MasterChef 2019 – Finals Week One

MasterChef presenters Gregg Wallace and John Torode have come together yet again to find the Uk’s finest culinary dining skills.

Its finals week of MasterChef 2019.  The final five are heading to the Royal Society in London, where they have the immense task of cooking a five-course tasting menu to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the transglobe expedition. The contestants have each designed a dish based around a place that has inspired them.

Lets see how the chefs got on…

Irini is in charge of the first course thats all about her childhood and memories in Greece.

Signature Dish: Deep fried prawns wrapped in pastry, served in orange balsamic, beef stuffed courgettes stuffed with an egg and lemon sauce, red wine braised octopus with a father bean puree, tomato, cucumber and feta smoothie served with a fennel seed crisp bread.

Members of the Transglobe support team were simply intimidated of how beautifully the dish was presented and thought the dish came together very well.

Sir Ranulph Fiennes, loved the ‘hairy prawn’, the light and tasted stuffed courgette.

Jilly is creating a fish course inspired by Scotland.

Signature Dish: Smoked haddock, black pudding, charred leeks and breaded quails egg, served with a smoked haddock veloute, potato wafer and caviar.

The support team thought it was a great combination of ingredients with a perfectly cooked fish and quail egg.

Sir Ranulph Fiennes loved the black pudding, and desires for the recipe.

Delia is inspired by her Spanish heritage

Signature Dish: Iberico pork loin, with iberico ham croquettes, roasted tomato, Jerusalem artichoke puree and sherry and blue cheese sauce.

The support team loved the presentation and enjoyed how the blue cheese takes away the sweetness of the sherry. They thought the dish as a whole was ‘wonderful‘.

Thomas has shown to showcase his local Devon produce in a dessert.

Signature Dish: Honey cake, milk sorbet, honeycomb, lemon gel and candied lavender.

The support team enjoyed the taste and texture of the dessert, saying it was ‘scrumptious‘.

Geoff dish is centred around his love for Italian food.

Signature Dish: Blackberry choc-ice with Prosecco and blackberry jelly and doughnuts with a blackberry jam.

The support team loved the artistry behind the dish and thought the choc-ice was ‘heavenly‘.

The finalists then head back to the MasterChef kitchen where they are challenged to create one exceptional dish that shows they are worthy of a place in the final four.

Lets see how the chefs got on…

Irini

Signature Dish: Tender loin pork, served with pomme maxine, parsnip puree, Brussel sprouts, sprout tops filled with pancetta emulsion, pancetta crumb, alongside a pastry nest filled with mixed white fish, prawns, crab and ricotta with a pork and rosemary jus.

Gregg couldn’t praise Irini’s dish enough.

John thought the cook’s dish was ‘inspired’ by the way she plays with flavours, textures and presentation.

Delia

Signature Dish: Braised pigeon and caramelised raisin and onion tart, accompanied by pan fried pigeon breast, charred chicory and cauliflower, parsley, almond and olive crumb, cauliflower puree and pigeon sauce.

John was happy with the making of the pastry as well as the filling, praising the cook on a ‘good job‘.

Gregg ‘really really loved Delia’s flavours a great deal‘, and thought it was her best dish of the competition.

Geoff

Signature Dish: Pan fried guinea fowl with gnocchi, roasted porcini, balsamic mayonnaise, pancetta liver sauce and a parsley oil.

Gregg was very happy with the cooking and seasoning of the guinea fowl as well as the rest of his dish.

John praised Geoff by saying ‘theres smells, texture, flavour and inspired mayonnaise‘.

Jilly

Signature Dish: Iberico pork loin wrapped in spinach and ham  and accompanied by honey glazed pig cheek, topped with chorizo crumb and apple sticks with a sausage croquette on sweetcorn puree, pork jus and a frame of mashed potato.

John encouraged the cook’s bold skills and contemporary presentation, and flavours but apologised for ‘not getting on with the croquette‘.

Gregg loved the pigs cheek, calling it the ‘star of the show‘

Thomas

Signature Dish: Lamb chop, served with a chicken and mushroom mousse, alongside a cabbage leaf stuffed with lamb neck, fondant potato, braised carrot, mint sauce and a lamb jus.

John was concerned where the cook’s jelly was, but thought the lamb parcel was ‘absolutely delicious‘.

Gregg wasn’t convinced with the chicken and mushroom mousse across the lamb, even though it did ‘taste good‘.

Gregg, and John both agreed that the 4 chefs going through to the next stage would be; Irini, Geoff, Jilly & Delia.
Unfortunately saying bye and good luck for the future to Thomas.