The cooking was fierce this week!  Recently we had challenged Ryan from the blog This Is Reverb, to what we call a TakeOn.  We sent him a mystery ingredient with which he had to create a savory dish.  Ryan agreed to this challenge while the LoveFeast Table gang was spending a long weekend together in Minnesota.  We had come together for a LoveFeast Table power planning weekend and we were giving away some Sweet Goddess sauces in our first GiftAway.

We pulled the Sweet Goddess sauces out and tasted them and gave Devon the task of creating a savory dish from one of these jars. He complied of course, because like many things these days….it’s “for the blog” and happy wives equal more Xbox playing time or something like that.   We all tasted the sauces and Devon quickly landed on the Blackberry Hot Fudge.

You could see the wheels churning immediately.  Like a scientist, the formula retreated in his mind for a bit and like the chef that he is, the ingredients macerated in his creative juices!  We began to think about how much more fun it would be to invite another blog to the same challenge.  We were thrilled to have Ryan accept this TakeOn.  Of course, he didn’t know what was being sent his way.  This was going to be good!

Within 24 hours Devon approached the stove ready to create a simple yet delicately balanced sauce that would compliment Grilled Hickory Smoked Salmon.  What Devon created was perfect!  It was heavenly!  The blackberry notes came out and stood up to the smokey salmon.  It was also surprisingly wonderful with the rice!  With the rice, the chocolaty undertones came out and rounded out the entire dish!  It was a simple meal, yet delicious!

Menu

Grilled Hickory Smoked Salmon

Savory Chocolate Salmon Glaze

Roasted Portabello and Asparagus drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt

Basmati Rice

Savory Chocolate Salmon Glaze

1/2 jar Sweet Goddess Blackberry Hot Fudge sauce

2 Tbls. olive oil

1 sm. onion, fine diced (shallots would be great too!)

5 Tbls. soy sauce

2 Tbls. seedless blackberry preserves (we used Archer Farms Marrion Blackberry Preserves)

1 Tbls. black raspberry vinegar

Bring hot fudge to room temperature.  Heat olive oil on medium high heat in a medium size saute pan and caramelize onions.  Turn heat up to high and deglaze pan with soy sauce.  Turn heat down to medium add the hot fudge, jam and vinegar.  Cook to reduce sauce, almost in half.  You want it to coat the back of the spoon.

Well there it is!!  The first TakeOn.  Thank you to Ryan for joining in on the fun!  We appreciate the fact that you answered yes to a strange email asking you to do crazy things!! And, we are are impressed with what you did with the Blackberry Hot Fudge sauce creating Chocolate Samurai Wings.  We are looking forward to trying your recipe…’cause we are curious, ya’ know.  What could we do next?

This is LoveFeast Table’s first TakeOn Challenge!!  The TakeOn is presented to Ryan Detzel, of the blog This Is Reverb.  We first discovered Ryan over at Ree Drummond’s blog, The Pioneer Women, and became quick readers of his honest and refreshing take on life.  Also, we noticed what seemed to be a very similar cooking style to Kristin’s husband, Devon.  Well, maybe, if that includes setting off fire alarms.

So a couple of weeks ago, when the LoveFeast Table gang was together in Minnesota.  We came up with some fun!  Somewhere between the planning, the cheers, and the cheese a plan was hatched to invite Ryan to join in the cooking and the fun!  We decided to call it a LoveFeast Table TakeOn.   See how happy we are?  We have just hatched a plan!

Shortly there after Ryan agreed to the challenge.  So that very night after Kristin and I had cheered and Devon and Todd finished their Xbox marathon, Devon took the Sweet Goddess Blackberry Hot Fudge Sauce and warmed it up.  His mission was to create a savory dish for dinner..and this-

became this!

All good things are worth waiting for!  This recipe will be posted soon!!  In the mean time, Ryan has received a box with Sweet Goddess Blackberry Hot Fudge Sauce inside and instructions to create a savory dish with it.  We’ll let you know when he posts his dish!  In the mean time if you’re friends with Ryan and live near him, invite yourself over for some history in the making and some great cooking. So, have at it Ryan!  Thanks for joining us in a LoveFeast Table TakeOn…..we hope the challenge floats your boat!