EDF Cooking Contest

[thesilkworm]

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If you are unfamiliar with the OOT Iron Chef competitions you may want to check it out: Cabbage, Sweet Potato, Bacon, Rice, Beef, Avocado, Ricotta, Garlic, Catfish, Radish, Duck, asparagus, & chili peppers.

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I just spent hours reading all of these threads and I've learned so much. Can't wait to see the entries here.

[Ron Burgundy]

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While I think this would have a VERY good chance of winning if the judges could taste the dishes, I would put me at about a 30-1 dog in a forum contest, lol.

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A major part of cooking contests is creativity. I don't think tomato soup would be quite the shoe-in you think it would be. There's some really good cooks around here.

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Deadlines?

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According to the OP, it will go all month.

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I've been here for over two years, and have much respect for the cooking skills in this forum. But that's irrelevant. If you don't think a simple soup, prepared well, can win a cooking contest; then you don't know much at all about this work son...

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Ok dad, let's see this award-winning soup of yours.

[Mermade]

I just got back from out of town. I have a couple of comments.

Soup? Sounds good! As long as it has tomatoes in it, it qualifies. About how good it is and whether that can be determined in an internet competition...

NaturalSelection is right that we can't taste the entries over the internet. They say "the proof is in the pudding" which was shortened from "the proof of the pudding is the eating." That is understood, but participants should include a recipe and when possible a couple of prep photos. There are many who have enough experience with food and food preparation to get an excellent idea of the taste of a dish from this. It's also not unheard of for people to try out each other's recipes and report their impressions.

The other meaning of the saying is that the quality of something is seen in the result. Whatever you are inspired to make rather than talk about it, do it, and post it. It's only then that you will see how it will be received and appreciated.

Oh and Please let's keep the tone respectful. Looking forward to everyone's entries. Now that I'm back. Time to think about my own!

[Ron Burgundy]

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Oh and Please let's keep the tone respectful.

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Girls just don't understand trash talk.

[Spellmen]

Can those participating include recipes/directions when they post? Share your secrets!

[Mermade]

This is something I came up with that is a family favorite. We have it often and no one ever gets tired of it. Delicious, fast, and easy.

<font color="red">Penne w/ Sausage and Peppers in Tomato Cream Sauce </font>

Italian pork sausage cut into round slices or remove the casing and cut into chunks (use mild, medium or spicy as you like)

Red bell peppers sliced (Actually I usually use a combination of peppers red, orange, and yellow. I like the mix for color—you can just go for just one of course, like I did here. I was just cooking with what was on hand.)

I added a couple of jalapeno and one wax pepper, because they were ripe for the picking in the garden.

Chopped onion

Olive oil

1 large clove of garlic

Tomatoes! (4-5 small = Campari-size tomatoes, you could alternatively use a couple of medium tomatoes, or 1 large tomato or... Here I used one large heirloom Big Rainbow tomato, some sweet 100s, a few Juliets, and a few yellow pear tomatoes--whatever was ripe in the garden)

(I like to add sliced mushrooms, but I didn't have any on hand.)

Cream

Crushed red pepper

Fresh Basil

Garlic Chives (not necessary, but when I went out to get the basil the chives caught my eye)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Penne Pasta

Freshly grated Parmesean cheese



Add a small amount of olive oil to a large sauté pan. Add sausage and cook until almost done. Add onion, garlic, crushed red pepper (to your taste), a bit of salt and pepper cook until onion is almost tender leaning towards translucent. Add some of the tomatoes stir until tomatoes start to break down a minute or two—onions should be perfectly tender now. Add cream (a goodly amount, use judgment, this is forming the base of the tomato cream sauce—add enough to coat the pasta but not enough to be soupy). Add generous amounts of basil and chives. Cook on medium heat for a few minutes—simmering the cream sauce. It will thicken the sauce a bit. Toss in peppers and cook a minute or two—tender but with still a bite to them—you want this for the texture.



Don’t let peppers get soft or mushy, blech. Taste sauce and correct seasonings. Toss with cooked and drained penne. Garnish with fresh basil. Top with freshly grated cheese. Experiment around and adjust to your taste.



Here's a look inside that Big Rainbow tomato:



The outside was a deep orange with some red striping. The inside a light orange.

I hope others will follow suit and post not only their fancy fare, but whatever they are making at the moment with the tomato harvest. At the end of the month people can select what they'd like to be considered for the competition. You should feel free to post and discuss all things tomato here.

[BK_]

Looks excellent Mermade. You grow them all in your garden? How difficult is it to grow tomatoes that stand up well against the typical store bought varieties?

My attempt at making tomato dishes might have to wait until the end of the month unfortunately. I'll definently participate though.

[Ron Burgundy]

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While I think this would have a VERY good chance of winning if the judges could taste the dishes, I would put me at about a 30-1 dog in a forum contest, lol.

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A major part of cooking contests is creativity. I don't think tomato soup would be quite the shoe-in you think it would be. There's some really good cooks around here.

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Deadlines?

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According to the OP, it will go all month.

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I've been here for over two years, and have much respect for the cooking skills in this forum. But that's irrelevant. If you don't think a simple soup, prepared well, can win a cooking contest; then you don't know much at all about this work son...

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And another thing: I think it's pretty lame of you to talk about your amazing soup, and then not post it here just because you don't think it'll be voted the winner. It's not like the contest is for money.

This thread, and all the old ICOOT threads were mainly for exchanging ideas, recipes and skills. I'm sure there's many people who would like to see your soup, and will appreciate you posting it just as much as the winning dish.

I plan on posting several dishes here, at least one of which I know has no chance to "win."

[El Diablo]

NS,

As Ron said, just post the soup and write about it, the main point here is to get lots of awesome tomato dishes and pics posted!

[Mermade]

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You grow them all in your garden? How difficult is it to grow tomatoes that stand up well against the typical store bought varieties?

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Yes, those tomatoes are straight out of my garden. I grow them in these tomato success kits that I have recommended multiple times. I'd love to have a larger in-ground garden, but my property is surrounded everywhere by mature trees. The patio is the only area that gets full sun, so it's container gardening for me.

All tomatoes that you grow yourself will be as good and usually better than you will find in the store. Most commercial tomatoes are picked green and you get all sorts of flavor when tomatoes are left to get full sun and picked ripe from the vine. (Even grocery store vine ripened tomatoes are picked green, just with vines attached, and ripen in bins on the the way to the market.)

I have been really happy with my tomatoes. My plants this year are over 8 ft. tall. Here's what they looked like in May of this year. I posted this in the gardening thread...



I've been going out daily to harvest what's ripe. If you don't want HUGE plants or are especially concerned about the tomatoes becoming root bound, you can look for patio tomatoes. They are a compact variety especially suited for containers. I've grown all the traditional varieties (Early Girl, Big Boy, Celebrity, etc.), cherry tomatoes or all sorts, and a different heirloom every year and had good success with them all.

The kits are great for renters. I originally got them as a gift when I was living in an apartment with a balcony. I grew tomatoes, pole beans, eggplant, peppers, and any number of other things on my balcony. It was as green as a jungle.

There's nothing like deciding what you're going to have for dinner by what's ripe in the garden; and running out to the patio to pick fresh herbs brings real joy to my day.