Summiting New Heights

by Mark Estee

A little more than 18 months ago, Jason Carlisle was serving up some mean Cajun cooking on the Gulf Coast in Mississippi. While working as chef at various casino restaurants there, he created menus brimming with stylized comfort food showcasing the area's amazing seafood. We all know about the tragedy that struck the region, but luckily for us, Carlisle and his wife chose to relocate to Lake Tahoe's South Shore. Carlisle is currently executive chef at Harrah's Summit Restaurant. Once frequented by many Rat Pack–era stars, the remodeled, soaring two-story space now features his refi ned style of cooking. He's traded Gulf prawns for wild game, sushi-grade ahi and some of the country's most amazing produce. The Summit's menu continues to pay respect to classic dishes like steak and lobster, but Carlisle has also added updated versions of foie gras and newcomers like abalone, both of which have become hits in their own right. Chef Carlisle has shared with us his recipe for Chilean sea bass with lobster risotto. Try it at home, or better yet, let him cook for you at the Summit.

Chilean Sea Bass with Lobster Risotto

Chilean Sea Bass

• 2 cuts Chilean sea bass, 8 oz each (You can also use halibut, snapper or any other semi-firm white fish.)
• 2 T grape seed oil (Grape seed oil has a very high flash point, which allows you to get a very crisp sear; otherwise olive oil is fine.)
• 1 T butter
• Salt
• Fresh thyme

Heat sauté pan on high, then add oil. Season fi sh and place in hot pan, reducing heat to medium-high. Sear on one side until very brown and almost threequarters cooked; do not touch or shift pan. Reduce heat to medium-low, place butter in pan and shift back and forth to release fi sh from pan. Flip fi sh over and spoon butter over fi sh until cooked through.

Lobster Risotto

• 1 c arborio rice
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 2 T butter
• 4 c lobster fume (see page 76)
• 2 c heavy cream
• 2 oz Grand Marnier
• 3 T Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
• Lobster meat (see page 76)
• Fresh thyme, chopped
• Fresh chives, chopped
• Salt, white pepper

Heat lobster fume. In a separate dish, combine heavy cream and Grand Marnier and heat; set aside. In a four-quart pot, add butter and shallots on medium-high heat and sauté until translucent. Add rice and sauté for a moment (without browning), then add about two ounces of lobster fume and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue adding fume two ounces at a time, and let absorb (this process will take about 20 minutes, but is worth the wait). When fume is absorbed, start the same process with the cream. When cream is absorbed, turn off heat. To fi nish, add lobster meat, parmesan, thyme and chives. Fold in, and season to taste.

Maine Lobster

• 1¼ lb live Maine lobster
• 3 qt boiling water
• Juice from 1 lemon

In a large, tall pot, bring water and lemon juice to boil. Turn off heat and plunge lobster in pot; poach for 10 minutes. Remove lobster, saving liquid for lobster fume (see below). Separate tail from body, cut open and remove meat, doing the same with claws and knuckles.

Lobster Fume

• Shells from Maine lobster (see above)
• 2 T butter
• ¼ c chopped celery
• ¼ c chopped leek
• 2 c white wine
• 2½ qt poaching liquid (reserved from poaching lobster)
• Sachet of fresh thyme, a bay leaf, peppercorns, garlic clove, parsley stems

In a tall pot, add butter, celery and leeks and sauté until tender. Add lobster shells and sauté, then add white wine, poaching liquid and sachet. Simmer at about 170 degrees for 20 minutes; strain and set aside. Keep hot.

Braised Leeks and Spinach

• 1 oz lobster fume
• 1 T butter
• 1 leek, cleaned and julienned
• 6 oz baby spinach
• Fresh tarragon, salt

In sauté pan, add fume and butter. Once butter melts, add leeks and sauté until translucent. Add spinach and tarragon to wilt; season with salt.

Presentation

In two large bowls, place spinach in center and top with risotto, then fi sh. Pour hot fume in bottom of bowl to surround the risotto. Drizzle with pistachio oil or extra virgin olive oil. Garnish with micro greens or whole chives.