Spike's Scallops from Top Chef
Well, he tried.
Were they calico scallops or sea scallops?
I'm picky about seafood and don't care for scallops. However ...
In my Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook, coquilles saint-jacques with champagne sounds ultimate! His recipe calls for sea scallops. More pricey but worth it.
Spike would have won if he made them like Bourdain's recipe :-)
This is the best cookbook!
Cheers ~
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10 Comments:
I don't know what kind of scallops Spike used but I agreed with all of the other chefs that frozen was not a good idea. Yes there were in the restaurant and it is probably to be expected that they were frozen since they are in Chicago but still...
And I absolutely agree that Bourdain's Les Halles is simply amazing. I have been cooking this book over the past four months and everything has been awesome. I couldn't recommend this cookbook anymore highly! It is truly one of my staple books now.
ChasDude at 10:55PM on 06/01/08
Yeah, I wouldn't have chosen frozen scallops either. I can't believe they were even available as a choice! I wonder what made him do it? It was a steakhouse wasn't it? Oh well. I missed the first half of the show...
I don't like this season. Last season was better.
Anthony Bourdain is my favourite writer :-)
paris221966 at 12:03AM on 06/02/08
This just in:
http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/archives/top_chef_4/2008_Jun_01_spike_scallops
BangieB at 12:29AM on 06/02/08
Even if they were frozen, he should have known what the final product using wet scallops would be. He is on Top Chef not some ladies home journal cooking show.
He can keep blaming everyone and anyone, he picked them and that was bad judgement. If I use them I thaw them and then let them dry out for 24 hours before I try and put a sear on them. I am not a Top Chef, so draw your own conclusions. You cannot get a good sear on something waterlogged.
I am surprised he took a wack at Rick. I think that little mistake and lash out cost him.
JerzeeTomato at 1:30AM on 06/02/08
The scallops were planted?! That's completely unfair. It's dirty. I'll never watch Top Chef again.
Okay, okay, so he shouldn't have chosen the frozen scallops. But if they weren't there to begin with, he wouldn't have picked them. Lisa would have packed her knives and left and Spike would have gone to Puerto Rico.
paris221966 at 1:52AM on 06/02/08
I totally read somewhere that they were planted too but I'm confused whether Rick Tramonto knew about the planting or if Top Chef just added them in. It was rather sketchy but Spike should not have used frozen. It does suck though that he didn't really have the choice to change his mind (since he had to announce what he was using).
Hillary
Chew on That
Chew on That at 2:27PM on 06/02/08
According to the article I linked to, Tramonto knew that the producers planted them, but he didn't want to make a federal case out of it on TV. Colicchio said that Tramonto definitely doesn't have frozen shellfish in his freezer. Make of that what you will.
BangieB at 2:44PM on 06/02/08
There is nothing wrong with frozen scallops -- you just can't then sear them the way Spike wanted to. He should have seen the product, known the issue and made ceviche out of them, or quenelles, or a tartare, a souffle -- anything the added water won't really affect that horribly. His judgment failed him not only on choosing a limiting ingredient, but on what he chose to do with that ingredient once the choice was made...
HunterAnglerGardenerCook at 3:55PM on 06/02/08
With a walk-in full of FRESH proteins and you are the FIRST to choose, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? He committed Top Chef suicide. (imho)
izatryt at 4:19PM on 06/02/08
I agree with HunterAngler. Spike could've come up with some other way to prepare the scallops. That's how you become Top Chef - by being flexible and innovative. Spike was just too arrogant.
Martini at 12:55PM on 06/03/08