Pistonheads Inaugural Cooking Competition
Discussion
Chim Girl said:
grumbledoak said:
Two courses from two ingredients would rather feel like cheating. Too much freedom.
But, I think tinned tomatoes are ok.
I agree. Is the general view that it should be one dish using both ingredients?But, I think tinned tomatoes are ok.
Updated the competitors.
Yes, sorry to not to make more clear but you have to use both ingredients on one plate, if you fancy doing chicken and pasta on more than one dish then feel free. This is similar to how professional masterchef is doing one round now, with two dishes. Personally I think one dish is enough with the ingredients I chose.
I'm glad someone has started already! I have been told I am away for the weekend with my mother so that will be interesting, also even after choosing the ingredients I discover I haven't actually put any thought into what I will be doing ..
Rather than a poll for the winner I am tempted to do a combined score for technical merit and artistic interpretation considering that nobody will be tasting the dishes. Let me know your thoughts.
Regards
Andy
Yes, sorry to not to make more clear but you have to use both ingredients on one plate, if you fancy doing chicken and pasta on more than one dish then feel free. This is similar to how professional masterchef is doing one round now, with two dishes. Personally I think one dish is enough with the ingredients I chose.
I'm glad someone has started already! I have been told I am away for the weekend with my mother so that will be interesting, also even after choosing the ingredients I discover I haven't actually put any thought into what I will be doing ..
Rather than a poll for the winner I am tempted to do a combined score for technical merit and artistic interpretation considering that nobody will be tasting the dishes. Let me know your thoughts.
Regards
Andy
Anna_S said:
Making mine now
Can I use chopped tinned tomatos or is that cheating?
Hi Anna, my rules were construed to get people to do as much as possible technically. Feel free to use your own judgement, I was thinking more an entire Thai dish in a can when I did that rule. Or a pot noodle Can I use chopped tinned tomatos or is that cheating?
I don't want to have this bogged down on people worrying about the rules so everyone just have a big Keith Floyd glass of wine and let the Gods decide.
Regards
Andy
thegavster said:
zakelwe said:
Rather than a poll for the winner I am tempted to do a combined score for technical merit and artistic interpretation considering that nobody will be tasting the dishes. Let me know your thoughts.
I think it would be best to do a poll personally, gives everyone the change to easily have input. Otherwise people have to go through and score each one? Regards
Andy
thegavster said:
Got halfway through mine, then realised I'd misinterpreted some of my research.
Hence I now need to go out tomorrow and purchase some different ingredients and continue. Luckily all the stuff I'd done tonight can be put aside for tomorrow.
That spit roasted wildebeest would never get through scrutineering! Hence I now need to go out tomorrow and purchase some different ingredients and continue. Luckily all the stuff I'd done tonight can be put aside for tomorrow.
Yes, please hold onto Monday to post results so they appear as a batch and it with ramp up the excitement.. er maybe.
I'm still thinking what to do. I'm away Friday night till Saturday night so will no doubt be in Tesco's Sunday morning looking around scratching my head. Stargaze lasagne with chicken heads sticking up from the pasta? It could just work...
Regards
Andy
thegavster said:
It's a pretty rudimentary thing really, but I've never made this particular thing before so easily overlooked .
If someone works chickens feet or head into their dish they deserve a special medal.
Pie without pastry? .If someone works chickens feet or head into their dish they deserve a special medal
.My sister in law once served me the parsons nose at a meal. She'd cut it off because she thought it was another piece of meat. Needless to say she is not a very good cook.
Regards
Andy
madbadger said:
Cactussed said:
God. I haven't even thought about this!
Might have to rustle something up quickly tomorrow morning...
That old tactic.Might have to rustle something up quickly tomorrow morning...
We'll look out for the suckling pig stuffed with caviar and chicken linguini that you had to russle up at short notice from whatever was in the fridge.
And I don't have any caviar, but I do have some Foie Gras which I discovered in the back of the pantry the other night. (Actually, I found a whole load of stuff from when I was in Perigord last, which I had forgotten about! So, Foie Gras at the next dinner party...)
Cactussed said:
madbadger said:
Cactussed said:
God. I haven't even thought about this!
Might have to rustle something up quickly tomorrow morning...
That old tactic.Might have to rustle something up quickly tomorrow morning...
We'll look out for the suckling pig stuffed with caviar and chicken linguini that you had to russle up at short notice from whatever was in the fridge.
And I don't have any caviar, but I do have some Foie Gras which I discovered in the back of the pantry the other night. (Actually, I found a whole load of stuff from when I was in Perigord last, which I had forgotten about! So, Foie Gras at the next dinner party...)
Made some tortellini stuffed with chicken and porcini mushrooms. I used dried ones which give more flavour. Food processor for chicken, mushrooms, and egg and seasoning plus some herbs. Made some pasta. Made tortellini.
Sauce was mixture of parsley, basil, capers, stock, seasoning and the juice from the mushrooms which I ran through the blender. Tasted great but turned out darker than I wanted, I had bright green in my head, like fresh pesto, which is what I should have done.
Honest opinion was that it tasted great, look average. I had to roll the pasta by hand (no pasta machine, buying one tomorrow!) so the pasta was a bit thick for my liking as well. I also forgot shaved parmesan to top it.
So, not a disaster per se, but I would do it better next time.
Sauce was mixture of parsley, basil, capers, stock, seasoning and the juice from the mushrooms which I ran through the blender. Tasted great but turned out darker than I wanted, I had bright green in my head, like fresh pesto, which is what I should have done.
Honest opinion was that it tasted great, look average. I had to roll the pasta by hand (no pasta machine, buying one tomorrow!) so the pasta was a bit thick for my liking as well. I also forgot shaved parmesan to top it.
So, not a disaster per se, but I would do it better next time.
Edited by Cactussed on Saturday 26th September 20:51
Here goes.
Roasted chicken breasts, with a leek and thyme stuffing wrapped in parma ham. Served with three cannelloni; smoked garlic, potato & smoked bacon, mushroom & Gorgonzola, ricotta & spinach, and a white wine, tarragon & butter sauce.
7/10
Chicken breasts were lovely, leeks & thyme from the garden thickened up with breadcrumbs with lemon zest, cooked right, moist & tender.
Cannelloni was OK. Initially tried to make ravioli from fresh lasagne sheets -no dice. So cannelloni it was. Fillings were nice, mushroom and Gorgonzola wasn't as overpowering as it sounds, lemon & white wine lightened the taste. Smoked garlic, potato & bacon mixture was heavenly. But main f
k up was baking the pasta too dry (without a sauce covering it). Thought a drop of water in the tin and foil over the top would keep everything moist, but edges came out slightly crispy (thankfully not chewy).
Sauce turned out OK. Tarragon was an afterthought and arguably one flavour too many. I reduced chicken stock and white wine with onions, carrot, thyme (all from garden)and celery for a couple of hours. Whisked through butter to thicken at the end with fresh tarragon. Took ages to get it right (wasn't going by recipe) but end result was well balanced.
Overall, happy if not perfection. Made three plates and one veggie version with a salmon fillet. All disappeared fast enough with appreciative noises. Usually I wouldn't sully lovely stuffed chicken breasts with lasagne sheets and I think I tried too hard to make the pasta interesting which over-complicated the flavours -so you could argue the meal lacked balance with too many flavours competing. Fine, but I can do better.
Roasted chicken breasts, with a leek and thyme stuffing wrapped in parma ham. Served with three cannelloni; smoked garlic, potato & smoked bacon, mushroom & Gorgonzola, ricotta & spinach, and a white wine, tarragon & butter sauce.
7/10
Chicken breasts were lovely, leeks & thyme from the garden thickened up with breadcrumbs with lemon zest, cooked right, moist & tender.
Cannelloni was OK. Initially tried to make ravioli from fresh lasagne sheets -no dice. So cannelloni it was. Fillings were nice, mushroom and Gorgonzola wasn't as overpowering as it sounds, lemon & white wine lightened the taste. Smoked garlic, potato & bacon mixture was heavenly. But main f
k up was baking the pasta too dry (without a sauce covering it). Thought a drop of water in the tin and foil over the top would keep everything moist, but edges came out slightly crispy (thankfully not chewy).Sauce turned out OK. Tarragon was an afterthought and arguably one flavour too many. I reduced chicken stock and white wine with onions, carrot, thyme (all from garden)and celery for a couple of hours. Whisked through butter to thicken at the end with fresh tarragon. Took ages to get it right (wasn't going by recipe) but end result was well balanced.
Overall, happy if not perfection. Made three plates and one veggie version with a salmon fillet. All disappeared fast enough with appreciative noises. Usually I wouldn't sully lovely stuffed chicken breasts with lasagne sheets and I think I tried too hard to make the pasta interesting which over-complicated the flavours -so you could argue the meal lacked balance with too many flavours competing. Fine, but I can do better.
Edited by captainzep on Saturday 26th September 22:13
Edited by captainzep on Tuesday 29th September 23:25
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