The Food Network show "Chopped" is a big favorite at our house. It involves four chefs cooking meals that must include three or four "mystery" items that usually don't go together and are sometimes downright wacky. My partner asked me if I would agree to participate in such an event if she set it up, and I said I would if she promised to eat whatever I ended up making -- and we were on.
Sunday was the day, and, unlike the show where they make an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert, I was to make only the entrée. I was also given 45 minutes for it rather than 30, because those cooks get to have an oven already hot and pots of boiling water going when they start. Also, they are professional chefs.
I suspected one of the items would be beef, because my partner loves it so much, and I was right. The basket contained beef tenderloin steaks, fresh curly kale, a can of mandarin oranges, and a bag of Cheetos. And just like the show, I could use anything in our pantry and refrigerator.
I did nothing for about five minutes but stand there thinking about it since I'd never cooked or even eaten kale before, but once I got started, I moved pretty fast. I made a tremendous mess in the kitchen, burned myself not once but twice by grabbing the handle of a skillet that just came out of a 350-degree oven (once with each hand), and had to scramble when the cornstarch seized up in the sauce for the steaks, but I got it done; in fact, I finished with about three minutes to spare.
I made my presentation to my partner the judge, just like they do on TV, saying, "Today I have prepared for you filet mignon with mandarin-orange/white wine sauce, and sautéed kale in a mandarin/cream sauce with toasted Cheeto crumble topping." She gave her critique:
Presentation the plate with the steak and the ramekins with the kale were a little sloppy and the Cheeto crumbles got slightly burned under the broiler.
Creativity very good.
Taste steak absolutely perfectly medium rare and well seasoned; sauce pretty good; kale thing not so much.
Nevertheless she did bestow upon me the title of Chopped Champion.
Her turn next weekend. Stay tuned.
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