| Have a Heart | |
| Season 7, Episode 4 | |
 | |
| Air date | May 24, 2011 |
| Winner | Justin Burdett |
| Episode Guide | |
| previous Saying Sayonara |
next Gotta Grill! |
Have a heart! Duck-heart starters are the chefs' ticket to the second round. But will every competitor know how to make this organ meat delicious? Will anyone just give up? Then a super slimy surprise awaits the chefs in the entrée basket, but it may not end up being the most challenging ingredient of the round. And when the finalists find an English tea treat and gelatin candy in the dessert basket, they push themselves to create final dishes sweet enough to propel them to victory.
Contestants[]
- Judson Branch, Senior Sous chef, Marriott Downtown Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- Remy Ayesh, Culinary Instructor, French Culinary Institute, New York, NY
- John Ramirez, Executive Sous chef, Castle on the Hudson, Tarrytown, NY
- Justin Burdett, Chef de cuisine, Miller Union, Atlanta, GA
Judges[]
- Ken Originer
- Alex Guarnaschelli
- Aarón Sánchez
Meal[]
Appetizer[]
Ingredients: Bay Scallops, Braeburn Apples, Sorrel, Duck Hearts
Judson prepared Duck Heart & Bay Scallop Hash Crostini. Judson's additons of bacon and apricot jam to the hash were very smart and added great flavors. The crostini absorbs a lot of the juices from the hash and detracts from his flavors.
Remy did Duck Heart w/ Arugula & Apple Sorrel Vinaigrette on Scallop Purée. The duck heart is perfectly cooked and the vinaigrette is delicious. The purée is mealy, and the apple and sorrel are barely represented.
John has Pan-Seared Bay Scallops with Apple Sorrel Purée. John did not get his duck hearts get cooked in time and chose to leave them off the plate. The purée is velvety, fresh, and makes his dish the only one that puts the apple and sorrel at the forefront. The addition of thyme to the scallops ties it in with the purée.
Justin did Duck Heart Mousse w/ Scallops and Apple Sorrel Salad. The apple and sorrel salad is perfectly balanced. The mousse is delicious and the most creative thing of the day. The only mistake is that there is too much of the mousse in comparison to the scallops.
The judges decide that Chef John showed promise, but his failure to get all the ingredients on his plates did him in.
Entrée[]
Ingredients; Fideos, Broccoli Rabe, Mezcal, Eel
Remy has Mezcal Marinated Eel w/ Fideos & Broccoli Rabe Pistou. Remy's use of Mezcal as the marinade is brilliant, and the judges enjoy her creative use of the broccoli rabe in 2 ways. There is not enough eel. Alex feels that Remy spent too much of her time with the broccoli rabe, and she has hardly any broccoli rabe on her plate.
Justin did Fideos & Broccoli Rabe w/ Eel Broth '& Mezcal Glazed Eel.' The broth is delicious, and the judges appreciate that Justin used the whole eel. Like Remy, Justin doesn't have enough of the actual eel in his dish. Aarón feels the Mezcal needed more coaxing.
Judson prepared Fideos w/ Grilled Eel & Mezcal Cream Sauce. The judges like that Judson actually delivered a substantial portion of eel, which is delicious. Judson made the mistake of adding cream and ricotta, which muddles the flavors.
The judges decide to chop Chef Remy for spending too much time on the broccoli rabe rather than her eel.
Dessert[]
Ingredients: Crumpets, Cream Cheese, Aloe Vera Juice, Orange Slice Candy
Justin did Aloe & Cream Cheese Sabayon on Crumpet w/ Orange Aloe Sauce. The sabayon is delicious and has the flavors of the basket ingredients in it. The play on Eggs Benedict in his presentation is very whimsical. The crumpet was a bit underutilized, and Alex feels that the dish doesn't read like dessert.
Judson prepared Crumpet w/ Raspberry Pastry Cream & Meringue. The judges admire his making of meringues, how his cream is moist, and the orange candy chutney. The dessert is over-the-top sweet.
There are points where both chefs excelled and both fell off the rails. The one who didn't bring home is Chef Judson, who is chopped for the consistent mistake of muddling his flavors with pantry ingredients. Justin is made Chopped Champion.
Gallery[]
Notes[]
- Justin later returned for a Chopped Champions event.
- The episode was filmed on Justin's birthday.
| Chopped Season 7 | |
| << Season 6 • Season 8 >> | |
| #01 The Icing on the Steak | #06 Get it Together |
| #02 Canned Cheese, Please! | #07 Bite Your Pickled Beef Tongue |
| #03 Saying Sayonara | #08 Go For It! |
| #04 Have a Heart | #09 Thyme Flies |
| #05 Gotta Grill! | #10 Nopales, No Problem |