January Chopped Challenge Results: And the Champion is...Darla!!!

Entry 2

I made pan-fried stuffed pork chops with brussels sprouts and a tequila-chipotle relish. The stuffing is chopped chicken livers with mushrooms and goat cheese.

Honestly the goal here was to downplay the livers (since I don't really like them) by combining with the other strong flavors.

First, the sweet-smoky-spicy relish. Start with FBD Convict Hill Oatmeal Stout. Simmer the chipotles in some tequila. Let cool, then combine with lime, orange marmalade, and chopped onion & cilantro. Set in the fridge so the flavors can marry.



Next, saute a diced shallot, then some chopped livers, then some chopped mushrooms. Deglaze with the tequila and some wine, then cook until almost dry. Set aside.



Combine mushroom-liver mixture with some of the goat cheese and some chopped chives from your back yard.



Take two bone-in chops, slit in the middle, and get your stuffing in there. Prepare the breading station with flour, egg, and panko.



Fry em in some olive oil for a few minutes each side to get that golden crust. Then put into the oven for another 10 minutes or so.



For the plate, I combined with some brussels sprouts (roasted with S&P & olive oil), then topped with some more of the goat cheese. Dipping sauce on the side. It turned out pretty good. That sauce was very interesting with the very strong smoke, spice, and sweet combo. The chop was cooked perfectly, especially with the crunch from the panko.

Entry 4:

January food challenge ingredients: Chipotle Chilis, Chicken Livers, Tequila, Goat Cheese

Ingredients:
Chile Chipotle Grande – Christopher Ranch brand, small bag of 10 dried chilis purchased from Rouse’s
Tequila – Jose Cuervo Especial GOLD, remaining bottle from bar.
Chicken Livers - 100% natural Sanderson Farms brand , pint size container, purchased from Rouse’s
Goat Cheese - Bonne Vies brand original 10.5 ozs. , purchased from Rouse’s

Additional items used from my kitchen:
Pompeian Balsamic vinegar, Best Brand Dark Brown Sugar, Zucchini, Green onion chives



First thing I did was let the goat cheese set at room temperature to thaw which made it easier to work with.
I then sliced the zucchini 1/8” thin lengthwise as each slice was approximately 5-6” long.
Zucchini slices were prepared in two different ways which provided two distinct tastes: grilled and Balsamic vinegar marinade.

Half the Zucchini slices were placed in baking pan to marinate in refrigerator for 6 hours.
The remaining half was seared over hot grill until soft and tender.



Liver was then prepped by removing any fat or vein material, and then browned in a hot iron skillet with minced garlic and olive oil. Once cooked, the liver was set aside to cool, and later diced into small ¼” cubes.

I used a molcajete (mortar and pestle) and small electric food chopper to fine ground the chipotle chilis into small flakes and powder. Room temperature goat cheese was placed in a mixing bowl as I added the ground chilis for a compounding effect. Continuously stirring and integrating the chilis with cheese. The chili cheese mixture was very aromatic with a bold smoky peppery smell.



I decided to do a reduction sauce using 1 oz. shot of Tequila, ½ cup of Balsamic vinegar, and a ¼ cup of dark brown sugar. Tequila and Balsamic vinegar slow cooked over low-medium heat for 15 minutes. I then added the brown sugar for final 10 minutes to achieve the sauce consistency which was later used for plate presentation and a dipping sauce.



I then placed 4-5 zucchini strips side by side on a large plate. Chili Goat cheese was spread flat on each piece of zucchini and topped with the small cubes of liver. Zucchini strips were then rolled to mimic a miniature “pinwheel” or sliced sushi roll.



For my final cooking chore, I took some green onions and carefully sliced them length-wise. The purpose was to use the green onions for tying the rolls together which also added a bit of fresh onion flavor. Green onion strips were blanched in hot water until they were soft, yet pliable. Zucchini rolls were tied and green onion ends snipped with scissors.

The Chipotle Goat cheese zucchini rolls were placed on a serving plate, and the Tequila, vinegar, brown sugar reduction sauce was drizzled for presentation. The sauce had an excellent sweet flavor to the contrasting spicy goat cheese rolls.

Final product: Zucchini rolls stuffed with chipotle chili Goat Cheese

1st - #5
2nd - #3
3rd - #2

1st- 5
2nd- 3
3rd- 1

can you put the 4 main ingredients in the First Post so that I can judge them based on the creativity of the actual 4 chosen ingredients.

I can only see a few pictures right now, but they look excellent! Congrats to all.

I'll vote later once I can view them.

1) #5
2) #3
3) #1

3
5
4

quote:

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I would wreck them all!

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My hardest choice yet.
I loved 1 and 2 and would love to have both.
4 was unbelievably creative.
In the end, the sauces for 3 and 5 won me over.
The sauce for 5 got a slight edge.
In the end I just had to pick based on which one I would eat if I had only one choice and that went to #3.

Looking at the voting, it is all over the place showing the quality of the entries.

I am constantly amazed by the talent of you bunch of losers on this board.

3,5, 4