‘MasterChef’ recap: Eliminated contestants return in ‘Second Chance Battles’ — Who earned the white aprons?

Tonight on MasterChef, the duos who failed to get white aprons in the audition rounds get a surprise second chance. The returning pairs must convince judges Gordon Ramsay, Tiffany Derry, and Joe Bastianich that they deserve aprons by making three identical, restaurant-worthy dishes. Just four duos will redeem themselves and join the top eight white apron winners — securing their place in the Top 12.

The all-new “Second Chance Battles” episode of MasterChef: Dynamic Duos airs Wednesday, June 4 (8:00-9:02 PM ET/PT) on FOX. Follow our live blog below to find out which Dynamic Duos redeemed themselves and who was chopped for the last time.

The Challenge

Tonight, all eight teams will be cooking at the same time. Their task? Make three identical dishes — one for each judge — in 45 minutes. With no other guidelines, these dynamic duos can make whatever dish best displays their skills in the kitchen. See their second-chance dishes and critiques below.

Darce & Courtney (animal ER nurses)
Dish: Vegan Fish & Chips with Beer-Battered Banana Blossom, Tarragon Mushy Peas and Caper & Dill Tartar Sauce
Gordon: "Visually, it looks good. The banana blossoms are delicious. The batter is light and crispy. The downside is the fries — one crispy, one slightly firm — but everything is seasoned beautifully."
Tiffany: "The thing that I am loving about this plate is the addition of the seaweed with the banana blossom. The tartar is delicious, creamy, and flavorful."
Joe: "The success of this dish is that you captured the essence of fish and chips. That's to be commended."

Shanda & Asa (cousins)
Dish: Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna with Coconut Rice, Mixed Greens, and Creme Fraiche Wasabi
Gordon: "It tastes good, it's just missing a little spoon of marinade to bring it together."
Tiffany: "The salad is bright. Because there is no other sauce, you should punch up that wasabi."
Joe: "The rice is really good and seasoned properly. The dish is a lean, mean, clean flavor machine. This is what I want to eat every day."

Milah & Lisa (glam-mas)
Dish: Herb-Crusted Lamb with Rainbow Carrots, Asparagus, Cauliflower Puree, and Red Wine Demi-Glace
Gordon: "You nailed the lamb, but everything else around it looks better than it tastes."
Tiffany: "Love the classiness of this dish. My lamb is beautiful. There are so many wonderful things, but then I see that sauce and I'm like, 'Dang!'"
Joe: "The sauce is a fundamental aspect of this dish. It's too bad."

Javi & Luis (firefighters)
Dish: Cuban Picadillo with White Rice, Tostones, Cuban Salad, and Peruvian Green Sauce
Gordon: "It's charming, it's rustic. The seasoning is absolutely spot on, but I need more flavor from the beef."
Tiffany: "It looks like someone's grandma was cookin' all day! The cilantro sauce is pungent and yummy. The tostones are absolutely delicious, but if they were thinner it would give us more crunch."
Joe: "The dish is excellent. Your strategy of bringing homestyle Miami-Cuban food is authentic. I've never in my life had a tostone that I've liked until tonight."

Azu & Javier (divorced exes)
Dish: Chiles En Nogada with Poblano Pepper, Picadillo, and Walnut Sauce
Gordon: "It's good. It's a fast-tracked version of something that takes a few hours - and the filling is delicious. It's weird and wonderful — exactly like both of you."
Tiffany: "The pepper itself has more bite than I thought it would — and I like it! Overall, I think the flavors are really nice."
Joe: "The walnut sauce is creamy and rich, but I find the dish a little bit sweet. Aside from that, it was very good."

Adam and Joel on MasterChef: Dynamic Duos (photo credit: Kelly Gardner / FOX)

Adam & Joel (brothers)
Dish: Shrimp & Grits with Coffee and Coke Sauce, Cheddar Grits, Rainbow Chard Slaw, and Toast Points
Gordon: "The shrimp are cooked beautifully and the grits are creamy and heavy. The exciting thing is what you've done with the rainbow chard because it cuts the richness."
Tiffany: "This works! The flavor of spice in that sauce cuts through that sweetness."
Joe: "The shrimp are perfect. The sauce has a nice kick. The dish is very successful!"

Jessica & Jesse (long term relationship)
Dish: Berbere Spiced Lamb Lollipops with Roasted Cauliflower, Whipped Feta, and Pickled Apples & Fresnos
Gordon: "The lamb is cooked beautifully. The feta is a little bit liquid, but I love the apple and chilis. Well done."
Tiffany: "The lamb is beautifully cooked. The apple is sweet and tart — it makes the whole plate come together."
Joe: "The seasoning is aggressive, but the dish is excellent. I love playing in the Greek world of food."

Spencer & McKenna (married)
Dish: New York Strip Steak with Cognac Peppercorn Sauce, Sauteed Spinach and Twice Baked Potatoes
Gordon: "Great sear on the steak. The sauce is delicious, but needs a touch more body. The spinach is seasoned beautifully, but I don't get the potatoes. Needs more flavor."
Tiffany: "Call me crazy, but I like the potatoes! The texture on the inside is really nice. The sauce is just a little thin."
Joe: "The potatoes are the best thing on the plate. It was a technical error putting a whole peppercorn on the plate, but the steak is great."

Jessica and Jesse in MasterChef: Dynamic Duos (Photo credit: Kelly Gardner / FOX)

White Aprons

Four duos received white aprons and will join the Top 12: Azu & Javier, Adam & Joel, Darce & Courtney, and Jessica & Jesse.

Four duos were eliminated: Shanda & Asa, Milah & Lisa, Javi & Luis, and Spencer & McKenna.

Next week

The competition officially kicks off on June 11 as the Top 12 duos compete together for the first time.

This summer on MasterChef, the Fox reality cooking competition enters its 15th season with a brand-new theme: Dynamic Duos. For the first time in history, pairs of home cooks will participate together, in hopes of becoming America’s next MasterChefs. The winners of MasterChef: Dynamic Duos will win the trophy, the title, and $250,000.