- 7/14/2025
Masterchef Australia Season 17 Episode 45
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00MUSIC
00:18Good to be back.
00:20Party goal!
00:22She's a mystery box day!
00:24Wow, it feels really strange to see only seven cooks standing in front of us.
00:39How's it feel?
00:41Pretty wild.
00:42Strange.
00:43Small.
00:44The seven have you got here by narrowly escaping eliminations, handling the heat in pressure
00:50tests, or by securing immunity with outstanding dishes.
00:55Every cook has led to you being here today.
00:59Ready to tackle whatever comes next.
01:03I have to say how proud I am.
01:08How far you can, it's wonderful, it's fantastic.
01:13But, you cannot rest.
01:17Because everything you do, from now on, can only help you.
01:23Setting you up to the glorious grand finally.
01:30Righto gang, you are some of the best cooks that this competition has ever seen.
01:38And you got here by thinking on your feet.
01:42And that is exactly what you're going to have to do in this mystery box.
01:49I'm surprised you haven't smelt it already.
01:52Oh?
01:53What?
01:54No?
01:58Go on, lift your limbs now.
02:02Oh!
02:03That is going!
02:05Garlic!
02:07Garlic.
02:08Love garlic.
02:10Garlic!
02:11It's garlic!
02:12Oh my god.
02:13I'm like, I want to sing, I want to just bite into it now.
02:15Snash, was that a victory club?
02:17Garlic!
02:18I mean, it's my favourite thing in the world.
02:21I have a massive love affair with garlic, and I really believe that garlic can change any
02:26dish from blah to blah.
02:29This ingredient is the key to unlocking a whole new world of flavour.
02:33Most cooks, they can't imagine life without it.
02:38And today, we want seven dishes filled with explosive garlic goodness.
02:45But, that is only half the challenge.
02:50What's this thing?
02:52Yeah, what is that thing?
02:55That little fun-sized mystery box that holds a mini surprise.
03:00One that we think is going to elevate your dish just as much as garlic.
03:09Whatever is under there must also be used in the making of your dish.
03:14Here's a bit of a curveball for you.
03:20You won't know what it is until 30 minutes into the cook.
03:24Wow.
03:25That's hard.
03:26Oh my gosh.
03:27We are giving you 75 minutes.
03:31The pantry and garden are open.
03:34Your finished dish must include both garlic and whatever's under that mini mystery box.
03:42You'll be happy to know, today, we are looking for the top three dishes.
03:48Here we go.
03:49Cook one of those and you'll be going into tomorrow's pressure test for immunity.
03:56Let's get into it.
03:57Your time starts now!
03:59Come on!
04:06Everyone likes cooking with garlic, but what that means is everyone is going to be cooking good dishes today.
04:10So it's going to be a high standard.
04:11Tell them, I'm definitely going to take a few pines.
04:13But there's not only garlic under this mystery box, there's a tiny little mystery box here that literally could be anything.
04:19It could be from Parmesan cheese to soy sauce to chocolate.
04:22Who knows?
04:23And that's where the real risk is today.
04:28The strategy today is to have a lot of options with the garlic and be ready so that when this thing comes off,
04:32I can pivot and make a dish that's going to pop with it.
04:35I'm just going to go for it and hopefully come up with an idea to use that ingredient under that mystery box.
04:41Hopefully it's not too crazy.
04:44It's garlic.
04:45I mean, garlic without it in the kitchen.
04:48This guy'd snack something.
04:50No, you literally eat garlic for breakfast.
04:52I know.
04:56I think I'm glad today as a clean garlic.
04:59And it would be interesting to see what they do with the garlic.
05:01Yes.
05:02Yes.
05:03Garlic.
05:04Then we've got that little mini mystery box, which they have to incorporate whatever is under there 30 minutes into the cook.
05:09So it's a bit of strategy.
05:11Oh dear me.
05:12I think Laura is such an interesting one because she was so close to going home yesterday and we saw how emotional she was.
05:20It made her realize you need to take every opportunity to not put yourself in that situation.
05:27Yeah.
05:28Yeah.
05:29And today is a cook where you go for gold.
05:31You want to be in that top three so you can get a chance out of beauty.
05:34Strategy, cook something incredible and add in whatever this ingredient may be.
05:45Today is a new day.
05:46Clean slate.
05:47It's my third time around.
05:48I know what it takes to get to the end.
05:50I need to make the smart decisions in order to get there.
05:52Okay.
05:53Tell me what you're making and what's your strategy.
05:55All right.
05:56So, strategy is go hard and heavy on the garlic.
05:58Yeah.
05:59That's going to come from confit garlic flavour throughout.
06:02So, a really garlic forward banyakowda.
06:05A stuffed lamb saddle.
06:07A really nice like little jus you go with it.
06:10It's a very French, very classic.
06:13You're definitely leaning hard into a specific dish here.
06:17I think I'm good at pivoting.
06:18I think I can make a good decision under pressure.
06:20So, I think if I start building the base of this dish really well, then I can add something 30 minutes in.
06:26Good luck.
06:29All right.
06:30I need to get my things on.
06:31I've got two main components I need to start early in this cook.
06:35Building that flavour in that jus, but also prioritising that lamb saddle.
06:39I don't actually know how long it's going to cook for, but I want to wait until that mini mystery box is revealed
06:45because if there is an ingredient in there, I can highlight in that lamb.
06:48That's what I want to do.
06:52Making more noise chopping than Jamie.
06:54What was that?
06:56Nothing.
06:57She's chopping louder than you do, ma'am.
06:59More aggressively as well.
07:00Yeah, definitely.
07:01I feel great actually.
07:06Seeing garlic, it's like everything I ever wanted.
07:08Growing up, my actually family had a garlic farm.
07:11And we used to like make the little plates and we would go to the market and sell them.
07:17This challenge is made for me and I cannot fail.
07:22I cannot fail.
07:23My mum is watching and if she see me fail on garlic, she'll be like, don't come back home.
07:28My mum cooks everything with garlic and this dish is actually her dish today.
07:33It's like a slow confit squid with garlic.
07:36This is our Sunday day, Sunday dish pretty much.
07:40This is our traditional dish.
07:41Woo!
07:45To cook my squid, I'm going to start very hot, quick sear to get a colour.
07:50Chuck in lots of garlic, I mean a lot, a lot of garlic and deglaze with wine, wine and lots of olive oil.
07:56This is going to be yum.
07:58Then finish it off in the oven, low and slow.
08:01It cooks usually 45 minutes to an hour until it's nice and tender so you can eat it with the spoon.
08:06Okay, bye-bye, be good.
08:08And you just eat all from one pan.
08:11It's the best.
08:12How long you put them in?
08:13I cook them for roughly 45 minutes.
08:16For the squid? Bloody hell.
08:18Yes, that's not my mind.
08:20You'll be surprised.
08:21I can't wait.
08:22Trust me, chef.
08:23I love to be surprised.
08:25I feel good but I'm very worried with that little mini mystery box.
08:28What if there's something overpowering?
08:30Let's get ready for that shock surprise.
08:34Hopefully I can come up with a quick dish later.
08:37Fingers crossed, something will work out.
08:39We're 15 minutes away from revealing what's under that mini mystery box, which means you've got one hour to go.
08:46Come on, let's go.
08:47Got it.
08:58With an unknown ingredient under this mystery box here, you've got to have a certain fluidity in your dish.
09:03So, my strategy today is to cook a dish using chicken because it's a protein that suits almost every kind of cuisine in the world.
09:11Hey, Callum.
09:12Callum.
09:13Hello, gang.
09:14How are you?
09:15Oh, the beautiful mime, what's going on with the strategy?
09:18Well, I guess for today, because we've got this secret ingredient on what's going on here, I want to do a dish that's loosey-goosey enough that whatever's under there is going to seamlessly transition in.
09:28When someone says Callum, the words that come to mind are not exactly loosey-goosey.
09:33What's the loosey-goosey?
09:34So, I'm going to do chicken, the loosey-goosey-est protein of them all.
09:37Yep.
09:38I'm going to make a garlic velouté, which is happening in here as well.
09:41You've got that base.
09:42You can sort of pivot in lots of different directions depending on what the ingredient is.
09:47Strategy 101.
09:48Yeah.
09:49Yeah.
09:50I think you've left yourself a lot of room to pivot.
09:51Well done.
09:52Thanks, gang.
09:58It's my third time in this kitchen and I have a new goal this time.
10:02When I walk out, I want to be cooking dishes that could be sitting on my menu in my one-day Michelin star restaurant.
10:13And to get to that point, the only way to do it is to push myself outside my comfort zone.
10:18Nobody got a Michelin star by playing it safe.
10:22Hey, Sarah.
10:23Sarah.
10:24Hi.
10:25How's it going?
10:26Good.
10:27Straight into it.
10:28What are you going to cook?
10:29Yes.
10:30So, I'm making a garlic snot block.
10:31So...
10:32What?
10:34Favoury, favourite.
10:35So, hold on, hold on.
10:36So, a snot block's a vanilla slice.
10:38Yes.
10:39An Aussie classic.
10:40Yes.
10:41So, I'm going to do a spin on that.
10:43Why are you looking at me?
10:44I'm just trying to work this out.
10:45How is this thing going to come out?
10:47So, basically, pastry.
10:48Okay.
10:49Chicken jelly.
10:50So, I want to make a bit of a chicken broth.
10:52Going to set that...
10:54And then a layer of pastry and then garlic cream on top.
10:57But, um, yeah.
10:58Garlic heavy.
10:59Okay.
11:00Well, super interesting, Sarah.
11:01Just hopefully the mini mystery box doesn't ruin your plan.
11:04I know, I know.
11:05Interesting is a good word.
11:08My biggest concern is this is very conceptual and I still don't know what's underneath the mini mystery box.
11:14There is no plan B at all.
11:17So, it is a bit of a tightrope.
11:19Whatever it is could definitely be the make or break of my dish.
11:23Today, I'm making my version of a savoury vanilla slice with garlic cream and some beautiful pastry.
11:43Sarah, did you say you're making dessert or did I just hear you?
11:46No, not dessert.
11:47I'm roasting my chicken bones in the oven because I have this idea to make it into a sort of chicken jelly.
11:56But I do not know what's under this mini mystery box.
12:00So, creating a highly conceptual dish is definitely a risk today.
12:05You're allowed to lift those mini mystery box lids in five minutes!
12:09It's coming!
12:14So, you love garlic, yeah?
12:15Yep.
12:16I use it every day.
12:17So, I'm going to do, uh, like a chilli garlic, um, chicken curry.
12:21In, like in Hindi, it's called, um, lasani murg because lasan means garlic and murg means chicken.
12:28You know what's in love for me? Because I eat garlic raw.
12:32So does my dad.
12:33Can you say that again?
12:35Can you say that again?
12:36Yeah, we should eat garlic raw, everyone.
12:40Garlic, I love garlic. I use it all the time.
12:42Um, just thinking about the best ways I can make it, uh, feature heavily in this dish.
12:46So, uh, I've got a kind of dish in mind.
12:48I'm going to basically base it around, uh, garlic and cauliflower puree on the bottom.
12:52I can then cook that with, uh, various different proteins that are quick cooking in the pantry.
12:55There's some amazing stuff in there.
12:57And so I'm kind of going to decide that once I get to that point.
12:59But maybe fish, maybe quail, maybe, I don't know.
13:02Let's go wait and see.
13:04I'm ready to pivot hard.
13:05If I have to, just waiting to see what that is so I can figure out how I'm going to use it.
13:08Yeah, I mean lemon or something.
13:10Lovely, obviously parsley, but it's not going to be those.
13:11Let's face it.
13:13Did you plan to use that collie or did you just see the colour and go, how can I not?
13:17I'm going to use it.
13:18No, no, it's so beautiful.
13:19I've never even seen one like that before.
13:20Oh!
13:21I know, right?
13:22Twisties!
13:23Twisties!
13:32Today's mystery box is all about garlic and whatever is under that mini mystery box.
13:38I'm going 100% all in on making the dish that I think works well with garlic.
13:44The strategy is cook something delicious.
13:46I know that whatever's under there is going to take a little bit of creativity to potentially
13:51pivot.
13:52But I'm just going to concentrate on making something tasty and then we'll pivot if we need
13:56to.
13:57I look back on the cook that I was in season six and I was still sort of trying to figure
14:04out who I was as a cook and the kind of food that I really loved cooking.
14:08All this time later, I feel very comfortable in the kitchen and I think when you're comfortable
14:12and you are relaxed, you can think freely and really be creative and push yourself.
14:18Hi Jamie.
14:19Hello.
14:20Back in the game today.
14:21Back in the game.
14:22Tell me what you're making and what's the strategy.
14:24Start with these beautiful big bold Spanish flavours.
14:27Hope for the best.
14:28So I'm doing a beautiful fill with a flat head.
14:31Yeah.
14:32And then I'm going to basically make a muscle stock, reduce that, serve it with a really
14:35heavy, comfy garlic and ndouja beur blanc.
14:38Okay.
14:39The reason I'm using ndouja and then I'll probably be pickling the muscles is because
14:43garlic's a beautiful flavour but you need big flavours to allow to pump more into it.
14:48Yes, yes, yes.
14:49So I want to use as much garlic as possible.
14:50Alright.
14:51Let's see what happens.
14:52Sounds good, alright.
14:53Good luck, Danny.
14:55The way to change everything on the spot and make something work is what you do every
14:59day when you work in a kitchen.
15:01Stuff goes wrong all the time.
15:03You just have to take everything on board and then move forward.
15:11Everybody's very excited by garlic and there's definitely some strategy going on.
15:15So Callum's starting off with quite neutral ingredients.
15:19He's got a garlic velouté going, he's got chicken going and he's essentially waiting to
15:23see until we lift those mini lids what the uh-uh is going to be.
15:28Yeah, it seems to be the two strategies.
15:30Check up on this.
15:31They're either going all in and just committing to a specific dish.
15:35It's so good.
15:36Or they're kind of hedging their bets.
15:38But I am a bitch.
15:41I'm not sure about the all in thing.
15:43I am too.
15:44Which is weird from you.
15:46Weird from you.
15:47Yeah, yeah.
15:48Weird, weird.
15:53Everyone listen up.
15:56It's been 30 minutes.
15:58It's time to find out what's under your mini mystery boxes.
16:02You can lift your lids.
16:04Three, two, one, go.
16:09What?
16:10Rosemary.
16:13Time.
16:16Chives.
16:17What do you have?
16:18Mets.
16:19It's secateurs.
16:21You gotta use those secateurs to grab whatever ingredient you've been assigned from the garden.
16:26Ooh.
16:29Use that ingredient in your dish.
16:31We can wait with coriander.
16:33Now, they may be late additions, but it shouldn't taste like it.
16:38So good.
16:39Start thinking, everyone.
16:40You've got 45 minutes to go.
16:51Everyone has been given a different herb.
16:54And I got dill.
16:55Ooh, that smells delicious.
16:57I think it goes so well with these flavours.
17:00But I want to take the time to actually think about how I'm going to incorporate this into
17:04my savoury vanilla slice.
17:06I really want one of those top spots today.
17:09Whew.
17:14I got thyme as my mystery ingredient, which is very lucky.
17:17My plan today was to cook something really neutral.
17:20And I think that strategy's paid off really well because thyme works very well with garlic,
17:23works very well with chicken.
17:24So the dish I'm going to make today is a thyme and garlic stuffed chicken.
17:28I'm going to do it with kohlrabi dumplings and a garlic velouté.
17:30So I'm going to use thyme in with my garlic velouté.
17:35I'm going to make a little thyme oil as well.
17:37So, yeah, I'll be using garlic and thyme both three ways each.
17:40So I'm going to start making my fast.
17:42A fast is a minced mixture made from the leg of the drumstick meat with lots of garlic and thyme.
17:48And it's going to be stuffed underneath the chicken skin.
17:51So it's going to keep it nice and kind of moist and tender as it cooks.
17:55So I can only hope that I've got thyme on my side.
17:58So I got lemongrass under the box and I'm actually stoked with it.
18:05So I've marinated my chicken in like a whole heap of garlic, a little bit of ginger,
18:10and I've just added some lemongrass.
18:13I don't think I'm going to change anything because I think it fits perfectly into the chicken.
18:17I've got mint.
18:18Please be well.
18:19Oh, I love mint, but I mean it's...
18:21With cauliflower, what are you going to manage now?
18:23Well, the cauliflower is now going to be a very small part of the dish.
18:25Yeah.
18:26So I think it's the curry cauliflower, so the flavours are going to be there.
18:29So mint goes with those flavours, I think.
18:30But I'm going to make the mint higher and leave the other flavours on the bottom.
18:33So this is going to be pan-front scallops with curry cauliflower and cucumber,
18:39so mint salad, it's not what I planned for, but I think I can work with it.
18:43Freshness.
18:44OK.
18:45Yeah.
18:46So the mint is welcome.
18:47OK.
18:48Well, I mean, I've got no choice.
18:49I like that.
18:50Good spirit.
18:51Very good spirit.
18:52No point worrying about it.
18:53No discriminations.
18:55The biggest concern is that the mint is prominent enough and works with the rest of it.
19:00I've got rosemary.
19:02It's lovely.
19:03I'm happy with it.
19:04I love rosemary.
19:05I'm kind of happy, but I'm not happy.
19:08I'm really happy because flavour is lovely with my dish, but it's so strong.
19:11This is my family recipe.
19:13If I put too much rosemary, you won't taste squid or you won't taste any garlic in there.
19:19So I'm thinking, how else can I incorporate this rosemary?
19:25So my strategy is, I'm going to quickly whip up some bread dough.
19:28I'm going to focus on infusing rosemary as much as I can into my bread.
19:33Shnez.
19:34Yes.
19:35Rosemary.
19:36How do you feel about that?
19:37I'm pretty happy.
19:38So I'm going to use it mainly with my bread, but I'm going to make it rosemary and garlic.
19:42It's going to be beautiful for dipping those sauces.
19:44Garlic, rosemary, squid go together.
19:46Yeah.
19:47It's just about how much.
19:48How much.
19:49Yeah.
19:50Good luck.
19:51All right, guys, you have 30 minutes to go.
20:00Sick.
20:01All right.
20:02Let's go.
20:03Oh, feeling fabulous.
20:05Chives are the perfect addition to this dish.
20:09I feel like someone is watching over me today and I'm a very, very happy lady.
20:14I'm cooking a rolled lamb saddle, masala jus and banyakowda.
20:19Okay.
20:20That was definitely good.
20:22My strategy was to wait until that mini mystery box was revealed before I stuff and roll the
20:27lamb.
20:28This is the perfect flavour that can get added into that dish.
20:31Chives are currently cooking down that same pan these Warragul greens were.
20:35I want to add the chives into that stuffing with those Warragul greens and some of that
20:40confit garlic so you're really infusing all those flavours throughout that lamb.
20:43You're going to be on time, yeah?
20:44Yes.
20:45When are you going to start to cook it?
20:47Hopefully in five minutes.
20:48Yeah.
20:49Hopefully.
20:50I just need to get this filling done.
20:52And then we're on.
20:53Okay.
20:54So yesterday I was in a black apron with Alana in the bottom two.
21:02I don't want to let myself get into that position again.
21:05So it's strive for immunity every single week.
21:08Laura, you're cutting it really fine lady.
21:14I'm cutting it so fine.
21:15Do you reckon you can do it?
21:16Yep.
21:17Okay.
21:18I know all the odds are against me.
21:19Okay.
21:20I have to do it.
21:21The only thing is I've never actually rolled a lamb before like this.
21:27And I don't actually know how long it's going to cook for.
21:30I know a regular rack of lamb for me could take about 20 minutes in the oven.
21:35I know I'm pushing it.
21:38I just need a miracle to pull this off.
21:41Laura, you need to get that lamb in the oven, lady.
21:44Oh my God.
21:56Laura, you need to get that lamb in the oven, lady.
21:58Oh my God.
22:00I feel like you're literally crossing your fingers and hoping for a miracle right now.
22:05Yeah.
22:06I think I'm striving for the absolute unachievable right now, but...
22:10Do you have a plan B?
22:12Nah.
22:13Nah.
22:14Not at all.
22:15Even though this dish is all about the garlic, I'm pretty confident with the chives.
22:18I think that they sit right in that lamb.
22:21It's a perfect combination.
22:23Lamb's in.
22:2722 minutes to go.
22:29My lamb has finally gone into the oven and I am pushing my timings.
22:34And I need to start making this banya cowda.
22:37So banya cowda is a traditional Italian sauce that is comprised of anchovies,
22:42confit garlic and butter that you would usually actually serve with raw crudités vegetables.
22:47But for me, anchovies and lamb are just such good friends.
22:52And if I can pull this off, it's going to be an absolute winning combination.
22:56You really are leaning into the last minute.
22:58You are being a bit of a daredevil today.
22:59I know.
23:00I'm pulling a poe.
23:01Yeah, you are.
23:04Are you going to skip your garlic today?
23:06Because we're going to be having...
23:07Or we just have the extra garlic?
23:09I always have garlic, so it doesn't matter.
23:11It's extra or not.
23:12It's never enough.
23:13So...
23:17Making a bit of a mess, aren't I?
23:18How are you, Sarah?
23:19Are you pleased with your dish?
23:20I am, but I'm just making a bit of a mess.
23:22But I am pleased.
23:23I am so happy with dill.
23:26I think it's going to elevate the ingredients that I'm already using in my savoury vanilla
23:31slice.
23:32So I'm going to make dill salt.
23:34I'm going to add dill through my chicken jelly and make a dill oil as well.
23:41I've got my pastry in the oven.
23:43I've got my chicken ready to go.
23:45I've made my garlic cream.
23:47Cucumber.
23:48I've made a little dill cucumber here, which is going to go through the chicken jelly,
23:52which I'm going to set into these moulds.
23:55If I could win a top dish on such an inventive dish, that would mean the world to me.
24:02I think that, for me, this is why I'm back.
24:06Can't wait to see your crazy invention again.
24:08Oh, my God.
24:09OK, so we've done the big reveal of the mini mystery box.
24:15Yeah.
24:16And they've all had to go to the garden and harvest an ingredient.
24:18Mm-hmm.
24:19Strategies?
24:20Have they paid off?
24:21Oh, Callum was licking his lips.
24:22Yeah.
24:23Licking his lips.
24:24He got time.
24:26All the time in the world, mate.
24:28Sned got rosemary.
24:30OK.
24:31She's doing this squid dish, and she's got confit garlic, and she's just worried that
24:38the flavours of rosemary are going to be overpowering.
24:40Yeah.
24:41But that's with her.
24:42If she backs herself, she should nail it.
24:45OK, let's see how we're going to do the bread.
24:48All right, Laura.
24:49Worried.
24:50She's doing bunya cowdo.
24:51She's doing lamb.
24:52She stuffed it with her chives, which is what her ingredient was.
24:54What are you worried about?
24:55She only just got the lamb in the oven at under 25 minutes.
24:59And she's...
25:00I think she's just crossing her fingers.
25:02I've got this.
25:03We've talked about time being the enemy of a lot of cooks, but we've seen what can
25:07happen in the last part of the cooks.
25:09Oh, yeah.
25:10Somehow, they get this done.
25:12And these are, like, some of the best cooks that we've had in this kitchen, so...
25:16We're excited.
25:17Game on.
25:18Yeah.
25:19This works?
25:20I don't know.
25:24Holy moly!
25:2512 minutes to go!
25:27Yeah!
25:28Yeah!
25:29Holy moly indeed!
25:34I'm trying not to use rosemary in too many things, because it's quite strong and it
25:40can overpower a dish.
25:41I'm going to use it mainly with my bread.
25:44My bread is ready to be baked with the rosemary salt.
25:47I take my squid out of the oven and I put it on the stove on the super low, so it's kind
25:52of still cooking slowly and I increase the temperature in my oven so the bread can cook
25:57as quick as possible.
25:58How long does your bread need, Sned?
26:00Ten minutes.
26:01I'm literally going in now.
26:02Ooh!
26:03Yeah, it's really quick.
26:04The highest temperature.
26:05Okay.
26:06Yeah.
26:07So if you get it in now, you're giving yourself a minute and a half to plate.
26:10Yeah, as always.
26:11And pull it out of the oven.
26:12Yeah.
26:13I'll get it then.
26:14I love coriander, but all of these deep, rich flavours, they can all absolutely work
26:20with coriander, so I'm pretty happy.
26:22I've literally managed to end up with an ingredient that fits straight into my dish.
26:28Today I'm making pan-seared flathead, some beautiful pickled mussels, some charry and
26:34roasty garlic and leek, as well as this india sauce that's just been building with flavour
26:40since the very beginning.
26:42Then I'm also going to make a coriander and chive oil.
26:45Right, so that can go there.
26:46That can go there.
26:47That's ready to go.
26:49Getting coriander is actually the best thing that could have happened.
26:52It adds a freshness, but it also just creates a more cohesive plate of food.
26:58And I really hope I'm cooking tomorrow for immunity.
27:05You look so cool, by the way.
27:06Cool on the surface, mate.
27:08Not underneath.
27:12You guys are top seven for a reason.
27:15Bring it home.
27:16Five minutes to go.
27:17Where did the time go?
27:21That's been lovely, by the way, Ben.
27:22Thank you, Chef.
27:23My chicken is in the oven.
27:24My time oil is done.
27:25I'm going to fold that through, that garlic velouté, right at the last second.
27:26I'm going to actually make some of these beautiful little kohlrabi dumplings.
27:31So the kohlrabi dumplings I'm making today are not dumplings containing kohlrabi.
27:34The actual skin of the dumpling, so to speak, is pickled kohlrabi.
27:36And I've got a really lovely kind of chicken leg mushroom and garlic mixture inside it.
27:37So I'm using the garlic from the original mystery box in a couple of different ways here.
27:44The timer goes off for the lamb, I pull it out and fingers and toes are all crossed.
27:47So the kohlrabi dumplings I'm making today are not dumplings containing kohlrabi.
27:49The actual skin of the dumpling, so to speak, is pickled kohlrabi.
27:53And I've got a really lovely kind of chicken leg mushroom and garlic mixture inside it.
27:57So I'm using the garlic from the original mystery box in a couple of different ways here.
28:09The timer goes off for the lamb, I pull it out and fingers and toes are all crossed.
28:22Ah, it's so raw!
28:23Oh my gosh, I don't know why I've done this to myself.
28:29Ah, it's so raw!
28:44I'm going to cook a piece in the pan and cook the rest of it through like that.
28:51It's the only option I have right now, literally my only option.
28:54I refuse to put up something raw, I refuse to leave it off the plate completely.
29:00Two minutes everybody!
29:06So for my savoury vanilla slice, I want to give it a slightly elevated look to it but I definitely want those clear layers.
29:14I want the pastry at the base, my garlic cream in the centre, another layer of pastry.
29:21Then I want my chicken jelly which is loaded up with the cucumber dill, a little dill salt on the outside.
29:28It's most definitely a conceptual dish but I'm here to push myself and I'm going to push until the last second.
29:37One minute!
29:38One minute!
29:39Oh my God, please hurry up.
29:41My bread is not going to be cooked.
29:44Come on, bread.
29:46This has to work.
29:47I mean, I'm so proud of this dish and it's one of my favourite family favourites.
29:53I cannot wait too long to increase the oven to the highest temperature.
29:56I'm a bit panicky here because that bread is really important for me.
30:00I need this bread to work because bread is the main carrier of that rosemary.
30:05And also you need that scoopy element to soak up the sauce.
30:10I quickly put it on the hot pan and I've just got a torch next to me so I'm torching it to give it a little bit of char.
30:16Time's up in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, one, four, three, two, one!
30:31That's it!
30:37What a crazy cook, eh?
30:38Well done, mate.
30:39Oh, well done, mate.
30:41How'd you get it?
30:42I don't know if it's cooked.
30:44I can't tell you.
30:47Today was a great cook.
30:48Like, don't get me wrong.
30:49I feel like I nailed the actual mystery box ingredients,
30:51but it's the lamb that could put me not in the race with this top three.
31:01Today you had to use garlic as well as something extra from the MasterChef garden in your dish.
31:07There are only three spots at the top up for grabs
31:11and a shot at immunity is on the line.
31:15Let's see who's done enough to lock it down.
31:18We'd like to taste your dish.
31:20Jamie!
31:25I feel really good with this cook today.
31:27I've liberally used garlic.
31:28I've utilised the coriander in simple but effective ways.
31:32I think it looks great and it's definitely something I'd want to eat.
31:36Jamie, what's your dish, mate?
31:38I've made a pan-seared flathead with confit and charred leek,
31:42some leek hay, pickled mussels, and then an indouya and mussel sauce.
31:47Jamie, what was your strategy today?
31:49Strategy for me today was to play into the garlic, worry about that first,
31:52and then pivot if I have to.
31:55As far as I'm concerned at this stage of the competition,
31:57it's all about building big flavours and if that's a risk
32:01because you have to change things halfway through, then so be it.
32:04But I'd rather have something that I'm happy with and make decisions on the fly.
32:08And do you think it paid off?
32:10I think so.
32:11I did get lucky because my herb was coriander
32:13and that can work quite well with all of those flavours as well.
32:16Shall we taste?
32:17I reckon, sir.
32:18Jamie.
32:34One word.
32:36Banger.
32:38I think the strategy definitely worked out.
32:40The flathead is beautifully cooked.
32:42And also, I love this sauce.
32:44I thought it might have been a little bit heavy, but it's just got that lovely muscle scent to it,
32:50which works really well with the good kick of indouya that you got in there.
32:54The roll continues for you as far as I'm concerned.
32:56Well done. Thank you.
32:58Jamie, I love what you were saying about this stage of the competition being all about flavour and big flavours.
33:03And that's all well and good, but you have to have the palette and the technical skill to be able to balance those big flavours with everything else that's on the plate.
33:11And you've absolutely done that.
33:14The garlic confit is perfect.
33:17Lovely, tasty licks, crunch, which is perfect.
33:21You've done a simple dish but with lots of sublimity.
33:25Sounds like the Frenchman approves of the use of the garlic in the dish, eh?
33:29Yeah, absolutely.
33:30If it's good enough for him, it's good enough for us.
33:32Well done, mate.
33:33The next dish we'd like to taste belongs to...
33:40Sarah.
33:42Yes!
33:44I have totally pushed myself.
33:47This is definitely a very out there dish.
33:52Always intrigue, Sarah.
33:54And I think my biggest concern is with this kind of conceptual dish.
34:00Some people hate it, some people like it.
34:02There's not really any in between.
34:05What is your dish, Sarah?
34:07So I've made a savoury vanilla slice.
34:10I did garlic infused cream.
34:13I did chicken, dill, cucumber gel.
34:16And I've added a dill salt around the outside.
34:27It's like don't crucify me, Andy.
34:36Which fan favourite will lift the MasterChef Trophy?
34:41Stream every mouth-watering episode on 10.
34:46It's like don't crucify me, Andy.
34:51Well, we are super used to you taking big risks in this kitchen.
34:57But the question always is...
34:59Have they paid off?
35:01We're about to find out.
35:16I like it.
35:18I like it.
35:22I like it.
35:24I like it.
35:27I like it.
35:29I like it.
35:31The puff?
35:34Incredible.
35:36It was really flaky, delicious.
35:38Then we go to that garlic cream.
35:40Stunning.
35:41Really beautiful hum of garlic.
35:44The yeast of the cucumber, the yeast of the dill, like 10 out of 10.
35:49Then there's your chicken jelly.
35:51I liked it.
35:53I just thought you could have gone harder on the chicken so I could hold up to everything else that you've done.
35:58But that is extremely creative.
36:01That is extremely well put together.
36:04And for that, I applaud you.
36:07Sarah, I'm a little bit obsessed with that.
36:10I loved it.
36:12I loved it.
36:13I loved it.
36:15I loved it.
36:16There's nothing vanilla slice about that for me.
36:20I go straight to my grandma's chicken soup.
36:23I love the consistency and the texture and the amount of that chicken jelly.
36:29And then the dill everywhere all around the plate with the oil as well.
36:33So, yeah, you did good things for me.
36:37Everything in that plate for me is superb.
36:39So thank you for that.
36:40But what is amazing is that garlic in your cream.
36:43Bingo.
36:44Now, this jelly.
36:48Look at that.
36:49It's still wobbly.
36:51Look.
36:53That is brave.
36:55This is fantastic.
36:57Sarah, it was a wacky idea.
36:59Well done.
37:01My dream is to one day have a Michelin star and to get that feedback from someone like John Christophe actually feels really, really special.
37:10The next dish we'd like to taste belongs to Callum.
37:15There's a lot on the line today.
37:16The top three dish is going to go in for a chance to win immunity tomorrow.
37:19One in three chance of winning immunity at this stage of the competition is pretty good odds.
37:23Oh, that made a difference.
37:24Wow.
37:25Oh my God.
37:27It looks radioactive.
37:29Yeah.
37:31Callum, what's your dish?
37:32Garlic and thyme stuffed chicken with kohlrabi and pine mushroom duck cell dumplings and a garlic and thyme velouté.
37:45Wow.
37:47Looks a picture.
37:49You happy with it?
37:50Yeah.
37:51I chose the kind of the world's most, I guess, gentle protein in chicken because it kind of goes with so many different spices or aromatic ingredients regardless of what was going to be under that lid.
37:59Should we eat it?
38:00Callum, when that landed on the table, it was so dramatic, I thought, I hope it tastes like a million bucks too.
38:23And boy, that dish packed a punch.
38:27Do not mess with the Barossa boy and his chicken.
38:30Everything was just so full of flavour.
38:34I love those little kohlrabi dumplings.
38:38They were pickled and had that lovely hit of sweetness as well, which I felt the dish really needed.
38:43And that just like balanced everything off.
38:45Just such a beautiful dish.
38:46Well done.
38:47That is brilliant cooking.
38:53That fast is perfectly cooked and you have loaded it with garlic and thyme.
38:58And then we go into like the sophisticated part of the dish, which for me is those beautifully put together dumplings.
39:06And it tastes like really rich and rusty.
39:09And mate, that velouté is stunning.
39:12Stunning.
39:13Stunning.
39:14I think it was the first thing you got on and it shows because it is just loaded with goodness, mate.
39:21What up, mate?
39:23Thanks, guys.
39:25What up, mate?
39:26Thanks, mate.
39:28What a big juicy chicken.
39:32The pina, what do you call this?
39:34I've made a lesseni murk, which translates to garlic chicken, with a aloo paratha as well as a garlic and chilli chutney and some pickled chilli and lemongrass.
39:48Um, I couldn't really taste the lemongrass, to be honest.
39:51No.
39:52And even though you've done this pickle, I feel like I can probably taste the chilli more than the lemongrass.
39:58But it's still a really lovely curry.
40:00Thanks, guys.
40:02Ben, tell us, what have you made?
40:04We have pan-roasted scallops with carried cauliflower puree, garlic, lentils and a mint tomato and cucumber salad.
40:12Interesting, but I like it.
40:17I think you were blessed with the mint.
40:20For me, that's what makes the dish, because there is a lot of hectic flavours going on.
40:25My only tweak would probably be 30 more seconds on the scallop.
40:29Up next, Laura.
40:34To be honest, I'm feeling quite nervous walking this dish up to the judges.
40:37Oh, dear.
40:38I know the flavours are going to be there.
40:40It actually does look really beautiful, but it's all going to come down to that lamb.
40:44It could still be raw in the middle.
40:53Laura, what have you made us?
40:54So it's a stuffed and rolled lamb saddle.
40:57Pine mushrooms, banyakowda and a lamb and masala jute.
41:01And what was the ingredient you had to collect from the garden?
41:03Chives.
41:04So they're in the actual lamb, in the stuffing with warrigal greens, garlic and chives.
41:09So, in those last throws, what was that about?
41:12Was that just getting the lamb cooked or...?
41:14Yeah, it was just literally cooking the lamb.
41:16Like it was raw when I pulled it out of the oven.
41:18And I can't confirm if it's cooked or not.
41:21It's pretty good.
41:25Is that what you were expecting to see?
41:26Absolutely not, Andy.
41:27Absolutely not.
41:28The thing that I'm worried about...
41:30It's that.
41:31Yeah, yeah, I know, yeah.
41:32There's too much fat.
41:33There's too much fat.
41:34There's too much fat.
41:35There's too much fat.
41:36There's too much fat.
41:37There's too much fat.
41:38There's too much fat.
41:39There's too much fat.
41:40There's too much fat.
41:41There's too much fat.
41:42There's too much fat.
41:43There's too much fat.
41:44Even on a day where you have problems, your dish is still a really beautiful dish.
42:13I can see where you were going.
42:15All the flavours are so solid.
42:16That bunyakata with the lamb is something that I do all the time.
42:19They're just such amazing friends together.
42:21Laura, there's the makings of a top three dish here, but it just didn't get there.
42:27Although that lamb is beautiful, blushing pink, which surprised us all when we cut into
42:32it, I think when you serve a rolled piece of lamb, you really want that cross section.
42:39Combine that with the amount of fat that you've left on there that obviously hasn't had a chance
42:42to get rendered.
42:43It makes for a pretty hard piece of lamb to eat.
42:47The biggest question was this lamb situation.
42:50Because I think probably everyone must have said, you know, start your lamb in the oven.
42:55And that lost you because the dish himself is actually fantastic.
43:01The garlic is dominant.
43:03You know, your sauce reduction is impeccable.
43:06Walk back to your bench.
43:08You know, next time you're going to smash it.
43:11The next dish we'd like to taste belongs to Schneze.
43:23My dish smells so good.
43:26It's literally like it came out of the mum's oven.
43:29I just hope my bread is cooked.
43:32This can't let me down.
43:33We have bread.
43:34We have bread.
43:35Garlic galore.
43:36Wow.
43:37Schneze, what have you made?
43:53So this is a confit, squid and garlic and rosemary and garlic oil bread.
44:02When you lifted the lid of your mini mystery box, you got...
44:05Garlic!
44:06Oh, mini box.
44:07You do really like garlic.
44:08Oh, you're so excited about garlic.
44:09You do really like garlic.
44:10I absolutely love garlic.
44:12No, my second little box was rosemary and I was really happy with that too.
44:17Where's the garlic in your dish, Schneze?
44:19So garlic is...
44:20There's like the whole garlic bulb in the actual confit and with the squid.
44:25And then it's also garlic salsa on the top.
44:27There's also garlic oil.
44:29So where is it not garlic?
44:31Let's find out.
44:32Dig in.
44:47That is incredible.
44:54That is like...
44:59That is you at your absolute best.
45:02Yeah.
45:03Like simplicity.
45:04Minimal ingredients.
45:06Cooking things that you love that will blow any person's mind.
45:11Like the squid is just melt in your mouth.
45:15And then the sauce.
45:16The only thing is, I think you need more bread.
45:19Because like...
45:20It just is like mop-able goodness that you can't leave in that pan.
45:26You can tell that you grew up on a garlic farm because you really know your way around garlic.
45:31It's everywhere.
45:32But you know what's amazing about that?
45:35Is that you've used so much of it and I don't feel overwhelmed by it.
45:39When you first started cooking the squids, I was not happy with you.
45:45I was like, this is a mistake.
45:46I know.
45:47And you convinced me.
45:48It is a fabulous dish.
45:50So, well done to you.
45:52Thanks, Mesh.
45:53Oh my God.
45:54Super excited.
45:55I'm getting the most beautiful feedback.
45:59And for a dish like this, it's from home and it's really special.
46:03Yes.
46:04Well today we gave you garlic and a mystery goodie from the garden as an added bonus.
46:15You gave us plenty of dishes for top picks.
46:18But there are only three spots in tomorrow's pressure test for immunity.
46:22So let's see who secured them.
46:25First person to take the top spot today is...
46:30Gallum.
46:31It's days like this.
46:36We are so thankful to be here.
46:39Because we get to eat food like that.
46:41It was a full package.
46:43So are you mate.
46:44Well done.
46:45Next.
46:48Shnes!
46:50The garlic was everywhere in the best possible way.
46:59I was one step off drinking that sauce.
47:01Outstanding work.
47:07Third and final spot goes to...
47:14Jamie!
47:15Yes!
47:16Mate, the cook on that flathead.
47:21The muscles.
47:22The leeks.
47:23The sauce.
47:24What an absolute stunner.
47:26Well done.
47:30Barely today all of you did very well.
47:32The cooking was fantastic.
47:34Your sense of spirit and competition was great.
47:37And on the top of that, we had fun.
47:39So well done.
47:41Well, good night everyone.
47:43Later!
47:44Thanks guys.
47:46Well done.
47:47Well done.
47:48Well done.
47:49Well done.
47:51Tomorrow night...
47:52Please welcome...
47:53Michael Wilson!
47:56His Michelin star pressure test...
47:59Oh my God!
48:00Oh my God!
48:02Look out.
48:03...has a nickname that says it all.
48:08We nickname it...
48:09The Tower of Terror.
48:10The Tower of Terror.
48:11The Tower of Terror.
48:12Wow.
48:13Eight layers of absolute precision.
48:16What?
48:17Eight layers.
48:18Like a building.
48:19If one layer is bad, the whole thing could collapse.
48:22Just frankly, a little terrifying.
48:23And it would be a little terrifying.
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