Change Preferences | Sign Out
SEARCH:
washingtonpost.com
Web
| Search Archives
Page 2 of 2   <      

Ravioli Rises to the Top

Iron Chef D.C. host Chris Sadler hands out samples at a recent Sunday evening competition.
Iron Chef D.C. host Chris Sadler hands out samples at a recent Sunday evening competition. (Photos By Craig Herndon For The Washington Post)
TOOLBOX
Resize
COMMENT
0 Comments 
Discussion Policy
CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging
» Links to this article

Entrants arrive at the competition site, rotated among members' homes, with a bottle of wine and their dishes mostly complete. A last-minute reheating or boiling of pasta is allowed.

In past competitions, which take place roughly every six weeks, beet ravioli with chive butter and sesame seeds was a winner. Green bell peppers stuffed with chocolate, avocado and goat cheese was, um, not.

"That was the worst meal ever," Gaeta said, reeling from the memory of the stuffed peppers and other chocolate-themed dishes.

Besides a good meal, the competitions serve as inspiration for future dishes. "I saw the potential of pumpkin in a way I never had before," Frost said, referring to a round in which the fruit was the secret ingredient.

For the most recent local Iron Chef dinner, held at Sadler's one-bedroom Adams Morgan apartment, appetizers included shrimp and coconut tamales with a spicy tomatillo dipping sauce. Entrees included the Devinys' coconut chicken soup with lemon grass and chili-garlic sauce and a South Indian fish stew made with cod. And dessert featured Puerto Rican coconut cookies and a decadent coconut and pecan tart with chocolate crust.

Each cook introduced a dish -- lovingly plated on a colorful serving platter -- gave a sales pitch explaining the process and how the key ingredient was incorporated and answered questions about it.

Then everybody dug in, taking a medium-sized portion of each dish.

At the end of the meal, blank Post-Its and pens were handed out for voting. Points are earned for the primacy of the secret ingredient, originality of recipe and presentation.

The winner was clear: Sadler and Chadda's coconut shrimp ravioli with a tasty green curry sauce. Soon their laps were filled with gifts ranging from bamboo spoons to a freshly baked vanilla bean loaf cake featuring vanilla beans recently brought back from Madagascar.

The Devinys took home their empty coconut bowls and red serving platter. Maybe next time.

Eric Weiss covers federal courts for The Post's Metro desk.


<       2


© 2006 The Washington Post Company