Iron Chef Challenge September 2010

My sons and I were delighted to participate in a recent "Iron Chef" game that was posted on http://www.marksdailyapple.com/.  Turns out we did not win, and hubby was a little miffed because I guaranteed a victory; and he had to eat onion rings for dinner one night and muffins and pancakes the next, LOL.  I was too busy {and in the zone} to cook dinner for two nights.  So Mark is in a little hot water with our family but you win some, you lose some.  Congratulations to the winner by the way!

The secret ingredient was coconut, so I went to work on 3 different entries.  The onion rings were created completely in my kitchen just testing and tasting.

The other two come from internet recipes and The Primal Blueprint Cookbook, (although I tweaked both recipes to my own design).

Coconut Crusted Onion Rings:

1 Yellow Onion, sliced thinner for crispy rings or thicker for less crispy

Wet:

1/3 c. coconut milk

1 egg

Dry:

1 c. finely shredded and toasted coconut.  (a 375 degree oven will toast in about 5 min., watch carefully)

¼ c. coconut flour (sprinkle this on before toasting shredded coconut)

½ c parmesan cheese

1 tsp kosher salt

Few grinds of coarse pepper

Put egg and coconut milk in its own bowl and whisk.  Meanwhile toast the shredded coconut and the coconut flour on baking sheet with parchment (375 for 5 min or so).  Now up the temperature to 400.

When that is out of the oven, sprinkle the remaining dry ingredients on the cookie sheet.  Mix around and transfer to large Ziploc (just use parchment to guide the contents in).  This will serve as a “shake and bake” style mix.  Dip each onion piece in the egg mixture, toss in the baggy until each onion ring is well coated.  If you want a lot of crust you can dip back in egg and coat with crumbs twice.  Shake off excess using tongs.

Place coated rings on baking sheet with parchment.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 min, then turn pieces for another 5-10 minutes.  For thinner rings they will be done at closer to 20 minute mark.  *Note: Once these cool they can get soggy quickly.  Refrigerate them if you are done, and when you want them again, you can quickly revive them using the same heating method above.  Just not as long.  About 5-10 minutes of crisping back up and they should be good as new.

Coco-Banane Hotcakes:

3 eggs

3 Tb. Coconut Oil

1/4 - 1/2 c Coconut Milk (or more to get desired consistency)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c Coconut Flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 ripe banana

Separate wet and dry using electric mixer to marry wet ingredients and then pour dry into and continue mixing.

Monkey Muffins:

¼ c. coconut flour

¼ c. coconut oil

1 whole candied banana (as in super ripe) this will serve as the “sugar”

3 eggs

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

I think if you use 6 eggs you may get a fluffier texture, but we just use 3.

Separate wet and dry, mix wet with electric hand mixer (you really have to use a mixer with coconut flour to get the lumps and bumps out), then combine dry into wet and mix until smooth.

Spoon batter into lined muffin tins.  These will not rise incredibly high so you can fill the lined muffin tins to ¾ full.

375 degrees for 20 min.

Let cool completely or overnight

“Frosting”—use refrigerated bowl to mix Plain Greek Yogurt or softened cream cheese with 2 TBS. honey and a dash of cinnamon.  Pipe out of the cut end of a Ziploc or use a frosting bag.  Drizzle with honey and top with finely shredded and toasted unsweetened coconut.  Keep these in the refrigerator!  Freeze remainders and thaw to eat for best results.   See slideshow for pictures of our cooking/baking adventure!

-Enjoy!