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Post by achen on Mar 7, 2007 18:54:04 GMT -5
Lam: I see the challenger is maybe venturing into Iron Chef Chen's zone. Chilli bamboo shoots? Matching two such strong flavor might be to much. And the soft serve bamboo shoots? I'm afraid that the flavor of the bamboo shoots would overwhelm the icecream, unless it is not icecream but extremely soft bamboo cooked with a savory sauce. I see Himura-san is being very creative to expand into other cuisines, while Hattori-san is being ultra conservative.
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Post by ironchefcanadian on Mar 7, 2007 19:21:11 GMT -5
Michiba: "Actually, based on the way he's worded his menu, he could be making an American-style chili instead of shoots flavored with hot sauce. We'll have to see what other ingredients he pulls out."
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Post by Arrianna on Mar 7, 2007 19:27:56 GMT -5
Ohta: (To Hattori): Hattori-san, what are your thoughts on today's battle? How do you feel about today's theme ingredient? Hattori: It is a very difficult ingredient due to it almost never being used as a main flavor. I'm going to try my best to bring it to the forefront without sacrificing the flavor of traditional Japanese cooking. I will be borrowing a little from the mainland but as little as possible. *Hattori takes quartered bamboo soots from chef Otonashi and places them in each of the pots then seals the pressure cooker and turns up the heat.* Hattori: (to chef Otonashi) Mince two of those and add them to the rice in the cooker. *Hattori hands a bowl to chef Nakamura who is finishing up filleting the swordfish.* Hattori: The marinade. *Hattori adds the mushrooms and a large number of quartered prepared shoots to a heavy pot with water.*
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Post by ironchefcanadian on Mar 7, 2007 19:51:18 GMT -5
Michiba: "Okay, you can see that Hattori-sensei's trying to speed up the tenderizing process on some of those shoots by using the pressure cooker. The only real risk he's taking is that, if they're cooked too long like that, some bitterness will creep in. That's why bamboo shoots are normally boiled in an open pot. He'll probably let that simmer a bit longer once he takes the pressure lid off.
"It also looks like he plans to marinade that swordfish along with the shoots; I don't see any other ingredients out, but I'd guess that he's thinking about a baking application."
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Post by Man Alive! on Mar 7, 2007 19:54:56 GMT -5
15 MINUTES HAVE ELAPSED!
Fukui: Wow, Hattori-san is really keeping his wits about him out there. I imagine the pressure from this battle is certainly getting to him, but he's hiding it very well. Lam-san, Michiba-san, as judges for this battle, what will you be looking for in the chefs' dishes today?
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Post by Sanji Himura on Mar 7, 2007 19:57:15 GMT -5
---post--- This is at the 10 min. call ---end---
Take all of the presoaked shoots out. Yuki, take as much shoots that you will think that you will need for the rings and start slicing them up on the slicer. Once that is done, pat them dry.
*turns attention to male assistant*
I'm going to need four shoots out to make the "pasta". *assistant turns over four shoots*
You start preparing the ingredients needed for the chili. Get the ingredients that are on this list, and start browning some ground beef, and crumble it too.
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Post by ironchefcanadian on Mar 7, 2007 20:05:11 GMT -5
Michiba: "So, he is doing an American-style chili -- that is, a braise of ground beef along with some spices, incorporating bamboo shoots along the way.
"So we should look for some heat here, but it'll be along the lines of North American rather than the Szechuan heat.
"Now Fukui-san, because this is not a comfortable ingredient for either of these two, they know they probably won't gain points for originality. So I expect that they'll be putting more effort into presentation and layout, and that's going to be the key to victory, I think."
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Post by achen on Mar 7, 2007 20:20:59 GMT -5
Lam: Well, I'll be looking forward to see the how the textures vary amongst the different dishes. It will also be important how they will match the other ingredients with the bamboo shoots. This will determine how the dish will taste and I think that will be another road to win.
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Post by Sanji Himura on Mar 7, 2007 20:29:38 GMT -5
*can be seen with a knife in one hand, and a bamboo shoot in the other, turning the shoot, making "obis"*
*Yuki can be seen using a v-slicer slicing bamboo shoots to make ready to make "bamboo rings"*
*The male assistant is having a hard time finding the ingredients that were on the list, forgetting the uncooked meat that he left on the cutting board at his station*
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Post by allezcuisine on Mar 8, 2007 9:44:22 GMT -5
Ohta: Quee-san! I have an updated list on what chef Himura is gathering on his side of KS today. Cumin, Chili Powder, Onion, Green Bell Pepper, Tabasco sauce, JalapeƱo pepper, and beef stock. Sounds spicy.
Ohta: I also have information from Doc Hattori; he tells me he plans to use cornish game hens and some spinach. We can also see various mushrooms over on Doc's side. I will try to get a look at those. Back to you.
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Post by ironchefcanadian on Mar 8, 2007 10:13:52 GMT -5
Michiba: "I'm surprised that Himura-san doesn't have tomatoes out, but otherwise it looks like the American-style chili's going to be his main dish. It'll be hard to incorporate the bamboo in any meaningful way, unless he decides to turn the bamboo shoot into a bowl for presentation, so he's got his work cut out for him.
"And Hattori-sensei's mushroom strategy also makes sense. I think I mentioned before that mushrooms containe glutamate, and that's especially true of shiitake mushrooms, which I see he's got out on the board. They'll really help in bringing out the flavor of the shoots. He's also got enoki mushrooms out -- you see those with the really small heads and the string-like stalks? They're used as a garnish, especially for ramen. Spinach is also a common topping for ramen, so I wouldn't be surprised if a soup becomes part of Hattori-sensei's offering."
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Post by Arrianna on Mar 8, 2007 11:40:33 GMT -5
*chef Nakamura can be seen cutting the Cornish hens in half with a large cleaver and chef Otonashi is juliening a large number of shoots.
Doc Hattori pours granulated sugar into a pot on the stove and begins putting Sansho leaves in a pestle and grinding them into a paste.*
Hattori: (to chef Nakamura) make sure and rub those down with shoyu and let them rest for 5 minutes before frying them.
*Doc Hattori leans into the pestle and then adds the ground Sansho into the sugar in the pot, adds some water, and turns the heat on while stirring.*
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Post by Sanji Himura on Mar 8, 2007 12:07:58 GMT -5
*still making the "obis" that will be used for the pasta when the male assistant returns*
Forgetting anything? *male assistant double checks the list then runs to fetch the last item on the list, canned tomatoes*
*Yuki then approaches with a plate of sliced shoots*
Yuki: Himura-san, I have the sliced shoots that you asked for.
Good. Get an ring cutter and make the holes on the rings bigger, but save the middles. Once that is done, chop the middles up into bite sized chunks for the chilli.
*Yuki goes to do what I asked.*
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Post by ironchefcanadian on Mar 8, 2007 12:22:55 GMT -5
Michiba: "It looks like Hattori-sensei's preparing a sansho-leaf sauce. That's a traditional accompaniment for bamboo shoots, especially for dishes made in spring when the really young shoots, or takenomo, are in season. You boil the shoots and add this sauce on top, with some of the leave on the side for garnish.
"Now Fukui-san, traditionally you use miso paste and sake for the sauce, so it'll be interesting to see if Hattori-sensei uses a variation on this.
As for the challenger . . . it does seem like his crew's a bit in over their heads right now, doesn't it Chai-dono?"
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Post by ironchefcanadian on Mar 8, 2007 12:28:29 GMT -5
Michiba: "Oh, and incidentally, there are two reasons why you want canned tomatoes rather than fresh ones. First, tomatoes aren't in season in Japan right now, and second, the tomatoes are already pre-cooked during the canning process, so it will be a time saver for Himura-san."
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