I was invited to the Master Chef Canada Audition in Winnipeg and I wanted to make something that represents my style of cooking and the current city I live in. I decided to make a Bison Carpaccio for the Master Chef Audition team and I was very happy with the end result of the dish. I have never worked with Bison before but wanted to challenge myself with an ingredient I was not familiar with, keeping the spirit of the show in mind. If it didn't feel like a challenge, I didn't think it was appropriate for this audition. I really wanted to make a huge impact with the few minutes I had to "WOW" the casting directors.
When I tasted the Bison I realized that it was much more robust than Beef. I decided to pair it with a blackberry vinaigrette, pickled golden beets, baby arugula, and grana padano crisps to enhance and compliment the flavor of the meat. The vinaigrette I made had orange zest and juice in it that cut the gamy shaved bison nicely and rounded out the flavors.
If there is one thing I have learned about presenting food, it is that you need to make it look inviting so people want to eat it. The textures and flavors all play a part during a meal but that first impression in my opinion is critical. I feel like I achieved a gorgeous appetizer that tasted delish and if I am lucky they all felt the same way about my Carpaccio.
Although I am not sure if I made it to the next round I had an amazing experience and added another dish to my repertoire that I plan on making for friends and family. I will continue to pursue my food dream and enjoy every second of life along the way!
I have listed the blackberry vinaigrette below. This dressing is super simple and would taste great on many different types of salads.
Blackberry Vinaigrette
1 pint of fresh blackberries
1 small shallot-minced
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. agave nectar or honey
Salt and pepper
Zest and juice of one small orange
1. Puree the blackberries in a blender
2. Strain the blackberries through a sieve and discard the seeds
3. Place the blackberry liquid in a medium size bowl and whisk in the remaining ingredients except for the salt and pepper
4. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed
Have a great week everyone!
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