Category Archives: The Show

Episode 4 THE FINAL ROUND

I can’t believe that I made it to the final episode and with two winning rounds under my belt. My life has changed tremendously since this whole thing has started. A lot of what happens next is depending on the final round so the pressure is on this week.

The theme for this week is “family style”. I chose to go with Vietnamese food. My travels in Asia showed me a family meal should be slow, with large plates shared and enjoyed one by one. Most important, the love and effort put into preparing this special meal needs to be visible. Give any of these dishes a try. Let me know what you think. Lets hope the judges enjoy.

Turkey Stuffed Grape Leaves:

This dish would make a great appetizer or can be paired with a noodle dish for a wonderful full meal.

30 Grape Leaves from Jar (rinsed)

1 pound ground turkey

1/8 Cup Gluten Free Soy sauce

2 Tbsp Hosen Sauce

2 Tbsp Seracha

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp pepper

1/8 cup of Sage Mix (sage, garlic, oregano, bail )

2 tsp garlic grated

1 Tbsp. grated ginger

2 green onions, chopped

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. In a bowl, mIx all ingredients except for the grape leaves. Then place about 2 Tbsp of mix on a grape leaf. The leaves vary in size which may change the amount of filling. Next, roll the filling in the grape leaf to make a tight little cigar-shaped morsel. Last, place all the finished rolls on a cookie sheet and bake for about 8 min. and then turn each roll and cook an additional 3 minutes.

Grape leaves can be prepared ahead and even frozen for a quick addition to any meal.

Papaya Salad

Makes a great light summer meal or fun appetizer for a crowd

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4 Cups grated green papaya (I buy it pre-grated at the market, looks like spaghetti)

2 Cups grated carrots ( I also buy it pre-grated)

1/4 cup pre-mixed Vietnamese fish sauce (This is important to pay attention to; Most fish sauce in its original form, is pure brown at most markets. For this recipe, we are looking for the one that is clear with a red tint and different spices floating in it. It has added sugar and vinegar that tremendously transform the flavor.

1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

2 Thai chili peppers with seeds removed and chopped fine.

1/3 Cup chopped cilantro

1/3 Cup chopped Basil

1/3 Cup chopped mint

3 Tbsp. peanuts

Juice of 1/2 lime

One dozen raw large shrimp, cleaned

Lemon Grass

Salt and Pepper

Place Papaya, carrots, herbs, chili’s, sauce and lime juice in the bowl and stir well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover bowl and place in fridge for at least 1 hour. While salad cools, string shrimp on to lemon grass just like you would for a skewer. Lightly salt and pepper the shrimp and cook quickly on a hot pan making sure not to overcook them. Once fish is cooked, allow it to cool on a separate plate. Remove salad from fridge and give it a final mix. Drain extra dressing and neatly place salad on plate. Shrimp skewer can go neatly on top of salad. Last, garnish the dish with the peanuts.

Pork Bun

This is a big meal on its own. You can really top it with any protein you may have.

Pork:

Pork Tenderloin (Trim any extra fat)

2 Tbsp. Peanut Butter

1 Tbsp. seracha

2 Tbsp. Hoisin sauce

2 Tbsp. Soy sauce (gluten free)

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

1 tsp. Pepper

Noodle:

3 Cups cooked and cooled rice noodles

1 Cup carrots, julienne

1 Cup cucumbers, seeded and julienned

1/3 Cup chopped cilantro

1/3 Cup chopped Basil

1/3 Cup chopped mint

3 Tbsp. peanuts

1/4 cup pre-mixed Vietnamese fish sauce

1 jalapeno pepper

2 cups chopped romaine lettuce

Starting with the pork, in a large bowl mix peanut butter, seracha, Hoisin, Soy sauce (gluten free) and brown sugar. Next, salt and pepper meat and place in sauce to marinade overnight. The best way to do this is by putting the marinade and tenderloin in a big zip lock bag and continue to massage marinade into meat.

When ready to prepare the dish, place meat on cookie sheet and cook for an hour covered at 350 degrees. Remove cover and cook an additional 20 min.

While meat is cooking, the noodles can be assembled. In a large bowl place rice noodles in half, lettuce in ¼, carrots in 1/8 and cucumbers in 1/8. The ingredients are mixed when eating but this really creates a great look to the dish when separated this way. If the noodles are sticking add a small amount of fish sauce and mix around before adding to the bowl. Cover and Sprinkle all the herbs on top. When meat is done and rested for about 10 minutes, slice it thin and place on top of the bowl. Garnish with extra seracha, hoisin and peanuts. Serve this dish with a small bowl of fish sauce and jalapeno pepper rounds floating. The sauce is added to the dish at the table and stirred to mix well.

Taro Frozen Yogurt

Refreshing and healthy treat

1 Cup plain fat free yogurt

2 Cups water

4 tbsp. dry taro powder

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

Combine all ingredients except yogurt in a pot. Stir on medium heat until liquid seems to thicken and reduce slightly. After about 20 minutes, remove pot from heat and add yogurt stirring to mix very well. Use a blender to remove any lumps and create a smooth product. Cool mix in fridge for at least an hour. Last, pour mix into ice cream machine and allow it to set up for about 30 minutes. Place finished product into bowl and serve immediately, it melts fast.

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Round 3: Gourmet

The show is really heating up and with the final on the line this week is huge!

This week’s challenge is gourmet cooking and nice plating. To keep my trend of international dishes, I chose to go Mediterranean this time. The trick to gourmet cooking is to make it look simple but with flavors that will blow your mind. Mixing textures and colors will make the plate playful and inviting. Give it a try and check out the episode to see how I do!

Bronzino:

4 Bronzino filets (Skin on but no bones)

6 different colored bell peppers (cleaned and cut in half)

1 lemon

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

2 TBS chickpea flower

½ TBS Coriander and Cumin blend

2 Tsp salt

1 Tsp pepper

¼ Cup chopped parsley

Start by rubbing oil on the peppers and roasting in the oven at 500 degrees. They take about 20 min but watch them so they don’t burn. While the peppers are in the oven the fish can be prepared. In a large bowl, mix together the coriander blend, 1Tsp salt, chick pea flower, garlic and onion powder. Coat only the skin side of the fish in the mixture. Next, place the fish on a hot oiled pan skin side down. Allow the fist to cook for about 3 minutes. As soon as the skin starts to brown, it can be moved to an oiled backing dish. Top each piece with the remaining salt and pepper, and a sprinkle of olive oil. Place lemon rounds along the tops and then finish toping with parsley. Now, it’s time to remove the peppers and turn oven down to 400 degrees. Once the oven cools down a bit place fish in about 5 minutes, again paying attention not to burn it. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove the skin and julienne into strips. The fish should be served on top of the peppers either with or with out the skin. I chose to go skinless for the show since it sits a bit before judging and I did not want a soggy final product.

In the show I topped the fish off with a simple tappenade of chopped green olives, red olives, capers and truffle oil.

Israeli Salad:

This recipe is a staple at all family meals in my home. Great for any summer day.

1 Large cucumber chopped fine

4 Roman Tomatoes Seeded and chopped

½ Cup Chopped parsley

¼ Cup chopped mint

2 TBS Olive Oil

½ Juice of a Lemon

1 Tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Place all ingredients in a bowl, stir and let sit of 30 min in the fridge. I prefer to drain off the extra liquid before serving and top with good crumbled feta cheese.

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Round Two: Mexican Vacation on a Budget

The search for the next local TV chef continues. Round Two – cooking on a budget. Each chef was allowed $25 to create a meal for four. Since cooking on a budget is what I am great at, I decided to kick it up a level and pull out all my great stuff.

I love to travel and when I need a beach vacation, Mexico is my number one choice. My favorite part is the endless guacamole and the super fresh ceviche. Pair this combo with some black beans and corn tortillas and you have an amazing budget friendly feast that will feed a crowd.

Cuban Style Black Beans:

1/2 Pound Black Beans (soaked overnight)

1/2 C cilantro

1/2 jalapeño pepper diced

4 C Water

1 Cube of bullion

1/2 Copped red onion

Tsp Cumin

Tsp Salt

1 Tsp pepper

1 Tsp brown sugar

1/2 Lime

1 TBS Balsamic Vinegar

2 Bay leaves

1/4 cup Queso Fresco Cheese

2 Tbs EVOO

Strate by browning onions in EVOO. Next, add beans with 4 cups of water. Then, bring mixture to boil while adding everything except vinegar and bay leaves. Once a nice boil is reached, lower flame to a high simmer and give a good stir. Add bay leaves and vinegar. Let beans cook at least an hour or until the beans reach a soft consistency. If you don’t have an hour, cook the beans before hand for 30 min in boiling water, rinse and then start with the first step. Serve warm and top with Queso Fresco.

Ceviche:

1 Pound Fish (This can be ANYTHING from shrimp, catfish or flounder.)

6 Limes

¼ Cup red onion very thinly slices and soaked in cold water (the water takes out the bite)

1 Cup plum tomatoes seeded and chopped.

1 Cup Cilantro Leaves Chopped

1 Yellow piper thinly slices

Salt and Pepper to taste

Ceviche is a dish that is fully cooked without heat. The fish is prepared by soaking in citrus such as lime, lemon or grapefruit juice. It’s important to use very fresh fish in order to make sure the dish is safe to eat and tastes great. In some countries, the “milk” that remains after cooking is considered a hangover remedy but I don’t recommend it.

The first step is to marinate fish in lime juice for at least 24 hours (The bigger the pieces, the longer it will take). The fish should be fully covered by the juice so that the meat is evenly cooked. The acid from the citrus will affect any metal it comes in contact with so make sure to use a glass or plastic bowl. After the fish has soaked for 24 hours in the fridge, drain off all remaining liquid. Finally, add sliced peppers, onions, tomatoes, salt, pepper and cilantro. Stir everything gently and serve cold.

This dish promises to impress a crowd and is a great option for some inexpensive entertaining. Just serve with tortillas and you have great guilt free fish tacos.

Guacamole:

You can’t have a Mexican meal without some creamy guacamole and chips. As the guilt free foodie cutie I have added my own twist. Give it a try!

Dip-

3 Ripe Avocados (dark in color and soft to the touch)

1 lime

1 C cilantro leaves chopped

¼ red onion chopped

½ jalapeño seeded and chopped

1 -2 plum tomatoes seeded and chopped (depends on if you like your guacamole chunky or creamy)

½ tbs garlic powder

½ tbs pepper

1 tsp salt

Chips –

2 Plantains (slice thin with a mandolin or the side of a box grater)

1 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs salt

2 Tsp brown sugar

Slice avocados in half and remove pit (save both for later). Spoon out the creamy inside and mash with fork in large bowl. Add cilantro, onion, jalapeño, tomatoes and garlic to the bowl. Next, add lime juice slowly until desired consistency is reached. The amount of lime juice depends on how soft the avocados are and prevents avocados from oxidizing and becoming brown but can also make the dip runny if you overdo it. Guacamole is great served in the remaining avocado shells for a nice presentation. Also the pits can be placed in the dip to help preserve freshness when storing in the fridge.

Making the chips is easy and a much healthier choice then tortillas. Toss the sliced plantains with oil, sugar and half the salt. Spread evenly on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 8 min. Flip chips and sprinkle remaining salt on top. Then return to oven for addition 5 minutes or until they begin to brown and become crispy.

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Round Two: Mexican Vacation on a Budget

The search for the next local TV chef continues. Round Two – cooking on a budget. Each chef was allowed $25 to create a meal for four. Since cooking on a budget is what I am great at, I decided to kick it up a level and pull out all my great stuff. 

I love to travel and when I need a beach vacation, Mexico is my number one choice. My favorite part is the endless guacamole and the super fresh ceviche. Pair this combo with some black beans and corn tortillas and you have an amazing budget friendly feast that will feed a crowd.

 

Cuban Style Black Beans:

 1/2 Pound Black Beans (soaked overnight)

1/2 C cilantro 

1/2 jalapeño pepper diced 

4 C Water

1 Cube of bullion

1/2 Copped red onion

Tsp Cumin

Tsp Salt

1 Tsp pepper

1 Tsp brown sugar 

1/2 Lime

1 TBS Balsamic Vinegar

2 Bay leaves

1/4 cup Queso Fresco Cheese 

2 Tbs EVOO

Strate by browning onions in EVOO. Next, add beans with 4 cups of water. Then, bring mixture to boil while adding everything except vinegar and bay leaves. Once a nice boil is reached, lower flame to a high simmer and give a good stir. Add bay leaves and vinegar. Let beans cook at least an hour or until the beans reach a soft consistency. If you don’t have an hour, cook the beans before hand for 30 min in boiling water, rinse and then start with the first step. Serve warm and top with Queso Fresco. 

 

Ceviche:

 

1 Pound Fish (This can be ANYTHING from shrimp, catfish or flounder.)

6 Limes

¼ Cup red onion very thinly slices and soaked in cold water (the water takes out the bite)

1 Cup plum tomatoes seeded and chopped.

1 Cup Cilantro Leaves Chopped

1 Yellow piper thinly slices

Salt and Pepper to taste

 

Ceviche is a dish that is fully cooked without heat. The fish is prepared by soaking in citrus such as lime, lemon or grapefruit juice. It’s important to use very fresh fish in order to make sure the dish is safe to eat and tastes great. In some countries, the “milk” that remains after cooking is considered a hangover remedy but I don’t recommend it.   

The first step is to marinate fish in lime juice for at least 24 hours (The bigger the pieces, the longer it will take). The fish should be fully covered by the juice so that the meat is evenly cooked.  The acid from the citrus will affect any metal it comes in contact with so make sure to use a glass or plastic bowl. After the fish has soaked for 24 hours in the fridge, drain off all remaining liquid. Finally, add sliced peppers, onions, tomatoes, salt, pepper and cilantro. Stir everything gently and serve cold. 

This dish promises to impress a crowd and is a great option for some inexpensive entertaining. Just serve with tortillas and you have great guilt free fish tacos.

 

Guacamole:

You can’t have a Mexican meal without some creamy guacamole and chips. As the guilt free foodie cutie I have added my own twist.  Give it a try!

Dip-

3 Ripe Avocados (dark in color and soft to the touch)

1 lime

1 C cilantro leaves chopped

¼ red onion chopped

½ jalapeño seeded and chopped  

1 -2 plum tomatoes seeded and chopped (depends on if you like your guacamole chunky or creamy)

½ tbs garlic powder

½ tbs pepper

1 tsp salt

Chips –

2 Plantains (slice thin with a mandolin or the side of a box grater)

1 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs salt 

2 Tsp brown sugar

Slice avocados in half and remove pit (save both for later). Spoon out the creamy inside and mash with fork in large bowl. Add cilantro, onion, jalapeño, tomatoes and garlic to the bowl. Next, add lime juice slowly until desired consistency is reached. The amount of lime juice depends on how soft the avocados are and prevents avocados from oxidizing and becoming brown but can also make the dip runny if you overdo it. Guacamole is great served in the remaining avocado shells for a nice presentation. Also the pits can be placed in the dip to help preserve freshness when storing in the fridge.  

Making the chips is easy and a much healthier choice then tortillas. Toss the sliced plantains with oil, sugar and half the salt. Spread evenly on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 8 min. Flip chips and sprinkle remaining salt on top. Then return to oven for addition 5 minutes or until they begin to brown and become crispy.

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First Round

The first show went great!!! It aired this week while we filmed episode two. The whole experience is surreal. I feel like having a camera in my face while cooking is a dream come true. I fall asleep watching cooking shows and now I am actually in one. I was excited for just one show, thinking that what I make would not even compare to what everyone else would do. I just did not want to make a fool out of myself.

I got on set and was scared when I saw how prepared everyone was. Here is this 25 years old walking in with a box of rice paper, carrots and some peanut butter. Once I started cooking it just went smooth. I may have needed some help with turning on the oven but watching a hundred episodes of Chopped paid off. I was running around looking for spoons and different size bowls. Hoping that my first time using a convection oven would not be a disaster. Then with two minutes remaining to plate my heart was racing.

When we went to judging I was really surprised by how much the chefs enjoyed my meal.

Check out the clip and see how I did 🙂
First Show

Stay tuned for next week!!!!