Whitney Miller won the first season of MasterChef and is sharing her insider knowledge with us!
In a pot over medium-low heat, combine the 1/2 cup of butter, evaporated milk, and Cheddar.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until foamy.
Add the cooked macaroni and mix to coat the noodles evenly.
Season with salt and pepper.
Slowly pour in the hot cheese sauce, stirring to combine.
Add the fontina and Havarti cheeses and toss to evenly distribute.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese starts to bubble and thicken.
Meanwhile, place a skillet over medium-low heat.
Remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towel.
When it has cooled, crumble the bacon into a bowl and add the bread crumbs and Parmesan.
Remove the mac and cheese from the oven and sprinkle the top with the bacon bread crumbs.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes longer, or until lightly toasted golden brown.
Cool for 5 minutes.
Reprinted from “MasterChef Cookbook” by The Contestants and Judges of MasterChef and JoAnn Cianciulli.
Copyright (c) 2010 by Reveille Independent LLC.
By permission of Rodale, Inc.
Available wherever books are sold.
Photograph by Vanessa Stump.
Eggplant, green tomatoes, and more… What?
The contestants are challenged to make vegetables the star of the dish.
I would heed Joe’s advice: “Don’t serve a simple salad!”
Create a well-conceived dish.
Christian is like Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde - where is this attitude coming from?
His hostility obviously affected his performance because the judges announced his dish as the worst.
Christian told the judges they were “wrong”!
Bonus: Easy Meatless Meals
Enough about the worst dish.
The top three succulent vegetarian dishes were prepared by Jennifer, Adrien, and Alejandra.
Color-popping and tastebud-stimulating, Jennifer’s dish immediately drew Graham’s attention as well as my own.
Alejandra used vegetables in each component on her plate, including her vegetable broth-flavored rice.
Jennifer’s vegetable terrine prevails and earns her a huge advantage in the next challenge.
Joe explains, “This elimination challenge isn’t a what but a who.”
Jennifer’s advantage gave her the privilege of choosing which dish out of three the contestants have to prepare.
Crispy Catfish with Purple Slaw.
Jennifer has the best advantage; she also gets a basket of ingredients needed to prepare the dish.
Their challenge: replicate the dish.
Tension builds among the contestants.
The slaw…what is in it?
Jennifer is up first for judging.
The judges seem pleased.
Christian receives the praise he waited to hear from Chef Ramsay as he boastfully presents his crispy catfish dish.
I don’t care for the attitude, but he shows skill in preparing seafood.
It is all about the coating of the catfish.
Esther used buttermilk, flour, and panko to create a great tasting catfish, Graham says.
Egg, flour, and panko were used to coat Giuesppie’s tasty catfish.
No, I don’t recall using that in my dish!
Alejandra’s palate convinced her that raw garlic was used in the tartar sauce.
Chef Ramsay was revolted by the flavor.
Derrick and Jenny fail miserably in this challenge as well.
So, is it about taste alone?
Not according to Joe, who became irate after being presented with Adrien’s dish.
He didn’t even replicate my presentation!
Is there hope for a good dish?
Ben was crowned the winner while Jennifer prepared her last dish in the MasterChef kitchen.
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