How Many Dishes Can Richard Blais Make with Only 6 Ingredients?

You may have heard of anagrams -- it’s when change the order of letters in one word to make other words. Well, on today’s show we played a new game we’re calling “Food Anagrams.”  

We challenged Chef Richard Blais to make as many different dishes as he could with 6 ingredients: flat iron steaks, latin seasoning, potatoes, carrots, peeled tomatoes, and eggs.

So what was the final tally after he cooked up a storm for an hour? A whopping 11 dishes! Here are his notes. Consider this a look inside the mind of cooking genius. Because who needs recipes when you’re Richard Blais?

1. Meatballs with Tomato Sauce

Rachael Ray Show

- Meatballs: salt and pepper, partially frozen meat - ground in food processor
- Sauce: 1 can of tomatoes, 1 carrot chopped, chopped carrot tops, Latin Spices to taste, olive oil, cook for 5 minutes, pulse in food processor
- Sear the meatballs
- Add tomato sauce

2. Charred Carrots

Rachael Ray Show

- Finger Carrots, olive oil, Latin spices to taste, char 10-12 min until soft
- Toss with balsamic vinegar and juice from tomatoes

3. Beef Steak Tomato Soup

Rachael Ray Show

- 1 small can of tomato, 2 carrots, teaspoon Latin spices, olive oil, cook 10-15 minutes, blend in a blender until smooth
- Add seared steak and potatoes
 
4. Carrot Soup

Rachael Ray Show

- 1 cup yellow sliced carrots: cook 8 minutes with water in the microwave
- 1/2 cup tomato juice from can (leftover from can of tomatoes): Blend until smooth, season with Latin Spices

5. Steak with Spicy Hash Browns and Fried Egg

Rachael Ray Show

- Poach egg: Make a vortex of water, pinch of salt, cap full of vinegar, then add egg, cook for 5 minutes
- Coat steak with salt, cook in cast iron for 2 minutes per side (get tips on how to break in your cast iron skillet here)
- Cut potatoes into cubes, add spices
- Mince carrot top leaves and mix with olive oil, salt, pepper
- Chop tomatoes and add balsamic vinegar
 
6. Beef Tartare

Rachael Ray Show

- Hand chop frozen beef, dress with salt, pepper, and carrot tops
- Aioli: 1 egg yolk, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper, blend
- Garnish potatoes with aioli

7. Frittata

Rachael Ray Show

- Sear sliced potatoes, carrots, small beef pieces (Rach shows you the right way to hold a chef’s knife, so you can slice and dice like a pro here)
- Ladle 3-5 whisked eggs into pan containing the above ingredients, season salt and pepper, cook 5-10 minutes

8. Steak with Carrots

Rachael Ray Show

- Sear steak (4 minutes both sides), season with spices
- Sauce: Chop tomatoes, add balsamic, charred carrots and carrot leaves, reduce 5 minutes

9. Corned Beef Hash with Egg

Rachael Ray Show

- Dice potatoes, fry until golden
- Make a sunny side up egg
- Slice and salt the beef, cook in cast iron
- Put potatoes and egg on top

10. Beef Stew

Rachael Ray Show

- In pressure cooker: 2 sliced carrots, 10 whole potatoes, 1 can whole tomatoes, pinch of Latin spices, splash of balsamic vinegar, beef (cubed in a medium dice), cook 10-15 minutes
- Decompress pressure cooker
- Ladle out and serve

11. Beef Goulash with 5 Minute Egg

Rachael Ray Show

- In pressure cooker: 2 sliced carrots, 1 can whole tomatoes, 10 whole potatoes, pinch of Latin spices, splash of balsamic vinegar, beef (cubed in a medium dice), cook 10-15 minutes
- Decompress pressure cooker and remove potatoes
- Pulse the remaining items from the pressure cooker (all except potatoes)
- Boil an egg in water for 5 minutes
- Peel egg and serve on goulash

MORE: Blais Shows Off 3 New Mac and Cheese Recipes that Will Totally Blow Your Mind