A Is for Apple

Showcasing the unique flavours of endive and eggplant, Chef Lauren Gulyas receives the letter "E" for her cooking challenge. She sets sail by creating an endive salad boat, the perfect delivery vessel for her smoked trout with crème fraiche, and goat cheese with walnut appetizers. She follows up with a stuffed baby eggplant, Moroccan style. Chef Lauren sautés onion and garlic with some smoky sweet paprika and a snip of savoury sage, the aromatic combination lends itself beautifully to the succulent flavour of lamb. For her grand finale, Chef Lauren prepares the pièce de résistance using both endive and eggplant.

Chicken and corn are the key players in this letter "C" challenge. Chef Lauren Gulyas prepares one of her favourite Italian dishes, chicken Marsala. Using garlic, shallots, and white wine, Chef Lauren whips up a rich Marsala sauce that is nutty and floral in flavour. Next, she transforms corn into a creamy polenta topping for her Shepard's pie...with a twist. Sautéing onion, garlic, and lean ground beef, she uses Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste to give the pie filling an extra flavour boost. Once she finishes those dishes, Chef Lauren creates a mouth-watering recipe that combines both chicken and corn.

Host Theresa Visintin creates savoury meals in this letter "R" challenge featuring radicchios and raisins. First, Theresa chops up bold and bitter radicchios, grilling them until the edges are a crispy golden brown and perfect for a warm wedge salad. Then, she tosses fried pancetta and earthy portobello mushrooms in a luxurious champagne vinegar and pours it over the crispy radicchio. Theresa tops this warm salad with creamy crumbled goat's cheese. For her next dish, Theresa prepares a rum raisin sauce using golden sultana raisins, dark rum, and fresh orange. Theresa pours the sauce over succulent ham. Is your mouth watering yet? Finally, Theresa combines radicchio and raisin into a colourful and delicious side dish.

"A" is on the menu and Chef Robert Jewell takes on this meal challenge with apricots and avocados. First up, Robert cooks a spicy roasted quail and drizzles it with some sweet apricot and calvados sauce. Next, is a meal best served cold. Robert slices up sushi-grade tuna and transforms it into a flavourful tartare, brought to life by rich avocado and refreshing lime. On the side, he adds crusty crostini with savoury soy sauce and sesame oil, the perfect complement for this melt-in-your-mouth meal. For his final dish, Robert combines apricots and avocados for an unbelievably tasty dish.

Cheese or chocolate? Why not both. In this "C" challenge, host Theresa Visintin takes on both decadent ingredients. But first, she shows us that being cheesy is easy, especially when you stuff chicken breast with creamy goat's cheese and finely diced apples. Theresa takes the flavour one step further by coating the stuffed chicken with sage, parmesan, and panko bread crumbs, then frying it to a crispy golden brown. Next, Theresa whips up a dessert fan favourite, the decadent and oh-so-irresistible dark chocolate lava cake. Finally, Theresa has an irresistible recipe using ooey gooey cheese and warm chocolate.

It's all about the letter "S" as Chef Robert Jewell cooks up tasty meals using shrimp and sausage. For his first recipe, Robert fries up turmeric-spiced sweet potato fritters with a shrimp centre. He takes this tantalizing appetizer to another level with a savoury lime soy dipping sauce. Next up, Robert makes an English breakfast strata. This sausage casserole is easily the BEST way to start your day. He layers the bottom of the dish with buttered sourdough slices, before adding crispy fried sausages, leeks and tomatoes. He then covers it in a creamy egg mixture, crumbles stilton on top and bakes it to golden brown. Finally, Robert combines shrimp and sausage into one flavourful dish.

Chef Robert Jewell has a challenge on his hands after picking the letter "K." He decides to use ingredients kaffir lime and kohlrabi. First, Robert re-invents the ordinary shrimp skewer, using lemongrass as the skewer (yes, the skewer!). He brings the flavour to the next level with zesty kaffir lime. Using the leaves of the kaffir lime with fresh herbs, Robert makes a dipping sauce for the skewer. Next, Robert fries up salty peameal bacon in one pan and sautés earthy kohlrabi with leeks, potato, and garlic in another. He brings the ingredients together into a single skillet, adding eggs and baking it into a hearty frittata. For his final dish, Robert uses both kaffir lime and kohlrabi in an ingenious combination.

After picking the letter "L," Chef Robert Jewell takes on lamb and licorice in this ingredient challenge. He starts with aromatic Moroccan lamb riblets, an appetizer that will make you want this spicy dish as your main course too. Next, Robert takes it up a notch by showing us how to make licorice - yes, the candy. He brings coconut oil, brown sugar, creamed coconut, and molasses to boil before skillfully adding flour and anise to make sweet, chewy coconut licorice. Finally, Robert concocts the perfect recipe that combines succulent lamb with sweet licorice.

Culinary expert Theresa Visintin picks the letter "B" and must combine beef with buttermilk for her challenge. But first, she works with the ingredients separately. Silky buttermilk lends itself perfectly to Theresa's battered blooming onion recipe. Using the biggest onion she can find, Theresa skillfully slices from the root down, ensuring it will bloom into a beautiful flower. She coats the Vidalia onion in egg, buttermilk and smoky spiced flour, before deep frying it. Next up, it's time for beef to get the Theresa treatment, as she prepares a crowd favourite- smoky, juicy, fall-off-the-bone baked beef brisket. With the perfect balance of sweet and spicy, this meal will make you look forward to leftovers...if there are any. Now for the challenge - Theresa skillfully blends beef with buttermilk in a recipe that will tempt your taste buds.

Upbeat host Theresa Visintin has a task on her hands with this "M" challenge. Her ingredients of choice? Mango and mustard. Using the sweeter ingredient first, she whips up a refreshing mango salad. Next, Theresa masters mustard. When we think of cooking with mustard, we assume mustard seed, right? Well, for this recipe, Theresa mixes things up by using mustard greens instead. The hearty mustard leaf is similar to kale. She fries some savoury pancetta and uses its spicy oil to sauté the mustard greens. Plating the beautiful greens with crispy fried pancetta, she sprinkles the dish with parmesan and toasted pine nuts. For the final meal, Theresa combines mango and mustard into an irresistible sweet and savoury dish.

In this "C" challenge, Chef Robert Jewell cooks up recipes using coconut and crab before combining both into a single recipe. Using sweet coconut, Robert makes a classic dessert -- an irresistible coconut cream pie. He starts with a delectable crunchy graham cracker crust and tops his pie with fluffy whipped cream and toasted coconut flakes. Next, Robert transforms a fresh soft-shell crab into a delicious, spicy, and crunchy dish. The best part? It's fast and easy to make. After soaking the crab in milk, Robert dunks it into a flour-cornmeal mixture and fries it until golden brown. But that's not all, Robert whips up the perfect dipping sauce, using spicy smoked-jalapeno, lime, and orange adobo mayo. Finally, Robert brings coconut and crab into one delicious dish.

It's all about pork and peanuts, today's challenge is the letter "P." Chef Lauren Gulyas serves up an old school favourite, smothered pork chops. Using a blend of savoury ingredients, and with the help of her cast iron pan, Chef Lauren provides us with tips on how to keep your pork tender and tasty. Next, it's time for a West African peanut soup. Drizzling garlic, ginger and onions with extra virgin olive oil and letting them sizzle in a frying pan until the onions are soft brings out a sweetness that lends itself beautifully to the salty, earthy taste of peanuts. To finish, Chef Lauren puts an Asian twist on a southern classic, when she combines the two ingredients.

Tea and turkey are an unlikely combo for a meal, but Chef Robert Jewell is a creative force in the kitchen. First, he gives earl grey and lavender tea a sweet treatment by making a rich semifreddo. Robert creates a silky tea infused syrup, which he drizzles over a luxurious custard and tops with whipped cream. Robert punches up the colour by adding tart poached raspberries and vibrant violet lavender petals. Now, it's time for a real show stopper - saffron turkey kebabs with pomegranate rice. This is not your average turkey dinner. First, Robert marinates the turkey pieces in lime, yogourt and garlic. After infusing basmati rice with aromatic saffron and bay leaves, Robert tosses the rice with crunchy pine nuts and sweet pomegranate - the perfect bed for his grilled-to-perfection turkey skewers. Robert then takes his culinary skills to the next level when he uses tea and turkey in one single delicious dish.

Host Theresa Visintin picks the letter "D" in this challenge and combines two very different ingredients - dill and duck. But that's no big dill for Theresa. For her first dish, Theresa uses dill seeds and weed to make a hearty, creamy dill pickle soup. She adds chicken broth and potatoes as her base but makes the soup extra smooth with some sour cream. She tops the soup with dill pickles to add a delightful crunch. Next, Theresa takes duck, a classic French ingredient, and gives it a French Canadian twist - duck tourtière. Using the duck fat to fry up some veggies, she adds red wine to her chicken stock and simmers the meat. Then, Theresa fills a pie crust with this delightful duck filling and coats the crust with egg wash before baking it to a golden brown. Finally, Theresa takes on both ingredients to create a delectable dill and duck dish.

For this "N" challenge, Chef Lauren Gulyas works with noodles and nectarines. For her first dish, Lauren cooks up a breaded nectarine and mozzarella stack. Talking technique, she shows us how to cut nectarines into rounds. She does the same with some soft mozzarella and then walks us through the art of a balsamic reduction. For the noodles, Chef Lauren puts an elegant twist on your childhood favourite with a lobster mac and cheese. She spares no flavours, adding fried bacon, garlic, cayenne pepper, mustard powder, and even dry vermouth. This is no ordinary noodle dish. But now for the real challenge. Chef Lauren works with the noodles and nectarines simultaneously in an extraordinary recipe.

In this fast-paced episode, host Theresa Visintin uses two unlikely ingredients that start with the letter "G," garbanzo beans and grapefruit. First up, Theresa cooks socca, a savoury garbanzo bean pancake recipe, and infuses it with Mediterranean flavours. To make her batter, Theresa combines chickpea flour with salty olives, sweet red pepper, and fresh basil. Once the batter is ready to go, she fries the savoury crepe. Next up, Theresa balances tart grapefruit with a sweet buttery lobster tail. But that's not sweet enough for Theresa. She prepares sabayon, a delicate honey custard that melts in your mouth. Finally, Theresa shows us how to make a mouth-watering dish by combining grapefruit and garbanzo.

In this "R" challenge, Chef Lauren Gulyas shows us how to use rice and rosemary in delicious meals. She starts off by creating a sneaky rice salad, using the nutty chewy grain we call wild rice. She cooks up gooey fried goat's cheese and tosses in some lightly grilled asparagus, to create a sure-fire people pleasing dish. Next up, a rosemary crème brûlée. Yup, you read that right. Chef Lauren pops some rosemary into a pot of simmering cream, accompanied by eggs, vanilla bean, and sugar. She gets out her whisk and it's off to the races. To wrap it up, Chef Lauren delivers a delightful treat using this dynamic ingredient duo.

In this episode, Chef Robert Jewell explores recipes using two very different ingredients that start with the letter "O," oats and okra. For his first dish, Robert uses okra in a classic cornmeal cake recipe, but bumps up the flavour factor with spicy jalapenos. Robert balances the heat of the jalapeno with a tart green tomato and crunchy red onion salsa. In his next recipe, Robert keeps the heat, but switches up his recipes for a curry-spiced oat pancake. This Indian inspired dish needs something to cool it down and Robert knows exactly what that is - sweet, silky applesauce. He's up for the challenge when it comes to combining okra and oats into one dish, and the results are tasty.

It's all about sesame and scallops in this letter "S" challenge, and host Theresa Visintin has some appetizing ideas up her sleeve. First, she shows us how to make scallop cassoulet, a simple recipe that can be cooked even faster than it can eaten. Theresa browns the tender scallops in delicious bacon fat and then bakes it on a bed of creamy kidney beans. Next, Theresa uses sesame seeds to create a zesty sauce for a take-out favourite, made in your very own kitchen - noodles. For her final recipe, our culinary host combines sesame and scallops, creating a juicy, crunchy masterpiece.

After picking "M" for this episode's challenge, Chef Lauren Gulyas decides to make meal magic using maple and mahi-mahi. She starts by combining chestnut and quinoa to create a mouth-watering medley, rich in flavour and texture. Chef Lauren adds shiitake mushrooms and drizzles the dish with a balsamic vinegar, maple syrup and rosemary dressing. Next up, she steams Mahi-mahi with red chilies and lemongrass, this savoury spice is a heavenly combination with an invigorating aroma. For the challenge, Chef Lauren seamlessly introduces both maple and mahi-mahi into one flavourful fusion.

In this letter "P" challenge, Chef Robert Jewell showcases his vegetarian skills using pecans and peppers. Despite his cowboy roots, Robert shows us he can kick it with vegetarians by cooking up a juicy meatless "meatloaf" using pecans. But, no "meatloaf" would be complete without a gravy. Robert fries up earthy portobello mushrooms before adding a special ingredient to thicken the gravy, you guessed it -- pecans. Now, on to peppers. Robert doubles up, using both the vegetable and seasoning, to make a delicious red pepper coulis with herb and pepper crusted beef tenderloin. Robert goes a little nuts when he prepares his final recipe using both pecans and peppers.

Here's a tongue twister: Theresa, tuna, tangerine. In this episode, host Theresa Visintin picks her favourite letter, "T," and introduces us to scrumptious recipes using tuna and tangerine. Theresa loves tuna and Italian cuisine, so naturally she combines both to create a mouth-watering pasta with some savoury tomato, olive, and tuna sauce. Next, Theresa satisfies her sweet tooth with a decadent tangerine parfait. Using the sweet juice of the tangerine, Theresa creates gelatin, with a hint of orange liqueur. She tops it all off by whipping up a fluffy cream to complete this sweet treat. Then it's time for a real challenge: tuna and tangerine in one recipe.

Making dishes with the letter "W" could be seen as a real challenge, but Chef Lauren Gulyas has got it covered. Choosing water chestnut and watercress as her star ingredients, Chef Lauren begins by serving up an Asian inspired rice dish complete with crunchy water chestnuts. She starts off cooking rice in chicken broth, a great way to infuse the grain with a subtle savoury flavour. Sautéing celery, garlic, and onion in sesame oil adds a flavour kick. Throw in some ginger, veggies, and water chestnuts and enjoy the sound of the sizzle. Next up, Lauren puts a peppery twist on a classic recipe, linguine with watercress pesto. Then it's time for the grand finale, Chef Lauren uses both ingredients to create the ultimate culinary combination.

In this "H" challenge, Chef Lauren Gulyas decides to take on the unique flavours of halibut and horseradish. She starts with a perfectly prepared prosciutto wrapped halibut, pairing the buttery flavour of the fish with the saltiness of the cured meat. Throw in some dill potatoes and you've got a beautifully balanced dish. Next up, Chef Lauren show us how to make a delightful roast beef dip with a zesty horseradish sauce using carrots, vinegar, mayo and a little lemon. Finally, she is challenged to make a dish that combines both ingredients, and does she ever deliver.