George Calombaris set this week’s mystery box challenge. His mystery box contained “trimmings”. George explained that in his restaurant, these are the parts that are used to cook staff dinners. This was their challenge, to make something nutritious and delicious. The top five dishes will be tasted, with the winner getting an advantage. They will then go into an invention test with the bottom three will cook to survive elimination and the top three will cook for an immunity pin.
Mystery Box Challenge
There were quite a few good recipes, several people made steaks and burgers with the left over meat and pastas with eggs from the “pantry”.
Here are the five dishes that were chosen to be tasted.
Emilia was the first chosen to have their dish tasted. It was a “messed up” avgolemono with meatballs and filled warka pastries. George said it was the best thing she had cooked in the competition yet. It was “really clever” and Matt Preston loved it.
Kira was the second dish to be tasted. Parmesian and mussel broth with meatballs, egg and crisps. It was “delicious”, “tasty” and a great dish.
Next up it was Renae. She cooked braised beef pappardelle with crispy potato skins. Matt Preston said it was “out of this world”. George said “wow”, “absolute food heaven.
Sarah was also picked. She made steak and chips with gremolata and parmesian crisp. The steak wasn’t evenly cooked. It was “acceptable” and the sauce was nice. The chips with gremolata were nice.
Colin was the last to have his dish tasted. It was an open hamburger and chips. It was “delicious”. George said he’s “ramped it up” cooking one of the top five dishes.
Emilia won the mystery box challenge. Her advantage was to remove a food group from the pantry. She had the choice between proteans (meats, fish, eggs) or all the fruit and vegetables. She decided to remove the proteins.
Invention Test
Unfortunagely by removing the proteins, Emilia also removed the gelatine. She decided to use Agar Agar for her White wine Mousse and berries. Her first mousse came out not set and was worried that she wont get a dish up.
Tash cooked Curry puffs. Towards the end of the round, Tash had a bad fall and her filling ended up mostly on the floor.
Brett strawberries and cream with a strawberry consommé.
Jamie went back to his time spent in India by cooking Dahl and flatbread. He almost ran out of time getting his Dahl together.
Stephen cooked Mushroom and potato Masala
Scott chose to cook a vegetable pie. Matt preston was very concerned with his planned dish.
Sarah cooked a cauliflower curry.
Renae cooked a spiced pumpkin dish.
Judging
First to be judged was Tash “karipap pusing” which was curry puffs. Gary wants her to show him how to make the pastry, it was “good” it was “really good”, “absolutely delicious”. Matt said it was super juicy, super light and it was the “whole package in one” and a “multi-million dollar business”. Tash was suprised because it was to her just a humble street ffood
Renae’s chai spiced pumpkin ice cream with a sesame tweel and pumping ice cream. Gary thought it was a little clumsy and one dimensional.
Colin’s pumpkin tortelini was simple, spectacular and delicious.
Jamie’s Dahl was crunchy and this dish was possibly the worst it could be. Jamie already suspected this.
Emilia’s mousse. Matt Preston first said “what went wrong”. Her mousse didn’t set correctly, she hadn’t used Agar Agar before. It didn’t taste to bad, but didn’t blow away the judges.
Brett’s strawberries and cream with white wine strawberry consommé. It was “dead set delicious”.
Scott’s pie was not very well thought out and judged harshly.
Sarah’s aloo gobi was “fresh” there was spice in there but it wasn’t overpowering. Matt thought it was cooked with experience far beyond her years.
The following contestants where the top three and get to cook for an immunity pin: Tash, Sarah, Brett
The following contestants were sent to elimination: Jamie, Stephen, Scott