Cooking Challenge: send in a recipe or idea, and I will make it

A friend of mine, we’ll call him B, Veghte, no, that is too obvious, Ben V. is better, had a look at this blog and claimed that he wanted to challenge me.  The challenge?  Give me a recipe or dish to cook, one that I haven’t made before, and see if I can cook it.  But it has to pass the taste test as well as the presentation test.  If only I could have this kind of theatrics (not to mention that I’d have to be that good too):

I’m sure a lot of you watch Iron Chef America, but it will never compare to the original Iron Chef Japan.

Regardless, for the 6 people who actually read this blog, feel free to comment or email a suggestion for something to make, within reason.  I don’t know that I want to be making Shark Fin Soup or Sting Ray Tacos, but, just about anything else I’ll give a shot.  Around the time of Thanksgiving and on Thanksgiving, I will post some of my Turkey Day recipes and pictures from the glorious day of gluttony.

About Evan

I like to eat. I like to cook. I like to eat what I cook. Now, I will share with you what I like to cook. My wife and I may be a vegetarian and a carnivore, but it doesn’t mean we can’t cook a nice meal with both, without compromising taste. I will share my creative meals of the Carnivore and the Vegetarian.
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7 Responses to Cooking Challenge: send in a recipe or idea, and I will make it

  1. Deana says:

    Ok, Evan, here's your challenge. Sometime around 1978-1981, a recipe appeared in Bon Appetit. The recipe came out in the Thanksgiving edition of the magazine. It was for a chestnut and artichoke (vegetarian) pate/terrine. It was baked in a rectangular glass loaf pan (what you use to make meatloaf) and then a brick is put on it as it cools to compress it. At the bottom of the pate you put whole bay leaves for taste/decoration. It was beyond fantastic. Lots of effort, but unbelievable.

    I have to have the recipe. Please, please find it for me, and then prepare the dish for Thanksgiving. That is your challenge. You will absolutely love it (and Anna will be in heaven)!!

  2. Part 1 of challenge complete – RECIPE FOUND

    Part 2 of challenge – Cook for thanksgiving

    Artichoke and Chestnut Pate

    Serve this pate with thin whole wheat toast triangles or whole wheat crackers. Mango chutney and cumberland sauce are good accompaniments.

    18 hor d'oeuvre servings

    1-1/2 pounds chestnuts

    6 bay leaves

    1 7-1/2 ounce can artichoke bottoms, drained (reserve 1/3 cup liquid)

    3 slices whole wheat bread (crusts trimmed), cubed

    3 eggs, beaten

    1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

    1/3 cup sour cream

    1/4 cup finely chopped shallot

    3 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)

    1 teaspoon herb or vegetable salt

    1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

    1/8 teaspoon mace

    1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

    Watercress or parsley (garnish)

    Make cut in side of each chestnut using small knife. Cook covered in boiling water with 2 bay leaves, 30 minutes. Remove outer shell and inner skin of each chestnut with small knife.

    Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Chop chestnuts coarsely into about 1/4-inch pieces. Transfer to large bowl of electric mixer. Chop artichoke bottoms coarsely into about 1/4-inch pieces and add to chestnuts. Sprinkle bread cubes with reserved artichoke liquid and add to chestnuts. Add eggs, parsley, sour cream, shallot, butter, herb salt, nutmeg and mace and mix. Stir in chopped walnuts and beat well. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

    Coat 6-cup narrow nonmetal pate mold or 10 x 4 x 3-inch loaf pan with vegetable oil (metal mold will discolor artichoke.) Arrange remaining 4 bay leaves in bottom of pan. Press mixture into pan. Top with firm-fitting lid or cover top of mold tightly with waxed paper and then aluminum foil, crimping edges to make tight seal. Set mold in roasting pan. Pour in enough hot water to come halfway up sides of mold. Bake until set, about 1 hour. Discard wrapping; cover mold with waxed paper and weight with heavy object (a brick wrapped in aluminum foil works well). Refrigerate overnight. Run sharp knife around edge of mold. Invert onto chilled serving platter. Garnish with watercress or parsley.

    Pate can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

    Bon Appetit Magazine – November 1981 – "New Naturals A Fresh Approach," by Marion Gorman – Special Vegetable Pates

  3. Jeff says:

    In the spirit of your challenge, I offer you a challenge. Instead of me giving you the recipe, I will give you the main ingredient (ala Iron Chef) and you will have to incorporate it into a dish. The main ingredient is……..

    Arugula.

  4. Challenge Accepted. Recipe and pictures to follow

  5. Mary says:

    Here's a fabulous recipe for a dessert that I love. It's a bit labor intensive but totally worth it. Emeril invented this one while he was at Commander's Palace in New Orleans.

    Bread Pudding Souffle with Whiskey Sauce
    Makes 6 Servings

    Bread Pudding:
    3/4 C sugar
    1 tsp ground cinnamon
    pinch nutmeg
    3 medium eggs
    1 cup heavy cream
    1 tsp vanilla extract
    5 C New Orelans Style french bread (1'' cubes)
    1/3 C raisins

    Whiskey Sauce:
    1 C heavy cream
    1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
    1 Tbsp water
    3 Tbsp sugar
    1/4 C bourbon

    Meringue:
    9 medium egg whites
    3/4 C sugar
    1/3 tsp cream of tartar

    To make bread pudding: First preheat oven to 350. Grease 8'' square baking pan. Combine sugar, cinnamon and nutmet in large bowl. Beat in the eggs until smooth, then work in the heavy cream. Add the vanilla, then the bread cubes. Allow bread to soak up custard.

    Place the raisins in the greased pan. Top with the egg mixture, which prevents the raisins from burning. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until the pudding has a golden brown color and is firm to the touch. If a toothpick inserted in the pudding comes out clean, it is done. The mixture of pudding should be nice and moist, not runny or dry. Cool to room temperature.

    To make the whiskey sauce: Place the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Whisk corn starch and water together and add to cream while whisking. Bring to a boil. Whisk and let simmer for a few seconds, taking care not to burn the mixture on the bottom. Remove from heat.

    Stir in the sugar and the bourbon. Taste to make sure the sauce has a thick consistency, a sufficiently sweet taste, and a good bourbon flavor (YUM!). Cool to room temperature.

    To make the meringue: Preheat the oven to 350. Butter six 6 oz. ramekins. First, be certain that the bowl and whisk are clean. The egg whites should be completely free of yolk and they will whip up better if the chill is off of them. This dish needs a good stiff meringue. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Add the sugar gradually and continue whisking until shiny and thick. The whites should hold a stiff peak (like the consistency of shaving cream). Be sure not to over or under whip, as this will cause the souffle to fail.

    In a large bowl, break half the bread pudding into pieces. Gently fold in one-quarter of the meringue, being careful not to lose the air in the whites. Add a portion of this base to each ramekin.

    Break up the remaining bread pudding in a bowl and carefully fold in the rest of the meringue. Top off the souffles with this lighter mixture (to about 1 1/2''). Smooth and shape tops with spoon into a dome over the ramekin rims.

    Bake immediatley for approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately. Using a spoon, poke a hole in the top of each souffle at the table and pour the room temperature whiskey sauce inside. Enjoy!!!

    Note: New Orleans Style french bread is very light. If a dense bread is used in it's place, it will soak up all the custard and it won't work, so be sure to use a very light bread if you must substitute.

  6. holy crap Mary!! I'm not a baker!! But…I'll give it a shot. I dont have Ramekins though 🙁

  7. Anonymous says:

    Frozen Pizza:

    1. Open freezer
    2. Remove frozen pizza from freezer
    3. Remove frozen pizza from package
    4. Place frozen pizza on microwave-safe plate
    5. Cook on high for 3-3.5 minutes
    6. Open microwave
    7. Enjoy!

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