MasterChef Thurs – skills test & seafood platter

In this episode’s elimination, contestants undergo a skills test followed by a seafood platter challenge including raw, fried and steamed elements.

And, yes, there is a masterclass tonight.



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14 Comments

  1. I cannot get interested in any of the contestants this season; I still only know the names of 3 or 4 of them. But the skills tests are often good to watch, and I do look forward to the masterclass.

  2. Surely Nicole would have tasted her prawns before presenting them if she was unsure. The producers must have concocted the fiction that she didn’t test them.

  3. I would bomb out on a seafood skills test – too many years spent living inland without access to good seafood.

    • I’d bomb on a seafood too. Well, let’s be honest I’d bomb on all of these as I am pretty much your armchair critic!
      I never deep fry so I would have NO clue how to do it.
      Joe’s platter looked crap. I think it was kind of mean spirited the way they dissed Ben to make him feel bad as there seemed little doubt that Joe was going to be booted. Ben’s stuff looked not that terrible but I think the judges just do not like him so felt the need to rub it in.
      Agree with Von that I am not rooting for any contestants to win. I am actively campaigning for Abbey to not win, but actually I feel she is one of the more capable cooks. Damn my personal prejudices for patronising people!

  4. I agree that there really isn’t anyone to really invest in this season. I dislike Abbey, but that could just be dodgy editing as I recall hating Chloe last season as she came across as a similar sort of patronising know-it-all as Abbey. At least we don’t have a “meat and two veg” character like last season’s Ben. They set that up just so Sashi could win (he’d have had a tougher time beating Khan). Tim came close … let’s hope he doesn’t get back in on Sunday as I’m not sure I could listen to any more Paul Hogan style quips.

    I enjoy the skills test as it does show you where they are at with a practical skill. The only platter I liked was Nicole’s – the others were all pretty one dimensional. I also really like the masterclasses and don’t understand why they rate so badly. That said, I’m bummed that TenPlay have chosen to geoblock Europe since late last year, so I can’t get the recipes here in Sweden. I loved the sound of Matt’s Steamed Pudding with Ginger Marmalade and I find that his recipes are generally very reliable.

    Your poll made me laugh. They are showing Season 9 on the telly here (thank goodness for streaming sites so I can keep up with the current season) and people keep asking me why Australians eat so much pork belly and duck breast. And why do we make icecream out of any ingredient under the sun!

    • Welcome to the chat! Can’t believe they geoblock the recipes!

      Here you go:
      Ingredients

      Unsalted butter, to grease

      115g ginger marmalade

      115g unsalted butter, softened

      115g caster sugar

      1 lime, zest finely grated

      2 eggs

      115g self raising flour

      Ginger and Lime Sauce:
      115g ginger marmalade

      1 tbsp lime juice

      Diced naked ginger, to serve

      Roasted macadamias, to serve

      Blanched lime zest, to serve

      Milk crumb, to serve

      Vanilla ice cream, to serve

      Select all

      Method

      Generously grease a 1.6L microwave safe bowl with butter. Spread marmalade over the base of the bowl.
      In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, sugar and lime zest. Cream the mixture until pale and fluffy. Add one egg and briefly beat through. Add one third of the flour and briefly beat through. Add the remaining egg and the remaining flour and beat until just combined.
      Transfer the batter into prepared bowl, smooth the surface and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Microwave the pudding on high for 4 minutes.
      Meanwhile, for the Ginger and Lime Sauce, place the remaining marmalade and the lime juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer then remove saucepan from the heat. Whisk in butter until melted and combined. Cover the saucepan and set aside at room temperature.
      When cooked, remove bowl from the microwave and remove plastic wrap from the bowl. Place a plate upside down onto the bowl and flip together upside down to turn pudding out. Use a tea towel to help handle the hot bowl.
      Pour the Ginger and Lime sauce over the upturned pudding. Scatter naked ginger, roasted macadamias and blanched lime zest over the top.
      Microwave cake waits for no one. Immediately serve each portion of cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and Milk Crumb sprinkled on top.
      Note – To make the Milk Crumb, preheat the oven to 175°C fan forced. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Place 125g unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until milk solids start to brown. Add 300g skimmed milk powder to the melted butter and stir to combine. Spread mixture over the prepared baking tray and sprinkle 2 teaspoons salt flakes and 3 tablespoons caster sugar over. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden, turning the tray halfway through cooking.

      • Oh Juz! Thank you so much! I’ve copied it out and will try it in the autumn as it sounds lovely.

        It’s not just the recipes that TenPlay block – it’s the entire website. Last year on May 25th the EU General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR came into force. It focuses on ensuring that we as users know, understand, and consent to the data collected about us. Under GDPR, pages of fine print won’t suffice. Neither will forcing users to click yes in order to sign up.

        Instead, companies must be clear and concise about their collection and use of personal data like full name, home address, location data, IP address, or the identifier that tracks web and app use on smartphones. Companies have to spell out why the data is being collected and whether it will be used to create profiles of people’s actions and habits. Moreover, we have the right to access the data companies store about us, the right to correct inaccurate information, and the right to limit the use of decisions made by algorithms.

        All websites shown in the EU must comply with GDPR or face harsh penalties. Most websites have done so, but obviously TenPlay aren’t interested in allowing us to know what they are up to with our data, so chose to simply block Europe. One day I could see it, the next I get a message to say that it’s not available in my region. At the time, their Facebook page was full of complaints from European based fans asking wtf?, but they never answered why they blocked us.

        • Let us Know if you want any more and we will sort you out 😉 And please report back if you make it – with photos!

      • Oh no, say it isn’t so!

        I guess I’ll have to dust off my hat with corks and start saying “G’day, mate” to everyone. Kill me now.

  5. I lived in Palm Beach for 10 years, 5 mins from Burleigh Heads, until a year ago. NOW they go & film there. Arrrgh.
    I love eating seafood but don’t cook it very often.

  6. I finally caught up and wish I hadn’t. Poor Ben, only screen time he gets is when he’s in the elimination. Why do I get a vibe the judges in particular Gary have no interest in Ben or his cooking?

    • It does seem as if the judges (or producers) aren’t very interested in him at all. Perhaps they don’t want to favor him too much because he will be one of the top 5.

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