Reactions to Top Chef Seattle Episode 9

It was Old Home Week at Top Chef Seattle when the current crop of cheftestants were asked to make healthy versions of dishes from previous seasons and former Top Chef Masters contestants were asked to judge them. First, however, the chefs had to get through a cutting ordeal during the Quickfire Challenge. Master bladesmith Bob Kramer was on hand to judge a three-round contest involving knife skills.

In round one, three groups of three were asked to sharpen chef's knives. The two groups to sharpen their knives first moved on to round two where they were asked to tournée 50 potatoes. The group to finish that chore first moved to round three where they broke down and frenched 2 rabbits. In the end, Micah came away with the win, immunity, and one of Bob Kramer's very expensive knives.

For the Elimination Challenge, each chef was given a Kindle Fire to view the dish from the previous season on which they would have to make his or her healthy variation. The winner would receive $15,000 and have the dish turned into a Healthy Choice meal. After shopping, the chefs had 2 1/2 hours to cook their meals at the Palace Ballroom for the judges and a gathering of super fans. The judges included Wylie Dufresne, Chris Cosentino, Jonathan Waxman, and Wolfgang Puck. The winner was Chef Kristen for her take on Carla Hall's chicken pot pie from Season 8.

Chefs John and Lizzy were on the bottom, so they had to compete head-to-head, making a healthy burger just like CJ's pork burger from the current season. John chose lamb as his protein while Lizzy chose chicken. Lizzy's burger was judged to be moister and healthier, so John was sent to pack his knives.

What did you think of last night's episode? Please leave your comments below.

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Top Recipe - Chris Cosentino's Blood Sausage, Poached Oysters, and Egg

Thanks, Chef Cosentino, for not expecting us to make our own blood sausage....

Blood Sausage, Poached Oysters, and Egg

4 Boccalone Sanguinaccio
36 oysters (clean and shucked)
2 cups rich trotter stock
4 duck eggs
4 tbsp. butter
2 tablespoons chive batons
2 tablespoons chive flowers
Buckwheat sprouts
8 pieces of crusty bread

Start the blood sausages in a cold pan with 2 tablespoons of butter; once there is color on one side, flip and put into oven at 350 degrees. While the sausages are cooking through, start the eggs, making sure that they are sunny side up. When the eggs are ready (2 minutes) put them on a warm plate, then top with 1 sausage per plate. While the stock is reducing (with one tablespoon of butter), grill the bread over medium heat and season with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Deglaze the sausage pan with the pork stock and add the oysters, letting simmer for 1 minute. Mix with one tablespoon of butter and add chives then season to taste. Top the sausages with the sauce and oysters, and sprinkle the chive flowers and buckwheat sprouts on the plate. Serve with bread.

© 2012 CHRIS COSENTINO

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All Top Chef Interview with Chris Cosentino

Top Chef Masters Season Four Champion, Chris Cosentino, talks about his experience on the show.

A highlight:

ATC: Tell us about your restaurant. 

CC: My restaurant Incanto, is in San Francisco in area called Noe Valley. It's an Old-World style Italian restaurant. We try to cook with an Italian philosophy. 

 In an average week, we get a 250 pound pig, whole - and two whole lambs or goats depending on what we intend to serve. We just work our way through the animals and change things up as we go.

We also have a project called Boccalone. We create 26 different cooked, cured and raw products. We sell all sorts of salumi. Five heart salumi... Fresh sausage... We have been doing it for about 5 years. I give people at home the ability to have the unique foods that are not available at the general market. If you want cheek bacon or back bacon you can order them and we will ship them. 

 These are the lovely Italian flavor profiles made with the best quality meats available for you to serve at home.

Click here for the full interview.

Thank you Chef Chris!

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Congratulations, Chef Chris Cosentino!

In what was probably a surprise to no one, Chris Cosentino created an offal-based meal that both shocked and amazed the critics (some of whom even hated it, possibly). While the meal made by his competition was delicious, Chef Cosentino's was both delicious and outrageous, and his boldness played a big part in his victory.

Congrats, Chef Cosentino! The Michael J. Fox Foundation is sure to be pleased with the over $140,000 you'll be sending their way!

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Top Recipe - Chris Cosentino's Pork and Chicken Liver Pate with Hazelnuts and Truffles

Pork and Chicken Liver Pate with Hazelnuts and Truffles

5 lbs chicken liver
5 lbs pork shoulder
5 lbs pork belly
1 bunch thyme
1/2 bunch savory
1/4 cup garlic
1/4 cup shallot
1/2 cup sauterne wine
1 cup black truffles
2 cups hazelnuts
salt and pepper, as needed

Hay Carrots:
Baby carrots
2 bay leaves
1 orange peel
1 bunch thyme
3 cups hay
2 tablespoons salt
water

Cut the pork and marinate with shallots, garlic, and sauterne. Grind ½ through small die, and then ½ through medium die. Grind all together, mix with chopped truffles and toasted hazelnuts. Cook a piece to taste in a plastic wrap in boiling water. Let chill before tasting.

Line a terrine mold with pan spray, then lay down plastic wrap to line the mold. Pack in the ground meat. Tamper the molds to get out air bubbles. Bake in a 300 degree oven in a water bath until they reach 134 degrees internal temperature.

Press the terrines with a weight and let cool. Slice and serve with carrots, mustards and cornichons.

Carrots:
Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil until tender (this should take about 18 minutes).

© 2012 CHRIS COSENTINO

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Congratulations, Chef Chris Cosentino!

Seems like just last week when Chris won his second Elimination Challenge, doesn't it? This time around, the critics went absolutely gaga for his pork and chicken liver pate. They couldn't say enough good things about it, and for sure that's what won the challenge for him this week.


Only two weeks until the finale. Will we see Chris there?

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Top Recipe - Chris Cosentino's Sirloin Steak Larb Tartare

One might want to cut the recipe down quite a bit...maybe by 1/10th? :)

Sirloin Steak Larb Tartare

10 pounds 21-day aged rib eye
1/4 cup Thai chilies
6 bunches scallions, sliced
1 bunch cilantro
12 stalks lemongrass
2 bunches mint, julienne leaves
6 red onions, julienne and soak in ice water
1 tablespoon star anise
2 cups peanuts
3 cabbage heads, shaved
4 tablespoons palm sugar
2 cups lime juice
2 cups peanut oil
1 cup fish sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
Oil, for frying
36 shallots
1 beef tendon

1. Trim and hand dice the rib eye into 1/4- inch dice. Refrigerate.
2. Toast the star anise and grind fine. Fry the peanuts and season with salt and pepper, crush in the food processor.
3. Mix in the mixing bowl all the meat with the peanuts, lemongrass, scallions, cilantro, and mint and chilies. Dress with peanut oil, lime juice mixed with palm sugar and fish sauce.
4. Add the onions and shaved cabbage. Adjust seasoning
5. Braise tendon for 2 hours until tender. Cool in cooking liquid.
6. Slice very thin then dehydrate overnight. Fry at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Season with salt.
7. Top meat with fried shallots and crispy beef tendon.

© 2012 CHRIS COSENTINO
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Congratulations, Chef Chris Cosentino!

Chef Chris Cosentino has been pretty consistently hot during this competition, so it's no surprise that he picks up the Elimination Challenge win this week for his spin on a Thai larb salad using aged raw beef. While not Thai-spicy, and not that impressive to the owner of Lotus of Siam, the critics loved it, and that's what counts, right?


Only five chefs left in this competition. Who else thinks it's Chris' to lose?

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Congratulations, Chef Chris Cosentino

Chris Cosentino is pretty well-known to people who watch the Food Network. This outspoken chef has some real kick-ass culinary skills, and he proved that this week by winning both the Quickfire and the Elimination Challenge.



We have our eye on him for the finale. Keep watching

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Meet the Chefs - Chris Cosentino

Chef/Partner, Incanto Restaurant, San Francisco, CA
Competing for: Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research

Chris Cosentino, aka @OffalChris, is a graduate of the culinary program at Johnson & Wales university and went on to build his résumé at Red Sage in Washington, D.C. and Rubicon, Chez Panisse, Belon, and Redwood Park in the San Francisco Bay Area. Cosentino took his first executive chef position at Incanto in 2002 where his inspired and innovative interpretations of rustic Italian fare promptly earned the restaurant its first 3-star review from the San Francisco Chronicle. In addition to serving as Incanto’s executive chef, Cosentino is also a co-creator of Boccalone artisanal salumeria and has gained international acclaim as a leading expert and proponent of offal cookery. Cosentino has been notably featured on the Food Network in The Next Iron Chef America and Chefs vs. City and has penned several articles firsthand for national publications including Mountain Biking Magazine, Jamie Oliver, and the cult-favorite comic Wolverine. 2011 saw the debut of a line of clothing from Cosentino and a sold-out line of shoes available through Zappos.com and editorial features in Men’s Journal, Vanity Fair, The Wall Street Journal, and Bon Appétit, and CBS Sunday Morning’s annual food segment. This year, Chris debuted PIGG, a pork concept at UMAMIcatessen in collaboration with SBE Entertainment as well as his first cookbook entitled Beginnings: My Way to Start a Meal from Olive Press Media, an imprint of Williams-Sonoma and Weldon Owen publishers.

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