St Albans contestant’s chilli con carne is hot stuff for both MasterChef judges

Making a MasterChef judge’s face “tingle and sweat” has helped a talented amateur cook from St Albans through to the next round of the television challenge.

Sarah McCready, 24, who hails from Colney Heath, appeared on BBC One on Monday night as one of 12 top home cooks at the start of the show’s knockout week.

Their culinary task was to either make a thick, sticky brown pudding, or a classic main course from any culture.

Sarah, who favours Mexican food despite her Italian heritage, set about creating chilli con carne.

The villager was shown commenting that she was trying not to be daunted by the other cooks.

And luckily her Tex-Mex-Chilli featuring slow-braised shin of beef, served with freshly made nachos, refried beans, smoked cheddar, mango salsa with carrot, radish and chilli escabeche was hailed as a success.

Judge Gregg Wallace said: “I really do appreciate your effort and presentation. You have made it fun.”

And fellow MasterChef judge John Torode added: “What I have got here are some real little jewels.

“That pickle is fantastic, it’s spicy, it’s sour and it’s sharp.

“It’s making my face tingle and go all sweaty, which I really like.”

Praising the “sticky beef and beautiful little corn chips” John added that “the whole lot works really well.”

The judges said that despite initial reservations about a chilli con carne meal being “absolutely nuts” the result was “clever, clever, clever”.

Sarah, who can be seen tonight in the next round, said after their comments: “My heart is beating so fast.”

MasterChef is on tonight, Thursday April 9, at 8pm on BBC One.