It's a very special Thanksgiving in the Chopped Kitchen. By the end of the hour, one will give thanks to the tune of $10,000. The other three will be left to count their blessings.
 

Steve Jackson Chicago personal chef for the Chicago Bulls

Allison Sosna Washington, DC chef instructor, DC Central Kitchen

Jesus Daniel Bojorquez Leon Boston chef de cuisine, Sel de la Terre

Arlene Stewart New York City (orig. Trinidad) personal chef and single mom

As an added crutch, all three of your courses must stick to a Thanksgiving theme.

Tonight's judges...

- New York restaurant baron Marc Murphy
- Star executive chef and green market devotee Alex Guarnaschelli
- Latin authority Aaron Sanchez

Round 1: APPETIZER (20 minutes). The first box of the night has... pomegranates, polenta log, maple syrup, and seafood sausage.

And time... starts .... *checks watch*... NOW!

Steve: Grilled Sausage with Goat Cheese Polenta and Pomegranate Butter Sauce
Allison: Pomegranate Maple Glazed Seafood Sausage
Daniel: Polenta Maple Soup with Simple Sausage
Arlene: Trinidad-Style Cuckoo

The basket lends itself well to a Thanksgiving starter course. The pomegranates remind you of cranberries, and the sausage, maple syrup, and polenta give way to a hearty fall stuffing. The question is... how do you put it all together?

Steve is offering his version of a bangers & mash. The presentation says Thanksgiving. It's fresh, but it's too sweet and too large for an app course. Allison did a great job caramelizing the sausage, but we're looking for a little more color. Daniel highlighted the holiday theme and had the sausage built around. The sour cream brought another dimension, but Alex thought it was too large. Arlene's polenta is very well seasoned. The rest of the dish lacks in salt.

Only three chefs will be left to talk turkey in the entree round. The first chef... to be chopped... is... ALLISON. She was able to achieve a lot of flavors with the ingredients, but there was a lack of integration in the pantry. It was just too boxed in.

Round 2: ENTREE (30 minutes). One down, two to go. Next on the menu... turducken, sugar pumpkin, concord grape wine, and Indian corn.

Half an hour to make Thanksgiving happen.

Steve: Turducken Sugar Pumpkin Hash
Daniel: Turducken Sandwich with Corn Chutney
Arlene: Bread Pudding with Turducken

Turducken. Bone out a turkey, a seared duck, and a chicken. Stuff the birds inside of each other... and then sew it shut. It's already cooked, so how are the chefs going to use that?

Arlene is going to add on a Trinidad Indian spice mix. Steve is adding bacon, while Daniel almost breaks his tooth.

Daniel's sandwich is a smart idea executed well. It's moist and creamy. The only comment? The chutney needs to be in the sandwich. Arlene's dish is globally creative, well seasoned, but it could've used some more sauce, and the corn is underdone. Steve's hash is well executed, but the bacon still has a bit of the rind on it.

Dessert is the highlight of any Thanksgiving meal, but one chef will not be with us to enjoy it. The next person... to be chopped... is... STEVE. The bacon overpowered the dish, and the sauce didn't work.

Round 3: DESSERT (30 minutes). And this is where success pays. Arlene and Daniel are now one basket away from $10,000. In said basket... Pumpkin beer, fresh cranberries, pecans, and instant potatoes.

Good luck, chefs... and GO!

Daniel: Pumpkin Pecan Roll with Orange Creme Anglaise
Arlene: Potato Custard with Mascarpone and Trinidad Bake

Arlene's dessert speaks Thanksgiving. The biscuit has a very homey earthy flavor, but everything on the dish is very fragmented. Daniel's dessert is creative and inspiring, but the wrapper leaves little to be desired.

Both chefs have their idea of Thanksgiving, and both take those to heart. Here we have an embodiment of the American dream, two immigrants working around the theme of the most beloved of American holidays. Daniel has been transforming the entire match, while Arlene brought some nice flavors to the party. Which approach will end up carrying the day?

The final chef... to be chopped... is... ARLENE. It came down to details. Both are valiant competitors, but in the end, it was just a case of being outdone by a better chef.

And now comes the point of the show where DANIEL BOJORQUEZ gives thanks for $10,000!

So who's next to bring it home? Find out next week when four more chefs compete in three more rounds. One of them will get paid. The others will get... chopped.

To see extras from this episode, or to apply to be a contestant on "Chopped", visit the official website at www.foodnetwork.com/chopped.