| Turbot Powered | |
| Season 4, Episode 9 | |
 | |
| Air date | June 15, 2010 |
| Winner | Ed Harris |
| Episode Guide | |
| previous Quahog Quandaries and Pickle Puzzles |
next Keep On Cook'n On |
A super bitter ingredient in the appetizer basket leaves the chefs in a quandary and the judges with a sour first impression. In the Entrée Round, filleting and cooking turbot correctly becomes key to the chefs' success. And when the two finalists come up with the same idea for their English muffin desserts, it's anybody's guess whose will taste better.
Contestants[]
- Mark McMann, Sous chef, Kefi, New York, NY
- Jennifer Meadows, Chef and Restaurateur, Fishbar, Montauk, NY
- Ed Harris, Junior Sous chef, Buddakan, New York, NY
- Anthony Locastro, Executive Chef, Downtown Association, New York, NY
Judges[]
Meal[]
Appetizer[]
Ingredients: Boneless Chicken Thighs, Bitter Melon, Cream Cheese, Papadum
Mark did Lentil Crusted Chicken w/ Grilled Bitter Melon. Mark's chicken is amazing, being packed full of flavor and incredibly juicy. The papadum is nice as well. Mark's mistake is that grilling the melon made the bitterness worse.
Jennifer made Pan-Seared Chicken Thigh with Papadum and Melon Cheese Sauce. The papadum is very good. Her chicken needs some other seasoning, and the melon doesn't come through in the sauce.
Ed made Herb Marinated Chicken Thigh w/ Creamy Bitter Melon Relish. Ed is the chef who comes closest to making the bitter melon work, although it is still a letdown. The chicken is roasted well with good flavors.
Anthony made Pan-Roasted Chicken over Basil Fromage w/ Pickled Bitter Melon. Anthony's presentation is a step above the other contestants. His melon isn't cooked and the most bitter of all. Anthony's chicken was prepared well, but the skin is flabby because he poured white wine while the skin side was still down.
The judges chop Chef Anthony for his soggy chicken and even more bitter Bitter Melon.
Entrée[]
Ingredients: Turbot, Dried Wasabi Peas, Purple Cauliflower, Satsuma Mikan
Jennifer made Pan-Seared Turbot w/ Tomato Chutney & Purple Cauliflower. Jennifer's fish is cooked perfectly and seasoned perfectly. The wasabi and satsuma get lost in the tomato chutney.
Ed made Poached Turbot w/ Candied Satsuma Zest and Wasabi Cauliflower. The judges love his technique of pouring oil over the fish to release flavors and his creativity in the dish. There is too much black pepper on the fish, and the cauliflower is undercooked.
Mark had Wasabi Spiced Turbot w/ Potato Purée and Cauliflower. Mark has the best cauliflower, and the judges enjoy how his purple purée echoes the purple of the cauliflower. The judges like the wasabi on the turbot, but the turbot has bones in it, and they aren't really fans of the satsuma mikan just being on the fish.
The judges have a hard decision, but in the end they chop Chef Mark because they didn't feel the basket ingredients came out and shined in his dish.
Dessert[]
Ingredients: Brie, Rutabaga, Frozen Cranberries, English Muffins
Ed did French Toast w/ Brie Whipped Cream & Cranberry Sauce. The cranberry sauce is amazing, and the Brie is nice. The French Toast is soggy and the rutabaga purée still has a bit of funk in it.
Jennifer made French Toast w/ Caramelized Rutabaga and Cranberry Purée. The purée is nice, and the rutabaga has been prepared properly. The brie is really salty, although her dish could qualify as a cheese course and work.
The judges enjoy both competitor's dishes, but in the end Chef Jennifer is slightly edged out by her competition. Ed is made Chopped Champion.
Gallery[]
Notes[]
| Chopped Season 4 | |
| << Season 3 • Season 5 >> | |
| #01 Rattle & Roll | #08 Quahog Quandaries and Pickle Puzzles |
| #02 My Froggy Clementine | #09 Turbot Powered |
| #03 Jitters & Giant Eggs | #10 Keep On Cook'n On |
| #04 Dr. Deckle & Mr. Fried | #11 Green Apps and Lamb |
| #05 Mussels Mastery & Cotton Candy Can-Do | #12 Crunch Time |
| #06 First Things Worst | #13 Rowdy With a Chance of Meatballs |
| #07 Fired Up! | |