EDF Cooking Contest--Cranberry Challenge
 

November's challenge will be <font color="maroon">cranberry</font> .

http://www.columbuspolarity.com/images/cranberries.jpg

We'll be doing this challenge old school Iron Chef OOT style. Anyone who wants full consideration for the challenge must submit both an appetizer and an entree that features cranberry. Entries will be evaluated on creative use of the ingredient, execution, and presentation. Everyone is welcome to participate. The contest will run for the entire month of November.

For reference, you may want to check out these Iron Chef OOT challenges: Cabbage, Sweet Potato, Bacon, Rice, Beef, Avocado, Ricotta, Garlic, Catfish, Radish, Duck, asparagus, &amp; chili peppers.

Also check out the first three EDF cooking contests Tomato Challenge, Grill Challenge, and Pumpkin Challenge .

Congratulations to ElSapo, winner of the Grill challenge. If you haven't voted yet in the Pumpkin Challenge please do so here .

Re: EDF Cooking Contest--Cranberry Challenge
 

Let the games begin!

<font color="red">Cran-Apple Pork Roulade, Side Salad w/ Cranberry Vinaigrette, and VCR</font>

Cran-Apple Pork Roulade

At first, I thought about using half cranberry juice and half apple juice for the liquid. Then I realized that's actually what my bottle of "cranberry cocktail" is. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

1 C "Cranberry" Juice
1/2 C Cider Vinegar
3/4 C Brown Sugar
1 Shallot (diced)
1 C Dried Apples (chopped)
1 C Dried Cranberries
1 T Ginger (grated)
1 T Mustard Seeds
1/2 t Allspice
1/4 t Cayenne

Bring all of the above to a simmer and cook covered for 20 minutes. Then press out the liquid through a strainer.

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/2940/pork0oj5.jpg

On a 3 lb pork loin, cut parallel to the cutting board to "unroll" the meat in half-inch thickness. I found this pretty difficult with a chef's knife, but way easier with an electric. (Yay powertools.)

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/8320/pork1tn1.jpg

Spread the filling across the pork, leaving an inch at the wide end.

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/5893/pork2tz8.jpg

Roll it up and tie it tight. Bring 1 T of canola oil just to smoking, and sear all sides of the pork.

http://img453.imageshack.us/img453/9326/porksxm6.jpg

Stick a probe thermometer in the center meat, and cook at 350 till 135 degrees. (Took about 50 minutes.) Meanwhile reduce the above liquid to a thick glaze. (When I let it cool off the heat, I could turn over the pot w/o the glaze moving. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] )Roll the pork around in the glaze and let it rest for 10 minutes.

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/5891/pork3yw1.jpg

Cranberry Vinaigrette

3 T Red Wine Vinegar
1/3 C EVOO
1/2 C Cranberries
3 cloves Garlic
1/2 t Salt
1/2 t Pepper

Put all the above into a blender. Blend.

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/14/blenderfp4.gif

I put it on a mixed greens salad with toasted almonds and dried cranberries.

VCR

Mix equal parts Vanilla vodka, Cranberry juice, and Raspberry vodka.

Cut the pork with the electric knife again, and sauce with the remaining glaze.

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/3738/pork4pl8.jpg

http://img250.imageshack.us/img250/9666/finaluu9.jpg

Re: EDF Cooking Contest--Cranberry Challenge
 

Way to hit the ground running Sam! I am still working on getting pumpkins out of my head. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

It looks really good.

Re: EDF Cooking Contest--Cranberry Challenge
 

Awesome. I love the picture right after you sear the pork. So good. Looks like we have the same knife too.

Re: EDF Cooking Contest--Cranberry Challenge
 

Just a note on the VCRs (I drink these too)- only mix equal parts if you want a STRONG drink. Call me a girly drinker, but depending on the size of the glass, I'll usually only put in about 3/4 of a shot of each of the vodkas, and fill the rest of the glass with cranberry juice.

Re: EDF Cooking Contest--Cranberry Challenge
 

[ QUOTE ]
usually only put in about 3/4 of a shot of each of the vodkas, and fill the rest of the glass with cranberry juice.

[/ QUOTE ]
Right. My bad. You can basically just mix to taste, but equal parts is likely too strong.

I admit that a VCR definitely isn't the most manly of drinks. Which is weird, since the guy that taught us really likes men...

Re: EDF Cooking Contest--Cranberry Challenge
 

<font color="brown"> Prosciutto-wrapped Roasted Fennel Bulb with Cranberry Penne &amp; Cheese </font>

Start by making a cranberry paste by processing some dried sweetened cranberries and a little water. Cut out the core of a fennel bulb. The cores are a little tough and you also want some steam to be able to get into the fennel. Take some foil and form it into a shallow bowl shape on a baking sheet. Spoon the cranberry paste into the hollowed fennel core and on the foil. Put the fennel in the foil bowl, core side down. Make sure it's stable and won't fall over. Wrap a few slices of prosciutto around the fennel. Cover with foil, and poke some holes around to let some steam escape. Put it in a 375 oven for about 40 minutes. This doesn't cook the fennel all the way, which is the way I like it. If you want a softer, more cooked fennel, then keep it in for closer to an hour. When it's done, cut it in half, and cut out the little pieces of stalk that are usually in the middle of the fennel. That part is usually tough and fibrous. Fill the centers with the cranberry paste, which should have some rendered fat in it.

Cook some pasta in cranberry juice with a pinch of salt and sugar. When it's cooked, pour out the juice and add some evoo, s&amp;p, and cheese. I used provolone here. It tasted really good. The only problem is it turns the cheese red, so I added some extra cheese on top for plating.

There's also a piece of garlic toast on the bottom.

http://premium1.uploadit.org/eric514...anberryapp.jpg

Re: EDF Cooking Contest--Cranberry Challenge
 

Very slick! I really liked the cranberry-cooked pasta. I'm not sure I dig the slices of cheese plopped on top, partly because it obscures the pretty pasta.

Man, now I gotta go buy some proscuitto. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

ElSapo, when you get a chance, can you post the list of flavors in Culinary Artistry that (they say) go with Cranberries? I stopped at our Borders today and they didn't have it in stock, so I'm probably going to order it. Still, I'd love to see the list now. Thanks.

Re: EDF Cooking Contest--Cranberry Challenge
 

Short list, sorry, but this is what its got:

Apples, cinnamon, cloves, pears, oranges, sugar and walnuts.

Re: EDF Cooking Contest--Cranberry Challenge
 

My kid is semi-obsessed with the bag of cranberries I bought the other day. So far he has insisted on helping me make a drink and has an idea for a pie.

Cranberry Cocktail (non-alcoholic)

put a large quantity of cranberries in a mug, sit on the floor with your mom and pound the hell out of it with a pestle. Add the juice of 2 key limes. Grate in a healthy amount of fresh ginger and some turbinado raw sugar. More pounding--kids like pounding. Strain into a larger receptacle add spring water. Serve.

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i2...berryDrink.jpg

This was delicious.

Here are the cranberry mixture leavings that were strained out.

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i2...nkLeavings.jpg

My dad was visiting and he actually picked up a spoon and ate this stuff over icecream. Freak. He liked it though.