MATCHUP NO. 1: JOEY VS. JOELEN
JOEY
Drunken Vegetarian Challenge!
I stayed in my comfort zone during the "cherry" challenge, so I
decided to go a different direction. What's one thing I really don't
know about? Japanese food! I decided to take an alcoholic journey
through beer, wine, sake, and sushi to treat your taste buds with
something a bit different.
Japanese Beer-battered tempura style veggies:
2 cups of tempura batter mix
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp pepper
1 tbsp chili paste
1 1/3 cup Japanese beer
Various veggies (beans, asparagas, carrots, etc.)
3 cups vegetable oil
Panko breadcrumbs
Chop your veggies in to small sticks, about 3-4 inches in length.
Leave the broccoli in small florettes.
Mix all ingredients in the first part together. Meanwhile in a wok or
deep fryer, heat up the oil and when proper frying temperature is
reached (drop a bit of batter in the oil, if it floats to the top the
oil is ready). Dredge the veggie sticks first in the beer batter, then
through a bowl of the panko breadcrumbs. Fry 2-3 minutes until golden
brown.
Sweet Chili Red Wine Sauce (for veggies):
3/4 Dry Red Wine
2 dried red new Mexican chilies
2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp chili paste
1 tbsp honey
In a small pot, mix up the wine, chilies, vinegar, and chili paste and
bring to a boil. Cook on high for 7-10 minutes or until almost all of
the wine has been absorbed by the chilies. Take off the heat and
strain remaining liquid into a small bowl. Use the backside of a spoon
and press the chilies, releasing the wine mixture that they had
absorbed. Stir the honey into mixture. Serve with the Japanese
Beer-battered tempura style veggies.
Dual-colored Sake Sushi & Wasabi-Sake Soy Sauce
Nori (2 sheets)
2 cups sushi rice
1/4 cup sushi vinegar
3 tbsp Sake
2 red peppers
2 1/3 cups cold water
4-8 pieces of asparagus cut in 3inch pieces
4-8 sticks of cucumber cut in 3inch pieces
4-8 carrot sticks cut in 3inch pieces
1tbsp salt
1tbsp pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup Sake
Sushi Rice:
In a large pot, place two cups of the rice. Pour the 2 1/3 cups cold
water and turn on heat to high. Bring the rice to a boil uncovered,
then place a lid on it, and turn down to low. Let the mixture simmer
for ten minutes.
Next, take off the heat and pour rice onto a large place. Turning with
a wooden spoon, slowly add the vinegar and the sake to the rice. Place
uncovered in fridge for 5-10 minutes to help lower temperature
quickly.
Sushi Filling:
In a saucepan, add 1/4 cup oil and bring to high heat. In a bowl,
gently toss carrots and asparagus in salt and pepper. Place veggies in
the hot oil and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add the 1/4 cup sake and
simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Place on a plate with a paper
towel to catch the excess oil and sake on the veggies.
Red Pepper Sushi Wrap:
Place two red peppers on a cookie sheet. Heat the oven to 400 degrees
and put peppers inside. Keep a close eye on them and once the skin
begins to shrink on the peppers, pull them out and let them cool. Peel
the skin off (should be easy now) and remove the seed, and inner
membrane from the pepper. Make a cut down one side and also cut of the
top and bottom. The pepper should be able to lay flat now.
Sushi:
Lay the nori down and cover 3/4 of the sheet with the chilled rice,
covering evenly and consistently. along the bottom place asparagus,
cucumber, and carrots. Starting from the bottom, roll vegetables away
from you and use a bit of water on the 1/4 uncovered nori to seal your
roll. Using a wet knife, cut sushi into 6-8 pieces
Use the red peppers the same way, cover 3/4 with rice, add vegetables
at the bottom, and roll away from you. Place seam side down and trim
off the excess.
Wasabi-Sake Soy Sauce
2 tbsp wasabi powder
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sake
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp honey
Combine all ingredients. Serve with sushi.
JOELEN
In coming up with a recipe, I thought about the various alcoholic drinks that are popular this time of year. For me, a nice crisp glass of Chardonnay would be my drink of choice on a summer day. So why not create a dish highlighting Chardonnay?
I especially like cooking with Chardonnay and I find it pairs nicely with creamy and buttery dishes. A specific Chardonnay I like is Charles Shaw - it's super affordable ($2.99 a bottle) and in fact, the 2005 Charles Shaw Chardonnay was judged "Best Chardonnay from California" at the California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition back in 2007.
So with butter as a key flavor note to work with Chardonnay, I thought of some of my favorite buttery dishes. Puff pastry is made with thousands of layers of butter and is often used for the sweet French pastry, Mille Feuille. A French beurre blanc sauce is a butter sauce that also uses white wine. Vegetables such as artichokes, mushrooms and leeks are delicious with a buttery sauce. Slowly, my culinary brainstorming has paid off! Why not create a Mille Feuille made with layers of puff pastry, alternating with a savory vegetable filling? With all this in mind, I present my...
Artichoke, Mushroom & Leek Mille Feuille
served with a Thyme Beurre Blanc sauce & sauteed garlic spinach
1 package of puff pastry
To prepare the puff pastry:
Remove the puff pastry from the package. Using a biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out 6 rounds of puff pastry and bake according to package directions. After they have baked and cooled slightly, split each puff pastry in half, crosswise. Set aside until ready to assemble.
Vegetable Filling:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup roasted artichoke hearts, chopped
1 cup sliced button mushroooms
1 cup leeks, cleaned, sliced thin (white part only)
1/2 cup Chardonnay wine
1 cup freshly grated Peccodrino Romano cheese
To prepare the vegetable filling:
In a lage sauce pan, heat the olive oil and butter until melted. Add the minced garlic and leeks, cooking until softened. Add the artichokes and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms have slightly caramelized. Add the white wine and allow it to cook until the wine reduces down completely and evaporates.
Stir in the Peccorino Romano cheese and set the filling aside to cool slightly until you're ready to assemble.
Thyme Beurre Blanc Sauce:
1 cup Chardonnay wine
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
salt & pepper to taste
To prepare the Thyme Beurre Blanc Sauce:
In a medium saucepan, combine the white wine, lemon juice and thyme leaves over high heat and allow it to reduce to about 2-3 tablespoons so you have a very concentrated wine reduction.
Add the cream to the wine reduction set over high heat. When it comes to a slow boil, reduce the heat to low. Add the cubes of cold butter one at a time, while whisking. To prevent the sauce from breaking or separating, you can whisk the butter on and off the heat.
Continue whisking butter until all of it is added to the reduction and you have a nice rich, buttery sauce. into the reduction until the mixture is fully emulsified and has reached a rich sauce consistency. Season with salt & pepper to taste and keep warm on a very low flame until ready to use.
To assemble the Artichoke, Mushroom & Leek Mille Feuille:
On a serving plate, place one half piece of puff pastry on a serving plate.
Top the puff pastry half with 1 heaping tablespoon of the vegetable filling.
Place the other half of puff pastry over the vegetable filling and top with another heaping tablespoon of the vegetable filling.
Top the filling with another one half piece of puff pastry; with 1 heaping tablespoon of the vegetable filling.
Place the other half of puff pastry over the vegetable filling.
Garnish the plate around the mille feuille with the thyme beurre blanc sauce and serve warm.
I also served this dish with a side of sauteed garlic spinach.
MATCHUP NO. 2: JASON VS. TITUS
JASON
My mother always told me to be nice to people and they would return the favor. I guess Dorothy's mom didn't instill those values in her, (EDITOR'S NOTE: How rude!) for today she decided to add not just lemon and vinegar to our creative wounds, but alcohol and vegetables also. Where do you come up with this crap? Anyway.. despite my frustration with Dotty, I decided to press on and try to leave a better impression on Rick this week. (sidenote: I have been practicing food picture-taking and not using any 80's garnish.. hope you like )
For the challenge, I wanted to come up with something that was "twisted".. Something different that you would normally see, but done completely different. This week I decided to use a Japanese theme, but mix it up by using distinctly, Italian flavors. Now.. it definitely was a challenge using all vegetables.. but here goes. I present to you: Sundried Tomato, Caper and Parmesan gyoza with a sundried, marsala and mushroom sauce accompanied by eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash sautéed with Marsala Wine on a bed of barley and spinach (in a sushi-like pose), and to start with..a chilled cream of zucchini squash and carrot brandy soup garnished with carrot, squash and zuchini tempura. Say that 5 times fast.. I dare you. By the way.. bitchcooks.com is a great site..(another shameless plug for my cookbook) Anyway ...
Sundried Tomato. Caper and Parmesan Pan-fried Gyoza with a Marsala, sundried Tomato Drizzle
Gyoza Wrappers
5 tbsp Sundried Tomatoes
3tbsp Capers
5 Mushrooms
Fresh Parmesan Cheese
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
Parsely finely chopped
Olive Oil
1/2 Vidalia onion chopped finely
Marsala Wine
Butter
Salt
Pepper
1/2 cup of Chicken Broth
In a blender, combine 4 tbsp sundried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, 2 tbsp capers, 4 mushrooms,1 clove garlic and Vidalia onion and 2tbsp of Olive Oil. Lay out gyoza wraps. Put a dollup of sundried tomato mix on wraps. Wet edges of gyoza wraps and pinch and fold together. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil and sauté gyoza for about three minutes.
In the same pan, add marsala wine to deglaze. Add rest of garlic and shallots, sundried tomato, mushrooms and capers and sauté for a minute or so. Add Chicken broth, salt and pepper to taste. Add butter and bring to a boil for a minute and then simmer. Add tsp of flour and stir to thicken. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Drizzle on gyoza.
Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash sautéed with Marsala Wine
Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves Diced
1/2 shallot diced
Spinach
Barley
Large, square in-tact chunks of the following:
Carrot
Zucchini, diced
Yellow Squash, diced
Eggplant diced
Marsala Wine
Butter
Salt
Pepper
In a frying pan, heat olive oil. Add garlic and shallot, salt and pepper and sauté for a minute until shallots are translucent. Add a couple swigs of Marsala Wine and vegetables. Saute vegetables for approximately 10 minutes making sure they are coated well with flavor. Add a pat of butter and stir.
Prepare barley as directed on the package. Saute spinach with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and butter.
Arrange a bed of barley. Put Eggplant mix on top. Surround edges with sautéed spinach. (like a sushi)
Chilled Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Carrot, Brandy Soup with Tempura Garnish
1/4 Vidalia onion
2 zucchini
2 yellow squash
2 stalks of carrots
Heavy Cream
Butter
Brandy
Salt
Pepper
In a blender, puree onion, 1/2 squash, carrot and zuchini with some cream. In a pot heat 3 pats of butter. Saute cucumber puree in butter for half a minute heating through. Make sure not to burn, stir constantly. Add two-three swigs of brandy, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Stir, constantly and simmer for 20- 15 minutes. Let chill in Fridge.
Tempura Garnish
1 egg
1 cup ice water
1 cup all purpose flour
Carrot Sticks
Zucchini sticks
Yellow Squash Sticks
Beat an egg in a bowl. Add ice water in the bowl. Be sure to use very cold water. Add sifted flour in the bowl and mix lightly. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
Heat Vegetable Oil. Dip vegetables in batter and drop into vegetable oil for just less than a minute. Place on paper towels to drain. Place in soup while still warm.
TITUS
When I first read the secret ingredient I was oh so very excited...my head started dancing with ideas, I thought about Caribbean rum glazed barrel cooked chicken, shrimp de jonghe, hell I could of entered my award winning chili since I use beer in it. I was ready to do something BIG. I was so excited that at first I didn't even read on and then when I looked at my twitter page and saw that my opponent had posted that he loved the secret ingredient but wanted to know what was up with it being veggie only? So then I knew it was too good to be true...I need to cook a veg-head dish? no red meat?!?!? no seafood? no chicken? no animals at all? (cheese, eggs and dairy are ok)
Have you seen my site? it's rare that when a recipe is posted that it includes only one meat and not two or three.
I needed to put something together that I know I would eat. I rarely eat a meal without meat-hell I dont ever eat a snack without meat and so I decided to do a rendition of one of the only all veggie meals I can stand to eat...fajitas. Just like everything else vegetables taste better when grilled and fire is used in cooking them. Add in some refried beans, salsa and whatever else floats your boat and throw it all on a fresh grilled tortilla and it becomes edible. The best part about this recipe is you can use your favorite veggies or whatever is fresh and in season at your local farmers market.
a popular marinade for chicken fajitas is anything lime and tequila based so for my marinade I decided to whisk together both lime juice, tequila for the alcohol, salsa verde for kick, cilantro and some shallots and marinate my assortment of fresh vegetables in it. I then would char grill the veggies place them on a tortilla layered in bean spread and serve it with a fried egg, rice and a light corn salad, rum glazed fruit kebabs and a Michelada to soak it all down.
Rum Glazed fruit Kebabs
medium sized diced assortment of fruit
-mangos, watermelon, pineapple, strawberries
cinnamon sugar
soaked skewers
for the glaze combine one part water, one part sugar and boil until sugar dissolves. cool down and add one part rum. Load skewers with fruit and brush with glaze and grill immediately until charred edges show. Make these immediately after charring veggies for fajitas. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and serve warm.
KingT's Veg-Mex Fajitas
assortment of fresh bell peppers (red, orange, green, yellow) Cut in strips
jalapeno peppers- cut in strips
zucchini- cut in coins
green onions- cut in 4 inch pieces
white mushrooms-quartered
poblano peppers-roasted over charcoal, peeled and cut in strips
few ears of shucked sweet corn
flour tortillas
refried bean spread
Mexican crema
Fire-Teq-Lime-Cilantro Marinade
1/2 cup salsa verde
2 oz. tequila
2 oz lime juice
1 shallot-finely minced
5 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp fajita seasoning
Whisk everything together and set aside.
Place all chopped veggies, whole poblanos and shucked ears of corn in a bowl and pour marinade over top and toss to coat. Let sit for anywhere from an hour to two hours. About 45 minutes before you want to put them on the grill set the grill and make sure you use a vegetable basket to char the veggies so the pieces dont fall thru the grates.
First thing to go onto the grill when ready are your whole pieces of sweet corn and poblano peppers-roast both until done. Place poblano in a paper bag and seal it so no air gets out and let sit for 30-45 minutes. after sitting take out poblano, scrape off the skin and cut into strips. Stand corn on one end and with a knife top to bottom scrape off the kernels and throw them in a bowl with poblano strips.
Grill your veggies until nice and charred about 15-20 minutes-and place them in the bowl with poblano strips and corn kernels and mix everything together. Take a grilled warm tortilla and layer it with refried beans and place veggies on top and serve with salsa or hot sauce and crema as fajita toppings. Serve Mexican rice and corn salad a sides. Place your fruit kebabs on the side.
Fried egg optional-I had to get something manly in there.
Any Mexican beer with a lime or a nice Michelada (Mexican bloody Mary) will do for a nice beverage to go with your meal.
205 Comments
katmachine said:
Joelen's food rocks! I vote for her! Go Joelen!
volysmithe said:
1. Joelen
2. TITUS!!!!!
Shawna said:
JOELEN!!! Her dish looks elegant, easy AND tasty!!!!
For the second matchup, I'll go with Titus.
AmbyNYC said:
For the first match, I vote for Joelen. Her dish more thoughtfully incorporates the alcohol into her dish. I think I'd also still be hungry after eating Joey's plate of food, there's too much negative space.
For the second match, I vote for Jason. I like his little nests of veggies. Titus has way too much going on, and the components don't seem related to each other.
CLJMom said:
Joelen!
and Jason (what *is* that on Titus' plate?)
Amy said:
I would definitely vote for Joelen's dish. It's something I would be more intrigued to try at a restaurant since it's something I've never seen/heard of before, yet the combination of vegetables sounds amazing!
Molly Jean said:
While both interesting and very diverse from one another, I definitely choose Joelen's dish. Not to mention that it's hard to find an affordable and lavish in the same meal. Well done! And thank you for the recipe.
Second round is a toss up. I would have to go with Jason.
Darius T. Williams said:
Although she kicked my natural born arse in the cherry competition, I loves me some Joelen! Her food rocks and how about technique and affordability? Go Joelen.
anniemaelou said:
Joelen! Yum--butter!!
Elena Lopez said:
I have to say hands down Joelen!!! My mouth is watering!!
windycitygigi said:
I'm going with Joelen and Jason this round.
Shannon said:
Joelen for the first matchup. It looks and sounds so good!
Jason for the second matchup.
RSB said:
JOELEN all the way. The presentation is gorgeous, the recipe is approachable, and my mouth will be watering until I get to try this gem in my own kitchen.
JASON gets my second vote, but really only because what Titus put out there is a hot mess.
craftygirl said:
Joey and Jason are my picks.
lbenson said:
have to go with Jason! looks good again!!
bennyhannahmama said:
Jason rocks and his recipe looks awesome!
Don Nini said:
Joey and Titus are my picks...the only thing that looks somewhat edible to all of us people that aren't hipsters and dont live in bucktown is Titus' dish
Taryn said:
Match 1: Joelen
Match 2: Jason
Christine W said:
Joelen even makes mushrooms look mouth-watering. I typically can't stand them, but I would eat her dish in a second. Go Joelen!!!
For the second match-up, I think I would go with Jason, only because the fried egg grossed me out.
Nicole H said:
Definitely Joelen! I love the thought she puts into her dishes and it looks yummy!
2nd match-up? Titus.
Liz said:
For the first match, I would go with Joelen's dish hands down. It is creative, visually appealing, complete meal that would even satisfy my meat-loving husband. Yum!
For the second match, I would choose Jason's dish. Titus' creation is too overwhelming for my taste.
Bill said:
I feel that Joey and Joelen both brought their A-games to this round. The bald, fat man in me would love to devour Joelen's food, but the older and wiser Buddha within me was delighted with Joey's presentation.
Alas, the Buddha wins - simplicity is the whole secret of well-being.
As for match up number 2, I certainly appreciate Jason's desire to go beyond his comfort zone and to push himself in different directions. Kudos, J. However, Titus' plate is what I would eat, without a doubt. Kebabs and fajitas are wonderful reminders of why I'm an omnivore.
Best of luck to all of you, and I think this is a wonderfully fun contest. Thanks RedEye and Rick Bayless!
stacy said:
Round 1 Ummmm....Joelan
Round 2 Titus has it going on
twodoves said:
round one: joey (alcoholic sushi? yes please!)
round two: titus (but that's a whole lotta food in one picture)
Cynthia said:
Round 1: Joelen all the way!!!
Round 2: Jason
Latoya said:
Matchup 1:Joelen!
Matchup 2: Joey!
kenisha said:
Matchup 1) joey- I luv sushi
Matchup 2) titus- looks like what i need after a night of clubbing
senior cook said:
My vote goes to Titus--yes his plate is crowded but with delicious looking vibrant food. The egg completes the dish with a protein. I would consider doing his menu for a brunch when there is a vegetarian in the house.
Michel said:
I vote for Joelen. Her recipe is unique and interesting!
Sagitta said:
Joey rocked with his vegetarian sushi rolls - what a great way to get people to try a vegetarian dish!
moniquitta said:
I choose Joelen all the way!!
Jess09 said:
Joelen in match up 1 is my pick! It sounds delicious and mouth watering and I would love to try it!
For the second match up I chose Jason only because Titus' plate looks unappealing.
bear87 said:
titus his meal sounds great for brunch or dinner
chi4321 said:
my vote goes to titus. he made a meal that an everyday cook can make.
voton said:
Oh wow! The sweet words and looks of summer's freshness. I too am a meat person, but today I am willing to take a spin with veggies and vote for Titus.
chibbqking said:
Dont hate on my ultimate hangover cure food that is only fitting since the ingredient is alcohol...you know what you need to kill that hangover? more booze and food
http://chibbqking.blogspot.com/2009/07/veg-mex-fajitas.html
I vote for Titus
AllieQB said:
Joelen, hands down. Thoughtful use of the secret ingredient - delicious sounding recipe and appealing photo. You rock!
Katie said:
Jason, way be to be green (and use greens too). I like the creative presentation too. Great work. I will try this one at home.
BradZ said:
I vote Titus, how could you not? That Plate looks fantastic!!
Erika G. said:
Joelen wins my vote! Well thought-out use of the ingredient in a seasonal and approachable dish! The other recipe seems clumsy by comparison.
okeybebe said:
Match 1: Joey! Loved the presentation- easy, healthy, and fun to eat. I gained 5 pounds just looking at Joelen's!
Match 2: Titus. Food looked good, but way too much on the plate!
JanetPlanet said:
I vote for Joelen!
Hungrygrl said:
Match 1: Joelen. Thoughtful use of Chardonnay which is perfect with puff pastry and beurre blanc. Great choice for Bastille Day too.
Match 2: Neither. The chunky soup in a martini glass and couch shot is weird... and I don't see the fajita in the second dish, just a pile of vegetables with fruit kabobs and an egg. What's in that small shot glass?
Dano said:
Match 1: My vote is for butter and 2 Buck Chuck. This would almost guarantee a good night with the wife. Joelen it is.
Match 2: In reality, I'd probably make 2nd recipe first, but as my wife pointed out, it looks like the left-overs from the opening sequence to Dexter and she wouldn't touch it. And well, if she's not happy, I'm not happy. So this vote goes to Jason.
MEOS said:
Titus - his food is an everday dish with a creative twist
csenoner said:
I vote for Titus. the other dish looked nice, but would you really want to eat it. everyone like fajitas. hes roght one of the only veg meals I could stand let alone like.
Ate said:
Joelen - I learned something new with her entry. Now I know what kind of dishes work with Chardonnay! I love her picture with the wine in the background.
Titus - Even though it looks like a lot all over the place, I do like fajitas.
Foodie1 said:
Match 1 - Joelen
Match 2 - Jason
hollyama said:
I vote for Jason's Dish! It is creative and different and combined so many unique and tasty ingredients. Titus's dish looked like something you can get at any Tex-Mex joint--too uninspired. The winner should be Jason--hands down!!
Carolyn said:
My vote goes to Joelen.
Misndan said:
Jason get my vote for sure! Simply devine!
Christine said:
Joelen for #1- that just sounds so freaking good and definitely something I'd see and order in a restaurant.
Jason for #2- I love me some gyoza and nothing in Titus' entry sounds or looks very appetizing to me. Sorry dude. :(
APacifico said:
King T's fajitas are amazing~I'm far from a vegetarian and the combination of grilled veggies and other mex ingredients is healthier and tastier than steak fajitas:) Good Job mixing it up, Titus!
bethy1234 said:
Titus is the King!! His plate is the most colorful, flavorful and reasonable to try to recreate at home. Titus Rules!!
bstal said:
Joelen for #1
Titus for #2
all sound delicious
43rdWard said:
1. Joelen
2. Titus....what the heck is wrong with you people who say there is too much on Titus' plate! YOU ARE IN CHICAGO, eat something so you can buy some jeans that fit better!
Lisa Coulson said:
For matchup #1 I am going with Joelen. Joey's dish wasn't a total disaster but I don't like that he only used the booze while boiling the sushi rice for the main dish. Just having the booze in the sauce and the cooking water for the main dish isn't enough use of the secret ingredient for me. I don't think sake is flavorful enough for the taste to come through by boiling rice in it.
Joelen's dish is amazing. The flaky layers of the puff pastry and the delicious sauce are mouthwatering. What a creative spin on what is traditionally a dessert! I like that her dish highlights the flavors in the wine instead of just using it because she has to. I also love that these are things I could easily pick up at the supermarket and make at home but create something impressive.
For matchup #2 I have to go with Jason, Titus's dish looks like something my dog threw up. Sorry, it may be delicious but this is a terrible presentation of the food. I like that Jason used so many seasonal vegetables in his dish as well. Titus, did you learn NOTHING last week about what you are being judged on?
Melissa said:
Match 1: Joelen!
Match 2: Jason!
Both dishes look fantastic!
Danielle said:
Joelen all the way!!
Chefkenny said:
My taste buds go out to Joey! Wow its perfect out of the box cooking! Light, spicy, sweet and looks. The dish has it all. Joelen is a little top heavy and if not eaten quickly will become soggy. Of course after the first cut into it won't look as pretty. Titus? what were you thinking...looks like you couldn't decide. Jason Nice! All in all your winners are Joey and Jason!
lemonsandlove said:
Round one is Joelen all the way. Round two I will give to Jason.
Howard said:
Joelen Rocks. I could imagine enjoying her nifty little packages from heaven at a summer concert in M. Park
Courtney said:
My vote goes for Joelen. Her dish looks elegant and delicious, and I would definitely want to try it if given the opportunity. I think she really highlighted the secret ingredient well.
For the second matchup, my vote goes to Joey.
ChiMella said:
Jason it is! His creativity wins me over again!
dbail said:
my vote is for Jason... besides the fact that he used the ingredients in such a creative way, my mouth is watering!! Great job!!
jfr said:
1. Jason, I like that he has variety to his dish.
2. Titus, definitely not a bland meal and you can taste the kick to those veggies.
Becky said:
For the first matchup, I am going to go with Joelen. Her food looks delicious, and I am impressed with her photography, specifically how she positioned the dish front and center of the photo. I like Joey's plating, but his tempura just looks too heavy for my liking.
For the second matchup, I am going to go with Titus. I think his food photography needs some work, but his meal sounds like a great summer night dinner. Jason's food is very unappealing in the picture -- particularly the soup which looks extremely thick and unappetizing.
chi1155 said:
titus. seasonal grilled fruit and veg + tequila and rum...yum. i want it now.
bmk said:
I love Joelen's creation. Great wine pairing.
Rish said:
I vote for Joelen and Jason based on creativity and recipes that I'd actually try making. Sushi is an interesting idea, but is anyone going to do it? And veggie fajitas isn't really thinking outside the box.
Angie0705 said:
For match-up #1: JOELEN! Her dish looks delicious!
#2: Jason.
dbsnstuf said:
#1 Joelen
#2 Jason - that's right bit@hes!
Jinhee Kim said:
Bring back Amy Le's cherry meatball sub!
1. Joelen
2. Jason
MyNameIsNicholas said:
Match 1: Joelen -> this is making my mouth water just looking at it!
Match 2: Jason -> fresh ingredients + thoughtful preparation + great presentation = a winner in my book (not to mention in his too! go pick up a copy @ www.bitchcooks.com right NOW!!!)
ChiFoodie said:
Round 1 - JOELEN
Round 2 - titus
getinthekitchen said:
Ok.. my turn to chime in.. I of course vote for Jason since he is so hot, cool and creative...really .. just like me. Oh wait.. I am Jason.. anyway.. Love reading all your comments.. especially the ones that say my name.. Anyway.. great job to everyone and remember to check out my site.. www.bitchcooks.com for the funniest cookbook you'll ever see. toodles!
KevHead said:
Joelen
Titus
kcsunshine said:
Jason Jason Jason Jason Jason - I don't even like vegetables but this not only looks good but I could even imagine myself foregoing the beef and ordering this. Sounds Yummy!
elsebeok said:
Joelen all the way! A well thought out dish that looks delicious.
VargaGirl said:
Hands down favorite is Jason's creation. What a great dish to eat on a lovely summer evening. Great flavors all on one plate.
kellyd said:
Joey! love the Japanese-beer batter and sauces sound good.
Jason!
Laura Bauer said:
Titus forever. He has to win.
roxymo said:
Joelen's is the only dish of the 4 that seemed to be a true vegetarian dish rather than trying to make a meat dish without the meat. #1 is Joelen for sure. #2 is a tough one, but if I had to pick one, I'd say Jason. The presentation on both leaves something to be desired, but Jason's looks more appetizing of the two.
Tina13 said:
I vote Joey! Joelen used pre-made puff pastry, how hard is that? And butter, mushrooms, and leeks? Not that creative.
I also vote Titus; there's a whole lot more veggie/fruit going on and I would actually eat that stuff. Jason's soup looks chunky in a bad way, and the 'nests' creep me out.
Rachael said:
Round 1 - Joelen! My husband doesn't like mushrooms but I bet I could get him to eat that...it looks so good. And we happen to love that particular Chardonnay!
Round 2 - Titus despite the somewhat strange presentation. I bet the flavors actually go really well together.
TammyG said:
I vote for JASON!!!
Pandie said:
1st Matchup: Joey, because I love me some veggie sushi (and not so much puff pastry)
2nd Matchup: Jason, as the only thing that could make Gyoza better would be for them to be filled with Italian goodies. What a great idea!
kayed said:
For round #1; definitely Joey! Who could resist alcoholic sushi?
Round #2 definitely goes to Jason!!! How in the heck is it possible to use that many vegetables in one dish - SPECTACULAR! Plus, you used my fav - eggplant. Yum!
Between those two - I'd HAVE to go with Jason's dish!
3canstan said:
Titus gets my vote. I love fresh veggies and Mexican food.
CoulsonMktg said:
#1 goes to Joelen. In Joey's entry the only place alcohol was used in the main dish was the beer battered tempura. Not very original, using Japanese beer for a tempura batter is pretty common. Sake in the soy sauce isn't enough for me to consider it a booze inspired veggie dish. I think of all 4 photos, Joelen took Bayless's critiques from last week and put them into action and did the best improving her food photography this week.
#2 is for Jason. I can't stand his attitude and the presentation of the soup is questionable but it is more appetizing than the mess on Titus's plate.
serafinapekkala said:
Joelen and Joey are by far the two strongest competitors here. I wish I could vote for them both. However, the buerre blanc is calling my name (mmm buttery goodness!) - my vote goes to Joelen!
Jason and Titus's plates are no where near as appetizing! And what's with Jason's attitude?
duh said:
1: Joey
2: Titus
Lisa W said:
#1 Joelen
#2 Jason
I have to say that Joelen is the only chef who approached this with class and sophistication. I feel like the other three guys had a bit of an attitude, I am sure they think they are being edgy and funny but the comedy is lost on me.
snugglelarbear said:
Round 1) Joey's seems more practical and wouldn't take me a day to make. I love veggie sushi.
Round 2) Jason's dish looks and sounds fantastic and even a cooking dunce like me could make it. The recipe is enticing without being intimidating, a big plus for me. Besides, Jason's just so darn cute...
kurt said:
Joelen's sounds amazing. I may even try to make something like that somethime now that I have the idea. Titus' is a little common but is making me hungry.
Carmelo said:
#1 - Joey's sushi is way more complicated than Joelen's dish. With 5 separate (not as common ingredients and time consuming) parts to make Joey's recipe compared to Joelen's 3 (commonly used ingredients, quick and easy) parts, I think it's funny people are saying Joey's sushi is easier and more simple. Joelen has my vote. Simple, elegant, affordable and delicious. What's not to like?
#2 - Jason's dish. Next time, don't serve a soup in a martini glass dude.
kurt said:
Joelen's sounds amazing! Maybtry to make something similar now that I have the idea. Titus' dish is mkaing me hungry!
T.Wanio said:
Joelen's dish looks awesome and so very tastey. Go Joelen!!
FireHendry said:
1st match i'll take Joey and the sushi if Im on a date with some northside broad who eats healthy...gotta eat what she eats if you wanna eat some of here...right?
In the 2nd match Im sitting here looking at the fajita plate and thinking what wonders it could to to my hangover right now...its making me feel better looking at it and the last time I ate an all veggie meal was when I got an order of fries and onion rings at burger king....gimme Titus
patty said:
I vote for Titus. I enjoy eating fresh and local foods. It's all good.
BR said:
Joelen as I'm all about the butter with Chardonnay
Titus because I love breakfast and alchohol
Mega Blast said:
Men of the square table have voted and it's unanimous. Titus runs away with it. It's lunch time and Mega Blast wants to stuff his face with marinade laced with tequila and rum glazed vegetables. Titus made vegetables fun...well as fun as they could be. Michelada is a nice touch...stay thirsty my friends.
Mega Blast said:
sorry, after reading Titus meal, my hunger consumed me...I meant rum glazed fruit.
danny said:
match up #2 titus is my winner.
mfreda1983 said:
Titus...his dish looks great!!!
due4two said:
In match up 1 Joey gets the vote for his presentation skills.
In match up 2 Titus gets the vote for his fully loaded brinner
danny said:
match # 2 titus all the way
JJI said:
Match 1: Joelen
I loved Joey's presentation, but the combination of flavors on Joelen's plate makes me want to invite myself to her place! LOVE puff pastry, artichoke/leeks/mushroom combination and the sauce sounds mouth-wateringly complementary.
Match 2: Jason
Jason showed a lot of creativity in his combination of ingredients. Titus's dishes sound good (esp. the fruit kabob), but not as inventive and the fried egg seemed like a last-minute cop-out to have an entree & use the vegees as sides. Both of their comments turned me off...
foodfan82 said:
Joelen and Jason- both look amazing!
robert said:
Joelen's dish is light, French-inspired and seems perfect with the wine accompaniment. Her presentation also invites the diner to eat and smile!! Good job.
due4two said:
match up #2 my pick is titus
due4two said:
#2 the winner is titus
me said:
Round 1: Joey. For "not knowing" about Japanese food, your meal looks fabulous!
Round 2: Jason. Love the creativity of making Italian sushi!
bobby said:
match #2 the best dish and my vote goes to titus
Rochester said:
Titus Those vegies look great, sounds delicious. The peppers and marinade seem just spicy enough. The rum glased fruit is the perfect companion. Would probably use scrambled eggs.
Shaun said:
Jason - you continue to amaze me. You got my vote.
McBride99 said:
My vote is for Jason all the way. Titus' plate is too busy. Jolene's plate looks good as well.
Uncle Mike said:
I vote for Titus, he always produces wonderful gastronomical delights.
Rayne said:
matchup 1: JOELEN!
matchup 2: JASON ALL THE WAY.. love the food.. and his "attitude" lol!
luckyfish said:
Matchup 1 - Totally Joelen. The artichoke and mushroom mille fille looks awesome. I am sitting at work now, dreaming about a nice summer lunch on a patio with that dish and a glass of wine.
Matcup 2 - Have to go with Jason. The picture actually looks kind of gross, but I would order that in a restaurant based on the description. I love veggie fajitas, but it's not some special, creative dish, and it really doesn't need a fried egg on the side.
DebS said:
Jason won this round! Yay! Vegetarian fusion!!!!
LambChop said:
Match up #1 - don't really care. They both look pretty good.
Matchup #2 - the first dish looks like a HOT MESS... especially the random egg thrown on last minute! I'd enjoy trying Jason's recipe much more. Hands down - Jason's creative meal is the winner!
Lara said:
Match #1 - Joelen hands down... she is creative and classy all the while using common ingredients at inexpensive prices so anyone can replicate it. Joey did a great job but I feel he didn't incorporate all aspects of alcohol into his meal.
Match #2 - Jason - although the presentation isn't that great; it is MUCH better than Titus' dish that looks like a hot tranny mess. The egg in the corner of his photo is the only thing my eye focuses on because there is way too much going on with this dish.
shirley said:
I vote for Joelen for matchup 1, Jason for matchup 2
rick said:
Titus I don't eat nothin but meat but if a gun was to my head mabey I could do Titus's dish.
Doodles said:
Match #1 - My vote goes to Joelen.
Match #2 - My vote goes to Jason.
sk said:
I think Jason's food looks the best! gets my vote!
HighClassDame said:
round one: joey...a visually-appealing sushi dish that sounds delish!
round two: jason...a creative use of veggies that's nicely presented.
red said:
Wonderful colors and a great way to savor the fun of summer with veggies and fruit dancing on a grill. Good job balancing by adding the protein of the egg and the beans. The star continues to shine with a vote for Titus.
2020 said:
best food= titus
lr1983 said:
crisp grilled veggies, egg for protein and a mexican bloody mary. count me in for titus.
helen said:
I VOTE FOR JASON
kelhart said:
Joelen and Jason all the way!
Susie said:
Jason could turn even meat lovers into vegetarians. Everything sounds and looks wonderful. A great blend of flavors. Way to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JenM said:
Joellen :)
Maurred said:
GO Joellen!!!
Joelen said:
A tie?! Well, I guess I should definitely add a vote for myself! :)
happynsweet said:
Joelen has my vote - I just want to grab it and eat it up!
free2bfit said:
Joelen wins hands down...I'd eat her food and I am not big on veggies at all. Go Joelen!
Dovile said:
For a summery "Boozy Veggie" dish I would go to:
1. Joey
2. Titus
Susan said:
Joelen and Jason
Michel said:
I vote for Joelen all the way!
nkuchera said:
Joelen is my pick on this one.
Tina13 said:
For the tie breaker, I vote Joey! Crisp and fresh presentation. Also, BRING BACK JENN!! You know she'll kick it up for the finale!
sailordragonball said:
Go, JoElen!!! Your food is the best!!
Nicole H said:
for the tiebreaker - Joelen!
Griff said:
Joelen for the win!!!
scalamity said:
Joelen's dish sounds wonderful! My vote is for Joelen.
RubyM said:
My vote is for Joelen!
My second vote is for Jason.
young twankenstein said:
1. joey even though the tempura looks terrible. joelen's mille-feuille looks like chunks of baguette, and thats a dish thats already usually veg anyways.
2. titus - nice touch w the rum glazed fruit kebabs even if the plate does look a bit messy as some people have said. Jason's presentation is not very appetizing either, and those gyozas look nasty.
Scot R. said:
In matchup #1, while I commend Joey for going outside his comfort zone and coming up with an excellent and creative dish, I have to go with Joelen.
Puff pastry with a leeks, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, thyme beurre blanc and a sauteed garlic spinach accompaniment? What a great way to tastefully enhance the veggies using the perfect wine for the job, along with a little comfort and love in the puff pastry. Nice! This sounds like a real winner and I must try it.
Go Joelen!
KarinaG said:
I dont eat Portobello mushrooms or Sushi. Hwever, just looking at the pictures, i would definately give Joelen's recipe a try. So I go w/ Joelen.
mamamonica said:
Simple and yet very appetizing for a vegetarian meal... I vote for Joelen.
Rich said:
Another vote for Joelen's great recipe!
Harv said:
Look, Joelen rules. I go with the sophisticated combination and presentation. A vote for Joelen!!
G3 said:
I vote for Joelen and Joey
crw-chicago said:
Joelen all the way! Her dish was creative, sophisticated and looks DELICIOUS!
kimkel said:
Round 1: Joelen
Round 2: Neither for me.
Kirsty said:
Round 1:Joelen gets my vote. Her ingredients list is much more simple and the photo looks yummy.
Round 2: This is a hard one...joey, but only marginly.
Dorothy said:
Round 3: Boozing it up and vegging out: Joelen is top for me.
Her dish looks interesting and special, I love artichokes and leek combination with the chardonay. It looks like a great match.
newadventure said:
Vote goes to Jason!
etnie21 said:
Joelen is the best! She has my vote!
Lara said:
For the tie breaker - I'm still voting for Joelen!
FayeD said:
Match up 1: Joelen
Match up 2: Jason
KevHead said:
Tiebreaker - JOELEN!!!
ChiFoodie said:
I vote for Joelen.
supereben9 said:
Joelen she rocked the head to head battle.
falcozappa said:
Its definitely a vote for Joelen from me
elsebeok said:
Go Joelen!
jbuc said:
I vote for Joelen's dish! I love her combination of vegetables and the buttery flavor and the aroma is mouth-watering.
pat said:
I vote for Titus! His food looks great and easy to prepare.
Courtney said:
Joelen's dish looks amazing and is making me hungry as I type. Her dish is definitely more deserving of the win.
Frost said:
I have to vote for Joelen! As much as I love sushi, I just don't want to eat that dish.
LoPro said:
Titus does it again!
ankea97 said:
Joelen all the way!!
momi said:
Joelen, of course
jmp said:
My vote goes to Titus. I really liked the addition of salsa verde to his dish -- makes it a bit different from other marinades.
bcm said:
Joelen and Titus get my votes!
Monica said:
JOELEN for the win definitely! I love her creativity and her dish looks scrumptious!
your-mom-went-to-college said:
Titus all the way!
JO said:
#1 Joelen
#2 Titus
StephM said:
Definitely Joelen and Jason!
sdub101 said:
1: Joelen
2: Titus
dora said:
I vote for Joelen! fabulous!
your-mom-went-to-college said:
Hey BR- breakfast and booze are favorites of mine also. It sounds like we have a couple of things in common. Do you want to get drunk saturday morning?
TTissiere said:
For the Tiebreaker: Joelen
margot said:
1: Joey
2: Titus
Hey your mom went to college - I'll get drunk sat morning
Moxie said:
Joelen! It looks sooooooo good! Joelen all the way for the tie breaker and beyond!
Sarah said:
matchup #1 Joleen
matchup #2 Jason
xtina said:
Joelen had the best dish by far. My vote is for Joelen.
marty165 said:
Joelen has the most original dish
I want to eat that!
young twankenstein said:
if you plan to call joleens dish original, can you please explain why? i've had that dish 50 times, you can get it at some boulageries and buy it frozen from Picard (here) the only real difference being hers having mushrooms - oooohhh wow - and them using porto, which actually is more creative than pairing chardonnay with butter
bennyj said:
Titus
Titus
Titus
gail said:
I love my husband, life, good music and great food!
okeybebe said:
a tie?? why don't you pick joey and joelen as the two to go on and have them compete against each other again? No offense to the other two, but from the comments, it seems pretty obvious that those are the two to beat???? I vote joey all t he way!
gail said:
I vote for Joelen, hands down!!!!!
Chefkenny said:
My vote goes to Joey for today!
lsd6p said:
Joelen! soo tasty
SaturdayDan said:
I'm on death row and I want Titus to cook my last supper. He gets my vote.
Cynthia said:
Joelen!
btobes said:
titus all day every day
MsCoco1955 said:
My vote is for Joleen. Thanks.
jdcooks said:
Joelene all the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mona said:
I vote for Jason!
scovee said:
TITUS
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