Challenge: Lemon

My childhood babysitter/"California Grandma" was brave enough to accept my invitation to Challenge #2. Lucky for her, the meal turned out just as well (or even better) than Challenge Tomato.

The chef enjoys some down-time with company after a fast-paced afternoon.

Vegetable Trio:

Shelled edamame, chopped tomato, and alfalfa sprouts tossed in lemon juice and served atop toasted pita, brushed with olive oil

Mixed Greens and Carrot Salad:

Tangy sliced carrots sauteed in lemon juice, brown sugar, nutmeg, cloves, and pepper, served with fresh greens, lemon slice, and parsley

Lemony Salmon over Greens:

Pan roasted alongside broccolini in lemon zest and marinade (see salad above), served with melted lemon-butter over baked yukon potatoes and green beans

Citrus Delight:

Homemade lemon syrup lightly drizzled over succulent grapefruit and orange segments, topped with mint and lemon zest

-syrup: lemon juice, baker's sugar, and water, reduced until dense

Challenge: Tomato

While a bit reluctant to share my enthusiasm for the whole "Iron Chef at home" idea, my parents went ahead and gave me the ok for challenge #1. After presenting me with my first secret ingredient- tomato, my Mom left the kitchen to let me work my magic. (although she did quizzically peep in every so often to make sure I hadn't set the house on fire and, more importantly, that the intermittent loud clanging hadn't ruined a pot).

Needless to say, my parents agree the meal turned out better than expected... come see for yourself.

Oven-roasted Eggplant:

Lightly caramelized in brown sugar and topped with melted mozzarella, an herb-crusted cherry tomato, and basil.

Belgian Endive Salad:

Served fresh, topped with a kalamata olive and croutons

Features cherry-tomato halves marinated in a homemade balsamic vinaigrette

- croutons: toasted, whole-grain bread, rubbed with olive oil, chopped basil, and Italian seasoning

- vinaigrette: water, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey

Hearty Minestrone Soup:

Homemade tomato base loaded with cubed yellow squash and zucchini, sliced carrots, and whole-wheat penne pasta, garnished with parsley

-base: fresh pureed tomatoes, water, diced tomatoes, sauteed white onion and minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper

Chicken Breast Medallions:

Pan-seared with tomatoes and garlic on a bed of sliced organic heirloom tomatoes, and topped with garlic chips, roasted tomato halves, and a creamy spinach sauce

-sauce: chopped spinach (stems removed), milk, onion, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, reduced to taste

What is an Iron Chef Adventure?

Food with a Twist:

Cooking has always been a hobby of mine, and over the years I have also come to enjoy concocting my own recipes. With some free time this summer, I started looking for a fun challenge... after a little brainstorming the idea for my own twist on Food Network's Iron Chef was born.

I have been pleasantly surprised by the undertaking. While helping my Mom out by covering dinner, Iron Chef challenges also push me to be more creative in kitchen and try out ideas I never would have before. As an added bonus, it is fun to invite guests over for dinner and let them get involved by choosing the meal's secret ingredient.

The Inspiration:

During a traditional Iron Chef episode, a challenger chef is invited to Kitchen Stadium and battles against an Iron Chef (current ones include Bobby Flay, Cat Cora, and Mario Batali). With only an hour and two sous chefs to serve up between 4 and 6 dishes, the show gets quite interesting. On top of that, there is another catch- both chefs are given a "secret ingredient" right before the challenge that they must showcase in all of their dishes, which are judged on Taste, Plating, and Originality.

My Challenge:

• 1 secret ingredient
• 4 courses
• 6 hours
• 8 shopping dollars per judge*
• open pantry, closed book, and no extra help

To increase the difficulty (and excitement!) of future challenges, I may shorten the amount of time, tighten the budget, and increase the number of courses.

*In support of sustainable practices, locally grown and/or organic ingredients are purchased whenever possible.