Round 1, Challenge 6 Jack Mac Intosh
I was pleased when I got my ingredients of beef tips, cabernet, fennel and black-eyed peas. I was expecting something like gummy worms or tripe! The obvious dish was to make some kind of stew or beef bourguignon, but I felt I needed to be a bit more creative. I really liked the idea of roasting the fennel and mixing it with potatoes. I used the black-eyed peas in several ways - some successful, a couple not so much. I was greatly disappointed with my efforts to use them as the basis for a pastry crust in a deconstructed beef wellington. I ended up throwing it away. But they were perfect for the hummus and were well received in deviled eggs, as well as when I blistered them for the main course. A little fennel goes a long way, so I wanted to try to use it as many different ways as possible. Roasting it with a bit of olive oil seemed to be the ideal preparation. Not to brag, but I think the garlic smashed potatoes might have been an all-time hit.
I marinated the beef tips with the cabernet, garlic, lemon pepper and shallots for 24 hours and then grilled them on high heat for about two minutes on each side. My favorite ingredient was the cabernet. While imitating Julia Child, I had to make a couple of extra trips to the store to make sure I didn't run out. While I think my final dish turned out great, and the neighbors were very supportive of it, I'm guessing the ice cream won them over. I hope everyone finds this simple to duplicate and, if nothing else, you get wine ice cream!
- Mary J. Insprucker