The last few weeks I have been really enjoying the concept of the show Chopped on The Food Network.  If you are not familiar with the program, four chefs of various skills and experience compete in a “mystery ingredient box” battle over a three course meal.  Each meal has a mystery box that contains ingredients they each receive with the first course being an appetizer dish, followed by an entree, and ending with a dessert.  The chefs all cook at the same time and have 20 minutes to prep an appetizer and 30 minutes for the entree as well as the dessert.  After each course, the judges “chop” a chef until only two are battling over the dessert.  As usual for a Food Network competition, the chefs have access to an abundant pantry and multiple culinary tools and gadgets.

What gets me are the surprise ingredients…sometimes gummy bears as one of the ingredients for an entree or cilantro in the dessert battle.  I do have to say that the chefs that I have watched have done some clever things with such common items as donuts, canned pumpkin, and fish sauce.

LC and I have actually played this at home.  Just last week, LC picked out his secret ingredients I had to incorporate into the dinner that was my turn to prep.  He surprised me with pea shoots, garbanzo beans, and feta cheese.  Well, I made a homemade hummus with the garbanzo beans (naturally!) and made a pea shoot salad with feta cheese, raisins, pecans I candied, blanched broccoli pieces, and shredded carrots.  This was all complimented by a roasted chicken I prepared with sliced potatoes and onions steamed in white wine.  Fancy, huh!

I did not get chopped that night!