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Stepping up to the plate
By Danielle Cardozo
Fernie-born Cranbrook chef to be team leader next week on MasterChef Canada
And there you have it! It’s about damn time I stepped up to the plate (pun intended)!
But let’s start with the Mystery Box Challenge; a burger challenge. First off, I have to say that I was a little excited to see that grinder. I have never worked with one before, so it was a challenge to begin with. Add the fact that I do not have the most muscular upper body and it was a really challenge.
I have to laugh looking back because I think getting enough meat ground for one burger was probably the most challenging part for me; haha.
For this challenge, I chose to blend a mixture of lamb and bison. I stuffed it with feta, sundried tomatoes, and herbs. Like Alvin Leung, I am not much of a carbs girl; so I placed it open face on a grilled pita, and served it with a cucumber slaw. Well my healthy choice, according to the judges, just wasn’t enticing enough. It wasn’t bad. Just not that big greasy mess of a burger that makes you want to dig right in.
Who knew it would be beer and apples that inspired me? I could have killed Kaila when I heard she picked beer and apples. Seriously? I mean, good choice for the competition, but it wasn’t all that inspiring for me at the moment it was announced. Give me rum, bourbon, vodka, and of course wine, I can incorporate it into about anything. But beer? No thank you. I ran to the pantry and the moment I saw pork in the fridge, one thing stuck in my head: pork chops and apple sauce. It’s a classic, and classics are just that for a reason. They’re good.
I learned a huge lesson in past challenges. In the smelt challenge, I over thought things, second guessed myself, and complicated my dish. In the burger challenge, I went against my gut to make a big juicy elk burger (something I work well) and tried something new with the Greek lamb burger.
So when it was time to cook and I had pork chops and apple sauce in my mind, I made the conscious decision not to second guess myself. So I decided to add a little sophistication. I made sure I had beer and apples in every component of the dish.
My dish: A pork rib chop with Alexander Keith’s Cascade Hops Glaze and Apple Relish. Served with Dijon mustard and apple cider new potatoes, and a crisp green apple and mache salad.
So what was my first thought when I completed my dish? “Did I just make that?”
I have to be honest, going into the challenge, plating was not my strong point. I cook at home. It doesn’t have to look pretty, it just has to taste great. So to plate a dish, and have Michael Bonacini tell me that the plating was clean and the other competitors could learn a thing or two from me? Mind blown! It was the boost of confidence I needed at that point.
In real time, I was getting extremely discouraged at that point. I was starting to feel like maybe the competition was a little beyond me. I really needed that win.
So what does being a Team Captain mean to me? Box checked! For those who are MasterChef fans, you know that going into the competition there are certain achievements that you want while you’re there regardless if you win the $100,000 and title of MasterChef Canada. One of those goals is to be a Team Captain.
It’s a pretty big deal to have the opportunity to lead a team to victory or defeat. It tests your ability to lead. Am I a leader? I would like to think so. But will the pressure be too much? It definitely can be. You’ll just have to watch next week to find out!
What am I worried about as a Team Captain? My teammates! Dora won the challenge, so she will get first pick. I realize that I have to get strategic and start thinking about who she is going to be picking. At this point in the competition, you have gotten to know strengths and weaknesses; you know who will respect you as a captain. I know who Dora is likely to pick. I know I am going to have to get extremely creative.
Will I get the teammates I need to be a success? Will I lead us to victory, or into a pressure test? Will I dictate, or will I take a real team approach. Will my teammates respect me as a captain, or will they start making their own decisions? You’ll find out next week!
Coming up on the next all-new episode of MasterChef Canada (Monday, Feb. 24), the Top 12 home cooks arrive at Toronto’s historic Distillery District for a team challenge that requires the food to look as good as it tastes.
The red and blue teams must make canapés to cater an exclusive art gallery event. The remaining home cooks vying for $100,000 and the first-ever Canadian MasterChef title are:
· Carly Tennant, born in Abbotsford, B.C., currently resides in Vancouver.
· Dale Kuda, born in Perry, Missouri, currently resides in Toronto, Ont.
· Danielle Cardozo, born in Fernie, B.C., currently resides in Cranbrook.
· Dora Cote, born in Edmonton, currently resides in Rocky Mountain House, Alta.
· Eric Chong, Oakville, Ont.
· Josh Gale, Vancouver, B.C.
· Julie Miguel, Woodbridge, Ont.
· Kaila Klassen, born in Penticton, B.C., currently resides in West Kelowna.
· Marida Mohammed, born in Sudbury, Ont., currently resides in Toronto.
· Mike Green, born in Kenora, Ont., currently resides in Winnipeg, Man.
· Pino DiCerbo, Mississauga, Ont.
· Tammara Behl, born in St. Albert, Alta., currently resides in Calgary.
Lead image from: ctv.ca
