Lake Forest College kitchen arena faceoff cooks up an Iron Chef
By Margaret Ross mross@stmedianetwork.com March 29, 2011 6:56PM
Sous chef Ann Maine of Lincolnshire and Lake Forest College junior chef JD Randol of Topeka, Kan., compete in the Lake Forest College Iron Chef competition Thursday in the college's Gus and Margie Hart Dining Hall. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media
Purple Potato Pizza
1 pizza crust brushed with fat rendered from bacon, or extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup purple Peruvian potato, sliced very thinly on a mandolin
1/4 cup Yukon gold potato, sliced very thinly on a mandolin
1/4 cup lightly caramelized onions
3 tablespoons thick-cut bacon, diced and cooked about 3/4 way through
Chopped rosemary
Salt and pepper
Brush crust with fat/oil, arrange potatoes overlapping around the pizza with purple on the outside, yukon, then purple in the middle. Brush potatoes again with fat/oil. Sprinkle with rosemary, salt, and pepper. Spread onions onto pizza and top with bacon. Season with salt again and bake in oven.
Sweet Potato Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce, Toasted Pecans, and Balsamic Vinegar
3 sweet potatoes, baked, scooped out of skin and mashed
1 pound plus 3 tablespoons butter, unsalted
1 ounces brown sugar
1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped
4 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
20 wonton wrappers
2 ounces balsamic vinegar
1 cup diced sweet potatoes, lightly caramelized but fully cooked
2 egg whites
Salt and pepper
Mash sweet potatoes together with 3 tablespoons butter, brown sugar, 1/2 cup pecans, 2 tablespoons sage, and season with salt and pepper. Brush wonton wrappers with egg whites, put 1 T of potato filling in center of wrapper and seal edges with fork. Heat remaining butter with 1 tablespoon sage in saucepan on medium high heat until butter starts to brown. Once browned, turn heat off and add balsamic vinegar. Season heavily with salt and pepper. Boil ravioli for 2-3 minutes in salted water with 1 ounce of oil added. Take ravioli out of water and put into brown butter sauce. Plate with diced sweet potatoes on top, remaining toasted pecans, and remaining chopped sage.
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Updated: May 11, 2011 4:22PM
LAKE FOREST — The ultimate Iron Chef battle at Lake Forest College was no small potatoes as competitors faced off in a challenge to create a winning meal.
Spuds of all kinds were the secret ingredient at the event co-sponsored by the college Gates Center and ARAMARK food service provider. Four teams consisting of a chef and sous chef raced against the clock to come up with an appetizer, entrée and dessert, all containing potatoes.
The competition March 24 was based on the Food Network favorite “Iron Chef America” that pits one of the network stars against a guest chef, creating several dishes that incorporate a mystery ingredient.
Lake Forest chefs were able to raid “Kitchen Pantry,” which provided a cornucopia of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as a variety of food staples to complete their dishes.
Teams who sharpened their knives for the third annual competition were ARAMARK representative Greg Grashen with sous chef Tangelina Scales; student representative JD Randol with Ann Maine; student representative Sarah Bussell Boyd with Joe Kinsella; and head football Coach Jim Catanzaro with Sal Perales.
The dishes were judged on taste, creativity and presentation. “Kitchen Stadium” chairman was JD Aguayo, play-by-play announcer was Tim State and special judge was, who else? Mr. Potato Head.
When the results were in, Iron Chef Team Boyd/Kinsella was proclaimed the victor in the “ultimate battle royale.” Their winning dishes were Purple Potato Pizza, Sweet Potato Ravioli with Sage and Brown Butter Sauce, and White Potato Panna Cotta with Potato Fudge and Salted Caramel.
“To publicize the event, dining services created a giant dessert potato for lunch,” said Pat Doggett, program director of Mohr Student Center. It was a cake shaped like a potato and decorated with colored fondant.
Robin Bertucci, administrative assistant with ARAMARK, said the idea for the competition came when her daughter was a student at University of Wisconsin-Parkside and was a contestant in their Iron Chef event. “I was her sous chef and we won,” she said. The secret ingredient was chocolate.
“We hope to establish a regional Iron Chef cook-off where some of the other schools and ARAMARK providers can compete,” she added.
“It’s a great to see the students and faculty and staff of ARAMARK together involved in food, and to see the talent that comes from non-professionals,” said Bertucci. “The students and faculty members have a real passion for food.”
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