The battle comes to a close as we hear from this weeks judges.

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Judging

Katie from Yumsugar

My favorite recipe was the lamb slider with arugula gremolata and gorgonzola mayonnaise (+300). Out of the four dishes, this is the one that I would most want to eat right this moment. You can’t go wrong with the comforting factor of a burger and I’m a sucker for minis and lamb. Incorporating the arugula into a gremolata was innovative and clever because he very well could have just tossed arugula on the slider. I also enjoy how the mayonnaise was made from scratch which I’m sure added depth of flavor. The only thing lacking was the overall blog post: I would have liked a more scientific recipe with steps and lots more photos. I also didn’t understand the call to attention to his about picture. It was unnecessary and took the focus away from the competition.

My second favorite was the grilled pizza with proscuitto, figs, gorgonzola, and arugula pesto (+100). It was tough that two people decided to do pizza, but honestly, I thought this variation looked far more delicious. I loved how the grill was incorporated. The photos were clear and nicely executed. The reason this pizza was runner up rather than winner was because I did not like the way the arugula pesto was pooped onto the pizza. I think it would have looked prettier and possibly even tasted better (you’d get arugula pesto in each bite!) if the pesto was spread on the bottom of the pizza.

While I greatly admire the originality that went into the maki rolls with gorgonzola sauce, I just don’t see this being that good. It’s complex and out there, but is it wildly delicious? Also, the final picture, the “beauty shot” was incredibly blurry and didn’t properly show off the food.

Elena from Danger Kitten Bakes

Congratulations to everyone–these entries all look delicious!  I was excited to see gorgonzola and arugala, two items that pair well, and was interested to see how people did something creative with them.  I should confess that I’m Italian, so I was also delighted to see gremolata, pesto, prosciutto, and gorgonzola sauce.  I once spent a semester in Parma, Italy, which is where prosciutto is made, and I did a big project on prosciutto (only in Italy could this be a valid paper topic!), so I have a soft spot for the delicate, salty, silky slices.  I was disappointed that no one tried a dessert, but I can’t really blame them.  My husband and I were trying to brainstorm what kind of dessert would be good with arugala and gorgonzola, and we just weren’t sure this could be pulled off.  Nevertheless, I would have been thrilled had  someone shown me how.  Overall, these entries all look amazingly good!

Elena’s Winner:  Food Goes in Mouth (+300)

I thought this entry was really inventive but not in a way that put weird food combinations together.  Instead, I immediately wanted to eat this burger, and I’m sure I’ll be making them soon!  I love the idea of a gorgonzola mayonnaise, particularly on  a lamb burger, and the arugula gremolata sounds interesting.  I imagine the mayonnaise and gremolata probably meld together very nicely on the burger.  The pictures were also enticing and I enjoyed reading the blog because it was about more than just the steps you took to get the burger put together.  Thanks for a delicious-looking and engaging entry!

Elena’s Runner Up:  Cooking with Michele (+100)

This pizza looks awesome.  I love that it really features each ingredient by using a minimalist preparation for each one before they go on the pizza.  The pictures of the arugala and the figs were enticing and also made me appreciate the ingredients themselves.  The step-by-step instructions with photos were excellent, and gave me confidence that even though I don’t grill I might be able to pull this off without my husband’s help!

Food So Fine: This pizza also looks amazing.  I really like the idea of the gorgonzola sauce because that is how I started eating gorgonzola, which I now love.  It is also sort of like a bechamel, which I’m a fan of, or like a cheese sauce for macaroni and cheese, which I’m also a big fan of.  I’m not crazy about the sweet taste of fruit interfering with savory foods, but I think it could work here with the gorgonzola and the salty prosciutto.  Another entry I might just try myself!

Om-Nom-Nomnivore: Wow…so creative!  I like that this recipe pairs gorgonzola, which is not usually eaten on sushi, with chile sauce.  While I don’t think chile sauce is typically eaten with sushi, other hot and spicy foods are, so it’s a new flavor with a traditional idea. As someone who has never made sushi or anything Japanese, I also really appreciated the careful steps.

These all look like things I might actually want to make and eat sometime soon!  Thanks for the ideas, and the wonderful entries.  I’m looking forward to reading more of your food adventures in the future and hope I will see you all around.  Happy fooding!

RESULTS!

Winner: Food Goes in Mouth – Lamb Slider w/ Arugula Gremolata & Gorgonzola Mayonnaise 34 + 600 = 634

Cooking with Michele – Grilled Pizza with Prosciutto, Figs, Gorgonzola and Arugula-Walnut Pesto 41 + 200 = 241

Food So Fine - Gorgonzola and Arugula pizza with pears, candied walnuts, and prosciutto 34

Om Nom Nomivore – Chisan, Chishou Maki with Gorgonzola Chili Sauce 24

Thanks again to all voters, judges and participants!  This was truly one of the more mouthwatering battles.  Think you can do better?  Sign up for the forthcoming battle #6 here.  Remember to check out the current leaderboard over on the hall of fame page!