Iron Chef Part Wu

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
41

Fenris, dressed in a black tux says:

Chef Troy

**

You could put caramelized onions on anything and make a masterpiece. Old sponges. Tires. Anything. But putting caramelized onions on these light appetizers have made a masterpiece. My only concern is the brown-butter sauce which might be a tad greasy though. I’ve only tasted it once and, in that one instance it was…oily. But I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. The mix of hazelnuts with squash is a great combination.

**

All three of these sound good (especially the jicama one), and the presentation is wonderful, but the squash seems like an afterthought here. The way it’s written, I don’t see an easy way to eat the squash at the same time as the salads and the focus of this dish seems to be the salads, not the squash. I’d have liked more squash with this.

**

I liked the combination of onions/leeks and pumpkin. This sound very rich and very “homey”.

**

The combination of bacon/pancetta and cheese would perfectly compliment spaghetti squash’s sweetness.

**

This dish is the pure essence of pumpkin. I also note from the recipe, that it doesn’t seem too sweet (a flaw in most pumpkin deserts). Well done.

I liked the wide variety of techniques and squashes used: a filling and tasty meal.

Chef Scylla
**

Pumpkin+horseradish=an interesting flavor combination and intriguing.
Pumpkin+horseradish+ketchup=not so much

It’s odd. This sounded great until I saw the recipe: now I’m not as certain. Pumpkin and ketchup just doesn’t sound good (although, granted, there wasn’t much of it.) Nonetheless, I’ll give the benefit of the doubt and assume that the ketchup isn’t too overpowering, in which case, this is an extremely inventive and tasty-sounding dish.

**

I like this one. It’s really designed to accentuate the flavor of pumpkin. The roasted seeds on top are an inspired addition. The only criticism I can offer is that, as good as crawfish tails are and as well as they would go with the pumpkin (an inspired combination, btw), mightn’t more be better? :slight_smile:

**

Again an intriguing mix of seafood with pumpkin, a combination I’d not really thought to explore previously. One concern is that the 80/20 mix of pasta to spaghetti-squash strands is too high a ratio. I’d like more spaghetti-squash (but then, I like spaghetti-squash). The salmon/pumpkin meatballs are an inspired addititon, and I find the presentation amusing and inventive.

**

You have used the dreaded candy-corn in a recipe :eek: and yet, this is another inventive item. The only concern I have with this, is that the commercial pumpkin ice-cream I’ve had hasn’t been very “pumpkin-y”. Is there enough of a pumpkin flavor in this dish, I wonder? Would a pumpkin-cake base have added a needed extra burst of pumpkin?

Overall, a very good meal, and, as a big fan of seafood, I like the heavy emphasis on combining seafood and winter squash. My only negative comments are 1) That all your dishes featured steamed squash. I’d have liked to see some other avenues of cooking the squash: Roasting, grilling or frying, for example, and 2) You only used pumpkin and spaghetti squashes. I’d have liked to see your take on a wider variety of the squashes.

Chairman Java: I’ll e-mail my scores tonight.

Fenris

42

::Iron Chef Scylla bows towards Fenris, looking fawningly obsequious, yet annoyed and disdainful at the same time, in the way only an Iron Chef can, and speaks in badly dubbed English:

Uhh. Thank you. I experimented with the cocktail sauce Saturday night, and thought as you did. The idea of ketchup seemed reppellent in the mixture. I originally started as simply a blend of pumpkin puree and horseradish, and added from there. Even with the horseradish I found it too sweet at first, hence the mustard. I was still not happy then and thought to try a little ketchup. I thought the tartness helped tone the pumpkin and added color (the pumpkin meat gets grey when cooked and mixed with horseradish.) Try it, and let me know what you think. I beleive it was the right decision.

Yes, being a purist, it was only with the greatest difficulty that I used the spaghetti squash. To me, there is no other squash besides pumpkin, and there is no better way to secure its distinctive flavor than by steaming it.

::Holds up large butcher knife and strokes blade meaningfully::

I am very much looking forward to seeing your scores, Fenris-san.

43

I would like to offer a reply or two to our esteemed judge:

I see that the portions don’t really show in my descriptions. You’re looking at a scant half-cup of each salad here - just enough to fill the squash rings. The proportion of squash to salad is about equal. Eating it is actually quite easy - after being steamed and then grilled, the flesh of the squash is quite tender and easily scooped from the shell with the swoop of a fork.
Moreover, I can see how you reached the conclusion that the salads are the real star of this dish, but my intent - which I seem to have failed to convey due to the time constraints I was working under when writing the descriptions - was to show that the smoky sweetness of grilled squash is versatile enough to support and enhance a wide variety of secondary flavors (that whole “working together” thing). The squash is, in summary, the foundation of this dish, and the salads are the decorative gargoyles on the roof. And we all know which is more important to a building.
I’m not trying to influence your scores [sub](snort! yeah right)[/sub] but I wanted to offer some additional description on this dish that I left out in my hurry to beat the clock yesterday.

Also, I thought I’d make clear that my pumpkin soup is served warm rather than chilled, because I neglected to do so in the original description and I know that soup temperature matters to a lot of people (I can’t stand chilled soup myself).

touches fingertips together to emphasize the complete lack of a knife, and hence the decision to eschew clumsy and brutish threats of violence to the judges

44

Chef Troy:

As a small child I was severely mangled by a spellchecker. I am ashamed that a competitor of mine should stoop so low as to attack a man because of his disability.

But, I should expect no less from a man who puts things in Wanton wrappers and calls them ravioli.

45

wanton wrappers? Your freudian slip is showing. Clearly you disapprove of these harmless little pasta squares because of what you perceive as their secret lives of debauchery.

Because if that isn’t it, I don’t really understand your objection to this. Is it simply a reaction to the “chinese” font used on the wrapper and the picture of a panda on the front? Because I assure you that won ton skins make excellent ravioli. Don’t think of them as won ton skins - think of them as sheets of pasta (which is, of course, exactly what they are). For that matter you’ll never have more delicate manicotti or canneloni than one that’s made with egg roll wrappers.

Sheesh, you Iron Chefs are so hidebound. Stick your head out of Kitchen stadium once in a while and see what the cooking world has been up to in the last thirty years. grin

46

Chef Troy major kudo’s for using not only several types of the squashes, but alternating methods of preparation. Individually:

Butternut Squash/Hazelnut Ravioli - Very intriguing - I like the mixing of cultures/tastes, tho’ my brow furrowed a bit with the 2 sticks of butter for the sauce. You redeem yourself wonderfully tho’ with the salad presentation. I’m with Fenris about the jicama lime salad (ummm) and the variety of ingredients/textures makes this a winner. You do an interesting variation on the pumpkin soup - and I, for one, really appreciate avoiding the oh-so-overdone-serving it in it’s shell. But it’s the entree where you really shone. Pasta Cabonara is a special favorite of mine, and the selection of pancetta, does it well, balancing the creamy cheesyness of the rest of the dish. Ah, then you toyed with me on the soup presentation and tossed me the pumpkin shells in the dessert. sigh. Would have liked to see something with a little more pazzazz there.

Scylla, the reigning Iron Chef. First of all, even with your sweeping ‘the pumpkin is the ultimate squash**, it is important that one also acknowledges the contribution of other versions. I was disappointed that you only saw fit to really use the one gourd. However, putting that disappointment aside, we’ll evaluate the dishes themselves. Selection of the Halloween theme was a good one, I, too was right with you on the cocktail sauce (and very interested in the pairing of seafood and pumpkin), right up to the ketchup. Damn. I’m just not seeing the marriage of tomatoes and pumpkin to be a happy one. You redeem yourself nicely with the soup itself. This one sounds absolutely wonderful (tho’ I personally would use a good earthenware bowl) and the brilliant addition of the roasted spicey pumpkin seeds on top!

on to the main entree. Now we have, for the third time this meal, the dish being served in the pumpkin shell. By this time, what may have been an effective presentation has grown weary. The bare boned tossing of a measly 20% spaghetti squash as your inclusion of the main ingredient (and only non pumpkin variety) was disappointing, tho’ I agree that the SS itself, while it is oft touted as a good replacement for pasta, doesn’t tend to hold up as well. Again the combination of seafood and pumpkin is an interseting one, one wishes, however that tomatoes and pumpkins hadn’t been so close together once again.

The dessert - very interesting (tho’ I’m personally not a fan of chocolate, this is such an oddity that I don’t think it’s fair of me to hold it against you), and the fact that it’s a faint pumpkin ice cream rather than another heavy does of pumpkin is gratifying.

my scores will be on their way momentarily.

47

I was just revisiting the Rosemary Battle in Iron Chef Part Four above. Ah, such happy memories.

Wring, your Honor, I know two sticks of butter sounds like a lot, but remember:
[ul][li]some of the volume of the butter cooks away when you’re browning it.[/li][li]The recipe serves six, which means that even if they lick their plates to get every drop of buttery goodness, each person would get only about three tablespoons of butter - and in any case not all of the sauce would necessarily be used.[/li][li]Hi Opal.[/ul][/li]
I apologize for not delivering a dessert with more flash - I had intended to do something amazing but tempus fuggedaboudit (I think that’s how the latin goes - grin). I’d describe it but since the deadline is past, there would be no point. Maybe I’ll be able to use it again sometime.

48

[quote]
Originally posted by wring:
The dessert - very interesting (tho’ I’m personally not a fan of chocolate, this is such an oddity that I don’t think it’s fair of me to hold it against you)…

I would be less than honorable if I didn’t point out that my worthy competitor’s dessert does not in fact have any chocolate in it, and he referred to “devil’s food” in error. You may mentally enjoy the recipe without reservations.

49

You know you can use those eggs like pungi sticks?

Wring:

You gotta trust me on the ketchup. It works. I promise I tried it and it really works.

50

See, Scylla, what you SHOULD have used is the chili sauce they actually make cocktail sauce from. No one would have questioned that, even though it’s basically spicy ketchup.

51

Nah. In general Tomato+Pumpkin (outside of the spaghetti/meatballs thing and I only let that one go because of the salmon which would bridge the tomato<->pumpkin gap) is the problem. Frankly chili sauce woulda been worse, given the extra tomato-ishness of the chili sauce.

Fenris

52

Fenris:

Not only does the Horseradish bridge the tomato pumpkin gap, it forges an unbreakable alliance.

53

How many judges have yet to chime in? I know you have until 10 eastern tonight, but remember, we contestants get paid only in comments - it’s cruel to make us wait.

54

Yeah, where IS everyone?

55

Probably all in the loo barfing from the thought of tomato-laced pumpkin and salmon balls (I mean boils). X^þ

[sub]oops, was that my out-loud voice?[/sub]

56

I’ve only had two replies so far from our judges. We have 90 minutes left…

Don’t make the Chairman come after you.

57

Tie goes to the home team, right?

58

My sincerest apologies for cutting it so close, but something was slightly rotten (and its not just salmon boils) the in the state of Hamletsville, so I’ve been delayed. I need but 15 minuts and will post my critique and scores. Your indulence is pleasing. <---- Bad dubbing.

59

Chef Troy
Butternut Squash and Hazelnut Ravioli
The very idea of this recipe makes me happy. I love the scent of cooking butternut squash, just as I love the smell of hazelnuts. Putting the two together is lovely, and this is a refreshingly different vegetarian dish. I’ve seen many twists on meatless ravioli, but never one with squash. I like this.

Clockwork Trio
I originally shared Fenris’ reservations about the squash content of this dish, but then I looked back at your recipes and saw that the squash slices were meant to be 1/2 inch thick. That’s plenty of sqash to build a good foundation. The salads range from the familiar–the chicken salad–to the just-a-little-exotic (we don’t see much jicama in Missouri) with the spinach salad as a happy medium. Remind me to try that roasted garlic dressing on my own some day.

West Indian Pumpkin Soup
I fear that I’m beginning to sound like a real Iron Chef judge, as I must also gush praise over this dish. The garlic and the leeks provide an unexpected…I can’t quite find the word; “earthiness” will have to serve, though it’s not really what I mean. They’re hearty, basic flavors that come out of nowhere to complement the pumpkin and cream. I’ve consulted the family, and this will be the first course on our Thanksgiving table this year.

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara
I approached this dish with some wariness, as I am not a big fan of spaghetti squash. This dish is nice, but I don’t think I would enjoy an entree-sized portion of it. That’s a matter of personal taste, though. Objectively, I think this dish hilights the squash to perfection, and the pancetta is a nice touch. (I come from a family where they reach for bacon bits at times like these–anyone want to adopt me?) Not my bag, but I can imagine someone else enjoying it very much.

Pumpkin-Pie Custard Baked in Individual Pumpkin Shells
This sounds like the basic pumpkin pie custard with which I’m familiar. It’s nice to end the meal on a familiar note. Your presentation is also tried-and-true, but I don’t know where you found presentation pumpkins of this size. It certainly wasn’t at my grocery store! Also, there are some of us who like the crust on the pie best of all…I think a sprinkling of “crust” crumbs (graham crackers or crumblings of a traditional pie crust) on top of the whipped cream would appease me.
Scylla
Halloween Shrimp Cocktail
In past Iron Chef competitions, we’ve seen that you’re willing to take risks. This is risky. I’m willing to be daring when I dine, but I think this sauce may be over the edge. If I didn’t know what was in it, I’d probably taste it and move on very quickly. Now that I know what’s in it…I’m going to move on very quickly. The ketchup just isn’t doing it for me.

Pumpkin Soup
Head to head SDMB Iron Chef pumpkin soup action! Mmmmm…pumpkin seeds. Brings back memories of carving jack-o-lanterns while jack’s seeds roasted in the oven. I like the addition of potato (texture=good), but this is the second dish in a row with seafood paired with pumpkin. You’re still hilighting the pumpkin–and doing well, I might add–but it feels a little like the “squash and seafood battle.” I just didn’t want more seafood. I’d like the soup a great deal without the crawfish, though.

Harvest Style Spaghetti and Meatballs
This is a spaghetti-squash dish that’s more to my liking. While it doesn’t hilight the squash to the degree that Chef Troy’s dish did, I prefer it mixed in with the pasta. For full points, I would have upped the squash content just a hair, but I still enjoy this dish. Salmon-Pumpkin meatballs? There you go with the seafood again. I would have liked a nice, mild sausage here. The salmon-pumpkin idea might be more palatable if there hadn’t been seafood combinations already.

Baked Alaskan Pumpkin
Creative. I like it very much, maybe because I’m a pumpkin ice cream fan. Like so many of the best Iron Chef offerings, it’s a familiar dish with a twist. It’s not as reassuring as Chef Troy’s entry, but after a meal as experimental as the one you have presented here, I would expect no less. If I decide to get really crazy in the kitchen some day, I might give this one a shot. Mmmmmm…baked alaska.

However, I agree with my colleagues in that you’ve really hammered on the “served in a pumpkin shell” presentation. Once would have been sweet, but now I’m bored. And how can one ignore the noble acorn squash? I would have been pleased to see it even in it’s traditional baked-with-brown-sugar form. Still, a creditable effort.

Scores on the way, Chairwoman Java!

60

Thanks!

Some general comments first:

Another wonderful battle with inventive and delicous dishes on both sides. I was a little put off by the petty bickering between the Iron Chef and the Challenger, I expect a little more civility (or better smackdowns) from two fine chefs.
Chef Troy: I was very impressed with your dishes. Extra points for using a variety of the squashs. Points deducted for, once again, misconstruing my butterflying of the pancakes comments. I did attempt to butterfly the pancakes after they had completely cooled in the fridge, and still no go. I am not a complete idiot who would try to butterfly hot, newly cooked pancakes. Best not to anger the judges.

Scylla: As always, your presentation would put Liberace to shame. Simply fantastic. And your ability to take a theme ingredient and make it come alive with your words is beyond peer. You must, however, learn to take constructive criticism from others, without immediately attacking.

The meals:

CT:
The ravioli was fantastic. I had no problem with the won ton wrappers as pasta, nor with the butter/sage sauce. I will only add that a brown butter sauce is extremely difficult to pull off, but I will assume you did so with flying colors. Carmalized onions I think was too much though, especially with the hazelnuts. The Clockwork Trio. Thank you for the additional description of how the dish works, because I had the same concern the other judges raised. The salads sound wonderful and I’d love to eat them. However, I don’t think you can say the squash is the star of the dish. It’s just grilled squash. The emphasis is clearly on the salads. But damn the salads are good. West Indian Pumpkin Soup I’m a huge fan of fall/winter soups (I too hate chilled soups) and this sounds right up my alley. A fantastic dish. Spaghetti Squash Carbonara I think this would be a wonderful dish. I think Scylla may have had a better approach by combining the spaghetti squash with a more traditional pasta, just to avoid an overpowering taste, as well as texture issues. CustardFreeze this dish!!! It sounds delightful with the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg…I’m drooling. I like my custard frozen though. Overall, you chose dishes that are fantastically difficult to make, but I’m sure your abilities will be more than up to the task. Wonderful.

Scylla:
Halloween Shrimp Cocktail. I like tomatoes and ketchup, and if you said it works, I’ll take your word for it. However with the horseradish, vinegar, ketchup, and mustard, I fear you may be overpowering the pumpkin. Still, definitely a dish I would love.{b]Pumpkin Soup**Wonderful. I’m a big fan of pumpkins soups, and this one sounds great. I’d actually put a few of the spices you saved up for the seeds, into the actual soup. Although the contrast between the soup and the seeds is a fascinating touch, I’m afraid the soup would be too bland without a good mixing in of the seeds. Harvest Spahetti and Meatballs Salmon and pumpkin? Definately inspired, but not sure about taste. As stated earlier, I do think the mixture of pasta and Spagetti squash was a fantastic idea. A dish I’d really like to try, and would probably be happily surprised with. **Baked Alaska ** Wonderful. More please. Trusting store bought pumpking ice cream is definately a problem, but Still, a fantastic way to end a great meal.

Since I am hard pressed for time, I will simply post my scores here:

Iron Chef Troy: 18
Challenger Scylla-san: 17

Very wonderful battle and I am pleased to have been a judge.