MASTERCHEF airs a new episode tonight on FOX called the “Top 15 Compete.” On tonight’s show the teams prepare surf and turf, and the losing teams face a pressure test involving classic spring rolls.
On the last episode, in the next mystery box challenge, contestants had to prepare a unique dish using various canned foods. The winner also had a significant advantage in the next round and, with the help of MASTERCHEF winner Luca Manfe and MASTERCHEF JUNIOR winner Alexander Weiss, determined which former MASTERCHEF champion’s specialty dish was the best. Tyler served Jaimee’s dessert in a Masterchef first and was sent home, he apologized but it did him no good and although he was devastated, he thought it was a fair decision. Did you watch the last episode? If you missed it we hav ea full and detailed recap, right here for you
On tonight’s episode, in the next challenge, the remaining contestants must put aside their differences and work in pairs to create a restaurant quality surf and turf dish. The teams who impress the judges will be safe from elimination, while the teams who fall short will face an intense pressure test featuring classic spring rolls. Find out who will stay afloat in the competition and whose dish ultimately sinks.
Don’t forget to join us for our live recap tonight at 8:00pm when MasterChef Season Five on Fox airs. While you wait for the recap, let us know how you like the fifth season of MasterChef so far.
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The judges and home cooks enter the MasterChef kitchen. It’s the final 15. Gordon says they need to narrow them down to one. Joe says tonight’s challenge will be cooking in pairs – it’s #MCPairings. They ask Leslie and Ahran who they don’t want to cook with and they each say the other. Christian says no thanks to Courtney. Because Courtney won last time, she doesn’t have to cook tonight and gets to make the matches for tonight’s competition. She’s pretty smug about getting to go to the balcony.
The two worst teams will go to a pressure test and at least one will go home. Christian is paired with Francis B because she thinks their personalities will clash. Next is Jaimee and Elizabeth. Victoria and Christine. Cutter and Dan. Big Willie and Daniel. Ahran and Leslie are also paired. Last is Francis L and Elise. Graham wheels out two cases and they are told they have to cook surf and turf. Cutter is excited. They can choose pork or steak and from a variety of seafood including fish and octopus.
They get 60 minutes to cook their #SurfAndTurf and the home cook pairs are sent to the pantry. They go running and the pairs discuss strategy. Leslie tells Ahran just to tell him what to do. Joe says each team will have a dominant member. Dan and Cutter debate. Elise is unsure about Francis L’s complex dish he proposes. Cutter is frustrated by Dan pushing for proteins that don’t blend and Dan pushes back. It’s time to go and they are stuck with what they have. Cutter is upset.
Victoria and Christine are making monkfish and pork. Christian and Francis B are doing king crab and steak. Francis L is making a blood orange garnish, crab risotto and rack of lamb. Cutter says they are doing venison and tuna but it looks like Dan is way ahead and cooking the tuna ahead. Cutter says it feels like a mystery box and rants to Gordon about Dan. He says he thinks he’s headed to the pressure test because his partner is an idiot.
Joe goes to talk to Christian and he asks why Courtney paired them. Gordon says Ahran and Leslie seem to be doing well together. Leslie says she’s the head chef and he mispronounces her name and then Gordon corrects him several times. Gordon tells her she’s made Leslie her bitch. Gordon says the energy is great between most of the teams. Joe says Francis L and Elise’s pairing is unusual and that concerns them. They count down the last 10 seconds and it’s done.
Ahran and Leslie are first up -they youngest and oldest competitors. Courtney says they worked together well. They made fried tortilla with crab and pork belly. Graham tastes and says it’s well thought out and has great flavors. Ahran says she respects Leslie and this partnership was good for them. Joe tries it and says it’s a harmonious dish. Graham goes last and says it’s delicious. He says it’s seasoned beautifully and the two home cooks hug it out.
Dan and Cutter are up next. Courtney says their plate looks empty and not pretty. Gordon asks what the f- it is. He says he’s embarrassed for them. Cutter says Dan just grabbed up stuff and wouldn’t listen to him. Dan says they didn’t get enough ingredients and Cutter says both proteins are lean and didn’t go together. Gordon says they both should have grabbed baskets and stuff so they had options.
Dan says he takes responsibilities for the dish. It’s seared venison and tuna. Cutter says he thinks it may taste okay. Gordon says it’s one of the worst dishes they’ve had so far. Joe pokes at it and Cutter says he doesn’t have to eat it and Joe tells him to be quiet and let him do his job. He tastes then goes to get a trashcan and tells Cutter to do the honor and he dumps it out. Graham never even got to taste it.
Dan says they don’t need to play the blame game and says Cutter is a coward. Cutter is upset because he’s sure they will be in the pressure test. Francis L and Elise are up yet with rack of lamb and crab. Gordon tastes first and says the lamb is nice and criticizes Elise for not rendering the fat off of it and says the lamb looks like a dog chew toy. Gordon says he’s not impressed with either of them.
Jaimee and Elizabeth are next with snapper and lamb. Joe tastes and says it’s seasoned perfectly and the lamb is done nicely. He says they captured the spirit of what they were looking for. Daniel and Big Willie are up next. Tuna with fried chicken is what they did. Gordon tastes and says it’s creative and it’s incredible but they didn’t need the additional fried garnish.
Christine and Victoria are up next with a beautiful plate of pork belly and monkfish. Graham tastes and says it was creative, labor intensive and shows a lot of technique. He tells them good job. Christian and Francis B are next. They made rib-eye with king crab. Courtney hopes they flopped. Gordon says the dish could have been made by either of them in 20 minutes. He says they could have been more creative.
Gordon tastes and says it looks like a school dinner. He says it’s bland and the steak is embarrassing. He says they each have one foot out the door and then tells Courtney well played. Gordon says one team really stood out – Victoria and Christine. He says it was restaurant quality and sends them upstairs. Gordon says three others are safe with a good job – Jaimee and Elizabeth, Leslie and Ahran and Daniel and Big Willie.
Francis L and Elise, Dan and Cutter and Francis B and Christian are the bottom three. The judges step back to talk. Christian is freaking and tells Francis they should have been more creative. The judges come back and tell them that Elise and Francis L are safe and don’t have to do the pressure test. They head upstairs. Cutter blames Dan for them being in the pressure test.
Gordon says they cooked the worst dishes of the evening and Graham says now they face off in a pressure test. Dan is excited and says he doesn’t have to deal with Cutter in the test. Gordon says the US is known for good veg and they now have to make a vegetarian dish. They have to make spring rolls with a dipping sauce. Christian says he loves them but has never made them.
Gordon pops one open to show how crispy and light they should be. Cutter is annoyed because Dan is Chinese and should have a leg up. Joe says that there are many ways to go wrong with this – the wrapper, the filling or the sauce. Gordon tells them to put on their black aprons and get to work. They each get flour, egg, veggies, Asian sauces and seasonings. They have 60 minutes to deliver six spring rolls.
Cutter is freaking out. Dan says he’s done a lot of won tons and dumplings and thinks he has an edge. The judges discuss that the pastry is simple but has to be rolled out wafer thin. Gordon checks on Cutter and he says he’s never made them and hopes he survives and that Dan goes home. Gordon says if Dan can’t make a spring roll that would be a surprise.
Joe says this challenge should be hand made for him. Dan uses the pasta roller to get his pastry thinner and Daniel says that’s smart. Francis B is confident with his sauce and tells Graham he’s feeling the stress. Christian tells Joe his sauce will be the big bang. Joe says if he cracks his spring roll open and it’s no good, he won’t even dip it in the sauce, he’ll throw it in the trash and tells him more than one may be sent home.
Gordon says he’s nervous about Francis B and Joe says this is hard for Cutter. Graham isn’t sure that he can do it and they agree that Christian looks in control. Cutter’s spring rolls are busting open. He has to make another one and is in a panic. Dan sees him freaking out and thinks he’s definitely going home. Cutter curses Courtney’s name.
Francis B is panicking – looks like his oil wasn’t hot enough and he decides to try and pan fry them to get them golden. The judges are horrified and think they will be greasy. They count down the last 10 seconds and it’s hands off. They all bring their plates down to the front. Dan says the other slack finesse.
Christian made vegetable medley spring rolls with a spicy sweet glaze to dip in. Graham says the flavor is great and the sauce is nice. He says the roll isn’t quite even. Graham says they are better than average. Joe heads to Francis B and he made his with glass noodles. Joe tears one apart and says the ratio of filling is out of proportion and says they’re greasy. He tastes and says cold oil makes it greasy.
Joe tells them that the dish was totally out of balance. Dan has a lot of veg in his and has made an upscale soy and plum sauce. Gordon says there is a little too much casing but the sauce is good. He says it’s not Dan’s best effort. Gordon tells the other there was too much dough but good sauce. Cutter is last and Joe tastes his. He criticizes the small amount of sauce and then shows that the spring rolls are bendy instead of crisp.
Joe isn’t impressed at all. He asks if he thinks he would be there if he had a different partner. Cutter says some people just don’t work well together and Joe tells him he didn’t work that well on his own. Graham says this is one of the most difficult pressure tests they’ve had and the judges go to talk. None of the four hit a home run.
Christian is told to step forward and Gordon says his were the best by far and is told to head up to the balcony and that he’s safe. Dan steps forward next and Graham says they expected more from him and that his sauce saved him. He is also sent upstairs. It’s down to Francis B and Cutter. Gordon says they are both in big trouble and then tells Cutter that he’s safe as well.
Francis B and Cutter hug it out. Gordon tells Cutter it wasn’t a victory – it was a lucky escape. Gordon tells Francis B what all the problems were with his spring rolls and Joe says he’s been in a free fall. Joe says it’s ironic that Courtney was after Christian but he was the one that was the ultimate victim. Francis B says it was a great experience.
THE END!