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This is a flashback to an earlier episode of Iron Chef America, but not one to miss. I mean seriously, how can you turn down Battle Butter? Cat Cora battles Chef Koren Grieveson from Avec in Chicago. This chef has been in the military, then went to the Culinary Institue of America, and then became a chef for various “rock bands” that Alton explains in the intro.

With Mediterranean influences, it’s no wonder that Grieveson chooses to battle Cora, although I think she’ll get her butt handed to her. Especially with butter. It looks like there’s a bunch of different types of butter presented: an Irish butter, French Butter, English butter, Goat’s milk butter and good old fashioned American Butter. Alton explains that there are differences in the fat content mostly.

Grieveson’s dishes are:

Popcorn encrusted sea scallop – popcorn goes great with butter – talk about a no-brainer

• Pullet Egg with Brioche – Basically a Toad in the Hole with Hollandaise, bacon, potato, some cheese and peppers. In general, the judges seem to be liking her style
• Pan Roasted Sea Bass with Beurre Monte – Peas, Morel mushrooms, butter and some acidity. Oh, okay, the judges like it but they don’t think it’s all about the butter. Too bad…
• Veal Milanese – brown butter, squash, fennel, basil and a few other things I missed Judges seem to like it – they enjoy the crust on the Veal
• Butter Dessert Tray – Salted caramel ice cream with goat’s milk butter in a pound cake with a brown butter vinaigrette. Judges love it.

Overall, the judges seemed to say favorable things about Chef Grieveson. Hopefully Cora will be able to overcome that.

Cora’s dishes are:

• Bread an Butter – Goat butter, Parsley Butter with a warm baguette. Judges are saying that she may be a cheater just because the dish is so simple. I agree, it’s kind of a cop-out.
• Butternut Squash Tarte Tatin – Buttermilk dressing with a petit herb salad. The judges agree that it highlights the ingredients
• Gnocchi with Brown Butter – buttered truffle with sage brown butter. Well, it’s got truffles in it ;-p
• Butter Poached Scallops – with Apple on top and a celery puree underneath.
• Asian Buttered Pork Tenderloin – marinated in butter and lemongrass cooked sous vide. this is also served with a coconut curry brown butter sauce with Mango celery daikon radish.
• Butter Dessert Tray – a crisp caramelized cake, brown butter rice crispy, brown butter ice milk, sea-salt caramel and raspberry butter sauce.

So yeah, Cora didn’t seem to have as favorable comments from the judges that Grieveson did. Now, I’m worried.

And the winner is…

Yes, I would have totally participated in that. Whenever Food Network is looking for Judges for the show, they can feel free to contact me.

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