Quests & Challenges

Entry number one! [b]Username:[/b] Eialyne [b]Entry Title:[/b] Profitable Puttanesca [b]Category:[/b] Canned / Salted / Pickled [b]Ingredient Feature:[/b] Why is this dish titled "profitable?" Because the sauce is an unami BOMB and who can't get enough of that flavor? Just because something is preserved doesn't mean it doesn't pack a punch, and all of the ingredients used in this dish (I bolded the ones that I feel fit this category) create an end result that has just about anyone coming back for more! [u][b]Ingredients[/b][/u] [LIST] [*]1/4 olive oil [*]2tbs garlic powder (not gonna lie, garlic cloves probably make a huge difference here but I didn't have any on hand) [*]7-8 [b]anchovy fillets[/b] [*]1/2tsp red pepper flakes [*]1 [b]large can (28oz I think?) of whole tomatoes[/b] [*]1 tbs tomato paste [*]1/2 tsp sugar [*]5-6 good sized basil leaves, chopped [*]heaping 1/4c [b]kalamata olives,[/b] chopped [*]1tbs [b]capers[/b] [*]pepper to taste (you could add salt too if you want but *gestures up at other ingredients* There's a fair amount in there already; trust me you won't miss it) [*]A serving of your preferred dried pasta (I went with angel hair) [/LIST] [u][b]Recipe[/b][/u] [LIST=1] [*]Heat oil in a saucepan. Once hot, add garlic powder, pepper flakes and anchovies and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. The anchovies are pretty fragile and will pretty much just fall apart during this step, so if you're a bit dubious about using them rest assured you're not gonna have giant chunks of fish in this dish. [*]Add tomato paste and cook for an additional minute [*]Add basically everything else but the pasta at this point and bring to a boil. A few notes regarding some of these: [LIST] [*]Those whole tomatoes in a can? Those are actual little juice bombs. You want to crush them by hand before adding them to the pot to help break them down, but if you just squeeze willy-nilly you are going to get tomato juice EVERYWHERE. Also, be sure to add the entire contents of the can, liquid and solids alike. [*]To make your life easier, you can get pitted olives, but if you can't find any (or like me just...flat out forgot that's an option), I actually just recommend tearing the olives apart by hand. You want them in pieces after all, and this method both saves time and potentially even safer than trying to get the pits out with a knife [/LIST] [*]Once boiling, reduce heat and let the whole mixture simmer about 30-40 minutes to reduce, stirring periodically. As the moisture cooks out, it may seem like the end result is pretty oily, but rest assured it will be perfectly fine once it's on the pasta [*]Speaking of pasta, this is the point where you'll want to get your water boiling and prepare your choice of pasta per it's recommended directions. The time it takes for the water to heat up and then the pasta cooking time should be doable within the above 30-40 minutes. [*]Once pasta and sauce are finished cooking, assemble together with your preferred pasta to sauce ratios and enjoy! [/LIST] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/cH63ICN.jpg[/img][/center]

[b]Username:[/b] starrunner101 [b]Entry Title:[/b] Artichoke Linguine [b]Category:[/b] Canned/ Salted/ Pickled [b]Ingredient Feature:[/b] can of artichokes! the artichokes really bring the dish together alongside the lemon flavor which really makes this pasta extra good [b]Ingredient List:[/b] olive oil butter 1 tsp flour 1 cup chicken stock 4 mashed garlic cloves 5 tsps lemon juice 1 tsp parsley 1 or 2 cans artichoke hearts (depending on your preferred artichoke pasta ratio) 3 tbs Parmesan 1 pound linguine or any pasta really [b]Recipe:[/b] My friend makes this all the time at her house and its delicious and im not sure i did it justice but im sure there's tricks to it that i did not do...anyway: Start making your pound of linguine! Heat a fourth cup olive oil and butter in a large skillet and then add flour. Then add the chicken stock and cook on high quickly before adding the garlic, lemon juice, and parsley (and salt and pepper to taste). Cook for five minutes then add the artichoke hearts and cheese and cover for 8 minutes. Toss your drained linguine with some olive oil, butter, Parmesan cheese and salt before adding it into the skillet with a bit of the pasta water. Serve! [b]Photo:[/b] [img]https://i.imgur.com/uDofu4R.jpg[/img] and in the skillet before serving :) [img]https://i.imgur.com/indqNJq.jpg[/img]

And entry number two! [s]Which I confess is the one I did last week and made it up as I went along so fingers crossed I remembered all the ingredient quantities![/s] [b]Username:[/b] Eialyne [b]Entry Title:[/b] Summer Soba Bowl [b]Category:[/b] Dried/Frozen [b]Ingredient Feature:[/b] What's the worst part about working all the time? You get home, you're too tired to cook, and the cycle repeats until you realize that delicious fresh produce you got to make something nice is well past it's expiration date. Thus, I'm sure many a Lightning clan has a stash of frozen and dried foods for this exact reason. The dish I'm making for this entry was made with this in mind, relying on ingredients that are easy to keep for the framework, then embellishing with whatever else you happen to have on hand. [b]Ingredients[/b] [LIST] [*]1[b] frozen chicken breast [/b](the thinner the better for defrosting) [*]1 scallion [*]1/4c Mirin [*]1/3c soy sauce [*]pinch of shichimi pepper [*]sesame seeds for garnish [*]1 bunch [b]soba[/b] [*]5-6 [b]Dried shitake mushrooms[/b] (I also threw in a couple dried king oyster mushrooms but those might be harder to find/more expensive depending on your location) [*]Half a carrot [*]Half a cucumber [*]1/8c lemon juice [*]1/8tsp sesame oil [*]salt to taste [/LIST] [b]Recipe[/b] [LIST=1] [*]While frozen and dried foods can keep for ages, they do come with the unfortunate side effect of needing a little extra prep than fresh ingredients. For the chicken, mix the mirin, soy and pepper in a shallow bowl and add the chicken. The thinner the cut of meat is the faster it will thaw, which is why I decided to thaw it in the marinade directly rather than thaw THEN marinade. Over the course of the next few hours, periodically flip or spoon marinade over the top side of the chicken to make sure it's coated evenly. [b]IMPORTANT NOTE:[/b] If you use this same method, absolutely keep the bowl in the fridge and not at room temperature for food safety reasons. [*]While the chicken is thawing, place mushrooms in another bowl, cover with water, then leave to sit. They'll likely re hydrate before the chicken thaws, but no harm will be done if you let them soak the full length of time (additionally, the longer they sit the stronger the flavor of the water becomes, which you can save to use in a number of other dishes once you take the mushrooms out) [*]Once chicken is thawed, pre-heat oven to 425F. Take chicken out of the marinade, place it on a baking sheet, and cook for about 20-25 minutes, making sure it's cooked all the way through [*]While the chicken cooks, heat up a pot of water to boiling, and prepare soba per package instructions. After draining, rinse with cold water. It's alright if the noodles sit for a while because this is not meant to be a hot dish, but if you notice them starting to stick together, it doesn't hurt to run a bit more water over them to loosen up while you finish preparing the rest of the dish [*]Roughly chop rehydrated mushrooms [*]Peel and roughly chop cucmber (if you prefer smaller pieces you can also de-seed it to avoid random mushy bits) [*]Grate carrot [*]Slice scallion (green part only; save the white for another dish or pop it into a glass with water to try regrowing it!) [*]Put veggies (except scallions), soba and mushrooms in a bowl and toss with lemon juice, sesame oil and salt ("But Eialyne, that doesn't sound like a particularly flavorful dressing." And in many other circumstances I'd agree, but this is intended as a light summer meal, plus I personally find that soba has a very nice flavor on it's own that I don't like covering up) [*]Sprinkle sesame seeds over soba mixture [*]Slice chicken breast and put on top of soba mixture [*]Garnish with scallions [/LIST] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/9XKtTDI.jpg[/img][/center]

[font=Verdana][size=2][b]Username:[/b] Katsuji [b]Entry Title:[/b] My Udon Comfort Food [b]Category:[/b] [u]Canned[/u] / Salted / Pickled [b]Ingredient Feature:[/b] I love noodles, especially udon. However, with my udon, I love to add various vegetable and a can of quail eggs or at least a portion of a can. [There is a lot of cholesterol in a serving and there are multiple servings in a can.] Why quail eggs? Well... to be honest, I'm not that great at cracking eggs despite my love for said eggs. So a can of eggs that has no shells already? Hand me that quail egg can. Also, quail eggs are delicious in my opinion. [b]Ingredients:[/b] Frozen Udon (or your favorite noodle), Napa Cabbage, White Radish, Green Onions, Soup Base and Salt, Can of Quail Eggs, Potato, Tomato. [b]Recipe[/b]: [LIST] [*][font=Verdana][size=2]Take all the vegetables and tomato and chop them in a shape you desire. I split them into two groups: one pot to cook for a longer time and the other to boil for a shorter time. [*][font=Verdana][size=2]Get a pot and boil enough water for soup. Add soup base and salt to desired salt level. You can taste test the soup after it heats up to make sure you get the right flavor you want. [*][font=Verdana][size=2]Add in the chopped vegetable first and let them boil the vegetables to allow the flavor of the vegetable to add to the soup base. [*][font=Verdana][size=2]Next, add in the noodles. In my case, the frozen udon. Also add in the quail eggs. I went with the serving size of six eggs. Wait for the soup to boil again. [*][font=Verdana][size=2]Lastly, add in the vegetables that you want to cook for a shorter time. In my case, the tomato and green onion. [*][font=Verdana][size=2]Pour out the noodle and soup into a bowl. Noodles! \o/ [*][font=Verdana][size=2]If you are a person who likes sour things like me, you can additionally squeeze out a small bowl of lemon juice and add it to your soup. That's what the small bowl in my judging photo is. [/LIST] [font=Verdana][size=2][b]Photos[/b]: [b]Judging Photo:[/b] [img]https://i.imgur.com/hygPCaU.jpg[/img] [u]Ingredients, minus the Tomato: [/u] [img]https://i.imgur.com/6rATmmr.jpg[/img] [u]Preparations: [/u] [img]https://i.imgur.com/6WYkCEs.jpg[/img]

LAST MINUTE ENTRY sorry, I just *had* to make something for both categories! [emoji=ridgeback winking size=1] [b]Username:[/b] Tyta [b]Entry Title:[/b] Beach Pie [b]Category:[/b] Canned/Salted/Pickled [b]Ingredient Feature:[/b] Sweetened condensed milk is a shortcut to a perfect custardy filling for this refreshing sweet-and-salty citrus treat! I'm not sure if saltines count as a salted food, but they are very salty. They form a unique crust that I love! ----- [b]Ingredients:[/b] 60 saltine crackers; 4 tablespoons white sugar; 1/2 cup melted butter; 4 egg yolks; (1) 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 cup lemon juice. Optional: 1/2 cup heavy cream + 1 tablespoon powdered sugar [b]Recipe:[/b] Crush saltines together with sugar - a gallon zip bag and a rolling pin works well, and/or an enthusiastic roommate. [emoji=ridgeback laughing size=1] Add your melted butter to the bag and scrunch it in your hands until everything is well combined - it should look like wet beach sand, hence the name of the pie (though there's also plenty of sandy dunes to be found in the Shifting Expanse)! Dump it into a pie plate and compress it to form a nice crumb crust. You can use your fingers, or a glass. Turn on your oven to 350F. While it's preheating, chill the crust in the fridge or freezer for about 15 minutes. Bake it for 18-20 minutes or until slightly browned. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk. Add the lemon juice and whisk well until it's thoroughly combined. As soon as the pie crust is ready, take it out, dump the mixture in (use a spatula to get every last drop!), and return to the oven for another 15 minutes or until the filling is set. Let the pie cool, and remember to turn off your oven! Move the pie to your fridge and chill until completely cool - it might take a few hours. In a cold bowl, whip the cream with the powdered sugar to soft peaks and dollop onto your pie just before serving. Garnish with flaky salt of your choice. ----- Happy Carnivale to all! This was fun! [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/CNG18OL.jpg[/img][/center]

Hi everyone, thanks so much for all the entries over the course of the week! I’m delighted to see that a few more managed to squeeze in overnight.

I’m going to comb carefully through the thread, check all the posts for any updates, and add the newest entries to the list. After that, judging will begin. :) Judges are going to have a hard time, there are many wonderful dishes!

I’ll let everyone know the main contest winners and the raffle winners once judging is complete.

Thank you all! I hope you enjoyed the festival.

Updates:

Aug 5 2020: Judging is still taking place, this contest has not been forgotten!

Aug 8 2020: Judging is almost complete!

thank you for hosting i really enjoyed this event!!!

Hi everyone, thank you so much for the wonderful submissions this festival! Every one of your entries was appealing and clearly had love and care poured into them. I really appreciated the hard work and want to say something about each dish, which I'll do soon... but first, I'm sure that you want to hear about the contest category winners! (Please check the separate [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2874427/9#post_44285823]Raffle[/url] post for raffle winners.) [center][size=6][font="Consolas"][color=#22747A]Canned / Salted / Pickled Bestseller[/color][/font][/size][/center] Several dishes were tough contenders that represented their themed ingredients very well, but I believe that the [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2874427/9#post_44211540]Profitable Puttanesca[/url] entry best conveyed the concept that it was crafted for. Congratulations, @Eialyne! The canned ingredients form the heart of this dish, and, with their supporting ingredients, they create a harmonious and impactful splash of flavor (just as advertised!). The sauce is held together by the oil and body provided by the anchovies, and it's balanced by the acids and seasonings. I feel that the variation of texture and strong, self-contained tastes help to whet the appetite and provide a fresh and satisfying meal. Truly umami bombs in every bite, and without a doubt a Bestseller. [img]https://i.imgur.com/jMUe0sl.png[/img] [center][size=6][font="Consolas"][color=#22747A]Dried / Frozen Bestseller[/color][/font][/size][/center] There were many standout entries for this category, but the [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2874427/6#post_44188199]Thundercrack Tea Eggs[/url] entry distinguished itself over the rest. Congratulations, @Tyta! Although I'm sure that the dish tastes good with the delicate balance of salted pasta and spice-soaked eggs, the Thundercrack Tea Eggs really shone in how the ingredients were transformed. Plenty of planning and technique went into preparing this dish specifically for this Thundercrack Carnivale, and I believe that the concept was executed beautifully. Attention at every step ensured that the food quality would be preserved while making the desired presentation possible. This dish intricately wove together a cohesive set of dried ingredients to bring its idea into solid form; it is every bit deserving of its Bestseller title. [img]https://i.imgur.com/HlRJZJf.png[/img] [center][size=6][font="Consolas"][color=#22747A]Judge's Comments[/color][/font][/size][/center] I want to recognize every entry that hasn't been mentioned yet, because I thought that all the dishes looked presentable, and I would have eaten any of them if given the chance. I'll arrange the comments in alphabetical order for ease of lookup. @Dinolee The preparation techniques and attention to detail for your Shrimpy Buns for the Seafood Lovers demonstrate a good understanding of handling the bao wrapper, and it was a nice touch to alter the bao filling to include shrimp instead of going straight for something like har gow. I can easily relate to eating all the homemade bao - they disappear faster than it takes to make them, I always wish there were more! [b]Eialyne[/b] Your Profitable Puttanesca dish was a winner, but I'd also like to commend your Summer Soba Bowl. I think it established its concept well, and I bet more than just a few Lightning dragons will find this recipe handy! I agree that soba's flavor should be accented but not drowned, and I think that your light seasoning accomplishes this. @Goldia Choosing to add apple cider vinegar to your Braised Chorizo and Chickpeas (after the sherry substitution) was a good finish, and your beans and chorizo feel like they go together naturally. I don't have chorizo handy, but I think I may now have a reason to pick some up the next time I go to the store. ;) The little Lightning decoration on the Golden Raisin Pie made me smile! I thought that your selection of spices for the filling added, well, [i]spice[/i] into the mix. I especially liked the addition of lemon to bring out the flavor. @JinxMoonstone It's really neat that your Summer Berry Crisp dish can be made at any time with the berries on hand. The secret ingredient of powdered ginger sounds like a splendid idea, and I'd like to have a go at that crumbly topping in general. @Katsuji The vegetable-based stock and eggs in your Udon Comfort Food entry looked like a nice, light combination, and it was a good call to add the green onion towards the end. The splash of lemon juice sounds like it could be lovely too. (P.S. I agree that quail eggs are delicious.) I thought that the drinks in your Customizable Peachy Instant Boba Beverage entry looked refreshing, and I'm glad that you and your friend were able to enjoy the drinks allergy-free. @Lumenwood Even if "the only thing you know how to cook" is a burrito, I think you made a killer burrito! Your cutting efforts paid off and the filling is so well-mixed and balanced. I can see why your family liked the food. (I'm so curious about the epic cooking soundtrack that you chose to accompany this process.) @milesss Your Green Tomato Sauce and Vegetable Pasta for the Wheat-Sensitive Miles entry looked packed full of vitamins and vegetable goodness! I think it would feel so satisfying to eat that nice mix of veggies together with the hearty kielbasa. I'll admit I laughed out loud at the reminder not to turn the sauce into a "tomatoey vegetable pile" - tossing in all the veggies can be too tempting. @Rainbowlight I think the poblano pepper was the star of your Spicy corn & summer squash on toast dish; it makes sense that you put in the extra effort to prepare it beforehand. All of the care and warnings about cleaning the pepper are very sensible. Touching the eyes after touching the pepper would be especially bad! The squash and corn seem like they would make a refreshing combo on that toast. @Rowain312 I liked the simplicity and flexibility of your Vegetable Soup! The tomato + bouillon base sounds like a tasty and filling stock for the nice assortment of vegetables that you can toss in. Powdered garlic and dried onions are a great addition. @SpectralRose Your Pea Soup looked rich and creamy, and I feel that it would be comforting and warm me right up, especially with the addition of the bacon. The blend of herbs sound like they would add a nice complexity to the flavor. @starrunner101 I really liked how you chose to make an Artichoke Linguine. The artichokes are a mild addition that provide a nice texture to the pasta, and I think the mixture of herbs, stock, and lemon juice make a lovely, light sauce that brings together the flavors. I think the tomato paste and harissa were an interesting take on the filling for your Lamb Empanadas. It sounds like you created a deep, rich flavor with the seasoned lamb; I'd love to try it. @Stormdragon I personally adored your Deviled Eggs entry. Those fresh homemade pickles totally seem like the right way to go, and the way that you prepared the filling sounds delightful. I'm convinced that the pickles make a fantastic modification to the standard recipe. Your sous chef looks thrilled to be receiving those creamy, tasty eggs, too! @Syceris Your Chilli entry sounded like it had a wonderfully smoky depth of flavor! I thought the molasses were a really good idea with that mix of vegetables and spices. I may have to try out this blend the next time I get a chili craving. @tereshkova2001 Your Tuna Casserole sounded like a mass of cheesy, fatty, fishy goodness... The sprinkled smashed saltines were a lovely addition to the top. I never knew that I needed Maple Ice Cream with Bacon Salt, but your entry has convinced me! It looks smooth, creamy, and delicious; the interactions of the sugar and salt with the other flavors certainly sounds like an experience that I'd want on my tongue. @Timiculous The humor in your Cardiac Special aka Hashbrown Casserole write-up gave me a good laugh. I think you did a great job of elevating the frozen hashbrowns for this dish, and I can totally understand the temptation to be... irresponsible... when controlling the amount of consumption. I like the idea of the crunch and extra potato flavor from the crushed chips, though corn flakes and gratin sound like they would match really well, too. [b]Tyta[/b] Your winning Thundercrack Tea Eggs entry may have required a little more prep time, but I thought that the Beach Pie was a great choice for a last minute entry. I love the idea of the saltine crust, and the lemony accent sounds lovely. --- Once again, thank you, everybody! Don't forget to check out the [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2874427/9#post_44285823]Raffle[/url] post below. :) Everyone who doesn't win is going to receive a small consolation package of FR food.

@tereshkova2001 @Syceris @Lumenwood @Katsuji @Dinolee @starrunner101 @JinxMoonstone @Goldia @Rainbowlight @Stormdragon @milesss

Hi! You were pinged to the raffle post because you won a raffle prize. Please check the Prizes post and list your choices in order of preference, based on the raffle number you received (e.g. if you received #3, please list 3 prizes, with your most preferred prize listed first.)

Please do this within 72 hours, if you are able!

1. tereshkova2001
2. Syceris
3. Lumenwood
4. Katsuji
5. Dinolee
6. starrunner101
7. JinxMoonstone
8. Goldia
9. Rainbowlight
10. Stormdragon
11. milesss

I am going to be sending consolation prizes separately to anyone who hasn't gotten something yet.

Thank you, everyone!

Thank you so much! And yes, try some molasses it balances the spicy perfectly
1)Fire festival
2) Light festival