My first dish is Lobster Thermidor.

Here's the photo: http://pikachakula.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Lobster-Thermidor.jpg

Here's the recipe: http://www.recipes4us.co.uk/Fish%20and%20Shellfish%20MC/lobster__thermidor__h_french_35m.htm

My dessert is Honey-Peach Cake with Sugared Pistachios.

Here's the photo: http://s3.amazonaws.com/images.ziplist.com/images/666696/c3258caa142b7b6b5daf37c083178fc7_large_square.jpg

And this is the recipe: http://www.womansday.com/recipefinder/honey-peach-cake-sugared-pistachios-recipe-122682

1.Taverna Opa's Steamed King Crab Legs

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/KingCrab.htm

2.Beehive cookies

picture: http://www.honey.com/nhb

recipe: http://www.honey.com/foodservice/detail/46/beehive-cookies

Should I make it to the finals I will do everything I can to actually cook the dish(es), but, for now:

Dish #1: Beet Tonnato with Sake-Cured Roe and Cranberry-Miso Sauce
http://ideasinfood.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/beetsakeroecranberrymisosavoryscallion.jpg

Dish #2: Ricotta Ball in Honey Jelly with Figs and Blackberry-Glazed Honey Mustard Seeds
http://blog.ideasinfood.com/.a/6a00d83451f83a69e200e554b8fd2d8834-pi

Neither of these have recipes so I'm going to have to formulate them on my own.

#1: Take the roe and coat with salt and sugar, chill for 1-2 hours. Then, rinse roe and mix sake, salt, sugar, and chili paste and insert it with the roe into a plastic bag and marinate another hour. Create a stock using leeks, celery, carrots, onion, and salt. Once boiling, reduce heat and let simmer for five minutes, then add bullets of beet and return to boil. Let boil for ~20 seconds and then remove from heat and let stand, covered for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, for the sauce, put cranberries, miso paste, water, and pepper in a food processor and liquefy, if need be, add olive oil to smoothen/thicken sauce to desired consistency. Plate.

#2: Create a honey jelly using honey, water, and pectin. When the jelly is cooling/settling, make ball(s) of cold ricotta cheese and suspend them in the honey jelly, then let solidify. Figs can be prepared fresh or frozen, sliced and placed to the side. Process some blackberries in a food processor and mix in the honey-mustard seeds along with a small bit of balsamic vinegar. Cut jelly into cubes around the ricotta balls and serve atop/among figs and top with half-strained mustard seeds.

The second link works... not sure why it isn't clickable...

okay, i'm gonna give everything i've got in this challenge. so far, i've twice made two variations of the same dish so i guess i have an advantage in cooking two dishes in one challenge. i've decided not to play safe and give this challenge my all.

i'm not gonna give you guys some simple boiled crab or lobster dish. for my first dish, i'm gonna make an intricate meal using quite exotic ingredients (like caviar). i've never tried cooking pasta in the previous challenges so i decided to explore unexplored territories. if i cook correctly, my dish should turn out to have a light, refreshing taste. the dish might look daunting but i promise you, the taste is magnificent even if this is your first time tasting caviar! in case you're wondering, i'm gonna make the linguini pasta myself! i hope you enjoy!

Delicate Crabmeat and Caviar Linguini

photo of the dish:
http://www.goodchefbadchef.com.au/system/recipe/image/0000/0152/detail/W51_Hand_made_Linguini.jpg?1324255165

ingredients:

Pasta

500g plain flour
6 whole eggs
Pinch saffron
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt

Sauce

500g crab meat
3 shallots finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup white wine
600 ml cream
1-bunch chives
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley, finely chopped
100g butter
50g avruga caviar
50g salmon roe

directions:

To make pasta, sift flour on to board and make a well in the center. Beat eggs in a bowl, with saffron, oil and tsp salt. With a folk stir in the egg Incorporate flour a little at a time. When dough is crumbly, kneed with hands for 2 – 3 mins until smooth. Wrap in cling wrap. Rest for 30 mins.

Roll out pasta with pasta machine until thin. Cut with pasta cutters or a knife.

In a pan, melt butter over a low heat. Add shallots, garlic and sweat for 2 – 3 mins until soft. Add white wine. Reduce by half. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a gentle simmer, then add cooked pasta. (Pasta takes 2 – 3 mins to cook in salted boiling water)

Serve pasta on to plates. And spoon caviar on top.

for the dessert, i'd like to continue with the 'exotic' theme. since the previous dish tastes quite light, i decided to make a dessert that has a stronger taste, but is nevertheless still delicious. honey is evidently the star of this dish. again, i hope you enjoy!

Exotic Honey Vanilla Cheesecake

photo of the dish:
http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&biw=1024&bih=614&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnse&tbnid=cJ3QT0-YqDdGfM:&imgrefurl=http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/6702/baked%2Bvanilla%2Bcheesecake%2Bwith%2Bvanilla%2Bhoney&docid=hV7hVPw8FHCNRM&imgurl=http://www.taste.com.au/images/recipes/del/2002/09/6702_l.jpg&w=614&h=409&ei=pMFuUP34FY-OmQX9lIGgBg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=576&vpy=151&dur=1581&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=138&ty=64&sig=101419933573330672044&page=1&tbnh=127&tbnw=169&start=0&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0,i:77

ingredients:
2 oz macadamia nuts and almonds, ground to a powder
3/4 cup chocolate wafer crumbs
7-8 tbsp cold coffee
14 oz low-fat cottage cheese
7 oz low-fat ricotta cheese
5 oz lite silken firm tofu
1/4 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt, drained
2/3 cup thick, flavourful honey
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp vanilla
vanilla beans, scraped

directions:

Preheat oven to 300°F. Combine the ground nuts, crumbs and coffee in a bowl, press into a greased 10” spring-form which has the bottom lined with parchment. Bake 15 minutes, set aside. Puree the cheeses and tofu until smooth. Add the drained yogurt and remaining ingredients. Continue pureeing until smooth and thick. Pour over crust. Bake 15 minutes. Place a bowl of boiling water in oven below cheesecake and reduce the oven temperature to 200°F. Bake 1 1/2 hours longer, until set. Let cheesecake cool 1 hour inside oven, then refrigerate to chill completely before slicing.

CHALLENGE CLOSED