If I were an Iron Chef with American Kobe to cook with...

...what dishes would I make?

Bobby Flay was typically unimaginative, I swear he made the same 5 dishes with buffalo, duck... It was five boneless steaks: Steak and quail egg on bacon, home fries and toast; "Philly Cheese" steak: slices stacked on toasted bread and a provolone sauce; Surf and Turf with crawfish; SW Steak with a chile sauce; and I forgot the last one but I'm nearly certain it was another steak.

McMillan was a little more imaginitive in my opinion, with two raw dishes (which didn't even raise an eyebrow with the judges): tartare topped with a chinese mustard brulee; carpaccio topped with a pickled lotus root salad; a beef-filled asian-flavored ravioli; a cabrales-topped steak, and again I forget one.

I just don't think that that this is the best way to feature such beef that is already so tender. Admittedly there's no time in the 1-hour format for a smoked Wagyu brisket, but with the pressure cookers something braised should be possible, and with a searing a small roast could have been done.

I would want to feature some of my favorite beef dishes. I'd probably fail by over-focusing on the asian side, but here are some of my ideas:

• Nuea nam tok - Thinly sliced rare steak in a salad (which for the show I'd have to kick up a notch over the typical iceberg/cukes/tomato) featuring a lot of cilantro
• Shabu-Shabu - most of the hour would be spent preparing a broth (and chilling a slab for slicing), but this is how Kobe should be eaten, right?
• Pho - this would be the alternative to the shabu-shabu, and could possibly feature a couple of different cuts, meatballs, etc.
• Galbi - Short ribs! What could be beefier?
• Tartare "cheeseburger" - chopped raw beef, minced red onion, on top of a schmear of raw-milk goat cheese and hopefully some kind of uncooked starch for a bun (jicama perhaps?), I haven't figured this out 100% yet
• Either a torta milanesa or a chicken-fried steak. Just for the sheer gall, although I'm certain the frying would lose the flavor benefits of Kobe/Wagyu

As much as i have always enjoyed eating at Mesa over the years, I must admit that Flay seems to be a rather formulatic chef. Red meat always seems to get the same treatment in his reataurant, a chili rub seared and served with some kind of spicy oil.

Flay's "Bold American Food" was one of the first "chef cookbooks" I ever bought. It seemed creative at the time. Now, the recipes seem a little mundane to me.

As for my dish, I think I'd do a blue cheeseburger. Grind the kobe and sear it with a cold cunk of maytag blue wrapped in the middle of the raw beef.

I think what disgusted me about that battle was that Flay and McMillan got identical scores for originality.

Bobby Flay's food was about as original as a menu from Applebee's.

Missed this thread earlier - oh well I haven't had cable since the original Iron Chef stopped airing new episodes. The Iron Chef America should be entertaining I suppose, in spite of Flay – I've never been a fan. What little respect I had for him vanished when he stood on the counter on his cutting boards post battle against Morimoto (in the original IC).

Anyhow, I'm surprised to see in JoelF's recount that neither attempted any Japanese style or influenced dishes – American Kobe beef – surely one can see the pun.
One of my favourite ways is negi maki or rolls with leek or scallion. Very thin slices of well marbled beef, in a lightly sweetened soy based marinade a bit, then rolled around scallions (I've also used asparagus and batonnets of carrot), tied and sautéed, then glazed with the marinade. Really brings out the flavor of the beef and well marbled it should melt in the mouth. I try to get the thin cut beef when I'm at Mitsuwa just for this.

Sazerac,
I agree with you - it was pretty shameful not to have some homage to the Kobe's origins.

My opinions of the American Iron Chefs:

• Flay - The Morimoto of the American version: arrogant, flash and not enough substance
• Cora - Still don't really know who she is or why she merits the Iron Chef status. Rachel Rae wasn't available? (Kidding!) Anyway, hasn't shown much personality yet.
• Morimoto - Just phoning it in. He's in few enough episodes that I think he's just collecting a paycheck to give the show continuity with its progenitor
• Batali - Always a joy to watch. Some of the best features of Chen and Sakai: skillful, imaginitive, humble (at least on occasion), but is also very willing to interact with Alton

JoelF wrote:Flay - The Morimoto of the American version: arrogant, flash and not enough substance

I dunno. Even at his brashest, Morimoto never approached the frat-boy-esque jackassery of Flay.

I'd pay to see the other food network personalities on Iron Chef.

Emeril vs Flay, Sandra Dee vs Morimoto or Rachael Ray vs Batali. I'd be so excited.

Actually, I'd really love to see Sandra Dee vs Michiba (the iron chef japanese on ICJ before morimoto). I bet he'd fillet her.

gleam wrote:I dunno. Even at his brashest, Morimoto never approached the frat-boy-esque jackassery of Flay.

I agree with that. At least on the original Iron Chef I thought he was more maybe exuberant than jackass.

gleam wrote:Emeril vs Flay, Sandra Dee vs Morimoto or Rachael Ray vs Batali. I'd be so excited.

First one would be entertaining in its own way. I don't know who Sandra Dee is, but I wouldn't insult Batali by having him battle the Ray.

Actually, I believe there is an upcoming battle featuring a tag-team match of Flay & Rachel Ray VS Batali & Giada de Laurentis.

Sandra Lee (sorry, typoed it in the OP) is the one who brings us "Semi-Homemade" and talks about "tablescapes".

She is especially notorious for a particular pumpkin cheesecake recipe that has to be read to be believed.

gleam wrote:Sandra Lee (sorry, typoed it in the OP) is the one who brings us "Semi-Homemade" and talks about "tablescapes".

She is especially notorious for a particular pumpkin cheesecake recipe that has to be read to be believed.

Wow! Making cheesecake with... ohmygod (I can't give it away)! That. Is. Like. Soooo. Coool!
(I mean me not getting it on TV).

Gleam, for that you owe me.

gleam wrote:Actually, I'd really love to see Sandra Dee vs Michiba (the iron chef japanese on ICJ before morimoto). I bet he'd fillet her.

What's to filet?

JoelF wrote:I just don't think that that this is the best way to feature such beef that is already so tender. Admittedly there's no time in the 1-hour format for a smoked Wagyu brisket, but with the pressure cookers something braised should be possible, and with a searing a small roast could have been done.

I would want to feature some of my favorite beef dishes. I'd probably fail by over-focusing on the asian side, but here are some of my ideas:

• Nuea nam tok - Thinly sliced rare steak in a salad (which for the show I'd have to kick up a notch over the typical iceberg/cukes/tomato) featuring a lot of cilantro
• Shabu-Shabu - most of the hour would be spent preparing a broth (and chilling a slab for slicing), but this is how Kobe should be eaten, right?
• Pho - this would be the alternative to the shabu-shabu, and could possibly feature a couple of different cuts, meatballs, etc.
• Galbi - Short ribs! What could be beefier?
• Tartare "cheeseburger" - chopped raw beef, minced red onion, on top of a schmear of raw-milk goat cheese and hopefully some kind of uncooked starch for a bun (jicama perhaps?), I haven't figured this out 100% yet
• Either a torta milanesa or a chicken-fried steak. Just for the sheer gall, although I'm certain the frying would lose the flavor benefits of Kobe/Wagyu

I'm on record as being unimpressed with Kobe, either its American version or the Japanese original, which I've eaten in Tokyo, but I feel it shows at its best in simple preparations, especially grilling. Carpaccio is a good use, too.

I think you'd lose the texture in tartare or anything that involves chopping, like meatballs. And since the point of Kobe is unctuous, marbled fattiness, why would you want to cook it in liquid where you'd lose the fat to the cooking medium? Ditto hot-fat frying.

I would look for dishes that kick up its bland flavor, maybe by adding rubs or marinating. The salad might work quite well, with that piquant lemongrass dressing.

viaChgo wrote:Actually, I believe there is an upcoming battle featuring a tag-team match of Flay & Rachel Ray VS Batali & Giada de Laurentis.

Lord, yes, you're right.

The secret ingredient is cranberries, both teams knew that well beforehand, and it'll air in November. Presumably around thanksgiving.