0:00:02 > 0:00:06- The best British produce is under threat.- At the mercy of foreign invaders, market forces...
0:00:06 > 0:00:09- ..and food fashion.- Produce that has been around for centuries...
0:00:09 > 0:00:12..could die out within a generation.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14So together, we're on a mission...
0:00:14 > 0:00:19- ..to save it.- We'll give the best tips how to find it, grow it and cook it.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22And, crucially, how to put sensational British produce...
0:00:22 > 0:00:24..back on the food map.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03When you look at the supermarket shelves nowadays, you simply don't see
0:01:03 > 0:01:07the hundreds of potato varieties that used to be available to us.
0:01:07 > 0:01:12Well, I am on a mission to bring those varieties back to our dinner plates.
0:01:12 > 0:01:17Growing potatoes is a vital part of our heritage.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20We've done it for over 500 years, and for centuries,
0:01:20 > 0:01:23potatoes have played an important part in the British diet.
0:01:23 > 0:01:29But shockingly, over the past 40 years, 97% of potato farmers have left the industry,
0:01:29 > 0:01:33and heritage varieties have all but disappeared from our supermarket shelves.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37In my campaign to revive the ailing British potato, I'll be meeting
0:01:37 > 0:01:40the unsung heroes who are striving to secure our heritage varieties.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44That is the maddest thing I have ever seen!
0:01:44 > 0:01:48I'll be showing you what you can do to save our great British spud.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52The fun of digging them up is you never know what you're going to get underneath.
0:01:52 > 0:01:59And I'll be wowing you with three mouth-watering recipes, including potato dauphinoise.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02That's the closest you'll get to a snog on a plate.
0:02:07 > 0:02:12Because I'm a greengrocer, I often get asked what my favourite vegetable is,
0:02:12 > 0:02:16and I think people are really disappointed when I tell them it's the humble potato.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19But it's the most versatile thing I know.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22I've got lovely memories of my grandmother's roast potatoes.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25I can remember the first time I tasted a Jersey Royal.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29I can also remember my first batch of Pink Fir Apples I sold to the restaurants.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31Where would we be without mash?
0:02:31 > 0:02:33Where would we be without chips?
0:02:33 > 0:02:37It breaks my heart to think we are not making the most of this beautiful crop.
0:02:37 > 0:02:42Here in Britain, we know how to grow great spuds.
0:02:42 > 0:02:48We produce over 60 million tons of them every year, and most of the spuds we do eat are home-grown.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52But our tasty tubers have taken a bit of an image battering in recent years.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54Nine out of ten adults think they don't contain
0:02:54 > 0:02:56any nutritional benefits,
0:02:56 > 0:02:59and the younger generation are turning to foreign rivals.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03I prefer rice or pasta, because they're a lot easier to cook.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06They take less time to cook. Potatoes take a lot longer.
0:03:06 > 0:03:12And I also think you can kind of jazz up pasta and rice a bit more interestingly than potatoes.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14They tend to be quite boring, I suppose.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18Healthy? Absolutely not! Not the way I cook them!
0:03:18 > 0:03:23I put so much olive oil in them that I don't think you'd call that healthy.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27I think potatoes do have an image problem.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29My children definitely seem to think so.
0:03:29 > 0:03:35If I give them a choice and I say, "Do you want mashed potato or baked potatoes?" They go, "No! Pasta!"
0:03:37 > 0:03:42I want to find out how the industry is combating this huge threat.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46So I've come to this commercial potato farm at Aberlady in East Lothian,
0:03:46 > 0:03:50where the owner also happens to be the chairman of the Potato Council.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54What is happening to potato growing in this country?
0:03:54 > 0:03:55One of the challenges is that
0:03:55 > 0:03:58we have structural decline in demand for potatoes.
0:03:58 > 0:04:03Some people think potatoes can be unhealthy, but also some people feel that
0:04:03 > 0:04:09there are more convenient and immediate ways in which you can cook a meal, using rice and pasta.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13How can that be right, that people are turning their back on the British spud?
0:04:13 > 0:04:16Well, people don't necessarily want to have to peel a potato.
0:04:16 > 0:04:23But we are able to offer now a whole range of potato products, from fresh to processed, that provide
0:04:23 > 0:04:30immediate convenience, just as easy and quick to cook as rice or pasta, but much more nutritious.
0:04:30 > 0:04:36There's as much vitamin C in a potato as in a glass of tomato juice. People don't realise.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40Are people just going for all-rounders, and is it making potatoes a bit dull?
0:04:40 > 0:04:42It's a challenge, yes.
0:04:42 > 0:04:48There are many people who don't know one potato variety from another, and it's up to the industry to
0:04:48 > 0:04:53make sure we show consumers how to make the best use of potatoes.
0:04:56 > 0:05:02Now, the best way to fall back in love with the potato is to get cooking with it.
0:05:02 > 0:05:07I've got here one of my favourite potatoes in the world, and that is the King Edward, OK?
0:05:07 > 0:05:11It's a really good mixture of waxy and floury, and I'm going to prove
0:05:11 > 0:05:17that the only starch that you need in your cupboard is the spud.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20I'm going to make the Italian classic potato gnocchi.
0:05:21 > 0:05:27I've boiled the potatoes in salted water for about ten minutes.
0:05:27 > 0:05:33Now, I'm going to leave those to cool, and I'm going to start my sauce.
0:05:36 > 0:05:42Gnocchi is no different to any other potato dish in that,
0:05:42 > 0:05:44once you've learnt how to make it, like mash,
0:05:44 > 0:05:48or chips or boiled potatoes, once you've learned how to
0:05:48 > 0:05:52do them probably, they will go with any flavours you like, OK?
0:05:52 > 0:05:57Tomato I'm doing now, because I think everyone should know how to make a good tomato sauce.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00Pasta and rice is not part of our heritage.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03They're nice things, but that's not what we grew up with.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06That's not what our culinary tradition is built on.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09We are northern Europeans. We don't grow rice.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13We grow spuds, is what we do! Right.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15Onions in.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22I'm going to lightly flour this surface.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28I've got here one of my favourite contraptions...
0:06:29 > 0:06:32..a potato ricer. Look.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35Stick that in there...
0:06:35 > 0:06:39..and then you just squeeze, gently squeeze,
0:06:39 > 0:06:43onto the floured surface.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46More flour,
0:06:46 > 0:06:48lightly...
0:06:49 > 0:06:51..over the top.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54And now, all you're doing is bringing this together
0:06:54 > 0:06:57like a dough, and work it.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00Work it and work it,
0:07:00 > 0:07:02like a lump of Play-Doh.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04Look.
0:07:04 > 0:07:09And all we've got is the moisture in that potato and flour. It's light.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12Look at it. Beautiful thing.
0:07:14 > 0:07:21To my base of tomato sauce with onions and garlic, I'm adding some puree to give the flavour more depth.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24You take your gnocchi dough. That's still warm.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27Break a bit off and roll it.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Now look, that's perfect.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33It's up to you, the size of your gnocchi.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36I just want to break the end bits off.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40I reckon about there, OK?
0:07:40 > 0:07:42That's about the size of it.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46And then you just press your fork into it like that.
0:07:47 > 0:07:53If it starts to come apart on you, put a little bit of flour to hold it.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56Feel it. Get to know it.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03So it's all coming together.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06Before I cook the gnocchi, I need to add herbs to the sauce.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09If it's a soft, leafy herb, it goes in at the end.
0:08:09 > 0:08:15And I've heard chefs say that you shouldn't cut basil,
0:08:15 > 0:08:17you should rip it, cos you lose flavour.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21Well, I'll give any blindfolded chef 50 quid if he can tell me
0:08:21 > 0:08:25the difference between a cut and a ripped basil.
0:08:25 > 0:08:26Stir that in there.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29Then, cook the gnocchi.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35Remember, we've already cooked the potatoes, OK?
0:08:35 > 0:08:39So when they start floating up to the surface, they are done.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42Come on, baby.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47Drain off the excess water, then add the gnocchi to the tomato sauce.
0:08:51 > 0:08:52Mmm.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56OK, one last bit of basil.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59There it is - my great British potato gnocchi.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05It's firm, the potato, yet it's soft.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08You may have never had potato like this before.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11I told you, you don't need pasta.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14Go on, please, just have a go.
0:09:18 > 0:09:23On my campaign to revive the ailing British potato, I've found that
0:09:23 > 0:09:28it's not just farmers who are working hard to produce great-tasting spuds.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30This is the unseen world of potato growing.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34Most people think to grow potatoes you throw seeds in the ground,
0:09:34 > 0:09:36but it's a lot more complicated than that.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40Here in Edinburgh, at Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture,
0:09:40 > 0:09:44there's a whole department devoted to potatoes.
0:09:45 > 0:09:50Some are researching new ways of combating crop-threatening diseases, such as potato blight,
0:09:50 > 0:09:53whilst others test the properties of new varieties
0:09:53 > 0:09:57to make sure we have the very best chippers and boilers.
0:09:57 > 0:10:03But what gets me really excited is there's a massive data bank of heritage potatoes.
0:10:03 > 0:10:09OK, so in here we have our living genetic resource collection of over 1,000 potato varieties.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12About 1,000 varieties of potatoes growing here?
0:10:12 > 0:10:14Every year we grow 1,000 varieties of potato
0:10:14 > 0:10:18so that we can keep maintaining the right trueness of type.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20So, are they all stored here?
0:10:20 > 0:10:22Yep. We can see something you might ask for.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26- So is there any particular variety you haven't had?- Really?- Yep.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28Do you have any Pentlands?
0:10:28 > 0:10:30- Yeah, sure. Heather will bring one up for us.- This is mad!
0:10:32 > 0:10:37This machine is like the Noah's Ark of potatoes, and it houses
0:10:37 > 0:10:41some varieties which are no longer grown anywhere else in the world.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43Here at the front we've got Pentland Falcon...
0:10:43 > 0:10:47- Loads.- Pentland Hawk, Pentland Ivory, Pentland Raven.
0:10:47 > 0:10:52So, all Scottish-bred varieties, which aren't very much grown any more.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56Beautiful potatoes, but these probably haven't been on the shelves for 20 years.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58That's right. That's right.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01- Can I have another go? - Of course.- A game!
0:11:01 > 0:11:02Salad potatoes - a Roseval?
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Yeah, we should have a Roseval for you.
0:11:05 > 0:11:06Ha ha!
0:11:08 > 0:11:11That is the maddest thing I have ever seen!
0:11:15 > 0:11:18- Roseval.- There it is. There you go.
0:11:18 > 0:11:23It's a little bit sad that you can't access these anymore. You can't get 'em.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26Not in supermarkets, but if people want to grow them,
0:11:26 > 0:11:29they're here, ready for us to supply to people.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34One of the reasons we've lost so many of the old-fashioned heritage potatoes is that they were prone to
0:11:34 > 0:11:39the dreaded disease, potato blight, which is exactly what happened with this particular potato,
0:11:39 > 0:11:46which contributed to the deaths of over a million people from starvation in Ireland in the 19th century.
0:11:46 > 0:11:51- This is Lumpers, and this is the potato which is famous for the Irish potato famine.- You're kidding!
0:11:51 > 0:11:54And it's now fallen into complete disuse.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58Was the blight that great because they were all growing the same variety?
0:11:58 > 0:12:02- Yeah, that was one of the main reasons.- I didn't know that. Crikey!
0:12:02 > 0:12:04I kind of want to keep one!
0:12:04 > 0:12:05No, you can have it.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08Incredible. And what is that thing that looks like a turnip?
0:12:08 > 0:12:13This is a new variety bred by a Scottish breeder,
0:12:13 > 0:12:17which is a general-purpose variety called Apache.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21Obviously, it's got a particular look to it,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24and it's a very flavourful potato.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26Mate, that is just weird.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29That's true, but it's eye-catching, though.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32But at the end of the day, it all comes down to taste,
0:12:32 > 0:12:36and I can't be in a room full of spuds without wanting to eat them.
0:12:36 > 0:12:42This is the Apache, which is the new one. You can see already the colour of the flesh.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46And here's the Lumpers, which is a much paler flesh colour.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49- Dig in?- Yeah, go for it. Apache.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54I have to say,
0:12:54 > 0:12:56that is really nice.
0:12:56 > 0:13:01Firm but slightly creamy, really earthy flavour. I really like that.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04And what the potato breeders try and do, is blend
0:13:04 > 0:13:09the best of the old flavour with new disease-resistant characteristics.
0:13:09 > 0:13:10Go for the Lumpers.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13See if it was worth all the angst of the famine.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18The Lumpers has got nowhere near the flavour...
0:13:18 > 0:13:20of the Apache.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23It's almost slightly watery.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30Whoa! The science of it!
0:13:30 > 0:13:32You know, I had absolutely no idea.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36I find that comforting, that people are working really hard to make sure
0:13:36 > 0:13:40we've got the best chippers, the best boilers, the best roasters.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43I tell you, this has got to help potato sales. It's got to.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46The new varieties, they're just cousins of the old ones.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48The old ones are still living.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51They're living inside the new varieties. They are great.
0:13:51 > 0:13:57If you want to get the most from your spuds, you have to remember that different potatoes do different jobs.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03If you want to make perfect mashed potato, you want a floury potato.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07And the one I've picked here, that you'll be able to get, is the Arran Victory.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11For chips, you want something really, really starchy.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14I've picked the King Edward. It's one of my favourite chippers, OK?
0:14:14 > 0:14:18And for boiling, you want something really waxy.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20This is a beautiful, nutty potato. It's a Charlotte.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22That's a really good salad potato.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25Boils really well. It also roasts really well.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29For my second recipe, I'm going to cook a good, old favourite of mine.
0:14:32 > 0:14:38I've got here a beautiful red Duke of York. And the reason I've picked it is it's slightly waxy.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42I need it waxy, because I don't want it soaking up loads of liquid.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45Start by peeling the potatoes.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51The dauphinoise is a buttery, garlicky, absolute delight.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53I don't know anybody who doesn't like it.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56You bring one of those steaming out of the oven...
0:14:56 > 0:15:03Basically, it's layers of potatoes with pepper, salt, butter and garlic. I mean, who wouldn't love that?
0:15:05 > 0:15:08Would you like me to tell you a story?
0:15:08 > 0:15:11When potatoes were brought to Europe, people wouldn't eat them.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13They were scared of them. The reason is,
0:15:13 > 0:15:19they grew underground and the leaves are related to deadly nightshade, which is poisonous.
0:15:19 > 0:15:25Parmentier said to Louis XVI - the last French king who had his head cut off -
0:15:25 > 0:15:27"I can get the poor to eat potatoes.
0:15:27 > 0:15:32"I'm going to grow some outside the walls of Paris, and would you lend me the Royal Guard?"
0:15:32 > 0:15:36People thought they were valuable because they were being guarded,
0:15:36 > 0:15:39and like all good, blue-collar city dwellers like me,
0:15:39 > 0:15:42they came out at night and nicked 'em.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46And they caught on really quickly, as clever Parmentier knew they would.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50And his name is still celebrated in France with a cut-up potato.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54Peeled 'em, they're clean, we now need to slice 'em.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56Get yourself a mandoline.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59Which is one of these, not a musical instrument.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03You want them about that thick.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05Any thicker, they take too long to cook.
0:16:05 > 0:16:10Any thinner, and they might actually dissolve into mush.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Keep these in water.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19Can you see how the water's changed colour? That's the starch coming off the potatoes.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22Starch is what makes them sticky.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26Now for the other main ingredient - garlic.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29Sprinkle with some sea salt and crush together.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33I don't know how much you use garlic.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36I'm going to do a dish that big,
0:16:36 > 0:16:39and I'm going to do probably three cloves, OK?
0:16:39 > 0:16:41But I really like garlic.
0:16:41 > 0:16:46There's an old cooking adage which is, you can put in, but you can't take away.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48So if you're not sure, do a little bit.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51And then next time, do a little bit more.
0:16:51 > 0:16:57Drain the potatoes, dry them off, and then you can begin to build your potato layers.
0:17:00 > 0:17:06Once you've covered all the holes in the first layer, OK, finer salt now,
0:17:06 > 0:17:08twist of pepper...
0:17:10 > 0:17:13..little knobs of butter scattered in there.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16It will melt and cook and all ooze in, don't worry.
0:17:16 > 0:17:21And then little bits of garlic that you crushed up, smeared over it.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25It's a messy job. You're going to have it all over your hands.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27That's the beauty of it.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29On MasterChef,
0:17:29 > 0:17:33everybody has to get everything done at breakneck speed.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37It's not like that, cooking at home. If you're late, pour your guests another glass of wine.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41You don't have a bald bloke behind you shouting, "You've got ten minutes!"
0:17:43 > 0:17:46For the sauce, I'm mixing milk and double cream.
0:17:49 > 0:17:50Yum, yum, yum.
0:17:50 > 0:17:56Then pour the liquid over the potatoes until it just covers the surface.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04Stick it in the oven at 180 degrees for about an hour.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12'Ave a butcher's!
0:18:12 > 0:18:14Look at that.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18Oh, baby, baby!
0:18:18 > 0:18:20Mmm!
0:18:20 > 0:18:23A few more little crispy ones on top.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28One of my favourite ways of serving this dish is with
0:18:28 > 0:18:32a good, old-fashioned British pork chop and succulent red cabbage.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42Mmm! Mmm, mmm, mmm!
0:18:42 > 0:18:46It's getting through that crunch to that beautiful softness underneath.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50There's a little hint of garlic there, but the main flavour there is of
0:18:50 > 0:18:55good, British, earthy potatoes, straight out of the ground.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57It's our heritage. It's beautiful.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02That's the closest you'll get to a snog on a plate.
0:19:07 > 0:19:13The past 40 years have been tough for potato farmers, and for many, the only way to stay in business was
0:19:13 > 0:19:19to concentrate on growing just one or two varieties, such as the Maris Piper or King Edward.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23But there are some brilliant growers out there who are actually bucking the trend,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26and they are keeping some amazing heritage varieties alive.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28Carroll's Heritage Potatoes in Northumberland is
0:19:28 > 0:19:31relatively small 50-acre farm,
0:19:31 > 0:19:36but amazingly, they grow 20 different types of heritage potato,
0:19:36 > 0:19:40including this very rare Red King Edward, which dates back to around 1900.
0:19:40 > 0:19:46What's special about them? What would people get from heritage varieties they can't get from the big shops?
0:19:46 > 0:19:48Some of the conventional varieties, Maris Piper,
0:19:48 > 0:19:50they're fine, nothing wrong with them,
0:19:50 > 0:19:54but they tend to be jack of all trades, master of none.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57If you want a fantastic roast potato, use something like Arran Victory.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00You can have yellow mashed potato out of Yukon Gold.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04You can have some absolutely snow white out of Witch Hill.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08So there's a whole series of things you can do with these
0:20:08 > 0:20:12heritage potatoes that you can't do with the more modern varieties.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17Anthony's lifting his last crop of the season, and now,
0:20:17 > 0:20:20they'll be cold stored, ready to be shipped to customers when they're required.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22Ooh!
0:20:23 > 0:20:26We have some Red King Edward that we were harvesting today.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30Fantastic potato. It's a red potato with the white eyes.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34The opposite to the King Edward that you are probably familiar with,
0:20:34 > 0:20:37which is basically pink eyes with a white skin.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41We think a slightly better taste, but then we would say that!
0:20:41 > 0:20:42- Still a good all-rounder?- Fantastic.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44Ooh!
0:20:45 > 0:20:49What you have with you is some Shetland Black and some Highland Burgundy.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52I'll just cut through this one here,
0:20:52 > 0:20:56and you see that it has some blue flesh through, which is fantastic
0:20:56 > 0:21:00if you want to saute potatoes, which keeps the colour.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02And are these ones the equivalent in red, then?
0:21:02 > 0:21:06Yeah, these are Highland Burgundy Red you have in your left hand there.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09And that's it there. So, again, you could call it
0:21:09 > 0:21:14a novelty potato, but it does produce a wow factor on the plate.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18The reason I love heritage spuds is that they have better flavour,
0:21:18 > 0:21:21better texture, colour, and a real taste of history.
0:21:21 > 0:21:26So before I leave, I want to sample Anthony's wife's Union Jack potato recipe.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28Wonderful! Wonderful!
0:21:28 > 0:21:30- For you, Gregg.- Thank you.
0:21:30 > 0:21:36You've got Salad Blue, Yukon Gold, Red Duke of York and Highland Burgundy.
0:21:39 > 0:21:40Mmm.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45Smashing my way through these. These are delightful.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50This is delicious, which is quite surprising, as I've never been a fan of the Salad Blue potato.
0:21:50 > 0:21:55I thought they were hopeless, the only thing to recommend them being their colour. That's not right.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59Well, they don't yield very well, but they are pretty brilliant potatoes.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01Mmm.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05The fact is, it produces something which gets people thinking, looking,
0:22:05 > 0:22:09discussing food, which is really what we're about.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16I've got to say thank you.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20If it wasn't for people like Lucy and Anthony, we'd lose loads more varieties.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23They've got this wonderful potato, the Arran Victory.
0:22:23 > 0:22:24Beautiful heritage variety.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27The reason I've chosen it, it's light and fluffy.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30It makes wonderful mash, which means it's perfect for
0:22:30 > 0:22:34my last recipe which is the good, old, British, traditional shepherd's pie.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39First thing, get the potatoes on, and I'm starting with cold water,
0:22:39 > 0:22:43no salt, and I'm leaving the skins on.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47And the reason I'm going to do this is the nutrients, the flavour of these beautiful potatoes...
0:22:47 > 0:22:51They're not everyday potatoes. I want to treat them with love and care.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55All the flavour is just under the skin. I don't want them waterlogged.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59I don't want them absorbing loads of water, so we're going to boil them up
0:22:59 > 0:23:01with their skins, and peel them afterwards.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Whilst they're cooking, slice up the veg.
0:23:05 > 0:23:12Just rough, OK? Because we're going to put them all in a blitzer.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15Blitz the living daylights out of it.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18I still think the best thing about the shepherd's pie...
0:23:18 > 0:23:23And, you know, I'm a very enthusiastic carnivore. The best thing about it is the mash.
0:23:23 > 0:23:30Mash - soft, buttery, white mash - I think is probably the ultimate comfort food.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33It just goes with absolutely everything.
0:23:33 > 0:23:37Onions and potatoes. An absolute marriage made in heaven.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40They're very similar because they're both sort of humble.
0:23:40 > 0:23:45Always the backing singer, never the star. We'll make it into a star.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48Right. Pulse the vegetables in a blender.
0:23:51 > 0:23:57Then fry the veg on a medium heat until they go soft, but don't let 'em go brown.
0:23:57 > 0:24:03For shepherd's pie, of course, I'm using lamb, and I think there's nothing better than leftovers.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05As I slice this, the temptation to just
0:24:05 > 0:24:09stick it between two slices of bread is almost overpowering. Cor!
0:24:10 > 0:24:11Mmm!
0:24:11 > 0:24:16Medium-sized chunks are OK, as they're also going to be blitzed in the blender.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20Voila...
0:24:20 > 0:24:23as they say in Lambeth. Now...
0:24:25 > 0:24:26Can I just make a plea?
0:24:26 > 0:24:32If you don't cook, just learn how to do this, cos it's wonderful, and everyone will love it.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36Can you see now, look, the colour it's taking on, the little speckles?
0:24:36 > 0:24:42Now, I've got some pretty sexy flavourings I want to stick in there.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45Anchovy sauce, OK?
0:24:45 > 0:24:49Now, all of these things are big, distinct flavours. Taste as you go.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Redcurrant jelly next.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55Anyone who watches me knows I've got a really sweet tooth!
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Mmm!
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Mushroom ketchup, right? You may not have used it.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03Readily available. Quite sour.
0:25:05 > 0:25:12Add Worcester sauce, tinned tomato and a few sprigs of thyme.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15And remember, these herbs are powerful.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18Don't go putting a whole bush in.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24So, the potatoes have been boiling away for about 20 minutes.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26Wow! Just look at those beauties!
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Now they're ready to be peeled.
0:25:29 > 0:25:36Now look, the skin just comes away really easily, and we've protected all that lovely flesh underneath.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38The water hasn't gone near it.
0:25:38 > 0:25:45And using the ricer again, press the flesh through to get that light and fluffy consistency.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48You want them to be like that - I'll get milk
0:25:48 > 0:25:53and butter in there in a moment, and you want 'em to incorporate that liquid.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55And that's what fluffy potatoes do.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57Waxy keeps the liquid out.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59Look at that.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02Not a lump anywhere.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06Apart from in my throat at the beauty of the mashed potato.
0:26:08 > 0:26:13So, back on the heat. Butter. I'm going to put a big knob of it.
0:26:13 > 0:26:14Ta-da!
0:26:14 > 0:26:17A little bit of milk.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20Who was the first man to decide to mash a potato?
0:26:20 > 0:26:22I want to give him a kiss.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28Done.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31Done. Perfect, absolutely perfect.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33And let's put the whole thing together.
0:26:33 > 0:26:40Place the lamb in an oven-proof dish, followed by a liberal helping of mash.
0:26:43 > 0:26:44In the oven.
0:26:44 > 0:26:49Right. Depending on the size of your shepherd's pie, between 20 minutes
0:26:49 > 0:26:53and 30 minutes at 180. Pour yourself a beer.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58You know what?
0:26:58 > 0:27:02I've got an oven full of childhood memories!
0:27:03 > 0:27:08Oh, my word! Oh!
0:27:08 > 0:27:11Bubbling, singing to you!
0:27:11 > 0:27:13Mmm!
0:27:14 > 0:27:17Don't be stingy.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19Nice, big helping.
0:27:19 > 0:27:24Served with some green cabbage, lightly cooked, still got its crunch.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27And there you have my traditional shepherd's pie,
0:27:27 > 0:27:32topped off with those truly wondrous Arran Victory heritage potatoes.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36If the British potato is to stand any chance of being revived,
0:27:36 > 0:27:40we've all got to play our part, and that includes growing our own.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44The great thing about potatoes is they only need a small container,
0:27:44 > 0:27:48so you can grown them in soil on a balcony, or an allotment.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50Best to plant your seeds around April.
0:27:50 > 0:27:54It'll take roughly five months, and then you'll be cooking your own spuds.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57The fun of digging them up, you never know what you'll get.
0:27:57 > 0:28:02So far, I've been getting some really good results. You know, a good couple of kilos per plant.
0:28:02 > 0:28:07It really is that simple, and I promise you, you will love the results.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11Mmm!
0:28:12 > 0:28:13That tastes delicious.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16That is truly wonderful.
0:28:16 > 0:28:21I've been on a bit of a journey here and, yeah, I'll admit that
0:28:21 > 0:28:24bog-standard potatoes, they do do a decent job,
0:28:24 > 0:28:28but if you want something truly lovely - I mean, outstanding -
0:28:28 > 0:28:31then you have to track down some of these old heritage varieties.
0:28:31 > 0:28:36Look, right now, why don't we just start a great British spud revival?
0:28:59 > 0:29:02Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd