Round 1, Challenge 6 Pat Kutchins
I was quite pleased when I saw the ingredients in my mystery bag. I immediately thought of doing a special ragout - a hearty dish made with beef and red wine, served over polenta infused with black-eyed peas and, on the side, caramelized fennel and onions. These are the kind of savory comfort foods that the changing season makes us crave. With the meat slow-cooking in a crockpot, I tried different ways of preparing the black-eyed peas, ultimately using a taste tester's suggestion of infusing the peas into the polenta. I decided it would work well with the peas mashed and with my favorite seasoning, adobo, added. I also decided to make it into a mold so it could be sliced for a better presentation. It tasted great! Growing up Italian, we ate fennel raw on holidays. My father loved it that way. Never having cooked fennel before, I tried boiling it and baking it, but decided to blend it with onions and then caramelize it in butter and olive oil. My taste testers agreed that the combination tasted fantastic! I even think my parents would have loved this meal. This was really a fun challenge!
- Mary J. Insprucker