Chopped Chey's

Inspired by the Food Network show “Chopped”, Doc called on his loyal Noodleheads to compete in his very own Chopped Chey’s cooking contest. 

The challenge?  Create an unforgettable dish from the mystery ingredients hidden inside Doc's bag: Chinkiang vinegar, bonito flakes, candied mango, quick oats & flank steak. 
 

Ten Noodleheads accepted the challenge.  Doc Chey's Facebook fans voted to determine the Final Four.  After a taste test by Doc & his panel of experts, the decision was unanimous.  Only 1 person could take home the title & $50 gift card prize...and that winner is...Christina Nixon!

 

 

 

Comments from Doc & the Judges Panel:

 

The Champion...

 

Christina Nixon's Mango Sweet & Sour Marinated Flank Steak with Warm Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad & Japanese Rice Balls

[view recipe]

Overall, the dish was well-balanced and delicious.

Flank Steak - we liked the marinade.  Some felt the five spice was a bit overpowering.  We all felt the marinade could have used some salt to balance the acid from the Chinkiang Vinegar and the sweetness from the candied mango, mandarin oranges and brown sugar. 

Brussel Sprouts - we were unanimous that this was the best component of any of the dishes!  The thin cut allowed us to caramelize the brussel sprouts quickly at extremely high heat.  The crumble was a very nice complement to the brussel sprouts adding texture (nuts and oats), sweetness (honey) and a little heat (chili powder).

Japanese Rice Balls - We liked these because they presented a bit of fusion between Mexican rice (lime and cilantro) and Japanese rice cakes.  One of my favorite things at Doc Chey's is the Furikake rice seasoning.  Having bonito flakes and seaweed created a rice ball with deconstructed furikake.  The only thing missing was toasted sesame seeds, which would have been a great garnish.

The Runners Up... 

 

Widdi Turner's Asian Meat and Two

[view recipe]

Love the meat and two concept. Congee brings back childhood memories.

Flank Steak – We felt the acid from the Chinkiang vinegar and lime juice overpowered the marinade. It could have used some salt or more sugar to balance the flavors.

Bok Choy Cole Slaw – We loved the use of jicama and red cabbage which gave the slaw great texture. Again, the dressing could have used some salt to balance the acid from the vinegar and lime juice and the sweetness from the candied and fresh mango.

Bonito Oatmeal Congee – I loved the idea of using the rolled oats for a Chinese style congee; however, some of my fellow judges had trouble getting their heads around it. I found that the water in the recipe was insufficient and added considerably more water to make the congee the consistency of the congee I ate as a child – more soupy than oatmeal-like.

We just loved Widdi's Chopped YouTube video!


 

 

Drew Stone's Hawaiian Marinated Flank Steak with Oatmeal Quinoa Salad and stirfried bok choy

[view recipe]

What a creative dish. The quinoa salad recipe is a keeper!

Flank Steak – Most of us found the chili oil in the marinade to be overpowering. The marinade also changed the texture of the beef making it more fibrous, which was unpalatable. I liked the pineapple/teriyaki combination.

Quinoa Salad – This salad was a winner. I was skeptical as I added the toasted oatmeal to the rest of the ingredients knowing that the salad would be dry and the oatmeal tough and chewy. Boy was I wrong. The salad was delicious. The quinoa was nutty and has a beautiful texture. The candied mango worked well in the salad adding just a touch of sweetness to balance the vinegar in the dressing. The recipe said to cook the quinoa in ½ cup chicken stock. I ended up using at least 2 cups of liquid (I lost count of how much because I had to add water so many times) to cook the quinoa properly.

Stir-fried Bok Choy – Conceptually, I liked the idea of braising the veggies in Sweetwater 420 beer. In reality, it did not really work for me. The judges were split on this. Two of us liked it and two of us did not. We all thought the bonito salt was creative and added a nice accent to the veggies.

 

 

Karin Sullivan's Broiled Flank Steak with Faux Risotto

[view recipe]

Loved the creativeness of the faux risotto.

Flank Steak – The consensus was the marinade imparted little flavor in the meat and the resulting steak ended up dry and lacking flavor. Because of equipment restrictions, we grilled the meat instead of broiling it as recommended in the recipe which might have been the cause of our dry flank steak.

Faux Risotto – We all agreed that the use of oats for risotto was extremely creative. Using cream cheese to mimic the starch released from Arborio rice used in traditional risotto was smart. The texture of the risotto was good but most of us felt there were too many competing flavors – the earthiness of the mushrooms, the smokiness of the bonito flakes, the acidity of the vinegar and the sweetness of the candied mango. Too much going on for one dish.

 

 

The Conclusion...

What an impressive set of Chopped entries. Each dish was creative and had one of two components that were awesome.  Our dream plate?  Christina's brussel sprouts, Drew's quinoa salad, and Doc Chey's marinated Korean beef.

Want to participate in our next Chopped Chey's contest?  Stay tuned to our monthly e-newsletter so you don't miss out.
 

 

 

Doggone Good Karma

I look out and see the stray German Shepherd lying against a neighbor's fence. She appears to have a heavy weight belt strapped to her hindquarters.

As an owner of three rescue dogs, I have a soft spot in my heart for a canine in need, so I attempt to corral the dog. I approach the dense underbrush with a leash and a handful of treats. After about an hour, I coax her close enough to loop the leash around her neck.

Back at home, I remove the 30 pound weights. My wife makes her a bed in the garage where the tired young pup settles in and sleeps for 15 hours straight.

Cut to: time for work at Doc Chey's. The dynamic between the new dog and my three isn't fantastic, so I have no choice but to take the Shepherd with me. Obviously, a restaurant is no place for a pooch, so I let her rest in the shade of the crepe myrtles while I work my shift.

Inside, I chat with my manager, Melanie, telling her about rescuing the Shepherd, and how I hoped she wasn't bound for the Humane Society.

Just then, as karma would have it, a guest sitting across the bar leans in and says, "My husband and I were at the Humane Society yesterday looking for a Shepherd to adopt for our family."

I am stunned by the serendipity and take her right outside to meet the dog. Their bond is instant. The karma is instant. 

 

I hand over the leash. 

 

 

 

-by Christopher Cunningham
Doc Chey's Employee since 2001
Published writer of 15 books