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Food Network Star

Page 30

by Ian Jackman


  The Finale twist—Cook for Your Life—cruelly eliminated one of the final three, leaving only two standing. Their pilots were directed by Guy Fieri and judged by a panel of the eliminated finalists. Finally, it came time for the Selection Committee to decide. Which finalist would they crown as the winner of Food Network Star? The winner, who had to compete longer and harder for the prize than any other finalist in Food Network Star history, would be propelled into Food Network stardom with one final ruling.

  At press time the winner of Season Seven had yet to be chosen, but a sampling of recipes from the finalists are included on the following pages. Check out FoodNetwork.com/STAR to learn more about the Season Seven finale and the newest winner of Food Network Star.

  CHICKEN APPLE SAUSAGE AND SQUASH SOUP

  Recipe courtesy Jeff Mauro

  Yield: 8 cups, about 6 servings • Prep Time: 40 minutes • Cook Time: 40 minutes • Ease of Preparation: easy

  3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

  1 pound chicken apple sausage, casing removed

  1 large onion, coarsely chopped

  1 small butternut squash (about 1½ pounds), peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped

  1 teaspoon kosher salt

  ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  3 garlic cloves, chopped

  ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

  ½ teaspoon dried sage

  5 cups chicken stock

  1 red bell pepper, diced

  ½ cup heavy whipping cream

  2 cups baby spinach

  2 tablespoons brandy (optional)

  1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

  2. If the pan is dry, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the oil. Reduce the heat to medium and sauté the onion, squash, salt, and pepper, stirring occasionally, until partially softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, and sage and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Pour in the stock, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the squash is softened, 15 to 20 minutes.

  3. Let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes, then purée with a hand blender. Add the bell pepper and the cream. Simmer until the pepper is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach, brandy, and reserved sausage and cook, stirring until the spinach wilts, about 1 minute. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

  “Every emotion imaginable was pushed to the utmost extreme: Extreme anxiety before challenge reveals; extreme intensity during cooking; extreme nervousness before presenting; extreme pain and dread during evaluation; extreme homesickness; extreme boredom; and, last but not least, extreme elation during successes.”

  —Jeff Mauro

  SAVORY BREAKFAST MUFFINS

  Recipe courtesy Mary Beth Albright

  Yield: 6 muffins • Prep Time: 10 minutes • Cook Time: 35 minutes • Ease of Preparation: easy

  2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  ½ medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

  1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes

  1 small garlic clove, minced

  ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided

  ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

  4 eggs, beaten

  1 cup cooked, cooled quinoa, from ½ cup uncooked

  ¾ cup grated Gruyère cheese (2¼ ounces)

  1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 6-cup muffin tin.

  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion, tomatoes, and garlic until the onion is light brown and tender and the tomatoes are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon of the salt and ⅛ teaspoon of the pepper. Set aside to cool slightly. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the eggs, quinoa, Gruyère, thyme, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and the remaining salt and pepper. Spoon the batter into the tin, about ½ cup for each muffin, and bake until the muffins are golden brown and well risen and the eggs are set, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the muffins in the tin for 10 minutes, then carefully remove. Serve warm or at room temperature.

  “Star was harder than everything except motherhood, and I’m a pretty tough broad. The first days were grueling, neck-deep in extreme personalities and trash-talking.”

  —Mary Beth Albright

  VIETNAMESE-INFLUENCED MEATBALLS

  Recipe courtesy Susie Jimenez

  Yield: 8 servings (as an appetizer) • Prep Time: 15 minutes • Cook Time: 15 minutes • Ease of Preparation: easy

  2 pounds ground beef

  1 jalapeño pepper, chopped (remove seeds and ribs for a milder heat)

  3 tablespoons soy sauce

  2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

  1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

  1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

  4 large fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

  1 egg

  Zest and juice of 1 lime

  ¼ cup canola oil

  8 medium-size leaves Bibb lettuce, from 1 head

  ⅓ cup sweet chili sauce

  1. In a bowl, combine the beef, jalapeño, soy sauce, cilantro, ginger, mint, basil, egg, and lime zest and juice and mix until well blended. Using about 2 tablespoons per meatball, shape the mixture into balls.

  2. Heat the oil in two large skillets over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and panfry, turning, until cooked through and well browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack set over a sheet tray to drain and cool slightly. To serve, place 2 to 3 meatballs in a lettuce leaf and drizzle with the sweet chili sauce.

  “I had a mentality that I was there to compete and win, but I walked away with friends that I will have a bond with for the rest of my life. I also wanted to focus only on cooking and there was so much more to worry about. The people around you, what you looked like, time, what you would be judged on and how you wanted to be perceived. It’s a ton to focus on while still trying to adequately express your cooking and technique.”

  —Susie Jimenez

  SHORT AND SWEET BRAISED BONELESS SHORT RIBS

  with Brown Sugar and Butter Sweet Potato Purée

  Recipe courtesy Vic “Vegas” Moea

  Yield: 4 servings • Prep Time: 15 minutes • Cook Time: 4 hours • Ease of Preparation: easy

  Vegetable oil

  2 pounds boneless short ribs, trimmed

  Kosher salt

  Freshly ground black pepper

  ½ pound celery, diced

  1 white onion, quartered

  ½ pound carrots, diced

  1 tomato, quartered

  8 sprigs fresh thyme

  8 ounces burgundy wine

  8 ounces beef stock

  2 pounds sweet potatoes

  2 tablespoons butter

  2 teaspoons brown sugar

  Wild honey, for drizzling

  Pinch of smoked sea salt

  1. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the vegetable oil. Season the meat generously with the salt and pepper. Add the meat to the pan and sear on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the celery, onion, carrots, tomato, and thyme, and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Pour in the wine and stock, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 3 to 3½ hours, checking every hour to make sure there is still liquid in the pan. If the liquid is evaporating too quickly, add a little water or stock. When the meat is falling apart, carefully remove it from the pan and set aside. Strain and reserve the liquid.

  2. While the meat is cooking, preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the sweet potatoes until tender, 60 to 80 minutes. Remove from the oven and take off the skins. Mash the potatoes in a bowl, add the butter and brown sugar, and mash again. Season with salt to taste.

  3. To serve, place a scoop of the potato purée on each plate, then top with a chunk of meat. Pour the strained cooking liquid over the top, then drizz
le with honey and season with a pinch of smoked sea salt. Vroooooooooooooom! Good eats!

  “Looking back at all the strides and sacrifices I made to get here, it lets me know that I need to never give up on anything. I stay humble and keep shooting for the stars. Now I incorporate the schooling I have received week after week during this competition with everything I have already molded, and I keep going and going, practicing and practicing with a camera and in the kitchen. I go eat at places and go talk to people . . . Now, that’s living!”

  —Vic “Vegas” Moea

  FRESH CHICKPEA FALAFEL

  Recipe courtesy Whitney Chen

  Yield: about 3 dozen falafel balls • Prep Time: 45 minutes • Inactive Prep Time: overnight, soaking • Cook Time: 20 minutes • Ease of Preparation: intermediate

  3 cups fresh garbanzo beans, raw, or 3 cups canned, rinsed and drained

  1½ cups dried garbanzo beans, soaked for several hours

  ½ large onion, coarsely chopped

  ¼ cup oat bran

  ¼ cup wheat germ

  3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

  1 tablespoon ground cumin

  1 tablespoon ground allspice

  1 tablespoon kosher salt

  1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

  1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

  Zest from 2 lemons (preferably Meyer), 1 tablespoon

  Canola oil, for frying

  1. In a large bowl, toss the fresh and the soaked beans, onion, oat bran, wheat germ, garlic, cumin, allspice, salt, and pepper. Run the ingredients through a meat grinder using the smallest grinding die. Add the parsley, dill, and lemon zest. Using 2-tablespoon portions, firmly shape the dough into balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

  2. Fill a large pot with 3 to 4 inches of canola oil and heat to 375°F. Fry the falafel balls, in batches of about 6, until dark brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain.

  “To up the ante on any meal, you only need to apply a single exciting element. I don’t think people want to make three-Michelin-star food at home, but I think they occasionally want to make a pot roast in a crock pot and somehow serve it with three-Michelin-star flair.”

  —Whitney Chen

  On Their Plate Now

  What are your favorite finalists up to? Read on to find out . . .

  Season One

  Deborah Fewell became a Maven on TLC’s Home Made Simple series ∗ Brook Harlan is a teacher and author of “Cooking with Brook” for Inside Columbia magazine ∗ Susannah Locketti is a food expert on Momlogic.com ∗ Hans Rueffert is the author of Eat Like There’s No Tomorrow ∗ in Chicago, Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh are the Hearty Boys, restaurateurs and caterers ∗ Michael Thomas is cooking, surfing, and continuing to be ridiculous, and has launched a surf company Dr. Wilbur’s ∗ Eric Warren owns Mean Cuisine Foods, a catering company in Los Angeles

  Season Two

  Jess Dang is working as a business analyst while experimenting in her kitchen in the Bay Area ∗ Guy Fieri’s Guy Fieri Food: Cookin’ It, Livin’ It, Lovin’ It was published in 2011 ∗ Carissa Giacalone (Seward) writes recipes and is senior banquet chef at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront ∗ Nathan Lyon is a host of PBS’s Growing a Greener World ∗ Beth Raynor is chef/owner of a restaurant in San Francisco ∗ Evette Rodriguez is catering locally and employed by the state college in her area

  Season Three

  Vivien Cunha is a private chef and caterer in Los Angeles ∗ Tommy Grella is a financial planner in northeastern Massachusetts ∗ Amy Finley is the author of the memoir How to Eat a Small Country ∗ visit Joshua Adam Garcia at chefjag.com ∗ Colombe Jacobsen welcomed a baby boy in 2011 and cooks healthy and seasonal food for individuals and corporate events ∗ Paul McCullough is chef/owner of Paul’s Kitchen catering and event company in Los Angeles ∗ Patrick Rolfe is Executive Kitchen Manager for Ling and Louie’s Asian Bar and Grill in Boise, Idaho ∗ Michael Salmon runs foodservice operations at Macy’s Herald Square in New York ∗ Rory Schepisi is chef/owner of Boot Hill Saloon and Grill in Vega, Texas ∗ Adrien Sharp is host of JTV’s Food Circus ∗ Nikki Shaw is a celebrity chef and caterer in Los Angeles

  Season Four

  Jennifer Cochrane is manager at a restaurant in Providence ∗ Lisa Garza operates her food and fashion business Lisa Garza Taste Studio in Dallas ∗ Adam Gertler is host of Food Network’s Kid in a Candy Store ∗ Comedian Cory Kahaney appears frequently onstage and on national television ∗ Shane Lyons is Executive Chef at Nosh in Colorado Springs ∗ Aaron McCargo, Jr., is the author of Simply Done, Well Done ∗ Kelsey Nixon is host of Cooking Channel’s Kelsey’s Essentials ∗ Kevin Roberts is chef/owner of four San Diego restaurants and host of TLC’s BBQ Pitmasters ∗ Jeffrey Vaden is chef/owner of Soul/Luxe caterers in White Plains, New York

  Season Five

  Brett August is head chef at Agua Dulce in New York City ∗ Katie Cavuto Boyle is chef/owner of Healthy Bites ToGo Market and Cafe in Philadelphia ∗ Melissa d’Arabian is host of Food Network’s Ten Dollar Dinners ∗ Teddy Folkman is Executive Chef at Granville Moore’s in Washington, D.C. ∗ Jen Isham is a manager at a major hotel in Orlando ∗ Debbie Lee is a restaurant consultant and operates the Ahn-Joo Food Truck in L.A. and is the author of cookbook Seoultown Kitchen ∗ Jamika Pessoa operates personal chef service Life of the Party ∗ Michael Proietti is Food and Beverage Director at a hotel in New Rochelle, New York ∗ Jeffrey Saad is host of Cooking Channel’s United Tastes of America

  Season Six

  Dzintra Dzenis is chef/owner of Plate by Dzintra in Austin ∗ Traveling chef Doreen Fang is author of the blog Dining with Doreen ∗ Alexis Hernandez grows produce and cooks on his sixty-five-acre family farm ∗ Aria Kagan has been working hard on Eats Good, her meal delivery service in Hollywood, Florida ∗ Brianna Jenkins is chef/owner of her own catering company ∗ Herb Mesa is a personal trainer and personal chef in Atlanta ∗ Serena Palumbo is an attorney and creator of the webisode series Cooking in Manhattan ∗ Tom Pizzica is host of Food Network’s Outrageous Food ∗ Aarti Sequeira is host of Food Network’s Aarti Party ∗ Darrel A. Smith teaches the Culinary Arts program at Beverly Hills High School ∗ Brad Sorenson is a chef at ASTI Trattoria in Austin ∗ Paul Young is the executive chef at Stubby’s Pub & Grub in Milwaukee

  Index

  The pagination of this electronic edition does not match the edition from which it was created. To locate a specific passage, please use the search feature of your e-book reader.

  A

  Aarti’s Party, 321, 325

  achiote, 189

  Achiote Oil, 127

  à la nage, 228

  Albright, Mary Beth, 329, 330

  Savory Breakfast Muffins, 333

  Allen, Ted, 222, 223, 296, 297, 300

  All-Grown-Up Raspberry Hot Tart, 73

  Almond-Crusted Croque Monsieur with English Tea Béchamel Sauce, 294

  Anaheim chiles, 203

  Anderson, Sunny, 231

  Arugula Fennel Salad, Crispy Bacon-Wrapped Chicken with Three-Cheese Creamy Risotto and, 300–301

  Asian Bolognese, 49

  Asian-infused Pork Tenderloin with Melted Onions and Herb Goat Cheese, 68

  asparagus

  Chilled Beets and Asparagus with Garlic Chive Blossoms, 28

  August, Brett, 186, 189–90, 191, 194, 198, 238, 339

  Crab Cakes with Basil Mayonnaise, 199

  Ausiello, Michael, 64

  B

  bacon

  Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes with Honey Scallion Sauce, 145

  Barbecued Bacon-Wrapped Mushrooms, 104–5

  Crispy Bacon-Wrapped Chicken with Three-Cheese Creamy Risotto and Arugula Fennel Salad, 300–301

  Grilled New York Strip Steak with Tennessee Drunken Braised Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Hash, 193

  Lima Bean Soup with Parmesan Bacon Crisp, 113

  Root Beer and Bacon Baked Beans, 176
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  Season Six Iron Chef bacon battle, 315–16, 317

  Spinach, Bacon, and Potato Omelet, 56–57

  Balmes, Justin, 328

  Barbecue Sauce, 101

  Barbecued Bacon-Wrapped Mushrooms, 104–5

  Barefoot Contessa, 2

  basil

  Basil Ketchup, 208

  chiffonade, 11

  Crab Cakes with Basil Mayonnaise, 199

  Rustic Pesto Pizza, 12

  Batali, Mario, 9–11, 42–44, 79, 124

  Bayless, Rick, 230, 231

  beans

  Cassoulet, 167

  Dry-Rubbed Shrimp with French-Cut Green Beans and Steamed Basmati Rice, 154

  Lima Bean Soup with Parmesan Bacon Crisp, 113

  Root Beer and Bacon Baked Beans, 176

  Skirt Steak Tostadas with Black Beans and Mango Salsa, 212–13

  béchamel sauce

  Almond-Crusted Croque Monsieur with English Tea Béchamel Sauce, 294

  beef

  Bourbon Pancakes with Sausage Patties, 217

  Brianna’s Empanadas with Serena’s Chimichurri Sauce, 290–91

  Grella Grill Rub with Rabe and Shiitakes, 99

  Grilled Beef with Buckwheat Soba Noodle Salad, 138

  Grilled New York Strip Steak with Tennessee Drunken Braised Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Hash, 193

  Mulberry Street Burger, 208

  Pan-Roasted Filet with Fried Shallots, 173

  Short and Sweet Braised Boneless Short Ribs with Brown Sugar and Butter Sweet Potato Purée with Wild Honey and Smoked Salt, 335

  Skirt Steak Tostadas with Black Beans and Mango Salsa, 212–13

  Vietnamese-Influenced Meatballs, 334

  beets

  Chilled Beets and Asparagus with Garlic Chive Blossoms, 28

 

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