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Cook of the Week Challenge: Nearing the final stretch, cooks' creativity on an upswing

Creativity through the roof sums up the recipes our home cooks have so far presented to the judges in this year's Cook of the Week Challenge. In this, the third of four challenges, the cooks have done it again.

Our six competitors faced a secret ingredient bag including a tenderloin tail and 1 quart of aus jus from Chandler's Chophouse, whole canned artichoke hearts, falafel dough courtesy of Grecian Delights and goat cheese from Tony's Fresh Market. The cooks' recipes appear online, but the judges here give their impressions, critiques and praise.

Our guest judges rated each cooks' recipe on creativity, use of the secret ingredients, ease of use, appearance and perceived taste.

In the home challenge portion of this contest, recipe writing and organizing are paramount. That's because the judges rate the recipes, not the actual taste of each dish. When we get down to the final four cooks, our judges will get the chance to taste what our finalists prepare at the Cook of the Week Challenge Final Four Live Cookoff Nov. 13, at The Westin Chicago Northwest in Itasca. Get tickets to the big event at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cook-of-the-week-challenge-finale-2017-tickets-38780448365.

Before we get to the finale, there are two more challenges to report. While the judges had constructive criticism and plenty of praise for all of the challenge recipes, the scores show that Chuck Federici will not be going on to Challenge 4.

Our judges for Week 3 are 2011 Cook of the Week Challenge winner Penny Kazmier; Robert Kemper, Executive Chef for Chandler's Chophouse & Banquets; Jimmy Nicolau of Grecian Delights; and Ahmed Azizy, executive chef for The Westin Chicago Northwest in Itasca.

See the full recipes at dailyherald.com/lifestyle/food/cook-of-the-week-challenge/.

Next week: See what our five cooks create using Sardines in Tapatio Hot Sauce from King Oscar, calabazita squash courtesy of Tony's Fresh Market, pearl onions from Tony's Fresh Market and kale from Savory Salad.

Darla Pitt's Savory Falafel Steak Doughnut topped with Goat Cheese Frosting and Bacon Artichoke Jam

Azizy: A very complex dish.

Kazmier: I appreciate the creativity of making a savory filled doughnut. It reminded me of a beef Wellington, but with a twist. The artichoke bacon jam sounds delicious and is likely the perfect complement to the tenderloin. While I am a goat cheese lover, I'm concerned the cheese frosting may be too heavy and wonder what it would taste like if the goat cheese were incorporated with the beef inside the doughnut instead? Again, super creative!

Kemper: Steak filled doughnut - need I say more. Sweet and savory, this is a great use of ingredients. A well-rounded recipe.

Nicolau: Love this dish. Great idea and thinking outside of the box.

Chuck Federici's Beef Falafel Wellington with Goat Cheese Beef Gravy, Stuffed Artichoke Mushrooms and Purple Potatoes

Azizy: There is too much crust on the beef. The presentation needs some work.

Kazmier: Beef Wellington is a favorite of mine, and I like how you combined the cheese with tenderloin before encasing in falafel dough. I have never thought to use goat cheese as a gravy thickener, but am sure it tasted delicious as part of your stuffed mushroom filling. I appreciate how you allowed the tenderloin to rest, but suggest you consider seasoning it with salt and pepper before searing. Very attractive plating.

Kemper: Beef Wellington traditionally is a filet wrapped in puff pastry with a mushroom duxelle. I would have liked to see the mushrooms and artichokes encased in the falafel. Goat cheese gravy was a perfect sauce for this dish and purple potatoes add a beautiful color to the plate.

Nicolau: Nice dish but more could have been done with the falafel.

Mark Clemens' Mediterranean Rouladen with Stuffed Falafel Balls

Kemper: Simplicity at its best. Allowing the main ingredients to shine without masking flavors sometimes allows a dish to stand out.

Nicolau: Good combination of all ingredients. Great flavors, good job.

Azizy: Presentation needs some work. The sauce looks a bit too thin.

Kazmier: The Stuffed Falafel Balls look like something from a restaurant, well done. I am wondering if there was a way to stuff the beef tenderloin without needing to pound out individual slices? Maybe butterflying the larger piece of meat and gently pressing achieve a similar result, as I worry about the delicate tenderloin texture after pounding. I like that you stuffed the tenderloin.

Ben Blake's Falafel Tostada Slider with Carne Asada, Crispy Artichoke Hearts and Goat's Cheese Queso and an Arugula Salad with a Lime Honey Garlic Vinaigrette

Azizy: Good presentation and a good selection of ingredients. Simple.

Kazmier: I like how you added layers of flavor to the tenderloin, artichoke hearts and queso. Roasting the artichoke hearts until crisp was a clever way to add texture and when combined with the arugula and vinaigrette as a salad, seems to complement perfectly the rich tostada slider. I have never worked with falafel dough, but wonder if it would have been easier to bake and flip the "tostadas" individually as opposed to as a sheet? I will admit the flipping process scares me a bit. Overall, a very clever use of ingredients and sounds tasty, too.

Kemper: Great combination of flavors, however, au jus is lost in the marinade. The presentation is beautiful, nice touch with the margarita.

Nicolau: I love everything about this.

Elizabeth Shuttler's Artichoke, Falafel and Goat Cheese Stuffed Beef Tenderloin Tail with Sweet Potato Falafel Cakes and Goat Cheese Sauce with Fried Artichoke Garnish

Kemper: Main ingredients are showcased in this dish. Beef and falafel are the stars with goat cheese and artichokes as the supporting cast. Well-balanced recipe combining sweet and savory flavors without overpowering them. Plate presentation can be a little more refined, but overall a well thought out dish.

Nicolau: Great creativity. I like the sweet potato. Good job.

Azizy: The presentation is a bit confusing. Fewer items on the plate would look cleaner.

Kazmier: Your plate is beautiful and looks as if created by an artist. I like how you added falafel dough to your stuffing to help hold everything together, but wish you could have accomplished your tenderloin dish without pounding the meat as it is so delicate and can dry out easily. The addition of cream to your sauce was brilliant, adding a velvety texture and flavor at the same time. Your fried artichoke hearts look and sound delicious.

Joe Watcher's Chèvre-stuffed Shan Tofu with Beef Carpaccio and Artichoke Sauce

Azizy: Good idea, the falafel triangles would be better on the side of the beef, though.

Kazmier: This is an exceptionally creative way to use the falafel dough. I will admit to having to look up what Shan tofu is but am now planning to make some myself. Kudos for looking at the falafel dough ingredients and thinking outside the box. The carpaccio was a unique way to use the tenderloin, and the sauce sounds like the perfect complement. I find myself wishing there was more goat cheese, but you get an A-plus in plating.

Kemper: Nice looking plate, ingredients were used well except for the au jus. Artichoke has a strong flavor on its own and adding the au jus to the sauce seemed like an afterthought.

Nicolau: Appearance is great. I like the idea, good job.

Elizabeth Schuttler's Artichoke, Falafel and Goat Cheese Stuffed Beef Tenderloin Tail with Sweet Potato Falafel Cakes and Goat Cheese Sauce with Fried Artichoke Garnish

Joe Wachter's Chèvre-stuffed Shan Tofu with Beef Carpaccio and Artichoke Sauce

Chuck Federici's Beef Falafel Wellington with Goat Cheese Beef Gravy, Stuffed Artichoke Mushrooms and Purple Potatoes

Ben Blake's Falafel Tostada Slider with Carne Asada, crispy artichoke hearts and goat's cheese queso and an arugula salad with a lime honey garlic vinaigrette

Darla Pitts' Savory Falafel Steak Doughnut, topped with Goat Cheese Frosting and Bacon Artichoke Jam

Mark Clemens' Mediterranean Rouladen with Stuffed Falafel Balls

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