A Is for Apple

It's all about vanilla and vinegar, as Chef Lauren Gulyas uses these unique flavours to create some exciting dishes after selecting the letter "V." To start, she uses malt vinegar to put an unconventional twist on a pub classic, fish and chips. Next up is dessert. Vanilla is a classic ingredient used in tons of recipes, but it's usually a background ingredient. Lauren decides to make a crème brulée where vanilla will be the star of the dish. Finally, she faces the challenge of combining the unlikely pair of vanilla and vinegar in one dish.

Chef Robert Jewell enthusiastically takes on a bacon and banana challenge. First, he shows us two cool things you can do with bacon: bacon jam and spice-rubbed pork belly. The pork belly is rubbed with 5 spice and brown sugar before slow cooking in the oven. Then he uses plantains to create his second dish. He adds green curry paste, plantains, shrimp and coconut milk to a wok to make a non-traditional creamy banana coconut curry. Once he finishes those dishes, he must move on to a dish that combines bacon with bananas and pays homage to a legend.

Rapini and raspberries are the focus of this "R" challenge. Chef Leah Wildman starts by making gnudis with the rapini - an Italian dish that's like ravioli but minus the pasta. She uses a mix of four different types of cheese for this dish. Next, she makes a delicious bourbon raspberry-rubbed steak with raspberry mango salsa. She cooks the steak in a cast iron skillet so the sauce will stick to the meat and create that rich crust. For her final mashup challenge, Leah creates an imaginative dish that combines the flavours of rapini and raspberry.

After picking the letter "P," Chef Lauren Gulyas must combine pork and pears together in a mouth-watering dish. But first, she tries them out separately. Lauren starts by making prosciutto-wrapped pork with chorizo. She uses a tenderloin, which is the leanest cut of all. The tenderloin cooks in no time but because it's so lean it really cries out for some spice and flavour. That's where the spicy, salty, Spanish pork chorizo comes in. Next on the menu is pears, and she uses them in a pear and parm pasta, called Fiocchetti. Then it's time to take on the challenge of combining the two, and just wait until you see what she does.

Chef Robert Jewell picks the letter "O" and decides to show us his favourite olive and onion dishes in this cooking challenge. He starts with an old school French onion soup. He cooks the onions slowly until they reduce, caramelize, and release all their sugars then tops the soup with gooey gruyere. Next up, Robert shows us the fun he can have with his second ingredient. Olives add the perfect tart, briny taste to the crispy Moroccan chicken dish he cooks up. Finally, he must combine both ingredients to create one flavourful dish.

For this '"P" challenge, Chef Leah Wildman is working with the delicious flavours of pork and pineapple. She starts with a perfect, juicy, pork roast. Her secret? Brining. The pork soaks in the brine, the purpose being to juice up the meat and raise the water content so it stays moist while it roasts. She makes a rub for the pork and roasts it to perfection. Next it's time for dessert, which is a caramelized pineapple polenta cake that only takes 20 minutes in the oven. But wait until you see what she makes when she combines both ingredients in her final challenge.

To start off this "B" challenge, Chef Lauren Gulyas makes a non-traditional dish of Brussels sprouts with tofu and black beans. She combines the flavours of garlic, ginger, Chinese black beans and chili flakes to balance out the flavours of the Brussels sprouts. Next she makes a dish using blueberries, but instead of going the traditional dessert route, Lauren decides to make a delicious duck breast with blueberry port sauce. Finally, she is challenged to make a dish that combines the unlikely pair (and is sure to make your mouth water).

Chef Robert Jewell tackles the letter "T" with two great ingredients: tuna and tomatoes. First, Robert goes old school with a twist on classic tuna casserole, bumping up the flavour with porcini mushrooms. Keeping the old school theme, Robert shows us how to make the best tomato sauce ever using roma tomatoes and garlic. This sauce is versatile and can be combined with other ingredients to make different meals. With two recipes completed, Robert's next challenge is making a delicious dish that combines both of his ingredients.

It's all about maple and mushrooms in today's "M" challenge as Chef Leah Wildman shows us her favourite dishes that combine the flavours of these ingredients. She starts with a rich, creamy, mixed mushroom sauce on a juicy beef tenderloin. Next it's time for maple BBQ sauce and pulled pork. She makes two sauces - one is a basting sauce and the other a BBQ sauce. The basting sauce is a mixture of sugar, maple syrup, mustard and pepper. The BBQ sauce combines chipotle peppers, ketchup, all spice, onion, garlic and broth. To finish, Leah whips up an unconventional combination of the two ingredients in a surprise dish.

In this "A" challenge, Chef Lauran Gulyas is working with the unique flavours of apples and anchovies. First up are sweet, hot, crispy apple fritters. She starts by using apple cider to make a batter, where the bubbles from the cider will help make the batter crispy and light. She coats the apples in batter and fries them up, topping them with sugar and cinnamon to finish. Next she makes fried anchovies with a chili lime aioli dipping sauce. Finally, she shows us her answer to the challenge of what to do with the unlikely combo of apples and anchovies in the same dish.

After picking "C," Chef Robert Jewell scorns carrots and cabbage for a more unconventional pairing: chicken and chocolate. First, he shows us how to make the best fried chicken using a buttermilk marinade. To accompany the chicken, he makes a Korean dipping sauce with honey, sesame oil soy, chili paste, ginger, and garlic. Turning his attention to his second ingredient, Robert makes his favourite chocolate dessert, double chocolate pudding. After combining the initial ingredients of this recipe, Robert adds chunks of semi-sweet chocolate that melt, ooze, and give this dessert its name. Robert finishes by demonstrating how the unlikely marriage of chicken and chocolate can make a delicious meal.

Garlic and grapes? Chef Leah Wildman tests her skill and proves it can be a delicious combination in this "G" challenge. She starts off with garlic zuppa, a soup that showcases the unique flavours of the well-known ingredient. Next we move onto grapes. Leah makes a brown sugar and buttermilk pannacotta topped with grapes wrapped in a grape juice gelee. Leah ends on an even more creative note, whipping up a dish that features a fun combo of both garlic and grapes.

The letter "Q" challenges Chef Lauren Gulyas. She starts by making a simple quail appetizer with a rich sauce. Quail is a dark meat that is sweeter and richer than chicken, not very expensive, and quick to cook because of its size. So a roasted quail is the perfect appetizer. Next she makes quinoa pancakes, with onions, garlic, parm, eggs, chives, and bread crumbs. Finally, Lauren seeks to create a non-traditional combination of quinoa and quail - and the result will knock your socks off.

In this "B" challenge, Chef Robert Jewell shows us how to use beef and beets in delicious meals. He starts off by braising some short ribs, adding veggies for flavour. While preparing the short ribs, Robert tells us how to choose a cut of beef and slow cook it to perfection. Next, he uses beets and puff pastry to make a sweet and flaky beet tartin, a quirky alternative to beet salad. Finally, Robert shows us how to overcome the challenge of creating a dish that combines beef and beets.

Chef Leah Wildman takes on lobster and limes in this "L" challenge and shows us how to make some outstanding dishes. To start she makes a lobster risotto. She uses Canadian Atlantic lobster - the best lobster in the world. The key to a good stock is to use the shells from the lobster, because that's where a lot of the flavour is. The second dish she makes is a batch of tangy, creamy, lime curd tarts. She starts by making the curd, which is like a custard but firmer, and then makes the crust. She bakes the crust until golden, then fills it with the curd and tops it with whip cream and blueberries. But the real challenge is creating a final dish that features an unconventional pairing of her two ingredients.

Making dishes that feature ingredients with the letter "Z" might seem like a challenge but Chef Lauren Gulyas has it covered. She starts by slicing up some yellow and green zucchini for an impressive zucchini ricotta pie. Then she explains what zea mays is while preparing her award-winning corn chowder. The bacon and corn milk in her recipe ensures the chowder will be creamy and flavourful. To finish, Lauren combines zucchini and zea mays to create a fun surprise.

For this "K" challenge, Chef Robert Jewell takes on kale and kumquats. His first dish is inspired by spanakopita, but instead of spinach, it calls for curly kale. He adds the cooked kale to a mix of three cheeses, then stuffs phyllo pastry to create a kale and ricotta cheese pine nut roll. Next up, Robert shows us how to cook kumquat with a bit of lemon and Grand Marnier to make a marmalade that pairs perfectly with everything from meats to desserts. But now for the real challenge. Robert plays the kale and kumquat flavours off each other in one extraordinary recipe.

In this fast-paced "L" challenge, Chef Leah Wildman has fun preparing her favourite dishes using lamb and lemongrass. To start, she makes a rich Irish stew. The stew is made with lamb shoulder, Vidalia onions, sweet potatoes, thyme, flour, and stock. The secret to the perfect stew is adding lamb bones for extra flavour. Next, it's time for a dish using lemongrass, and Leah chooses grilled shrimp lemongrass kabobs. For an added touch, she uses the firm stalk of the lemongrass as the skewer. To finish things off, Leah combines both ingredients in an exciting dish.

Chef Lauren Gulyas must work with the nutty flavours of wild rice and walnuts in this "W" challenge. In her first dish, chipotle peppers, wild rice, and honey combine in delicious pancakes that are perfect for dipping in cilantro sour cream. Moving on to the walnuts, Lauren whips up a to-die-for dark chocolate walnut pâté by slowly melting dark chocolate, butter, cream and walnut butter, then folding in an egg and sugar mix. Finally, Lauren faces the fun challenge of combining her two ingredients in the same dish.

There's no way Chef Robert Jewell will get an "F" on this "F" test. Robert takes on figs and fennel by first using ripe black mission figs, layering them over a mascarpone and cream cheese base, to make a simple and sweet fig tart. Then he moves forward, telling us all about his second ingredient. He gives tips for storing and dicing fennel while making a broth with fennel, shallots, and potatoes. He adds clams, Serrano ham, and cream to complete the dish. Next up, Robert unites figs and fennel in a combo that is as fancy as it is unexpected.

In this fun "C" challenge, Chef Leah Wildman makes dishes incorporating the satisfying flavours of cheddar cheese and chestnuts. She starts with a bacon cheeseburger, but it's not your typical bacon cheeseburger. Instead of the bacon and cheese on top, she puts it inside the burger. She decides to throw some onions into the stuffing as well, for added flavour. Next she moves on to a fresh tagliatelle pasta with chestnuts, pancetta and sage. Finally, Leah faces the challenge of using both ingredients in a single satisfying dish.

This "L" challenge explores the flavours of lemons and lentils. To start, Chef Lauren Gulyas cooks scallops in lemon juice in a dish known as ceviche. Combining cilantro, chillies, red pepper, red onion, garlic, tomato and avocado, she mixes up a salsa that pairs perfectly with the dish. Next up is a lentil salad with salty pancetta, sweet apple and a poached egg. Lauren combines some grainy mustard, olive oil and red wine vinegar for a delicious mustard seed dressing. Then she shows us how to overcome the challenge of combining the two ingredients with one exciting final dish.

In this "E" challenge, Chef Robert Jewell picks out ingredients commonly thought of as breakfast staples, eggs and espresso, but uses them in unexpected ways. First he gives tips for making the perfect fluffy scrambled eggs. Then he prepares spaghetti and adds an egg and cheese mix to make delicious carbonara pasta that proves eggs aren't just for breakfast. Next, he adds maple syrup, beef stock, and whiskey to brewed espresso to make a tasty sauce to pair with perfectly cooked steaks. Finally, Robert shows us how to combine our breakfast staples into something entirely different in one final surprise dish.

It's all about the heat and the sweet, as Chef Leah Wildman works with two very different "H" ingredients - honey and habanero. She starts with a delicious lavender honey rack of lamb, where the sweetness of the honey offsets the richness of the lamb perfectly. The trick to making killer lamb every time is to season it well and sear it in a pan before finishing in the oven. Next, she prepares habanero poppers with blue cheese dip. She combines bacon, cream cheese, and fresh lime juice for the filling, which has the perfect balance of textures, flavours and heat. Finally, Leah faces the exciting challenge of combining the two ingredients in a dish that showcases both heat and sweet.

In this fun "S" challenge, Chef Lauren Gulyas uses salmon and strawberries to make some delicious and unique dishes. She starts by making salmon cakes, with some crispy salmon skin chips. Next up is a dish using strawberries, and Lauren decides to make a family favourite - strawberries and biscuits. For this dish, Lauren oven roasts the strawberries in a cast iron skillet. Now it's time for the final dish, and here Lauren is challenged to combine both salmon and strawberries together. Just wait until you see what she comes up with.

Chef Robert Jewell gets creative to meet the "P" challenge posed by prawns and pistachios. First he tells us a bit about prawns and makes a dish destined to impress. He delicately wraps the prawn in prosciutto before placing them in a buttered and oiled pan to cook. Once done, they make the perfect appetizer. Next, Robert gets out a candy thermometer and a pastry brush to make some salted pistachio brittle. As he cooks, he gives tips to ensure the candy turns out super crunchy. Finally, Robert comes up with a quirky recipe to combine his two ingredients.

Chef Leah Wildman draws the letter "D" and takes on the challenge with dates and duck, the chicken for adults. She starts with a duck confit with rosemary honey sauce. For the duck she shreds the meat and lets it tenderize in the duck fat and garlic. For the sauce she steeps the honey with garlic and rosemary flavours, and then adds some soy. She adds the duck meat to the delicious sauce, and serves with roasted potatoes as a side. To showcase the dates, Leah makes a rich, spongy sticky toffee pudding. But just wait until you see what she makes with both duck and dates.

Cashews and carrots are the name of today's game. Chef Lauren Gulyas starts out by making chicken with a nutty, buttery cashew crust. Instead of dredging the chicken in flour before putting on a crust, Lauren crushes up some cashews into a powder and uses that, for a double nut experience. Next she puts a twist on the classic carrot cake by making rich and decadent carrot cupcakes complete with homemade cream cheese frosting. And finally, she ends the episode with a non-traditional dish that combines cashews and carrots that you are sure to love.

In this "C" episode, Chef Robert Jewell shows us what he can do with cauliflower and cranberries. First he grates some cauliflower and adds garlic, cheese, an egg, and some herbs to create a tasty flourless bread. Next up is the cranberries. Robert simmers cranberries, sugar, and water to create a sauce. Then he makes white chocolate ganache and prepares pistachios and more cranberries before putting it all together to create a delicious tart. But the real challenge is when Robert uses cauliflower and cranberries in an unconventional combination dish.

Chef Leah Wildman tests herself with asparagus and artichoke dishes in this "A" challenge. She starts with an asparagus salad, with crispy pancetta, a perfectly cooked poached egg, and a creamy dressing. Next it's time for the artichoke, which Leah showcases in a delicious dish involving ham and clams. It starts with onions and garlic, then comes the ham and clams with some fish stock and white wine, and finally the artichokes. The fun final dish combines both ingredients in a mouth-watering dish perfect for springtime.