Weird Ingredients or Tasty Treats?

You know Curtis Stone and Gail Simmons as the host and head critic of Bravo’s Top Chef Masters, where they put some of the world’s best chefs to the test with boundary-pushing challenges every week. All that taste testing might seem like an easy gig, but the pair stopped by Daily Shot to prove they can still think on their feet.

Ali turned the tables on the stars to see what they would make with some slightly crazy ingredient pairs. First up, anchovies and beef jerky. “I would do a Thai dried beef salad with an anchovy dressing, chilies, fried shallots, and some other vegetables,” Gail says.

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What about ghost chilies and pistachios? “You could make a nice compound butter,” Curtis says. “Soften the butter to room temperature, add just a tiny bit of ghost chili, pistachio nuts throughout, maybe some cilantro, and serve a slice of that over some beautiful fish or vegetables.”

Quick thinking is something viewers can expect on the new season of Top Chef Masters, which premiers tonight on Bravo. Both Curtis and Gail are impressed by the accomplishments of the master chefs on the show and look forward to watching the competition get heated. “They run their own empires. Some of them have four, five, six hundred employees of their own,” Gail says. “You’ve taken away all of their comfort, all of their help, all of their ingredients, and put them in a kitchen they’ve never cooked in. It’s sort of outrageous, but it makes for good TV.”

WATCH: How Curtis Stone Gets His Kids to Eat Healthy

To try out a special Daily Shot pistachio-chili compound butter, follow the recipe below, and to hear what Curtis and Gail would make with liver and Skittles check out this episode of Daily Shot.

Pistachio-Chili Compound Butter

1/4 cup shelled, roasted, unsalted pistachios.

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 tsp chili powder

Salt to taste

Parchment paper


Finely chop pistachios and cilantro, or gently pulse in a food processor until minced.

Add butter, chili powder, and salt. Whirl until smooth, scraping down the inside of the bowl as needed.

Scoop out butter and place on a square of parchment paper.

Using the parchment paper, form butter into a log shape, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until use.

Unwrap, slice into small rounds and serve over grilled meats or fish.