Advice on ideas for recipe contest

[Someday]

Originally Posted by shroomgirl

I'm surprised that for $10,000 they won't have the top # cook their recipes for sampling.
Check out local nuts and dried fruits....or even better do something fun as garnish with the roots. There are a whole lot of interesting roots that time of year....parsnips, rutabegga, carrots, and the farmers are coming out with some fun pumpkin type squashes.
Wild shrooms are also prominent in Fall.....hen of the woods (maitake).....

Well, I mean it's prospective student contest, and it'd be hard for me to fly out to NE to cook it in front of them. Again, I don't know how/if they even test the recipes, but you'd think they'd have to somehow.

Instead of doing a salad, I was looking on the season Vermont chart, and apparantly brussels sprouts come into season right about the same time as everything else. I could easily do brussels with buerre noisette (sp?) and some sort of toasted nuts. Shroomgirl, what kind of nuts grow in Vermont or NE? Never been before so I have no idea.

~Someday

[shroomgirl]

I'm sorry thought you were in the NE area. The charts that dept of Ag put out are usually lame, they are way to generalized and pretty much have to be I guess. I live in Mo. and own 2 farmer's markets.....recieve e-letters from major markets around the country each week. What's interesting is that each area has generally the same season we do, except New Orleans which is way ahead of us, but SF, Wisconsin, Wash DC all have products specific to their areas but also the "regular stuff" about when we do....
Vermont, I'd check out the web for info, there is a huge movement in that area for small farms and local foods restaurants (wanna say Barre) they probably have a "Food Circle" or non-profit that would have specific info on what's grown there. Menus from Vt restaurants specializing in local food.
If you were in the area I'd say visit a farmer's market and ask questions.

Off the top of my head I'd say hickory nuts, maybe walnuts?, not sure how far north pecans grow nor how far east hazelnuts grow....persimmons are very Fall.

I've not seen the rules for the competition but they normally spell out all the particulars, especially if $10,000 is riding on the line.

[KAYLINDA]

Vermont is also known for "maple syrup"....could you incorporate it into a sauce?

[Someday]

How about braised duck legs, served off the bone, on the mound of diced apple, squash, caraway seeds and maple syrup, served with a baked cherry puree, dried cherries, and a frisee salad with a roasted shallot vinaigrette?

Sound good? You guys getting tired of me yet?

~Someday

[shroomgirl]

or maple powder.....I've had some in my cabinent since visiting Union Sq. Market upteen years ago with the Cheftalkers....

I keep thinking your dish needs crunch. Are you going to ring and stack it?
Acid for sure somewhere to cut the sweet and the rich fattiness....
Watch the caraway seeds, sometimes they are annoyances getting stuck between your teeth....possibly look at powdering them.

[Mezzaluna]

Just a random thought, but if you're interested in doing seafood but want an affordable one to test on, why not cod? That's as New England as you can get!

[Someday]

I think that cod would be a good idea, but I also think that a lot of people will use cod. Also, the winner a couple of years ago was haddock, which if I'm not mistaken, is either a type of cod or very similar.

I could add some toasted nuts for crunch...they would go well with the new england theme (what kind of nuts grow there, anyone know?) as well as the salad...and add crunch at the same time.

I'm not familiar with maple powder, what is it exactly, and do you think it would be better than actual maple syrup?

~Someday

[shroomgirl]

maple powder is syrup that has been cooked down until it's a dry condensed powder. Depends on how you use it.

If you check the web I bet you can find restaurants in VT then check and see if they have menus up. The state dept of Ag can fill you in on what nuts grow locally...they should have a website or 800#

I love your use of caraway....it's not used alot and it adds alot to fall/winter flavors.

[shroomgirl]

Got word late Friday afternoon that I'm a finialist in the MoAG contest with the chevre filled crepes with Mo wine, berry sauce.....now to find the recipe and scrounge red raspberries before they disappear. No further info other than they want to schedule a tasting. I'll let you know the fall out.

*Basically, look at who is holding the contest and why.....this is a professional contest held by the state dept of agriculture to promote Mo. wine and products. So, I have 4 ingrediants that are named (producers)
that is usable for food service and yet works for home cooks that have a modicum of skill. The ingredients can be used from a frozen state if necessary....so I covered my butt in case they had the tasting in the middle of winter.

[Someday]

Here is the outline of the recipe I am going to submit.

Pepper crusted Duck breasts (MR) served with baked cherry puree, new potatos cooked in duckfat (just S and P), with boiled brussels sprouts with toasted pecans and a maple/butter glaze.

Made it today and besides some tweaking it was pretty darn good.

Wanted to add port wine to the sauce but unfortunately they don't sell it where I live so I have to drive a bit to get some.

~Someday

[kuan]

Beautiful. Good use and balance of ingredients, simple but also naturally showcases the ingredients.