Top Thursday

I had no clue what to talk about today. I'm still a bit off from the holiday last week and the realization that Christmas is right around the corner, but thankfully yesterday was Wednesday and TOP CHEF came on to help me out.

The show starts... another sultry summer day in New York. Funny we were supposed to just believe it was Thanksgiving last week. Oh Top Chef. Moving on who is there but my fave chef to hate the non-dancing Rocco Disperto. The quickfire is a breakfast Amuse-bouche which is a small bite as if that’s going to hold anyone over. What a word: Amuse-ouche just rolls of the tongue huh? But for the life of me, no matter how many seasons of Top Chef I watch, I can’t see the reason for them except to act as a tease. If you like what you’re tasting you’ll want a bunch, but all you have is a bite. It’s just frustration all around. Can you imagine ordering one at a restaurant? Getting 2 of something. 15 bucks. You and your partner each take one, it’s delish and then you look down at and empty plate with longing.

Back to the challenge. The chefs quick go shake it. There is a blow torch pulled out by Fabio and things really heat up. Before you can say boo the time is up and Rocco is ready to judge. Always.
Leah gets persnickety over size (it matters) and the fact that hers is really one bite. She rolls her eyes at all the 2 biters. It works. Daniel and Fabio are on the bottom. Stefan and Leah and Jamie are in the top three. The winner is Leah. Way to keep it bite sized. She wins a copy of Rocco’s new book.

For the elimination challenge the chefs must create a dish for a 2 ½ minute live TV presentation. Freak out.
Over in Whole Foods for some reason that let a couple of chefs cut their own fish. I don’t get that one. At All.

Back in the kitchen there’s your usual chopping and such and Alex is doing what appears to be and impossible 1 hour crème brulee and Leah is happy for immunity.

The chefs start to demo for the judges and Jamie has egg problems.
Alex has speaking problems and taste problems.
Fabio charms.
Stefan is cool.
Melissa burns Tom. Ouch.
Time runs out for Leah, Ariane and Carla. They are too chatty.

Melissa, Alex and Jamie are in the bottom three.
Jeff, Fabio and Ariane are in the top three. The chefs are told to go home and the final elimination will be tomorrow.

Then sneaky Tom shows up in the middle of the night dressed in black and gets the top three. He tells them that the hosts to The Today Show will judge the top dishes on the show.

Jeff is mad about serving unsophisticated palettes at 6:30 am. Well, excuse me. Sounds like he thinks he’s a Top Chef already.

Judging are Kathy Lee and Hoda so we know it’s much later than 6:30 more like 10am, Jeff so chill.
Ariane’s goes over well. Fabio’s is good too. But Kathy Lee is Kathy and spits out Jeff’s. Ouch.
Ariane wins at the today show.

Back at the Judges table and Rocco is handing out more gifts. His favorite Tools. Ok, I refuse to make the obvious joke here. You all insert you own. Have at it.

Ariane is the winner and she gets to present live on the Today show, today! Check it out.

The losers are marched in. Melissa is given heat for her heat. Jamie has egg in her face for the egg and Alex doesn’t get the point of the competition.

In the not so glad room there are whispers and murmurs about who is throwing who under the bus. Then out of the blue there are some strange tickles and giggles with Leah and Hosea. Hold up there. Only tension in the Not So Glad Room. Have some respect please.
In the end it’s Alex that packing his Knives and going home. Have a happy wedding Alex!

Here is Ariane's winning BEEFSTEAK TOMATO SALAD recipe

Ingredients:
3 beefsteak tomatoes, nice and red and ripe (substitutes: heirlooms or vine ripe)

12 pieces seedless watermelon, cut into 3 inch sticks

sheeps milk feta cheese (firm), cut into 10 pieces, 2 inches long

4 T extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup 12 year old balsamic vinegar

2 T herb fleur de sel

BASIL OIL

2 cups basil

ice bath

1 cu olive oil

salt

DIRECTIONS:

BASIL OIL

1. Blanche in boiling water.

2. Shock in ice bath.

3. Put into blender.

4. Add 1 cup olive oil and salt, and puree 1 minute.

5. Pass through fine chinois.

To plate tomato salad:

1. 3 each 1/2 inch thick slices of New Jersey tomato.

2. Top with three pieces of watermelon and 2 pieces of feta.

3. Drizzle with olive oil, basil oil, aged balsamic.

4. In a small (baby sized) spoon, fill with fleur de sel, place on side of plate.Garnish with sprig of basil.

Now I have no clue what fleur de sel is I guess we have to watch The Today Show to find out.

Best,

Kwana