Now we’re down to the final five, all of whom have cooked some tempting food so far in the competition. They've also each had at least one not-so-shining culinary moment. Which dishes will you be adding to your recipe file? I'm running down my top picks from each remaining Star contender.
Two Chix in a Truck (Serena and Brianna) hit it big this week. The ladies put their catfights aside to strive for redemption, and they delivered. All of their food truck lunch dishes won praise from the judges, but when it came time to cook a winner, picking one standout was a no-brainer: Brianna’s Empanada with Serena’s Chimichurri sauce. I listened to Paula and was instantly sold: “The empanada, y’all, is really good.”
I ran into a roadblock when my grocery store didn’t have empanada wrappers. With no time to hightail it to a Latin market or to make my own dough, I scoured the frozen food aisle for a good plan B. I decided to improvise with wonton wrappers. My two-bite empanadas would just have to be an appetizer version of Brianna and Serena’s lunch pocket.
Energy Chef Herb was crestfallen when he and fellow finalists failed to beat the three-minute buzzer during their cooking demos. Stage right, enter Grill It Guy and all-around Superman Bobby Flay. In less than three minutes, Flay troubleshoots a trio of Star hopefuls' dishes, transforming them from meh to masterful. And he shows off some dapper duds, to boot.
In this week's Re-Flay, he jazzes up Herb's cooking-oil stir fry conundrum in a flash, then takes on Team Wisconsin. The king of Bobby's Burger Palace tells Brad and Aria they needed fattier beef (20 percent fat!) for better burgers. And if your marketing plan includes boasting about being Cheeseheads, he advises, skimping on the cheddar is a bad call, no matter how you slice it.
Listen to Bobby's advice before the next episode.
How can Bobby make it look so easy when the finalists look so tortured? C'mon, did anyone look good? Vote for your favorite. Then check out this week's scrapbook starring Dame Paula Deen. And no, Aria's injury was not Brianna's fault.
The sizzle of the finalists' lunch trucks dishes in the preview for Sunday's Star episode made me hungry for street food, (alas, no Smell-O-Vision) so I cooked up Aarti's street food-inspired winning dish from the last episode while I waited it out for Sunday night. Her take on Jonathan Waxman's favorite dish -- lamb and potatoes -- had the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" of the food world singing her praises, so I figured that the Ground Lamb Kebabs with Pomegranate Glaze, Bengali-Spiced Potatoes and Cucumber Raita would be a sure-fire hit at my dinner table.
DAS. I’m not exactly sure what to say about his elimination – other than for the judges, he clearly lost his dazzle. For me, I was never all that taken with Mr. Smith. He seemed like a nice dude and someone you’d totally want to hang with, but for this competition, I just wasn’t wowed. The one thing about DAS that will stand out to me? He always looked so tired. Now, I can relate, these days so do I, but for TV, looking like you’re on cold medication just isn’t going to work. So long, DAS. Go get some rest.
Let me speak a bit about Herb. Like me, he’s from Atlanta, and I absolutely hate to speak ill of one of my own. But, Herb! All that crying and sobbing was a bit much. We all have our sad stories and we all have times when our emotions get the best of us. But, this week, Herb was letting it all hang out and this wasn’t the place or time. He was so emotional that at one point he made Susie tear up. Yes, I understand he misses his family – however, you know what you’re getting yourself in to when you sign up for this competition. Herb, calm yourself down, wipe those tears away and get your head back in the game. You’re representing the ATL – so, represent!
As for Tom, he was on fire this week! I enjoy watching him come alive in front of the camera. He seems like he is quick on his feet and very witty – two qualities that I believe will serve him well. And, he and his big hair seem to be having genuine fun (or, either he’s faking it very well). My girl, Brianna, won the competition to have a recipe featured on Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill menu (Chile Chicken Skewers). That is a huge honor! I’ve been a Brianna fan since day one, so I must admit, I loved seeing her win this challenge.
That’s my quick take on Episode 4. Tag, you’re it!
Aarti, we hope your confidence is rising, because you’re on a roll! Last week, Liz cooked Aarti’s Tandoori Chicken on Scallion Blini, and now we’re back with another Aarti winner from Episode 3.
Turk-Eye Meatloaf is an unfortunate and not-exactly-appetizing name for a recipe, but the flavor of Aarti’s dish proved otherwise. She drew Horror as her inspiration for the movie-themed camera challenge, and the judges ate up her cute "wandering eye" story that tied this dish to the genre.
Since I wasn’t stuck with any scary movie challenge while making Aarti’s meatloaves at home, I left off the (intentionally) creepy “eye” garnish. Without it, these individual meatloaves make a healthy and simple weeknight meal. Keep the garnish and it would certainly be a fun dish for Halloween.
Seriously, who doesn't love carnivals? You've got rides galore, great people-watching and of course, that deep-fried, candy-coated carnival food. Okay, after this week's episode of Star, maybe a few of our contestants aren't big fans -- poor Doreen!
When Ace of Cakes Duff Goldman, along with special guest-star Zoltar, asked the contestants to turn iconic carnival sweets into a savory party bite, I was intrigued -- anyone who can improve on funnel cake is someone I'd want to eat dinner with.
Aarti conquered her self-doubt (and the fact that she's never had a funnel cake!) and came out on top, and I couldn't wait to try her winning dish: Scallion Blini with Chicken in Tandoori BBQ Sauce. Would I be able to "taste the love" in the recipe? Well…
I am lucky to have grown up with a mother who is a fantastic Indian cook. She does not make dishes from recipes; she goes by taste. This makes for a very complicated way to learn the cuisine. The delicate spice combinations typical of Indian cuisine can either meld into a flavorful plate or a hot mess—a heavy hand on any spice can easily throw off the entire dish. I'm hoping this season of The Next Food Network Star will make it easier for home cooks, including me, to feel confident making Indian recipes.
While I was watching the NFNS premiere on Sunday night, I immediately liked Aarti Sequeira. I think it was very clever of her to make a golden traditional lentil dal with a twist of fresh lime as the soup course. She also spiced up chicken breast with cardamom and turmeric. I can't wait to see how she is going to modernize Indian cuisine and integrate it into American classics this season! Will she make Tandoori Chicken with a side of curried mashed potatoes and will she have the confidence in herself to sell it? Tune in to see if she can bring Indian food into your home!
What are your favorite Indian recipes?
—Reena Mehta
As I watch The Next Food Network Star from my couch at home, I’m pretty jealous of Bob, Bobby and Susie—the lucky ones who actually get to taste the food. Well, maybe not so lucky during the very first challenge when, despite the high caliber of talent this season, several of the chicken-and-potato dishes were undercooked. I certainly wasn’t envious of all that raw chicken.
But let’s focus on the good stuff—every week, we’re cooking and blogging the winning Star recipes. Aria’s chicken breast stuffed with a date-walnut-grape mixture wasn’t raw at all—in fact, Bobby pronounced it moist and well-seasoned, and all of the judges seemed to enjoy digging in.
The premiere had not one but three winning dishes, and two of them belonged to Aria. I decided to try out her chicken—I’m always looking for new ways to jazz up a chicken breast. Hers sounded interesting and not super-complicated, perfect for a weeknight dinner.
First step was the side dish of roasted potatoes and cauliflower. I did some quick chopping and tossed the veggies on a sheet pan with a big handful of raisins, olive oil, salt and pepper. My grocery store didn't have any chervil, but I wanted a little green mixed in, so I sliced some scallions and added those.
That went into the oven for 25 minutes, per Aria’s instructions. Meanwhile...
