’ perfectly tender sous vide turkey and Botero’s crème brûlée with a kick. Prepare your shopping list accordingly.

Roasted organic, free-range turkey

J.L. Carrera of Morels French Steakhouse & Bistro

“Our turkeys are slow-cooked and moist, not stringy and dry. Sous vide is a fool-proof technique where foods are cooked in a vacuum-sealed pouch that maximizes flavor and texture,” says chef J.L. Carrera. Morels will be serving organic, free-range birds from California-based Diestel Turkey Ranch as part of its Thanksgiving menu—which also includes chorizo and brioche stuffing and other delicious takes on holiday classics for $65 per person. You can find organic turkeys locally at Whole Foods.

Ingredients:

9- to 13-lb turkey

2 tbsp. salt

1 tsp. white pepper

3 oz. orange juice

1 oz. thyme

1/2 oz. bay leaves

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 oz olive oil

Directions: The day before your meal, combine all ingredients except for turkey to form your marinade. Marinate turkey and refrigerate for 24 hours. Take the turkey out of the refrigerator and wrap it with plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. Cook turkey at 185 degrees for approximately 3 1/2 hours. Check the internal temperature of the turkey at its thickest and make sure it reads at least 145 degrees. When cooking is finished, remove turkey from the plastic and foil wrap and place it back in the oven to brown the skin at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Next: Grilled salmon on leek and brie orzo by Marche Bacchus.