Linguini Bolognese with Pancetta, Beef, Tomato Sauce, Herbs and Parmesan
Although Damaris was ultimately tasked with describing a pasta dish made by her rival Lovely, this hearty Bolognese sauce studded with pancetta and topped with Parmesan cheese is all her own. "It conjures up memories for me of happiness and time spent with my family," the Season 9 winner said.
Thanks to this sweet and salty indulgence that sold for a whopping $180 at the Season 9 charity auction, Stacey earned automatic immunity from elimination in week seven.
Season 9's Russell tempted the crowd's tastes at Burger Bash when he offered an over-the-top hamburger featuring five of his seven "culinary sins." He said that this between-the-bun creation was made with "salt, fat, sugar, bacon and, best of all, liquor."
Melissa opted to prepare this all-in-one chicken dinner while filming her pilot in the finale episode of Season 5, and the results of the taping were so impressive that she was ultimately crowed Food Network Star.
The secret to Season 6 winner Aarti's Indian-inspired chicken is a bold marinade featuring yogurt, paprika, garlic, ginger and cardamom seeds. The plain yogurt adds subtle tang and moisture to the meat, making it juicy and tender.
This top-rated sandwich is what eventual Season 7 winner Jeff Mauro made in his pilot presentation. He stuffed flank steak with cheesy garlic breadcrumbs, cooked the meat until it was juicy and tender, then served it atop crusty rolls with crispy fried onions, creamy Burrata cheese and pickled peppers.
"It's a recipe for me to fry whatever I want," Season 8 winner Justin said of his Fritto Misto, which translates to "mixed fried" in Italian. He coated fresh bell peppers, string beans and zucchini in a tempura-style batter and deep-fried them until crispy. "GBD, man: golden brown and delicious," he added of his final dish.
To make her retro-rad sandwich, Team Alton's Emily layered thin apple slices with rosemary honey and fontina cheese on sweet brioche bread, dunked the panini in an egg batter and grilled them until the bread was toasted.
Crispy on the outside and filled with a mixture of tender rice and cayenne-spiked ground meat, these golden-brown rice balls from Season 8 finalist Martie Duncan are best served alongside a classic marinara sauce, and they make crowd-pleasing party bites.
This cheesecake was a slice of redemption for Linkie — a dressed-up dessert that proved her culinary chops after a disappointing offering earlier. She made a buttery crust out of crumbled cannoli shells, filled it with a ricotta-cream cheese mixture, then finished it with a sweet fresh orange juice glaze.
"Citrus and chocolate are my favorite combinations ever," Jyll said. She presented this beauty to Ina Garten and the selection committee, and while they questioned Jyll's performance, Ina admitted, "It's a well-executed cupcake — perfectly balanced between chocolate and orange."
Season 7 runner-up Susie used lettuce cups instead of tortillas to house her easy-to-make meatballs, laced with soy sauce, fresh lemon juice and shallots. Drizzle each with a quick Dijon vinaigrette before serving to marry the bold, fresh flavors.
Even the queen of Italian cuisine, Giada De Laurentiis, was wowed by Serena's made-over version of pasta with meat sauce. The finalist added classic Southwestern ingredients like black beans and cheddar cheese to a traditional Bolognese sauce, and Giada noted after tasting, "I love the idea of the chili with the spaghetti."
Brianna won the camera challenge with these easy-to-eat kebabs, marinated in warm, fragrant herbs and grilled until juicy. She serves them inside warm tortillas spread with creamy goat cheese and tops each with a Fresno chile pepper and Manchego cheese.
"Nice, really assertive flavors," Iron Chef Michael Symon said of Herb's "soulful" of tender shrimp, sauteed in a spiced red-wine tomato sauce and served over brown rice.
