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Post by Arrianna on Mar 15, 2007 17:17:24 GMT -5
*Hattori turns over the Abalone he has sauteing in a pan. He goes to the ceramic pots with the soup and clams and adds the deep fried bamboo shoot noodles. *
Chef Nakamura: The Enoki.
Hattori: On the soup.
*Hattori double checks the plating of the other three dishes. He reminds chef Otonashi not to forget the kaiware on a few of the Savory Bamboo Shoots.
As the final count down begins Hattori removes the Abalone from the heat and transfers several pieces to each of the pots with chef Nakamura's help. A sprinkle of sliced scallions, last check of the dishes, and Doc Hattori smiles and wipes his hands.*
Hattori: whew.
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Post by achen on Mar 15, 2007 18:17:52 GMT -5
Lam: Michiba-san I don't think there is enough time for the challenger to tweak the dishes, but he should try more to improve the presentation of the dishes. The forest look is creative but I think it doesn't flow with the dish. What do you think Michiba-san?
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Post by ironchefcanadian on Mar 15, 2007 19:03:28 GMT -5
Michiba: "He's got the time if he wants it, Chai-dono. I think we can wait until judgement time to see how he works his presentation."
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Post by Man Alive! on Mar 15, 2007 21:19:57 GMT -5
Fukui: Well, to be precise, Michiba-san...
1 MINUTE TO GO!
Fukui: He has only sixty seconds to make any final changes before this battle is gone for good!
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Post by Sanji Himura on Mar 15, 2007 22:09:52 GMT -5
*Stands there cutting up with assistants and cameramen on my side of KS*
---post--- Sorry, I couldn't help myself. ---end---
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Post by allezcuisine on Mar 16, 2007 16:56:52 GMT -5
*Ohta is gathering around the chefs with his questions, waiting for the battle to officially end*
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Post by Man Alive! on Mar 16, 2007 18:27:34 GMT -5
30 SECONDS TO GO!
Fukui: Today, our own Doc Hattori was challenged by his nemesis, Sanji Himura, in Kitchen Stadium. The theme was bamboo shoots, a theme neither chef was particularly comfortable with.
15 SECONDS TO GO!
Fukui: After an amazing battle, both chefs managed to complete their dishes comfortably within the time limit.
10 SECONDS TO GO!
Fukui: Now there's only a matter of seconds away from tasting and judgment, and one man's honor will be upheld, and the other's crushed!
5 SECONDS!
Fukui: And now, the Bamboo Shoots Battle is...
3! 2! 1!
Fukui: OVA!
*The Gong of Fate sounds, the battle ends*
Post ----------------------------------- I already have the dishes of both chefs, so tasting will begin immediately after Ohta's interviews. Great battle, everyone! ----------------------------------- End
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Post by allezcuisine on Mar 17, 2007 12:30:27 GMT -5
Ohta (to Himura-san): Himura-san, you did great out there! How did it go? Are you expecting a win today?
Himura-san: I found the shock of the theme to be a little too much for me to overcome and I've overlooked the progress that I've made preparing in my dishes. I'm thankful that I've had reliable assistants to bale me out. As for the results, I've already achieved my goals by facing Hattori-sensei on equal terms. If I won with the dishes that I've prepared today it would be icing on the cake for me.
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Post by Arrianna on Mar 17, 2007 12:56:03 GMT -5
Ohta: Hattori-san, great battle! How do you think it went?
Hattori: I found it a difficult ingredient and had to make adjustments through the entire battle to try and use it to it's best.
Ohta: Do you expect a win today?
Hattori: I have no idea. I don't really know what Sanji Himura has done. I am confident in my own dishes though.
Ohta: Do you have any comments on chef Himura's dishes?
Hattori: I really wasn't paying attention to what he was doing.
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Post by Man Alive! on Mar 17, 2007 16:58:58 GMT -5
Fukui:
Challenger Himura is serving three dishes today:
First is Bamboo Rings with Tempura dipping sauce- This is Bamboo shoots in its purest form. Served with a tempura dipping sauce that harmonizes with the plain flavor of the shoots
Second is "Bamboouguinni"- This ordinary pasta is actually bamboo shoots. This is Himura's proposal to Italian cuisine that Bamboo shoots can fit there.
Last is "Wild East Chilli"- This American-style chili is served in ciabatta bread bowls, a major deviation from conventional wisdom, but the bowls have soaked up enough liquid so that pure flavor is shown, and tasted.
Fukui:
Doc Hattori has prepared four dishes.
First is the appetizer "Takenoko (Bamboo Shoots) 3 Ways".
Served on a long curved bamboo sushi platter is three types and textures of bamboo shoots.
The first is Takenoko no Kinome Ae (Bamboo Shoots with Sansho Sauce). The fresh natural bamboo has been sliced and served with a drizzle of sansho sauce around it. The tasters can either enjoy it au natural or with the sweet pungent sauce.
The second serving is Menma (Bamboo Shoot Pickles) Bangkok Style. The freshly pickled julienned shoots are naturally very sweet and have been marinated with sliced green onions and chili threads in a sauce similar to the Soop Naw Mai (Shoots for Salad) of Yuzu zest, Tamarind juice, fish sauce, and shoyu.
The third offering is Takeno no Misoni (Bamboo Shoots simmered in Miso). Bamboo shoot quarters have been braised in dashi, saki, mirin, and miso. Drizzled lightly with the reduced sauce and garnished with Kinome buds.
Next is "Takenoko no Umami" (Savory Bamboo Shoots).
Taking advantage of the way bamboo shoots can absorb very strong savory flavors without losing their individuality, these quartered shoots have been slow braised in a shoyu sauce. The flavor of the shoyu sauce was enhanced by saki, black mushrooms, and deep fried Cornish game hens that were simmered for 10 minutes before the shoots were added to give maximum flavor to the sauce. Served on a bed of fresh spinach and garnished with a sprinkling of sesame seeds, shredded shoots, and kaiware (diakon sprouts) this dish is guaranteed to show of the savory potential of the ingredients.
Hattori's third dish is a Kata-yaki Tokenoko no Shiru (Deepfried Bamboo Shoot Noodle Soup).
The broth of this soup was made from bamboo shoots, crimini, and shitaki mushrooms that were slowly simmered for all their savory flavors. Finished with saki and miso then strained twice this elegant bamboo shoot broth makes a wonderful platform for the bamboo shoot noodle served inside. The noodles were deep fried twice for a crumbly outside and soft inside. To finish the soup Manila clams were cooked in it in the last few minutes, fried abalone adds some extra richness, and Enoki mushrooms provide a little crunchiness to the completed dish. A sprinkling of sliced scallions completes the presentation.
Finally we have "Takenoko Gohan no Kajiki-Maguro" (Bamboo Shoot Rice and Swordfish).
The rice that is the center of this dish has been cooked with minced bamboo shoots providing the rice it's sweet flavor. In the center of the rice we find fresh shoots that were slowly simmered in dashi, cored, and stuffed with grilled swordfish marinaded in Yuzu, ginger, honey, and sesame oil. A small amount of the dashi the fresh shoots were simmered in has been poured around the base of the rice to add its richness to to the dish. A garnish of shredded sansho leaves and scallions tossed with Yuzu and honey ties all the ingredients together. A refreshing end to this wonderful meal.
Fukui: Today, Challenger Himura took on resident food-expert Doctor Yukio Hattori in a rematch battle in Kitchen Stadium! The theme ingredient for the battle was “bamboo shoots,” a theme that neither chef was particularly comfortable with. After sixty minutes of intense cooking, Challenger Himura ended up with three dishes, and Doc Hattori finished with four.
And now for the moment of truth, tasting and judgment. On the panel today are:
Honorary Iron Chef Rokusaburo Michiba Hong Kong food critic Chai Lam Professional Wrestler Jimmy James And culinary critic Asako Kishi
First up are the dishes of Challenger Himura.
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Post by Sanji Himura on Mar 17, 2007 17:20:34 GMT -5
There is a saying in the Himura household that says, "If every journey begins with a single step, one must first leave home." I know that for one member of the panel, you may feel that you are going home in this adventure that is my meal, but for the rest of you, enjoy the trip.
*pours the dipping sauce from the kettle into the empty bowls to distribute to the panel*
Our journey begins today in Japan, where we enjoy our first course. The traditional tempura is often considered "fast food" and can be picked up at any vendor as a light snack. Please enjoy.
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Post by ironchefcanadian on Mar 17, 2007 17:37:46 GMT -5
Michiba: "Himura-san: I'm afraid you needed to supervise your assistant more closely on this dish. While it is true that you played a major part in the creation of the rings themselves, because you left the preparation of the tempura batter and the dipping sauce entirely up to her, some errors were made. As a result, the texture of the shoots isn't really as crispy as would be expected using the tempura method, and there is also some greasiness on the surface of the rings."
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Post by achen on Mar 17, 2007 18:51:43 GMT -5
Lam: Here I must agree with Michiba-san. They were a bit greasy and the water content caused the tempura to be a bit soggy. This dish is also very plain. I thought this dish would have had some type of Himura surprise.
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Post by barronmore on Mar 17, 2007 22:54:21 GMT -5
Jimmy James: <Blinking, with a bewildered look on his face>
Is this really bamboo? It's so soft and not ridged at all. The last time I had a mouthful of bamboo there was a fellow on the other end of the Singapore cane. But this....this is really tender.
<Jimmy delicately tastes one of the bamboo rings>
Not bad. Y'all know I like my food deep fried and all but this is...interesting. Pretty nice. I have to agree with Michiba-san and Lam-san though. I was expecting a bit more. It is nice though, gives me a good 'baseline' to see what Bamboo really tastes like...without pulling splinters out of my teeth.
Hesitantly looking forward to the next dish.
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Post by Sanji Himura on Mar 18, 2007 12:14:51 GMT -5
I'm sorry about that.
(to the next dish)
Our next stops are China and Italy. When Marco Polo made his voyage to China, he had to go through bamboo forests to go to villiages along what would later be called the Silk Road. Today, you will have to go through a bamboo forest in order to taste a popular dish in Italy called Liguinni Alfedo. I spent most of the battle making the bamboo shoots stand in for the pasta, so please enjoy, and remove the bamboo from the plate so that you can enjoy the dish proper.
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