Chopped Canada Season 2, Episode Six: Lime Pickle and Tropical Fish

Ingredients for episode six included tuna steaks and french fries for the main and Royal Gala apples in the dessert round.  For this week, I will concentrate on the mystery basket in the main course.  In addition to the fries and tuna, the remaining two ingredients were lime pickle and pina colada mix.  This is […]

Chopped Canada Season Two, Episode 5: To the Sea and Beavertail Pastries

The fifth episode has the most challenging mystery ingredients to date, all picked by viewers through social media.  From prairie oysters to blueberry compote to Peking duck and gefilte fish (no, not all in the same basket), it was definitely…different.  For this week, the main course basket, containing gefilte fish (a white fish often served […]

Chopped Canada Season Two, Episode 4: No-Bake Sesame Treats

I just realized that I haven’t used ingredients found in the dessert basket yet, so this week, I’m going to discuss what can be made with the following ingredients: carrot juice, baba ganoush, sesame candy and tamarillo.  Tamarillo, according to Wikipedia, is a shurb-like fruit, with a taste that is tangy and sweet.  It also […]

Chopped Canada 26: Chicken Livers and Geoducks

Last night was the first season finale of Chopped Canada and I have to say that the ingredients were quite interesting.  In true Chopped style, the first round required contestants to use not only chicken livers, but also watermelon, green onions and dulse (a dried and salty, purple coloured food that is somewhat similar to […]

Chopped Canada 25: Chicken Skin? Digestive Cookies? Instant Mash?

Well, at least they weren’t all used in the same round.  Chicken skin was up first, along with green beans, prunes and sweet apple cider.  I probably would have stuffed the chicken skin with prunes, quinoa and tomatoes, serving it with a bean salad and an apple cider dressing, but that would probably have taken […]

Chopped Canada 24: Jiggly Stuff and Pickled Eggs

I have no words.  “Strawberry parfait” (it looked more like a gelatin parfait packaged in a mold, but it was hard to tell.  Anyway, it looked gross) was one of the mandatory ingredients in the competition.  However, it wasn’t for the first round.  In Round One, the chefs had to create a dish using ostrich, […]

Chopped Canada 23: Of Critters and Tropical Fruit

What would you make with escargots and onion ring chips?  It is, in a way, taking “high and low” to a whole new level.  Well, maybe not that high, since the escargots were canned, not fresh, but still.  Those two ingredients, combined with cranberry juice and chanterelle mushrooms were the four mandatory items for the […]

Chopped Canada 22: Marshmallow Cream, Lamb Kidney and Cotton Candy

The ingredients weren’t used in the same round, mind you, but they were all mandatory ingredients for episode 22.  I think the combinations from last night’s show were the most interesting (read: gross) to date, and it’s a good thing.  It’s Chopped Canada, after all. Tahini is a kind of sesame paste/sauce/dip The episode had […]

Chopped Canada 21: Kohlrabi and Canned Pressed Ham

Yes, along with the kohlrabi, “canned pressed ham” is excatly what you think it is, without the brand name.  They had to use it.  In the first round.  I bet everyone was grossed out.  The other ingredients for that round were quince past and white wine.  Out of the four contestants, I’d say that the […]

Chopped Canada 20: Yeast Extract and Spruce Tips

I think out of the 20 shows so far, combinations last night were one of the tamest.  In addition to the yeast extract, contestants were required to use mussels, instant coffee and portobello mushrooms for the appetizer round.  The dishes weren’t all that innovative.  All four of them went a traditional route and steamed the […]