Food Networks - Loves and Hates

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Worst Cook in America starts tonight.

Yay!

My husband (who has been a professional cook for over 10 years) and I caught the re-run. He was dumbfounded at some of them not being able to produce eggs and pancakes in an hour. He said besides the reduced syrups, he could have had the whole order out, including all four eggs in under 8 minutes....which is true, because his last job had a ticket timer and his average ticket time was 6 minutes.

[AnchorAlumna]

Re: Chatterbox Cafe on Restaurant Impossible
With nails like that, this restauranteur is doomed.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

My husband (who has been a professional cook for over 10 years) and I caught the re-run. He was dumbfounded at some of them not being able to produce eggs and pancakes in an hour. He said besides the reduced syrups, he could have had the whole order out, including all four eggs in under 8 minutes....which is true, because his last job had a ticket timer and his average ticket time was 6 minutes.

I know, right? And almost all of those, as well as some of the things that they made for the earlier challenge, are things you do pretty darn near the last minute. I'd really hate to eat eggs or pancakes that had been sitting on someone's plate for 45 minutes.

I had wacthed it Sunday night, but the whole family watched last night. The kids -- 14-year-old son in particular, couldn't stop laughing. Even he knows more than some of these people.

[AlphaFrog]

I about died at the guy looking for a dishwasher to cook his salmon. I've heard of it before, but was he looking for originality points, or what?

I was intrigued by the IDEA of Vanilla Chicken and I think it could work if executed properly.

Also, if the girl picked last would think about it, it isn't a bad spot - so she's not "good" enough to be picked for a chef's own team, but she's also not bad enough to be picked to give to the competition...so it pretty much puts her in the exact middle of the pack.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I about died at the guy looking for a dishwasher to cook his salmon. I've heard of it before, but was he looking for originality points, or what?

I was intrigued by the IDEA of Vanilla Chicken and I think it could work if executed properly.

Also, if the girl picked last would think about it, it isn't a bad spot - so she's not "good" enough to be picked for a chef's own team, but she's also not bad enough to be picked to give to the competition...so it pretty much puts her in the exact middle of the pack.

Exactly.

But just no on the vanilla fried chicken.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Exactly.

But just no on the vanilla fried chicken.

No, not vanilla fried chicken - I was thinking more along the lines of chicken medallions in a vanilla almond cream sauce over pasta - maybe some carmelized onions, fennel, and carrots in it...I'd have to play with it, but I could make it work.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

No, not vanilla fried chicken - I was thinking more along the lines of chicken medallions in a vanilla almond cream sauce over pasta - maybe some carmelized onions, fennel, and carrots in it...I'd have to play with it, but I could make it work.

That doesn't sound bad.

[tinydancer]

I love that show! But even I can cook eggs those four ways and I definitely DON'T cook

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

No, not vanilla fried chicken - I was thinking more along the lines of chicken medallions in a vanilla almond cream sauce over pasta - maybe some carmelized onions, fennel, and carrots in it...I'd have to play with it, but I could make it work.

So, I ended up taking this as a personal challenge to prove that vanilla and chicken can co-exist. I got it - not exactly as described above! Now, if this was ICA and vanilla was the secret ingredient, I don't think it would fly because the vanilla was not REALLY pronounced, but you could actually taste it.

I did a Nutmeg Vanilla Chicken & Shrimp Pasta

I started with the Mario Batali Bechamel: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/m...ipe/index.html

Ingredients:
1 Yield Bechamel Sauce
1/8 Cup Pine Nuts
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken, chopped (I had thighs)
1 lb cleaned shrimp
Salt & Nutmeg to taste
1 Tbsp Vanilla
1 Onion chopped
3/4 Package spaghetti, cooked

Make bechamel sauce and add another tsp or so of nutmeg and the vanilla.

Toast the pine nuts in a large skillet and set aside. Using the same skillet (with the pinenut residue) spray with cooking spray and brown chicken. When chicken is brown, add shrimp, salt and nutmeg to taste and cook another 4 minutes or until the shrimp are done.

Caramelize onions in a small skillet.

Add all components together. I added them in the large pot that I cooked the spaghetti in.



ETA: I think some coconut would send this recipe over the edge from "Yes, vanilla CAN co-exist with chicken" to AWESOME! I WANT TO EAT THIS!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

My husband (who has been a professional cook for over 10 years) and I caught the re-run. He was dumbfounded at some of them not being able to produce eggs and pancakes in an hour.

Since yesterday was Shrove Tuesday, I made pancakes for supper last night and I decided to try Chef Anne's trick of beating the egg whites and then folding them into the batter. We like!

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Since yesterday was Shrove Tuesday, I made pancakes for supper last night and I decided to try Chef Anne's trick of beating the egg whites and then folding them into the batter. We like!

Good to know. I was excited because pumpkin pancakes are my favorite. Yes, I know MC, you don't like pumpkin. Since having them a year and a half ago at the Carolina RenFest, my kids now ask for crêpes instead of pancakes. Last Saturday it was candied acorn squash stuffed crêpes.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Yes, I know MC, you loathe pumpkin and are repelled by it with an intensity akin to the opposite ends of a magnet.

FYP.

[AlphaFrog]

Chopped dessert basket: Cosmo mix, biscotti, dried apples, edible flowers...where's the challenge in that??

[AlphaFrog]

Pain Perdu should be illegal on Chopped. If they're going to do it, they should at least be required to admit that they made frickin' French Toast.

[LXA SE285]

Anne Burrell comes out