Iron Chef America: Season 2

As you've heard here before, Iron Chef America is going relatively well for me. It's not must see TV, but it's entertaining.  There are a few hits and misses, but overall it exceeds my expectations.

Season 2 has just begun, with Molto taking on Todd English, the man who owns 17 restaurants.  17 restaurants? Um, Todd - ever hear of adding too much water to your stock? You're being diluted into a happy, nodding chef puppet. (Though the pizza at LGA is actually a public service, so thanks man. )

That's why I was so thankful to see him put his commercial success and culinary skills on the line with this Iron Chef appearance. I remember the brief PBS TV run he had inbetween FIG airport restaurant openings, and I was pretty impressed.  He's very talented and while I think he's way too heavy handed with fats (people would literally die if they ate his food every night...not cool), he deserves culinary accolades.  He's recently been getting whipped back down to earth, though.   Bruni wrote a scathing review of the English restaurant chain expansion into NYC, which I only found palatable through the eyes of Bruni Digest.

Overall, the English v Batali battle was entertaining, with a few exceptions.....

NOTE: PLOT DIVULGING INFORMATION with SPECIFIC COMMENTS ON DISHES FOLLOW. OUTCOME IS NOT DIVULGED, HOWEVER.

Kevin

He needs to be removed immediately.  He's terrible.  Just adds nothing to the show.  Someone really funny or at least quick whitted needs to be in that role. See previous commentors address the same issue. 

Pizza Dough

This was intriguing, as both English and Mario consider themselves pizza masters.  At the same time, I was intruiged by a Food Network promotional ad within the show that has Mario judging a pizza competition, discussing how pizza is all about the crust.  He's then being handed dough he didn't make and without the coal or wood fired ovens a al Otto.  (Mario also used to be a pizza tosser in his Rutgers days). But what  was most impressive was that both chefs restrained themselves from making a traditional pizza.  There was just no way that it could have been as they'd like it.  I could definitely see many other chefs giving traditional pizza a shot. 

That being said, I had an amazing ramp pizza at Molto's Otto.  Fresh ramps sautueed in garlic with a garlicky tomato sauce? Money.

Coolest Move

Mario's sou chef took a large all clad and flipped it over, bottom in the air, onto a gas flame until very hot.  He placed the cuttlefish on the back of the pan, then sandwiched it with another pan on top of the fish.  Once second later, he peeled it from the pan and it's charred and barely cooked.  Phenominal.

Mario has hands the size of a whole prosciutto leg

His fingers look like large sausage links.  I'm just sayin....

Yeast

Alton Brown pulled out a whole block of yeast, the size of a compact, wet brick.  It was something I’ve never been able to use before, relegated to the yeast packs we are all used to.  Brown was saying that they definitely add another taste to the dish and that baking experts require it.

Mozzarella ballon

English had pumped air inside a thin Mozz pouch, creating a mozzarella balloon.  It looked really cool, no doubt about it.  Not sure what it tasted like.....

Molto Blunder

Mario wrapped lamb chops with pizza dough then fried it.  Really bizarre.  The tasters panned it for exactly the same reason I had feared when he began frying them.  It was obvious he was not going to get the chop cooked medium rare.  Or even medium.  He browned it, then fryed it in on high heat. Yikes.

Mario Brilliance

Mario’s Fried Dough with lardo and shaved asparagus salad. Spring garlic soup thickended with crispy charred pizza dough.  Both got the best reaction and also looked excellent.

Comments

[Lana]

as you can see i am combing through your archives.

this entry contained something that absolutely floored me though.

Mario at Rutgers?
He's certainly one of my favorite chefs and somehow i managed to miss the fact that he went to Rutgers?

wow, i suddenly feel like i go to a 'cool school'

[Captain Beefheart]

Just found your site today and I'm crawling thru the archives. I love what I've read so far.

Like many of the posters here, I really like ICA (and I love the original Iron Chef) and loathe Semi-Homemade Sandra. Which leads me to ponder how much fun it would be to watch the faux foodie get dismantled in head to head combat with a real chef.

Of course, in order to give Sandra any chance at plating 5 dishes in an hour, the secret ingredient would probably have to be something like canned mushroom soup or blue-box mac and cheese.