Top Chef: Masters

[weinoo]

In the below linked interview Rick Bayless is asked if the much loved "Black Mole" recipe will make it to print. In short the answer is not likely.

I can't recall for sure but I am almost positive the recipe was in one of Ricks very early cookbooks. Anyone know for sure?

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracke...k-bayless-.html

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In Rick's book, Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen, there is a recipe for Oaxacan Black Mole with Braised Chicken. It has 26 ingredients (not counting the chicken), so it's probably pretty close the the mole he made in the final episode.

So far, I've made one of Rick's moles (it was quite delicious), and plan on doing a few more once the weather cools. I wrote about the red mole I made on my blog.

[robert40]

In the below linked interview Rick Bayless is asked if the much loved "Black Mole" recipe will make it to print. In short the answer is not likely.

I can't recall for sure but I am almost positive the recipe was in one of Ricks very early cookbooks. Anyone know for sure?

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracke...k-bayless-.html

←

In Rick's book, Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen, there is a recipe for Oaxacan Black Mole with Braised Chicken. It has 26 ingredients (not counting the chicken), so it's probably pretty close the the mole he made in the final episode.

So far, I've made one of Rick's moles (it was quite delicious), and plan on doing a few more once the weather cools. I wrote about the red mole I made on my blog.

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Thank you so much. I know I have that book buried somewhere in my collection but have yet to locate it.

Edited August 21, 2009 by robert40 (log)

[Claudia Greco]

I had been rooting for Keller, but was delighted to see Rick Bayless win - not only because of his culinary excellence and the fact that he is a truly nice, gracious, sweet-natured man and not only because his charity really resonates with me, but because he clearly demonstrated the wonderful nuances of Mexican cuisine, and his his mole proved that. 27 in gredients that has taken him 20+years to perfect - and he had Gail Greene drooling. No one ever gets Gail Greene drooling. Bravo, Rick! Nice guys DO finish first!

[weinoo]

No one ever gets Gail Greene drooling. 

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Well, I think Elvis Presley might have. Check out the first chapter in her book.

[llc45]

No one ever gets Gail Greene drooling. 

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Well, I think Elvis Presley might have. Check out the first chapter in her book.

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[Tri2Cook]

Great finale. Exactly what all of the finals should be like. Pick a theme and let the chefs do what they do without making them jump through any hoops. They made it through all of the twists and turns to get there, now just let them cook. My pick lost, I was sure Chef Keller was going to kill it, but I'm not at all disappointed with Chef Bayless winning. I still don't get why people seem so offended over Chef Chiarello. He didn't do anything that would have offended me if I'd been there so I can't really find a reason to be offended for those who were there.

[Doodad]

In the below linked interview Rick Bayless is asked if the much loved "Black Mole" recipe will make it to print. In short the answer is not likely.

I can't recall for sure but I am almost positive the recipe was in one of Ricks very early cookbooks. Anyone know for sure?

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracke...k-bayless-.html

←

In Rick's book, Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen, there is a recipe for Oaxacan Black Mole with Braised Chicken. It has 26 ingredients (not counting the chicken), so it's probably pretty close the the mole he made in the final episode.

So far, I've made one of Rick's moles (it was quite delicious), and plan on doing a few more once the weather cools. I wrote about the red mole I made on my blog.

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Found my copy last night. So off to the market and I have left over bbq pork shoulder that it will grace for Sunday dinner.

[gfweb]

I still don't get why people seem so offended over Chef Chiarello. He didn't do anything that would have offended me if I'd been there so I can't really find a reason to be offended for those who were there.

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Many people are offended by strong personalities and favor Oprah/Art Linkletter-like (never thought I'd put those two in tandem!) blandness.

[BuzzDraft]

I thought that last night's finale was the best Top Chef episode of any season: great challenge, great dishes, great stories. Bravo indeed.

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I really enjoyed this series. The finale was great... allowing the three top chefs to tell their life's biography through their dishes. It was really very interesting to hear their stories. I thought Keller was running away with it, but by the time of judges table, I felt that any of the three could win it. All were certainly worthy.

As for Chiarello, he assumed the mantle of underdog towards the end, calling himself "Scrappy". I think it was just good-natured gamesmanship with the other chefs. So he's competitive... it was a competition after all.

And a particular thank you to Jay for participating in this thread, the participants always add a lot to the discussion since they saw the context of everything before the edits took over the direction of the story.

Also, thanks to all here for making TCM a very entertaining 10 weeks.

[mattsea]

I still don't get why people seem so offended over Chef Chiarello. He didn't do anything that would have offended me if I'd been there so I can't really find a reason to be offended for those who were there.

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Many people are offended by strong personalities and favor Oprah/Art Linkletter-like (never thought I'd put those two in tandem!) blandness.

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Well I hated Linkletter and didn't particularly like Chiarello either. It is possible to avoid arrogance and excessive self-regard without being 'bland'.

I loved the finale, it more than made up for the slightly boring early episodes, in my view. I love it when the chef contestants (in either TC or Masters) are free to cook a great meal with a minimum of constraints.

[GwennP]

All 3 of the chefs are obviously class acts and put out great dishes.

What's-his-name from Saveur seemed to have a personal vendetta against Chiarello.

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Ya think?

[gfweb]

I missed the Saveur allusions in the show. What happened?

[weinoo]

I missed the Saveur allusions in the show. What happened?

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Basically, Oseland, the Editor-in-Chief of Saveur magazine, seemed to grade Chiarello a good star lower than any of the other judges on practically every one of his dishes. Made me think he wasn't being all that objective.

[Chris Amirault]

IIRC, that one star was the difference between a win and a dead heat with Bayless in the finale. Oseland gave him 3 1/2 stars, whereas Greene and Rayner gave him 4 1/2.

[weinoo]

IIRC, that one star was the difference between a win and a dead heat with Bayless in the finale. Oseland gave him 3 1/2 stars, whereas Greene and Rayner gave him 4 1/2.

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Right. The two professional critics rated him a full star higher, and Oseland, in his minimal explanation of his rating of MC's food said something about the seasoning of the polenta.

[jayrayner]

IIRC, that one star was the difference between a win and a dead heat with Bayless in the finale. Oseland gave him 3 1/2 stars, whereas Greene and Rayner gave him 4 1/2.

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Right. The two professional critics rated him a full star higher, and Oseland, in his minimal explanation of his rating of MC's food said something about the seasoning of the polenta.

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Get real people. James scored it as he saw it. No vendetta. No rage. No argument. To be honest, I wasn't even aware there was any issue until the show went out, and I spent 14 hour days with all these people.

Oh, and of course it's not objective. i'm not bloody objective. neither's Gael. We are experienced eaters who were required to back up our scores with a reasonable explanation for why we gave them. That's all.

For what it's worth Chiarello's low point, his fish, was an awful lot lower than rick's, the seafood stew/ 'air' combo. Michael's short rib was spectacular, possibly the bets single thing we ate during that meal, but putting the three good dishes side by side - Rick's quail, pork and mole; Michael's Gnocchi, potted dish and short rib - Rick came out on top. simple as that.

And that's why he won.

[weinoo]

And you think that no offense was taken by Oseland with Michael's using burnt Saveur coasters?

[jayrayner]

And you think that no offense was taken by Oseland with Michael's using burnt Saveur coasters?

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This is all exceptionally silly. I know that no offense was taken. He thought it was hillarious.

REMEMBER: I WAS THERE.

[gfweb]

Of course its exceptionally silly. That's why we care about it. Much easier than caring about important things that worry the crap out of us. These shows provide the food-obsessed the same escape that others get from sports.

I therefore propose a Fantasy Chef League based around Iron Chef, TC, Masters, Chopped and Dinner Impossible. Let's go all the way.

Edited August 25, 2009 by gfweb (log)

[Chris Amirault]

This is all exceptionally silly.

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Indeed: burning doilies of Saveur pages, discussing the ratings of food we cannot taste, bathing in polenta, losing your "mole virginity": all exceptionally silly!

[Claudia Greco]

Indeed, wonderfully fun! Please don't get too pissed off at us, Jay - we're Yanks. We love a good conspiracy theory. Especially when it involves polenta (!)

[TitoM]

REMEMBER: I WAS THERE.

Hope you don't mind me putting you on the spot, Jay, and pardon this question if it's a bit silly and meaningless... but if you had to pick one dish from the entire TCM show, which one would you choose?

[jayrayner]

REMEMBER: I WAS THERE.

Hope you don't mind me putting you on the spot, Jay, and pardon this question if it's a bit silly and meaningless... but if you had to pick one dish from the entire TCM show, which one would you choose?

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Hmm. A good question. Michael's shortrib really does stick out, but... I'll go for three, if that's okay:

Michael's shortrib, anita's original dish of scallops with sea urchins and rick's final pork.

[TitoM]

Michael's shortrib, anita's original dish of scallops with sea urchins and rick's final pork.

Thanks, I do remember you called Anita "Genius!" after that scallop dish. But glad to hear your other favorites came from the final dishes (which tells me the masters were saving their best for last).

[Florida]

IIRC, that one star was the difference between a win and a dead heat with Bayless in the finale. Oseland gave him 3 1/2 stars, whereas Greene and Rayner gave him 4 1/2.

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Right. The two professional critics rated him a full star higher, and Oseland, in his minimal explanation of his rating of MC's food said something about the seasoning of the polenta.

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HA!

No "drama" on the show itself so we need to fabricate some here, do we?