Luka tasting the minestrone: 'My stomach is clapping'
In the individual challenge, 11 contestants prepared three meals for work. They cooked in three rounds, and after each round, only the best made it to the balcony. After the first round, in which Tadej won with the best rice bowl, the second test followed.
He prepared a minestrone with pasta, canned vegetables, shallots and carrots, and for extra flavor he used vegetable broth and wine. Karim emphasized during the evaluation that it is precisely in such a dish that the contestant's true understanding of cooking techniques is shown. "You hit the mark here very well and your minestrone is very good," he praised Juret.
Luka did not hide his enthusiasm either, as the dish reminded him of Primorska. "I'm thrilled. Primorska, the Coast, it takes me there. My stomach is growling," he said. Mojmir, however, particularly highlighted Jure's use of canned ingredients. As he explained, when cooking with canned corn, beans or peas, the dish quickly becomes heavy and their taste is too noticeable. Jure managed to avoid this. "But you made it taste like you put everything fresh in it," he praised him.
Jure's minestrone was ultimately declared the best dish of the second round, earning him the long-awaited spot on the balcony. "The balcony is mine, this! I've been waiting for it for so long," he rejoiced after his victory. He admitted that he had had some difficulties in previous challenges, so the success meant all the more to him. "This confirmation that you're doing something good and that you're on the right track," he added.
Ingredients:
- 100 g of small pasta
- 1 carrot
- 1.5 shallots or red onions
- 1 can of sweet corn
- 1 can of brown beans
- frozen peas (to taste)
- frozen spinach
- 100 ml of white wine
- 1 tablespoon tomato concentrate
- 6 cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 4 fresh basil leaves
- 1 cube of vegetable stock
- olive oil to taste
Preparation process:
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and add the diced carrots and chopped shallots. When the shallots are translucent and the carrots are lightly browned, add the tomato paste, cherry tomatoes, vegetable stock cube and white wine. Stir well and cook until the alcohol from the wine has evaporated.
Add the pasta, corn, kidney beans, green peas and spinach to the same pan. Stir and add water, being careful not to make the stew too runny. Add the oregano, thyme and fresh basil, stir well and cook until the ingredients are cooked.
