Cooking At The Bachelor's Pad

The Early Show continues its week-long series, "Guess Who's Coming to Lunch" with resident Chef Bobby Flay's surprise visit to Dave Price's apartment.

After kidnapping Price's dog, Chance, from doggy daycare, Flay had the challenge of his life when he arrived at Price's apartment.

In the pantry, Flay found: "Some sesame oil, and Thai seasoning sauce, like a fish sauce, kind of salty. He's got some extra virgin olive oil, and this is more extra. He's into the extra virgin olive oil, so we know he likes good olive oil."

The refrigerator looked pretty much empty except for a few items: Champagne and Flay noted, "More champagne, ladies and gentlemen! The bachelor's cuisine, right here. He's got some herb parmesan dressing, looks like he's into salads. And yet again, Dom Perignon. He's ready for the champagne fest."

That was not all, Flay noted with a big laugh, "And then he's got, in the refrigerator, ladies and gentlemen, the Chinese takeout menus from every Chinese takeout place in the neighborhood of New York - in the refrigerator because it's important to keep them cold."

As for the freezer, there were two bottles of raspberry vodka.

"I don't know what we're going to cook," Flay noted. The segment called for Flay to cook with the items found in Price's kitchen.

"We're obviously going to have to go shopping for him. I have to have a long talk with Dave. He says he can't get a date? Now we know why," Flay noted.

Chance perked up his ears and walked to the door, Price had arrived.

Confused, Price asked his dog, "What? Oh. Hold on. Who stole my keys, and what are you doing in my house?"

Flay clarified it for Price, "I came over here to cook you lunch, but we have one small problem. You don't have any food."

Price exclaimed, "I don't have food here!"

So off they went shopping.

Price took the opportunity to get some cooking tips from Flay as they walked through the store.

"Every time I try to cook fish, it always tastes the same," he told Flay. "I put it in Teriyaki marinade. And I put a slab of mustard on top, and what winds up happening is it doesn't seem to matter what I cook, because it's X fish, which tastes like mustard. X fish, which tastes like soy sauce."

Getting into teaching mode, Flay said, "I'm going to show you how to do something where we're going to add a contrasting texture to the fish, with like really normal ingredients to them, and then we're going to get some vegetables and make a salsa to put on top of the fish." Click here for the recipe.

Back at home, Flay put Price to work: "I'm going to start making the salsa, so we have cilantro, green onions, chiles, limes, avocado and tomatoes. And I'm going to ask you to start making things for the fish. So you are going to take three eggs, break them up, and crack them, in a bowl or something. Do you have a bowl?"

Well, Price had no bowl so they used a cup instead.

"So break three of them with a fork," Flay continued, looking for the forks. "You only have plastic forks?"

Price did have forks, but they were dirty. Looking in his cabinet, Price did find a whisk.

Pleased, Flay continued, "Take some of the blue tortillas and break them up with your hands, so that they're really, really small and put them on the third plate."

To make the salsa, Flay improvised with a pan instead of bowls.

"Oh that's perfect. Perfect," Price said, making a face.

"Do we have any salt and pepper?" Flay asked.

"Um I think I have some packets from some restaurants," Price replied, looking for them.

Then Flay breaded the fish, put it in a pan, and continued to explain, "So don't touch it, because that's when it'll start to stick. You want to leave it alone, make a martini or make sure your baby's OK."

To Chance, Price asked, "Everything OK, baby? Dinner's in just a little while. I love you."

Complimenting Flay on the fish, he said, "Oh that looks phenomenal."

Flay pointed out that once it is nice and crusty, turn the heat down for the fish to cook through. "And while that's happening, we can make the dressing for the salad."

He asked for mustard and Price was happy to point out he did have some.

Flay said, "I'm guessing there's no other mixing bowl in the house, so we're going to dress it right in the bag."

Price noted, "Now, see, this is more my style. It's like Shake and Bake."

Flay plated the dish and Price was very please with the outcome.

"So can you do this on your own now?" Flay asked.

"It takes two minutes to do!" Price noted.

Flay agreed, "So you can do it on your own."

Happy, Price gave Chance a taste, but Chance wanted to eat it all.

"Oh, Chance, no. That's my meal. That's mine," Price exclaimed.

Recipe:
Dave's Blue Corn Crusted Halibut with Avocado Relish
Serves: 2

1/2 cup AP flour
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large eggs
1 cup finely crushed blue or yellow corn tortilla chips
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 halibut fillets, 6 ounces each
1 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
1 ripe tomato, diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
Juice of 1 fresh lime
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 pound Mesclun greens
2 tablespoons red wine or white wine vinegar

Method

1. Place flour in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Whisk eggs and 1 tablespoon of water together in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Place the crushed tortilla chips in a small bowl.
2. Season halibut on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge 1 side of each fillet in the seasoned flour and tap off excess then dip in the egg and then the crushed tortilla chips. Place on a plate.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in medium nonstick pan over high heat. Place the fillets in the pan, tortilla-side down and cook until golden brown and a crust has formed, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until the fish is just cooked through, approximately 4-5 minutes.
4. While the fish is cooking, mix together the avocado, tomato and onion in a small bowl. Add the lime juice and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste, fold in the cilantro.
5. Whisk together vinegar and remaining olive oil in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the greens and toss to coat.
6. Place the fillet in the center of the plate and top with a few tablespoons of the avocado-tomato relish. Place the mesclun greens on the side of the plate.