Norwitz Notions

Episode six of the Next Food Network Star takes place in Las Vegas and has each of the 4 remaining contestants doing a Throwdown, a la Bobby Flay.  Why is the show in Las Vegas?  Other than being able to cook outside in January, I haven’t the faintest idea.  The judges asked the contestants to pump up their dishes Vegas style (which doesn’t mean much); otherwise, it wasn’t really mentioned.

Each contestant made their signature dish (something chosen in advance, though it’s unclear if they knew which of their signature dishes they were actually making until the contest) and also had to make (and improve on) the signature dish of the other contestant they were paired with.

Forget the Throwdown part…it’s not something I can do in 75 minutes (at least they were given recipes to work with) with dishes I knew little to nothing about.  When Bobby does a Throwdown on his show, he goes to his 2 assistants, who have already researched it, and they spend a few hours in the test kitchen.

But what’s my signature dish?  I’ve had a few over the years but I have to say, for now, it’s going to be sauteed tofu strips with vegan pesto, served over a raw salad with a light vinegar-based dressing.  Not only do I love eating this, but it sums up my point of view of eating very well despite dietary restrictions.

This dish is mostly raw, lowcarb, vegan, and free of gluten and a bunch of other common food intolerances (but not soy, can’t have everything).  I consider it a perfect meal.

I’m looking forward to seeing how this all turns out.  I’m rooting for Aaron.