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Post by Arrianna on Oct 1, 2006 12:12:13 GMT -5
Post------------------------ Hot & Sour Red Bean Bouillabaisse: A rich broth has been prepared using octopus, bonito, and crab with garlic, green onions, ginger, red bean paste, tomato paste, rice vinegar, chilies, and water. The bouillabaisse was strained clear and served with steamed clams, mussels, and small fillets of tender octopus that were marinated in soy sauce and white wine and then lightly grilled and sliced. Served in hot clay pots to keep the soup warm, the aroma makes it a dish to be enjoyed by all the senses. Endpost-------------------- Chen: Thank you. This next dish was inspired by the Bouillabaisse stew found in the Mediterranean. I made it Szechuan style with octopus as the main flavor of the broth and a little red bean paste for its richness. I also cooked the seafood; clams, mussels, and slices of grilled octopus, separately in order to make sure they were not overcooked. Please be careful as you remove the lids as they may be a little warm. The aroma you find should be quite nice. Please enjoy. PS. For fun I photoshoped a picture.
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Post by mickster on Oct 1, 2006 16:26:20 GMT -5
post.... drooling here end
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Post by Man Alive! on Oct 1, 2006 18:35:58 GMT -5
Kurimoto: The aroma is wonderful, and it tastes even better than it smells. A feast for the senses.
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Post by achen on Oct 1, 2006 18:55:58 GMT -5
Kanou: I must agree again. This dish has a good body and is rich. The only slight problem I'm having is the red bean paste. This adds an unusual flavor. Just don't take this the wrong way I like this dish but, the red bean paste could have been replaced with red preserved bean curd would have been a nicer accent. The seafood would have been even better if it was cooked in some of the soup at the end instead of grilling it separately. The flavor would have melded better.
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Post by missteetheironchef on Oct 2, 2006 13:28:40 GMT -5
Dreyfuss: Oh yes. I gotta admit, it beats an ordinary beef stew. I mean this dish really did have a astounding flair in bean paste. It's all about the seafood. I love it.
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Post by Arrianna on Oct 2, 2006 15:47:59 GMT -5
Post------------------------------------ Szechuan Octopus and Cucumbers Salad: Octopus that has been pressure cooked with Daikon radish, to make it tender, was then marinaded along with additional sliced Daikon radish, and fresh, diced, cucumbers in rice vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes, and sesame oil. Served on a light green, glass plate and garnished with long curls of marinaded cucumber skin. A crisp and refreshing dish. Endpost--------------------------------- Chen: Thank you. This next dish is an octopus and cucumber salad. I wanted to do something a little different so the dressing is done in a Korean style with rice vinegar, sesame oil, and red pepers. The cucumbers marinaded long enough to make them quick pickles and the slices of diakon radish should still have a nice crunch to them. The octopus itself was cooked in a pressure cooker till tender and then marinaded for a short time in the same dressing. Please enjoy. Post---------------------- What happened to our fourth judge? @ Achen: Red preserved bean curd! Why didn't I think of that! Endpost-----------------
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Post by missteetheironchef on Oct 2, 2006 15:49:27 GMT -5
Dreyfuss: This is a very healthy one. The cucumber and the octopus really match in this dish. The vinegar is very mild with this one.
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Post by Man Alive! on Oct 2, 2006 15:56:16 GMT -5
Post ------------- It appears that ICM isn't doing her part.... again. I know she has a lot going on in her life, but if that's the case she really shouldnt' sign up for the RPG. ------------- End
Kurimoto: I'm not too crazy about the flavor of this one, although I can say it is very refreshing. The presentation is great, and the use of the grass plate was ingenious.
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Post by achen on Oct 2, 2006 17:35:31 GMT -5
Kanou: Again I must agree. This dish has exceeded my expectation. I though this dish would have been plain with just the cucumber, daikon and the octopus, but the dressing just brings it up to another level. I taste a slight sweetness coming from the dish. Is it sugar or from the octopus?
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Post by Arrianna on Oct 2, 2006 19:29:30 GMT -5
Chen: Both I think. *bows*
Thank you.
Post--------------------------------- Long Beans w/ Octopus in Black Bean, Tea, & Maple Sauce: Long beans were stir fried with soy sauce, chili’s, ginger, and shaoxing wine. The octopus fillets were cooked under high pressure. The tea, sherry and vinegar in the glaze served to tenderize the meat while the black bean sauce, soy sauce, and maple syrup (along with garlic, ginger, and onion) infused the octopus with their sweet and savory flavors. Served in a shallow, square, bowl the long beans are topped with three slices of the glazed octopus and a drizzling of the sauce. A new take on an old recipe. Endpost-------------------------------
Chen: This dish, well, one of the ways to cook octopus is to barbeque it on a grill. Once I decided to pressure cook it I thought I would take it a little further and treat it like a boneless pork rib. The sauce is based off one used for pork barbecue and has both a sweet and savory flavor.
I decided to balance the dish by serving it with stir fried long beans. They should be nice and crisp where the octopus is tender.
Please enjoy.
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Post by Iron Chef Mandy on Oct 2, 2006 23:11:24 GMT -5
The barbecued octopus is quite original. *takes a bite; swallows a second later* Yes, this is perfect. The sauce blends into a perfect harmony with the flavor of the octopi.
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Post by achen on Oct 3, 2006 0:02:37 GMT -5
Kanou: I must disagree on this dish. The long beans are great but the sweetness of the maple syrup is overwhelming this dish. This dish would have been better if the maple syrup was replaced with hoisin and a hint of honey. The octopus is tender though. With a more Asian sauce and a quick trip through the salamander oven, this would have been a perfect dish. I have to say this is a good idea but weak on the execution.
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Post by Arrianna on Oct 3, 2006 13:43:25 GMT -5
Chen: I am sorry you feel that way Kanou-san. I hate to contradict you but the sauce is a chinese style sauce. Pork barbecue was invented in China after all. Post--------------------------- nudge, nudge, Edit: If anyone wants a laugh. <-link Endpost----------------------
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Post by missteetheironchef on Oct 3, 2006 13:50:30 GMT -5
Dreyfuss: I love it when the long beans and octopus come together. It's just me. The xiaoxing wine is not so overpowering in this dish. Very nice.
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Post by Arrianna on Oct 3, 2006 14:22:07 GMT -5
Chen:Thank you Dreyfuss-san.
Post----------------------------------- Honey Walnut Octopus & Shrimp w/ French Vanilla Ice Cream: Octopus curls and shrimp, dipped in egg whites mixed with mochiko (rice flour), then deep fried have been smothered in a sweet sauce of honey, mayonnaise, and condensed milk. Topped with a scoop of creamy French vanilla ice cream (made with liquid nitrogen) and sprinkled with candied walnuts this makes a delightful dessert to a savory meal. EndPost--------------------------------
Chen: This is my last dish. I had wanted to make an icecream using nitrogen from the ingredient. Since nitrogen icecream is significantly smoother then ice cream made in classic styles I had thought it would be a nice treat. However once I found out the ingredient was octopus I became concerned least someone get a chunk of frozen octopus and break a tooth.
So instead I went with a Hunan celebratory dish which I have always felt was reminicent of dessert anyway, Honey Walnut Shrimp. As before I had the octopus cut in curls to imitate the shrimp. The batter used for the tempura is made with beaten egg whites and mochiko so it is like a ... fluffy rice cake when fried.
Since the sauce it is coated with is essentially a sweet cream I felt that a French Vanilla ice cream would go best. A little of the sauce is drizzeled on the ice cream though it is difficult to see. The entire dish should be a contrast of textures from the crunchy candied walnuts on top, to the chewy tempura, to the tender octopus, and the creamy ice cream.
I hope very much you enjoy it.
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