Rose of Sharon Jewelry

Gone are the $1.99 casino buffets. The newest casino stars are all chefs! Experience their dazzling food in  the new The Seven Stars Cookbook. This oversized edition from Harrah’s Entertainment features great recipes from casino dining rooms across the U.S.

The photos will make your mouth water and the recipes range from a German Chocolate Cake after dinner drink to Ming’s Chinese Glazed Pork Ribs to Bradley Ogden’s Blue Corn Muffins.

Living in the Reno area, we’ve also experienced the change from volume-dining to  fine dining in our local casinos. I thought I’d share a recipe from Harrah’s Steak House in downtown Reno (featured on page 82).

Fall makes me think of soup and onion soup is a favorite with a nice glass of white wine and a rustic bread. Enjoy this simple recipe with a loved one!

Harrah’s Steak House Creamy Five-Onion Soup

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 large white onion, julienned

1 red onion, julienned

4 shallots, finely diced

1-1/2 cups chopped green onions, white and light green parts only

1 small leek, white part only, cut into crosswise slices and washed well

1 tablespoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup Burgundy or other dry red wine

8 cups beef consommé

2 cups heavy cream

8 large onions, hollowed out (optional presentation)

8 large round croutons, 2 inches in diameter

8 slices Swiss cheese

8 slices Gruyere cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a large stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the white onion, red, onion, shallots, 1/2 cup of the green onions, the leek, basil and pepper until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Add the white, consommé and cream. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.

Ladle the soup into the onions or ovenproof soup bowls. Top each with a crouton and 1 slice of each cheese. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and browned. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the remaining green onions and serve.

Consume is a clear soup usually beef based. Broth is not a direct substitute although people will use it. Beware of high sodium content in canned consommé (i.e. Campbell's).