David Ross

Richard wasn't the only one working his meat this week. The husky-voiced Lisa was heard saying that she was "going to beat my meat"........ Aha, caught you for a moment. Lisa was whacking her skirt steak to apparently tenderize it so it wouldn't be tough when she slapped it on the grill. Honestly, I think she imagined Dale's head on the chopping block while she was senselessly beating the steak. She's still pissed at Dale for his crotch-grabbing outburst directed at her after the "Elements" show. She got even more angry at Dale when he "sort of" apologized to her this week, saying that Dale "could go F..... himself." No better way for a Chef to get revenge then to beat a rival's image with a rolling pin. Yeah baby.

This dish is based on a recipe from the Alain Ducasse cookbook "Flavors of France." Even though the recipe comes from Ducasse, it's pretty easy. The sauce is white beans, olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper. I changed it up last night and added some melted butter, roasted garlic, dried basil and dried oregano. I use only the tentacles of the calamari and flash-fry them in olive oil for just a few seconds to keep them tender. My fishmonger sells this beautiful Chilean Sea Bass. It's buttery and rich and has a thick skin that gets nice and crispy. I garnished the fish with a zuchinni salad-zuchinni cut in threads on this cheap plastic gizmo I got in Chinatown in San Francisco. It's one of my best kitchen tools. I tossed the zuchinni in lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh chives out of my garden. How those chives survived the worst winter in 50 years I do not know. And we have snow on the way tonight! Chilean Sea Bass with White Beans and Calamari, Zuchinni Salad:

Last night was Madras Curry Rubbed Chicken that I cooked on the rotisserie. I also rubbed the chicken with some cajun spices and paprika. I served the chicken with fries sprinkled with smoked paprika and Brussels sprouts that were sauteed with butter, olive oil and some crispy diced ham. Sounds like a lot of odd flavor combinations but they worked well together for what was a nice weeknight meal.

While we aren't quite yet at the mid-point of the season, I think we have seen the horse race settle into the clubhouse turn and in my mind there are some Chefs leading the race, some in the middle-of-the-pack and some trailers...... Leaders- Richard-out of the gate quick, took a bit of a mis-step last week, but should be up and running in the lead again. Andrew-Unsettled in the saddle but may have a lot of unrealized potential not yet seen. Tends to get easily "lathered," (sweaty and bothered). Stephanie-Quietly winning without a lot of fanfare, has shown deft skills that may surprise some in the backstretch. Middle of the Pack- Antonia-a sleeper that could put in a come from behind run. Lisa-another sleeper in the running. Showed a lot of "Fire" last week with an ingenious take on bacon with miso. Mark-quiet Aussie that hasn't really dazzled, not yet. Spike-probably more talk and sassy hat than substance, but could present some surprises. Dale-if he can keep his hands out of his pants, may finish strong. Trailing the Pack- Jennifer-nothing in the first five weeks to show she's able to run the distance. Nikki-really should probably be in a claiming race and not in a Grade I Handicap. Ryan-although the outward appearance is one of a race horse, probably not enought stamina to make it to the wire in the front group.

I think this would be an excellent challenge, maybe a Quickfire. Maybe give them a limited number of ingredients? Or maybe let them have the sky as the limit? I'd like to see it. (I LOVE soup... ) ← I think that's an excellent idea. I love that kind of test for a Chef. It would be sort of like the challenge the Chefs faced a few weeks back-to create an "upscale" version of a "taco"-a dish many of them looked upon as merely street-food.

I guess I just see the issue differently. A Chef could view the concept of presenting “soup” as the ultimate challenge-a test of their skills to prove the critics wrong that yes; in fact I can create a memorable dish out of what is often seen as mundane. At least that is how I might approach it-and I’d ask the same question of Chef Tsai to see how he views it. It’s an interesting debate for sure. But enough talk about soup, I do have a few parting shots/comments/questions about the “Elements.” Andrew and Richard enough already with the “faux” caviar and salmon. You can only dress up tapioca pearls in a limited number of guises, so give it a rest, now. And as everyone knows, there are other fish in the sea than just salmon. Next time you go fishing how ‘bout reeling in something other than salmon, salmon, salmon. Finally, whatever species of swimmer you guys choose to cook-absolutely, CLEAN THE SCALES off Mr. Fishy, please. Mark was really caught off guard at the judges table when Chef Colicchio pressed him on why he chose to accompany the aforementioned Salmon and Faux Caviar with a “Parsnip Vanilla Puree.” Poor guy sounded like he was really tongue-tied trying to give a credible answer for the odd flavor combination. Try as he did, he could only muster a sort of “uh, I thought it would go with ‘Confit’ of Salmon.” Oops Mark, your mates told us they cooked the salmon “sous vide.” I know, a minor point, but when one gets nervous (or questions a cooking technique that maybe they don't support), they tend to say silly things to justify the pairings in a dish. I’ve been rough on Zoi and she certainly left us last week with some memorable and contradictory statements last week before she made her exit- I never saw Zoi actually taste the mushroom salad that would accompany the team’s beef carpaccio, a hint that Zoi may not have tasted or seasoned the dish before it went out. But Zoi said she DID taste the dish. She said that “I like bold flavors,” (like too much rosemary?), and that “I like highly seasoned” food. But it strikes one as odd that a Chef who makes those kinds of statements turns out food that is roundly criticized for being “bland”-one of the more tame comments from the judges. I personally would like all the Chefs to shine and put their best dishes forward. There’s always a bit of a sense of sadness when Padma asks a Chef to pack their knives and leave the kitchen. But it’s also an opportunity for a young Chef to learn and grow. If they understand and accept that. One of Zoi’s last statements speaks volumes as to what was one of the biggest hurdles she faced in the Top Chef race. Whether it was a lack of seasoning, choosing the wrong dish or not standing firm in her convictions when faced with the skepticism of her teammates-she never seemed to be able to accept responsibility for her own failures. “I’m totally fine with what I did. THEY didn’t get it.” That unfortunately is not an attitude that will serve one well in the real world. A Top Chef has to be aware of the fact that they aren’t just cooking for themselves. There are others to please, customers for example, who may just want a little salt on their beef.

I think they were worried about being called out for doing "just" a bowl of soup: founded or not, there is the impression that soup is easy. I suspect they figured that there was no way they were going to wow the judges with a soup. And honestly, despite Chef Tom's claim to the contrary, I would not be surprised if they had gotten zinged for "taking the easy route" unless it was one hell of a good soup. Of course one can make great soups: but is a soup going to win in a head-to-head battle? Not so sure... ← Maybe....but I have a sense that the judges would have been pleasantly surprised had they been presented a bowl of "soup" and they just might have praised the Chef's efforts. Restraint and simplicity can be quite alluring-especially with food. Would a lush soup have beaten Team "Fire's" dish of "Grilled Shrimp, Miso-Bacon and Pickled Chili Salad?" Maybe not, that was a killer dish. But you never know.......

I think Antonia should jump into a bowl of hot soup! Because she had immunity for winning the Quickfire Challenge, I personally think she should have stood back and played a supporting role to Spike and Zoi by letting them drive the creation of the dish. Take one for the Gipper. Call me a loyalist for the team if you will, but I would have supported my fellow Chefs by giving them the best opportunity to shine if I had the immunity. (As you have all mentioned in such graceful terms on these pages-all the support in the world would probably not have helped poor little Zoi survive). Now-will someone please present Zoi with a nicely wrapped salt and pepper mill for her birthday? Sign the card with "Our deepest sympathies that you were eliminated from Top Chef. This small gift from your friends at eGullet is a token of our hope that you will properly season your pasta salad in the future. Best Wishes." Antonia scoffed at the idea that spooning squash soup into 80 bowls was laughable for an upscale fundraiser banquet and that such a pedestrian dish would never win an Elimination Challenge. Hogwash. Listen up, Ming Tsai was right when he said that "soup can be quality" and one measure of a good Chef can be found in a delicious bowl of soup. How could soup ever compete with Team Earth's "Beef Carpaccio with Mushroom Salad and Sunchoke Aioli?" This is how...... If it's hard for this team to understand or agree on how "luxurious" a first course soup can be, let me relate a dish that is frequently on the menu at Guy Savoy- arguably one of the finer French chefs of the day-at his restaurant in Las Vegas: "Soupe d'Artichaut a la Truffe Noire" "Brioche Feuillettee aux Champignons et Buerre de Truffe" I'll translate for Antonia, Spike and Zoi: "Artichoke and Black Truffle Soup, Toasted Mushroom Brioche with Black Truffle Butter." My, my, isn't it curious how "simple" soup can be as Ming Tsai would say. Isn't this the perfect expression of the element of "Earth"-artichokes, mushrooms and black truffles? I've had the pleasure of eating this dish at Guy Savoy and it is as elegant and sumptuous as it sounds-yet the ingredients so simple and pure. And it's "just" a bowl of soup.

Thank you for providing the list. Anyone know which Chef scored the lowest?

I'm not so sure the Top Chef "Blind Taste Test" Quickfire Challenge has much relevance in terms of who the ultimate winner will be-and apparently the producer's must have felt the same way. They barely gave air time to displaying all 15 ingredients involved in the taste test. Can one of you name all 15 for me? I sure can't. And I can't see any mention of the ingredients presented in the Quickfire Challenge posted on the Top Chef site. This is the only mention I can find: "Before the chefs got to any cooking in this episode, they had to prove their palate skills. Blindfolded, the chefs had to taste items and tell Padma and Guest Judge Ming Tsai which was of higher quality. While a couple chefs came close, Antonia's palate prevailed." I liked Antonia's approach to the Challenge as if it was a blind-tasting of Pinot Noir-a little taste, a little swish, a sip of water. I think cleansing her palate between tastings might have been the reason she won the challenge by correctly selecting 12 of the 15 items. (I still don't know what all 15 "tastes" were and I sure would like to know which 3 items Antonia got wrong. Kills me not knowing).

Kim, wonderful blog so far and thank you for honoring my humble little salad. You done it proud. Looks delicious, as does the entire dinner.

Fair enough Chris-but I think in the context of what we have seen on Top Chef so far, (and what I take is Chef Colicchio's criticism), is that we've seen more failures than accomplishments with the little toddy cups. This week we saw another poor effort when the pomegranate aperitif failed to elevate the Duck dish presented by Ryan's team. In most cases, the contestants have not taken the time and thought that is necessary to conceive a "wee-teeni" whose flavor compositions work with the main elements of the dish. Those lapses in judgement, along with a lack of "executing" the drink have been the dearth of the Top Chef. Two examples come to mind-one a success, the other an utter failure. The first example, one I think failed, was the wasabi based cocktail Mark presented with his Duck dish in Episode 1. The judges described his dish as pretty much being all over the place with too many elements, including the cocktail. I saw it as a clear example of the cocktail being done primarily for the sake of being trendy with little thought about how the cocktail could support the duck. Maybe it was a case of not being an appropriate accompaniment, maybe it wasn't executed properly or the flavors were off, but it didn't seem to work. Now on the other hand, you are certainly correct that the "wee-drink-on-the-plate" can be a raving success-if it is executed properly-and that is the catch here. The dish that I think is probably one of the standouts of the season to date is the perfect example of how the little drink in the little glass can elevate the main dish to a thing of beauty. Just last week, in episode 4, "Film Food," we saw the team led by Richard, (and his Sous Chefs Dale and Andrew), craft a dish that perfectly fit within the movie they had chosen-"Willie Wonka." Their winning dish of "Smoked Salmon with Faux Caviar and White Chocolate with Wasabi" paired with a cocktail of "Pear and Celery Soda" was a revelation-both in the context of Willie Wonka and in a culinary sense. The judges seemed to respect the cocktail for its clean and understated flavors that accented, yet didn't overpower, the flavor of the smoked salmon. In this instance, the little drink that could, DID.

I haven't been to the Batali places yet, but from what I have heard from people I know that live in Las Vegas and are "in the know" about the restaurant scene-the reviews for B & B at The Venetian have been mixed-mainly uneven service-but the early reviews for Carnevino at The Palazzo have been good. The prices for the steaks at Carnevino are pretty high, so if that is your choice, be prepared to pay big bucks. You might want to consider Wolfgang Puck's "CUT" at The Palazzo. One of my employees had dinner there last week and she said it was the best steak she had ever had. She also said the service was quite exceptional. The reviews I've seen so far give CUT a very high rating. I'll be in town for a week in early May and our party is planning a dinner at CUT.

I've never been a huge fan of this trend by chefs to adorn plates with some sort of itsy-bitsy-teensy-weensy "cocktail." First few times I saw it I thought, "wow, that's a neat idea." I kind of liked the idea of tasting a thimble of "Yuzu Bloody Mary" sitting next to a "Flash-Fried Kumamoto Oyster." But like many fads in cooking, sometimes the gimmickry gets in the way of the final dish and becomes very tired when it is used over and over and over. Such was the case with the "Pomegranate Prosecco Aperitif," presented by the "Air" team alongside their dish of "Duck Breast with Citrus Salad." Nikki and Ryan both made some negative comments about the "tini" not really turning out right or being the correct choice to accompany their duck dish. If you look at the photo of the dish over on the Top Chef site under the "Rate the Plate" tab you see a large Collins glass in a corner of the plate with some lonely little pomegranate seeds swimming in bubbly prosecco. Sounded pretty on the menu, didn't turn out pretty in the glass or on the plate. Chef Colicchio's comments on his blog scream volumes about how silly this whole mini-me cocktail fad can be: "I can’t sign off without at least commenting on the trend of the "mini-cocktail" garnish; those "pomerinis" and "refreshers" and whatever-else-you-want-to-call-them rarely impress me. We’re chefs, not mixologists. I’m not saying I’ll never give a win to someone who prepares one -- IF the food alongside is the best in the competition. The wee-drink-on-a-plate comes across as slightly precious and hasn’t yet pushed a single dish into the winning category. Still, without fail, dishes keep turning up with these silly shot glasses competing for real estate. My advice to our future contestants: Quit trying to be cute, and focus on the food." Another "Bravo" to Chef. I totally agree. My advice to the remaining contestants is to focus on the food-don't throw chairs in the kitchen after your partner is booted, don't grab your crotch and puke out expletives at your teammates, and try, however hard it is for you, to keep things simple and focus on putting exceptional food on the plate.

I think one of the "winner's" on Top Chef this past week was Tom Colicchio and the much appreciated comments he put on his blog on the Bravo site. I'd like to think that maybe, just maybe, in some small way, some of our comments on eGullet have made their way to New York and the offices of Bravo. Doubtful, but just maybe Tom and the Top Chef producer's heard some of our gripes, (or-more likely the gripes of the public), and they realized we had some valid points that should be addressed-like the foul, rude and abusive language that is often spewed out of the mouths of the cheftestants and the trendy, silly little "tini's" that seem to always garnish at least one plate in the Elimination Challenge. If you scroll through some of the earlier postings about "Top Chef Season 4," you'll read a number of comments about the use of profanity in the kitchen. Some of us didn't think it was appropriate and others didn't seem to be bothered by it. The debate got to the point where a new topic about swearing in professional kitchens was started in another forum. I was curious as to what Chef Colicchio thought about this issue and this week his blog finally gave me some answers. So I give a "Bravo" to Chef for sharing his thoughts. This is a bit of what Chef Colicchio has to say about the profanity: "I have been reading your comments when I can, and I want to put in my two cents about one thing -- the language on the show. I’m flattered that people think I have enough input over the production and editing to impact this. In reality, we spend about six weeks shooting the show, during which time the judges are in a state of semi-isolation, kept from interacting with the chefs except in our kitchen walk-throughs and the Judges’ Table. The "talking-head" interviews you see are filmed away from us and then woven later into the episode by the editorial staff. I see those interviews when you do -- when I watch the show. And you can be sure the chefs are on their best behavior when I stroll the kitchen, (though I wouldn’t be surprised if they are swearing at my back, as I move on through.) That said, I have to agree that the gutter language has been excessive. One of my biggest thrills has been meeting kids of all ages who tell me that Top Chef has induced them to try new foods, or get into the kitchen and start cooking. It bums me out to think that parents might decide to restrict their kids from watching because of the chefs’ language. Admittedly, we cooks are a special, salty breed -- more longshoremen than naval officers, if you catch my drift. But I learned fairly early in my career that making my mark as a chef would require me to do more than just cook -- like interacting with the public and the press. In short, I cleaned up my act. The chefs in our competition would be wise to do the same, and hold their food and their demeanor to a high standard. To the extent that I am able, I will ask the producers to stay on the chefs about this in subsequent seasons. In the meantime, to the parents out there, my apologies." I couldn't have said it better.

Chris your blog has been wonderful. Tell me about the casings you are using for your sausages. I assume they are natural casings? Are the casings you buy preserved in salt? Do you rinse and soak them before you stuff the sausage? I've used both fresh casings from the butcher and dried/preserved/salted casings I bought at a Sporting Goods store. I think I prefer the fresh casings, but I'm a rookie at sausage stuffing. Give me some casing advice.

I also posted this dish over in the Food Traditions and Culture forum under the topic "Why is Lamb so Expensive.......". I found some lamb shoulder chops cut "country-style" and I used them in my basic pot roast recipe-I braise the meat for six hours in a sauce of red wine, tomatoes and lots of vegetables. I served the lamb over creamy polenta with some shredded smoked gouda added for a little extra flavor.

I also got lucky scoring some lamb shoulder this weekend-of all places at my local Walmart. I came across some lamb shoulder chops that were labeled "country style." I've only seen pork "country style" ribs so I was surprised to see lamb cut this way. I bought a pack of 6 chops at $2.99 a lb.-really a steal considering the final dish tasted just as good as a grilled rack of lamb that would have cost me much more. Here's a photo of the final dish, Braised "Country-Style" Lamb Shoulder Chops served with Polenta with Smoked Gouda. Enjoy.

Your dish looks really good. Tell me about the sauce on the pork. Your pineapple looks delicious. That's a great combination with pork. I use a lot of tropical fruits this time of year since we are still months away from fresh local fruit, and I find grilling brings out a lot of the natural sweetness of the pineapple.

Last night, Devil's Food Cake with Chocolate Creme Anglaise, Chocolated Malt Ice Cream:

Scored a ticket for the Thursday night event at Uncork'd, sounded like fun! ← Great Report-Thanks. As you've seen first hand, there are so many dining choices in Las Vegas you simply can't cover even a fraction of them in one trip. I've got a thread going about Vegas Uncork'd and if you would be so kind to give us a report, and maybe some photos, after you get back from Vegas Uncork'd, please post it over there. Which "Masters' Series" Dinner did you book on Thursday night?

This morning I checked the website for the events and the only dinner that is sold out so far is the "Masters' Series Dinner" hosted by Cat Cora at Mesa Grill on Thursday, May 8. This year on Thursday I'm attending the Masters' Series Dinner at Bradley Ogden hosted by Alan Richman and Chefs Bradley and Bryan Ogden. I don't think we'll be disappointed-the menu is posted online and it sounds wonderful. The Fish Course is "Pan-Roasted Atlantic Halibut with Spring Garlic Ravioli, Sous Vide Porcini and Parsley Puree." Last year I attended the Masters' Series dinner at Guy Savoy. It was quite the memorable evening and this year's dinner at Savoy will likely follow that precedent. The Fish Course at the Savoy dinner will be "Cote de Turbot, Asperge et Morilles." February was the first month in a number of years where the major casino operators in Las Vegas saw a drop in gaming revenue. Following that news was a drop in the cost of hotel rooms to stimulate reservations. I recently booked a room at The Mirage for the incredibly low price of $135.00 a night, including Friday and Saturday nights. A year ago, the average traveller couldn't touch a room at The Mirage on a Saturday night for under $300.00. So if you enjoy fine dining and the excitement of Las Vegas, you may want to check out the site for details-BAVEGASUNCORKED.COM

Rob, maybe you mentioned this earlier and I missed it--but how old is the bison? I'm wondering if bison are harvested at the same age as feeder cattle, which can be in the 18-24 month range. You mentioned that the bison feed on grass, so my guess is that they are taken off the pasture and go straight to processing? I was wondering if they are fattened up on grain or corn before they are processed.

Rob-first off, Happy Birthday and I hope you ate many, many sweets on your birthday. The heading for your post immediately caught my eye because I have become quite interested in the movement of consumers buying animals directly from farmers. I find it intriguing that the consumer and the farmer are moving back to some of the simple traditions of the past where we bought our foods directly from the farm. We knew how it was grown, where it was grown and what it should taste like. So thank you for sharing your story. But as I read on, I also gained an emotional tie to your story through the personal, respectful thoughts you have shared. Your own words give the Bison's life reverance-"a powerful symbol of strength." The life of your animal is giving strength through the sustenance it will provide. And I agree with Rooftop-sharing your animal with others will further share the spirit of the Bison's strength. I too live in the West and maybe our history is what gives us such a strong tie to the cultures of the West and the role that the Bison played in shaping our history. I'm a descendant of pioneers who came West in covered wagons on the Oregon Trail and staked homesteads in Eastern Oregon. I live in Eastern Washington and there are a number of small ranches that raise Bison. When I drive out into the country and spot one of those Bison in a rolling wheat field, I realize that's the same image that someone saw many, many, years ago. Today when I read through your posts, it evoked these thoughts of what life must have been like in the West when the Bison roamed free. Thank you again for telling this story-I'm looking forward to hearing more.

Thank you, but please don't encourage me too much. Tonight I'm watching this episode for the third time--and I'm picking up more silly snippets on which to comment-"I can tell you for SURE that combination-(white chocolate and wasabi)-doesn't work." Yes Zoi, we heard you loud and clear. So did you actually taste Richard's teams winning dish? No less that Daniel Boulud, certainly an accomplished palate, stated that the combination did work. Personally I would love to have Richard, Andrew and Dale serve that dish to me. Zoi-Can you state, based on fact, that the taste of the flavor combination (white chocolate and wasabi), "doesn't work?" Or--is our assumption true--that you didn't taste the dish you ripped but rather, you are just pissed at yourself, (lady of pasta salad and limp lamb), that you are becoming overwhelmed with jealousy for your fellow competitor's and it may be clouding your cooking? I've probably already said too much about this week's show so I'll stop commenting for now. Just for a bit. This is going to be one delicious and tempting season of Top Chef.