Ep 14. Turkey
- December 25, 1998
- 41 min
Iron Chef America is a popular cooking competition show where world-renowned chefs battle each other to create the most innovative, delicious dishes with secret ingredients within the specified time limit. The show was inspired by the Japanese show Iron Chef and has been a hit with American viewers since its debut.
In season 2 episode 14, the secret ingredient was turkey, and Iron Chefs Cat Cora and Masaharu Morimoto were competing against two talented challengers. The judges for the episode were food critic Alan Richman, chef Suzanne Goin, and actress Teri Hatcher.
The episode began with the Chairman unveiling the secret ingredient, turkey, as the audience erupted in cheers. Each chef was then given one hour to create a five-course meal using turkey in every dish. The chefs had to be creative with turkey, as it can be a challenging ingredient to work with.
Iron Chef Cat Cora, known for her Mediterranean-style cooking, was the first to take on the challenge. She created a dish using boneless turkey breasts, marinated and wrapped in bacon, and served with a side of cranberry chutney and sweet potato puree. Her second dish was a turkey and rice soup, infused with flavors from around the world, such as cumin and coriander. The judges were pleasantly surprised at the creativity and bold flavors of Cat's dishes.
Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, who specializes in Japanese cuisine, took on the challenge next. He created a dish featuring turkey meatballs with a dashi broth, shiitake mushrooms, and daikon radish. His second dish was a turkey confit, which he served with roasted garlic and rosemary. The judges were impressed with the balance of flavors and the attention to detail in Morimoto's cooking.
The challengers, Chef Ron Duprat and Chef Dena Marino, proved to be worthy competitors. Chef Duprat created a gumbo with turkey meat and traditional creole spices, followed by a turkey roulade stuffed with boudin sausage and served with rice pilaf. Chef Marino created a turkey paillard, served with cranberry and port reduction and sweet potato puree. Her second dish was a turkey scaloppini, served with sage and brown butter, and roasted root vegetables.
The judges were faced with a difficult decision, as each chef had created delicious and unique dishes. In the end, only one chef could be crowned the winner of the competition. Without giving away any spoilers, let's just say that the judges had a tough job choosing the Iron Chef winner of the Turkey episode.
Overall, Iron Chef season 2 episode 14 was an exciting and thrilling episode for viewers who love food and cooking. The talented chefs truly showcased their skills and creativity in creating five-course meals using only turkey. The judges had their work cut out for them, and ultimately, the episode ended with a well-deserved winner.