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Post by Sanji Himura on Sept 17, 2006 16:57:01 GMT -5
Otha: Challenger Okabe, you seemed focused during that hour. Now that is over, how well did you think you did?
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Post by Sanji Himura on Sept 17, 2006 16:59:36 GMT -5
Otha: Another incredible hour. Being the only Iron Chef that drew octopus twice, how much better did you think you did, compaired to your other battle, and how well did your dishes turned out?
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Post by Sanji Himura on Sept 17, 2006 17:08:49 GMT -5
Otha: Well, Sanji-san, this is your fourth time that you appeared here in Kitchen Stadium, and I would like your thoughts on the battle.
Sanji: Well, the theme is octopus, and hardly anybody eats octopus in non-japanese cooking. I think that both chefs did well, however, while the challenger showed, with confidence, that he can adapt the theme into french and italian recipes, the Iron Chef appears that he was trying to make the theme fit into chinese cooking. He seemed that he was also under some pressure, and that may show in his dishes.
Otha: So you think it is a win for your man?
Sanji: Seriously, yes. Most defentally.
---post--- I counted RPG 6 and 7 as one appearence for obivous reasons ---end---
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Post by Arrianna on Sept 17, 2006 18:19:26 GMT -5
Otha: Another incredible hour. Being the only Iron Chef that drew octopus twice, how much better did you think you did, compaired to your other battle, and how well did your dishes turned out? Chen: Then my other dishes? Much better. This time I knew how to cook them so the octopus wouldn't be tough or rubbery. I believe I have handled that quite well. How they turned out generally.... well that's up to the judges isn't it?
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Post by missteetheironchef on Sept 18, 2006 10:47:15 GMT -5
Dreyfuss: Seen like Chen believes in real things like me.
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Post by allezcuisine on Sept 18, 2006 14:23:18 GMT -5
Okabe: Well, octopus is a tough theme, but under the circumstances I think I did very well.
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Post by Man Alive! on Sept 18, 2006 15:56:44 GMT -5
Fukui:
The Challenger has prepared eight dishes today.
First is octopus and pomegranate salad. The octopus is paired with various vegetables and sits in a pomegranate sauce. This light, refreshing course is a great way to open the meal.
Next up is Curried Octopus. The octopus is flavored up very nicely in this spicy dish. The octopus is served over rice with a coconut sauce. Fresh cilantro adds a wonderful garnish and flavor.
Octopus and Seafood Soup is the next dish from challenger Okabe. The tomato based soup is flavored with white wine, capers and other ingredients before adding in the seafood. Octopus, mussels and clams are used in this soup. Covering the soup some puff pasty brushed with olive oil, Parmesan cheese and parsley. The puff pastry complements the soup perfectly.
The next dish will be Octopus Wontons. Each taster will get three wontons; one filled with octopus, carrots, water chestnuts, cilantro, black sesame seeds and ginger, and it sits in a tarragon and saffron sauce. The next wonton is filled with very finely chopped octopus, cream cheese, onion, parsley, and truffles. It is fried and served with a homemade sweet and sour sauce. The last wonton skin is made from octopus ink and black truffles to give it a unique color and flavor. It is filled with octopus, tofu, green onion, sun flower seeds, black truffle, and ginger. This one sits in a creamy French truffle sauce. The wontons are all unique and balance each other out wonderfully.
The next dish is a pallet cleanser for sure. The octopus and papaya go very well together. Heavy cream is mixed in and it is toped with salmon roe. This cold "soup" is served right in the middle of the meal to cleanse each taster's pallet.
Baked Octopus Fettuccine is the sixth course challenger Okabe has prepared. Okabe started out with a creamy Parmesan sauce and added octopus and fettuccine to the mix. Black truffles are added to give this dish another layer of flavor. On top is a crust of flavored Italian bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and more black truffle. Parsley to garnish.
Next is Octopus, Three Ways. The first selection is fried octopus. Similar to fried calamari, but not the same by any means. Each taster has two sauces for dipping; a basic marinara sauce or a black truffle wasabi sauce. The challenger wanted to show raw octopus to the panel so he prepared thinly sliced octopus and topped it with a sweet mustard sauce. On top of the mustard sauce sits some sea urchin roe, which balances the sweet mustard flavor. Sitting next to this, is the second half to the second dish in this trio. It is raw octopus, topped simply with olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, and Parmesan cheese. Last, completing this trio is a cooked octopus dish which is layered; it has alternate thin slices of octopus and cucumber and is marinated lightly in a cilantro sauce. It is plated with black truffle sauce and has American caviar on top.which has fried octopus, with choice of wasabi or marinara sauce, I wanted to show raw octopus, so I thinly sliced some octopus and paired it nicely with a sweet mustard sauce and put some sea urchin roe on top. I set that along side another raw octopus fillet and topped it simply with lemon juice, olive oil, parsley and Parmesan cheese. The other dish, completing this trio is a cooked octopus dish , sliced very thinly with alternate slices of octopus and cucumbers. It is plated in a black truffle sauce and has caviar on top.
To complete the meal, Okabe prepared a special treat; Octopus Dessert. Not to worry, this challenger hid the taste of the octopus in this dessert. He coated the octopus in sugar and gave it a quick torch. He then coated half of them in a sugar and ginger mixture, and the other half in a vanilla and coconut mixture. Each piece is hand dipped in either milk or dark chocolate.
Iron Chef Chen has prepared six dishes.
Chinese Octopus Balls w/ Three Sauces: Minced octopus, shrimp, sauteed garlic, water chestnuts, and egg yolks were pureed, formed into balls, fried, then steamed in a dashi and ginger broth. A sweet chile sauce is made of soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, chili paste, and honey. A ginger sauce is made of mushroom soy sauce, red rice vinegar, chili oil, sugar, and ginger. Finally a plum sauce is made of plum jam, vinegar, brown sugar, minced onion, ginger, and garlic. The octopus balls are served on strips of seaweed in a small bamboo steamer. On the side three small clay bowls hold the selection of sauces. A nice beginning to any meal.
Octopus Chili Fried Rice w/ Salt & Pepper Octopus: Minced octopus, shrimp, and spring onions were stir fried then cooked with the rice, garlic, and bonito broth. After cooking the rice was quickly fried with soy sauce, chili sauce, a small spoon of octopus ink, and a touch of rice vinegar. Served on top of the dark amber rice is octopus tempura sprinkled with salt and ground Szechuan peppers and garnished with a sprinkling of sliced scallions.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Fukui: Today, Challenger Okabe is back in Kitchen Stadium battling Iron Chef Chen Kenichi. Okabe has not only his honor, but the honor of Sanji Himura on the line. The theme for the battle is octopus, and the Challenger turned out eight dishes, while the Iron Chef completed a set of six.
And now for the moment of truth, tasting and judgment. On the panel today are:
Former Lower House Member Shinichiro Kurimoto Photographer Tenmei Kanou Actress Julie Dreyfuss And Culinary Critic Asako Kishi.
First, the dishes of Challenger Okabe.
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Post by allezcuisine on Sept 18, 2006 16:11:39 GMT -5
Okabe: OK, we'll start out with our first course, which is Octopus and Pomegranate salad. The octopus is paired up with daikon radish, cucumber pomegranate seeds, and carrots. It is sitting in a pomegranate sauce with sesame seeds on top. Please enjoy.
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Post by missteetheironchef on Sept 18, 2006 16:28:46 GMT -5
Dreyfuss: This a amazing start of the course. The sauce is very sweet and very good. Such a wonderful texture.
Post----
Man Alive, I thought I was Dreyfuss not Wong.
End Post----
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Post by achen on Sept 18, 2006 18:17:26 GMT -5
Kanou: This is a good starter. I the octopus is cooked just right and not rubbery. The only problem I had with this dish is that is was too sweet. A little sherry vinegar would have offset the sweetness and would have made this dish perfect. Strong opening though.
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Post by Man Alive! on Sept 18, 2006 18:32:35 GMT -5
Dreyfuss: This a amazing start of the course. The sauce is very sweet and very good. Such a wonderful texture. Post---- Man Alive, I thought I was Dreyfuss not Wong. End Post---- Post --------------- I knew that, too- I must have made that error subconciously. The post was modified, so everything should be okay now. Sorry, Misstee! ---------------- End Kurimoto: I like this very much. It's very refreshing, and opens up your course very nicely. The octopus is cooked just right.
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Post by Iron Chef Mandy on Sept 18, 2006 23:24:00 GMT -5
The octopus was cooked wonderfully, and I feel as though it doesn't overpower the daikon radish. Other than that, the pomegrante sauce is wonderful harmony.
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Post by allezcuisine on Sept 19, 2006 15:45:31 GMT -5
Okabe: Thank you all. *bows* Alright, up next I have prepared Curried Octopus for you today. It is served over rice and has a creamy coconut sauce on top. It's garnished nicely with the fresh cilantro to bring out some color. Please enjoy.
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Post by missteetheironchef on Sept 19, 2006 15:48:25 GMT -5
Dreyfuss: The curry and coconut accentuates both the texture and flavor with the octopus. So eccentric! I love cilantro!
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Post by Man Alive! on Sept 19, 2006 15:55:22 GMT -5
Kurimto: The coconut sauce does wonders for this dish. It goes so well with the octopus. I like the presentation on this dish- it's very playful. Well done.
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