1 00:00:02,500 --> 00:00:05,233 [Chris] I'm gonna say something I haven't said ever in 15 years. 2 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:08,100 If it's up to me, you're not getting chopped. 3 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:10,400 [Derek] I feel it, baby. 4 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:12,166 [Izz] The desert is full of tough people. 5 00:00:12,166 --> 00:00:15,367 [Ashley] I go to my roots as deep as I possibly can. 6 00:00:15,367 --> 00:00:17,967 [Tony] I try not to hem myself in by what people say you can't do. 7 00:00:17,967 --> 00:00:19,166 What is he doing? What is he doing? 8 00:00:19,166 --> 00:00:20,934 If it doesn't bring that heat, 9 00:00:21,367 --> 00:00:22,367 I don't want it. 10 00:00:22,367 --> 00:00:23,500 [Ted] So much chili smoke. 11 00:00:23,500 --> 00:00:26,000 -[all coughing] -It's getting hard to breathe in here. 12 00:00:26,266 --> 00:00:28,100 Holy hellfire. 13 00:00:28,100 --> 00:00:30,066 I am good at this. 14 00:00:30,066 --> 00:00:32,634 What they say in the Wild West is town's only big enough for one of us. 15 00:00:39,667 --> 00:00:42,233 [Derek] I need a side of bone marrow, extra butter. 16 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:47,000 I am the chef-to-be in the Wild West 17 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:50,467 because I am wild and I can make anything out of anything. 18 00:00:50,467 --> 00:00:51,967 Smells like cowboys. 19 00:00:51,967 --> 00:00:54,800 I am the chef of Bacanora in Phoenix, Arizona. 20 00:00:55,367 --> 00:00:57,867 Hey, I need queso asadero, stat! 21 00:00:57,867 --> 00:01:00,166 We got the James Beard semi-finalists 22 00:01:00,166 --> 00:01:03,934 for Best New Restaurant and the nomination for Best Chef Southwest. 23 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:05,400 Ooh, it's toasty. 24 00:01:06,567 --> 00:01:08,567 So I usually cook open fire. 25 00:01:08,567 --> 00:01:11,200 The smell of the smoke, the heat from the wood, 26 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:13,200 it's the desert, it's indigenous, 27 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:16,000 it's all the wonderful things of the Southwest. 28 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:17,233 Come and get it! 29 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:24,700 I am very competitive to the point my mother 30 00:01:24,700 --> 00:01:26,500 has called me obnoxiously competitive. 31 00:01:26,500 --> 00:01:27,800 Yeah, baby. 32 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:30,600 But I'm here to prove I'm the best chef in the Southwest. 33 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:34,400 I'm the executive chef of Rio Chama Steakhouse in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 34 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:36,000 Come get a big ol' whiff of this. 35 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:37,767 Santa Fe is a huge foodie city. 36 00:01:37,767 --> 00:01:40,500 Local cuisine is a lot of chili peppers, corn, elote, 37 00:01:40,500 --> 00:01:42,100 and a mixture of what's grown in season. 38 00:01:42,100 --> 00:01:44,400 My style of cooking is big, bold flavors. 39 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,166 I like to have fun, be a little creative with food where I can. 40 00:01:47,166 --> 00:01:48,500 I don't care who they have out there. 41 00:01:48,500 --> 00:01:50,166 I think I can beat anybody they put in front of me. 42 00:01:50,166 --> 00:01:51,200 Whoo! 43 00:01:54,667 --> 00:01:55,867 [upbeat music playing] 44 00:01:58,367 --> 00:02:01,800 [Ashley] I love Southwest cuisine because it's indigenous, 45 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:04,900 it's Mexican, it's part of my roots. 46 00:02:05,266 --> 00:02:07,000 Elk walking in. 47 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:10,667 I am chef de cuisine at IV by Brother Luck in Colorado Springs. 48 00:02:10,667 --> 00:02:12,166 I have known I want to be a chef since 49 00:02:12,166 --> 00:02:13,200 I was seven years old. 50 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:14,400 I love wild game. 51 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:18,967 My style of cooking is stick to your ribs, smoky, spicy. 52 00:02:18,967 --> 00:02:21,600 -There we are. -Duck, elk, snake. 53 00:02:22,066 --> 00:02:23,400 Bringing the heat. 54 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:26,567 As a Southwestern chef, I'm not afraid to get down and dirty. 55 00:02:26,567 --> 00:02:27,600 Service. 56 00:02:28,166 --> 00:02:29,433 That's that. 57 00:02:31,867 --> 00:02:33,367 [Izz] Okay. 58 00:02:34,700 --> 00:02:38,000 The desert is a tough place, and it's full of tough people. 59 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:39,233 And we eat like it. 60 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:43,066 My name is Izz Rivera. 61 00:02:43,066 --> 00:02:45,266 I am the chef and owner of the shop Breakfast and Lunch, 62 00:02:45,266 --> 00:02:47,000 and I'm from Albuquerque, New Mexico. 63 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:51,300 I cook like I'm from New Mexico. 64 00:02:51,300 --> 00:02:52,900 And since my parents are from Mexico, 65 00:02:52,900 --> 00:02:54,667 a lot of my flavors come from Mexico as well. 66 00:02:54,667 --> 00:02:56,800 That's just what I know and what I love. 67 00:02:58,066 --> 00:03:00,100 I don't hold back when it comes to flavors. 68 00:03:00,100 --> 00:03:01,200 It's gonna be intense. 69 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:05,200 It's gonna be bright, spicy, in all the right ways. 70 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:07,967 I'm in the perfect position to represent the Southwest 71 00:03:07,967 --> 00:03:10,333 and to elevate what we do. 72 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:13,500 [Ted] Howdy, chefs. 73 00:03:13,500 --> 00:03:14,900 -Hello. -Hello. 74 00:03:14,900 --> 00:03:15,767 -Hey. -Welcome. 75 00:03:15,767 --> 00:03:17,667 -Giddy up. -Giddy up. 76 00:03:17,667 --> 00:03:19,900 Welcome to the Wild Wild West of 77 00:03:19,900 --> 00:03:21,967 cooking competitions, anyway. 78 00:03:21,967 --> 00:03:24,967 You all share a love of Southwestern cooking, 79 00:03:24,967 --> 00:03:26,100 as do we. 80 00:03:26,100 --> 00:03:28,567 And we can't wait to see you put your talents to work. 81 00:03:28,567 --> 00:03:30,767 -You ready to go? -Let's go. 82 00:03:30,767 --> 00:03:32,000 [Ted] Okay, first basket. 83 00:03:35,700 --> 00:03:36,734 Open it up. 84 00:03:37,266 --> 00:03:39,200 -Oh, man. -Oh, my God. 85 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:41,166 -What is happening here? -Let's go. 86 00:03:41,166 --> 00:03:44,266 [Ted] You are looking at a three sisters casserole. 87 00:03:44,266 --> 00:03:45,800 [Tony] Here we go. 88 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:47,433 [Ted] You also have nopales. 89 00:03:47,767 --> 00:03:49,000 Ooh, okay. 90 00:03:49,266 --> 00:03:50,300 [Ted] Fry bread. 91 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:52,266 Fry bread, yeah. 92 00:03:52,266 --> 00:03:54,900 -[Ted] And quail. -Let's go. 93 00:03:54,900 --> 00:03:56,600 Love me some quail. 94 00:03:58,367 --> 00:04:01,000 [Ted] 20-minute appetizer round 95 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:02,266 starts now. 96 00:04:02,266 --> 00:04:04,333 -All right, here we go. -Let's go. 97 00:04:05,266 --> 00:04:07,300 -Let's go. -Woo, woo, woo, woo. 98 00:04:08,767 --> 00:04:11,700 Chris, joining you on the panel for this special battle, 99 00:04:11,700 --> 00:04:14,500 two great Southern chefs, Food Network star 100 00:04:14,500 --> 00:04:18,166 Chef Eddie Jackson, and chef and cookbook author 101 00:04:18,166 --> 00:04:20,500 Kelsey Barnard Clark. Welcome, y'all. 102 00:04:20,500 --> 00:04:22,867 -[Eddie] Glad to be here as usual. -Glad to be here. 103 00:04:22,867 --> 00:04:26,767 Judges, what are you looking for in a great Southwestern dish? 104 00:04:26,767 --> 00:04:28,800 If it doesn't bring that heat on this table, 105 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:30,667 -I don't want it. -Behind. 106 00:04:30,667 --> 00:04:34,300 I agree. I think of grilling, open fire cooking, smoke, char. 107 00:04:34,300 --> 00:04:36,667 And I know you're a fan of fry bread, aren't you? 108 00:04:36,667 --> 00:04:38,100 [Eddie] Love fried bread. 109 00:04:38,100 --> 00:04:40,667 So many different cultures have this style of bread, 110 00:04:40,667 --> 00:04:43,367 which is basically just flour, baking powder, 111 00:04:43,367 --> 00:04:44,800 salt, and hot water. 112 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:46,600 Have fun. 113 00:04:47,900 --> 00:04:50,667 I'm here to show the world what Southwestern cuisine can be. 114 00:04:50,667 --> 00:04:53,100 Like, we can turn these humble ingredients 115 00:04:53,100 --> 00:04:54,900 into something very, very special. 116 00:04:56,166 --> 00:04:59,266 For my appetizer, I am making quail adovada 117 00:04:59,266 --> 00:05:00,667 stuffed fry bread 118 00:05:00,667 --> 00:05:04,133 with a grilled nopales pico de gallo. 119 00:05:05,900 --> 00:05:08,667 Adovada is typically pork cooked down 120 00:05:08,667 --> 00:05:11,367 in a red chili sauce with dried guajillos 121 00:05:11,367 --> 00:05:12,667 and some chile de arbol. 122 00:05:12,667 --> 00:05:14,500 But I'm using quail. 123 00:05:14,500 --> 00:05:17,300 It could be a little spicy for these folks, 124 00:05:17,300 --> 00:05:19,066 but this is how I would eat it, 125 00:05:19,066 --> 00:05:20,500 and that's how I'm gonna serve it. 126 00:05:20,767 --> 00:05:22,734 I am good at this. 127 00:05:24,567 --> 00:05:26,767 I love quail. 128 00:05:26,767 --> 00:05:27,667 Yeah. 129 00:05:27,667 --> 00:05:30,367 It's very common where I am in the South. 130 00:05:30,367 --> 00:05:33,066 At least you don't have to clean the buckshot out of these quail. 131 00:05:33,066 --> 00:05:34,700 Been there, done that. 132 00:05:34,700 --> 00:05:36,367 -[Chris] They're super lean, right? -Yeah. 133 00:05:36,367 --> 00:05:37,433 [Chris] You want to add fat. 134 00:05:37,433 --> 00:05:39,066 You want to cook the medium rare or medium, right? 135 00:05:39,066 --> 00:05:40,166 -Yeah. -Exactly. 136 00:05:42,667 --> 00:05:45,166 [Derek] Quail has a little bit of gaminess to it. 137 00:05:45,166 --> 00:05:48,000 It tastes what a bird should taste like. 138 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:51,467 You want a nice hot pan. Get that caramelization going. 139 00:05:51,467 --> 00:05:54,700 I'm making a roasted quail over a fried bread sauce 140 00:05:54,700 --> 00:05:57,400 and then top a little bit of nopal salad. 141 00:05:59,166 --> 00:06:02,000 Derek, you got quail on the grill over there? 142 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:04,300 Oh, yeah. Is there another way? 143 00:06:04,300 --> 00:06:05,533 -[Eddie] I think that's smart. -[Kelsey] Smart. 144 00:06:05,533 --> 00:06:07,066 [Eddie] 20 minutes, you're not going to get that much flavor. 145 00:06:07,066 --> 00:06:10,367 -Marinating, you really need to get some char on it. -Yeah, I agree. 146 00:06:10,367 --> 00:06:11,767 To get some flavor. 147 00:06:11,767 --> 00:06:13,133 [Derek] We gonna see about that. 148 00:06:16,467 --> 00:06:17,900 Ashley, what are you making? 149 00:06:17,900 --> 00:06:20,800 I have a little bit of cardamom and some cloves, 150 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:23,000 and I'm marinating it into the quail. 151 00:06:24,166 --> 00:06:27,266 For my appetizer, I'm making a spiced quail 152 00:06:27,266 --> 00:06:30,700 with pickled nopales and Western caviar. 153 00:06:32,767 --> 00:06:35,266 I get a good sear on the quail, 154 00:06:35,266 --> 00:06:38,233 then I throw it in the oven to get more of a cook. 155 00:06:39,567 --> 00:06:41,767 Right. 156 00:06:41,767 --> 00:06:45,400 Western caviar, it's beans, it's corn, it's tomatoes, 157 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:46,533 it's squash. 158 00:06:46,533 --> 00:06:49,100 So I just take the ingredients that's in this casserole 159 00:06:49,100 --> 00:06:52,300 to a saute pan, get some heat onto it, 160 00:06:52,300 --> 00:06:53,934 actually season it. 161 00:06:56,100 --> 00:07:00,066 Three Sisters casserole, it's corn and squash and beans. 162 00:07:00,066 --> 00:07:02,500 The Native American culture is very similar to 163 00:07:02,500 --> 00:07:04,900 -how we say what grows together goes together. -Yeah. 164 00:07:06,166 --> 00:07:08,567 Tony, how you looking? 165 00:07:08,567 --> 00:07:12,266 I'm thinking some pantry quail with a nopales pico de gallo. 166 00:07:12,266 --> 00:07:13,467 Behind, behind. 167 00:07:13,467 --> 00:07:16,567 The quail has to be the star, so I get a marinade on this. 168 00:07:16,567 --> 00:07:18,667 Quail with a mixture of ancho chili powder, 169 00:07:18,667 --> 00:07:22,033 garlic powder, cumin, and oregano. 170 00:07:22,967 --> 00:07:25,800 Ten minutes left on the clock, chefs. Halfway in. 171 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:29,667 [Kelsey] I tell you what, y'all, Tony's got his quail down. 172 00:07:29,667 --> 00:07:30,533 It looks good. 173 00:07:30,533 --> 00:07:32,066 Look, we're halfway through the round, 174 00:07:32,066 --> 00:07:35,367 and this is the first cheese he's applying to any of his ingredients. 175 00:07:35,367 --> 00:07:37,166 [Tony] Three sisters casserole is tough. 176 00:07:37,166 --> 00:07:39,233 Trying to figure out what I'm gonna do with this thing. 177 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:42,100 I'm gonna put it into a food processor. 178 00:07:42,100 --> 00:07:43,467 Add a little bit of lime juice, 179 00:07:43,467 --> 00:07:44,333 a little bit of chicken stock. 180 00:07:44,333 --> 00:07:46,100 That way I get a nice base for a sauce. 181 00:07:46,100 --> 00:07:47,900 I'm gonna get these nopales going. 182 00:07:48,700 --> 00:07:50,600 I'd like to show people that New Mexican cooking 183 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:53,367 can be more than just tacos, enchiladas, burritos. 184 00:07:53,367 --> 00:07:54,567 I'm not quite sure on this yet. 185 00:07:54,567 --> 00:07:56,266 I'm thinking maybe a sauce, but... 186 00:07:56,266 --> 00:07:59,000 With the nopales, I want to make a pico de gallo. 187 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:00,333 But first things first, I want to make sure 188 00:08:00,333 --> 00:08:03,600 I just blanch them just to get some of that slime off of them. 189 00:08:05,700 --> 00:08:07,567 [Chris] The nopales, they're basically the paddles 190 00:08:07,567 --> 00:08:09,000 of a prickly pear cactus. 191 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:11,000 They can be kind of like okra in terms of 192 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:12,300 -their consistency when they're cooked. -Yeah, slimy. 193 00:08:12,300 --> 00:08:14,433 But you also don't have to cook them. You can't serve them raw. 194 00:08:14,967 --> 00:08:17,100 Okay, here we go. 195 00:08:17,100 --> 00:08:20,567 The nopales, I need to cook them hard and fast. 196 00:08:20,567 --> 00:08:23,066 The longer they stay in a pan, the more slimy they get. 197 00:08:23,066 --> 00:08:24,667 So I really want to get that char on them. 198 00:08:24,667 --> 00:08:26,600 This is gonna be a pretty classic pico de gallo. 199 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:29,200 Onion, tomato, and a lot of acids. 200 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:31,000 Let's go, baby, let's go. 201 00:08:31,500 --> 00:08:32,767 [indistinct conversation] 202 00:08:32,767 --> 00:08:34,667 Derek, what are you making? 203 00:08:34,667 --> 00:08:38,066 The fried bread and the top of the casserole. 204 00:08:38,066 --> 00:08:40,500 Do a little, um, a bread sauce sort. 205 00:08:40,967 --> 00:08:42,667 That's very smart play. 206 00:08:42,667 --> 00:08:44,800 That's right, that's right, that's right. 207 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:48,266 A bread sauce, typical creamy sauce of olden days 208 00:08:48,266 --> 00:08:51,000 where you have stale bread and you soak it in something. 209 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:54,400 I'm gonna use some cream and cheese to kind of loosen it up. 210 00:08:55,266 --> 00:08:58,767 Next, I'm sauteing the Three Sisters casserole 211 00:08:58,767 --> 00:09:01,000 with a little bit of brown butter and jalapenos. 212 00:09:02,900 --> 00:09:05,600 [Ted] All right, Derek is taking his quail off the grill. 213 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:08,300 He's got a nice amount of time for that to rest. 214 00:09:08,300 --> 00:09:09,767 [Kelsey] And now he's pouring 215 00:09:09,767 --> 00:09:12,300 -something with jalapeno over the top. -Jalapeno butter. 216 00:09:12,300 --> 00:09:13,867 That is a real smart move. 217 00:09:13,867 --> 00:09:14,800 Okay. 218 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:16,800 Almost there, almost there, almost there. 219 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:18,900 -[Eddie] I'm liking what Ashley's doing right now. -[Kelsey] I agree. 220 00:09:18,900 --> 00:09:22,166 [Eddie] She has that quail sitting in just a pool of just 221 00:09:22,166 --> 00:09:24,867 fat basting and basting and basting. 222 00:09:24,867 --> 00:09:25,900 I like that. 223 00:09:26,567 --> 00:09:28,467 Let's go, let's go, let's go. 224 00:09:28,467 --> 00:09:29,533 Ashley, what are you making? 225 00:09:29,533 --> 00:09:31,700 [Ashley] I'm going to pickle some of these nopales. 226 00:09:32,567 --> 00:09:33,667 It's gonna be good. 227 00:09:33,667 --> 00:09:36,367 I'm adding some fresh herbs, white wine vinegar, 228 00:09:36,367 --> 00:09:37,900 and heirloom tomatoes. 229 00:09:39,166 --> 00:09:40,667 How y'all feeling? 230 00:09:40,667 --> 00:09:44,233 Terror, adrenaline, anxiety just swirling around. 231 00:09:45,500 --> 00:09:47,367 I'm running out of time. 232 00:09:47,367 --> 00:09:49,700 If I don't move quick, I'm not gonna get everything on the plate. 233 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:51,867 Six minutes, 30 seconds. 234 00:09:51,867 --> 00:09:54,900 I was hoping to do more with the polis, but my original plan 235 00:09:54,900 --> 00:09:56,767 to make a pico de gallo is not gonna work. 236 00:09:56,767 --> 00:09:58,467 I know that they're gonna take long to treat. 237 00:09:58,467 --> 00:10:00,400 I'm kind of stumped on the fry bread. 238 00:10:01,700 --> 00:10:03,233 I'm feeling all the stress. 239 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:08,100 Behind you. 240 00:10:08,767 --> 00:10:10,567 I'm going to time check. 241 00:10:10,567 --> 00:10:12,867 Five minutes to go in this round, chefs. 242 00:10:12,867 --> 00:10:14,800 -Five minutes, heard. -Heard that. 243 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:15,934 Trying to make it happen. 244 00:10:16,867 --> 00:10:18,867 [Tony] The clock is not my friend. 245 00:10:18,867 --> 00:10:21,500 If I don't move fast, I could be chopped. 246 00:10:21,500 --> 00:10:24,300 I'm going to dress the nopales real simply, 247 00:10:24,300 --> 00:10:26,667 just lime juice, salt, and pepper. 248 00:10:26,667 --> 00:10:29,066 Now I have to figure out what to do with this fry bread. 249 00:10:29,066 --> 00:10:31,700 So I cut it up and deep fry it to make croutons. 250 00:10:31,700 --> 00:10:33,967 [Eddie] I'm not a fan of that. You go and deep fry it. 251 00:10:33,967 --> 00:10:35,567 You're just adding more oil to it. 252 00:10:35,567 --> 00:10:37,767 It used to be light and airy, and now it's going to maybe soak up all that oil. 253 00:10:37,767 --> 00:10:39,133 Exactly. 254 00:10:42,367 --> 00:10:44,867 [Derek] The nopales are going to add this perfect 255 00:10:44,867 --> 00:10:47,000 refreshing element to this dish. 256 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:50,066 I dice up some red onion and cilantro 257 00:10:50,066 --> 00:10:52,400 and toss that with a little bit of the nopales. 258 00:10:53,367 --> 00:10:55,467 Three and a half minutes. 259 00:10:55,467 --> 00:10:57,033 I'm ready, y'all. Where you guys at? 260 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:01,000 Guys, you only have three minutes left. Three minutes. 261 00:11:01,567 --> 00:11:02,600 Behind, behind. 262 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:05,100 [Izz] Coming down behind. 263 00:11:05,100 --> 00:11:07,266 [Ashley] I checked my quail, and it's looking real good, 264 00:11:07,266 --> 00:11:09,567 but not really sure what to do with the fry bread. 265 00:11:09,567 --> 00:11:13,000 It needs to be crispy on the outside, so I drop it in the fryer. 266 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:15,000 -Just under two minutes. -[Ashley] Two minutes heard. 267 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:16,667 [Chris] Start plating. If you haven't started plating, 268 00:11:16,667 --> 00:11:18,867 it's going to go by very fast, chefs. 269 00:11:18,867 --> 00:11:21,066 [Izz] So I grabbed the refried three sisters casserole. 270 00:11:21,066 --> 00:11:23,166 I'm blending it. I'm seasoning it. 271 00:11:23,166 --> 00:11:25,600 This is going to be like a Mexican torta. 272 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:27,667 You put refried beans and kind of use it 273 00:11:27,667 --> 00:11:28,900 as a sauce on the bread. 274 00:11:28,900 --> 00:11:31,767 -[Kelsey] All right, y'all. You got it. -[Eddie] Let's go. 275 00:11:31,767 --> 00:11:33,867 [Ted] All right, this round is almost over, chefs. 276 00:11:33,867 --> 00:11:35,166 Let's go, let's go. 277 00:11:35,166 --> 00:11:37,767 Ten, nine, eight, 278 00:11:37,767 --> 00:11:40,000 seven, six, 279 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:43,166 five, four, three, 280 00:11:43,166 --> 00:11:44,300 two, 281 00:11:44,300 --> 00:11:45,333 one. 282 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:48,533 -Time's up. -Whoo, okay. 283 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:51,400 That's an impressive first round. 284 00:11:53,266 --> 00:11:55,567 [Tony] This is easily the fastest 20 minutes of my life 285 00:11:55,567 --> 00:11:57,367 and I'm wondering where all the time went. 286 00:11:57,367 --> 00:11:59,600 But I feel really good with the ideas I came up with. 287 00:12:02,867 --> 00:12:04,667 This doesn't make y'all proud at home. 288 00:12:04,667 --> 00:12:06,166 I don't know what will. 289 00:12:06,166 --> 00:12:07,867 I just wanted to do something like humble, 290 00:12:07,867 --> 00:12:09,767 something that represented Albuquerque. 291 00:12:09,767 --> 00:12:11,000 I feel like I did that. 292 00:12:17,500 --> 00:12:20,500 Chefs, you have arrived at the chopping block. 293 00:12:20,500 --> 00:12:23,000 For the first round of this Wild West competition, 294 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:25,767 you got a Three Sisters casserole, 295 00:12:25,767 --> 00:12:29,600 nopales, fry bread, and quail. 296 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:32,266 Chef Derek, what do we have? 297 00:12:32,266 --> 00:12:33,867 We got some roasted quail, 298 00:12:33,867 --> 00:12:36,400 bread sauce made of fry bread 299 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:38,266 and the topping on the casserole with 300 00:12:38,266 --> 00:12:39,900 a little nopales salad. 301 00:12:44,567 --> 00:12:47,700 Derek, outstanding job on the cook of the quail. 302 00:12:47,700 --> 00:12:50,200 I love the little bit of char that you get. 303 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:52,667 And then the nopales kind of lightens everything up. 304 00:12:52,667 --> 00:12:55,367 So this seems like something I would get in 305 00:12:55,367 --> 00:12:57,200 a Southwest restaurant. 306 00:12:59,066 --> 00:13:01,967 We wanted to feel as if we could be sitting by a fire, right? 307 00:13:01,967 --> 00:13:03,600 So you definitely achieved that. 308 00:13:04,667 --> 00:13:07,467 I love also what you did with the fried bread 309 00:13:07,467 --> 00:13:10,467 and also utilizing that Three Sisters casserole with 310 00:13:10,467 --> 00:13:13,066 the topping to make the sauce. 311 00:13:13,066 --> 00:13:15,367 [Chris] Yeah, I love the heat from the jalapeno that you're bringing here. 312 00:13:15,367 --> 00:13:17,667 This is a good start if you had a few extra minutes. 313 00:13:17,667 --> 00:13:19,700 You move forward, definitely seasoning and acid. 314 00:13:19,700 --> 00:13:21,367 For sure. Thank you so much. 315 00:13:21,367 --> 00:13:23,400 All right, Chef, what would it mean to you 316 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:24,700 to win this competition? 317 00:13:25,467 --> 00:13:26,600 To win today would be awesome. 318 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:28,266 I'm the only person here from Arizona, 319 00:13:28,266 --> 00:13:30,367 and it's a southwestern state. 320 00:13:30,367 --> 00:13:32,600 So to be able to do that for Arizona here 321 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:34,600 at Chopped would be great. 322 00:13:35,100 --> 00:13:36,900 Next up, Chef Tony. 323 00:13:36,900 --> 00:13:39,500 Yeah, for you guys today, we have a spiced-rubbed quail 324 00:13:39,500 --> 00:13:41,266 over a Three Sisters puree 325 00:13:41,266 --> 00:13:44,133 with fried bread croutons and a nopales salad. 326 00:13:50,300 --> 00:13:51,333 [Eddie] Tony. 327 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:53,934 Quail, perfectly done. 328 00:13:54,467 --> 00:13:56,867 A nice sear on the outside. 329 00:13:56,867 --> 00:13:59,266 You get some underlying notes of smokiness 330 00:13:59,266 --> 00:14:01,767 from the chili and the cumin. 331 00:14:01,767 --> 00:14:04,467 I think you nailed the three sisters casserole puree. 332 00:14:04,467 --> 00:14:07,166 -Yeah. -It's got a little underlying note of sweetness 333 00:14:07,166 --> 00:14:09,367 that I think really works against that spice rub again that you made. 334 00:14:09,367 --> 00:14:11,500 Where I run into trouble is the salad. 335 00:14:11,500 --> 00:14:13,900 It doesn't really read like a salad to me. 336 00:14:13,900 --> 00:14:15,066 It's just chili and cactus. 337 00:14:15,066 --> 00:14:17,300 And the fried bread croutons, I don't mind them so much, 338 00:14:17,300 --> 00:14:19,000 but they're just really big. 339 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:22,000 -Thank you, chef. -[Kelsey] My issue is also the salad. 340 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:24,367 More acid, more salt all throughout. 341 00:14:24,367 --> 00:14:25,600 Thank you. 342 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:28,200 Thank you, Chef Tony. Next up, Chef Ashley. 343 00:14:28,667 --> 00:14:30,166 So this first course is 344 00:14:30,166 --> 00:14:32,800 aromatic spiced quail. 345 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:35,967 And the bottom is calabacitas-style Western caviar. 346 00:14:35,967 --> 00:14:38,166 And then just refried fried bread. 347 00:14:38,166 --> 00:14:39,533 Just to get a little more crispiness. 348 00:14:42,367 --> 00:14:44,667 Ashley, it's kind of astonishing that 349 00:14:44,667 --> 00:14:46,867 you were able to get this amount of flavor in the quail 350 00:14:46,867 --> 00:14:48,667 in such a short amount of time. 351 00:14:48,667 --> 00:14:51,667 Those aromatic spices, it definitely works. 352 00:14:51,667 --> 00:14:53,400 And the three sister casserole, 353 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:55,367 the amount of vinegar that you put inside of it 354 00:14:55,367 --> 00:14:57,100 kind of transformed it into something else. 355 00:14:57,100 --> 00:15:00,100 A little take on what we call cowboy caviar, western caviar. 356 00:15:00,100 --> 00:15:01,367 [Eddie] Cowboy caviar, exactly. 357 00:15:01,367 --> 00:15:03,767 It really plays nicely with those aromatic spices 358 00:15:03,767 --> 00:15:06,300 -that you have going on in the quail. -Thank you. 359 00:15:06,300 --> 00:15:09,266 My biggest thing, I actually think there still needs to be more acid. 360 00:15:09,266 --> 00:15:12,066 But everything on here feels very cowboyish, 361 00:15:12,066 --> 00:15:16,400 by a fire, give us a cup of something warm or whiskey. 362 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:18,600 -[all laughing] -I don't mind it. 363 00:15:19,500 --> 00:15:21,000 [Chris] I mean, look, it's delicious. 364 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:23,767 My only issue with it is there's just so much butter 365 00:15:23,767 --> 00:15:25,500 and also the deep fried bread. 366 00:15:25,500 --> 00:15:27,567 You know, if you move forward, let's try to just balance out 367 00:15:27,567 --> 00:15:30,000 -the fat and the lean on your plate. -Thank you. 368 00:15:30,567 --> 00:15:32,066 [Ted] Finally, Chef Izz. 369 00:15:32,066 --> 00:15:36,967 Today I made for you a quail adovada stuffed fry bread 370 00:15:36,967 --> 00:15:39,500 with grilled nopal pico de gallo 371 00:15:39,500 --> 00:15:42,300 and refried three-sister casserole. 372 00:15:44,567 --> 00:15:47,066 -Where are you from, Chef? -Albuquerque, New Mexico. 373 00:15:47,066 --> 00:15:49,700 More than anything, I wanted to represent where I'm from 374 00:15:49,700 --> 00:15:51,567 and that I wanted to make humble food 375 00:15:51,567 --> 00:15:53,100 eaten by people at home. 376 00:15:53,100 --> 00:15:55,533 I feel really good that I did that here in this round. 377 00:15:57,567 --> 00:16:00,200 I think that's a very interesting way 378 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:01,967 to use that casserole. 379 00:16:01,967 --> 00:16:03,600 We all kind of were saying puree it 380 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:04,767 and make a sauce out of it. 381 00:16:04,767 --> 00:16:07,667 And so I think the fact that you did that and you added 382 00:16:07,667 --> 00:16:10,500 some heat to it was really the kicker there. 383 00:16:10,500 --> 00:16:12,400 Izz, you nailed this challenge. 384 00:16:13,867 --> 00:16:15,900 [Eddie] This is amazing gameplay. 385 00:16:15,900 --> 00:16:18,467 I think you utilize each ingredient beautifully. 386 00:16:18,467 --> 00:16:21,266 You got a heavy char on the outside of this fried bread. 387 00:16:21,266 --> 00:16:23,166 But then you also fried the nopales. 388 00:16:23,166 --> 00:16:24,900 Eating them and getting these pops of char, 389 00:16:24,900 --> 00:16:26,767 it goes really good with those sweet tomatoes. 390 00:16:26,767 --> 00:16:30,166 My only knock with this dish is because the fried bread is so big, 391 00:16:30,166 --> 00:16:31,567 you need more of that quail. 392 00:16:31,567 --> 00:16:32,734 Heard that. 393 00:16:32,734 --> 00:16:36,166 I love the concept and the point of view of a sandwich. 394 00:16:36,166 --> 00:16:37,767 This eats amazing. 395 00:16:37,767 --> 00:16:40,734 I'm going to say something I haven't said ever in 15 years. 396 00:16:43,266 --> 00:16:45,200 If it's up to me, you're not getting chopped this round. 397 00:16:45,367 --> 00:16:46,467 Okay. 398 00:16:46,467 --> 00:16:48,900 I'm just gonna save that in my brain 399 00:16:48,900 --> 00:16:51,000 to hold on to that for a while. 400 00:16:52,500 --> 00:16:54,667 That was a great first round. Unfortunately, 401 00:16:54,667 --> 00:16:57,233 only three of you will get to make an entree. 402 00:16:58,367 --> 00:17:00,700 I'm not overly confident by any means. 403 00:17:00,700 --> 00:17:03,367 Definitely some improvements, obviously some seasoning. 404 00:17:03,367 --> 00:17:05,467 I had it in my mind not to make it too spicy, 405 00:17:05,467 --> 00:17:07,166 and then it was not spicy at all. 406 00:17:07,166 --> 00:17:09,600 So that needs to be changed for the next round. 407 00:17:11,667 --> 00:17:13,867 [Tony] At this moment, I'm feeling all the stress. 408 00:17:13,867 --> 00:17:15,200 I'm a little worried about the nopales. 409 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:17,667 If I could have done a little more with them, five more minutes, 410 00:17:17,667 --> 00:17:19,100 I would have been able to taste a little more 411 00:17:19,100 --> 00:17:20,367 and add a little more to it. 412 00:17:20,367 --> 00:17:21,800 But, you know, the clock is what it is. 413 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:30,700 So, whose ditch is on the chopping block? 414 00:17:32,367 --> 00:17:33,700 [dramatic music playing] 415 00:17:40,667 --> 00:17:42,400 [Ted] Chef Tony, you've been chopped. 416 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:44,033 Judges? 417 00:17:44,033 --> 00:17:47,367 Tony, we thought that your quail was beautifully seasoned. 418 00:17:47,367 --> 00:17:49,667 The downfall is that your nopales 419 00:17:49,667 --> 00:17:52,934 wasn't really seasoned, and it wasn't really a salad. 420 00:17:53,467 --> 00:17:55,233 And so we had to chop you. 421 00:17:57,266 --> 00:17:58,266 [Tony] Well, you never want to be the first. 422 00:17:58,266 --> 00:18:00,066 It's a little bit of a tough pill to swallow, 423 00:18:00,066 --> 00:18:01,667 but at the end of the day, like, I know at least 424 00:18:01,667 --> 00:18:03,634 I put out a good effort, and I put out a strong showing. 425 00:18:06,100 --> 00:18:08,367 Chef Derek, Chef Ashley, Chef Izz, 426 00:18:08,367 --> 00:18:10,166 are you ready for round two? 427 00:18:10,166 --> 00:18:11,200 -Let's go. -I'm ready. 428 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:12,033 Giddy up. 429 00:18:12,033 --> 00:18:14,500 Time to take that basket by the horns. 430 00:18:16,500 --> 00:18:17,900 Check out your ingredients. 431 00:18:19,667 --> 00:18:21,166 -Ooh. -Hell, yeah. 432 00:18:21,166 --> 00:18:22,166 Okay. 433 00:18:22,166 --> 00:18:24,767 [Ted] What you're looking at is elk tenderloin. 434 00:18:24,767 --> 00:18:26,567 Yes, please. 435 00:18:26,567 --> 00:18:29,000 Now this is a beautiful sight to see. 436 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:30,400 [Ted] Chile ristras. 437 00:18:32,066 --> 00:18:33,700 -Tamales. -[Ted] Cheese tamales. 438 00:18:33,700 --> 00:18:35,900 -Gorgeous. -Tamales. 439 00:18:35,900 --> 00:18:38,700 -Ah, prickly pear. -[Ted] And prickly pear. 440 00:18:39,567 --> 00:18:41,066 There's a lot I can do with this. 441 00:18:41,066 --> 00:18:43,900 The judges are expecting entrees in 30 minutes. 442 00:18:46,367 --> 00:18:48,800 -Clock starts now. -[Kelsey] Hey, let's go. 443 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:55,200 Really love this basket. 444 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:56,567 I especially love the elk tenderloin. 445 00:18:56,567 --> 00:18:57,800 I mean, that's a gift. 446 00:18:57,800 --> 00:18:59,467 [Chris] Very, very lean, and you want to be very, very careful 447 00:18:59,467 --> 00:19:00,667 not to overcook it. 448 00:19:00,667 --> 00:19:02,567 Medium rare, medium at most. 449 00:19:02,567 --> 00:19:05,767 [Kelsey] We saw perfect cooking from the proteins in this first round. 450 00:19:05,767 --> 00:19:08,266 -Like, I'm expecting that in the second round. -Yeah. 451 00:19:08,266 --> 00:19:10,100 But what can they do with the prickly pear? 452 00:19:10,100 --> 00:19:12,133 -What can they do with the tamales? -Yeah. 453 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:16,500 [Ashley] Elk tenderloin, it's definitely been 454 00:19:16,500 --> 00:19:18,667 part of my menu. I know how to break it down. 455 00:19:18,667 --> 00:19:20,367 This is going to be easy. 456 00:19:20,367 --> 00:19:22,867 I'm making a seared elk tenderloin, 457 00:19:22,867 --> 00:19:25,500 a tamale fritter, elk demi-glace, 458 00:19:25,500 --> 00:19:27,834 and a prickly pear gel. 459 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:29,033 Okay. 460 00:19:29,033 --> 00:19:31,767 I'm waiting to cook these because it's something 461 00:19:31,767 --> 00:19:34,200 that doesn't need to be cooked well done. 462 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:36,300 This demi-glace sauce is going to add 463 00:19:36,300 --> 00:19:39,000 a punch of flavor to the elk tenderloin. 464 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:40,300 It's going to be rich. 465 00:19:40,300 --> 00:19:44,300 I'm adding elk tenderloin, carrot, tomato paste, 466 00:19:44,300 --> 00:19:46,500 my chilies, of course. 467 00:19:46,500 --> 00:19:49,667 [Chris] Chili ristras is basically a wreath of hatch chili. 468 00:19:49,667 --> 00:19:52,300 Do get a little bit of spice, but I think the beauty of it 469 00:19:52,300 --> 00:19:53,533 has this smokiness. 470 00:19:54,367 --> 00:19:55,600 Oh, those chilies. 471 00:20:00,367 --> 00:20:02,166 Let's go, baby. Let's go. 472 00:20:02,166 --> 00:20:03,967 I'm feeling like I set the bar pretty high 473 00:20:03,967 --> 00:20:07,433 in the appetizer round, and I wouldn't have it any other way. 474 00:20:09,300 --> 00:20:11,867 I am crusting this elk tenderloin 475 00:20:11,867 --> 00:20:14,367 with a coffee chili rub. 476 00:20:14,367 --> 00:20:17,800 Izz, you seem pretty excited with those ingredients. What you doing? 477 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:20,066 [Izz] I'm doing a chili rub on my elk 478 00:20:20,066 --> 00:20:23,767 and cheese tamale polenta situation. 479 00:20:23,767 --> 00:20:26,367 Tamales and polenta, they're essentially both 480 00:20:26,367 --> 00:20:27,533 dried corn products. 481 00:20:27,533 --> 00:20:30,066 And I add that mascarpone just to give it a little bit 482 00:20:30,066 --> 00:20:32,200 more body and a little bit more richness. 483 00:20:34,867 --> 00:20:37,767 We have an interesting dynamic is crush the first round, 484 00:20:37,767 --> 00:20:39,467 but that we all have really high expectations 485 00:20:39,467 --> 00:20:40,700 -for him now, too, right? -Yeah. 486 00:20:40,700 --> 00:20:43,800 [Kelsey] Although Ashley and Derek, their cooking was strong, 487 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:46,133 and that shows a lot of promise. 488 00:20:49,166 --> 00:20:51,600 [Derek] Because of how well Izz did in the first round, 489 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:54,033 I need to step it up and really show them what I got. 490 00:20:54,300 --> 00:20:55,467 All right. 491 00:20:56,467 --> 00:20:59,767 I'm making seared elk tenderloin over 492 00:20:59,767 --> 00:21:02,500 a roasted poblano tamale pudding. 493 00:21:06,300 --> 00:21:10,100 -So what do y'all think about Derek grilling his elk whole? -I like this. 494 00:21:10,100 --> 00:21:13,000 -And not breaking it down. -He's basically basting it whole now 495 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:14,767 with jalapeno butter. 496 00:21:14,767 --> 00:21:16,867 I think it looks really beautiful. 497 00:21:16,867 --> 00:21:19,400 All right, just 15 minutes on the clock. 498 00:21:19,667 --> 00:21:20,867 Heard. 499 00:21:22,667 --> 00:21:25,100 [Eddie] Prickly pear has a very watered down, 500 00:21:25,100 --> 00:21:26,900 like watermelon kind of a flavor. 501 00:21:26,900 --> 00:21:29,066 [Kelsey] It lacks the sweet and the acid that 502 00:21:29,066 --> 00:21:30,367 a traditional fruit would. 503 00:21:30,367 --> 00:21:33,467 Red wine vinegar would even be wonderful with that. 504 00:21:33,467 --> 00:21:37,000 [Ashley] I'm adding gelatin sheets to the prickly pear. 505 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:39,467 This is going to add the acidity that Chef Kelsey 506 00:21:39,467 --> 00:21:41,033 was asking in the last round. 507 00:21:41,867 --> 00:21:44,667 Tamales are steamed masa. 508 00:21:44,667 --> 00:21:48,000 It's corn flour, and it's stuffed with cheese. 509 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:51,166 First, I get started on breaking down the tamales, 510 00:21:51,166 --> 00:21:53,934 getting the masa so I can make a new dough out of it. 511 00:21:55,867 --> 00:21:57,800 Ashley, what is that that you put in the pan? 512 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:00,867 -Kind of like a tamale fritter. -Tamale fritter. 513 00:22:00,867 --> 00:22:02,567 -[Ashley] Great. -Looks great. 514 00:22:02,567 --> 00:22:04,500 -Sauce, too. -Yeah, let's keeps them cooked. 515 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:07,600 Have we seen Ashley cook her elk yet? 516 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:10,266 [Ted] It's not cooked, and we are under eight minutes. 517 00:22:10,266 --> 00:22:12,367 [Kelsey] I am very concerned. 518 00:22:12,367 --> 00:22:15,000 At this point, I would want my elk to be resting. 519 00:22:16,867 --> 00:22:20,200 [Ashley] I want the cook on this elk to be medium rare. 520 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:21,500 Okay. 521 00:22:21,500 --> 00:22:24,467 So I get a good sear on it. I add in my butter. 522 00:22:24,467 --> 00:22:26,600 But I cut these things huge. 523 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:27,867 Come on, guys. Come on. 524 00:22:27,867 --> 00:22:29,567 I underestimated my time. 525 00:22:29,567 --> 00:22:30,867 I should have put them in the oven, 526 00:22:30,867 --> 00:22:32,800 like I did the quail in the last round. 527 00:22:33,667 --> 00:22:35,100 Keep going. 528 00:22:38,367 --> 00:22:41,700 [Kelsey] All right, so Izz has pureed this prickly pear, 529 00:22:41,700 --> 00:22:43,967 strained it, and he has, like, a juice. 530 00:22:43,967 --> 00:22:45,367 It's beautiful. 531 00:22:45,367 --> 00:22:48,567 [Izz] I really want to showcase what a prickly pear is all about. 532 00:22:48,567 --> 00:22:50,367 Got a lot of brightness, sweetness, 533 00:22:50,367 --> 00:22:53,500 and it definitely lends itself to a vinaigrette. 534 00:22:54,266 --> 00:22:57,100 But it needs just a little more depth, 535 00:22:57,100 --> 00:22:59,800 so just whisk in some Dijon mustard. 536 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:00,934 Let's go just like that. 537 00:23:02,100 --> 00:23:04,300 [Eddie] Derek's beautiful dish in the first round, 538 00:23:04,300 --> 00:23:05,467 but everything was lacking seasoning. 539 00:23:05,467 --> 00:23:07,734 So I want to see him bring that seasoning in this round. 540 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:12,000 The soft macha is going to accompany the elk beautifully 541 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:14,667 because the elk has a natural sweetness to it. 542 00:23:14,667 --> 00:23:17,467 The chilies are working. Yes, they are. 543 00:23:17,467 --> 00:23:19,967 Salsa macha is an oil-based salsa seasoned 544 00:23:19,967 --> 00:23:22,300 with chilies and some sort of nut or seed. 545 00:23:22,300 --> 00:23:24,767 -It's gonna be cashews. -Ooh, those chilies are nice. 546 00:23:24,767 --> 00:23:28,166 As I'm toasting the chilies, there's a good bit of smoke. 547 00:23:28,166 --> 00:23:29,166 My nose hurts. 548 00:23:29,166 --> 00:23:30,634 [all coughing] 549 00:23:33,700 --> 00:23:35,166 -Wow. -It's getting hard to breathe in here 550 00:23:35,166 --> 00:23:38,066 with so much chili smoke in the air. 551 00:23:38,066 --> 00:23:40,066 We're bringing the smoke, as you can tell. 552 00:23:40,066 --> 00:23:41,467 Breathe it in. 553 00:23:42,166 --> 00:23:44,567 [Chris] This is a first in Chopped history I think, 554 00:23:44,567 --> 00:23:48,467 we can't even get the... [coughs] Can't even get our words out. 555 00:23:48,467 --> 00:23:50,367 [Derek] If you can't handle the heat, 556 00:23:50,367 --> 00:23:52,233 then you don't belong in the West. 557 00:23:52,967 --> 00:23:54,767 I feel it, baby. 558 00:23:54,767 --> 00:23:56,400 Five minutes, chefs, five. 559 00:23:56,767 --> 00:23:58,400 Heard, five. 560 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:01,000 [grunts] All right. 561 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:03,066 -Derek, I'm watching him move around. -For sure. 562 00:24:03,066 --> 00:24:04,900 -He's making smart choices. -[Chris] Yeah, you know what? 563 00:24:04,900 --> 00:24:06,367 -He's making a salad. -[Kelsey] I love that. 564 00:24:06,367 --> 00:24:07,834 [Chris] And there's herbs in the salad, 565 00:24:07,834 --> 00:24:12,000 but he chopped everything up, including the stems, and I love that move. 566 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:15,600 [Derek] The prickly pear has the most berry-like flavor to it. 567 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:17,967 I throw it in the pan with some sherry vinegar 568 00:24:17,967 --> 00:24:20,100 and a little bit of apricot jam as well. 569 00:24:20,100 --> 00:24:22,033 I'm going to strain all those seeds out. 570 00:24:23,066 --> 00:24:25,066 He's got his hot prickly pear, 571 00:24:25,066 --> 00:24:27,367 -so it's going to be like a wilted salad. -I love it. 572 00:24:27,367 --> 00:24:29,133 -I love it. -I love that. 573 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:33,000 Oh, this is good. 574 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:35,367 Izz, is your elk in the oven or resting? 575 00:24:35,367 --> 00:24:37,567 Yeah, resting. Come on, I'm a professional. 576 00:24:37,567 --> 00:24:38,734 [all] Oh! 577 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:41,700 [Kelsey] Shots fired. 578 00:24:41,700 --> 00:24:43,667 [Chris] Ashley's tenderloin is still in the pan. 579 00:24:43,667 --> 00:24:45,600 We have one minute to go. 580 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:46,600 Go, Ashley! 581 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:49,200 -Chefs, how are you guys feeling? -Feeling hot. 582 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:50,867 -We're getting there. -Definitely. 583 00:24:50,867 --> 00:24:52,800 -Let's go, everybody. -[Kelsey] Finishing touches. 584 00:24:53,367 --> 00:24:54,433 Oh, wow. 585 00:24:54,433 --> 00:24:57,467 [Ted] All right, chefs, this round will be over in 586 00:24:57,467 --> 00:25:02,300 Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, 587 00:25:02,667 --> 00:25:05,767 five, four, three, 588 00:25:05,767 --> 00:25:08,000 two, one. 589 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:10,166 -Time's up. -Wow. 590 00:25:10,166 --> 00:25:12,000 -Great job, Chef. -[Kelsey] Nice, y'all. 591 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:14,033 -[Ted] Great job. -[Kelsey] That was fun to watch. 592 00:25:14,867 --> 00:25:16,500 Never thought I could make a demi in 30 minutes. 593 00:25:18,066 --> 00:25:20,500 I think it went great. Don't tell anybody. 594 00:25:22,467 --> 00:25:25,367 [Izz] I'm a little worried. I absolutely feel pressure. 595 00:25:25,367 --> 00:25:28,166 The weight of a whole region on my shoulders, 596 00:25:28,166 --> 00:25:32,767 and I just want to pay service and respect the ingredients. 597 00:25:32,767 --> 00:25:34,133 Hopefully, I'm the guy to do it. 598 00:25:44,100 --> 00:25:46,767 Chefs, we challenge you to make main dishes 599 00:25:46,767 --> 00:25:50,400 with elk tenderloin, chile ristras, 600 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:53,667 cheese tamales, and prickly pear. 601 00:25:53,667 --> 00:25:56,300 All right, Chef Derek, please tell us about your dish. 602 00:25:56,567 --> 00:25:58,000 Okie dokie. 603 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:00,266 I've made a seared elk tenderloin 604 00:26:00,266 --> 00:26:02,266 sitting over a pudding, essentially, 605 00:26:02,266 --> 00:26:04,667 of a mixed up tamale with some burnt poblanos. 606 00:26:04,667 --> 00:26:08,700 And there's a salad tossed in a prickly pear vinaigrette. 607 00:26:10,900 --> 00:26:15,266 Derek, nothing that's on this plate seems like an afterthought. 608 00:26:15,266 --> 00:26:18,200 The elk, the rub on the outside is spot on. 609 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:20,200 The cook is about as good as you can get. 610 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:22,900 The pudding that you have doesn't lend any heat 611 00:26:22,900 --> 00:26:25,266 because the heat is coming from the salsa macha, 612 00:26:25,266 --> 00:26:27,000 and they work beautifully together. 613 00:26:27,900 --> 00:26:30,767 The pudding on the bottom, it tastes like masa, 614 00:26:30,767 --> 00:26:33,066 but then you have this herbaceousness to it. 615 00:26:33,066 --> 00:26:35,967 That prickly pear you made into a vinaigrette, 616 00:26:35,967 --> 00:26:37,467 that was really smart. 617 00:26:37,467 --> 00:26:38,800 -Beautiful job. -Thank you so much. 618 00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:40,233 [Chris] Yeah, I am... 619 00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:43,467 This is outstanding. 620 00:26:43,467 --> 00:26:46,066 The heat with these chilies is just perfect. 621 00:26:46,066 --> 00:26:50,266 I mean, I've got a large pool of oil at the bottom of my plate, 622 00:26:50,266 --> 00:26:53,467 but the balance between cool and hot is delicious. 623 00:26:53,467 --> 00:26:55,500 So you definitely nailed the Southwest feel for me. 624 00:26:55,500 --> 00:26:56,700 Thanks so much. 625 00:26:57,000 --> 00:26:58,367 Next up, Chef Izz. 626 00:26:58,367 --> 00:27:02,166 So we have a coffee and chili crusted elk tenderloin 627 00:27:02,166 --> 00:27:06,567 on a tamale polenta and a salad with 628 00:27:06,567 --> 00:27:08,200 a prickly pear vinaigrette. 629 00:27:10,367 --> 00:27:11,800 [Eddie] You got the skills, man. 630 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:13,467 I'm really digging this coffee rub that 631 00:27:13,467 --> 00:27:15,467 you have on the outside of that elk. 632 00:27:15,467 --> 00:27:18,266 It gives it a really deep, like, smoky char flavor. 633 00:27:18,266 --> 00:27:20,166 And then you get that sweetness from the inside. 634 00:27:20,166 --> 00:27:21,600 That just kind of almost brought me back to 635 00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:23,166 my childhood eating this, right? 636 00:27:23,166 --> 00:27:25,834 The thing that I'm missing is the chili. 637 00:27:26,066 --> 00:27:27,600 Okay. 638 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:30,900 [Kelsey] When you have that molasses, brown sugar with 639 00:27:30,900 --> 00:27:34,567 an already smoked chili with coffee, it just goes better. 640 00:27:34,567 --> 00:27:38,166 It's not unpleasant, though. It's just lacking a little. 641 00:27:38,166 --> 00:27:39,800 [Chris] I love what you did with the tamale. 642 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:42,467 It's creamy, it's unctuous. It's a great foil for 643 00:27:42,467 --> 00:27:45,934 this prickly pear vinaigrette you made, which is outstanding. 644 00:27:47,567 --> 00:27:48,867 [Ted] Thoughts on what you might do with 645 00:27:48,867 --> 00:27:50,600 the prize money should you win? 646 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:53,500 Um, I've been really focusing in my career to not only be 647 00:27:53,500 --> 00:27:55,400 a good chef, but I want to be a great leader. 648 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:57,767 I know in my career, my biggest learning opportunities 649 00:27:57,767 --> 00:27:59,600 have been stepping outside of New Mexico 650 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:01,600 and just eating different cultures. 651 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:03,567 I want to take the whole staff on a vacation, 652 00:28:03,567 --> 00:28:05,100 and I want to give that to them. 653 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:06,500 Thank you, Chef Izz. 654 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:08,400 Finally, Chef Ashley. 655 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:12,000 So we have a seared elk tenderloin, 656 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:13,967 a fritter that I made from the tamales. 657 00:28:13,967 --> 00:28:16,266 The chilies is in the demi-glace 658 00:28:16,266 --> 00:28:18,834 and prickly pear gel. 659 00:28:20,767 --> 00:28:24,333 Ashley, the very strongest part of this dish is the sauce. 660 00:28:25,266 --> 00:28:26,467 Very velvety. 661 00:28:26,467 --> 00:28:28,100 The flavor is there, the salt. 662 00:28:28,100 --> 00:28:31,567 I wouldn't necessarily say this is a fritter, but I like it. 663 00:28:31,567 --> 00:28:33,767 You're calling it a fritter, but it is like polenta. 664 00:28:33,767 --> 00:28:37,300 It's really silky and smooth. It's delicious. 665 00:28:37,300 --> 00:28:39,900 I have a beautifully cooked piece of elk in front of me, so thank you. 666 00:28:39,900 --> 00:28:41,667 The prickly pear sauce tastes good. 667 00:28:41,667 --> 00:28:43,200 It just seems a little out of place for me. 668 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:45,767 -But overall, I love this dish. -Thank you. 669 00:28:45,767 --> 00:28:47,667 The seasoning on the tenderloin, 670 00:28:47,667 --> 00:28:49,967 I think, is really, really good. 671 00:28:49,967 --> 00:28:52,500 As you can see, my tenderloin is under. 672 00:28:53,367 --> 00:28:54,867 I think the thing that brings everything together 673 00:28:54,867 --> 00:28:56,367 is this demi that you have. 674 00:28:56,367 --> 00:28:58,667 Seems like you have more than 30 minutes. 675 00:28:58,667 --> 00:29:00,700 Chef Ashley, if you were to go on and win this thing, 676 00:29:00,700 --> 00:29:01,667 you'd get a prize. 677 00:29:01,667 --> 00:29:03,300 Any thoughts on what you might do with that? 678 00:29:03,300 --> 00:29:05,867 The prize money would go to my family 679 00:29:05,867 --> 00:29:08,166 because they are my biggest supporters. 680 00:29:08,166 --> 00:29:11,800 I would not be standing here today if I didn't have them. 681 00:29:12,567 --> 00:29:13,900 Chef Ashley, thank you. 682 00:29:14,300 --> 00:29:16,600 [dramatic music playing] 683 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:20,000 [Ashley] They love the ingredients and the flavor profiles, 684 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:23,200 but the cook on my elk was way underdone. 685 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:25,300 I should have started it a lot earlier. 686 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:29,467 [Izz] I think maybe it's between me and Ashley. 687 00:29:29,467 --> 00:29:31,800 The type of rub I used kind of lended itself to be 688 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:35,200 a little too bitter, so I hope that doesn't send me packing. 689 00:29:39,700 --> 00:29:42,133 Whose dish is on the chopping block? 690 00:29:51,367 --> 00:29:53,400 Chef Ashley, you've been chopped. 691 00:29:53,400 --> 00:29:54,667 Judges? 692 00:29:54,667 --> 00:29:58,100 Chef Ashley, the seasoning on the elk tenderloin was perfect. 693 00:29:58,100 --> 00:30:00,800 Unfortunately, you severely undercooked the elk, 694 00:30:00,800 --> 00:30:02,867 and the prickly pear gel just didn't seem to have 695 00:30:02,867 --> 00:30:04,400 a place on the plate, 696 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:06,400 and so we had to chop you. 697 00:30:07,100 --> 00:30:08,100 Heard. 698 00:30:08,100 --> 00:30:09,867 Thank you. 699 00:30:09,867 --> 00:30:12,166 My family is definitely gonna be proud of me. 700 00:30:12,166 --> 00:30:13,567 They've told me a million times, 701 00:30:13,567 --> 00:30:16,133 get Chopped the first round or win. 702 00:30:16,767 --> 00:30:18,133 They're gonna be very proud. 703 00:30:23,500 --> 00:30:26,967 Chef Derek, Chef Izz, any words of wisdom 704 00:30:26,967 --> 00:30:29,100 or warning for each other? 705 00:30:29,100 --> 00:30:31,000 It's high noon, and I'm ready for a duel. 706 00:30:31,467 --> 00:30:32,667 I'm your huckleberry. 707 00:30:32,667 --> 00:30:33,900 [Ted] All right. 708 00:30:33,900 --> 00:30:36,834 Let's see what you've got for this Wild West dessert round. 709 00:30:38,867 --> 00:30:40,300 Let's see those ingredients. 710 00:30:42,667 --> 00:30:44,166 [laughs] 711 00:30:44,166 --> 00:30:46,233 You've got white chocolate chips. 712 00:30:46,767 --> 00:30:48,600 [Izz] Cool. Great. 713 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:52,266 -Ruby red grapefruit. -Delicious-looking grapefruit. 714 00:30:52,266 --> 00:30:54,367 Absolutely loves that. 715 00:30:54,367 --> 00:30:57,266 -Mesquite flower. -Mesquite flower? 716 00:30:57,266 --> 00:30:59,800 -Okay. -What in the hellfire? 717 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:03,000 And I spy more cacti 718 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:04,600 cactus macarons. 719 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:07,233 [Izz] Okay. I have no idea what that is. 720 00:31:08,166 --> 00:31:10,500 -This is... -It's a good one. 721 00:31:10,500 --> 00:31:13,500 [Ted] 30 minutes to whip up exquisite desserts. 722 00:31:14,500 --> 00:31:15,734 Clock starts now. 723 00:31:16,300 --> 00:31:18,033 I feel it, baby. 724 00:31:19,667 --> 00:31:21,033 Behind you. 725 00:31:21,033 --> 00:31:23,300 -[Chris] This is a special, special dessert round. -[Kelsey] Yeah. 726 00:31:23,300 --> 00:31:26,166 These two guys have been just crushing it all day. 727 00:31:26,166 --> 00:31:27,700 [Kelsey] They both are from the Southwest, 728 00:31:27,700 --> 00:31:29,500 but so different, their takes on it, right? 729 00:31:29,500 --> 00:31:32,867 -Which I love that. -Arizona versus New Mexico. 730 00:31:32,867 --> 00:31:35,600 I think this is very much a head-to-head battle. 731 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:37,100 What they say in the Wild West, 732 00:31:37,100 --> 00:31:39,266 -this town's only big enough for one of us. -Yeah. 733 00:31:39,266 --> 00:31:40,934 [all laughing] 734 00:31:43,567 --> 00:31:48,667 Mesquite flour is the pod from the mesquite tree. 735 00:31:48,667 --> 00:31:51,100 It's toasted, dried, and then ground up into 736 00:31:51,100 --> 00:31:52,667 a very fine powder. 737 00:31:52,667 --> 00:31:55,133 Almost warm spice vibes. 738 00:31:55,667 --> 00:31:57,667 Hey, Derek, what we make? 739 00:31:57,667 --> 00:32:00,266 We're gonna do a little Western clafoutis. 740 00:32:00,266 --> 00:32:02,000 Mesquite's gonna go great in this. 741 00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:03,266 [Kelsey] Oh, that is smart. 742 00:32:03,266 --> 00:32:04,867 [Chris] Clafoutis is like an egg custard. 743 00:32:04,867 --> 00:32:05,867 I love clafoutis. 744 00:32:06,867 --> 00:32:10,467 [Derek] The clafoutis is a baked custard cake 745 00:32:10,467 --> 00:32:11,767 with fruits in it. 746 00:32:11,767 --> 00:32:14,133 I'm going to use these wonderful dates. 747 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:17,767 While I'm making the clafoutis, 748 00:32:17,767 --> 00:32:20,300 I'm trying to figure out what to do with the cactus macarons. 749 00:32:20,300 --> 00:32:22,400 I have no idea where they're going. 750 00:32:23,867 --> 00:32:26,166 I'm feeling the most pressure in this round. 751 00:32:26,166 --> 00:32:29,066 If I were to win today, I would find myself on 752 00:32:29,066 --> 00:32:32,166 a vacation or an adventure with my wife, 753 00:32:32,166 --> 00:32:34,634 having fun and getting into shenanigans. 754 00:32:37,367 --> 00:32:40,467 I want more smokiness in the clafoutis. 755 00:32:40,467 --> 00:32:43,000 So I go and grab some sweet blue chips. 756 00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:45,367 Chillin', baby. Chillin'. 757 00:32:47,700 --> 00:32:50,467 He just basically burnt that mesquite and put it right in the oven, 758 00:32:50,467 --> 00:32:52,000 so it's smoking in the oven right now. 759 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:53,367 -Really cool. -Wow. 760 00:32:53,367 --> 00:32:55,634 -I haven't seen that done yet. -Oh, that smells good. 761 00:32:59,100 --> 00:33:01,166 [Izz] I haven't been playing it safe this whole time. 762 00:33:01,166 --> 00:33:03,600 My food is a lot like me. 763 00:33:03,600 --> 00:33:05,166 It's strong, it's in your face, 764 00:33:05,166 --> 00:33:06,400 and I'm not holding back. 765 00:33:08,667 --> 00:33:10,300 Izz, what's going on, my man? 766 00:33:10,300 --> 00:33:13,266 I'm making a buttermilk biscuit with some of that 767 00:33:13,266 --> 00:33:15,300 mesquite flour and white chocolate. 768 00:33:15,300 --> 00:33:17,100 I make regular buttermilk biscuits 769 00:33:17,100 --> 00:33:19,266 every day at my restaurant, so I'm going to have 770 00:33:19,266 --> 00:33:21,867 to make this more of a dessert biscuit. 771 00:33:21,867 --> 00:33:24,600 I mix regular flour with mesquite flour, 772 00:33:24,600 --> 00:33:26,967 cold butter, buttermilk, and I'm going to add 773 00:33:26,967 --> 00:33:28,800 the white chocolate chips for some sweetness. 774 00:33:28,800 --> 00:33:31,667 [Kelsey] I'm also concerned about the 50-50 AP to mesquite. 775 00:33:31,667 --> 00:33:34,266 -That mesquite flour is wetter and denser than AP. -[Chris] Yeah. 776 00:33:34,266 --> 00:33:38,000 And you definitely want a dry, light flour for a biscuit. 777 00:33:40,166 --> 00:33:42,233 All right, chefs, 20 minutes on the clock. 778 00:33:46,166 --> 00:33:48,667 [Chris] White chocolate, of course, isn't chocolate, right? 779 00:33:48,667 --> 00:33:51,166 It's basically cocoa butter and vanilla and sugar. 780 00:33:51,166 --> 00:33:53,266 -Very, very, like, sweet. -Yeah. 781 00:33:53,266 --> 00:33:56,767 So you really want to pair that with something that's kind of tart. 782 00:33:56,767 --> 00:33:58,567 I think the grapefruit is something that could work 783 00:33:58,567 --> 00:33:59,667 really well with it. 784 00:33:59,667 --> 00:34:01,367 But the thing about these ruby reds 785 00:34:01,367 --> 00:34:03,967 are that they're not as bitter as a regular grapefruit, 786 00:34:03,967 --> 00:34:06,600 -but they're perfect for a dessert. -Yep, yep. 787 00:34:08,367 --> 00:34:10,767 [Derek] Grapefruit and white chocolate, they're not friends. 788 00:34:10,767 --> 00:34:12,166 They don't go together. 789 00:34:12,166 --> 00:34:14,333 But today, they're going to play together. 790 00:34:15,100 --> 00:34:17,166 I start with some heavy whipping cream 791 00:34:17,166 --> 00:34:19,200 with some vanilla and grapefruit juice. 792 00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:21,700 And then I add my white chocolate ganache. 793 00:34:22,300 --> 00:34:23,900 [Ted] Nice vanilla whipped cream. 794 00:34:23,900 --> 00:34:25,367 [Chris] I like the plain vanilla because there's a lot of 795 00:34:25,367 --> 00:34:26,867 vanilla in the white chocolate. 796 00:34:26,867 --> 00:34:28,300 -There's a lot of vanilla in the macaroon. -[Kelsey] Right. 797 00:34:28,300 --> 00:34:30,367 And I love cream with grapefruit. 798 00:34:30,367 --> 00:34:31,800 It just, it's so tart. 799 00:34:31,800 --> 00:34:33,100 [indistinct chatter] 800 00:34:33,100 --> 00:34:37,166 [Derek] I'm making candied grapefruit peel with some tequila, 801 00:34:37,166 --> 00:34:39,233 agave, and a little bit of water. 802 00:34:41,600 --> 00:34:43,500 [exclaims] 803 00:34:45,166 --> 00:34:48,000 [Izz] I want to make a tequila grapefruit jam, 804 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:50,867 so I cook the grapefruit down, 805 00:34:50,867 --> 00:34:54,200 and tequila is going to bring another depth of flavor to it. 806 00:34:54,200 --> 00:34:56,166 And then I add a touch of apricot jam. 807 00:34:56,166 --> 00:34:58,567 I blend it. It really gives me that thickness 808 00:34:58,567 --> 00:34:59,767 that I'm looking for. 809 00:35:02,367 --> 00:35:04,767 I'm checking my biscuits, and I'm immediately hit with, 810 00:35:04,767 --> 00:35:06,266 like, a smoky smell. 811 00:35:06,266 --> 00:35:08,133 And that's, that's bad. 812 00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:11,900 -Is that color because of the flour? -That's burnt, I think. 813 00:35:11,900 --> 00:35:13,533 Uh-oh. 814 00:35:14,767 --> 00:35:17,900 [Izz] I didn't come this far to be taken out by burnt biscuits. 815 00:35:17,900 --> 00:35:19,333 It's something I do every day. 816 00:35:21,166 --> 00:35:23,000 This is the first time today where Izz seems 817 00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:24,233 a little bit flustered. 818 00:35:24,233 --> 00:35:27,800 [Izz] I have to nail this dessert, or I'm going home. 819 00:35:29,166 --> 00:35:30,734 Behind you. 820 00:35:32,967 --> 00:35:35,000 [Izz] I'm checking my biscuits, and I look at the inside. 821 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:36,900 They're all the way done, but they're not burned. 822 00:35:36,900 --> 00:35:38,900 So while I'm relieved, I'm still worried 823 00:35:38,900 --> 00:35:41,133 I used too much mesquite flour. 824 00:35:42,266 --> 00:35:44,634 Chef, less than five minutes to finish this up. 825 00:35:44,767 --> 00:35:45,800 Groovy. 826 00:35:46,200 --> 00:35:47,700 What are you? 827 00:35:48,467 --> 00:35:50,300 [Kelsey] The thing I love about macaroons is 828 00:35:50,300 --> 00:35:52,100 they're crunchy and chewy at the same time. 829 00:35:52,100 --> 00:35:54,100 I think maybe not overcomplicating that ingredient 830 00:35:54,100 --> 00:35:55,634 -[Eddie] Yeah. -might be the best route. 831 00:35:57,266 --> 00:35:59,100 Coming now. 832 00:35:59,100 --> 00:36:01,300 Derek's going on the blast chiller with his clafoutis. 833 00:36:01,300 --> 00:36:02,467 He's looking good. 834 00:36:02,467 --> 00:36:04,200 Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock. 835 00:36:06,900 --> 00:36:08,300 [Izz] I pull the macarons out of the oven. 836 00:36:08,300 --> 00:36:10,467 I get them and my graham crackers 837 00:36:10,467 --> 00:36:11,967 into a food processor. 838 00:36:11,967 --> 00:36:13,000 I blitz it. 839 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:16,133 The taste of the macarons is not overpowering. 840 00:36:18,667 --> 00:36:21,100 [Derek] These damn macarons just don't belong anywhere. 841 00:36:21,100 --> 00:36:24,400 And I throw them in the food processor. 842 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:27,200 What is Derek doing out with the macaron? 843 00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:29,367 -[Kelsey] I have no idea. -[Eddie] It looks electric. 844 00:36:29,367 --> 00:36:31,500 He's putting it on a sheet tray, I guess, going in the oven. 845 00:36:33,567 --> 00:36:35,667 I'm a little nervous for Derek, for real. 846 00:36:35,667 --> 00:36:36,667 Where's his clafoutis? 847 00:36:36,667 --> 00:36:38,100 [Chris] I think it's in the blast chiller still. 848 00:36:38,100 --> 00:36:39,133 [exclaims] 849 00:36:39,500 --> 00:36:40,834 Come on, Derek. 850 00:36:42,500 --> 00:36:44,767 [Izz] I'm going to use the white chocolate to add 851 00:36:44,767 --> 00:36:47,767 a glaze over the top of my biscuit with lime zest. 852 00:36:47,767 --> 00:36:50,667 -One minute on the clock, folks. -All right, y'all. 853 00:36:50,667 --> 00:36:53,266 -[Eddie] Let's go. -[Kelsey] You got it. Put your spurs on. 854 00:36:53,266 --> 00:36:54,700 [Ted] Get it done. Get it done. 855 00:36:56,100 --> 00:36:59,200 Here we go, chefs. Final seconds of the final round. 856 00:36:59,200 --> 00:37:02,600 10, nine, eight, 857 00:37:02,600 --> 00:37:04,367 -seven... -Let's go, let's go. 858 00:37:04,367 --> 00:37:07,767 Six, five, four, three 859 00:37:07,767 --> 00:37:09,900 two, one. 860 00:37:10,467 --> 00:37:13,400 -Time's up. -[all clapping] 861 00:37:16,100 --> 00:37:17,767 [Derek] I'm worried about the clafoutis. 862 00:37:17,767 --> 00:37:19,967 It is too warm with this sauce. 863 00:37:19,967 --> 00:37:21,367 It's gonna come off a little bit looking like 864 00:37:21,367 --> 00:37:23,033 some sort of clafoutis soup. 865 00:37:24,667 --> 00:37:27,300 [Izz] I definitely overdid the char on the outside of the biscuits, 866 00:37:27,300 --> 00:37:30,233 but hopefully did all right with the other ingredients. 867 00:37:36,066 --> 00:37:39,700 Chef Derek and Chef Izz, you pulled together desserts 868 00:37:39,700 --> 00:37:43,166 with white chocolate chips, ruby red grapefruit, 869 00:37:43,166 --> 00:37:47,166 mesquite flour, and cactus macarons. 870 00:37:47,166 --> 00:37:49,500 So what's for dessert, Chef Derek? 871 00:37:49,500 --> 00:37:53,200 You have a major date and mesquite spice clafoutis, 872 00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:57,000 a white chocolate crema, and then there's some candied grapefruit. 873 00:38:00,166 --> 00:38:04,367 Derek, the texture of it, the caramel that you have, 874 00:38:04,367 --> 00:38:06,934 and then this glaze that you have on top, 875 00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:10,100 it is phenomenal. 876 00:38:10,100 --> 00:38:11,867 Looking at it, you think there's going to be sweet 877 00:38:11,867 --> 00:38:13,066 on top of sweet on top of sweet. 878 00:38:13,066 --> 00:38:15,600 But actually, you get a little bit of kind of smokiness 879 00:38:15,600 --> 00:38:16,967 from that mesquite flour. 880 00:38:16,967 --> 00:38:18,600 It is so well balanced. 881 00:38:18,900 --> 00:38:20,567 Thank you so much. 882 00:38:20,567 --> 00:38:23,367 The only miss for me is the macaroons on the bottom. 883 00:38:23,367 --> 00:38:25,166 Don't know what you were trying to do with it. 884 00:38:25,166 --> 00:38:26,800 They're just kind of there. 885 00:38:26,800 --> 00:38:28,567 For me, it is a little bit on the sweet side, 886 00:38:28,567 --> 00:38:30,266 and I think it's just a ratio thing. 887 00:38:30,266 --> 00:38:32,166 This white chocolate creme has a lot of it, 888 00:38:32,166 --> 00:38:35,767 but really hard basket, and I think you did a really great job. 889 00:38:35,767 --> 00:38:36,800 Thank you. 890 00:38:37,166 --> 00:38:38,600 Finally, Chef Izz. 891 00:38:38,600 --> 00:38:42,900 Uh, I made for you a mesquite flour buttermilk biscuit 892 00:38:42,900 --> 00:38:47,166 in a tequila grapefruit jam and a lime 893 00:38:47,166 --> 00:38:48,967 white chocolate glaze on top with 894 00:38:48,967 --> 00:38:52,600 a graham cracker cactus macaron crumble. 895 00:38:52,600 --> 00:38:54,567 I like the fact that you made this delicious 896 00:38:54,567 --> 00:38:57,100 ruby red jam and then this 897 00:38:57,100 --> 00:38:58,767 really sweet curd situation going on, 898 00:38:58,767 --> 00:39:00,967 but you paired it with tart fruits. 899 00:39:00,967 --> 00:39:03,867 -They play so well together. -Heard that. 900 00:39:03,867 --> 00:39:06,800 But I think the macaroon crumble turned out quite nice. 901 00:39:06,800 --> 00:39:08,967 But I think the biggest issue is definitely the biscuit 902 00:39:08,967 --> 00:39:10,900 in the terms of the mesquite flour. 903 00:39:12,166 --> 00:39:14,467 It's so smoky, it's kind of overwhelming everything. 904 00:39:14,467 --> 00:39:16,467 If you had changed that ratio a little bit, 905 00:39:16,467 --> 00:39:19,667 this would be another third crushing round in a row. 906 00:39:19,667 --> 00:39:21,266 But you set a really high bar for yourself 907 00:39:21,266 --> 00:39:23,233 -in the first two rounds. -I'll take it. 908 00:39:24,567 --> 00:39:28,100 All right, it's almost time to name the Chopped champion. 909 00:39:28,100 --> 00:39:29,300 We'll call you back soon. 910 00:39:32,767 --> 00:39:35,000 Judges, really interesting baskets 911 00:39:35,000 --> 00:39:37,166 for our Southwestern-themed competition. 912 00:39:37,166 --> 00:39:38,300 What were the highlights? 913 00:39:38,300 --> 00:39:42,567 First thing on my mind is Izz's fried bread sandwich. 914 00:39:42,567 --> 00:39:44,000 Oh, it was so good. 915 00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:47,100 One of the best things I've had in this kitchen in a really long time. 916 00:39:47,100 --> 00:39:48,567 Which isn't to say that Derek's dish 917 00:39:48,567 --> 00:39:51,000 wasn't good, because it wasn't bad. 918 00:39:51,000 --> 00:39:53,367 [Kelsey] Very, very creative, but the flavors 919 00:39:53,367 --> 00:39:56,567 and the seasoning was just very one-note. 920 00:39:56,567 --> 00:39:59,266 -But Derek's second dish, that elk with the bread -Yeah. 921 00:39:59,266 --> 00:40:01,300 on the bottom and all the herbs, 922 00:40:01,300 --> 00:40:03,900 it just was one of those things that I would create again. 923 00:40:03,900 --> 00:40:05,867 [Chris] He made that tamale pudding. 924 00:40:05,867 --> 00:40:07,166 -Astounding. -[Eddie] Yeah. 925 00:40:07,166 --> 00:40:10,600 I don't think Izz did as much as Derek did in the second round, 926 00:40:10,600 --> 00:40:13,467 but Izz's dish was amazing. 927 00:40:13,467 --> 00:40:15,867 The tamale polenta that tasted like cheese grits, 928 00:40:15,867 --> 00:40:16,967 I thought was delicious. 929 00:40:16,967 --> 00:40:19,967 The choice of using the chili added as a spice rub, 930 00:40:19,967 --> 00:40:21,266 which I think is beautiful with the coffee, 931 00:40:21,266 --> 00:40:24,967 but using that brown sugar, you totally lost all of that spice. 932 00:40:24,967 --> 00:40:26,000 [both] Yeah. 933 00:40:27,667 --> 00:40:29,300 [dramatic music playing] 934 00:40:33,100 --> 00:40:35,767 [Izz] I feel like I did bright, bold flavors. 935 00:40:35,767 --> 00:40:37,500 I put the Southwest on three plates, 936 00:40:37,500 --> 00:40:39,233 and I deserve to be the winner. 937 00:40:40,767 --> 00:40:43,266 [Derek] I think Izz and I have pretty much been neck and neck. 938 00:40:43,266 --> 00:40:44,767 I'm hoping I can edge them out, 939 00:40:44,767 --> 00:40:47,700 and I think I did that with this dessert. 940 00:40:49,467 --> 00:40:53,100 So whose dish is on the chopping block? 941 00:41:03,567 --> 00:41:05,567 Chef Izz, you've been chopped. 942 00:41:05,567 --> 00:41:06,700 Judges? 943 00:41:06,700 --> 00:41:10,000 [Kelsey] Izz, first course, so strong. 944 00:41:10,000 --> 00:41:12,166 Second course, same thing. 945 00:41:12,166 --> 00:41:13,667 But really, it was the third dish 946 00:41:13,667 --> 00:41:15,367 that separated the two of y'all. 947 00:41:15,367 --> 00:41:17,600 The real issue was that mesquite flour 948 00:41:17,600 --> 00:41:21,066 in the biscuit was just very overpoweringly smoky. 949 00:41:21,066 --> 00:41:23,400 And so we had to chop you. 950 00:41:23,767 --> 00:41:25,166 Beautiful work, brother. 951 00:41:25,166 --> 00:41:26,700 -Thanks, buddy. -Thank you. Congrats. 952 00:41:26,700 --> 00:41:29,800 [Izz] I came here to win, but I also lost to a dude 953 00:41:29,800 --> 00:41:32,233 who cooked his butt off. Like, I can't be mad at that. 954 00:41:33,300 --> 00:41:35,800 And that means, Chef Derek Christensen, 955 00:41:35,800 --> 00:41:39,066 -you are the Chopped Champion. Well done. -[all cheering] 956 00:41:39,066 --> 00:41:41,800 You roped the judges in with an amazing meal, 957 00:41:41,800 --> 00:41:45,000 and now you're riding off into the sunset with $10,000. 958 00:41:45,000 --> 00:41:46,367 It's been an amazing day. 959 00:41:46,367 --> 00:41:49,567 It's been a ton of fun cooking in here in general, 960 00:41:49,567 --> 00:41:51,367 but that's icing on top. 961 00:41:51,367 --> 00:41:52,767 I won it all. 962 00:41:52,767 --> 00:41:55,367 I have proven today that I am one of 963 00:41:55,367 --> 00:41:56,767 the top competitors in the West.