Episode 2 Classic Mary Berry

I've been cooking for quite a few years now.

So many recipes have come and gone,

but there are wonderful classics that are as popular as ever.

In this series, I'll show you how to cook some of the best of them,

in my very special way.

Just saving on the washing up.

From tempting dishes inspired by the great outdoors...

All in one go.

-Mmm.

-I think we better get out of this rain.

-Come on!

-Let's go, let's go!

..to classic home comforts that'll put a smile on your face,

and timeless ideas, perfect for entertaining.

I can't wait to see my artichoke candles on your dining table.

These dishes can often seem daunting,

but I'm going to show you some tips and techniques that make them quick,

easy and simply delicious.

And, most importantly, with almost no fuss.

In this programme, gorgeous ideas for light and easy meals...

I'm going to be helping with your school dinner.

Yes!

Cooking doesn't have to be complicated,

even when you're cooking from scratch.

I have simple, light ideas that are easy to make, and delicious to eat.

On the menu, a delicious, crunchy salad,

made with a classic combination.

My simple version of a steadfast family favourite, and a burst of

citrus, in the lightest of desserts.

But first, two very different breakfast ideas

that anyone could make.

And I'm kicking off with a sweet one.

Don't you just love weekends

at home, starting with a proper breakfast?

We just love drop scones, sometimes called Scotch pancakes,

sometimes griddle pancakes.

I don't mind what they're called, they're all the same thing,

but they're absolutely delicious, and very simple to make.

First of all, 175g of self-raising flour.

In it goes, doesn't need to be sieved.

It's going to be well beaten.

Add 40g of sugar, and a teaspoon of baking powder.

Now just make a well in the centre.

Break an egg into the middle.

I've got 200 ml of milk, about half in to begin with,

and then you work it round to gather in the flour.

This is the way I make it, it's the way grandmothers made it,

it's the way batters have always been made.

If you want a really smooth batter,

you want to have this thick to start with

and beat any lumps that there are likely to be there out

before you add the rest of the milk.

To make these extra special,

I'm adding a little orange zest into the batter.

It just makes it that little bit different.

I'm going to give it an extra beat.

Absolutely no lumps in that at all.

Now it's safe to add the last of the milk.

So that's ready.

To cook them couldn't be simpler.

Add a little oil to a non-stick pan.

And then you drop the mixture in in rounds.

Spread it a little.

And then do the next one.

These cook in a jiffy, so I do just three at a time.

And you wait until the bubbles...

You can see them coming up here,

and flick it over, like that, and then the last one.

And then they will puff up. Look at them puffing up now.

This is now ready.

To keep them moist,

you want to put a clean tea towel

over the top, while you do the next batch.

A one-egg mixture should make about 24.

It's so easy.

Off with the pan, turn the heat off, I'm ready to serve.

Rich yoghurt, right in the middle, to trickle down.

Then some blueberries.

To make it even more special,

a few raspberries.

Gilding the lily, some maple syrup over the top.

My drop scones, just perfect for a special Sunday morning breakfast.

Who could resist it?

If it's savoury that tickles your fancy for a weekend breakfast,

how about trying this?

My wonderful light version of the classic kedgeree.

If you're not familiar with kedgeree,

it's like a rice dish with a hint of curry,

and the essential ingredient is smoked haddock.

First things first, wrap up the fillet of smoked haddock in foil,

along with a few knobs of butter.

Now, you don't season it at this stage,

just turn that up all the way round, so if there are any juices,

they will stay inside.

Then pop the haddock into the oven at 180, fan, for about 15 minutes.

While the fish is in the oven cooking,

I'm going to get on with the rice.

Add one finely chopped onion into a tablespoon of oil.

Keep that moving, and make sure that it's all coated with foil,

and just soften that down,

and the best way to do that is to put the lid on,

and that will take about five minutes.

There it is.

It's taken a little bit of colour, not much.

Now we're ready for those classic kedgeree spices,

starting with a tablespoon of curry powder.

That's it, going in.

Then a teaspoon of turmeric.

Now, turmeric doesn't have a very strong flavour,

but it does add to that lovely sort of ochre colour.

Mix that all in with the onion.

Now I'm going to add Basmati rice, 300g going in.

Again, coat that with all the spices.

It's taking on that glorious saffron colour.

And finally pour over 500 ml vegetable stock.

Bring to the boil, put the lid back on, and turn down the heat.

While that simmers, I can check out the star of the dish.

So that should be ready.

Just as I want it.

Break it with a fork. Fairly big pieces.

That's absolutely perfect.

Now if that rice is done, we're ready to roll.

The rice is absolutely perfect.

There's a hint of a bite in the middle, but it's delicious.

Add 150g of sliced button mushrooms that have been sauteed in

a little butter. We're getting there.

All I've got to do now is add the fish and finish it off.

And don't forget the best bit, those delicious buttery fish juices.

Look at that.

Every grain is separate, and it's beautifully light.

I suppose you could say that the cream is optional,

but I think just a little added is good.

What's that? A couple of tablespoons?

All that's missing now is a tad more seasoning, and some sharp lemon.

Give it a quick stir, and then we're ready to put it in its final dish.

It looks very, very tempting.

Oh, it smells so good.

But no kedgeree would be complete without boiled eggs.

They will cook for about five minutes, and they're still runny.

So just lift those onto there.

If it trickles down, the egg yolk into it, all the better.

They're still warm. It can all be higgledy-piggledy.

Then I've got some onions that I fried until fairly crispy.

It's a little extra, but I just think it makes all the difference.

Finish with a few vibrant coriander leaves, and there you have it,

my classic kedgeree, on the lighter side.

I've come to Charlton Manor primary school in London,

where the children are encouraged to muck in and learn how to grow

and cook their food from scratch.

Year five's Kehinde is taking me to the source of all this inspiration.

Welcome to our secret garden, Mary.

The school is a member of the Royal Horticultural Society's campaign for

gardening, and this quarter acre plot not only teaches the children,

but feeds them, as well.

What do you grow here?

We grow vegetables that supply the kitchen and the shop that we have on

Saturdays, and we sell the honey that we make,

and other produce that we make from the garden.

What's the favourite part of the garden to you?

I really like feeding the chickens.

Chickens?

Ruling the chicken roost is year six pupil, Irvin,

and it appears he's got his hands full.

So you're guarding the chickens. Have they got names?

Yeah, they do.

This one is me, because it has an Afro, and you can see

this right here. And it's handsome.

Then this one right here is Donald Trump.

Now, come on, why Donald Trump?

Because every time when I'm feeding them,

he makes a wall, so the other chickens can't come.

And it's quite in charge over here, is it?

Mm-hmm, but it's been taken over by Obama.

Obama's there.

The colourful feathers and long neck.

I like Irvin's name choice.

With 18 chickens in the West Wing,

the canteen has a daily supply of eggs,

but I'm much more interested in what's growing around it.

Today, I'm going to be helping with your school dinner.

-Yes!

-Can you tell me what these are?

-What's that?

-Purple kale.

Well done. And you know what this is too?

Rainbow chard.

And I'm going to shred it up and stir fry.

-Do you like stir-fry?

-Yes!

Let's start off with having some kale.

Curly kale. It's a lovely colour, isn't it?

That's perfect.

And what about the chard?

-A couple from each of you.

-I'm going to get a white one.

That'll be absolutely delicious. Nice to get a bit of crunch.

The stalk is good. Now, how about an onion?

Can you get me an onion?

-A big one?

-The biggest yeah, that's a good idea.

Oh, that's beautiful.

And we'll clean it off later.

All this veg will make a vibrant dish for the children's lunch later.

Before I get cooking with them,

I'm going to rustle up a salad that couldn't be any lighter.

When I'm thinking of something light and easy,

I automatically think of a salad, and what could be better than bacon,

avocado and chicken?

I'm using a cooked chicken for this, just for ease,

and there's no mayonnaise in sight.

I'm kicking off with the dressing.

It's flavoured with one of my favourite herbs, tarragon.

It's aniseed-y, just pull all the leaves off, and chop them up.

So I suppose that's about a tablespoon.

Now for the rest of the dressing, starting with 300ml of yoghurt.

That is full-fat, Greek-style yoghurt.

It's rich, and it's wonderful for a dressing.

Next, one tablespoon of Dijon mustard,

two teaspoons of white wine vinegar.

That just sharpens it up.

More lift from the juice of half a lemon,

and a finely chopped spring onion.

Now we need some sugar...

pepper and salt...

and the tarragon. There.

I love that smell.

Creamy tarragon dressing makes a perfect partner for the chicken.

I quite like having little cubes of it.

You do just as you like.

In there. Now I'm going to mix this all together.

I want the flavour of the tarragon

and mustard to get in with the chicken.

I think I should really taste this.

I could eat it right now, it's delicious,

but it'll be even better when I've left it for a bit.

To allow all those lovely flavours time to really hit it off,

cover and chill for four hours, or preferably overnight.

Now for the rest of the salad, starting with two avocados.

I take a spoon and I put it in the palm of my hand and wriggle the

spoon around at each end, and then put the cut side to the board,

and it's as clean as a whistle.

Cut into neat slices, and cover with a little lemon juice

to keep the avocado from turning brown.

I can't wait to bring the chicken,

bacon and avocado all together on one glorious plate,

lined with some crispy lettuce.

They make nice little cups.

One isn't quite enough for a person, but two is just about right.

Then a couple of sprigs of peppery rocket.

It takes a bit of balancing, but I'm going to get there.

The chicken goes on next.

And just edging it together, sort of almost like a butterfly.

Those soft, rich slices of avocado...

topped with some salty snippets of streaky smoked bacon.

And then, for a final flourish, some toasted pumpkin seeds.

That's it. Everybody's favourite, chicken, avocado and bacon.

If that's not light eating and delicious, I don't know what is.

Back in South London, it's almost lunchtime.

Here at Charlton Manor, they have a dedicated teaching kitchen and chef.

Today, the children are making crunchy cheese twirls.

It's an inspiration.

I've spent my life teaching others to cook,

and I couldn't think of a better place to do it.

Kehinde and her friend Elizabeth

are going to help me make a vegetable stir-fry,

with our fresh haul from their secret garden.

We've already picked those vegetables over here, so, Elizabeth,

that's a courgette. If you can cut the end off, and then cut discs of

it, rounds of it. And what would you like to cook?

Can I cut the butternut squash?

Yes, this is butternut squash. Do you like butternut squash?

-Yes.

-Oh, that's a bad sign, it's gone in the sink.

So, we're going to cut those into little strips, so one thin slice,

that's right. It's firm, isn't it?

-Yes, very.

-And then take that slice, and cut it into slices across there.

Those are beautiful.

It's quite skilled to cut it so nice and thinly.

These children have been cooking for years,

and their confidence is a joy to see.

So you've got a nice pile there. If you put them on top of there.

-That's a good job done.

-Mary?

-Yeah?

You look really nice in pink.

I like pink. Well, you look good in yellow.

I'm going to go and put this in the compost.

They even save the peelings for the garden's compost.

We picked some beautiful kale...

-Chard.

-Chard!

You're on the ball this morning, I think I got up too early!

With two extremely able assistants by my side,

we fired up the wok and are ready to start cooking.

Right, that's really, really hot. Can I have the bowl over here?

Now, I'm going to just put the first things in,

which is just a little bit of onion,

because the onion will take a little bit longer.

So in it goes there, and a little bit of the butternut squash.

That takes a bit longer. Do you want to have a bit of a stir?

That's it.

There we are, now, I'll just give it a quick whizz.

That's good, it's hot, we need to get the rest in.

So if you can just push some peppers down...

And, Elizabeth, can you put some courgettes down there?

That's a very familiar smell.

And insanely smoky.

Now, can you give me a bit of kale to go in there?

Right in the middle.

And chard now.

In it goes.

You've done this before, haven't you?

Do you want to have a stir? I'll keep it steady.

Every vegetable keeps its colour.

And it's a very healthy way of cooking vegetables,

because you've just got a little bit of oil, and they'll taste delicious.

Tiny little bit of salt.

-Can I add pepper?

-That way.

You like pepper, do you?

-Yes.

-And you like spicy food?

-Yes.

-Yeah, but you're not trusted with salt.

-Yeah, I can't be trusted with salt.

-Why aren't you trusted with salt?

I was making eggs once, and I poured salt all over the eggs,

and it was really salty, but I still ate it.

-Did you?

-Which is very awful for your health.

Did anybody else eat it?

-No, just me.

-I think that's just about ready.

This is a very easy recipe, and you can make it at home.

You can make it at home, and will you go easy on the salt, please?

-Yes.

-Right, can you just stand back?

Give it a shake.

It's beautifully colourful.

I reckon nobody's looking,

you can have a little taste of the particular vegetable that you like.

-That's your chard.

-It's white.

Now, I want the truth, what did you think of it?

-It tastes good.

-Very delicious.

Thank you, girls, you've been absolutely brilliant,

take this over to the restaurant, and while you've gone,

-I'll finish cooking all of these.

-Thank you.

-OK.

-Thank you.

-Bye, Elizabeth.

Sometimes, it's hard to get children to eat what you cook,

especially if they're fussy.

Making one of their favourites from scratch will be a big step

in the right direction.

There's nothing nicer than a home-made beefburger.

You know exactly what goes into it,

and it just melts in the mouth when you eat it.

I've got first quality minced beef here, so 500g, into the bowl.

Breadcrumbs are essential in a burger, but add too many,

and they'll be stodgy.

I've just got 50g here.

A medium onion that I've chopped really, really finely.

If you're not good at chopping onion, you could always grate it.

That's the basics, now for some delicious extras,

starting with three tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley,

two teaspoons of Dijon mustard.

Now that really does bring out the flavour.

And more punch from a tablespoon of rich sun-dried tomato paste.

And some chopped marjoram.

This bright green adds to the colour of my beefburger.

To bind it all together, I'm going to have an egg yolk.

There it is, going in.

Lastly, some salt and pepper, then just dive in.

I really like getting my hands in here, you know,

you can feel when it gets together, and, you know,

if you've got a young family, and they really love beefburgers,

let them make their own.

They'll love it, especially if

they're allowed to get their hands in.

So work that into a shape,

and divide it into six.

It's a good tip to wet your hands before you shape them, because it

makes it that much easier, but, gosh, it's not too difficult, is it?

I mean, what I do is roll it into a ball and then flatten it out,

and if some are a little bit bigger than others,

people have different sized appetites,

that's what I say when I make a mistake.

That one is a little bit bigger, isn't it?

And now it's time to heat up

my griddle pan and cook those beefburgers.

Rather than putting the oil in the pan,

I'm going to actually put the oil on the beefburgers.

This way, the burgers won't stick and the oil won't burn.

So lift each one with a fish slice into the pan and over.

They're going to take two minutes

each side when they're that thickness,

a little bit longer if you want them really well done,

but the big mistake with the beefburgers is to overcook them.

Don't forget to oil the other side before you flip them over.

They've had their time, so just turn those out.

Oh, they look good, don't they?

And I've got plans for those gorgeous juices left in the pan.

All the flavour from the beefburgers is there.

That will go onto my bap. It'll be delicious.

Just slide them along

make sure all that gubbins is coming with the extra special brioche baps.

It's browning nicely.

It should take about a minute for your buns to take on the stripes

of the griddle pan. And now it's an assembly job.

It's all about the layers - first mayo...

some lovely, crisp lettuce, a juicy slice of tomato.

We're getting there.

Gosh, it's quite a mountain, isn't it?

Last on is a slice of sweet pickled cucumber,

and top the whole lot off with a jaunty bun.

Listen, they're crispy too.

They look so tempting.

So there are my beefburgers in all their glory.

A real family classic.

Back at school, the first lunch sitting is well under way.

My stir-fry is sitting alongside some of the freshest fare I've ever

seen in the canteen, and it's all conjured up from scratch

by passionate head chef Flavio Hernandez.

-So what do you think of my stir-fry?

-It looks beautiful.

-What did you put in there? You've put cabbage...

-All of the vegetables

from the garden, and we've got a bit of pepper.

It's very healthy, and it's very important here to do healthy food,

-isn't it?

-The more fresh it is, so you can see the pad Thai,

and the same with the selection of vegetables over there.

-And they're all beautifully bright and colourful.

-Yes.

OK, we ready?

-Yes!

-Here they come!

-Woohoo!

-Can I have some soup, please?

Does anybody else want to go for the chicken and rice?

Mary Berry, can I please have some of your stir-fry?

Absolutely. Have you had stir-fry before?

No, I haven't, so this is my first time.

Wow, well, these are all vegetables from your own garden here,

and what are you going to choose to have with it?

Can I please have some pasta?

-Noodles, yes.

-There we are.

From growing their own and cooking in the teaching kitchen,

to this wonderful choice at lunch,

these children have been immersed in fresh food from year dot,

and it is truly fantastic to see the results.

I'm eating Mary Berry's stir-fry,

and it's very healthy, and it's tasty.

It's even better than the one I have at home.

Well, that stir-fry seems to have

gone down well, chef, what do you think?

It's the bestseller today.

I'm leaving Charlton Manor school with a spring in my step.

Bye, Mary!

After that gorgeous lunch,

what could be better than the lightest of puddings?

The great thing about syllabub

is that you've only got four ingredients -

the essential, a sweet white wine, sugar, lemon and cream.

Couldn't be easier.

I'm going to make the lemon syrup first.

So into the pan goes the juice of one lemon.

Then the zest, all those little pieces.

Then 75g of caster sugar.

And I've got a sweet wine here, and I'm going to have 100ml.

I love that glug, such a nice sound at six o'clock.

But this is all going in my syllabub.

In it goes.

Put the pan on the hob, and heat it gently to dissolve the sugar.

Couldn't be easier, this.

And when you're short of time and you want a special pud,

this is the one to choose.

Now all the granules at the bottom of the pan have gone,

and it's a thin syrup.

Then I'm going to bring that to a simmer for a few moments,

so that all the lemony flavour goes into the syrup.

I'll turn the heat off here.

I can tell you, that smells pretty good already.

Let that get stone-cold,

and we'll finish the syllabub.

Once you've strained the cold lemon syrup, you're ready

to add the final ingredient, 300ml of pouring double cream.

All I've got to do is combine the two together

and we've got a syllabub.

That's it.

And did you see, the moment I touched it, it became thick.

It's almost like magic, isn't it?

This simple but miraculous pud

deserves nothing less than my favourite champagne glasses.

After a couple of hours in the fridge, and a final flourish

of lemon zest, my syllabubs are ready.

Essential to serve them cold.

I think a rose would look really lovely there.

So there it is, my lemon syllabub.

It's certainly boozy, but it's deliciously light.

Next, I'll be travelling back in time...

WHISTLE BLOWS

..to celebrate the best of this green and pleasant land.