Iron Chef Help Needed!!!!!!!!!!!

So I took the new job at the company I was mulling over.

This Friday we have an in house competition between departments which is our version of iron chef.

I have been left in charge of the Menu and am looking for suggestions as I don't want to make just my old standards. What we require to win is the following:

Appy1.
Appy2.
Appy3.

Soup.2
Salad.1

Main1.
Main2.

Dessert1.
Dessert2.

The only catch of this competition, is that all the ingredients MUST BE ORGANIC.

So far this is what I have......

Appetizers

Sun-dried tomato and Olive Tapenade served on crusty bread over fresh roma tomato with fresh chopped basil sprinkled on top.

Fried Plantains with some kind of dip like an aioli.

Drink

White and Red Virgin Sangria with apples and oranges.

Main

Roast Beef with all the fixings and Yorkshire Pudding.(this is just a thought as it is a hard meal to make look good presentation wise) The vegetarian option would substituted with a Portobello Mushroom with Mushroom Gravy.

Dessert

Apple Pie made from scratch....crust and all.

I need more suggestions for food. HELP!

[elliot]

where do you get the organic plantains?

for a dessert, ice cream can be made quickly by combining a bit of squeezed fruit juice, cream, and icing sugar, whipping it, and putting it in the freezer.

i like to go with something cheese related for an appy, and a wild salmon fillet baked for 10mins or less for a main.

This is what is planned so far......but not set in stone.

Appetizers

Sun-dried tomato and Olive Tapenade served on crusty bread over fresh roma tomato with fresh chopped basil sprinkled on top.

Fried Plantains with Jerk Mayo Dip(haven’t yet figured out the dip)

Stuffed Mushroom Caps

Soup

Baked French Onion Soup

Salad

Mixed Greens with Cherry Tomato’s and Parmesan Crisps with a light Balsamic Dressing.

Mains

*** these are all just suggestions but in order of preference ***

• Gnocchi in a Rose sauce or a white sauce. Gnocchi is made from potato, so it would use up our organic potatoes.
• Carbonara in a white sauce. Bacon and fresh tomatoes give it nice presentation.
• Some kind of roast meat, like a lamb shank with roasted potatoes and veggies.

Drink

Sangria (red or white)

Dessert

Apple Pie with whipped cream (secret family recipe)

No Bake Cheesecake with Raspberry Coulis (have the recipe at home as well and only takes about 20 minutes to prepare.)

[Carrie]

I'll have the sun-dried tomato appy, with gnocchi in rose sauce, with a side salad please.

Some sangria to drink aswell.

Thanks.

[-evil-duerr-]

appys:
chicken fingers
stuffed jalapenos
and those mozzarella sticks

soup: chicken noodle

salad: taco salad

mains:

hawaiian pizza

bacon cheeseburger and curly fries

fried chicken and potato wedges

Drink:

Beer

Dessert: 10 ice cream sandwiches

[fable]

Originally Posted by Avana

This is what is planned so far......but not set in stone.

Yo, i want you to win, so dont take my comments personally, but your menu should A) showcase vancouver, seasonal produce B) ethnic influences other than italian BUT! If you are set on italian flavors, then showcase a specific region (ie. tuscan, sicilian etc etc) of which case your best bet is to implement some slow braised dishes (in keeping with the season/weather - ie. comfort food, like slow braised short ribs)

Hit up Barbara Joes Books for Cooks in yupp..er..Yaletown,puruse through the books for free assistance and inspiration for your menu. Skip urban fair or choices and head straight to ghetto chinatown/sunrise markets/save on meats!

Keep some theme across your menu. It can be loose, but having some sort of consistency whether its region, style of cooking, ingredient specific, whatever, guests approach the menu as a whole, and not individual dishes which can be great, but you want an overall impact, not just one or two dishes.

Appetizers

Sun-dried tomato and Olive Tapenade served on crusty bread over fresh roma tomato with fresh chopped basil sprinkled on top.

You cant go wrong with classics, but lets face it, classic tapenade looks like shit, so you wont win on presentation points, so you would be in a good position to deconstruct.

__coursely chop the olives and sundried tomatoes (dont use the food processor!!!) Give the judges something to look at. Perhaps using a mix of olives (different colors, and marinades that work together) Use roasted garlic instead of raw. Use oil packed sundried tomatoes vs dried ones you rehydrate. If you have to rehydrate, use a mix of good good extra virgin olive oil, and a hit of sweet aged balsamic.

__bread is important! Its not just a "spoon" for the tapenade! No chewy bagettes! Theres nothing worse than grabbing some tapenade, finishing it, and chewing on the bread for another 3 minutes after swallowing the good stuff. Toast the bread! Rub with fresh garlic, drizzle with olive oil - LAST MINUTE!!! Dont let the tapenade sit on the bread. Perhaps using that awesome eggy bread from t+t, cut into attractive diamonds and lightly toasted? Or sesame bread?

_roma tomates? How about char grilling them? Roma toms dont have a hell of a lot of flavor - how about a peeled half grape tomate as a garnish, with basil sliver? Maybe use a purple opal basil?

Fried Plantains with Jerk Mayo Dip(haven’t yet figured out the dip)

_a tad cactus clubish, but it can still be dope. Instead of a "chips and dip" how about making a napolean?(stack) Take the plaintain, and cut into 1 inch pieces. Lightly fry. Pull out and MASH FLAT. Your going to fry again before serving, but not too early! Prepare the jerk mayo (instead of using fresh ginger, how about using fresh tumeric! Its in the ginger family and its a beautiful orange and far milder. A small shaving curl could be a garnish. When assembling the stack - take the freshly fried(crisp) plantain chips and quickly season with crushed sea salt and pink peppercorn (goes well with ginger) dollap some of your jerk mayo. Throw down a seared piece of TUNA! (rare) Throw down a layer of fresh mizuna cress or pepper cress. another dollop of jerk mayo. Another plantain chip and another small dollop. Drop a piece of cress and fresh tumeric curl as garnish

Stuffed Mushroom Caps

_NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Sorry betty crocker, lets get out of 1942. Naw, im kidding. But lets do an updated version. Get some morrels! If you cant get fresh, get dried, and rehydrate them with warm chicken stock and sherry. Make a filling of goats cheese, fresh orgeno (just a pinch!) a little roasted yellow peppers diced nicely. Fold together. Sprinkle some parmasen. Ladle with another small hit of chicken stock and bake!

Soup

Baked French Onion Soup

_What the fuck? Dont fuck with the classics eh? I really like french onion soup, but once again, lets update it, but keep the essence. USE GOOD BEER and a hearty beef stock! Drop a touch or to of Cognac (in the end!) Use vidalia onions or red onions (extra sweet and caramalize really nicely!) drop a little adobo sauce (what chipotle peppers are packed in) and diced mince a pepper or two and drop in as well. Serve in in a demitase. Cover with a good crusty french bread slice. Cover with gruyere and a hit of a sharp emanthaler. Brown the cheese!

Salad

Mixed Greens with Cherry Tomato’s and Parmesan Crisps with a light Balsamic Dressing.

Both cherry tomatoes and nice greens are not super hot at this time in the season unless their from greenhouses, whereas the flavour wont be super great. But the cherry toms work as garnish. Use a mix of yellow, orange and red. (i half slice of each per salad) Use frisee, rocket and and something sweet, like baby basil. Parmasen crisps are played out HUGE, but theyre tasty. DONT OVERCOOK! If they get too orangey brown, they go bitter! Light balsamic is good but how about using pomegranate molasses to spark it up, and chill on the balsamic.l Use a hit of good grainy dijor or better yet, a small dose of chinese mustard!

Mains

*** these are all just suggestions but in order of preference ***

• Gnocchi in a Rose sauce or a white sauce. Gnocchi is made from potato, so it would use up our organic potatoes.
• Carbonara in a white sauce. Bacon and fresh tomatoes give it nice presentation.
• Some kind of roast meat, like a lamb shank with roasted potatoes and veggies.

Drink

_Im getting hungry!

_All good ideas, all tasty and great for cold winter/soggy evenings. And im feeling the theme now. It seemed like you had one after all. But if you take my suggestions prior, then think on jazzing up these as well.

_Use peruvian purple potatoes or sweet potatoes instead of regular spuds. If you like the idea of rose (tomato/cream) try using fire roasted toms and cut the cream in half and use a hit of creme fraiche!!! When making the gnocchi, remember NOT TO OVERWORK, and fork each one (roll of back of fork - before blanching) Smooth gnocchi doesnt hold sauce!

Sangria (red or white)

_I dont drink no mo, but i used to make this killer white peach and lemograss sangria!!! Steep the white peach juice with thai basil, mint and lemongrass. Add to wine of choice and a spritz of the bubbly! Since its soggy days, these days, perhaps rocking a good mix of an aged brandy, port AND JAGER! (i know it sounds crazy with the jager, but just a couple of ounces goes a long way for 10-12 servings)

Dessert

Apple Pie with whipped cream (secret family recipe)

Never fuck with a good family recipe, especially when its humble but glorious apple pie. Instead of whip cream how about a small dollop of pistachio icecream, softened and with some super concentrated maple syrup drilled in.

No Bake Cheesecake with Raspberry Coulis (have the recipe at home as well and only takes about 20 minutes to prepare.)

-*crickets* =no bake = no love But hey, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Perhaps finding a peanut butter cheesecake recipe and make a fresh grape coulis. (nu skool PB+J!!!)

GOOD LUCK! I hope I didnt sound like I was shitting on your menu. It sounded yummy as hell for hanging with loved ones, but when you're dropping the iron chef styles, you gotta come with some sophistication and a menu that illustrates a love of good ingredients that are seasonal. Your preparation will show in the final product. When going simple, it becomes extra important to get great ingredients. If you buy produce from safeway/save on/superstore/iga and it looks beautiful it may mean that its greenhouse styles (ie BC Hothouse) and it tastes like air!

Good lord, all organic ingredients IS the contest.

[fable]

Originally Posted by Avana

Good lord, all organic ingredients IS the contest.

Sorry, I miss competing and got so excited to read your post, I missed the last sentence.

The suggestions are still applicable!

g'luck

[miss.myra]

Whoa, Fable really needs to cook us all dinner sometime.

[frogprincess]

No Bake Cheesecake with Raspberry Coulis (have the recipe at home as well and only takes about 20 minutes to prepare.)

mascarpone > cream cheese

Originally Posted by frogprincess

No Bake Cheesecake with Raspberry Coulis (have the recipe at home as well and only takes about 20 minutes to prepare.)

mascarpone > cream cheese

there is both cheese's in it. you are totally right.

[frogprincess]

Never fuck with a good family recipe, especially when its humble but glorious apple pie. Instead of whip cream how about a small dollop of pistachio icecream, softened and with some super concentrated maple syrup drilled in.

or.....
maple walnut ice-cream because it is mighty tasty w/ glorious apple pie