The Great American Recipe

Alejandra Ramos: Tonight on "The Great American Recipe"... Woman: This week, we'll find out which 3 home cooks will go on to compete in next week's finale.

Man: I really need to step up if I want to make it to the finals.

Man: This is my last chance to show off my culture.

Alejandra: The tears-- just a little extra seasoning.

Absolutely.

Fran: I'm making my Grandmother Gunkey's scalloped oysters.

Alejandra: It is time to announce the 3 home cooks who will be moving on to the big finale next week.

Welcome back to "The Great American Recipe."

Woman: This is it, guys.

Ready for another day?

I was born ready.

Whoo!

Sass!

Fran: It's the last week before the finale, and I get misty even talking about it, because we're just getting to know each other and we're almost done.

Man: Good morning!

Hi!

Man: Good to see y'all.

Alejandra: Welcome back to "The Great American Recipe."

Please join me in welcoming our incredible judges.

Tiffany Derry... Good morning y'all.

Tim Hollingsworth... Good morning, everyone.

Welcome back.

Morning.

and Francis Lam.

Hey, great to see you.

The 6 of you have wowed us over the last 5 weeks, and it's been a pleasure getting to know each of you through your incredible recipes and the stories behind each dish.

Tiffany: This week, we'll find out which 3 home cooks will go on to next week's finale and compete to be named the winner of "The Great American Recipe."

Woo hoo!

Tiffany: Can you believe it?

This is the moment that you've been waiting for!

Alejandra: But before we find out who will be competing next week, you still have more cooking to do.

Tim: So, last week was all about testing your ability to adapt in the kitchen.

Alejandra: This week, we want you to focus on memorable recipes in your family.

For the first round, you'll have 60 minutes to prepare a dish that you make in honor of a family tradition.

Tim: And as always, your dishes will be judged on taste, presentation, execution, and how well you did with today's theme.

Alejandra: All right, folks, your 60 minutes starts now!

All: Woo woo!

Woo!

Let's go!

Where's my roux at?

I'm gonna slice some onions.

It takes a while peeling shallots, I will tell you that.

All right, so we asked the cooks to prepare a memorable recipe that they cook for a tradition or an event in their life.

What are we looking for from the home cooks today?

Francis: This is something that hopefully they have celebrated over and over and over with.

And I think today, because it is so close to the finale, I want to see them really executing at the highest level they can.

Tiffany: Yeah, I agree.

And things that you share with family and friends in that specific moment, it means something, and I feel like we need to know that story as well.

Alejandra: This is the second-last round of cooking before we decide who's moving on to the finale, so they really need to bring it.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I have Thai chili peppers and garlic.

I'm bringing the heat.

I did very well last week.

Suwanee!

[Cheering] No way!

Tiffany: That Shrimp Creole felt so soulful.

Thank you so, so much.

[Sizzling] Suwanee: At this point, I feel like any one of us can go in the finale, and I want one of those people to be me.

I am making Moo Pad Krapow.

It's a pork stir fry with holy basil.

This is our homecoming dish.

I started making this dish when my husband was in the military.

This is my husband's favorite breakfast, along with my kids, especially my daughter Shiloh.

My daughter was born with a rare genetic condition that causes seizures.

It's extremely hard on a mommy's heart, but Shiloh is so proud of me.

She's cheering me on, and I just can't wait to go hug her.

I'm making this dish to bring me back to her.

I'm going to add some fish sauce, dark soy sauce, and vinegar to my browned pork.

Hello, Suwanee!

Hello, Tiffany.

Ready for more Thai?

I am always.

You just came out on top twice last week, so I think what you did well was you paid attention to all the details on the plate.

I did.

So, make sure every aspect of your dish is how you want us to enjoy it.

Make sure your pork is cooked perfectly.

Your shrimp was just slightly overdone last time.

Sounds good.

Thank you so much.

Good luck!

Thank you.

[Both speaking Thai] I'm gonna start my rice so I don't have to worry about it.

3 of us will have to leave this week, and I've been on top once.

[Cheering] Oh, my God!

Al Roker: I got to tell you, Anika, your phuchka was so perfect.

You nailed it on all counts.

Thank you.

Anika, voice-over: But I have 2 more chances left, so I want to win big today.

I am making Chingri Malaikari.

It's basically prawns in coconut sauce.

And my mom would make it when there were special occasions.

This is a beautiful dish, but also a very emotional dish.

These are my parents.

I came from a very close-knit family, and within a year and a half, I'd lost both my mom and my dad from cancer.

So, every month, I make Chingri Malaikari because they meant the world to me.

The world.

[Sizzling] I'm gonna use a lot of shallots to make the sauce.

I make a paste of shallots, ginger and garlic and let it fry with bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves.

This dish is the celebration of the lives that my parents have, and that's why this is my cherished tradition.

Hey!

I feel like I'm a bit more in my comfort zone zone after last week.

I think it's fantastic.

Ohh!

Tiffany: I think you've stayed pretty true to the essence of what chicken and dumplings should be.

Waigal, voice-over: Now I feel like I can take on anything, and I'm hoping that will get me through to the finale.

I am making an array of dishes.

It's called Mela on a Plate.

Mela is basically a grand Afghan picnic.

When I was a child, we would enjoy some kebabs on the grill and we have a great day.

I'm just straining the pulp out of the onion for the marinade.

I have a lot to do.

I want to make ribeye kebab and shornakhod, which is basically a potato salad.

Hi, Waigal.

How are you?

Hello.

How are you?

Doing well.

It smells great over here.

Oh, that's good.

Your meat-- how is it prepared?

It's marinated in the juice of onion and garlic.

Yeah?

And then some coriander, cumin, and sumac.

And then you're gonna grill it?

Yes.

OK.

So when you're grilling in this grill pan, any sort of liquid is gonna start to create a boiling action.

I would take your meat and pat it nice and dry.

That way that you get like nice grill marks on there.

Got it.

Finale is next week.

You've had a lot of top performances.

Stay true to you.

That's the goal.

I hope so, too.

Good luck.

Can't wait to try it.

Thank you.

It's not a Fran dish without at least a stick of butter.

I've had two top dishes and I've had one bottom dish.

Tiffany: You really tried to keep the essence of Rex's stuffed milk fish, but we did feel that the fish could have been fried a little bit crispier.

Fran, voice-over: But this is still a tight race.

I'm gonna make crab and saffron chowder with cornbread drop biscuits.

The tradition that comes immediately to mind with this are the block parties in my neighborhood.

I live on a one-block street, and it doesn't take a lot to prompt a party.

It's a community event and just enormous fun.

We'll just capitalize on any opportunity to celebrate.

And I will often make some sort of a chowder.

This has potato and celery and onion, and I'm adding corn.

I also have a secret weapon, and that is Waigal taught me how to bloom saffron.

Waigal: Is that saffron I smell over here?

Yes!

Wow!

I'm using the Waigal bloom.

Beautiful!

I love it.

And then once it's bloomed, I'd say like 2 teaspoons.

You don't want it too overpowering.

Thank you!

I know just what I'm supposed to do, and it is time to bring it.

I'm putting in some of the crab meat so it'll start flavoring the soup base.

The hardest part about this dish is just to make our oxtail tender.

Last week, I didn't really perform well.

Tim: With Fran's homemade pasta with tomatoes, I think you just got tripped up with the pasta dough.

Rex, voice-over: So, I really want to prove to the judges that I'm worthy to be part of the final 3.

Today, I'm making Oxtail Kare-Kare.

Kare-Kare is a peanut-base, too, and very popular in the Philippines.

I season my oxtail with fish sauce, garlic powder, and an achuete powder.

It makes this dish more colorful.

My mom first made this when my dad left when I was in the 4th grade.

My dad left us to work in the U.S. to provide, you know, a better future for the entire family.

So, it was just me and my siblings and my mom for 9 years.

When our dad left, we were really down.

So it became a tradition for my mom to make this on their anniversary, and I really want to make it to the finale to show all of their hard work paid off.

In the Philippines, we call it utang na loob.

It's like indebtedness.

So, I'm gonna be making the sauce without the meat for the sauce, satay, garlic, onion, and add toasted rice.

So, I'm gonna get a really rich sauce from this.

45 minutes left!

Thank you!

Oof!

[Sizzling] Hey, Coby, what is that in there?

Alligator legs.

Dang!

Whoo!

OK!

Hey, Louisiana!

Gator season.

Last week, I was way out of my comfort zone.

The flavor's there, but you need a little bit more acid.

And you cooked two different dishes from Asia today, and I think that you made them proud, actually, so...

Thank you.

So, now I got to have a really strong cook this week.

I'm making Alligator Sauce Piquante.

Alligator Sauce Piquante is alligator in gravy with tomato sauce.

I have some smoked sausage.

It really kind of helps bring that flavor into that gator.

Alligator doesn't have a strong flavor, but it does absorb all the flavors that you cook it with.

Add that in there.

[Sizzling] I'm using onions, bell peppers, some shrimp, a little bit of roux, and of course Cajun seasoning.

Let's transfer this over.

This Alligator Sauce Piquante is special because I am a veteran of the United States Navy.

I get together with my Navy buddies every year.

I love them.

I would do anything on the planet for them.

And it has become our tradition that I make this dish.

We kind of been through thick and thin together.

So, uh...gonna make me cry.

I don't want to cry.

[Sighs] Well, can I give you a hug, Coby?

Aw, come here, man.

Yeah.

Tell me about this.

Tell me about the story.

I wear this bracelet to signify that I am a veteran.

And kind of cooking this dish for all the other disabled veterans that's out there.

Thank you for the hug.

I'll take another.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And you know what?

The tears?

Just a little extra seasoning.

I hope so.

Little extra seasoning.

Little extra salt in there.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Wow.

Smells good.

Mmm!

[Sniffs] [Sighs] Holy basil is the most important part of this dish.

It's very fragrant.

I found some at the actual farm here that we're cooking.

I was just so blown away.

It's like the universe telling me this is the dish I'm supposed to be making.

I don't want to overcook the basil because the basil will actually lose flavors.

Tiffany: 30 minutes left, y'all!

Anika: Oh, 30 minutes!

Fran: Is it possible to have too much crab?

Not for me.

[Laughter] Preach.

OK, so we're just gonna wait for that.

My Kare-Kare sauce is at right consistency.

Next I'm going to blanch beans, bok choy, and also a special flower from the Philippines.

Francis: Hey, Rex.

Yes.

Is that banana blossom?

Yes.

I'm just gonna be using the core.

So we're just gonna blanch it and toss it here in our sauce.

Alejandra: Is this something you guys have cooked with before?

A little bit for me.

I have, yeah.

Francis: And the texture can be like a crisp cabbage.

It's really nice.

Oh, that's great.

Rex: There you go.

Next, I drench eggplant and Filipino breading mix and put it into the deep fryer.

See the vibrant color?

That's what I want.

So I've added my coconut milk to this.

As the Chingri Malaikari gravy thickens, I add coconut milk.

Ooh, it's nice and thick now.

And then I start salting the shrimp, and I also add turmeric powder.

My father always told me, "Know your audience."

I'm making it for the judges, so don't overcook the shrimp and make sure that it's the way they like it.

So I'm just flipping it over to cook the other side.

All right, let's just do this.

This is the make-or-break week, and I have to show the judges that I am a little bit more diverse than some of my cooking.

It's not just rice in every single meal.

I'm making grits.

So I just want to switch it up a little bit, you know, maybe help propel me to one of these top dishes.

So I think everybody's gonna love it.

I think it's time for the saffron.

I'm digging that.

OK. My soup is simmering away.

It's time for me to work on the biscuits.

I'm determined to make some decent cornbread, so that's what I'm doing.

Revenge cornbread.

Francis: I have to say, the cornbread-- I think it has a really nice flavor.

It's a little bit dry for me.

OK.

So I can't do that again.

Alejandra: Fran is attempting some redemption cornbread.

That's what she called it.

Ohh!

[Laughter] She's like, "I cannot leave here--" Francis: I mean, when you're traveling up from North Carolina, and her cornbread's not making the cut, I understand that there's a little pride that has to-- Tiffany: She has to go home.

Tim: Everybody's gonna say something, you know that.

Oh, buddy, I know that one!

If I can't redeem myself with it, I'm not gonna serve it.

Let's start with two.

We won't get crazy.

My shornakhod has a chutney sauce.

So, to the blender, I'm gonna add garlic, cilantro, green onion, serrano peppers, and vinegar.

Wow.

Alejandra: 15 minutes left, folks!

OK... Tell me for the salt, please.

OK.

Hot?

Yeah, hot.

Blow on it.

Add just a tad bit more.

More?

OK. Yep.

Alejandra: We have seen a ton of growth from these home cooks over the past 5 weeks.

At this point, it's anybody's game.

Tiffany: The thing is, someone might have been on the top and someone might have been on the middle, but the truth is, it might have been just right there.

Francis: I totally agree.

You know, I still think it's really close.

Alejandra: Yeah, today is the point where all those little details really do count.

Absolutely.

Oh, wow.

I need to incorporate the oxtail into the sauce and then simmer a little bit before I plate it.

It's gonna be tight.

I'm glad how tender it is.

I have just barely enough time.

In week 1, my sumac ribeye tacos did not get the char I really wanted.

I do wish that the meat had a little bit more caramelization on it.

OK.

So I really want to make sure I get the right char.

Tiffany: It's a lot of fire, Waigal.

Francis: Oh, Lord, it's a fire!

Waigal, are you OK?

Waigal: This is no picnic.

Good Lord.

Love it.

Oh, it's looking good.

This is a dish that we typically eat with fried eggs.

These are duck eggs.

I did not grow up with chicken eggs.

I want the eggs to be crispy on the edges, but the top still runny.

Crispy eggs.

Alejandra: 5 minutes!

Woo hoo!

Alejandra: Are you feeling the pressure?

Rex: Oh, my God, I'm a mess.

Alejandra: Yep.

Fran, you feel good about the cornbread?

Fran: I don't have to disavow it!

Yay!

Yay!

Yeah.

I'm making the sauce with the chili, garlic, and lime juice.

I'm putting in some shrimp paste.

It also adds a little flavor.

1 minute!

Get that food on the plate.

That's done.

I have made the most perfect version of the Chingri Malaikiri ever...

The rice never cooked!

but my rice is just sitting there in a pool of water.

Anika, whispering: Rex, do you have any rice by any chance-- Rice?

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, here.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Tiffany: Anika, what did you just grab?

Anika: My rice cooker malfunctioned.

Judges: Ohh!

Alejandra: When in doubt, you gotta pivot.

You do.

Alejandra: We love to see you guys working together.

Francis: Ooh!

Come on, guys.

You gotta have a lot of sauce.

Alejandra: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, Judges: 4, 3, 2, 1!

Time!

Tim: Yeah!

[Clapping] Woo!

Yay.

Yay.

Alejandra: We gave you 60 minutes to prepare a dish that honors a tradition in your life.

Waigal, come join us.

Today I prepared for you Mela On a Plate.

This represents the picnic culture in Afghanistan.

Tiffany: Waigal, you have a lot of beautiful flavors, but the beef itself, I think you could have cooked it just a little bit longer.

I mean, I saw you grilling fanning, and I think, you know, some of your timing was a little bit off.

Tim: I do agree with Tiffany, but this feels very homey to me.

My wife's family is Middle Eastern, so I recognize a lot of the flavor, the spices, and I think it's so delicious.

And, you know, you live in San Diego.

I live in L.A.

So maybe one day I get invited to one of those barbecues.

Oh, that would be a dream.

[Laughter] Anika, come join us.

Anika: So I made for you, Chingri Malaikari.

And every month, I make Chingri Malaikiri in honor of my parents.

Francis: Anika, this is really delicious.

The coconut milk is so rich, and the shrimp is beautifully, beautifully cooked.

Tim: Yeah, I agree, I really love the pure depth and flavor.

And you can tell the time and the love that was spent putting into this.

And you had a picture of your mom and your dad right there in the station.

[Voice breaking] I feel like your mom and your dad were there when you were cooking this meal for you.

So, thank you.

My mom would have been so proud that you were eating this dish.

Thank you.

Suwanee.

Suwanee: I made Moo Pad Krapow.

It's our homecoming dish.

And it's also my daughter's favorite dish.

And she was born with a rare genetic condition.

So making this dish, it just reminds me of our time together in the kitchen because she loves to cook.

Francis: Thank you for sharing that, Suwanee.

And I really, really am enjoying this.

The holy basil is so nice and gives it much more of an earthy flavor.

And the pork is very delicious, but if it was cooked maybe a little bit shorter, it would maybe have kept a little bit more of its juiciness.

Tiffany: I do love the fact that the egg is crispy and it's perfectly runny.

I mean, I'd come home to eat this any day.

Thank you.

Rex.

Rex: So, today I made Oxtail Kare-Kare, because when I was in the 4th grade, we were struggling financially.

So, my dad had to go to the U.S., and it wasn't even planned.

So he went to my classroom and he said good-bye.

[Crying] He said, "As a kid, you won't understand that."

Like, we didn't even know when he's coming back.

So, we were really down that time, and then Mom made that dish, and that cheered us up.

For 9 years, my dad was gone.

And then he decided to go back home to care for us.

Thank you, Rex, for sharing the story of your family.

I appreciate that so much.

I've had Oxtail Kare-Kare a whole bunch of times, and this is the best one I have ever eaten.

The flavor of this very rich peanutty sauce just makes me want to melt.

It's so deep and the oxtail feels so tender.

Really, really stunning plate of food.

Tiffany: Yeah, I agree, and I really enjoy the different textures of, like, the bok choy in there with the eggplant.

It's very good.

Thank you so much, Chef.

Fran.

I made Crab and Saffron Chowder with Cornbread Drop Biscuits.

Francis: Well, Fran, after this is all over, you're gonna have to go home and you're gonna have to talk to your neighbors.

And we knew that you needed to be able to make some cornbread today so you can talk to them and they're not just talking about you.

[Laughter] That's right!

Francis: And I got to say, this is very cool.

It's a little bit sweet.

The texture is very light.

Tim: Yeah, I agree.

I think I'm gonna have to try to make it.

And I love the flavor of corn and crab together.

Love the fact that you used the saffron, but I wish it had a little bit of salt and then a little cracked pepper on the top, but it's honestly a really, really delicious dish.

Thank you.

Coby.

Coby: So, today I made Alligator Sauce Piquante.

I don't know if y'all know, I was in the Navy.

Me and my Navy buddies, we served together, uh... [Exhales] In Desert Storm, Desert Shield.

Sorry.

My brothers, I love them.

Every year, uh, we have a fishing trip.

And every year, these guys, they always ask me to, uh, make sure I bring the alligator.

Tiffany: I can only imagine that when y'all get together... [Crying] a pot of alligator ain't a pot of alligator, because nobody else knows quite what y'all went through but y'all.

And Coby, the alligator is delicious.

It's tender.

I love the smoke from that andouille that's inside of that gravy.

And even the shrimp was really nicely cooked as well.

But honestly, I'm not even sure you needed the shrimp here, because the alligator and that sausage combination together, it stood on its own.

Francis: Coby, for you to share this with us is really a privilege for us to enjoy, and enjoy we did!

The grits are creamy and the alligator-- this is really showing me something new, because usually a meat doesn't absorb that much flavor that quick.

Just an experience I don't really get to have a lot, so I thank you for all of that.

Got it.

Alejandra: Thank you so much.

Coby: Being here, cooking these meals, and telling my story is special.

We have truly become a family, and no matter what happens, I'm excited for one last round together.

Fran: You're awesome.

Alejandra: In the last round, you had 60 minutes to make a recipe for a memorable tradition or event.

Judges, which are the two recipes that left a lasting impression on you this round?

Our first favorite dish of the round is... Rex.

Oh!

Thank you.

[Laughter] Rex: Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Francis: The Oxtail Kare-Kare was so rich and deep in flavor.

It was really kind of miraculous.

Rex: Thank you so much.

Thank you so much.

I'm just so happy.

I feel like I've accomplished my goal-- to show the beauty of our dishes back in the Philippines, and I hope to make it to the finale.

Tim: Our other favorite dish of the round is... Coby with your Alligator Sauce Piquante.

Yes!

Yes!

Tim: Coby, not only was your story very touching, but all the flavors really came together in such a deep way.

Overall excellent dish.

Thank you.

To know that people appreciate what you go through, the sacrifice you did do for our great country, I greatly appreciated that.

Alejandra: Well done, cooks!

We can't wait to see what you do in the next round, which is the very last round before the finale.

Wow.

Alejandra: In the last round, we challenged you to create a memorable dish connected to a tradition.

This round, we want you to prepare a dish that's been passed down in your family.

And as always, we will be judging your dishes based on taste, presentation, execution, and how well you honored the theme.

Alejandra: You have 60 minutes to complete this round.

And remember, at the end of this round, we will be announcing the 3 home cooks who will move on to the finale and compete to be named the winner of "The Great American Recipe."

OK, home cooks, your time starts now!

Yay!

Whoo!

- Hoo!

- Let's get it!

OK... Alejandra: We asked the cooks to prepare their family's most iconic recipe that's been passed down through generations.

Francis: When people learn to cook, so often, they learn to cook from family or with friends.

And this is really getting them back to that.

Tiffany: Absolutely.

And one thing that I am looking for is definitely technically sound, delicious food.

You know, one off-cook could keep you from being in the finale.

Yeah.

Rex: We gonna bring this.

After a extremely emotional round, I'm feeling pretty good and I'm ready to make it through to the finale.

Vanilla extract.

Gonna have vanilla.

Today I'm making pecan pralines and homemade ice cream.

To make the ice cream, I mix in milk, heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla.

Then I put it in the electric ice cream maker, get it plugged in.

[Churning] Next, I start on the pralines, which is candy made with pecans.

So, right here, we have sugar, evaporated milk, and butter.

This recipe has been in my family as far as I can remember, back to my great-grandmother.

She made them.

My grandmother makes them.

My mom has perfected them, and now I'm trying to carry that tradition on.

Hi, Coby.

Hi, Chef.

How we doing?

Doing good.

This is my mom's pot.

It's an old pressure cooker.

I can see that.

I can see that.

What makes this different and unique is my mom uses almond extract and walnuts with pecans, which kind of changes that taste just a little bit.

But I wanted to ask you this.

I'm glad you're here.

Yeah.

It's hot in here.

Those pralines need to kind of cool and firm up.

So the hotter it is in here, the longer it takes.

To be honest with you, I'd take one of these guys, line it with some wax paper, and then I would just throw this in the freezer.

That way, it's gonna be immediately cold.

Oh, I like that.

I want them to come out perfect, so... fingers crossed.

Good luck.

Thank you, sir.

[Chopping] The amount of onions in this dish is not OK.

This is the last round of cooking before eliminations.

I want to make my heirloom dish really stand out.

I am making Qurooti.

It's kind of like a dish when you don't have much in your pantry.

Qurooti is made from dried yogurt called quroot.

So, we reconstitute the dried yogurt, and we make a sauce out of it and pour it over day-old bread.

This recipe was passed down from my mother's family.

It's a homey, comforting dish.

To get the yogurt sauce going, I fry some onions and then I add some coriander, turmeric, and the reconstituted quroot, which is tangy, and it has a bit of a fermented taste.

You don't want to waste any of that luscious yogurt.

In my family, we had a beef ragu over the top, so I browned my onions in turmeric and coriander and serrano chili.

This is my last chance to show off my culture, and I hope I can do this dish justice.

We have eliminations around the corner, and I need to make it.

Hello, my name is Fran, and I have a problem with butter.

I'm feeling both confident and nervous.

This is the last chance to get into the finale.

We'll see.

I'm making my Grandmother Gunkey's Scalloped Oysters.

Gunkey was my mother's mother, and Gunkey was a terrible cook.

Like terrible cook.

But this is one of the dishes that she did splendidly.

And there has never been a Thanksgiving where there wasn't scalloped oysters.

I want the butter to sink in.

This is a very simple casserole with layers of buttered crackers, oyster, half-and-half, and oyster liquor.

I've updated this recipe with a treatment of the half-and-half.

I'm adding some thyme along with some lemon zest.

Francis: Hiya, Fran.

Oh, hey, Francis.

This is my butt-ugly day of cooking because it's not the prettiest thing, but it's great!

So, you bake it, right?

I do bake it.

It's almost like a bread pudding, an oyster bread pudding.

Yes!

Yes!

That's it, that's it.

The oysters are consistent.

Nothing worse than a oyster that's been overcooked.

And this-- does this not come out a little crunchy?

Yes.

Great.

I'm really appreciative of Francis' advice, because this dish is my Hail Mary, and I need to make sure the execution is perfect.

All right, so I got my onions.

This is an extremely tight race.

I'm just thinking, you know what?

I'm just gonna have fun with it.

I am making Khao Suey.

Khao Suey is a noodle dish with coconut broth, and it's a very fun dish.

This is actually a Burmese dish.

My grandmother used to make this for us.

My grandmother's from the Sylhet region of Bangladesh near Burma.

And even though it's not Bangladeshi food, it is part of my heritage.

The first thing I need to do is get the sauce going.

So I cook ground beef and spices.

I am going to add chickpea flour.

I'm gonna add it as a thickening agent, and then I add the coconut milk.

There are a ton of different things that need to happen in a short amount of time, so that's the challenge.

Francis: 45 minutes!

Fran: Thank you!

You're welcome.

This is tilapia.

[Chuckles] I'm trying to talk with a sharp knife.

This is my last chance to impress the judges.

And I just hope that I can really just cement my place in the finale.

In Thai cooking, we typically cook fish whole, but to make it a little bit easier, I'm choosing to cut the filets individually.

I'm making Pla Lui Suan, which is a fried fish with herbs and a tangy sauce.

It represents the whole village that I grew up in.

The village I grew up in has about 300 people, and this recipe has been in the village about 60 years.

They are my people.

They inspired me to cook.

I think they would be so happy and proud to see me representing our village.

[Crying] They don't have much, but they make a beautiful thing out of this dish, and it just kind of has all the elements of life in this.

I'm gonna compose myself so I can cook.

For the tilapia, I add oyster sauce, fish sauce, and tapioca flour.

And then I start the base of the sauce, which is cilantro stems, and a lot of white pepper and garlic.

The sauce is a strong sauce.

I really think I could make it to the finale at this point.

The people in my village would be so proud.

I know they're cheering me on.

I love the smell.

This is home.

Francis: I love how there are lots of different interpretations of what this means.

Alejandra: Yes.

We have whole fish, so maybe this is a big festive dish on the table, and dishes that are much more simple that you share with your loved ones.

Yeah.

Love it.

Alejandra: Rex seems to be running a little marathon around here today.

Yeah, he is.

Rex: The hardest part about this dish is the prep.

Even though I got the top dish in the first round, I really need to step up if I want to make it to the finals.

I'm making Bangus Sisig.

Bangus Sisig is a traditional Filipino dish.

And it's milkfish sauteed with vinegar, soy sauce, and calamansi juice.

So, at first, I lightly cook the fish on the air fryer.

OK.

Typically, we serve Sisig with fresh eggs, but last week, I heard Fran talking with Chef Tim about egg confit.

Tim: So, let's go ahead and start cracking eggs.

Yep, so just drop it right in there and then gently cook it.

OK.

Here we go.

And I think that might work on this dish.

Good luck.

Hi, Rex!

How--you are moving like the wind.

Yeah!

Ha ha!

Who taught you the dish you're making today?

So this is from my grandpa, Lolo [indistinct].

It is a dish that they had during World War II.

Wow.

So, in the Philippines, we had those American bases.

So what they did is they converted these pork scraps to this delicious dish.

But today, I'm doing Bangus Sisig.

It's the milkfish version.

Oh, wow!

I have never seen this dish done with fish.

This sounds great!

My grandpa was a World War II veteran, and he used to tell me about his memories of the war while eating this dish.

Rex for the win!

There they go.

All right.

What are you looking for?

Just--just slightly cooked.

So, I'm not worried about the doneness because I'll be sauteeing it with all my ingredients.

And then I'm gonna put it in the oven, the skin, and I'm gonna use it as a platter.

OK, so you're not stuffing, right?

You're just using it-- Yes.

That's-- Oh, I love it!

Tell me why you feel like this is the right dish to take you to the finale.

I mean, I'm very, very close with my grandpa.

And I think that with all the intricacies in this dish-- Mm-hmm.

I'm hoping that this will help me move forward.

I am looking forward to this.

I've never had anything quite like this.

And best of luck.

Thank you so much, Chef.

Keep cooking.

Thank you.

Alejandra: 30 minutes left!

30 minutes it is.

What else?

What else?

What else?

Let's see if Chef Tim's method works.

Alejandra: Making candy is a tricky thing.

Tim: Yeah.

You have to cook it down and it has to be able to cool.

Tiffany: But if it's not cooked enough, it will never harden.

Very risky.

Coby: We shall see how it turns out.

My mom and grandma obviously zhuzhed it up, and I'm gonna zhuzh it even more.

Why not?

I'm just gonna take it one notch further with my qurooti and add chili oil.

So I get some oil heating, and then I add serrano, fresno, and jalapeno chilies.

I'm just flavoring my chili oil with a whole lot of dried mint.

And I'm also gonna make some fried shallots.

[Sizzling] I want to make sure the sauce is right before I start on the fish.

The sauce represents the sweetness, saltiness, spiciness, tanginess in life.

So, I'm adding palm sugar, fish sauce, and tamarind.

Sour agent here, and a little bit of chili in there.

Oh, yeah.

Happy.

And then I start frying the fish fillets until crispy.

OK.

Hot, hot, hot.

OK. Bangus Sisig-- it's got lots of components.

I'm gonna use the Bangus skin as a plate, so I want to make it crispy, but I'm using the oven for my egg confit.

Suwanee, are you using your oven or no?

Suwanee: No, I'm not.

Can I use it?

Yes, you can.

Thank you.

But I'm glad I could get some help from Suwanee.

Oh, it's a fish?

Yes, fish.

Beautiful.

Thank you.

Mmm!

Only 10 more minutes!

Whew!

That went fast.

Getting there, hopefully.

It needs some work.

A little more.

Coby: They're still soft.

I think I better get them off.

It's crunch time, and my pralines haven't set up as hard as I wanted them to.

Oh, my God.

They sticking to the wax paper!

May have hurt my chances to make it to the finale.

I just need to get them off of the sheet.

They just need to sit.

There's nothing you can do at this moment.

You just need to let them sit.

Coby: Still a little soft.

They close.

Whoo!

Mmm mmm mmm Ha ha ha!

Fran: Whoo hoo!

That could have been really bad.

Anika: I have most of my toppings ready to go.

I'll start doing the noodles.

These egg noodles cook very quickly.

It should take about 2 minutes.

And there's a very fun element to this dish.

Anika!

Hi!

What do you have in that bag?

It's potato chips.

Oh!

Ha ha ha!

Tiffany: Potato chips and noodles!

Anika: It was our family tradition.

Judges: Oh, wow!

Yeah.

It should be very fun eating it.

You'll see.

You'll see.

[Laughter] Alejandra: 5 minutes left!

All right.

Fran: It's starting to bubble.

But now what I have to do is make sure that I don't let the top burn.

Just another minute.

So, I really need to start thinking about plating.

Thank you so much, Suwanee.

You are a lifesaver.

Yay!

Glad to help.

No, I didn't help.

Ha ha!

Thank you.

I just watched.

I feel good because the skin is crispy enough, and I have to make sure this dish is perfect for the judges because the finale is so close.

I think it's done.

Oh, my God.

That's beautiful.

This is the best scalloped oyster I have ever made in my whole entire life.

I am so happy!

Francis: Oh, that's great.

That's great.

Alejandra: I love when Fran dances.

Woo hoo!

[Churning] Tim: Moment of truth right here, Coby.

How is it?

Ice cream looks awesome.

Tim: Whoo wee!

Yay!

Coby: My pralines are a little softer than I like them to be, but they're gonna have to do because time is running out, but I do know the ice cream is absolutely fantastic, so I just hope I did enough to make it to the finale.

1 minute left!

Fran: 1 minute.

Woo hoo!

Anika: OK, here we go.

Seeds are on.

My grandmother would be very happy.

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!

Time's up!

Whoo!

[Clapping] Fran: Yes, ma'am.

Yo!

Alejandra: For the second round, we asked you to make us your family's most memorable and cherished recipe.

Waigal, come join us.

Waigal: I made Qurooti, which is day-old bread and yogurt sauce with beef ragu over the top.

Tim: Waigal, everything really, really comes together so bright and so beautifully, and it's got the perfect amount of heat for me.

This reminds me of Afghani nachos... Yeah.

but the shallots a little bit more brown than you'd like.

You get a little bitterness coming from it.

Totally.

Francis: It is a little bit like Afghani nachos, but the yogurt sauce is just delicious, but, like, you are so extra.

[Laughter] Francis: Yeah.

And so this is also a little extra.

Guilty as charged.

But it's really yummy.

Thank you.

Fran.

Fran: So I made Gunkey's scalloped oysters.

This has been in our family for more than 100 years.

Gunkey was born in 1904.

Tiffany: Fran, I like the cracker throughout, but it feels a little texturally the same as the oyster.

But I think the oysters are really well-cooked.

OK, thank you, Chef.

I totally agree with Tiffany.

I think the scalloped oysters needs maybe a little bit more of the topping.

You could just bake off some more of the crackers with a little butter.

And then with just a little bit more on each serving.

I cannot wait for Thanksgiving.

That's exactly what I'm gonna do.

That's a great idea.

Rex, come and join us.

Rex: So, today I made Bangus Sisig.

So this dish was first made by my grandpa, [indistinct].

Tiffany: Rex, this is completely different for me.

The fish is delicious.

And you took Tim's method and did the egg confit, and it succeeded for you, so it works out great.

Tim, the recipe works.

The recipe does work.

[Laughter] Yeah I agree.

This is a delicious dish.

There's a lot of different flavors, a lot of different textures, but there's a lot of richness, and it needs something like green vegetable to relieve your palate.

Thank you so much, Rex.

Thank you so much.

Anika, please come join us.

Anika: I made for you Khao Suey.

My grandmother used to make it.

And one of the toppings is potato chips, as you can see.

Just please crunch it up a little bit, and then you'll have bites of the salty crunchiness in your mouth.

Francis: Obviously, crunching potato chips is already a fun experience, and then there's just so many textures going on here.

It's just a really fun, fun dish.

Yeah!

Ha ha!

Tim: Yeah, there's a lot of texture, there's a lot of flavor, but with the sauce, I wish it was just a little bit looser so it can coat the noodles a little bit more, but it's a great dish and it's a fun dish.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Coby.

Coby: Today, I made pecan pralines and homemade ice cream.

My great-grandmother made them and my mom perfected them.

All right, Kobe pralines are a little different than how I grew up having them.

I think you should have cooked it a little bit longer.

OK. Then it would have set up, and it would be a little bit closer to probably what you were going for.

But I like the walnuts and I love the addition of the almond extract.

Francis: Yeah, Coby, I agree with Tiffany on the pralines, but the ice cream is just silky luxuriousness.

Really wonderful.

Thank you.

Suwanee.

Suwanee: Today, I made Pla Lui Suan.

The inspiration behind this dish is my small leprosy village in northeast of Thailand.

And all the different herbs represent the different flavors in life.

Tiffany: Suwanee, you've demonstrated that you can cook fish.

It's just really, really flaky, moist, but the white pepper is overpowering.

Tim: I agree with Tiffany.

I'm a little bit sensitive to the white peppers, and then the fish sauce is a little bit strong.

That could be just a personal thing.

Tiffany: It is a personal.

Alejandra: I was like, Tiffany disagrees.

[Laughter] Because I love the fish sauce.

Thank you.

Francis: Just for the record, I actually really liked the white pepper in it-- Thank you.

so you can pick and choose the ones you like.

Suwanee: Thank you so much.

[Speaking Thai] [Clapping] Alejandra: Obviously, this is an extremely important week for our home cooks.

It's going to be really tough to decide which 3 make it into the finale.

It's tough.

Tiffany: Yeah.

Alejandra: Let's start with Waigal.

Over the weeks, Waigal has showcased so many beautiful Afghan dishes, and he's come out on top more than any other cook in the competition and has never been on the bottom.

Tiffany: The Turmeric Braised Chicken had so much depth of flavor.

It was delicious.

Francis: There's something about the way these carrots and the celery, which has absorbed that turmeric that makes them feel like I've never eaten carrots and celery before.

Thank you, Chef.

In week 4, he won top dish in both rounds by putting his spin on Tiffany's chicken and dumplings.

Tiffany: Oh, yeah.

Alejandra: And also Anika's recipe, which was equally incredible.

Your version of Anika's [indistinct] felt like a marriage between the two cultures.

He was very confident with those flavors, and he uses them just right.

I mean, the consistency, the excellence has been there, but how much has he grown?

Sure.

So, do you want to see him in the finale next week?

Francis: I think that's worthy of conversation.

Alejandra: Let's talk about Coby.

He is proud of his Cajun flavors, and that comes through in his food in every single bite.

And he was on a bit of a winning streak in week 2.

I couldn't believe he did a gumbo in an hour.

I love it.

Thank you.

You can tell that this is a dish that you've made many of times.

It's delicious!

Alejandra: And then he struggled a bit in the bake sale.

Francis: So there's a lot of sweetness.

And I would love a little fresh pineapple to give it another dimension.

Gotcha.

It seems like the baking and the sweets might be something that he needs to work on a little bit, but I feel like he's really trying to show us who he really is and tell that story.

And you got to respect that.

Tiffany: He's been very consistent with his Cajun and Southern cuisine, and I think, "God darn it, he's cooking great food."

Alejandra: Let's talk about Suwanee.

Francis: You know, she's often leaning to her Thai heritage, and I love everything about it, her personal story, but in week 1, she had that Pan Seared Salmon.

Tim: Suwanee.

Unfortunately, the cook on the salmon was a little bit inconsistent.

Mmm.

Francis: But in week 4, she did phenomenally.

Tiffany: Yeah.

You wouldn't have been able to tell me that there wasn't a southern person making them biscuits and gravy.

Suwanee!

[Clapping] The biscuit was right.

The gravy has so much flavor.

Great job.

Alejandra: That was her first week where she came out on top.

Tiffany: Yeah.

You can literally see her improving in front of your eyes.

Let's talk about Anika.

She's introduced us to so many incredible Bangladeshi recipes.

And in week 1, Anika wowed us with her phuchka.

The phushka.

My gosh.

It's almost like a Bangladeshi version of a knish.

I grew up eating in Brooklyn, so it's really tasty.

Al Roker was loving that.

Francis: But then she didn't come out on top after that.

Alejandra: Yeah.

Anika found herself in the bottom 2 with her orange mini bundt cakes during the bake sale.

Tiffany: As delicious as it is with the orange, I find it a bit dry.

Alejandra: There have been some inconsistencies.

Yeah.

Specifically salt.

I feel like she's lacked salt in a lot of her dishes.

I'm not sure that she's quite overcome that yet.

Mm-hmm.

Alejandra: Let's talk about Fran.

She's got that incredible southern flair and she's been on the top twice.

Francis: All the way back in week 1, her shrimp and grits were a top dish.

Tiffany: Yes!

This is a really nice spin versus what I'm used to having, and I think the blue corn definitely brings a little more of a complex flavor.

[Quietly] Yay.

Francis: Really delicious.

But in week 2, her duck breast wasn't her strongest.

Tim: I wish that you would spend a little bit more time on the skin side, because I have a piece here that's beautiful skin.

Another one could have been rendered a little bit more.

OK. Alejandra: But she had an incredible week 3.

Tiffany: I mean, that lemon pound cake.

Are you kidding me?

That was delicious.

I would buy all them.

I just want you to know.

This is buttery, and it has the most incredible crumb.

[Laughing] Francis: That was super great.

Alejandra: All right, let's talk about Rex.

He's got an incredible command of his Filipino flavors, which we've seen again and again.

Tiffany: Come on.

He came out of the gate with that pork blood soup.

Like, what?!

Your [indistinct] was probably the best pork blood stew I've ever had.

This means a lot to me.

Thank you so much, judges.

I'm always looking forward to what is he gonna do.

Alejandra: Remember that Filipino cupcake he made?

Tim: Oh, the torte.

Yeah.

Oh, the torte.

That was so good.

It's crunchy, it's crackly.

All that sugar has caramelized.

And then I dip it into this beautiful, smooth, almost chocolate pudding.

It adds such a beautiful texture.

But then, he slipped a bit.

Last week, Rex's dish was at the bottom.

Rex, with Fran's homemade pasta with tomatoes, I think you just got tripped up along the way with the pasta dough.

Thank you.

Yeah, he did struggle with the pasta, but if you've never made something, you don't know what to look out for.

Francis: You know, Rex came to this competition with the purpose of wanting to show how beautiful Filipino cuisine is.

And to me, he has absolutely done that.

Yeah, he really has.

Alejandra: It's been so close between all our home cooks over the past 5 weeks, but it does sound like you've come to a decision.

Yeah.

Right?

Yeah.

Yeah.

OK, then, let's bring in the cooks and let them know.

Alejandra: Welcome back, cooks.

It is time to announce the 3 home cooks who will be moving on to the big finale next week for the chance to be named this season's winner of "The Great American Recipe."

Tim: The first home cook moving on to the finale is... Waigal!

[Cheering] Waigal: Thank you.

I cannot believe this.

I've made it into the final 3, and I'm so thrilled.

Waigal, you have showed us all of these amazing Afghan flavors.

All of us have really enjoyed the way that you've cooked from your heart and shared your delicious food.

Tremendous job.

I'm full of gratitude to continue showcasing my culture.

Thank you so much.

The next home cook advancing to the finale is... Rex.

Fran: Yay!

Congratulations.

[Exhales] I am surprised.

Francis: Rex, the cooking that you have shown us has deepened our understanding and our appreciation for Filipino cuisine.

It's really very inspiring, and we can't wait to see what you're gonna do in the finale.

It's not about me.

It's about the people I represent.

And now I get a chance to show more.

Thank you so much.

Tiffany: The final cook making it to next week's finale is... Coby!

[Cheering] Suwanee: Congratulations.

You've just shown us great Cajun food, and it just goes to show that when you stay true to who you are, you will always shine.

We're looking forward to seeing what you do next in the finale.

I want to do it for the Cajuns.

Hey.

Yes!

I'm just super excited to be one of the finalists.

I have to bring my A-game, and I can be the next winner of "The Great American Recipe."

Alejandra: Whether you're moving on to the finale or not, you should feel so proud of yourselves.

All right.

It's not over yet, because we'll be back next week to crown the winner of "The Great American Recipe."

Congratulations!

Fran, crying: I cannot possibly encapsulate everything that I'm gonna take home from this experience.

It was amazing!

How is it possible to make a connection in such a short amount of time?

You know, it could only be done around a table, and this has been a heck of a table.

I'm sad, but I can't wait to go home and cook more.

Alejandra: Next time on "The Great American Recipe..." Tiffany: Since it is the finale, we're bringing in one more judge to help us out.

Wow.

Waigal: In my culture, men don't cook that often, so it feels so good competing against two people I feel like are my brothers.

I really wanted to do this for the Cajuns.

I'm super proud to represent our culture.

Rex: I know my family in the Philippines should be proud of me, and I want to make my fellow Filipino proud.

Alejandra: The winner of "The Great American Recipe" is...