Top Moments of Chopped After Hours: Redemption

Host Ted Allen introduces Chefs Marcus Samuelsson, Amanda Freitag and Aaron Sanchez to their mystery basket ingredients, as seen on Food Network's Chopped: After Hours.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Redeemed or Re-Chopped?

Marcus, Amanda and Aarón are ready to cook with vegan lobster, chop suey, hot mustard and winter melon. "We inflicted this on innocent chefs," says Ted. "So we might as well take it upon ourselves," says Amanda. Ted keeps the judges hanging as he stretches out announcing "time starts now!"

There's No Vegan Here

Ted asks Marcus what he thinks about the vegan lobster. "I have no idea what this is. I'm still trying to figure it out, but I like the challenge," says Marcus. He ends up making a play on surf and turf, and he decides to grill sausage and bacon, turning a vegan basket into an ultimate meat eaters' dish.

Chopped: After Hours host Ted Allen tries to bounce some of Chef Amanda Freitag's vegan lobster into a mixing bowl off of Chef Marcus Samuelssons works station working, as seen on Food Network's Chopped: After Hours.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Playing with Your Food

Amanda can't get over the bouncy texture of the vegan lobster: "Seriously, Ted, I'm gonna bounce it to you." The two decide to play a game of ball and Ted shoots: "I'm aiming for your bowl!" And he scores!

Chef Aaron Sanchez has some problems while he tries to work on his dish that must include: winter melon, hot mustard, canned chop suey, as seen on Food Network's Chopped: After Hours.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Going Old-School Mexican

Aarón decides to make enchiladas, so for his filling he purees the vegan lobster and the chop suey. On the stove he has tomatoes and winter melon grilling, which he'll blend to create the serving sauce.

Chef Amanda Freitag working on her dish that must include: winter melon, hot mustard, canned chop suey and vegan lobster, as seen on Food Network's Chopped: After Hours.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Resourceful Ingredient Tactics

Amanda strains the chop suey and says sarcastically, "I know I might be making a mistake getting rid of all that flavor, but we're talking a little or a lot." Ted says, "I recommend a little." So she decides to pick out the water chestnuts and purees it with hot mustard to create a mayonnaise, which she'll use for her version of lobster rolls.

Chefs Aaron Sanchez and Amanda Freitag take a moment from working on their dishes that must include: winter melon, hot mustard, canned chop suey and vegan lobster to block the line from Chef Marcus Samuelsson, as seen on Food Network's Chopped: After Hours.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Fight to the Finish

Aarón and Amanda block Marcus as he comes back from the pantry carrying a blender. These chef-judges aren't afraid to play dirty when they have to. And with just five minutes left, it's a race to finish except for Amanda, who plates early.

Chopped: After Hours host Ted Allen and Chefs Marcus Samuelsson, Amanda Freitag and Aaron Sanchez taste a dish made with winter melon, hot mustard, canned chop suey and vegan lobster, as seen on Food Network's Chopped: After Hours.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Clever Uses with Ingredients

Aarón presents his dish with a Spanish flair, but Marcus asks, "What would you call that in English?" "I dunno," he says; "To listen to Aarón, hit your ESAP button on your television." They can't really locate the vegan lobster in the dish, but they are impressed when Aarón tells them he pureed it for the filling.

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Flavor Trip to Maine

Amanda ended up poaching the vegan lobster in butter, which surprises Marcus: "You went there?" Everyone agrees that the dish has great acidity and flavor. "I loved everything on that dish," says Marcus. "You transported me to Kennebunkport," says Ted.

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Hiding Unwanted Ingredients

Everyone is impressed with Marcus' flavors, and Ted thinks the meat worked well as a disguise: "You might have kind of shoved that vegan lobster out of sight." Ultimately the judges agree that cooking on After Hours helps them judge more clearly: "This only gives us better perspective to do our job at that side of the kitchen," says Aarón.

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Get More Chopped After Hours

Catch up on previous After Hours Web-exclusive videos, then visit Food Network's Chopped page for more insider coverage of the show.

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Top Moments of Chopped After Hours: Redemption

Redeemed or Re-Chopped?

There's No Vegan Here

Playing with Your Food

Going Old-School Mexican

Resourceful Ingredient Tactics

Fight to the Finish

Clever Uses with Ingredients

Flavor Trip to Maine

Hiding Unwanted Ingredients

Get More Chopped After Hours

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