The latest Throwdown with Bobby Flay

I don't know if you had an opportunity to catch the latest episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay. It's absolutely priceless, and for an assortment of reasons. The chief reason is the real insight it provides into the character of this chef.

For the record, Feb 17th was the first airing of Throwdown Moussaka. Bobby was tasked to challenge the Greek Goddess of Moussaka, chef Diane Kochilas. This represented a problem because Bobby didn't even know what Moussaka was, much less how to make it.

Worse still, Bobby is on a loosing streak lately. His meatballs got squashed recently, and his Jambalaya throwdown was a defeat the dimensions of which he has never experienced: A rout from which no honor could be salvaged. Jambalaya king Emile Stieffel even warned Bobby that he was making mistakes in the prep of his Jambalaya. Iron Chef Flay just wouldn't listen.

Evidentially, these recent defeats caused Bobby to swallow his pride and actually admit that he didn't know what he was doing this time around. What do you do when you are an Iron Chef and you don't know how to make Moussaka? The answer is extremely straight-forward. Bobby called Michael Symon in for for a cooking lesson.

For those who don't know, Iron Chef Michael Symon is the winning-est Iron Chef (by percentage) in the history of the show. He happens to be one of the few dudes who enjoys my unqualified endorsement. Last time I checked Symon's record was 22-3. He's the John Madden of this sport. He is also happens to be the most impressive chef on either the Cooking Channel or the Food Network, especially now that Tyler is off the net. The culinary king of Cleveland also happens to be half-Greek.

As might be expected, Michael knew Moussaka very well... as in decades of experience with this subject. Michael gave Bobby one hell of a lesson on how-to. Bobby even offered to defer this Throwdown to Michael, but Michael didn't accept.

What happened next? The next thing you know, Bobby is executing a couple of trial runs with his two assistants. He mildly modified the recipe just a tad, adding black currants and some goat cheese. The next thing you know, Bobby is talking shit about already having defeated Michael Symon in this Throwdown. Now he just needed to take out Diane Kochilas.

I nearly rolled off the couch laughing. For those who don't know, Bobby is a Sagittarius. That kinda shit-talk is so Sagittarius, it's hilariously characteristic of the breed. I happen to have an uncle and a father who are both Archers, and they both like to cook. Now, while they have both shown me a thing or two about cooking, I have saved their skins several times, as they love to leave what they are cooking and go join the social event in progress. Nevertheless, they are full of braggadocio when the cooking is done.

The reality is his Virgo buddy saved his ass, but Bobby is happy to take all the credit. Incidentally, Michael Symon happens to be an excellent example of what it is to be a Virgo. I relate to the dude completely.

But I digress...

The next thing you know, Bobby is striding tall into Diana's domain and challenging her to a Throwndown... with great confidence. Now ain't that Sagittarius? 10 minutes ago he didn't know what Moussaka was, and now that he has had one lesson, he strides in to challenge the queen with confidence. So Sagittarius...

Dianna seemed properly surprised that this Irish Texmex expert knew something about Moussaka. He warned her that he has consulted with Michael Symon. She boasted that Michael Symon calls her for advice and information about Greek food.

Is that so, eh? We'll see who wins this throwdown.

In any case, the cooking process was very interesting. Diana deviated in several places from the key points Michael Symon made about the prep of a classic Moussaka. For instance, she chose beef instead of lamb. Symon says it's alright to use beef, but lamb is the classic approach. There were other wrinkles as well. Bobby smartly keyed his approach on Symon's advice.

Then came the judgement. One of the judges was a true Greek, and an older gentleman, with a lifetime of eatting Moussaka under his belt. When he bit into Bobby's... errrr... Michael Symon's Moussaka, he had a Ratatouille Anton Ego moment. He immediately said this brought back memories of his childhood. This Moussaka was exactly the way he liked it.

The die was cast. Bobby... err... Michael won the throwdown. So much for Michael Symon calling Diana for advice.

Folks, you can only give Bobby half a victory for this one. You have to give half-credit to Michael Symon. Symon set Bobby up for a victory when he probably would have taken his worst defeat ever otherwise.

The lesson I took from this episode is pretty cut-and-dried. If you have a tough culinary battle coming up, and you want to win, you better call Michael Symon.

A full progress report on the grill

So i just realized that I haven't issued a progress report on my balcony grill. I did publish a report on the Paella episode, but that is it.

Let me begin by saying that neither Bobby Flay nor Consumer Reports gave me the bum-steer. Both delivered critical information that has paid off extremely well so far. I am glad I took their advice.

What advice was that, specifically? Consumer Reports insisted on the Weber Genesis 320 and 310. I wanted the 320 and got the 310. This has worked out extremely well. The Genesis is what it is cracked up to be. It's incredibly well made. Weber has already replaced my warped grill with a new one, so customer service is good. This grill is big enough to take the largest Lodge Skillets and Paellas, as well as the largest (12 quart) Dutch Ovens from Lodge. You gotta love that.

I am going to go purchase a cast-iron griddle grill that fits my Weber today at lunch. I may make bacon, eggs and pancakes on the griddle tomorrow morning for breakfast. I may get a smoker box to go with it. You have to love the availability of high-quality accessories for the Weber Genesis. I intend to accessorize.

I have had good success removing the grills and placing the Dutch Oven directly down on the Flavorizor bars. I just made Penne Pasta, Marinara, and Meat Balls in that 12 quart Lodge last night. The results were fantastic. All heat was furnished by Weber.

Neither Bobby Flay nor Consumer Reports were particularly bullish on the subject of Infrared. They both seemed more than a little distant about the subject. Many seemed to regard the little Solaire Portable Infrared as the best deal and the best of the breed. I am very glad I paid attention.

I baptized my Solaire portable infrared grill on the 13th of July. My buddy Colin came over, and we grilled a pair of inexpensive $5 T-Bones from Albertson's. The results were pretty sensational.

The pep was pretty simple. Bobby Flay teaches that we should avoid marinades and prefer rubs. Marinades are over-rated, and they leave the meat too moist to caramelize well. You want that brown crust brought to you by the Maillard reaction. Marinades will interfer with with that crucial reaction.

Bobby Flay recommended a very simple rub: Fresh-ground pepper, Kosher Salt, and garlic powder. I am not usually a fan of Koshur salt, I prefer seasalt, but I understand why it is used in this application. The big jagged chunks of coarse salt stick in the flesh of the meat well. Also, it is gunpowder for the process. People don't seem to know this, but kosher salt crystals will explode and burn under high-heat. This helps form that good brown crust. Apply it liberally. You will not be eating it all. Most of it will explode and burn off.

Several authorities, including Flay, recommend putting a few drops of oil on that steak to help hold-fast the rub you have prepared. I took that advice. I used peanut oil because of it's high smoke-point.

The cooking was so easy it was trivial. I fired up the Solaire and let it heat for 5 minutes. I fired up the Weber, and began heating at full blast.

I dropped the first steak on the Solaire, and gave it 90 seconds before rotating it 90 degrees. You have to rotate 90 degrees if you want to get those perfect diamond shaped grill marks. I gave it 90 more seconds and then flipped the steak. I gave it 90 seconds, and rotated 90 degrees. I gave that 90 seconds, and then moved the steak to the Weber to finish.

Total cook time on the Solaire was about 6.5 minutes. The Temperature of the Weber was just about 400 degrees. I threw the second T-bone on the Solaire and repeated the process. When the second was ready to move to the Weber, I removed the first steak and gave it to Colin.

Colin said his steak was medium-well done as he began to cut it pieces (with a Kyocera Revolution 4 inch utility knife). It had a thin band of pink in the middle. The rest was medium to well. The steak had very nice diamond shaped grill marks on it. It was very juicy.

Total cook time was just about 12 minutes. Alton Brown would chastize us for not allowing the meat to rest for at least 3 minutes, but it was damn good anyway.

My steak was just about the same. I let it cook for a minute or two more, because I like mine pretty well done. I have to say, that was one of the most satisfying steaks I have ever eatten in my life. It was very, very good. It was bone-chewing, bone-sucking good.

I had a couple of false starts with the propane tanks. Sunday was a failure, and Monday was only a partial success. However, Tuesday was a complete slam-dunk. It was a victory at the home-run derby. The Solaire actually out-performed my expectations. The little Solaire actually out-performed the big Luxor I test drove at the Eninco shop. I expected similar results to the Luxor. It did a better job in creating more flavorful meat than the Luxor did. I can recommend this little Solaire without any qualifications. Buy it. Use it. Prosper with it.

So what have we learned?

1. Rubs are better than marinades
2. Kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper, granulated garlic powder, peanut oil.
3. Kosher salt is the gun powder, apply it liberally.
4. Infrared is great for searing
5. High, high heat produces the Maillard reaction
6. Finish in the Weber at a lower temperature with the lid closed.
7. The Genesis is great because of it's extreme versatility. You can use skillets, Dutch ovens, griddles and grills with it. You have many options, and a lot of room.

At this point I have to dish out some props to Bobby Flay and Consumer Reports. I doubted both of you several times. Ultimately, I decided to roll with your advice, and it paid big dividends. I am a pretty happy camper right now. The outdoor kitchen on the balcony is now fully-functional. I love it.

The plot to grill...

Boy, Meats, Grill... That is the way it should be been spelled. Why didn't Bobby Flay see the obvious extra-double?

I have a confession to make: Never been much into grilling or barbecue in my life. I have no objection to eating plenty of the stuff, I just haven't cooked much of it. Yes, I know that makes me a wanton communist. You can't be much of an football fan if you don't grill. If I have an excuse, it is merely that apartment life has its limitations.

Recently, I have decided to get around those limitations. I can't precisely put my finger on the moment. Maybe it was when I learned that Paella is a grilled dish. Maybe it was when I failed to achieve the perfect Millard reaction when attempting Tyler's ultimate cowboy steak. Maybe it was when I learned that my cheap-ass, apartment provided stove had a maximum BTU rating of 8,000 per burner. In case you didn't know, 8,000 BTU sucks. Maybe it was when I learned that Viking burners can hit 16,000 BTU easy. That is exactly twice the heat of my top burner. Maybe it was when I learned that Lazyman Grills can deliver a walloping 60,000 BTU per burner, for around $400. Yep, that's right, per burner. Be careful with that, sounds terrifying and intriguing. Maybe it is the good spirited full I see Bobby Flay engaging in all the time on Grill it! and Boy Meets Grill.

So I have developed a list of good reasons for purchasing a quality grill.

1. My stove is deficient.
2. I am apartment dweller, and cannot replace my 'management provided' stove
3. I have a balcony which has gone unused for three years. I've never been interested in it. It is much larger than I ever realized. I can put a grill there.
4. A good grill is better than a good stove. No bullshit. They cost less and crank out much more heat.
5. Propane trumps Methane. Methane is the natural gas your gas company pumps into your house. All chemists will tell you that Propane is better fuel and more earth-friendly also. Propane = 2,488 BTUs per cubic foot, methane = 1000 BTU per cubic foot
6. If I move my cooking operation outside, I will not heat-up my apartment. The dog-days of summer are coming. I do not want heat up my apartment or pay $200 per month in electrical bills per month, as I did last year.
7. You are supposed to grill Paella
8. You are supposed to grill cowboy steaks

Being a fan of induction, I was originally planning to take a Fagor portable induction unit outside. That plot died for two reasons. First, the portable Fagor units don't have much push to them. The BTUs are low. Only your best-quality indoor induction cooktops can compete with a good gas-grill in terms of BTUs. Also be warned that it is difficult obtaining BTU ratings from Induction vendors. They want to quote watts, which is basically meaningless. One guy's Induction range is more or less efficient than the other, so watts don't translate hard-and-fast into BTUs.

Second, there are no electrical outlets on my balcony. Yep, I know, that's pretty wretched. I would have to run some sort of an extension cord out of the apartment to the balcony, or get the company to make a mod for me. I do not want to do take either approach. It isn't worth it. A good propane grill will out-perform the Fagor induction system, and they generally requires no AC outlet. Electrical starters are usually done with a few AA batteries. Just a little spark will do it.

I reached a series of intriguing initial conclusions:

(1) I can get a grill which is better than a stove

(2) I can get it for less than a stove

(3) I can put it on the balcony and do something with that space finally.

So now the next question that logically follows is: Which grill do I buy? This is a super question. This is the question posted on a billion blogs and reviews all over the frickin' web. I will take my swing at this question next time. You can expect me to follow a logical path to an optimal solution also.

Enameled Cast Iron?

Lately, I have been looking into upgrading my cookware. I do a lot of cooking for myself. Pretty soon, I will have to cook all the time. When I have that Gastric Bypass surgery, there will be no more adventures out for eats for yours truly.

The educational courses I have already had warn us to forget about eating out for about a year or so after the surgery. There is no way it will ever work out. You will either have to carry out 80% your food, or you will throw up. In either case, you will be malnourished. You have to watch your micro-nutrients very closely when you have this surgery.

We have been warned they everyone throws up at least once. Sooner or later, your co-workers lure you out to McDonalds for a Happy Meal. Surely you can eat something as small as a child's happy meal, right? Nope. The grease will make you sick immediately. Remember, they bypass the upper intestine where that grease is processed. You will throw up violently, and then the mere smell of McDonald's hamburgers and fries will make you sick.

No more ventures out for food. Consider cooking for the rest of your life. It will workout better for you that way.

Well... if I am going to cook every damn meal, I intend to get the most out of it. I am going to do the gourmet thing. I am watching the Food Network now more than ever. I am mastering at least one new dish per week. This week I am cheating. I'm learning Alton Brown's apple pie.

Next week Paella. The week after that, engagement chicken.

This brings us back to the topic at hand: Enameled Cast Iron. Just what the hell is it? I am sure you all have seen old-fashioned black cast iron pots and pans. These are the ones traditional american settlers used to cook on the Prairie.

Enameled Cast Iron contains the same core black iron pot or pan. The difference is that they coat it with a robust layer of porcelain enamel. We're not talking about just any old enamel either. We're talking about the good stuff; the same material they make Glock handguns out of. The same material dentists use to make the most robust surgically implanted artificial teeth.

Why would anybody coat iron in enamel? First of all, you get the toughest non-stick surface you've ever seen. It's much more robust than Teflon, which is a cheap substitute. Second it is way more non-stick than Teflon. Teflon is easier to clean than Steel or Iron, but it still isn't easy to clean. Enameled Cast Iron usually wipes clean with a plain cloth. I'm not joking. I tried it. It's stupid easy to clean these things. If you hate washing the pots and pans, try this. It will take the surgeons 3 hours to get the smile off your face.

Just think of how easy it is to clean your toilet brilliant white. With a simple spray and a quick wipe, it's clean. Just think of what it is subjected too. This is what porcelain is capable of doing for you. Toilet porcelain is not good quality stuff either. This is cheap porcelain.

Second of all, enameled cast iron works with induction. I am going to have to write a piece about induction cooking soon. Suffice it to say that electrical coils and gas ovens are obsolete. You know that Viking Oven everybody used to want? Forget it. Totally outdated and outmoded.

Induction is a trip. You put you pot or pan on top of an electromagnet cranking waves at up to 1,800 watts. The electromagnet never gets hot. The pot or pan does. The pot or pan is the heating element. The entire pot or the whole pan becomes the heating element. It doesn't have one hotspot. Chefs who try it praise the amazing evenness of the cooking they get out of induction. They usually switch.

Now the problem with using electromagnets to heat metal is that you must use a metal that responds to magnetism. You have two options: Iron and Steel. No bloody Aluminum. No bloody copper. No bloody glass. This is a shame, to a certain degree, because copper has marvelous qualities to recommend it.

Enameled cast iron is iron. It works fine with induction. You'll love it.

There are some other reason to go with enameled cast iron: acid and base. Lime and Lemon are two very important ingredients in a lot of recipes. Oranges and tomatoes are also. All of these pack a corrosive whallop. They will degrade Teflon and Iron. Tobasco and hot sauces will rip these materials to shreds. Stainless steel is mostly immune if it is good quality stuff. Enameled cast iron survives just fine thanks.

For a guy like Tyler Florence, Bobby Flay, or Alton Brown the choice is simple: 18-10 Culinary Stainless Steel. They claim they don't like anything else, although everyone of these guys has at least one enameled cast iron Dutch oven. Every time they have to braise something, the enameled cast iron comes out from under the counter.

Some of the cooks on the Food Network have been making the switch to enameled cast iron lately. Giada DeLaurentis has been using this gear for her latest shows. She has good reason too. This is is really good gear.

So why the hang-up on stainless steel? There are some reasons, good and bad:

1. Stainless can take pretty extreme heat. This is presuming your recipe requires extreme heat, which is almost never. This also presumes your grill can produce extreme heat, which is almost never.
2. Alton Brown claims that you cannot make a pan sauce on a non-stick surface. He's mostly talking about Teflon. He's partially talking about Porcelain. You need sticky steel to produce all that good nasty brown stuff that makes a good pan sauce. I will admit: I like a nice pan-sauce, but I am not at all certain it is impossible to do with a porcelain surface.
3. Stainless is the traditional weapon of choice. A deep bias in favor of Stainless steel is bred into professional cooks who go to cooking schools. They demonstrate this bias every day on the cooking shows. The bias is passed on.
4. Steel heats faster than iron. Enameled cast iron takes longer to heat than regular iron. This is mostly a thing of the past. If you intend to use induction, this is not much of an issue. Enameled cast iron heats up very fast under induction.

Personally, I have gotten to the point where I have been convinced that enameled cast iron is the way to go. If you are going to get an induction cooktop, or if you have one already: Consider enameled cast iron.

So how did I discover enameled cast iron? Two pathways of research simultaneously converged on enameled cast iron. First, I was looking hard at induction cooktops. Second, I discovered this French brand of enameled cast iron cookware called Le Creuset at Whole Foods.

Le Creuset pots and pans sell for outrageous prices. The tags say $200 and $300 per piece for each one of these things. I wondered just why the hell rich people would be stupid enough to spend that kind of money for colorful cookware. Well, it turns out there are a few reasons. They claim these enameled cast iron pieces are so durable they will last for generations. Your grandkids can use them. Second, they work with induction. Third, they wipe clean with a paper towel. No need for the washing machine.

It turns out there are several more vendors of enameled cast iron out there in the world. There is a little Tennessee company called Lodge that has been in business for over 100 years that does this cookware also. They do it for a fraction of the cost of Le Creuset. They make good stuff also.

So I am going to buy a bunch of Lodge enameled cast iron and help Tennessee to recover from the flood.