Modern Food

I spend a portion of my free time watching food network shows. My favorite is Chopped. This is an elimination competition where 4 chefs compete and are given a basket of disparate ingredients and first have to make an appetizer. Then they eliminate one chef so then three chefs have to make an entree and then down to two chefs who make dessert. They are given a short time limit to do this and are judged on creativity and ability to transform the ingredients and make them work together. I've learned a lot of good cooking techniques from this show but here seems to be so much pretension in the descriptions these days. Making a balsamic reduction with a sweet potato coulis drizzled with aoli over hand torn pasta. I personally pour stuff over food but these chefs drizzle! They make a deconstructed french toast and I make a fried egg on toast..etc. Any way I'm learning to be a better cook and am starting to get some great results. But the difference between my cooking and TV cooking is that I'm trying to make healthier meals. They pile on the cheese and butter and sugar and salt and bacon and deep fry because [and I quote] "The fat is the flavor" Also I have been disappointed in a number of restaurant meals lately. I made a winning dish tonight and want to share the recipe with you. Steamed vegetables and sauteed Chinese black mushrooms over rice with Tahini sauce. Broccoli, onion, turnip,zucchini steamed for 8- 10 minutes [don't over do it] the vegs should still have a little crunch to them. I had the black mushrooms soaking in water in the fridge for a couple of days [cut off the stems and discard but save all the liquid] chop mushroom tops into medium size pieces and saute in peanut oil with a little soy sauce until the mushrooms start to brown. Add the pre-cooked rice and the liquid from the mushrooms and stir it together and cook for a minute or two. Take Tahini paste and add water until the consistency let's it pour easily [don't over do it] put the rice and mushrooms on the bottom of a bowl, put the steamed vegs on top and pour over the Tahini sauce..you can add a little soy sauce to taste. And that's it....healthy but very flavorful and the sauteed mushrooms and mushroom stock make a potentially boring steamed vegetable dish come to life.. Enjoy and let me know if you cook this and how it tuns out.