The judges recognised Rachael from her unsuccessful audition for the first MasterChef series and hoped she would make amends in the kitchen today. The contestants had 90 minutes to make their signature dish.

Ryan served the judges his Fettuccine Bolognese. Gary said the pasta which Ryan had made from scratch was very good but the Bolognese could have been cooked for longer.

Rachael served crispy skin salmon with mango salad and beurre blanc, as well as French crêpes with crème pâtissière and strawberry salad. Gary observed the salmon was cooked perfectly and George told Rachael her crêpes were very tasty.

George Negus presented his Oysters Negus and Risotto Bonza. The lamb served with the risotto was the “bonza” component, he explained. Judge George said he done a great job on the oysters, while Gary thought the risotto was a little chalky.

Rachael won the first round and had to choose from one of two dishes by Tony Bilson, chef and “Godfather of Australian cuisine.” George knew Tony when he was cooking steaks in a Melbourne student pub but didn’t think it would give him an advantage, especially since Tony never discussed cooking with him.

Ryan tried to bluff Rachael into picking the bouillabaisse by saying he wanted to cook the delicate tart dish, but she nevertheless chose the tart of scallops and truffles with sweetbreads, spinach puree and beurre blanc as the pressure test dish. Ryan thought his big fingers wouldn’t do well at such “fine, fiddly stuff.”

The celebrities had an hour to cook the dish. Ryan had trouble with his pastry while Rachael forgot to boil her sweetbreads (a type of offal which is the thyroid gland) before she chopped them. She quickly boiled the pieces before frying them.

Ryan used his lifeline for his beurre blanc, while Rachael asked for Tony’s help with her spinach puree, which he showed her how to thicken.

George forgot to put the puree under his circle of scallops and truffles and used his lifeline after his tart fell apart when he tried to rectify his mistake.

Gary said George’s tart tasted very good and judge George said his sweetbreads were deliciously cooked. Matt told George he should have removed the membrane from the scallops and said the truffle slices weren’t uniform.

George said Ryan’s tart looked beautiful. Gary said the pastry base was a little undercooked and Matt said if the tart had a little more time in the oven, it would be magnificent.

Gary said Rachael had just the right amount of spinach puree in her tart. George told her it was beautifully presented and the puffed pastry was a highlight. Matt said the tart ate well and had strong, well balanced flavours.

Matt said the contestants had done a good job of a very technique-driven dish but Rachael was the one to make it into the semi-finals.

Stay tuned as the last semi-finals spot is nabbed next week!