|
Post by Man Alive! on May 8, 2007 16:18:11 GMT -5
Post --------------------- Hey, AC, I just realized you never said which judge you wanted to be. Who will it be? --------------------- End
|
|
|
Post by Man Alive! on May 9, 2007 20:36:40 GMT -5
Post ------------------------- I'm moving on tomorrow afternoon with or without a reply... ------------------------- End
|
|
|
Post by allezcuisine on May 10, 2007 6:49:11 GMT -5
post..... I'll take Masaaki Hirano as my judge. (Sorry for the hold-up) end...
|
|
|
Post by Man Alive! on May 10, 2007 14:16:28 GMT -5
Post ---------- That's alright. ---------- End Fukui: The challenger has prepared five dishes. phantomobserver.com/images/PineappleJellyfishSalad.jpgFirst, Pineapple Jellyfish Salad. Chu combined jellied pineapple with jellyfish and harusame noodles and dressed them with light olive and sesame oils. Slivers of jalapeno pepper add a slight kick to this otherwise mild and sweet appetizer. The use of pineapple rings and cherries lend a visual style to this dish. phantomobserver.com/images/PineapplePork.jpgNext, Hot and Sour Stir-Fried Pork with Pineapple. Chu's tribute to the Szechuan disciplines of his rival. The hot bean sauce acts in harmony with the pineapple chunks to create a pleasing contrast of flavours with the pork, and the bok choy adds both a decorative touch and a mild counterpoint to the stir fry. phantomobserver.com/images/Pinapuzake.jpgPinapuzake. A refreshing pause between hot courses. Chu adapts the classic Pina Colada recipe to Japanese tastes by using junmai sake instead of rum. The use of the lower-alcohol content sake makes this chilled cocktail thinner and lighter in flavor intensity than the original, perfect for the tasters' palates. phantomobserver.com/images/PineappleDuckFriedRice.jpgPineapple Duck Fried Rice. Infusion is the name of the game here, with pineapple infusing both the duck meat and the rice, with crisp lettuce adding its visual and textural counterpoint. The presentation is a hallmark of Imperial Chinese cuisine and is a creation of Chu's stepdaughter Sha-Shan. phantomobserver.com/images/PineappleSoup.jpgFinally, Chilled Pineapple Melon Broth with Lychee-Pineapple Tsu-An Tofu. Here, Chu explores the way pineapple can play with other fruits, with watermelon and mint in the chilled broth and with lychee in the tofu-skin dumplings. Chu will pour the broth over the dumplings just before serving. The flavors of the fruit will refresh the tasters' palates to end the meal. Iron Chef Chen has prepared four dishes today. First is Sweet and Sour Lobster featuring Pineapple. This unconventional pairing is a new approach in Chinese cooking that surprisingly goes well together. Next is Sweet Pineapple Glazed Chicken Wings. Adapting from a dish that uses plum jam, Chen hopes to offer a new trend with this dish. Third is Pineapple Pork Tenderloin with Pineapple and Ham Fried Rice. This is the most conventional approach as far as meat pairings is concerned, but the Iron Chef hopes that the preperation of the dish will open tasters minds to a new look at pork in pineapple dishes. Last is Mixed Fruit Wontons, French Toast Style. Maple suryp was to be offered along side this dish, but Chen failed to get it out in time. Regardless, this dish is a plesent closer to the meal. Today, Iron Chef Chinese Chen Kenichi battled Master Chu, a challenger who went through part of his life without the sense of taste. The theme ingredient was pineapple- The challenger prepared five dishes, and Iron Chef Chen finished with a set of four. And now, for the moment of truth, tasting and judgment. On the panel today are: Former Lower House Member Shinichiro Kurimoto Singer Ishii Yoshiko And Rosanjin Scholar Masaaki Hirano First up, the dishes of Challenger Chu.
|
|
|
Post by ironchefcanadian on May 10, 2007 16:09:20 GMT -5
Chu (with Jia-Cheng translating): I apologize for not being able to bring you the full courses of Imperial Chinese cuisine, but I'm sure this sampling will be much to your liking. ======================================================== First, Pineapple Jellyfish Salad. Chu combined jellied pineapple with jellyfish and harusame noodles and dressed them with light olive and sesame oils. Slivers of jalapeno pepper add a slight kick to this otherwise mild and sweet appetizer. The use of pineapple rings and cherries lend a visual style to this dish. ======================================================== Chu: "Jellyfish has traditionally been used as an opening dish at Chinese wedding banquets. We've used harusame noodles and jellied pineapple to enhance the varying degrees of texture found with jellyfish. The jalapeno is shredded finely enough that you'll be able to taste a hint of spiciness which should harmonize nicely with the overall pineapple flavor."
|
|
|
Post by Arrianna on May 10, 2007 23:55:20 GMT -5
Ishii Yoshiko: I am not sure what to think of this dish.
The Jellyfish doesn't, quite, go so well with the sesame oil and the pineapple together. The jellied Pineapple is fighting with it for attention. It's also breaking down, a common problem when you make gelatin from a highly acidic fruit, but it is changing the texture...
I just am not sure what to think.
|
|
|
Post by allezcuisine on May 11, 2007 12:05:03 GMT -5
Hirano: I agree. I don't like the combination of the jellyfish and the pineapple. The texture is not appealing to me either. I do like your presentation, though.
|
|
|
Post by Man Alive! on May 11, 2007 16:25:59 GMT -5
Kaga: I find the texture quite interesting, whether it was a mistake or intentional!
|
|
|
Post by achen on May 11, 2007 17:57:32 GMT -5
Kurimoto: I must agree with my fellow panelists. The sweetness of the pineapple jelly makes the sweetness of the jelly fish even sweeter. This dish's sweetness is overpowering but something extra is needed. Maybe something more savory and I think you tried to achieve this by using the sesame oil.
|
|
|
Post by ironchefcanadian on May 11, 2007 18:19:28 GMT -5
Chu: "You're quite correct, Kurimoto-san. I realize that jellyfish may not be to everyone's tastes, but perhaps this next one will be more to your liking." =========================================== Hot and Sour Stir-Fried Pork with Pineapple. Chu's tribute to the Szechuan disciplines of his rival. The hot bean sauce acts in harmony with the pineapple chunks to create a pleasing contrast of flavours with the pork, and the bok choy adds both a decorative touch and a mild counterpoint to the stir fry. =========================================== "Pineapple is of course a classic ingredient in the Hong Kong version of sweet-and-sour pork. I think you'll find that this variation will be pleasing to your tastes, as the pineapple flavour is balanced by the spiciness of the pork and bell peppers. If you find the flavours too strong, you can use the bok choy to clear the palate."
|
|
|
Post by achen on May 11, 2007 21:59:39 GMT -5
Kurimoto: We're back on track. The pineapple makes the pork tender and also tames the spiciness of bean paste. The pineapple is sweet but also slightly tart making this dish well rounded. The bok choy is a nice touch. Very good.
|
|
|
Post by Arrianna on May 11, 2007 22:55:32 GMT -5
Ishii Yoshiko: I agree, this is very nice. The bok choy goes with the pineapple almost as well as the pork does and the heat is pleasant. Very well done.
|
|
|
Post by Man Alive! on May 12, 2007 16:32:58 GMT -5
Kaga: And what do you think, Hirano-san?
|
|
|
Post by allezcuisine on May 13, 2007 12:00:39 GMT -5
Hirano: I love this dish. All of the flavors blend wonderfully. Well done.
|
|
|
Post by ironchefcanadian on May 13, 2007 16:11:20 GMT -5
Chu: "Thank you." ================================== Pinapuzake. A refreshing pause between hot courses. Chu adapts the classic Pina Colada recipe to Japanese tastes by using junmai sake instead of rum. The use of the lower-alcohol content sake makes this chilled cocktail thinner and lighter in flavor intensity than the original, perfect for the tasters' palates. ================================== Chu: "Please understand that this will not have the full intensity of a traditional pina colada. Since junmai sake has less alcohol content than rum, I felt I could use it to dilute the initial intensity of the pineapple and coconut flavors without oversweetening the drink. And since it's in a smaller glass than what would be used for the traditional colada, it's better suited to being a social drink, one that can be sipped during dinner conversation. "I put this drink here because it will allow the tasters a chance to clear the palate of the spicy pork before the next course."
|
|