Battle Chicken: Season 2, episode 1

On Saturday, Sept. 26, Iron Chef Brooklyn returned from summer hiatus. It was a long but wonderful day, with a great showing by both teams. Here are the results!


Dave and Cybele, Dish #1:
Chicken Sausage dumplings

Battle Chicken began with a bang—cripsy fried dumplings! These tasty little morsels were crunchy, and full of chicken and cilantro.










Dave and Cybele, Dish #2:
Chicken Parmesan Balls

Dave returns after the Iron Chef summer hiatus with a bang. The "king of balls" presented a deconstructed chicken parmesan. This ball of ground chicken was filled with mozzarella, fried until crispy, and served with super-garlicky garlic bread, a house-made tomato sauce, and a fresh basil leaf. I must admit, he had me at fried and cheesy...









Dave and Cybele, Dish #3:
Chicken Enchiladas with Guacamole

Cybele hit it out of the park with this rich dish, chicken enchiladas topped with tomatillo sauce and filled with pulled chicken and roasted poblano peppers.










Dave and Cybele, Dish #4:
The Sloppy Jose

This sandwich was filled with grilled chicken marinated in cilantro sauce, lettuce, tomato, poached onions, and "special sauce." It was sandwiched between two tostones (fried plantains) and served on a banana leaf with an olive-topped toothpick speared through it.










Olga and Boris, Dish #1:
Chicken Soup with Pierogi

This light chicken broth was studded with thick carrots and celery, and topped with a generous amount of fragrant dill. But the real show stopper was the pierogi. Made from Boris' mother's recipe, it was filled with chicken, boiled egg, and sauteed onions and was tasty as can be.










Olga and Boris, Dish #2:
Chicken schnitzel with avocado salad

Boris shows his chicken-cooking skills with this juicy, tender chicken breast. It was served with an avocado and egg salad—yet another clever inclusion of chicken eggs into a dish.














Olga and Boris, Dish #3:
Chicken stroganoff with rice

Olga and Boris took this cafeteria classic to new heights with a subtle sour cream and onion sauce.












Olga and Boris, Dish #4:
Hawaiian Chicken

The final dish of the day was, appropriately, the sweetest of all. A teriyaki-marinated chicken breast is served topped with bright, sweet pineapple.











In the end, Battle Chicken involved two totally different meals, with different global perspectives and flavors.

Once again, Dave and Cybele reigned supreme. Stay tuned for the November game, when they play Sherri and Becky in Battle Thanksgiving.

As you can see, little Casey is already getting excited about watching his Mom's return from maternity leave....

Battle Onion

On May 31, two teams competed in Iron Chef Brooklyn. Dave and Sachiko, the champions of Battle Egg, challenged David and Carol in Battle Onion. It was the last game before the summer hiatus, and Dave and Sachiko went first.

Dave and Sachiko, Dish #1: Panko-crusted pork, seaweed, and scallion negimaki with tonkatsu sauce

The judges loved the crunch of the perfectly fried coating, and were impressed by how tightly, almost professionally they were rolled. Some didn't appreciate the heat of the Japanese tonkatsu sauce, but everyone gave the dish high marks for the shiso-leaf presentation.










Dave and Sachiko, Dish #2: Leek and brie soup

This warm, creamy soup had a comforting richness and a thick, smooth texture, and the crispy fried leeks on top were a welcome addition. The one inconsistent misstep: Some bowls had a little too much salt, while others appeared well seasoned.













Dave and Sachiko, Dish #3: Prosciutto-wrapped stuffed onion with tomato sauce

Judges' comments diverged on this Italian-style dish. Some loved the mushroom-prosciutto-breadcrumb stuffing, relished the crispy pork wrapping, and adored the tomato-basil sauce; others felt it reminded them of a stuffed artichoke at a suburban cocktail party. Everyone questioned whether the recipe would be much improved with a sweeter onion, such as a Maui or Vidalia.









Dave and Sachiko, Dish #4: Pumpkin-onion muffin crusted with toasted pumpkin seeds and topped with maple-marscarpone cream

These muffins were warm from the oven, and so the marscarpone quickly melted over the sides on a sweet puddle. Finely diced onions kept the middles moist, and judges called out for more maple-marscarpone until Sachiko brought out the bowl.

Bonus: Dave announced later on that they were sugar-free and actually quite healthy. Who knew that onions were the answer to the perfect low-cal morning baked good?








David and Carol, Dish #1: Mediterranean red onion-red pepper paste pizza served with homemade hummus and micro greens. Presented on a placemat made from The Onion newspaper


While judges loved the nutty, impressive hummus, they wondered if it worked on top of the pizza, and if the micro greens belonged on the plate at all. They also questioned the store-bought crust, though all nodded when David yelled from the kitchen "We only have two hours—we couldn't make crust." Yes, we've all been there in Iron Chef Brooklyn.







David and Carol, Dish #2: Vidalia onion stuffed with jalapeno-chive bechamel

The spicy cream-filled onion pleased some judges more than other with its potent kick. It did answer the question, "Is a stuffed onion better with a sweet Vidalia?" A little, most agreed, but not in a transforming way.













David and Carol, Dish #3: The Pearl Necklace (Steak with balsamic pearl onions and fried pearl onions)

Judges cried out for more salt for this steak house homage, and once Carol brought some out all agreed that the once-bland dish was much improved. The caramelized balsamic onions were impressively tender and sweet, but while the fried onions were perfect on the outside, their middles remained a bit raw.










David and Carol, Dish #4: Puff pastry filled with caramelized onions and ashta cream, and drizzled with agave syrup. Served with fresh raspberries and an Altoid

This delicate dessert stole more than one judges' heart, and inched the challengers a bit closer to victory. (It won one of the evenings' only perfect scores.) But would it be enough?









The answer? Unfortunately, no. With a slightly wider margin than usual, Dave and Sachiko were victorious once again.

Thanks to all for an amazing amount of thought and effort and creativity. And congratulations to the reigning champs! We are looking forward to Battle Chicken, against Boris and Olga, in September and to a break from the heat in the kitchen.

Empanada recipe (i.e. The Secret to their Success)

So, it turns out that the key to Dave's fabulous empanadas from battle egg is that he buys the dough already made! Who knew? Here's the recipe, below.

Cilantro-infused egg, chorizo, and cheese empanadas:

The shells are round, come in large and small sizes, and are sold by a couple of brands - Goya being the main one. They come 10 shells to a package, and they're easy to find—just check the freezer aisle of a non-yuppie supermarket.











This recipe makes enough filling for 20 shells.

1 package of frozen empanada shells
2 large chorizo sausages (approx 1/2 lb. total by weight)
a few tablespoons chopped onion
a few teaspoons minced garlic
5 large eggs
a bunch of cilantro
a few tablespoons olive oil
a few tablespoons milk
1/4 lb. grated montalban cheese (similar to manchego, but made of a mix of cow, sheep, and goat milk)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

To make the filling, remove the chorizos from their casings and brown the meat with onion and garlic. Once cooked, set aside.

For the eggs, make a cilantro infusion by blending cilantro, olive oil, and milk. Whip the infusion into 5 eggs, then scramble the infused eggs. When just about done, add back the chorizo and then about 2/3 of the grated cheese.

Once the meat, eggs, and cheese mix is done, remove from the heat and let it cool a bit. Your filling should be completely cooked.

Keep the shells frozen until about 20-30 minutes before use. They're easier to use when still a bit stiff. Defrost them (still in the package) in a bowl of water until they're soft enough to bend from moderate pressure. Then, roll each shell with a rolling pin to thin them a bit - not too much.

Add a couple tablespoons of the egg mixture and a little more grated cheese, fold, and seal the edge with a fork. They're easy to form unless you over stuff them. After the first couple you'll be able to arrive at the proper amount of filling for your size shell. Place the formed empanadas on parchment paper while forming the remaining shells.

Spray your baking sheet or use parchment paper to prevent sticking. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or so until golden. Paint the shells with an egg wash for more color—once when first put into the oven, and once more about half way through. (To fry, like we did in Battle Egg, fry for about 2 minutes a side. Since the fillings are cooked, all you're really doing is browning the shell.)

Serve with pico de gallo and avocado crema—the recipes are below.

For the pico de gallo:
2 vine tomatoes, diced
1 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, chopped
a teaspoon of garlic, crushed
a bunch of cilantro, minced
the juice of half a lime

Mix together all ingredients and season with salt and pepper.

For the avocado crema:
One ripe avocado, mashed until smooth
1/4 cup of fat-free milk
1/4 cup sour cream

Stir together all ingredients, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Note: Since the pico was spicy, we kept the crema very mild and cool.

College students do it, too.

Beth brought to our attention this article on Harvard's alumni magazine about a campus Iron Chef competition. These Harvard kids have clearly outclassed us with their outfits: Maybe we should get ourselves some toques and matching aprons for Battle Onion! Also, cute team names are surely in order.

Battle Egg

On April 19, two teams competed in Iron Chef Brooklyn. Dave, the champion of Battle Pork, along with his partner Sachiko, challenged Sam and Beth in Battle Egg. It was just after Easter, and the judges were intrigued to see which celebration of the egg would prevail. Dave and Sachiko went first.

Dave and Sachiko, Dish #1: Spicy Egg Salad with Homemade Mango Chutney

This egg salad amuse was served on cracker topped with Canadian bacon. It packed a lot of heat. While the judges were intrigued by the complicated layering of flavors and the interplay of influences, many also cleaned their plate. Most judges would have dropped the ham, but both the egg salad and the chutney had nuts—walnuts and macadamias respectively—and that may have been the dish's saving grace.










Dave and Sachiko, Dish #2: Steak and Eggs

Here, steak was marinated in ponzu, ginger, and honey and seared, then topped with asparagus and green beans and a poached egg. "The meat is cooked perfectly," the judges agreed. Unfortunately, the eggs were overcooked—but the judges still gave them props for attempting such a difficult dish.










Dave and Sachiko, Dish #3: Chorizo and Egg Empanadas

These flawlessly fried empanadas were filled with cilantro-scrambled eggs, montalban cheese, and mild chorizo, then topped with pico de gallo and rich, cool avocado crema.

"Ooh—I can't believe I am eating green eggs and ham, and loving it!" said one judge. "These are amazing!" said another. And then they kept eating. "This is their best dish by far—so far."







Dave and Sachiko, Dish #4: Orange-Berry Sabayon

Orange supremes, raspberries, and blackberries were topped with a Grand Marnier sabayon and a sprig of mint.

"This is another ambitious dish," said one judge. "And it's so fluffy and boozy!" said another.

The judges felt like it got less boozy as they ate it—but then maybe that was just the booze talking.

Dave and Sachiko did well, but was it enough to win? Only time would tell.










Sam and Beth, Dish #1: Curried Stuffed Eggs

The deviled eggs were topped with cilantro and served on a bed of frisée and green apples.

"The apple frisée slaw helps cut the richness," explained a judge, as he downed the rich treat.












Sam and Beth, Dish #2: Egg Drop Soup with Five-Spice Wontons

The soup was delicate and laced with cilantro, and the wonton stips were a fried, crispy delight.

"I could eat these wontons all day," declared one judge. "But, then maybe I would be bored with the soup once they were gone."










Sam and Beth, Dish #3: Tortilla Española

This Spanish tortilla was topped with a homemade sriracha aioli and drizzled with even more sriracha.

"My mouth is on fire—in the best way."











Sam and Beth, Dish #4: Meringue-Sorbet Sandwiches Served in a Chocolate Easter Egg

This "original" dish was a "nice finish" and "so well done," that even those who "don't normally eat meringue, couldn't get enough."

It was a sweet end to an otherwise heavy meal of eight egg-celent courses.









So who won the egg-citing conclusion? It was a tie! Our first in Iron Chef Brooklyn.

And we determined, after much debate, that ties would, from this day forward, be determined by which team had the winning dish of the day. The answer? Dave and Sachiko won because the empanadas won the judges' hearts. (And who can blame them? You know you wish you could eat one right now.)

Now, they move on to play Dave and Carol in battle onion. Look for the results next month!

An ode to home cooking, from a surprising source

Mark Bittman sounds off in The New York Times about the difference between home cooking and cooking on TV. Check it out!

Everyone Loves Banh Mi

We've all loved Vietnamese sandwiches for a long time. (In Battle Pork, Jeff created his ode to the perfect sandwich—a classic, yet unforgettable, banh mi.) Now, according to The New York Times, and New York magazine the trend is official: The whole city hearts these tasty treats.