Symon/Psilakis
vs. Carro Bros.: Battle Lemon
January 1
The challengers: Chefs Fabrizio & Nicola
Carro, identical twins and sons of Italy, where they grew up eating that
country's northern fare. After honing their craft, they moved to Miami, where
they head the kitchen at Quattro, one of that city's famed Italian eateries.
They've chosen to call out Iron Chef Michael Symon. But he is one, and you are
two. So the Chairman has dispatched Symon's own culinary lookalike... Iron Chef
(if only for a day) Michael Psilakis, executive chef at Kefi and Anthos in New
York City AND judge on Food Network's "Ultimate Recipe Showdown".
Prepare for battle.
The Crib Sheet:
SYMON/PSILAKIS
Cory Barrett, sous-chef |
VS |
CARRO BROTHERS
Tomaso, sous-chef |
Greek/Mediterranean |
COOKING STYLE |
Northern Italian |
The Theme Ingredient:
Genoa and Meyer lemons.
The Rules: Each team of chefs must create a five-course
meal, with each course utilizing the theme ingredient,
within 60 minutes. The judges will score the dishes on a
20-point scale: 10 points taste, 5 points plating and
presentation, 5 points creativity and use of ingredient.
The chefs that best articulate the theme ingredient
through their dishes wins.
The battle clock is set at 60 minutes, which will start
when the Chairman, with full heart and empty stomach,
utters the words of his dear uncle.... "Allez cuisine!"
Battle Lemon is on in
Kitchen Stadium. The Genoa lemons are a standard lemon
that you would see in kitchens. They came to America in
1875. The Meyer lemons were discovered in China in 1980.
They're sweeter and less acidic with less of the
aromatic oils you see in standard kitchen lemons. The
Carros are working on a langoustine and a pasta, while
the Michaels are starting by roasting lemons. Sous-chef
Cory is working on a batter, while Symon is squeezing
some lemons on veal.
Five minutes into the battle.. Ice cream,
you scream. The Carros are making a lemon sorbet AND a zabaglione with
limoncello.
"Fifteen minutes have
elapsed." Carros are making a lemon sorbet and a
lemon-herb langoustine, while the Mikes have marinated
veal and roasted lemons. After the break, the Carros
zest lemons on a gremolata and a buffalo ricotta
mixture. Chefs Symon & Psilakis have celeriac, leeks,
zest, and cream simmering, and a pasta dough in the
oven.
Tonight's Judges:
- Director of entertainment for the ambassador to Greece Cathleen Lambridis
- Italian culinary expert Mario Rizotti (Academia Barilla)
- Actress Tia Mowry ("The Game")
- Actress Tamera Mowry ("Roommates")
There's something you've never seen before...
Frenching a rack of rabbit.
Sous chef Cory is making some lemon custard. Both
sides are working on a ricotta mix while the lemon sherbet that Cory made is
being put on lemon biscuits to refreeze.
"Thirty minutes have elapsed."
Challengers have a pasta filling, a rack of rabbit, and a zabaglione. Iron Chef
has a lemon in simple syrup, buffalo ricotta, and a Farina custard. They also
have lemon-brined grape leaves and artichoke hearts. The Carros counter with
round pasta, scallops, and Frenched rack of rabbit. The pasta... being filled
for culingiones. The roasted lemons are being added to Psilakis' Greek yogurt.
Symon has a similar pasta on his side. And Cory's biscuits are coming out of the
freezer and being engulfed in... a meringue! We're making baked Alaska!
Psilakis is making an escolar sashimi. Looks like
both sides are going for a lemon-ricotta stuffed pasta, a frozen lemon delight,
and a lemon paired with shellfish. "Ten minutes to go." Plating has just gotten
under way. The IC side is starting with the veal. Challengers are starting to
plate the risotto and plating zucchini ribbons. They're wrapping that around
asparagus as Tomaso is plating the langoustine... and risotto with scallops.
Psilakis is making his escolar dish. Symon has his ravioli.
Over with the challengers, they've made sgroppino
to go with the langoustine scampi. Pasta is also down with zucchini. IC counters
with a cocktail of his own with the escolar. That'll open. Then there's the
ravioli, the veal with celeriac puree, cockles and orzo with avgolemeno.
"One minute to go." Challengers have lemon,
scampi, ravioli, scallop risotto, and zabaglione. And both teams are torching
their dessert. This is going to be an interesting judge, that's for sure.
"Five seconds... three... two... one..." Battle
Lemon... OVER. Judgment... forthcoming.
Judgment (Carro): "We've made a full menu
from cold appetizer to dessert. We know we can play a lot with lemon."
- Lemon-Marinated Scampi with Fava Beans &
Sgroppino
- Lemon-Flavored Ravioli with Baby Zucchini Sauce
- Lemon Risotto with Scallops
- Rabbit Fiorentina in Lemon Sauce with Asparagus Gratin
- Limoncello Zabaglione
Judgment (Symon/Psilakis): "We wanted
to take the lemon and show you a bunch of different ways of doing it, and make
our two styles meld to give you a really beautiful and complete meal."
- Greek Sashimi Escolar with Galaktoboureko and
Lemon Yogurt
- Lemon Ravioli with Ricotta
- Avgolemeno Greek Lemon Soup with Shellfish
- Lemon-Braised Veal Breast
- Baked Alaska with Honey-Lemon Sherbet and Lemon Curd
A very lemony battle had matching dishes,
matching cuisines, matching approaches, matching chefs, and matching judges.
Will the verdict be equally as matching? Whose cuisine reigns supreme?
|
IRON CHEF |
CHALLENGER |
Taste |
38 |
36 |
Plating |
20 |
17 |
Originality |
19 |
17 |
... 77-70 in favor of
Iron Chef Michael Symon & Chef Michael Psilakis. This
was a blowout with a perfect presentation score and darn
near a perfect taste score. Hopefully, this doesn't sour
the twins who gave their all in this battle. They can
return to South Beach with their heads held high.
Until next battle, we bid
you good eating.
To see this episode in its entirety, go to
www.foodnetwork.com/ica. |