0:00:02 > 0:00:03He is Brian Turner.
0:00:03 > 0:00:05And she is Janet Street-Porter.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10I'm passionate about walking, these feet have taken me the length
0:00:10 > 0:00:13and breadth of Great Britain.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17I've been privileged to cook all round the world,
0:00:17 > 0:00:18but it's Britain that I love -
0:00:18 > 0:00:22fabulous produce, great ingredients, right here on the doorstep.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27We're joining forces to explore Britain's rich heritage.
0:00:29 > 0:00:33And the landscape that's given us such wonderful produce.
0:00:33 > 0:00:34He's in charge of the food.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38And guess what? She's in charge of everything else.
0:00:38 > 0:00:39This is...
0:00:39 > 0:00:41A Taste of Britain.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52Today, we've come to the Essex coast,
0:00:52 > 0:00:55an area abundant with the best of British produce.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00Rolling landscapes, spectacular nature reserves
0:01:00 > 0:01:02and vibrant seaside towns.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06We'll be getting a taste of the region's famous oysters.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11- Oh, look at that.- Oh, look at that. Get back, get back.
0:01:11 > 0:01:12- Oh, no.- Get back.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15And I'm taking a walk on the wild side.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19We have had bison dug out only three years ago.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22- Bison, out here? - Bison at East Mersea.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26Along the way, we'll be searching for the perfect ingredients
0:01:26 > 0:01:30for my celebratory dish, which sums up a taste of the region,
0:01:30 > 0:01:33with a little help from my willing assistant.
0:01:36 > 0:01:37Just ignore it.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41There's a lot more to the Essex seaside than
0:01:41 > 0:01:43nail bars and night clubs.
0:01:43 > 0:01:47And our journey today begins on the island of Mersea,
0:01:47 > 0:01:51the most easterly inhabited island in Great Britain.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54This is just beautiful,
0:01:54 > 0:01:56I can't believe that I hadn't been here before.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58It's so calm.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01It's like a picture postcard, a shot in time, it's lovely.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06We're here at the confluence of the Blackwater river
0:02:06 > 0:02:08and down there, the Colne river
0:02:08 > 0:02:10that goes all the way up to Colchester,
0:02:10 > 0:02:14which is the oldest recorded Roman town in Great Britain.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17You know all these facts.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21- Well, taken by Queen Boudicca. - God bless Queen Boudicca!
0:02:21 > 0:02:24Yeah, took it back for us, around AD 60,
0:02:24 > 0:02:28but fantastically historically important town, Colchester,
0:02:28 > 0:02:30- and, of course, world famous for oysters.- Absolutely.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34I know I'm desperate to meet people who grow or harvest oysters
0:02:34 > 0:02:36round here, cos it's world famous, as you say,
0:02:36 > 0:02:39- and it's just over there, I think, where all the beds are.- Yeah.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41And it just feeds on this lovely water, which is
0:02:41 > 0:02:43full of nutrients round here.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46- I got to find somebody who knows more about them.- OK.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49- Let's find a man. - It might even be a woman, Brian.
0:02:49 > 0:02:50It'll be a man, trust me.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59I think oysters are the perfect ingredient to
0:02:59 > 0:03:03begin our exploration of the Essex coast.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05I've tracked down expert Richard Haward,
0:03:05 > 0:03:10whose family business specialises in both native and rock oysters.
0:03:10 > 0:03:11Sorry, Janet, he's a man.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18- This must be Richard. - Yes, that's me.
0:03:18 > 0:03:19- Hi.- Hello.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22- Brian Turner.- Hi, Richard. - Pleased to meet you.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28Now, Richard, how long's your family been growing and harvesting oysters?
0:03:28 > 0:03:32- About 250 years.- 250 years?
0:03:32 > 0:03:36But oyster production here goes back a long, long time, doesn't it?
0:03:36 > 0:03:39Oh, yeah, I mean, when the Romans came 2,000 years ago
0:03:39 > 0:03:41they found wild oysters here, and they were pleased
0:03:41 > 0:03:45cos they were already having to try and grow them in Italy at that time.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47So whereabouts do you actually harvest these from?
0:03:47 > 0:03:50- How far out do you go? - Well, we go in the river and we catch the small ones,
0:03:50 > 0:03:53and then we own bits of the sea bed in the creeks here,
0:03:53 > 0:03:55what run up into the marshes and that's it.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57They seem to get better-quality plankton,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00so they fatten up and we get a better-quality oyster.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03So what you're doing is taking the small oysters and moving them
0:04:03 > 0:04:07to somewhere where they're going to get better food and grow big.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09One thing I want to ask you,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12is how many years do they grow before you harvest them?
0:04:12 > 0:04:16Because most people don't realise that oysters can grow gigantic.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19- Normally at least, at least four years old.- Yeah.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23And we got some of these can be ten or more.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27- I imagine a ten-year-old oyster is massive.- Knife and fork job.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31One thing you're going to have to explain to me
0:04:31 > 0:04:34is what's the difference between natives and rock oysters?
0:04:34 > 0:04:37Well, I've got some of each here, so that's the easiest way.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39The one in me left hand, that's a rock oyster,
0:04:39 > 0:04:41which we started growing here,
0:04:41 > 0:04:43- I don't know, 30, 40 years ago. - Yeah.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Erm, and that's a native oyster, that's the sort the Romans found.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48- Yeah.- Erm...
0:04:48 > 0:04:50It's more elegant, isn't it? Let's be honest.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52What's the difference in the taste?
0:04:52 > 0:04:54Well, an oyster tastes of the bit of the sea if comes from.
0:04:54 > 0:04:59Most people say that rock oysters are more salty than the natives.
0:04:59 > 0:05:04So how do you test to see if they're actually fresh and alive?
0:05:04 > 0:05:05HE TAPS OYSTER
0:05:05 > 0:05:07- Sounds very solid.- Yep.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09If one of them was dead, or very weak, they would sound hollow,
0:05:09 > 0:05:12- but that sounds quite firm and solid.- OK.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19- Oh, look at that. - Oh, look at that.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23Do you know, that's the nicest rock oyster I've seen in ages, is that.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26They're starting to come into the best time of year for these now.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29- Yeah, and what do you eat them with, lemon juice?- Nothing at all.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31I like the way you said that.
0:05:34 > 0:05:35Fantastic.
0:05:37 > 0:05:38- Have you eaten it?- Yeah.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Thanks for sharing it. I've got mine here.
0:05:41 > 0:05:42You've got the best one.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44Thank you very much, guv'nor, I've got the native.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49Oh, look at that, that's what I call an oyster.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51- Get back, get back.- Oh, no.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54- Get back.- I rushed in.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56You did.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58That looks just... What do you think to that?
0:05:58 > 0:06:00Just look at that, have a smell.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09That was so good, there was a sweetness, as well, about that,
0:06:09 > 0:06:11which is absolutely fantastic.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13Yeah, that is one of the differences.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16Well, just looking at oysters excites me,
0:06:16 > 0:06:18so I'm going to do a cooked dish with some oysters.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21I don't know if that's going to excite you, or not.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23I'm in a holding pattern about that.
0:06:23 > 0:06:24Yeah, I can see that.
0:06:24 > 0:06:29Because I've spent my whole life avoiding cooked oysters,
0:06:29 > 0:06:34cos I just think the taste of the raw oyster, it's just...
0:06:34 > 0:06:37Honestly, it's one of my top five tastes of all time.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39So you're going to have to hit a very high mark here.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41Sadly, there's some butter and cream in there
0:06:41 > 0:06:44but, apart from that, I think you're going to love this dish.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47OK, I'll definitely give it a try.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56She likes to put me under pressure, but I've got a feeling this dish
0:06:56 > 0:07:00could convert Janet to the delights of cooked oysters.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04It'll have to be good, I can be quite fussy, you know.
0:07:04 > 0:07:05No, really (?)
0:07:05 > 0:07:09So I've got a half a dozen native oysters. I'm going to try
0:07:09 > 0:07:15and convince you that cooked oysters work nearly as well as raw oysters.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19- OK.- What I'm going to do is make a classic Oysters Thermidor.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22So first thing I need to do is put a wee bit of butter -
0:07:22 > 0:07:24not a lot, on this occasion - in there.
0:07:24 > 0:07:25- Yeah.- And a few shallots.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28Chopped shallots, or chopped onion if you haven't got them,
0:07:28 > 0:07:32bags of flavour and then lots of herbs, Noilly Prat.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34Why do you use that?
0:07:34 > 0:07:36Well, just smell it, now.
0:07:36 > 0:07:37- It's herbaceous.- Yeah, yeah.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40It's got a bit of alcohol to it and it really works well
0:07:40 > 0:07:42with all fish dishes.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45I'm going to put a bit of fish stock in there to make the sauce.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47That goes in there.
0:07:47 > 0:07:48So whilst that's reducing,
0:07:48 > 0:07:52I'm just going to get these oysters ready over here.
0:07:52 > 0:07:53These have already been opened.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55They look very clean and lovely, don't they?
0:07:55 > 0:07:58They've been keyed as well, don't touch! I need all six.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01OK, they've been keyed. That means, they've been turned over.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03I'm going to put the juice into one.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06The juice is so great, isn't it?
0:08:06 > 0:08:08Is it going to add a lot of flavour to your sauce?
0:08:08 > 0:08:11- This is going to make it taste like the sea.- Yeah.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13So we put those in there.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Now I wonder when the Romans came here,
0:08:16 > 0:08:20- whether they were eating their oysters cooked or raw.- Well, I...
0:08:20 > 0:08:23I imagine if it was the winter and they were freezing cold
0:08:23 > 0:08:26in their little leather skirts, or whatever, they were cooking them.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28I think you're absolutely right and I think they would have done,
0:08:28 > 0:08:31but you have to remember you mustn't cook these too much.
0:08:31 > 0:08:32If you do, they'll toughen up.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34It's really just the gentlest of cooking.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36There are six oysters.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39I'm going to put a bit of double cream in here.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41How long's that going to take to reduce?
0:08:41 > 0:08:43Well, it'll probably take a bit longer.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47- If you've got any funny stories to tell, that's fantastic. - If you want to be educated...
0:08:47 > 0:08:51- I'd love to be educated. - Yeah, I mean, other than about food.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55No, I think what's fascinating about this part of Britain
0:08:55 > 0:08:58is that the Romans arrived in Colchester
0:08:58 > 0:09:02and they introduced loads of different things to Britain -
0:09:02 > 0:09:06guinea fowl, pheasants, fallow deer,
0:09:06 > 0:09:08olive oil, obviously, wine.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11There were thousands of Romans in this area and imagine how
0:09:11 > 0:09:14thrilled they were to discover something they could eat, oysters,
0:09:14 > 0:09:17because, obviously, they'd had oysters back home in Rome.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20OK, so now it's coming on nice, it's starting to thicken up.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23- You've converted me so far.- Right.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Because although I said to you I wasn't keen on cooked oysters,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30I think what's happened, in the past, I've had them with all sorts
0:09:30 > 0:09:32of bacon and black pudding
0:09:32 > 0:09:36and people have really added too much to them and it's overpowered them.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38This way's just going to be the sauce.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41And it is a classical dish and has endured over the years.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44I hope you're right, actually, and I've got my shells.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48I'm going to serve two each, in each of these three,
0:09:48 > 0:09:49so my half a dozen.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53The first thing I'm going to do, I'll take some of this sauce here.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56Now the trick about this is you don't want to overcook them
0:09:56 > 0:09:58- because they become rubbery... - Yeah.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01..and chewy, which we really don't want, which will spoil it.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03We're just going to warm them through nicely.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05- So two of these, can you see?- Yeah.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08Two of these go in here now.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11- That's a lovely one, that is. - Oh, it's two in a bed.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13And as a good Yorkshireman, don't waste.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15That can go in there.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17So I'm going to put it in the oven here
0:10:17 > 0:10:20and all I want to do is put a little bit of heat through these.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22Now look, just look at this,
0:10:22 > 0:10:24it's now starting to thicken up is this sauce.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26How long have you got them in the oven for?
0:10:26 > 0:10:28Less than two minutes.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30What I'm going to do now, quickly,
0:10:30 > 0:10:33is put this pan on here, away from the heat,
0:10:33 > 0:10:36and I'm going to put some mustard in here.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38This is up to you how much you really want,
0:10:38 > 0:10:41we don't want to overpower them, they've got a subtle taste.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45I'm going to actually put an egg yolk to give it colour.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47It'll also help me glaze it
0:10:47 > 0:10:50and get a really nice colour, hopefully, on top.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52In it goes.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54Stir in that egg, away from the heat
0:10:54 > 0:10:56so we don't get cooked bits of egg.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59- Yeah, you don't want scrambled egg, do you?- Exactly right.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01That's looking perfect, is that.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04So I'm going to put some parsley in there, that changes the colour
0:11:04 > 0:11:07and then this is grated Parmesan, and that goes in here.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09Now what I'm going to do now, quickly,
0:11:09 > 0:11:12is I'm going to turn this onto grill,
0:11:12 > 0:11:14bring them out of the oven.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20The best way to check is touch it with your back of your finger,
0:11:20 > 0:11:22it's quite sensitive there - OK, that's nice and warm.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24Now we're ready to finish it off.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27So that goes on there.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32We've got that egg yolk in there, hopefully that's going to help it
0:11:32 > 0:11:35colour a little bit more and just a wee bit
0:11:35 > 0:11:37of Parmesan cheese,
0:11:37 > 0:11:39like that.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42Into here it goes.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44Lovely, so now...
0:11:44 > 0:11:48Here's a nice little way of actually serving it.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50I've got a long dish here.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53I'm going to put some sea salt on top,
0:11:53 > 0:11:55just to hold it.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57Could you pass me that samphire, please?
0:11:59 > 0:12:03I've picked this, you know, and it's all around here on the estuaries, isn't it?
0:12:03 > 0:12:06So we'll just put that on top,
0:12:06 > 0:12:10just to give this white dish that little bit of colour.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Samphire's become very popular lately, but people cook it,
0:12:13 > 0:12:16and there's absolutely no need, you can heat it through.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20If I want it hot, I just have a pan of hot water
0:12:20 > 0:12:22- and put it in it and then take it out.- No salt.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24- No salt. - Straight in, straight out.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27Do you know what I do with it? I chop it up, not too much, I put it with pasta.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29Makes a great pasta sauce.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31I'm learning something every day.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37Oh, look they've started to colour, but I don't want them to cook
0:12:37 > 0:12:39too much cos you would hate that.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42I'm quite happy with that as it is.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48And there you have it - Oysters Thermidor.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50- Just for you.- Thank you, Brian.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52Have a taste of that one there.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54Oh, yeah.
0:12:59 > 0:13:04I'll tell you what, I'm no longer a cooked oyster virgin - I love it.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07It's good, isn't it? I have to say, I think it's great,
0:13:07 > 0:13:10- I'm chuffed to bits with that. - Delicious.
0:13:13 > 0:13:18Essex has over 350 miles of stunning coastline to explore,
0:13:18 > 0:13:20so we'd better move on.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26So this is the causeway that connects Mersea to the mainland,
0:13:26 > 0:13:29and it actually dates back to Roman times.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32It's a dramatic view, isn't it, with the tide out?
0:13:32 > 0:13:34The mud flats look brilliant, don't they?
0:13:34 > 0:13:39Well, apparently, this can flood at very high tides,
0:13:39 > 0:13:43people do get stranded, so the island can get completely cut off.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48Now, Brian, I'm a fantastically keen walker
0:13:48 > 0:13:52and I love walking round the coast, and there's a trail that goes,
0:13:52 > 0:13:58a coastal path that goes right round Mersea, and I'm going to go
0:13:58 > 0:14:01to start off in the country park, Cudmore Country Park.
0:14:01 > 0:14:02So are you up for it?
0:14:02 > 0:14:04Yeah - I'm not going on a long walk, that's for certain.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07I don't mind doing a bit, cos I'm quite a healthy chap,
0:14:07 > 0:14:10but I am not walking for miles, I don't care what you say.
0:14:13 > 0:14:18You keep going and I'll catch you up, probably.
0:14:18 > 0:14:23Brian may want to skive off, but I'm not passing up the chance
0:14:23 > 0:14:25to explore the Essex coastline.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28Cudmore Grove Country Park's long sandy beach
0:14:28 > 0:14:33and open grasslands make it the perfect spot for a walk.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36I've asked park ranger Dougal Urquhart to join me.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40- Hi, Dougal, nice to meet you. - Yeah, nice to meet you.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Right, I've got rid of Brian, so you can take me on a proper walk.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47I've heard so much about this coastline, will you show me these fabulous cliffs?
0:14:47 > 0:14:50Yeah, let's go and have a look at the wonderful cliff line.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55Cudmore Grove was an active stretch of coast during World War II,
0:14:55 > 0:14:59with relics of the war still visible.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03Today, however, the park is used for more peaceful pastimes.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06I've walked a lot of the British coastline,
0:15:06 > 0:15:10but I haven't walked around here, is it really popular with walkers?
0:15:10 > 0:15:15It's very popular with walkers and it's a nice, easy walk
0:15:15 > 0:15:16which is on the flat.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18- I was going to say flat, yeah. - Flat, yes.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22And this is one of the few rural beaches where there's no piers
0:15:22 > 0:15:25and kiss-me-quick sort of hat shops and ice cream parlours
0:15:25 > 0:15:28and things like that. This is a place where people can really enjoy
0:15:28 > 0:15:31the wild beauty of the Essex coast.
0:15:33 > 0:15:38The cliffs here at Cudmore Grove are made up of layers of silt,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41built from deposits of an ancient river that once flowed here
0:15:41 > 0:15:43many thousands of years ago.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46So how old are these cliffs?
0:15:46 > 0:15:47Well, these actual cliffs
0:15:47 > 0:15:51are probably 200 to maybe even 300,000 years old, so...
0:15:51 > 0:15:53- My goodness! - ..really old.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55That was when Britain was still joined to the continent.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59My goodness - so if they're 200,000 years old,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02does that mean that you could look here and find
0:16:02 > 0:16:04amazing fossils and bones?
0:16:04 > 0:16:08Yes, East Mersea has been well known as a great place for looking
0:16:08 > 0:16:11for fossils for the last 100 years or so.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13One area's actually just below the cliff here.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17- Yeah.- Er, where a straight-tusked elephant, the jawbone was found
0:16:17 > 0:16:21and also narrow nose rhinoceros tooth, which is now extinct,
0:16:21 > 0:16:25and also giant deer, which has got a huge antler span of three metres.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27Erm, so there's some fascinating stuff being found
0:16:27 > 0:16:29and I've got a bone here.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32This was dug out by a bait digger just recently
0:16:32 > 0:16:36and it looks like it could be, sort of, a member of the cow family
0:16:36 > 0:16:39and we have had bison dug out only three years ago.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42- Bison out here?! - Bison at East Mersea.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45- Yes.- That's amazing.- I know.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49Dougal, are these cliffs actually eroding all the time?
0:16:49 > 0:16:51Because they look pretty fragile to me.
0:16:51 > 0:16:52They do erode the whole time,
0:16:52 > 0:16:55probably, on average, just under a metre a year
0:16:55 > 0:16:56and what we're seeing here,
0:16:56 > 0:16:59these are the old gun emplacements from the Second World War.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02These big lumps of concrete used to be way above our head
0:17:02 > 0:17:05and in the late '80s, they just collapsed down on the sand.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08What are these sticks for out in the sea, are they breakwaters?
0:17:08 > 0:17:11Yeah, these are brushwood breakwaters -
0:17:11 > 0:17:13the idea was the mud flats would build overnight,
0:17:13 > 0:17:16salt marsh would regenerate and they would take out
0:17:16 > 0:17:19the energy of the waves so it didn't thump against the cliff here.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21Did it work?
0:17:21 > 0:17:23No.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28Whilst the "Duchess" is off on her stroll, I'm on the hunt for more
0:17:28 > 0:17:30of this area's tasty ingredients.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34From cultivated crops to organically reared animals,
0:17:34 > 0:17:37there's a rich variety of produce to choose from.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40Making the most of the food found on his doorstep is
0:17:40 > 0:17:44Chef Darren Bennett at his restaurant, The Magic Mushroom.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47- Good morning, chef, and how are you? - Very well, thank you.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50- Fantastic, what are you going to show us?- I've got a trout.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53Trout's caught locally, we've got some lovely baby tomatoes,
0:17:53 > 0:17:55grown by a local guy, there's some local asparagus,
0:17:55 > 0:17:59and it's a very simple spring, summer dish, quick and easy to cook.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01Let's have a look at this trout fillet.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04Now this is a local trout farm, is it?
0:18:04 > 0:18:07Local trout farm, these have been filleted off.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09OK, so pan's getting nice and hot.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11That's the big secret for a lot of people.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13- Get the pan on, lots of heat in there.- Absolutely.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15Get the pan hot and this is key, as well,
0:18:15 > 0:18:17just being organised to start with.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21- Are those local at all?- Our boy Jim grows them on his allotment
0:18:21 > 0:18:23at the back of his house.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26- It's great for a chef to see freshly grown...- Absolutely, yeah.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30- ..rather than boxes of tomatoes and it becomes blase.- Yeah.
0:18:30 > 0:18:35- To actually grow something and see it grown is great for us.- Right, so.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38I normally use a bit of me Maldon sea salt,
0:18:38 > 0:18:39sprinkled on there.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42A little bit of oil in the pan.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44So just turn the heat up a little bit.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46Skin side down?
0:18:46 > 0:18:49Skin side down, I tend to cook it so it's quite crispy
0:18:49 > 0:18:52- and then last minute, turn it over.- Yeah.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55Same time, I'm just going to try and get these potatoes in.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57A knob of butter in there.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00Saute potatoes are something you don't see these days,
0:19:00 > 0:19:03like you used to do - you're not as old as I am, by a long chalk
0:19:03 > 0:19:06But people still like them, you can not beat the flavour of those.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09Just going to turn that down a tad.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12- Are you going to baste them a little bit?- I'm going to baste them a bit.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14- All I'm going to do is pop them in the oven.- Yeah.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17Here, we've got some asparagus. That's been blanched off.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20- Is that local?- Very local. - Yeah, lovely stuff at the moment.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24- Oh, it's beautiful.- That's looking good, that trout, from here.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28All I literally do, just check it, I flip it over.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30And that looks lovely, does that.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32Then bring your other ingredients together.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35- We've got a little bit... - Just tell us what you've got.
0:19:35 > 0:19:36- Baby Gem lettuce.- Yeah.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39I put this in last minute, it just makes it a nice, colourful...
0:19:39 > 0:19:41So we've got lettuce, we got shallots.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43We got lettuce, shallots, tomatoes,
0:19:43 > 0:19:46and it's literally a matter of putting it all together.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48And then you've got a bit of kale as well here, yeah?
0:19:48 > 0:19:51- I put that in last-minute, that's been blanched off.- OK.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54It's literally one minute in boiling, salted water.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56It's become a superfood, a cult food, if you like,
0:19:56 > 0:19:57people are all using it -
0:19:57 > 0:19:59it's a lovely colour and it's good for you.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03- Absolutely. It's got a little bit of a bitter taste.- Yeah.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05With certain dishes, like with the trout,
0:20:05 > 0:20:07it actually works really well.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10I like to put a little tiny splash of balsamic vinegar.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16Here, I've got some fresh almonds,
0:20:16 > 0:20:19- we put in at the last minute. - Give it a nice change of texture.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29I tell you what, there's a good...
0:20:29 > 0:20:31There's your five a day in one dish there.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34It's good to get a nice bit of colour, just check there's...
0:20:34 > 0:20:36Just toss them over two seconds.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39I like to call those quick roast potatoes, sometimes.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43The proof of the pudding, chef.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46It can't get any hotter than that, chef.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49Lots the colour in there.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51So you got some quails' eggs there?
0:20:51 > 0:20:54These have literally been cooked for 2 minutes, 17 seconds.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57- 2 minutes, 17 seconds. - Yeah we timed it to a T.
0:20:57 > 0:21:02And they're just nice, gooey, soft, erm...
0:21:02 > 0:21:04And that's the dish.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11I think that looks fantastic and do you know what's even better?
0:21:11 > 0:21:15- My mate Janet is going to love that dish, I know.- That'll be good.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20- Hello.- Good morning, local caught trout.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23- Oh, look at that. - Looks good, don't it, eh?
0:21:23 > 0:21:25It looks fantastic.
0:21:26 > 0:21:31So the beauty of this is that 90% of it is local produce.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34The tomatoes, the asparagus, the potatoes,
0:21:34 > 0:21:36the fish, the kale.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39Yeah, well, I'm fanatical about vegetables, so...
0:21:39 > 0:21:41Five a day, all there.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44- What you going to try first? - Oh, I dunno.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46- I'll try a bit of the trout. - Make a decision.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48I'll have a bit of the trout.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59That's a very nice trout.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02Wasn't it? A lovely texture, nicely cooked.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04- It's a light fish, too. - Good flavour.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08Right, I'm liking the asparagus, cos it's still crunchy.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12- Mm.- This is the kind of proportion of, erm,
0:22:12 > 0:22:14protein to veg that I have at home.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18Well, I've giving it five.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20And I'm having the last bit of asparagus.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22- That's out of five?- Mm-mm.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24- So it's a hit for you, then? - It's a hit from me.
0:22:24 > 0:22:25Good girl.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30Well, five out of five ain't bad from the "Duchess".
0:22:31 > 0:22:34But we do need to decide what'll be in our celebratory dish
0:22:34 > 0:22:36that sums up the area.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39All over Essex, there's a host of producers embracing organic
0:22:39 > 0:22:42agricultural methods for vegetables and meat.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45I'm meeting someone who's fast gaining a reputation
0:22:45 > 0:22:46for excellent pork.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48That's if we can find him.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50I want to know where this sausage man is.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54I've got a butcher who's got a pork farm somewhere called Wicks.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57Yeah, try reading the map the right way up.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00- I'm never sure which... - I'm going to Maldon Salts.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02- You just watch the road... - I'm going to Maldon Salts.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04..and I'm going to find my butcher.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11While Brian's still trying to figure out which way's north,
0:23:11 > 0:23:16I'm heading off to find another star ingredient from this area.
0:23:16 > 0:23:22The salt trade has been synonymous with Essex for over 2,000 years.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24The Doomsday Book lists no fewer
0:23:24 > 0:23:28than 45 salt pans around the Maldon area.
0:23:29 > 0:23:34Today, the world-famous Maldon Salt Company is the only surviving
0:23:34 > 0:23:36salt manufacturer in the area.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42Established in the 1880s, Steve Osborne's family have made salt
0:23:42 > 0:23:48for four generations and still operate from their original factory.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54- So this is your empire here? - Well, this is River Blackwater.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58This is where it all starts for producing our famous salt.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03What makes Essex produce such brilliant salt?
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Well, its geographic location is very important because Essex
0:24:06 > 0:24:09has a very low rainfall compared to the rest of the country.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12As you can see on a beautiful day like today, you got nice sunshine,
0:24:12 > 0:24:15got nice winds, so what that does is that actually helps with
0:24:15 > 0:24:20the drying process and the increased salinity of the River Blackwater.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23These salt marshes were even used by the Romans.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25That's right - 2,000 years ago,
0:24:25 > 0:24:29the Romans started making salt here, they used to cut in clay pits.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31The water would then flow into these pits,
0:24:31 > 0:24:34and natural process of evaporation, wind, sunshine
0:24:34 > 0:24:37would help create a brine in these salt pits.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45The final process of the evaporation would occur in clay pots over
0:24:45 > 0:24:49open fires, so the salters that would effectively be on the sea wall
0:24:49 > 0:24:52would be boiling up the brine in these clay pots,
0:24:52 > 0:24:54creating a salt crystal
0:24:54 > 0:24:57and then smashing the clay pots to effectively get the salt out.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00And what did these poor people do, live off,
0:25:00 > 0:25:02when they were out here in all weathers?
0:25:02 > 0:25:04They would, obviously, live off oysters,
0:25:04 > 0:25:06which was a staple food for all the salt makers.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08- Oysters were like their fish and chips!- That was it.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12- They had oysters like we'd have a bacon sandwich?- That's right.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15Yeah, that was the staple diet of the salt makers at the time.
0:25:16 > 0:25:21The company began supplying salt to Harrods in 1900
0:25:21 > 0:25:25and by the 1950s, it was being exported worldwide.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29So what's so great about Maldon Salt?
0:25:29 > 0:25:32What sets it apart from ordinary old salt
0:25:32 > 0:25:33that you just get in a supermarket?
0:25:33 > 0:25:36Well, the distinctive look for a start.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39It's the pyramid shaped flake and crystals that you see.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43Soft texture when you crumble it between your fingers
0:25:43 > 0:25:46and, obviously, that clean, fresh taste, as well,
0:25:46 > 0:25:48which doesn't have any of that bitterness
0:25:48 > 0:25:51that you often associate with common table salt.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53I think what we should do is we should go up to Maldon
0:25:53 > 0:25:55and have a look at the salt factory now
0:25:55 > 0:25:58- of how we produce the Maldon Salt. - Brilliant.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06Never mind the Romans, this is how we do it today.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08So where do you get the water from?
0:26:08 > 0:26:11We take the water from the River Blackwater,
0:26:11 > 0:26:12we then filter it,
0:26:12 > 0:26:15we then pump the water into the steel salt pan that you see here.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Then we bring it to a galloping boil and we take off the lees,
0:26:18 > 0:26:21which is impurities like magnesium salts that form on the surface.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24A bit like when I make damson jam, yes. So you skim it off.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28Then we reduce the temperature until we can see the salt crystals
0:26:28 > 0:26:31starting to seed on the surface of the water.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33Once that grows to a certain size and weight,
0:26:33 > 0:26:36- they break the surface tension, fall to the bottom and sink.- Yeah.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40It's like snowing, effectively, it's snowing salt flakes.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42That whole process takes 24 hours
0:26:42 > 0:26:46and then the next day, we're ready to rake the salt in,
0:26:46 > 0:26:48which you see is happening before you.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52Putting it into these draining bins, where it's left
0:26:52 > 0:26:54to drain for another 24 hours.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05So here, you can see the finished product.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07We've taken the salt from the draining bin
0:27:07 > 0:27:09and it's got fed into our drying machine there.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12Any excess moisture's then evaporated away
0:27:12 > 0:27:15and we're left with the dry product, ready to be packed.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22- So you can feel it, it's actually still warm.- Yeah.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25It's warm and the crystals are so big, look at that.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28I know. Taste one.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33See? A beautiful, sweet taste.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37Absolutely. It does taste good.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50Well, I wonder if Brian's any nearer to finding ingredients
0:27:50 > 0:27:53for our celebratory dish?
0:27:53 > 0:27:54I think I'm onto something.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57This area is renowned for some of the best pork in the country,
0:27:57 > 0:28:00so I've come to Wicks Manor Farm to meet farmer Fergus Howie,
0:28:00 > 0:28:04who recently won an award for Britain's best sausage.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06Well, there's a good healthy smell round here.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09Yeah, that's the pig farm.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12This is our farrowing house, this is where mums give birth.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15- Yeah, like a maternity hospital. - Yeah that's correct.
0:28:15 > 0:28:20And this seems to me to be really state-of-the art, is that the case?
0:28:20 > 0:28:23Yeah, this is cutting edge in pig industry for the way to farrow
0:28:23 > 0:28:25and look after babies as they're born.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27So here we can get in here and we can look after them.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30We can watch them as they're giving birth, making sure everyone is,
0:28:30 > 0:28:34you know, is up and breathing and she has as many piglets
0:28:34 > 0:28:37alive on her litter she's potential to giving birth to.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43Mums want the temperature to be about 18 degrees,
0:28:43 > 0:28:47whereas piglets want the temperature at 28, so these...
0:28:47 > 0:28:49- Which is why you've got this?- Yeah.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52All of these farrowing places have got a creep with a light,
0:28:52 > 0:28:56so piglets can go and keep warm, whereas Mum can cool down.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59There's 11 piglets there, is that normal?
0:28:59 > 0:29:02Yes, it's normal for a mum to give birth to 11 or 12 piglets,
0:29:02 > 0:29:04then once they're four weeks old, we wean them from Mum.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08- Then they go outside. - Yeah, by that time, Mum's looking out to get away from them.
0:29:08 > 0:29:10Every time she lays down, they're trying to suckle,
0:29:10 > 0:29:12so she wants a bit more "me" time,
0:29:12 > 0:29:15and then we'll move the piglets away so they're in pen on their own.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17Let's have a look at the outside ones.
0:29:22 > 0:29:25OK, so this shed here is split into three sections,
0:29:25 > 0:29:29as far as the pig food they are eating is provided for them.
0:29:29 > 0:29:34When the pigs get taken off Mum, it's really important that they have a milk and a biscuit diet
0:29:34 > 0:29:35because they're not used to cereals.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38So the first section of this, of this shed
0:29:38 > 0:29:41is where we're giving them what I call like chocolate gateau,
0:29:41 > 0:29:44- really strong, rich food... - Yeah.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47..which is going to really promote growth.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50Then they come over here, this is about, getting on
0:29:50 > 0:29:53for about ten weeks old and they're on their cereal diet here now.
0:29:57 > 0:30:01Around where we are now, these pigs are getting to about 30kgs
0:30:01 > 0:30:04and then we change the diet again so they're onto more of a weaner diet.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07We're trying to get them away from the chocolate gateau, into salads.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09And if you feed it really well when it's young,
0:30:09 > 0:30:13it puts on good muscle content, puts a good foundation down,
0:30:13 > 0:30:16it'll get to 100kgs with a lot of muscle and not a lot of fat.
0:30:16 > 0:30:20- And that's when people like me get hold of them.- Yeah.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23So the proof of the pudding's in the eating, mate.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26- Are we going to try this? - Better go and try it, yeah.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30Come in, Brian, we'll try some of these sausages.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33I can smell sausages, that's wonderful.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38- Baked in the oven? - Yeah, straight out the Aga.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42There we go, these are our award-winning sausages, here.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45- Are they all the same? - We've got some different ones, here. - Oh, right, OK.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47We've got some pork sausage.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50I like pork sausage. Natural skins.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53Natural skins, no added fat, so when you cut them open,
0:30:53 > 0:30:56you'll notice that there's no fat dribbles out of that.
0:30:57 > 0:31:01They're very firm. Good texture to them, bags of meat in there.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03And we've got a Old English one here,
0:31:03 > 0:31:05which is got a bit more seasoning -
0:31:05 > 0:31:08that's thyme, nutmeg, sage and pepper, added to the Old English,
0:31:08 > 0:31:11to give that a little bit more of a herby flavour.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13That actually has got plenty...
0:31:13 > 0:31:15That's got more seasoning in it, and that for me, now,
0:31:15 > 0:31:17suddenly it give me bags of flavour.
0:31:17 > 0:31:18That's very nice, is that.
0:31:18 > 0:31:22As a chef, we judge quality retrospectively,
0:31:22 > 0:31:25by looking at the plates that come back,
0:31:25 > 0:31:28and that's nearly finished, is that sausage,
0:31:28 > 0:31:29so you can tell I like that.
0:31:29 > 0:31:33If I could, I've got to produce this celebration dish
0:31:33 > 0:31:35or something that reflects the area that I'm in,
0:31:35 > 0:31:38and it strikes me that if I could have some sausage meat...
0:31:38 > 0:31:41- Yeah, that would be fine. - ..that would be perfect.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43- Yeah, lovely.- Thank you. - Very good. Thank you very much.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51Armed with a few pound of Fergus's award-winning sausage meat,
0:31:51 > 0:31:54we're all set to create a taste of Essex.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58The sun's shining, so I can't think of a better place to cook
0:31:58 > 0:32:01that sums up this area than the beach.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04We've asked a few of the locals we've met here
0:32:04 > 0:32:07to give us their verdict on the dish.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09So, no pressure, Brian(!)
0:32:11 > 0:32:13I want to thank you all for coming today,
0:32:13 > 0:32:17you've certainly brought fantastic weather with you,
0:32:17 > 0:32:18and I hope, Brian...
0:32:18 > 0:32:21No, they didn't bring me with them, I came by myself.
0:32:21 > 0:32:23No, Brian, I want you to amaze me.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25I'm going to show you this great sausage.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28Thanks to Fergus, you got some wonderful sausage meat here, OK.
0:32:28 > 0:32:32- I'm going to make sausage cakes, like fishcakes.- Yeah.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34But with nutmeg-flavoured spinach
0:32:34 > 0:32:37and then I'm going to serve it on braised barley
0:32:37 > 0:32:38with spring onions and tomatoes
0:32:38 > 0:32:40and a little bit of tomato sauce, as well.
0:32:40 > 0:32:41I'm looking forward to that pork,
0:32:41 > 0:32:44because you didn't know that I've already eaten your pork
0:32:44 > 0:32:47and it's fantastic, but I've never done this recipe.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49- Neither have I, as it happens. - ALL LAUGH
0:32:49 > 0:32:53- We'll crack on, I've got the pan on here, OK.- No, it's going to be good.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55A bit of rapeseed oil in there and spring onions.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58So what I'm going to do, I'm going to keep the green for later
0:32:58 > 0:33:00cos I just like the colour,
0:33:00 > 0:33:06and then just nicely shred the whites of the spring onions.
0:33:06 > 0:33:07So that goes into here,
0:33:07 > 0:33:11I'm going to put a bit of garlic in and now we give it a stir.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15So, it's almost like making a braised rice
0:33:15 > 0:33:16or a risotto, if you like.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19But actually, barley, something we've forgotten to use.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22I know, it's something our mums and dads chucked in soup,
0:33:22 > 0:33:24- like a risotto. - Just to thicken it up.- Yeah.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27Absolutely right, so...bung that in there
0:33:27 > 0:33:31and we give it a stir around, just to coat it with the oil,
0:33:31 > 0:33:34pretty much like you would do for a risotto,
0:33:34 > 0:33:37and I'm going to cook it with chicken stock, not water,
0:33:37 > 0:33:39chicken stock works great.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45What I'm going to do is, I'm going to put the lid on there,
0:33:45 > 0:33:50bring it up to the boil, 20-25, I'm going to turn it down once I've got it boiling,
0:33:50 > 0:33:52so it's a nice little braise away there,
0:33:52 > 0:33:54and let it sit.
0:33:54 > 0:33:55Put some oil into heat.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58You'll notice that I'm not putting much butter
0:33:58 > 0:34:00in this recipe cos I just think...
0:34:00 > 0:34:02I've noticed that, you've got a gold star already.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05So, lovely sausages,
0:34:05 > 0:34:07I'm going to put into this the chopped spinach.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12Give it a whirl round.
0:34:12 > 0:34:14Normally, I'd use my hands at this,
0:34:14 > 0:34:18just don't want to get too dirty just yet, cos were not in a...
0:34:18 > 0:34:21I'd have to run right down to the sea to wash me hands, so...!
0:34:21 > 0:34:23I'm going to put a bit of pepper in there,
0:34:23 > 0:34:25just to spice it up a little bit.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28But then what I've got to put in there
0:34:28 > 0:34:29is one of my favourite condiments.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31- Worcester sauce. - Worcestershire sauce.
0:34:31 > 0:34:33Is it Worcester sauce or Worcestershire sauce?
0:34:33 > 0:34:35I always call it Worcester sauce.
0:34:35 > 0:34:37You could make it a different flavour,
0:34:37 > 0:34:39so that it's not just a pork sausage meat -
0:34:39 > 0:34:43good as it is, we just want to give it that extra dimension.
0:34:43 > 0:34:45Right now, I'm going to make four of these,
0:34:45 > 0:34:50and I want to try and get them to be a fairly even size.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52And as a professional,
0:34:52 > 0:34:55I should be able to do that.
0:34:55 > 0:34:57But...
0:34:57 > 0:35:01- There's no guarantees at all. - JANET LAUGHS
0:35:01 > 0:35:03- Lovely.- I think smaller ones look nicer anyway.
0:35:03 > 0:35:05I think it's a bit off-putting
0:35:05 > 0:35:07to have a great big football on your plate.
0:35:07 > 0:35:11- Darren, is this how you'd do it? - It is, yeah.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14Listen, Darren has never done this dish before, I can guarantee.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16I bet he's made a few meatballs!
0:35:16 > 0:35:18It's whether he'll do it in the future is what matters.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21Now, this is when I need a bit of help from you.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24You're allowing me a role in your preparation?
0:35:24 > 0:35:28Right, what I want you to do, I'm going to put it in the flour,
0:35:28 > 0:35:30- like that.- Yeah.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33I want you to turn it over, shake off the excess,
0:35:33 > 0:35:37then, with one hand, put it into the egg and then take it out
0:35:37 > 0:35:39and put it into there, and I'll do the rest OK?
0:35:39 > 0:35:41- Turn it over with your... - Is this a practice one?
0:35:41 > 0:35:44- Let's go, left hand.- Yeah. - Right, turn it over.- Turn it over.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47- Make sure it's got flour all the way round it.- Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50- Now shake off the excess. - Argh!
0:35:50 > 0:35:53SHE LAUGHS
0:35:53 > 0:35:57- Just ignore it. - This is very fresh sausage meat.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01- I know, I know, right!- It's still alive! It's good stuff, Fergus!
0:36:01 > 0:36:03Right, right, I've shaken it.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06Excess off. Right, OK. Now drop it into there.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08Now with this hand, turn it over.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11God, it's worse than choreographing a bloody ballet!
0:36:11 > 0:36:15- Now, it's got to be everywhere, OK? - All right, all right, I'm doing it.
0:36:15 > 0:36:16Shake off the excess.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19Oh, look there's a bit there that hasn't got egg on it.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22It's important! I'm trying to teach you how to do these things properly.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25- All right, I've got it. - OK, right, now drop it into there.
0:36:25 > 0:36:29- That's it - now, we do the same again three times, OK?- Right, OK.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31Let just have a quick stir of my barley.
0:36:33 > 0:36:34Oh, that's lovely.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36That's it, yeah, good.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38Right, OK. All right, all right.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41I'm getting it. By the time I've done 100, I shall be on it. Right.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44What do you think, Fergus, you think this'll be all right?
0:36:44 > 0:36:46- So far, it's looking good. - Good man, there.
0:36:46 > 0:36:50There's a sink underneath there to wash your hands with, OK?
0:36:50 > 0:36:53They're not too bad, I've got them all basically the same shape.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55- So, are you ready yet? - Yeah, I'm back.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58What I'm going to do now, just shake off the excess breadcrumbs
0:36:58 > 0:37:00cos if they drop off into the fat, they'll burn
0:37:00 > 0:37:02and they'll just have dirty little marks on them.
0:37:02 > 0:37:04So, just shape them all up.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06That looks good.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08They're like fishcakes, but they're actually sausage cakes.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10And they're not rissoles.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13They certainly nothing like that, you're quite right.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16Right, I'm going to put them into some oil,
0:37:16 > 0:37:19just to make sure that they get into the oil, there.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24Now, you have to cook them slowly like this,
0:37:24 > 0:37:27otherwise the breadcrumbs, before the sausage meat is cooked,
0:37:27 > 0:37:29will be too brown - we don't want that to happen.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31Let's have a quick look at the colour -
0:37:31 > 0:37:33now, that's the colour, almost the colour I'm looking for.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36And I'm not going to cheat, but I've found an oven
0:37:36 > 0:37:38in this beach hut over here, so I'm going to take them in there.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40It's nice if you cook them in the oven
0:37:40 > 0:37:42cos they cook right through the middle.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45It's pork meat, we want to make sure it's cooked. That's where I'm off.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49I can't believe he's left me in charge! Stay in there for a bit!
0:37:50 > 0:37:53Fergus, what do you think of the recipe so far?
0:37:53 > 0:37:55I think it's fantastic! What a great idea.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57Yeah, because I bought your pork before,
0:37:57 > 0:37:58I've never thought of doing this,
0:37:58 > 0:38:02- so I'm really interested to see how it turns out.- Same here.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05- Darren, what about you?- Yeah, it looks good, can't wait to taste it.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08- Yeah, it smells good doesn't it? - Yeah, it does smell really good.
0:38:08 > 0:38:09Do you do a barley risotto?
0:38:09 > 0:38:11We do a lot of risottos, but not barley ones, so...
0:38:11 > 0:38:14- Well, there's going to be a first for you.- That's it.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16Right, you can come out now!
0:38:16 > 0:38:18Can you make me a space on the table
0:38:18 > 0:38:20- for these...these...cakes, yeah. - Yeah, OK, boss.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23- I'm coming out now. - Do I look like a skivvy?
0:38:23 > 0:38:25ALL LAUGH
0:38:25 > 0:38:26Who said "yes"?
0:38:28 > 0:38:31Where's it going to go? Down there? That's fantastic.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33Here's a little tip, if you drop them in the sand,
0:38:33 > 0:38:36tell people you like them very crispy, all right?
0:38:36 > 0:38:39I'm going to take these over here, just let them sit for a minute,
0:38:39 > 0:38:40we can just reheat them before we go,
0:38:40 > 0:38:43cos I need to make a bit of sauce.
0:38:43 > 0:38:44Two pieces of butter,
0:38:44 > 0:38:48- that's lovely and a few shallots. - Right.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50And a bit of garlic,
0:38:50 > 0:38:53and I've got some tomato concasse,
0:38:53 > 0:38:56so just skin taken off, seeds taken out, chopped -
0:38:56 > 0:38:58you know how it works, don't you, Janet?
0:38:58 > 0:39:01Yeah. I can't bear tomato skins, so that looks fantastic.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03I quite like the skins on, if I'm honest with you,
0:39:03 > 0:39:06but I knew you didn't like it, so I put that in here.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09You were up all night doing that, I know!
0:39:09 > 0:39:11- OK, a bit of chicken stock in there.- Yeah.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14So, we've got the three elements to the dish,
0:39:14 > 0:39:16we've got the sauce, which is on the way,
0:39:16 > 0:39:18we've got the braised barley here,
0:39:18 > 0:39:20and we got the sausage cakes here.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23This green of the spring onions that I kept,
0:39:23 > 0:39:25I'm going to put in now.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28So, shred those up there. These go at the last minute,
0:39:28 > 0:39:31we put the white in so that's cooked down, it's nice and soft,
0:39:31 > 0:39:33this'll be a little bit more crunchy,
0:39:33 > 0:39:34but it also a different colour
0:39:34 > 0:39:38and it'll actually add to our braised barley.
0:39:38 > 0:39:40That goes in there,
0:39:40 > 0:39:41give it a whirl.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45I'm going to put some tomatoes in there.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50Just look at the colour, what do you think to that?
0:39:50 > 0:39:52- Isn't that beautiful? - Does that look good or what?
0:39:52 > 0:39:55What's really good about barley is it really holds its shape.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57It does, it does, and you don't have to undercook it
0:39:57 > 0:39:59or overcook it. It's nice.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01- What do you think to that, people? - Yeah, it's great.
0:40:01 > 0:40:03Do as you're told, enjoy!
0:40:03 > 0:40:06Right, so, that's on the go there.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09- Yeah.- I think we're almost ready to serve up.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12One other thing I need to do, I got some chervil here.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15- Lovely herb, is chervil. - Yeah, I love it.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17I only put this in cos it's subtle, like you,
0:40:17 > 0:40:19and I thought that would make a real...
0:40:19 > 0:40:22Funnily enough, Brian, I grow it.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25So, chervil, I'm going to put into the barley now, OK.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27Just to finish off, give that little bit of colour.
0:40:27 > 0:40:29Yeah.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31Have a taste, tell me what you think.
0:40:32 > 0:40:33It's good, man.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36Tastes very fresh.
0:40:36 > 0:40:38Well, it is, ain't it? Cos I've just made it!
0:40:38 > 0:40:40No, what I mean is...!
0:40:40 > 0:40:42What I mean is, Brian, that fresh tomatoes
0:40:42 > 0:40:45taste infinitely better than anything out of a tin.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47You're absolutely right.
0:40:47 > 0:40:48So, I'm ready to go now.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51So, firstly, we put our barley on there.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53- It's got a lovely colour. - What you don't want to do
0:40:53 > 0:40:55is put it in one of those shapes or forms.
0:40:55 > 0:40:56Oh, you mean in a mould thing?
0:40:56 > 0:40:58Yeah, we don't want to put in a mould,
0:40:58 > 0:41:01- it's just natural. So, we'll take these now.- Yep.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04Those just sit in the middle. Perfect.
0:41:04 > 0:41:06A little bit of tomato sauce,
0:41:06 > 0:41:09and by that, I mean the stuff that we've just made here.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12I'm going to be a bit cheffy, look.
0:41:12 > 0:41:13You're doing a dribble!
0:41:13 > 0:41:16I'm doing a dribble, yeah. When you get to my age...
0:41:16 > 0:41:18I was going to say, comes with the territory.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21OK, so just a little bit there, cos we want to make it...
0:41:21 > 0:41:23And we've got some lovely friends on this trip,
0:41:23 > 0:41:25and they've really done us a world of good,
0:41:25 > 0:41:27so I want it to look nice.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30I've got these little bits of chervil over here,
0:41:30 > 0:41:34and I think chervil looks so delicate and so pretty.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36- Can I taste it first? - Have a taste first,
0:41:36 > 0:41:38and then we'll serve it to everybody, yeah.
0:41:38 > 0:41:40It is good meaty sausage meat, this, I have to say.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43- Oh, that sausage meat tastes great! - What about the dish?.
0:41:43 > 0:41:47I haven't got round to all the elements, I'm... ALL LAUGH
0:41:47 > 0:41:48It's fantastic.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50Well, isn't she a lovely...?
0:41:50 > 0:41:52She knows her food, that lass!
0:41:52 > 0:41:55Our little sausage cakes and barley.
0:41:55 > 0:41:56That's it, give round of applause,
0:41:56 > 0:41:58it deserved it - well done, thank you.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00OK, get stuck in, chef, don't hang around.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03- What do you reckon to that? - Mm, do you want a job?
0:42:03 > 0:42:05You definitely get the herbs when you're eating it.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07That's good, that's good to hear.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10- Really good, isn't it? - Lovely sausage meat.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12- Yeah, lovely.- Happy pigs.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14- Happy pigs, that's it. - Shall we go again?
0:42:14 > 0:42:17- Yeah, yeah, course you can. - Go on, I'm being polite.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20- Someone have that!- Don't be shy. - No hanging about, there.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22I've never cooked anything like this before,
0:42:22 > 0:42:25but I will have a go at doing a pork cake like this. Great idea.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28What a fantastic way of cooking and eating British pork!
0:42:32 > 0:42:35What were the best moments for you?
0:42:35 > 0:42:37Well, it's exploring a part of the coastline
0:42:37 > 0:42:38that I hadn't been to before.
0:42:38 > 0:42:42That was amazing. And I really liked going to the Maldon Salt factory.
0:42:42 > 0:42:46Because I've used Maldon Salt for years, and now I know how it's made.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49For me, the weather and the scenery have just been absolutely fantastic.
0:42:49 > 0:42:53The oyster man, what a character he was! Did great stuff with oysters.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56- And I got to eat a lot of oysters! - Yes, you did!
0:42:56 > 0:43:00The piglets, at the pig farm, and that sausage meat, fantastic.
0:43:00 > 0:43:02Taste of Britain, here in Essex - it was great, eh?