|
Post by Arrianna on May 13, 2007 21:53:53 GMT -5
Ishii Yoshiko: I will agree that this is not a traditional Pina Colada. The depth of flavor that the traditional rum would impart is not there but is replaced by a, delicacy. As a palate cleanser it is very nice. Not what I would consider a style in keeping with your other dishes so far but still, very nice.
|
|
|
Post by Man Alive! on May 14, 2007 15:55:18 GMT -5
Kaga: Very refreshing, don't you think Kurimoto-san?
|
|
|
Post by achen on May 14, 2007 17:50:46 GMT -5
Kurimoto: Hmmm. Well the drink is nice but still a bit heavy due to the coconut cream and still too sweet. I like the sake used though. Maybe if this was similar to an pineapple ice floated on top of this sake. It might have been lighter. Sorry.
*A slight nod of head with respect to the challenger.*
|
|
|
Post by allezcuisine on May 15, 2007 14:36:42 GMT -5
Hirano: Ahh. So nice and refreshing. I love this.
|
|
|
Post by ironchefcanadian on May 15, 2007 15:51:48 GMT -5
Chu: "Thank you." =========================================== Pineapple 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. =========================================== Chu: "I think I should caution you now that the bowl and its decorations aren't meant to be eaten." *smiles* "The traditional version of pineapple fried rice uses the actual fruit itself, but I wanted to use only the essence as a way of controlling its flavour. You should be able to catch a sense of it in the rice and just a hint of it in the duck. Because the rice was cooked without eggs or oil, you should be able find the duck flavourful without being too greasy. I used lettuce to add a contrasting texture. "Pineapple fried rice is normally served in the hollowed-out fruit as a bowl, and I thought this would be a good exercise for my step-daughter Sha-Shan to practice her carving skills. I think you'll agree she did a striking job."
|
|
|
Post by missteetheironchef on May 15, 2007 16:38:54 GMT -5
Post----------- Yummy End Post----------
|
|
|
Post by achen on May 15, 2007 17:52:48 GMT -5
Kurimoto: Now I can see what all that work on the duck is for. The rice is light and fluffy, while the lettuce adds a slight crunch to the mix. The hints of pineapple makes this dish great. With bits of pineapple in the rice, it would have been mushy and made this dish too sweet. Infusing the ingredients with pineapple essence highlights the pineapple with out all of the sweet and sourness that the fruit contains. Good job.
|
|
|
Post by Arrianna on May 15, 2007 19:36:33 GMT -5
Ishii Yoshiko: I would respectfully disagree. The rice is perhaps a little to dry without the oil used to fry it while the duck is still saturated with grease from being pressure cooked. It just doesn't balance. It is true I can only taste a hint of pineapple in the duck but I am not sure that is a good thing. A stronger infusion of pineapple might have helped to balance the strong flavor of the duck.
In all it is a good idea the execution is just not up to what I expect from Kitchen Stadium.
|
|
|
Post by Man Alive! on May 15, 2007 21:07:06 GMT -5
Kaga: What about you, Hirano-san?
|
|
|
Post by allezcuisine on May 17, 2007 14:05:19 GMT -5
Hirano: First of all, the presentation is beautiful. While the dish looks good, though, the flavors don't quite blend.
I agree with Yoshiko-san; the idea was great, but the execution was not up to par.
|
|
|
Post by ironchefcanadian on May 17, 2007 15:37:13 GMT -5
Chu: "I see." ================================================ Finally, 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. ================================================ *Chu ladles the soup into individual bowls, which already have the tsu-an tofu dumplings in them.* Chu: "What I wanted to do with this dish is to 'wake up' the tasters with something that was very low in fat content. Here, I give the pineapple flavour the chance to play with other fruits, such as the watermelon and lychees. My daughter's idea of a tofu dumpling actually helps enforce a contrast between the lychee and watermelon flavours, since the tofu keeping them relatively separate. "The coolness of the mint and the other fruits will help cleanse your palates, in preparation for tasting Chef Chen's dishes."
|
|
|
Post by Man Alive! on May 18, 2007 18:02:29 GMT -5
Kaga: Delightful. What do you three think?
|
|
|
Post by Arrianna on May 18, 2007 19:18:02 GMT -5
Ishii Yoshiko: Very refreshing. I am not sure it's so much a pineapple soup as much as a fruit soup. Chilled like this, I'm not used to a cold soup, and it's very sweet, the tofu dumpling goes well. I have to ask though. Do you think it's wise to assist the Iron chef with a dish like this Chef Chu?
|
|
|
Post by ironchefcanadian on May 18, 2007 20:29:05 GMT -5
Chu (via translation): "It's not so much assisting the chef as assisting the tasters, Yoshiko-san. You'll remember that the root of 'restaurant' is the word 'restore.' My cuisine would be unworthy of a true restaurant if it did not 'restore' the diners, putting them in a condition to enjoy the remainder of their day.
"As members of the Gourmet Academy, you are being relied on by the Chairman to render a fair verdict. If my dishes overwhelmed your palate so that you could not taste Chef Chen's dishes, then I would have failed as a chef because I would have put winning ahead of making good food. Refreshing my customers, rather than trying to oversate them, is an expression of my philosophy towards cooking."
|
|
|
Post by Man Alive! on May 19, 2007 17:48:41 GMT -5
Kaga: Well stated. Do you have anything else to add, Yoshiko-san?
|
|