Inspiration Part 2

Iron Chef America tends to take a lot of abuse about the integrity of the competition between chefs, with critics maintaining that the battle is staged; the "secret ingredient" known well in advance to both chefs, the allotted time compromised by early prep-work, and predictable judging for certain battles -  the rematch between Morimoto and challenger Roberto Donna in Battle Squid being one of the most infamous.

Early on in the show's life an expose was published on a blog (See:  What I Can Tell You About The Taping I Attended of "Iron Chef America" Without Having To Pay The Food Network $1,000,000) that "dished the dirt" on the Iron Chef - an invited member of the audience revealing how the Challenger chose his foe. . . repeatedly; the cheeseyness of the "reveal" - the moment when the Secret Ingredient is exposed, the play-structure like nature of Kitchen Stadium - and the total lack of spontaneity.  

A little while later (See: "How Iron Chef America Makes its Magic") it was revealed by the Food Network that the "secret ingredient" was not that secret - that challengers were given a list of five potential ingredients several weeks in advance of the show, with Iron Chefs receiving the same advance information - albeit not necessarily as far in advance. 

Wow -  the lid was blown off Iron Chef America! How was the culinary community going to get over this - the fact that two great chefs (one in the case of battles involving Cat Cora) could not conceive, prepare and plate 5 extraordinary dishes in the space of an hour, each featuring an entirely unknown ingredient; if they couldn't do that how could America possibly win the War on Terrorism!

Come on people, Wake Up!  What, you think the country that bought into 10 households of Big Brother, 13 Amazing Races, 16 seasons of survivor, ripped off "American Idol"  and almost bought the "mission accomplished" thing, wouldn't be snowed by two chefs achieving total culinary wizadry.  Scoff!

Let it be said, I am a huge Iron Chef America fan. I don't watch Iron Chef because I'm caught up wondering whether Bobby Flay can take Rick Bayless; if Michael Symon really deserved the Iron Chef moniker, or if  anyone can honestly make ice cream from sea urchin roe that tastes good. I watch Iron Chef America for inspiration.

The other morning, suffering the after effects of my aforementioned encounter with a dodgy egg, I switched on a recorded episode of Iron Chef in which Mario Batali was challenged by Paul Bartolotta in Battle Rice. Like so many episodes of Iron chef it provided the inspiration for dinner. You can't watch two chefs prepare 10 rice dishes without getting some inspiration. 

Sure, I'm not necessarily going to grind 3 different types of rice to crust 3 large scallops - at least not tonight. But it did inspire me to make a terrific risotto by using a stock made of 4 chorizo sausages and some aromatics. It infused a wonderful spiciness into the risotto, that I served on top of a roasted globe zucchini, which I topped with grilled shrimp that I had been marinating in a vinaigrette.  

This is what Iron Chef America is all about. It's about preparing great food - learning the versatility of simple ingredients, like rice, and watching some truly great chefs come up with some very creative ideas; and it's about providing inspiration for the evening meal.

Oh - and for the record, Morimoto deserved to beat Chef Donna; Batali beating Jamie Oliver was a forgone conclusion, and I don't care which great chef made it, I am not eating Sea Urchin Ice Cream.