Top Chef Season Premiere & Apple Crisp November 13, 2008

So last night was the premiere of my most favorite show… TOP CHEF! This season the chefs are competing in New York and the very first episode did not disappoint. It looks like the level of talent is incredibly high and that this is going to be a very exciting season.

 

The quickfire challenge looked incredibly difficult and I know for a fact that there is no way I could have peeled that many apples with a pairing knife in a such time crunch without mutilating my fingers (one chef did almost take off his thumb and still kept peeling!!)

In honor of that challenge I have attached a very yummy recipe for an Apple Crisp which I found on The Post Punk Kitchen website. Apples are in season right now and there are so many wonderful varieties you could use. I happened to buy a beautiful bunch of granny smith apples so that is what I opted to use. Enjoy!  

http://theppk.com/recipes/dbrecipes/recipe.php?RecipeID=134

Avec Eric June 30, 2008

I caught Eric Ripert on the TODAY show this morning. What truly caught my attention was that he was going to be on the show featuring meals made in a toaster oven. Eric Ripert? Chef of Michelin’s darling Le Bernardin. One of the “dreamiest” guest judges on Top Chef? Uh-uh! My interest was definitely piqued. So.. as it goes Mr. Ripert started cooking in the toaster oven to meet the needs of his 5 year old. son (I am sure many of you can relate!)  He proves once again that you don’t need to have a restaurant style kitchen with the world’s most exotic ingredients to be a good chef. All you need is good, wholesome food, creativity and for him, a toaster oven. The squash appetizer he made on the show looked super yummy and so easy (the recipe is on his blog along with video tutorials. Ahhhh…He is so handsome!!! ). I have attached the link to his new blog. Bon Appetit!  

http://aveceric.com

 One of my favorite quotes from his blog is so true..

“Remember that cooking at home shouldn’t feel like work; it’s an act of creation – have fun, relax with a glass of wine and appreciate the simple pleasures of good ingredients” – Eric Ripert

Autumn Panzanella in the Summer June 30, 2008

If there is something that I love more than cooking, it is cooking with friends. I stopped over my friend Alisha’s house the other night to hang out and have dinner. She had done most of the prep for the salad before I had arrived and in fact, the only thing I actually cooked was the mushrooms . The panzanella turned out super yummy and though it is labeled as an autumnal dish, it worked well in the heat of summer. She paired it with leftover Shrimp, Feta and Orzo salad (see earlier blog entry for recipe). It was a duo of salad; a great summer meal!

Like me Alisha doesn’t follow recipes exactly either. It is usually based on what she already has in the pantry or other convenience factors. That is what is so great about cooking. You may think to yourself, “Oh that sounds too fancy for me to cook”… but don’t let that stop you. Look at the recipe and make it realistic for you and your family. As always if you are vegetarian, delete the cheese or use an alternative.  

The following were revisions made to the recipe…

French baguette with the crust on in lieu of crust free bread for the croutons

White button mushrooms in lieu of wild mushrooms. I am sure that the wild mushrooms add a wonderful earthiness. I think what is more important is the technique that he suggests to cook them. They turned out so wonderful and I had never cooked mushrooms that way.

Fresh oregano instead of thyme (Convenience factor; she had fresh oregano. I am sure either taste wonderful).

Fresh lettuce instead of arugula or spinach (Convenience factor; again I think that either would work just fine)

Michael Chiarello is a wonderful chef with great entertaining ideas. Check out his show on Food Network “Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello” or just browse his recipes on foodnetwork.com 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_32361,00.html

Recipe rating: 4 (the onion dressing was so yummy!)   

Chicks Rule Top Chef! June 13, 2008

If you are not a fan of Bravo’s Top Chef you can stop reading here.

I am not a real TV junkie and to be honest most reality shows aren’t my cup of tea. But I have been a dedicated and loyal fan of the show Top Chef since the first season. I think I’ve even texted my vote a few times (Embarassing!) So this past Season 4 in Chicago did not disappoint. The challenges were really incredible and it seemed that the level of talent this season was unparalleled. It came down to a real test of talent with the final four chefs. To be honest I was incredibly disappointed that Antonia was sent home in the second to last episode and that Lisa whom I loathed (yes, I used the word loathe) made it to the final three. Lisa always skated by in the eliminations because another chef performed a tad worse than her. She appeared at the elimination table 5 times before the finale. Plus her attitude was negative and she didn’t seem to play nice with others (plus she made really annoying facial expressions. hahaha). For the finale, it almost seemed like Lisa was going to do the unimaginable and win the title of Top Chef. Richard (my personal favorite) choked and he knew it. And Stephanie did very well but based on the editing of the show it seemed like the judges liked Lisa’s food the best. But alas, the title went to a chef whom I feel deserved the honor and that was Stephanie. The first female to win the show in 4 seasons. Yeah! I would have honestly been happier if Richard had won but I feel that overall Stephanie showed her talents, her style and her integrity for the entire season. Yay for Top Chef! I wonder where the next season will take place. Maybe… Las Vegas??? ; )