4

Even though we don’t have a television, we still find a way to watch Bravo’s Top Chef in our house.  We have been huge fans for the last four to five years and the contestants and the competitions just keep getting better and better.

On this season of the show, the finale took place in Singapore, the first International location.  Many of the final challenges had the chefs creating Asian inspired dishes that looked delish!  I love Asian food but I rarely make it at home.  This week the show inspired me to try out a new veggie stir fry dish that turned out great.

Here is the recipe, it was really easy to make and I am glad I invested in the ingredients to make the sauce because I can try it with just about anything.  The Sriracha gave it just enough spice.    I bought all of the veggies at the farmers market so they were fresh and delicious.  If it is hard for you to get fresh produce you could use frozen veggies too.

Ingredients 
1 cup long-grain white rice
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce 
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha or some other hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 carrots, cut into very thin strips
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped 

Directions
Cook the rice according to the package directions. 

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, lime juice, and Sriracha; set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots and bell pepper and cook, tossing frequently, for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and bean sprouts and cook, tossing, until the vegetables are just tender, 2 to 3 minutes more.

Add the soy sauce mixture and toss to coat. Serve over the rice and sprinkle with the scallions and peanuts.

This year the competition had several strong competitors.  I was rooting for Tiffany because of her fun personality and ability to beat the men.  Unfortunately she was eliminated just before the finale.

With Tiffany gone I had to choose between Angelo (the strong favorite throughout the entire competition), Ed (a great chef but to sarcastic for me), and Kevin (a guy from New Jersey who had his ups and downs throughout the show but became a threat in the end with his techniques).

Last night Chris and I watched the final episode on www.bravotv.com and we were so excited when they revealed Kevin had won.  I can’t wait to hear what kind of restaurant he opens, I know it will be amazing.