Eat-scapades

Iron Chef X-mas 2016

Posted by Alana on

Special Ingredient: Cinnamon!

I get my love of food from my family. We’ve often been known to start discussing what we’re going to eat for our next meal, while still in the process of eating our current meal. We decided to make Christmas 2016 an Iron Chef X-mas – Special Ingredient: Cinnamon! Each participant could sign up to bring an appetizer, side, main course, drink, or dessert. Limit 2 per category (3 for main course) – first come, first served. Each dish had to prominently feature the special ingredient: cinnamon.

The Dishes

My cousin Doug made 3-egg deviled eggs. The chicken egg and quail egg layers each had their own deviled yolk filling – honey cinnamon, and horseradish. All topped with tobiko. Check out that clever presentation!

Iron Chef X-mas deviled eggs

My brother Den did cinnamon crisps with fruit salsa. See how Santa is holding it like a bag of presents? 🙂

Iron Chef X-mas cinnamon crisps with fruit salsa

My Aunt Cathy made corn pudding with cinnamon topping.

Iron Chef X-mas corn pudding

My Aunt Reen made roasted sweet potatoes with cinnamon and honey.

Iron Chef X-mas cinnamon honey sweet potatoes

My dad made duck in cinnamon sauce.

Iron Chef X-mas cinnamon honey sweet potatoes

Mrs. Lee (respect to the elder in the family, so she gets the “Mrs.”) made oxtail stew.

Iron Chef X-mas oxtail stew

My Uncle Steve made chicken biryani spiced with Saigon cinnamon.

Iron Chef X-mas chicken biryani

My cousin Kristi made mulled holiday beverages – one alcoholic (mulled wine) and one non-alcoholic (spiced apple cider).

Iron Chef X-mas mulled beverages

I made Mexican hot chocolate pot de creme (check out my Guessipe) and ooey gooey cinnamon squares (see how that went).

Iron Chef X-mas Mexican hot chocolate pot de creme and cinnamon square

Doug and Kristi also collaborated on a plum pie which they cleverly named Jack Horner’s X-mas Pie.

Iron Chef X-mas jack horner's plum pie

The Winners

The dishes were scored in 3 categories – presentation, flavor, and creativity. Everybody got to vote on every dish except their own. As you can see, the judging was a serious undertaking. I’m trying to convince my mom to go digital next time.

Iron Chef X-mas scoring

Prizes were awarded to the winners:

  • Total Score – Mexican hot chocolate pot de creme with ooey gooey cinnamon squares
  • Presentation – duck in cinnamon sauce
  • Flavor – oxtail stew
  • Creativity – deviled eggs

But since we were all winners for getting to eat a ton of amazing food, there were party poppers for everyone. Look how much fun we’re having showing off our crowns and toys!

Iron Chef X-mas poppers