Paper Chef Rules, History and Notes on Judging for Edition #11

By Owen, of Tomatilla!...

For absolutely only the fun of it and for no other reason whatsoever, the Paper Chef challenges each and every one of you reading this to let loose your culinary imagination and make up a dish of your own. Loosely based on the ideas of the Iron Chef, fond TV favorite in the US and Japan, and on the British show Ready, Steady, Cook! (fond favorite in the UK), the Paper Chef is all about creativity and constraint, challenge and cooking.

About a week before the event opens, I post an ingredient list from previous events at Tomatilla! Older ingredients fall off the list, as does anything that actually got used in an event. Those ingredients are 'banned' for a month just to prevent the choices being cream and chocolate and cream and chocolate and cream and chocolate and...you get the idea. Any reader of the blog here or at the IMBB forum can nominate a new ingredient (one only please) and it can be anything within the bounds of good taste (both kinds). Three ingredients are chosen at random from the final list and the host (usually me but not always) picks one more ingredient that is topical or seasonal or that suits our whimsy. Then you get a weekend (Friday Noon to Monday Noon) to make up a recipe, cook it and post the recipe to your blog. Then post a comment here or send an email to owenl1998 at yahoo dot com to be included in a roundup. The previous month's winner gets to be judge (and is ineligble that month) and gives out whatever kinds of awards they like.

(Note: for Paper Chef #11 only, please email a permalink to your entry, with your name, blog name and your physical location. Please put the words "Paper Chef Entry" in the subject line of your email!)

I've had lots of questions about things like photographs. Photographs are NOT necessary to take part. Nor is having you own blog - I'll be happy to post a recipe for you if you want. However, it is clear that having a nice photograph will help influence the judges - if they see it looking good it is a lot easier to imagine it tasting
good...

It is also absolutely OK to substitute if you just cannot find an ingredient or if you or someone who will eat the dish has an allergy, or vegan/vegetarian issues - just try to substitute with something close to the original to remain in the spirit of the occasion.

The times are always the first Friday of the month, Noon PST until the following Monday Noon PST. However we aren't sticklers for timekeeping here - a little late and any excuse will do. A LOT late and you'll have to have a really good and creative one to do with cats pushing bowls off counters or the like.

Past event roundups and winners are here:

Paper Chef #1: Cilantro, Ginger, Almonds and Winter Squash

The winner was Curried Chicken and Squash Soup with Meyer Lemon.

Paper Chef #2: Potatoes, Savoy Cabbage, Chicken and Lemon

The winner was Lemon Chicken Egg Rolls with Citrus Dipping Sauce.

Paper Chef #3: Wheat Flour, Cinnamon, Creme Fraiche and Oranges

The winner was Very Posh Cheese and Biscuits.

Paper Chef #4: Eggplant, chocolate, stale bread and pomegranate.

The winner was Cocoa-Pomegranate Roast Chicken with Eggplant Stuffing.

Paper Chef #5: Prosciutto, sherry vinegar, green garlic and goat cheese.

The winner was Garlic chive and Goat's Cheese Ravioli with Sherry Vinegar Reduction and Prosciutto Shards.

Paper Chef #6: Ricotta, strawberries, almond paste and white chocolate.

The winner was Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote with Ricotta-White Chocolate Gelato and Scented Madeleines.

Paper Chef #7: Buttermilk, Dates, Honey and Eggs.

The winner was Feta Souffle with Walnuts, Dates and Feisty Greens.

Paper Chef#8: Cheddar cheese, olives, spinach and either potatoes OR cream, not both.

The winner was Warm Spinach, Cremini, and Kalamata Salad with Creamy White Cheddar Dressing.

Paper Chef #9: Chilli, Peach, Flowers and Something Local.

The winner was a Stuffed Pork Loin.

Paper Chef #10: Beer, Sausage, Shrimp and Tomatoes

The winner was Beer-Boiled Shrimp Po'Boy

A Note on the Judging (from Stephen, for Paper Chef # 11 ONLY):

Since I'm wearing the judge's hat this month, I'm going to try a "scoring" approach, which I've been bugging Owen about in emails over the last couple of months.  I think this will enhance the competition by making it more of a learning experience for all of the competitors, but of course I'm looking forward to hearing what people think about it when it's all done. I've recruited a couple of other judges to help me and to broaden the judging outlook a bit, and just so you know before you enter, the scores of the entries will be published in the round-up.

Judging Criteria...

Clearly, judging this competition is a purely subjective exercise, which means that the judges' food experience, cultural outlook, and personal likes and dislikes are the major determinants of the outcome. Given that understanding, I came up with the following two major criteria, each of which will be scored on a 1 - 10 scale:

Eatability (borrowed from the DMBLGIT photo competition). How strongly am I feeling that I would like to cook this dish, or perhaps have it placed in front of me on a plate?

Creativity. Originality of recipe or presentation or both. Degree of surprise, whimsy and/or esthetic achievement.

Extra Points... 1 - 4 points may be awarded for each of the following:

Use of ingredients. Using the four target ingredients in one dish in a natural or inspired way; or, if more than one dish, the pairing or grouping makes particular sense.

Integration of the food and presentation with the theme of this month's version of the competition.

Degree of difficulty. I like labor-intensive cooking and slow-food approaches, so I'm rewarding more difficult, involved approaches. I know, some people like quick and easy, but they're not the judges this month!

Anyway, enough words! As Owen has decreed, the Paper Chef is "for absolutely only the fun of it and for no other reason whatsoever," so let's all get ready to get into the kitchen and have fun with it.