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�Find Your Park� and Find Your Flavor with These Gourmet Tips
for Houseboat Grilling from Chef Mark Purdy of Alizé
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With continued warm temperatures and off-season rates, late summer and
early fall are great times to #FindYourPark at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
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Every Forever Resorts houseboat comes with an outdoor grill and fully equipped kitchen.
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Simple tricks can turn ordinary ingredients into impressive gourmet feast: think lobster topped with
truffle-and-yuzu dressed grilled vegetable salad, potato salad �torchon� and grilled peach Melba.
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By preparing special condiments and infused oils at home, a houseboat grill master
can offer plenty of �wow� factor without spending too much time in the kitchen.
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Las Vegas, NV � September 2016 / Newsmaker Alert / With warm temperatures a given through mid-October and off-season rates in effect beginning in early September, late summer and early fall represent one of the best times of the year to try houseboating. Plus, nothing tastes better than a savory cookout in the great outdoors, and the fully equipped kitchens and outdoor barbecue grills on all of Forever Resorts� houseboats make this prospect hassle-free.

On a recent episode of Vegas PBS� �Outdoor Nevada� travel program, Chef Mark Purdy of Las Vegas� Alizé at the Top of Palms Casino Resort showed host John Burke how to incorporate haute cuisine flair into a laid-back barbecue�all while aboard a houseboat on Lake Mohave in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
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Purdy�s crowd-pleasing menu includes grilled lobster, accompanied by a grilled corn-and-asparagus salad, a potato salad torchon, and, for dessert, grilled-peach Melba. He stresses that the various condiments and seasonings he uses, often the source of the �fancy� in the otherwise strikingly simple recipes, can be made at home and brought to the houseboat ready-to-use. His mouthwatering tips include:

For the Potato Salad Torchon:

  • Mix together cooked and cubed potatoes, chopped onions and celery.
  • Add Dijon mustard�instead of mayo�but elevate it by adding garlic and shallots and puree the mix. This improved mustard can be prepared at home before the vacation, saving cooks more time on the water.
  • For a truly jaw-dropping element�the torchon�cut a cucumber into thin slices lengthwise; lay approximately 12 of these slices onto plastic wrap, slightly overlapping each one, to form a sheet.
  • Spoon the potato salad along the bottom end of the cucumber sheet and then roll into a cylinder, wrapping snugly in the plastic wrap.
  • Chill the cylinder for 30 minutes to an hour and then slice into individual portions to serve.
For the Lobster:
  • Poach 1.5-pound Maine lobsters (one per person) before preparing for the grill; do this at home and then pack the lobsters in ice to bring to the houseboat and keep chilled until ready to grill.
  • Cut each lobster half lengthwise, keeping the shell intact on each half; it preserves the lobster�s flavorful juices during grilling.
  • Brush each lobster with a mixture of extra-virgin olive oil and lemon oil infused with rosemary, garlic and shallot (this infused oil may be prepared in advance).
  • Don�t overcook; note the lobster will continue to cook in its shell after it�s removed from the grill.
For the Grilled Vegetable Salad:
  • Brush peeled asparagus with olive oil and add salt and pepper before placing on the grill.
  • Wrap corn in foil so it doesn�t burn; add to the grill.
  • When vegetables are finished, cut the corn from the cob and dice the asparagus.
  • In a bowl, combine the grilled vegetables and add Chef Mark�s exquisite truffle and yuzu dressing to taste: homemade aioli (similar to a garlicky mayonnaise) mixed with exotic black truffle shavings and yuzu (Asian citrus fruit) juice.
For the Grilled Peach Melba:
  • Brush peaches with powdered sugar so they caramelize on the grill.
  • Spoon homemade raspberry syrup in the bottom of the bowl, which can be prepared before your trip by cooking down fresh raspberries with water and sugar; strain into a jar or covered dish and keep chilled.
  • Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and top with a grilled peach.
  • Top with toasted almonds, if desired.
And the real secret ingredient that makes this houseboat-friendly cookout memorable? As Purdy says, �Everything just tastes better outside!�

In the Lake Mead NRA, Forever Resorts� houseboats are available for rent at both Cottonwood Cove Resort & Marina on Lake Mohave and Callville Bay Resort & Marina on Lake Mead. In the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, houseboats rentals on Lake Powell are available out of Antelope Point Marina. To book reservations, visit ForeverHouseboats.com or call 800-255-5561.

About Chef Mark Purdy
Chef Mark Purdy began his professional culinary career after graduating from Skidmore College in upstate New York. In 1996, he landed a job as an appetizer cook at the famed Aureole under celebrity Chef Charlie Palmer, where he was exposed to true haute cuisine and world-class service standards. In 1998, Palmer invited him to be the opening executive sous chef at the new Aureole at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Chef Purdy worked tirelessly at the striking $11 million, 375-seat restaurant, which received international acclaim for its cuisine, wine list and dramatic architectural design. Demonstrating a commitment and skill level beyond his years, Palmer then hired Chef Purdy to serve as chef de cuisine at his new Dry Creek Kitchen in the Sonoma wine country. Dry Creek Kitchen was an instant success and he was named Rising Star Chef by the San Francisco Chronicle. Anxious to return to Las Vegas, Chef Purdy was recruited to be chef de cuisine for Alizé at the Top of the Palms Casino Resort, where he says, �I�ve never been so happy in my professional life�not even close.�

About Forever Resorts
Forever Resorts is an exceptional collection of destinations providing hospitality services throughout the world. The company focuses on properties with access to nature and one-of-a-kind surroundings for vacations, including houseboating adventures. For more information, go to ForeverResorts.com or Facebook.com/ForeverResorts, and follow us on Twitter @ForeverResorts.

Media Contact:
Darla Cook
Forever Resorts
Vice President, Public Relations
480-998-7199 x 7104
602-432-7549 cell
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Publishing Dates: 09/08/16 � 11/08/16
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