Smelt surprise

Smelts were the star ingredient in the first elimination challenge on MasterChef Canada

Danielle Cardozo, a competitor in MasterChef Canada, stands in the MasterChef pantry. — Photo courtesy CTV

“Well,” said Danielle Cardozo, laughing, “it turns out I was mediocre at best.”

Cardozo was referring to the opinion of the judges on MasterChef Canada after the first mystery box challenge and elimination challenge. From ingredients in the mystery box, Cardozo chose to make a ginger and garlic glazed pork tenderloin with a hot and sour ramen salad.

“I feel like I really nailed that dish and was disappointed to not be in the top three,” she said.

Tiny, silvery smelts were assigned as the star ingredient in the elimination challenge, and Cardozo made a smelt and salami pizza in tribute to her father and her son. The pizza was for her dad, and the theme was a twist on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’s famous pepperoni and anchovy combination.

“I will admit the judges weren’t so big a fan of this one,” she said. “I told them I second guessed myself, as I originally planned to do a fried smelt and crostini—a Portuguese classic—but felt it was too simple. Michael (Bonacini) said I should have gone with the crostini.”

Though she wasn’t judged best in either challenge, neither was she one of the bottom three, and Cardozo has survived to go on to the next step in the MasterChef competition. On Monday, February 10, tune in as the MasterChef home cooks prepare meals for the Toronto Maple Leafs, including Leafs royalty Wendel Clark and Darryl Sittler.

“Come to The Heid Out at 6 p.m. (you’ll need to make a reservation), and watch this one with us,” said Cardozo. “We will be serving the same dish our team served to the Leafs. Win or lose, it was an epic experience and such an honour.”