Top Chef ™: Wisconsin

Shadow beni (Eryngium foetidum) is a pungent Caribbean herb also known as culantro, Mexican coriander, or chadon beni. Despite its strong, almost overwhelming smell when raw, it's essential in Caribbean cooking, particularly in Trinidad and Tobago. The serrated leaves have an intense cilantro-like flavor but much stronger and more complex, with earthy, slightly bitter notes.

Cooking Tips:

• Use sparingly: Shadow beni is potent - start with just 1-2 leaves and adjust to taste. A little goes a very long way.

• Cooking transforms it: The harsh raw flavor mellows beautifully when cooked, becoming aromatic and complex without the intensity.

• Perfect for slow cooking: Excellent in stews, curries, and rice dishes where it can simmer and develop depth.

• Prep carefully: Wash thoroughly and chop finely. Remove thick stems as they can be tough.

• Storage: Keeps longer than regular cilantro - wrap in damp paper towels and refrigerate.

• Substitution: If unavailable, use triple the amount of regular cilantro, though the flavor will be different.

Cou cou is a beloved West African staple made from cornmeal and okra, creating a smooth, polenta-like dish with a distinctive texture. Popular across the Caribbean (especially Barbados) and parts of West Africa, it's traditionally served alongside fish, stews, or curries. The okra acts as both flavoring and natural thickener, giving cou cou its characteristic silky consistency.

Essential Cooking Tips:

• Prevent lumps: Always add cornmeal gradually while whisking constantly. Never dump it all at once.

• Use fresh okra: Slice thinly and cook until tender before adding cornmeal - this releases the natural mucilage that creates the signature texture.

• Keep stirring: Constant stirring prevents sticking and ensures even cooking. Use a wooden spoon and expect 15-20 minutes of active stirring.

• Season generously: Salt, pepper, and sometimes butter are essential. Some cooks add garlic or herbs.

• Consistency matters: Aim for smooth and creamy, similar to soft polenta. Add hot water if it becomes too thick.

The result should be comforting, smooth, and slightly sticky - perfect for soaking up flavorful sauces.

Lamb spiedini are Italian-style skewers featuring cubed lamb marinated and grilled to perfection. Popular throughout Italy with regional variations, they typically combine tender lamb pieces with vegetables like bell peppers, onions, and zucchini. 

The key to success is cutting lamb into uniform 1-inch cubes from the leg or shoulder, then marinating in olive oil, garlic, herbs like rosemary or oregano, and lemon juice for at least 2 hours. Thread onto metal skewers, alternating meat and vegetables for even cooking. Grill over medium-high heat, turning frequently, for 8-10 minutes until lamb is nicely browned but still pink inside. Let rest briefly before serving. 

The marinade doubles as a finishing sauce when reduced in a pan with a splash of wine.

Tacos al pastor is a Mexican street food fusion born from Lebanese immigration to Mexico, featuring marinated pork cooked on a vertical spit (trompo) and served with pineapple, onions, and cilantro. For home cooks, thin-sliced pork shoulder or pork steaks work well, marinated in a blend of dried chiles (guajillo, chipotle, ancho), achiote, pineapple juice, and spices. 

Since most home kitchens lack a trompo, achieve similar results by grilling or pan-searing the marinated meat over high heat for caramelized edges. The key is balancing sweet pineapple with smoky, spicy marinade. Serve on small corn tortillas with diced white onion, fresh cilantro, and grilled pineapple chunks. A squeeze of lime and salsa verde complete this iconic taco.

Cochinita pibil is a legendary Mexican dish from the Yucatán Peninsula featuring pork shoulder slow-cooked in a fragrant marinade of achiote paste, citrus juices, and spices. Traditionally cooked underground in banana leaves, home cooks can achieve authentic results using a Dutch oven or slow cooker. The key is the achiote paste (annatto seeds), which gives the dish its distinctive earthy flavor and vibrant orange color. 

Marinate the pork overnight for maximum flavor penetration. Banana leaves aren't essential but add aromatic depth—substitute with parchment paper if needed. The finished pork should be tender enough to shred easily and pairs beautifully with pickled red onions, warm tortillas, and habanero salsa. 

Low, slow cooking is crucial for achieving the traditional melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Pommes Anna is a classic French potato dish that showcases the elegance of simple ingredients executed with precision. Named after a 19th-century Parisian courtesan, this preparation involves thinly slicing potatoes and layering them in overlapping, circular patterns in a heavy-bottomed pan or special pommes Anna mold. Each layer is generously brushed with clarified butter and seasoned with salt. The dish is then baked at high heat, creating a stunning golden dome with crispy, caramelized edges and tender, buttery layers within. The key is achieving the perfect balance between the crusty exterior and creamy interior. When properly executed, pommes Anna can be inverted and served as an impressive side dish that rivals any restaurant presentation.

Saskatoon berries (also called serviceberries or Juneberries) are small, dark purple berries with a sweet, nutty flavor reminiscent of blueberries mixed with almonds. These North American native berries have been a staple food for centuries and work beautifully in both sweet and savory applications.

In sweet baking, saskatoons excel in pies, muffins, and pancakes, offering more complex flavor than blueberries with their distinctive almond undertones. They make exceptional jams and syrups. For savory cooking, saskatoons create wonderful glazes for game meats, pork, or poultry, where their natural sweetness balances rich flavors.

Home bakers love that saskatoons hold their shape well when baked and provide unique flavor complexity. They're particularly popular in Canadian prairie cooking and are gaining recognition elsewhere for their versatility and distinctive taste.

Pemmican is a traditional Native American preserved food made from dried meat (usually buffalo, deer, or elk) that's pounded into powder, then mixed with rendered fat and sometimes dried berries. This nutrient-dense mixture was historically essential for long journeys, providing concentrated protein and calories in a shelf-stable form.

While not commonly used in modern home baking, adventurous cooks might incorporate pemmican concepts into energy bars or trail mix recipes. The technique of combining dried proteins with fats and dried fruits translates well to making homemade protein bars or survival foods. Some outdoor enthusiasts still make traditional pemmican for camping trips. 

Home bakers interested in historical cooking or creating high-protein snacks can adapt the basic principle using modern ingredients like beef jerky powder, coconut oil, and dried fruit.

Haskap berries (also called honeyberries) are elongated blue berries with a unique flavor combining blueberry, raspberry, and honey notes with subtle tartness. These cold-hardy berries ripen early in the season and have tender skins that make them perfect for baking applications.

In sweet cooking, haskaps work beautifully in muffins, pies, and jams, offering more complex flavor than regular blueberries without being overpoweringly tart. Their natural sweetness means you can reduce sugar in recipes. For savory applications, haskaps create excellent glazes for pork or duck, and their mild tartness pairs well with soft cheeses in tarts or galettes.

Home bakers appreciate that haskaps hold their shape better than blueberries when baked, won't burst as easily, and provide that coveted "something different" flavor that elevates familiar recipes.

Chokeberries (aronia berries) are small, dark purple berries with an intensely astringent, dry flavor that literally makes your mouth pucker - hence the name. Despite their harsh taste when raw, they're packed with antioxidants and transform beautifully when cooked. In sweet applications, chokeberries work best combined with sweeter fruits in pies, jams, or muffins, where added sugar balances their tartness and creates complex, wine-like flavors.

For savory cooking, chokeberries make excellent glazes for game meats, pork, or duck, where their astringency cuts through rich fats. Home bakers can use chokeberry juice or puree in marinades, or incorporate dried chokeberries into savory breads and grain dishes. Always cook or process them rather than eating raw - the transformation is remarkable.

In season 22 of Top Chef ™, Massimo mentions umeboshi made from elderberry, but strictly that's not a thing.

Traditional umeboshi are Japanese pickled plums (ume fruit), not elderberries. Ume are a specific type of Japanese apricot-plum, and authentic umeboshi are made exclusively from these fruits, salt, and often red shiso leaves.

Elderberries, while used in various culinary applications, are not typically used to make umeboshi-style pickles. Elderberries are more commonly used for jams, syrups, wines, and baked goods in European and American cooking traditions.

Cachapa is a Venezuelan corn pancake made from fresh sweet corn kernels blended into a smooth, slightly chunky batter with milk, eggs, sugar, and salt. Unlike hoe cakes, which use dried cornmeal and have a dense, sturdy texture, cachapas are made from fresh corn, creating a naturally sweet, creamy pancake with visible corn pieces and a tender, almost custard-like consistency.

While hoe cakes serve as savory vehicles for sopping gravies, cachapas are traditionally eaten as a meal themselves, often folded around fresh cheese or served with butter. Home bakers will find cachapas require fresh or frozen corn kernels rather than cornmeal, and the batter is much wetter, producing thicker, more delicate pancakes that highlight corn's natural sweetness rather than its earthiness.