MasterChef 2019 – Semi-Final Week Two

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

The eight remaining contestants are challenged to create a dish inspired by someone they admire. After this challenge another cook will be leaving.

Lets see how the chefs got on…

Delia believes life is all about laughing and that’s her inspiration behind her dish.

Signature Dish: Pan seared, five spiced duck breast, confit duck leg bonbon, pomme puree, orange confit carrots, bacon, walnut, coriander and orange gremolata and a plum and cinnamon sauce. A side of potato crisps and a duck liver trifle.

Gregg wished for a ‘little more seasoning in the bonbon’, but this was his only complaint in a very ‘accomplished‘ plate of food.

John agreed with Gregg and said this was Delia’s ‘most accomplished dish so far in the competition‘.

Tim loves to use unique ingredients.

Signature Dish: Pig head tacos, with corn tortillas, chilli salsa, pickled onions and radishes.

Gregg was disappointed in the plating of the dish and was confused with the flavours.

John suggested if the cook is to go ‘spars‘ with the food, he needs to blow the judges away with flavour.

Panisha was obsessed with the spice girls girl power and be using this to inspire her dish.

Signature Dish: Vanilla, cardamom and white chocolate panna cotta, ginger and cinnamon crumb, blueberry meringue kisses and a Union Jack made from blueberry, star anise and raspberry coulis.

Gregg loved the Union Jack design and the combination of flavours but was disappointed in the panna cotta, being a centre piece, it needed to be firmer.

John was upset he didn’t receive the five spices that were promised.

Alex has tried her best throughout the competition and won’t let her ambition fail her.

Signature Dish: Dark chocolate dome filled with chocolate mousse and raspberry coulis, crescent moon meringues topped with chestnut ganache, raspberry puree and orange chocolate disc covered in gold leaf, served with a raspberry sorbet.

Gregg thought the presentation was ‘very clever‘ and was ‘so very impressed‘.

John thought it was ‘boom, boom, boom and boom‘ and asked for another one.

Thomas is inspired by the royal family and British food.

Signature Dish: Pheasant sausage, venison burger, hassle back potatoes, green beans and mushrooms on a burnt celeriac puree and a whiskey, peppercorn sauce.

John was worried for Thomas’s dish so far in the competition but thought the sausages were’ very clever‘, unfortunately didn’t think the venison burgers worked.

Gregg’s venison burger was ‘too rare‘ form him, however he really liked the the celeriac puree and whiskey sauce.

Irini has been inspired by famous painters.

Signature Dish: An orange and filo syrup cake, topped with Italian meringue, a chocolate delice on a bed of white chocolate snow, orange curd, orange liqueur jelly and fresh raspberries.

John thought her work was ‘interesting‘ and ‘extraordinary‘.

Gregg was impressed with her ‘great, great work‘.

Geoff uses cooking as a meditation and has found the competition very pressured.

Signature Dish: Walnut dessert four ways, walnut and caramel tart, a walnut panforte (a dense Italian cake) green candied walnut ice-cream, bitter walnut and chocolate truffles and served with a walnut liquor.

John enjoyed the way Geoff had presented the walnuts and found the ice-cream ‘majestic‘.

Gregg was very happy with the texture and flavour from all the desserts, calling it ‘lovely work‘.

Jilly is inspired by Andy Murray.

Signature Dish: Beef fillet, cross hatched potato rackets, yellow carrot balls, leek puree grass, haggis wrapped in a leek cannelloni, turnip fondant and a whiskey beef sauce.

John was happy with the cooking of the beef, fondant turnip and carrots and but found the sauce was a little ‘too sweet‘.

Gregg wished for ‘more sauce‘, but apart from that the dish was very well executed.

 

Gregg, and John both agreed that the 6 chefs going through to the next stage would be; Irini, Geoff, Jilly, Alex, Thomas & Delia.
Unfortunately saying bye and good luck for the future to Tim & Panisha.

 

The remaining amateur chefs move on to a daunting challenge of cooking a three-course lunch at Grocers Hall for VIP diners.

Police officer Delia and charity director Alex are making a spiced guinea fowl dish.

Psychologist Geoff and stone cutter Thomas are in charge of the mains.

Teacher Jilly and retired banker Irini are in charge of desserts.

It’s now back to the MasterChef for the last challenge of the semi-finals. To cook an outstanding dish to win over five of the country’s feared critics – Tracey MacLeod, Grace Dent, William Sitwell, Amol Rajan and Jimi Famurewa.

Lets see how the chefs got on…

Thomas

Signature Dish: Black pudding quails scotch egg, with a cauliflower puree, blue cheese, pickled chicory, red wine jus, parsley crumb and a crackling spear.

Jimi thought it was really good, especially the ‘dribbling‘ quail egg and ‘gorgeous‘ crackling.

Tracey loved the ‘neutral‘ cauliflower puree against the scotch egg which was ‘nicely made‘.

William wished there was 6 of the scotch eggs.

Irini

Signature Dish: Pan roasted duck breast with sesame coated duck livers, warm bean hummus, sautéed chard and a port and elderberry jus.

Amol loved the duck breast and thought it was ‘succulent and sweet‘.

Grave was very surprised with the hot hummus and ate it all up.

Jimi could mentioned that Irini’s dish showed ‘ideas and boldness of a really good cook‘.

Geoff

Signature Dish: Amaretto soaked sponge cake, sitting in a ricotta cream with candied pistachios, orange and lemon, dark chocolate, topped with a pistachio ice-cream.

Tracey described the dish as a ‘love song too sweet cicely‘.

Grace found ‘so much perfection’ in the dish.

William thought it was an ‘absolute triumph‘.

Alex

Signature Dish: Layered chocolate sponge and mousse with a cherry gel centre, covered in velvet chocolate and topped with mascarpone cream, served with a cherry sorbet, almond crumb and a cherry gel.

Grace was upset with how ‘stiff‘ the mousse was inside the sponge.

Amol thought the mousse and sorbet ‘lacked flavour and texture‘.

Jimi could see Alex struggled to get everything ready, but enjoyed the flavours.

Jilly

Signature Dish: Roast venison loin, with truffled celeriac mash, pickled blackberries, winter vegetables and a venison reduction.

William thought the venison was ‘perfectly cooked and well rested‘.

Amol mentioned it was the ‘best venison dish‘ he had ever eaten.

Grace suggested if she ‘won the lottery, she would make Jilly her private chef‘.

Delia

Signature Dish: Banana and sherry soufflé with a malt ice-cream, malt crumb and a sherry, toffee sauce.

Even though the soufflé looked perfect, unfortunately to Grace the flavour lacked and thought it was just a ‘sweet and soft soufflé‘.

Jimi enjoyed the doughnut, and even though the ice-cream hadn’t set he found it ‘very nice‘.

William thought the malt flavour overpowered any banana that was meant to come through, however took his ‘hat off to her as she produced 5 perfectly risen soufflé’s‘.

 

Gregg, and John both agreed that the 5 chefs going through to the next stage would be; Irini, Geoff, Jilly,  Thomas & Delia.
Unfortunately saying bye and good luck for the future to Alex.