What judges have to say about Round 2 efforts in Cook of the Week Challege
With the live cook-off just two weeks away, I'm making today's contestants sweat it out. Instead of revealing if Jamie Andrade or Michael Lalagos won the Quaker Oats Old-Fashioned Oats challenge, or whether Cate Brusenbach or Oscar Menoyo came out on top in the Fortune Fish halibut challenge, I'm making everyone wait until Oct. 26. On that date I'll announce the four Cook of the Week Challenge contestants who will advance to the Nov. 2 cook-off.
Today I'll share what some of the judges (meet them on Page 3) had to say about the recipes. Am I giving anything away?
Oatmeal-Breaded Pork Chops: Michael Lalagos
Marwin Brown: This is a good looking dish. Good integration/use of the oats in this dish. The oat crust is uniform and appetizing, bringing a nice twist to the pork chop. The reduction and crust definitely elevate the dish beyond just your basic stuffed pork chop, however this is a relatively safe dish. Consider brining the chops before hand to get more flavor in the pork chops. Also, from an appearance standpoint, you might want to add more color to contrast or balance against all the brown, as this could provide even more visual appeal.
Michael Maddox: Great idea with stuffing as well as breading the pork chop which will keep it moist as well as give it a nice texture on the outside and a creamy center. The sauce seems to have great balance, but might I suggest supreming the grapefruit, lightly chopping it and finishing it in the sauce to give it a touch more flavor and eye appeal.
Spaghetti with Canadian Bacon: Jamie Andrade
MB: I love the simplicity of the dish combined with well thought out execution, especially as it relates to cooking the scallops, which can be difficult. The citrus and acidity are nice touches to the scallops and make for an overall light healthy flavorful dish. Though the dish was well executed and visually appealing, my one wish is that the bacon and oats were more integrated into the dish. They are more add-ons versus integral parts of to the dish. Another thought would be to maybe spice up the sauce a tad, just to add a bit more complexity without complicating the dish.
MM: Wonderful dish. As a whole, we eat with our eyes first; this dish was very pleasing to the eyes with different shapes and colors. I would suggest supreming the grapefruit and place a few around the plated dish ... this will help give citrus as well as freshness to the plate.
Halibut with Zucchini Confetti: Cate Brusenbach
Mark Palicki: The dish looks really great, but I don't think the description gives it the attention it deserves or describes it correctly. It seems to me to be crusted and not pan seared, I would like the crust to be in the description. The dish looks great and the fish looks like it was cooked really well. The visual is very appetizing and makes me hungry, which is the most important aspect.
Keith Willis: The carrot confetti recipe was executed well; just a little bit busier, in my opinion.
Halibut and Ramen Provencal: Oscar Menoyo
MP: The textures on this plate seem to be one dimensional. Everything looks to be soft with no crunch, I would like to see more than one texture. The red peppers and red onions may provide a little crunch, depending on how well they are cooked. It doesn't scream “Provencal” to me, I think it is missing tomatoes and possibly some olives. I would like to see the Provencal sauce on the ramen mixture as well. Flavor looks good and I like the use of the lemon curd as a glaze. I might have seared the halibut on one side to get a brown crust and then finished it in the oven with the glaze. That would provide some color and possible some added texture.
KW: The ramen Provencal dish looked great; a lot going on as well, just a touch cleaner.