Mushrooms and Offal

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0:00:02 > 0:00:06- We're losing touch with our British food heritage.- Commonplace ingredients are now under threat.

0:00:06 > 0:00:09And teetering on the brink of survival.

0:00:09 > 0:00:12By changing the way we shop and how we eat...

0:00:12 > 0:00:14- We have a chance... - To breathe new life...

0:00:14 > 0:00:15Into our delicious...

0:00:15 > 0:00:17Mouth-watering...

0:00:17 > 0:00:19- Succulent... - Fantastic...

0:00:19 > 0:00:20Home-grown produce.

0:00:20 > 0:00:22Join our revival campaign...

0:00:22 > 0:00:25To help preserve our food legacy...

0:00:25 > 0:00:27For generations to come.

0:00:27 > 0:00:30And put Britain firmly back on the food map.

0:00:31 > 0:00:33That is proper lush.

0:01:11 > 0:01:16I am Antonio Carluccio and I am going to take you on a journey.

0:01:16 > 0:01:20A journey to the amazing hidden kingdom of the produce that

0:01:20 > 0:01:24grows all around us. In all sort of unexpected places.

0:01:24 > 0:01:28Me, I am completely obsessed by them and I love the musty smell.

0:01:28 > 0:01:34And what I really love is there is always something to learn about.

0:01:34 > 0:01:37I present you the British mushroom.

0:01:38 > 0:01:42We have been eating mushrooms for thousands of years,

0:01:42 > 0:01:44but lately you have all become lazy.

0:01:44 > 0:01:46You only buy one type

0:01:46 > 0:01:50and have abandoned a host of other delicious varieties.

0:01:50 > 0:01:54Determined to awaken your fungi passion, I'll be uncovering

0:01:54 > 0:01:57a whole new world of British mushrooms.

0:01:57 > 0:02:02Wow, it's unbelievable. I'm feeling like Alice in Wonderland.

0:02:02 > 0:02:04Taking a glimpse into the future.

0:02:04 > 0:02:09Do you know, in the fungi world I was expecting anything, but not this.

0:02:10 > 0:02:12And rustling up some mouth-watering mushroom

0:02:12 > 0:02:14recipes in the revival kitchen.

0:02:14 > 0:02:17Ah, the smell.

0:02:22 > 0:02:26As an Italian, I have foraged and eaten wild mushrooms

0:02:26 > 0:02:28since I was a boy.

0:02:28 > 0:02:30It is in my blood.

0:02:30 > 0:02:34I have one of the most wonderful memories as a child to go

0:02:34 > 0:02:35picking mushrooms.

0:02:35 > 0:02:39Going into the mystery of the forest, filling up the basket,

0:02:39 > 0:02:43going home and my mother would turn them into fantastic dishes.

0:02:43 > 0:02:47I have been cooking with mushrooms for over 50 years.

0:02:47 > 0:02:51You could say they were my first love affair.

0:02:51 > 0:02:55Eaten simply, drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice.

0:02:55 > 0:03:01My love for mushrooms, treated this way, is because the taste is pure.

0:03:01 > 0:03:06You taste the woods, the air and the must and it's just delightful.

0:03:10 > 0:03:14We spend over £360 million a year on mushrooms.

0:03:14 > 0:03:17There are numerous species that I would eat.

0:03:17 > 0:03:23But you Brits generally only buy one type. I don't understand it.

0:03:23 > 0:03:26Thousands of tonnes of these mushrooms, in fact two-thirds

0:03:26 > 0:03:28of the mushrooms eaten in Britain, they are the white variety.

0:03:28 > 0:03:34The classic champignon. Now, are you colour blind?

0:03:34 > 0:03:39In that case, follow your nose, because we have fantastic mushroom on offer.

0:03:39 > 0:03:43Chestnut mushroom, the oyster mushroom, the enoki,

0:03:43 > 0:03:46the pleurotus eryngii.

0:03:48 > 0:03:52Come on, Britain, be courageous and be adventurous.

0:03:52 > 0:03:54Try to respect the mushroom.

0:03:54 > 0:03:57It's much more important than you believe.

0:03:59 > 0:04:03Mushrooms are fungi, and professor Lynne Boddy knows how vital

0:04:03 > 0:04:06fungi are to our planet's ecosystem.

0:04:06 > 0:04:08A mushroom is a fungus,

0:04:08 > 0:04:09but not all fungi are mushrooms.

0:04:09 > 0:04:11There's lots of different types of fungi.

0:04:11 > 0:04:14Fungi is a kingdom, like plants and animals.

0:04:14 > 0:04:17They are living organisms,

0:04:17 > 0:04:20but only the fruiting body is commonly known as a mushroom.

0:04:20 > 0:04:22Is it true that we are surrounded by fungi?

0:04:22 > 0:04:25We are completely surrounded by fungi.

0:04:25 > 0:04:27In all of these plants there are microscopic fungi.

0:04:27 > 0:04:31In the leaves, in the roots, in the shoot, in the soil all around.

0:04:31 > 0:04:35Underneath the mushroom you find the mycelium, which is

0:04:35 > 0:04:37a network of tiny threads.

0:04:37 > 0:04:42Fungi keep our planet ecologically balanced.

0:04:42 > 0:04:48We've got a heap of dead stuff here, and if it weren't for fungi

0:04:48 > 0:04:51well, we'd be up to our armpits in dead organic matter.

0:04:51 > 0:04:55The fungi actually rot down this dead material and release the

0:04:55 > 0:05:00nutrients. And then later on, at some point in its life the fungus will

0:05:00 > 0:05:05produce the mushrooms, the fruit bodies and these produce the spores.

0:05:05 > 0:05:08The spores will blow away, land somewhere.

0:05:08 > 0:05:12They will germinate and grow, and so the cycle continues.

0:05:13 > 0:05:20You see, mushrooms is just a part of the cycle of life.

0:05:21 > 0:05:25Don't think mushrooms are just something to go with your fry-up.

0:05:25 > 0:05:29They are a force of nature and deserve our respect.

0:05:32 > 0:05:36In the revival kitchen, I am easing you in gently with

0:05:36 > 0:05:39a delicious recipe. Using the best-selling mushrooms in Britain...

0:05:40 > 0:05:42..the white closed cup mushroom.

0:05:44 > 0:05:46In the world of mushrooms you have the simplest one

0:05:46 > 0:05:49and with this one I'm going to show you how to do a fantastic

0:05:49 > 0:05:53dish which is simple to make, very, very good to eat.

0:05:53 > 0:05:57Its called chicken and mushroom casserole.

0:05:58 > 0:06:01This is a really easy recipe.

0:06:01 > 0:06:05I remember cooking it for friends and lovers when I was a student.

0:06:06 > 0:06:09Now, there is an affinity between mushroom and chicken.

0:06:09 > 0:06:15Both, they are extremely easy to get and to cook, as well.

0:06:15 > 0:06:19And that's why the combination is just fantastic.

0:06:20 > 0:06:23I begin by trimming some chicken thighs.

0:06:23 > 0:06:26Then I dust them in flour

0:06:26 > 0:06:29and fry in olive oil before preparing my mushrooms.

0:06:31 > 0:06:32The mushroom, don't wash it.

0:06:32 > 0:06:36And you brush off everything then you put it into the pot.

0:06:40 > 0:06:43I then add chopped onion, carrot and celery.

0:06:43 > 0:06:45And of course, Italian white wine.

0:06:45 > 0:06:48The nectar to the gods. This smell is just fantastic.

0:06:48 > 0:06:53I leave it to simmer and let the ingredients work their magic.

0:06:53 > 0:06:59After 10 minutes of bubbling away the moisture is reduced quite a lot.

0:06:59 > 0:07:03I'm going back to put the chicken in it

0:07:03 > 0:07:08and we have to add it like this and the juices as well.

0:07:08 > 0:07:09Very good.

0:07:09 > 0:07:10So...

0:07:10 > 0:07:14now let it flavour quite a lot.

0:07:14 > 0:07:16Oh, that looks fantastic.

0:07:16 > 0:07:20Optimum! I finish with some boiled potatoes to serve

0:07:20 > 0:07:23with my casserole. And the final touch,

0:07:23 > 0:07:25some chopped parsley.

0:07:27 > 0:07:30Wonderful. Oh, look at this.

0:07:33 > 0:07:37Delight! And then I take a little bit of two or three potatoes.

0:07:37 > 0:07:41I can take with my fingers. I have asbestos fingers.

0:07:42 > 0:07:47There you are. And my maximum of decoration,

0:07:47 > 0:07:51because I am not a decorating man, is this here.

0:07:52 > 0:07:56There you are. Casserole of chicken and mushrooms.

0:07:59 > 0:08:00Buon appetito.

0:08:00 > 0:08:05A delicious supper to share with your family. Mushroom heaven.

0:08:11 > 0:08:14Mmm. It is just fantastic. I can tell you that.

0:08:15 > 0:08:18The taste, you taste both. Chicken and mushroom.

0:08:18 > 0:08:19Simply delightful.

0:08:27 > 0:08:30In the British countryside there are between 60

0:08:30 > 0:08:35and 70 species of mushroom that I love to eat. And there is nothing

0:08:35 > 0:08:39I enjoy more than spending a day foraging for this delicious bounty.

0:08:41 > 0:08:43It is so exciting to go picking mushrooms.

0:08:43 > 0:08:48Wild mushrooms...which is indescribable.

0:08:48 > 0:08:51Once you find your first one, you see, you are hooked.

0:08:52 > 0:08:57Where are they? Oh, here they are. Mushroom foraging is my passion.

0:08:57 > 0:08:59We Italians are mad about it.

0:08:59 > 0:09:02Today, I am meeting my friend Diana,

0:09:02 > 0:09:05a fellow mycologist who has a top secret tip-off

0:09:05 > 0:09:10about a delicious mushroom that appears briefly, only once a year.

0:09:10 > 0:09:14Diana, so tell me, what are we going to collect?

0:09:14 > 0:09:19Right, we're going to hopefully collect some St George mushrooms

0:09:19 > 0:09:23today. They're on a field that belongs to

0:09:23 > 0:09:26a friend of mine, in a secret location.

0:09:29 > 0:09:33Foraging for mushrooms requires a huge amount of knowledge.

0:09:33 > 0:09:34Not every mushroom is safe to eat.

0:09:35 > 0:09:39You should never go foraging without a trained specialist who

0:09:39 > 0:09:41really knows their mushrooms.

0:09:41 > 0:09:44St George's mushroom, here we come.

0:09:50 > 0:09:53There was a big circle there and a big one there,

0:09:53 > 0:09:55but I don't think they're there anymore.

0:09:58 > 0:10:03The St George's mushroom only appears around St George's Day.

0:10:03 > 0:10:08They taste heavenly sauteed in butter and are a prized delicacy. If you can find them.

0:10:10 > 0:10:11Ah.

0:10:11 > 0:10:12Oh, Antonio.

0:10:12 > 0:10:13Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

0:10:13 > 0:10:15- Yes.- They are here.

0:10:15 > 0:10:17Oh wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow.

0:10:17 > 0:10:21Finally. Ecco qua. One, two, three look at this.

0:10:21 > 0:10:22- Antonio.- Oh!

0:10:22 > 0:10:24SHE LAUGHS

0:10:24 > 0:10:27That's fantastic. Oh, look at the beauty.

0:10:27 > 0:10:32So, practically the colour of the gills, of the stem and of the

0:10:32 > 0:10:36head, they're all the same and they're growing here in circle.

0:10:36 > 0:10:39Oh, wow. I am happy.

0:10:39 > 0:10:42That's wonderful. This is perfection.

0:10:42 > 0:10:43Absolutely.

0:10:44 > 0:10:49For me, taking a wild mushroom straight from field to plate is the only way.

0:10:49 > 0:10:51Yes, perfect.

0:10:51 > 0:10:55But the closest most of you get to foraging is searching out a

0:10:55 > 0:10:58box of white mushrooms in your local supermarket.

0:10:58 > 0:11:03But can you buy British mushrooms in the supermarket as fresh

0:11:03 > 0:11:04as the ones I just picked?

0:11:04 > 0:11:07I come to Stockbridge to investigate.

0:11:11 > 0:11:13Welcome to Leckford Estate.

0:11:13 > 0:11:15Hello, I'm Antonio Carluccio. And you?

0:11:15 > 0:11:16Lovely to meet you. Andy Lazenby.

0:11:16 > 0:11:18Andy. Andy Lazenby.

0:11:18 > 0:11:21Please. Let me show you how we grow our wonderful mushrooms.

0:11:21 > 0:11:22Fantastic.

0:11:23 > 0:11:27Leckford Farm is a 4,000-acre estate owned by Waitrose

0:11:27 > 0:11:31and supplies fresh produce to its stores.

0:11:31 > 0:11:36Including 80,000 punnets of mushrooms every week.

0:11:36 > 0:11:38We have 16 growing rooms

0:11:38 > 0:11:40and we rotate the growing through the rooms.

0:11:40 > 0:11:45That allows us to provide mushrooms to the British public 365 days of the year.

0:11:45 > 0:11:47Every single chestnut mushroom we sell in our store...

0:11:47 > 0:11:49- In your store.- In our stores,

0:11:49 > 0:11:52is British 100% of the time.

0:11:52 > 0:11:53Can you show me how you do it?

0:11:53 > 0:11:54It would be my pleasure.

0:11:54 > 0:11:58Two thirds of our mushrooms are imported, so it's great to

0:11:58 > 0:12:03meet a supermarket intent on getting British mushrooms on our shelves.

0:12:03 > 0:12:07But I am convinced that the best mushrooms only grow out in the wild.

0:12:14 > 0:12:15Wow, wow, wow.

0:12:15 > 0:12:16So, in here, Antonio.

0:12:16 > 0:12:20- Yes.- We're trying to recreate the woodland litter.

0:12:20 > 0:12:21So you've got two layers.

0:12:21 > 0:12:24The bottom layer is the peaty layer that has built up over years

0:12:24 > 0:12:27and years and on top of that we put a layer of compost which

0:12:27 > 0:12:31is the equivalent to last year's leaf fall and the leaf litter.

0:12:31 > 0:12:33So you imitate nature?

0:12:33 > 0:12:35We imitate nature. We put it in here.

0:12:35 > 0:12:38We inject that with the mushroom spores, they grow

0:12:38 > 0:12:43through in the mycelium and up come the little baby mushrooms.

0:12:43 > 0:12:44This stage is called pinning and that's

0:12:44 > 0:12:48when the little tiny pin heads come up. And from this point on,

0:12:48 > 0:12:54we are less than ten days away from delivering big, beefy mushrooms.

0:12:54 > 0:12:56I must say that you succeed very well,

0:12:56 > 0:12:58because I've never seen something like that in the woods.

0:12:58 > 0:13:00One here. One there.

0:13:02 > 0:13:07The spores take 10 days to grow into large brown chestnut mushrooms.

0:13:10 > 0:13:12Mmm.

0:13:12 > 0:13:13Mmm.

0:13:15 > 0:13:18So, Antonio, here we are at the other end of the farm.

0:13:18 > 0:13:2310 or 11 days further on and the beds are full of lovely, big, juicy portobellos.

0:13:24 > 0:13:26Do you know that I am very,

0:13:26 > 0:13:30very upset to know only one word for admiration and it is - wow!

0:13:30 > 0:13:32Here is triple wow.

0:13:32 > 0:13:34Well, thank you very much indeed.

0:13:34 > 0:13:39That's unbelievable. I'm feeling like Alice in Wonderland.

0:13:39 > 0:13:42Leckford pick their chestnut mushrooms at different

0:13:42 > 0:13:44stages of growth.

0:13:44 > 0:13:46Tell me again the three stages of the mushroom that you've got,

0:13:46 > 0:13:49because here, three mushroom in one?

0:13:49 > 0:13:52OK, the first stage is that when the mushrooms are quite small

0:13:52 > 0:13:54and quite closed, we come through and we pick these little

0:13:54 > 0:13:58guys off and they're the cup mushroom, the chestnut cup mushroom.

0:13:58 > 0:14:00- And when we've harvested them. - Yes.

0:14:00 > 0:14:04- That leaves a bit more room for the mushrooms to start to open out. - Yes.

0:14:04 > 0:14:09And then we get to this size of mushroom which is a portobellini.

0:14:09 > 0:14:10Portobellini.

0:14:10 > 0:14:14And eventually, we get the king of the mushrooms.

0:14:14 > 0:14:16The big, beautiful, portobello.

0:14:16 > 0:14:20Chestnuts, portobellino and portobello.

0:14:20 > 0:14:26I am impressed, but a good mushroom has to be more than just British.

0:14:26 > 0:14:29It has to be fresh, with a firm texture.

0:14:29 > 0:14:32Qualities you find when you pick mushrooms in the wild.

0:14:33 > 0:14:34Ah, solid.

0:14:34 > 0:14:37- Beautiful, white, fleshy. - Oh, wow.

0:14:37 > 0:14:38Delicious mushrooms.

0:14:42 > 0:14:45This is unbelievable.

0:14:45 > 0:14:48This is really inspiring,

0:14:48 > 0:14:52but I know the top-selling mushroom in Britain is the white variety.

0:14:52 > 0:14:56So, why aren't you buying more home-grown mushrooms like these?

0:14:56 > 0:14:59Consumers and customers are increasingly busy

0:14:59 > 0:15:01and they're time-pressured and it's really easy for them

0:15:01 > 0:15:05to visit the store and just take the first punnet of what they know.

0:15:05 > 0:15:07What they bought last week and the week before.

0:15:07 > 0:15:09So, it's time to convince them about something else?

0:15:09 > 0:15:12It's time to convince them to buy more

0:15:12 > 0:15:14and to use them in more innovative ways.

0:15:14 > 0:15:18Don't just stick to one type of mushroom, be adventurous

0:15:18 > 0:15:19and experiment.

0:15:20 > 0:15:23There are other great British mushrooms out there, good

0:15:23 > 0:15:26enough to win over an old forager like myself.

0:15:26 > 0:15:30When I came here, I was a bit sceptical, as you would do.

0:15:30 > 0:15:36I still believe that, for me, my wild mushrooms, they are the best.

0:15:36 > 0:15:41But here taking it from the plant,

0:15:41 > 0:15:44put in a plate, cut freshly,

0:15:44 > 0:15:46it is fantastic.

0:15:48 > 0:15:50Chestnut mushrooms are delicious, but the only way

0:15:50 > 0:15:55we will encourage more British growers is by going out and buying them.

0:15:57 > 0:16:03So, I've got another mouth-watering mushroom recipe to inspire you.

0:16:03 > 0:16:04It is fantastic.

0:16:06 > 0:16:11For my next recipe, I am using the mushroom that come from the

0:16:11 > 0:16:17Leckford Farm for doing a fantastic dish called the purse of mushrooms.

0:16:20 > 0:16:26For this recipe I use the chestnut mushroom and it's called chestnut not

0:16:26 > 0:16:30because of the smell or the taste of chestnut, but because of the colour.

0:16:30 > 0:16:34I would suggest you never peel them because most of the people,

0:16:34 > 0:16:38I don't know why, they have been brought up to peel mushrooms.

0:16:38 > 0:16:41In peeling mushrooms you take away the goodies.

0:16:42 > 0:16:44This dish, it's easy

0:16:44 > 0:16:48and no excuses as the mushrooms are available in your supermarket.

0:16:49 > 0:16:53To begin, I chop them in half and lightly saute with

0:16:53 > 0:16:56some olive oil and garlic.

0:16:56 > 0:17:04So, I put garlic with these mushrooms here because it is quite, um,

0:17:04 > 0:17:11complementary and I put it in now and also a little bit of chilli.

0:17:11 > 0:17:15I like chilli. A little sea salt.

0:17:15 > 0:17:17A handful of chopped parsley

0:17:17 > 0:17:20and already my simple mushroom feast is coming to life.

0:17:23 > 0:17:24It's fantastic.

0:17:24 > 0:17:28You could use it also as a side dish to a wonderful steak.

0:17:28 > 0:17:30They are cooked.

0:17:32 > 0:17:35Ah, the smell that comes from them.

0:17:36 > 0:17:41It's just wonderful. Which leaves enough time for a little story.

0:17:41 > 0:17:46Do you know the story of the lady who was in court

0:17:46 > 0:17:52because she smashed the head of her husband with a hammer and the

0:17:52 > 0:17:56judge, looking at the lady said, "But tell me here out of your file,

0:17:56 > 0:17:59"I can see that you were married four times before

0:17:59 > 0:18:04"and all the previous husbands all died of mushroom poisoning,

0:18:04 > 0:18:08"so what happened? Why did you have to smash the head of your fifth one?"

0:18:08 > 0:18:13"Your honour, the fifth one didn't want to eat the mushrooms."

0:18:13 > 0:18:16They don't call me a fun guy for nothing.

0:18:18 > 0:18:22Now, I take some filo pastry, brush with melted butter

0:18:22 > 0:18:23and add my mushrooms.

0:18:23 > 0:18:25Ah, the smell.

0:18:25 > 0:18:29Then gather the four corners to make the purse before popping them

0:18:29 > 0:18:32in the oven to crisp the pastry.

0:18:32 > 0:18:38And after 15 minutes, wonder of nature. Look at this.

0:18:38 > 0:18:41Oh, that's fantastic. Don't tell me you can't do that.

0:18:43 > 0:18:46So, I give you my purse of mushrooms.

0:18:46 > 0:18:51A quick, tasty supper, rich in flavour but easy on your wallet.

0:18:57 > 0:19:01Go to the supermarket, buy whatever you like and do it!

0:19:01 > 0:19:04It's just wonderful. Delicious.

0:19:10 > 0:19:14I need to open your eyes to a whole new world of mushrooms.

0:19:14 > 0:19:18It's out there, but you're ignoring it.

0:19:19 > 0:19:23These heavenly tasting varieties grow in unexpected places around

0:19:23 > 0:19:29Britain and you don't have to root around in the forest to find them.

0:19:30 > 0:19:33I am in Wiltshire and after I've said goodbye to my little

0:19:33 > 0:19:34friend here,

0:19:34 > 0:19:37I'm going to see somebody that makes mushroom.

0:19:37 > 0:19:43God in person, because he cultivates the most wonderful

0:19:43 > 0:19:46example of shiitake and oyster mushrooms.

0:19:46 > 0:19:49I have come to Marlborough to meet Dewi Williams.

0:19:49 > 0:19:55One of a handful of small-scale British growers cultivating

0:19:55 > 0:19:57speciality mushrooms.

0:19:57 > 0:19:59So, I heard you're an entrepreneur here?

0:19:59 > 0:20:02Well, we started about two years ago growing exotic mushrooms.

0:20:02 > 0:20:06- Shiitake and oyster mushrooms particularly.- That's wonderful. - Yeah. So...- In small...?

0:20:06 > 0:20:10It's a small-scale set-up. It's only about 60 kilos capacity.

0:20:10 > 0:20:13- Fantastic.- Would you like to have a look?- Very much.

0:20:13 > 0:20:17Oyster and shiitake mushrooms originate from East Asia,

0:20:17 > 0:20:21where they are considered a delicacy and are also believed to help

0:20:21 > 0:20:24boost the immune system and lower cholesterol.

0:20:26 > 0:20:32Wow, my goodness gracious me. Look at these.

0:20:33 > 0:20:39Fantastic. Oh, the little one. It's a spectacle.

0:20:39 > 0:20:40They're spectacular, aren't they?

0:20:40 > 0:20:43Dewi grows mushrooms from wood chip blocks impregnated with

0:20:43 > 0:20:49mushroom spawn, which fruit in a warm temperature controlled room.

0:20:49 > 0:20:52You have shiitake, which we moved in yesterday from the incubation

0:20:52 > 0:20:57room, which are here. And we've got golden oysters, which you can see growing beautifully here.

0:20:57 > 0:20:58Magnificent.

0:20:58 > 0:21:00A fantastic colour. Here, have a taste.

0:21:00 > 0:21:02It can be eaten raw? That's fine?

0:21:02 > 0:21:05Absolutely, these can without any problem.

0:21:05 > 0:21:08Mmm. It really tastes of wood.

0:21:08 > 0:21:12Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. And it looks spectacular, doesn't it?

0:21:14 > 0:21:17Oyster and shiitake mushrooms are delicious

0:21:17 > 0:21:21and you can find British ones in supermarkets and online.

0:21:22 > 0:21:29But, speciality mushrooms only account for 1% of sales in the UK.

0:21:29 > 0:21:32Shiitake mushrooms, for instance, they suffer for the name

0:21:32 > 0:21:35because lots of people think that it's just for Asian cooking.

0:21:35 > 0:21:39They're fantastic with venison. They're fantastic with pork.

0:21:39 > 0:21:40May I again?

0:21:40 > 0:21:42Of course you can. Absolutely.

0:21:42 > 0:21:43They are so good.

0:21:44 > 0:21:45Look at this. Look at this.

0:21:47 > 0:21:52They smell and they taste... wonderful.

0:21:52 > 0:21:57My heart breaks to think you Brits are not embracing these

0:21:57 > 0:21:59delicious home-grown varieties.

0:21:59 > 0:22:02I really want you to eat more unusual mushrooms,

0:22:02 > 0:22:07so I'm going to meet another supplier who might be able to help.

0:22:07 > 0:22:08Hello. Are you Sue?

0:22:08 > 0:22:10- Ah. Good morning, sir. I am indeed. - Hello.

0:22:10 > 0:22:12- Antonio Carluccio. - Lovely to see you.

0:22:12 > 0:22:15Sue Whiting has over 10 years experience growing

0:22:15 > 0:22:19and importing speciality mushrooms.

0:22:19 > 0:22:23Everything from shiitake and oyster to more exotic varieties.

0:22:23 > 0:22:25That's a fantastic display here.

0:22:25 > 0:22:26That's...

0:22:26 > 0:22:27Wow.

0:22:27 > 0:22:30That's, um, a good variety. These are all cultivated types of mushrooms.

0:22:30 > 0:22:32Which one are cultivated here?

0:22:32 > 0:22:33Obviously nameko.

0:22:33 > 0:22:38These are the eryngii and the white shimeji, as well.

0:22:38 > 0:22:40And those there?

0:22:40 > 0:22:43These we import from growers.

0:22:43 > 0:22:46We can't grow everything here, but we import them

0:22:46 > 0:22:48from very good growers in Europe.

0:22:48 > 0:22:50Why do you import them?

0:22:50 > 0:22:55Well, we import them because at the moment there are not enough

0:22:55 > 0:22:59growers in the UK, but also the demand for speciality

0:22:59 > 0:23:02mushrooms is quite low in this country at the moment.

0:23:02 > 0:23:05Aha. That's my special point.

0:23:05 > 0:23:07The imported mushrooms can easily be grown here,

0:23:07 > 0:23:11but Sue thinks British shoppers are put off by them.

0:23:11 > 0:23:15In the UK, it's not in our culture as much to grow,

0:23:15 > 0:23:19to eat wild mushrooms as it has been in say Italy, Poland, France.

0:23:19 > 0:23:22People have grown up with a culture of picking them.

0:23:22 > 0:23:23They know what to do with them.

0:23:23 > 0:23:26In the UK, it's very unknown.

0:23:26 > 0:23:29- So, we need more adventurous people. - We need adventurous people.

0:23:29 > 0:23:31They recognise that perhaps with a mushroom like this

0:23:31 > 0:23:33they could have a better life.

0:23:33 > 0:23:37Our task is that we want to prepare the people of all of Britain

0:23:37 > 0:23:40to say "Look, if you look well in the shops and so on,

0:23:40 > 0:23:44- "you may find those, use them and you will see them more often." - Yes.

0:23:44 > 0:23:48And if you don't see them in the shops, ask the shops to get them.

0:23:48 > 0:23:49Ask. Be adventurous.

0:23:49 > 0:23:50Because they are here.

0:23:52 > 0:23:54So, don't tell me that I am biased.

0:23:54 > 0:23:58I am biased 300% because out of what I have seen there

0:23:58 > 0:24:00I think there is a problem.

0:24:00 > 0:24:03The problem is that you don't buy enough mushrooms.

0:24:03 > 0:24:08We have got to overcome our fear of eating the unfamiliar,

0:24:08 > 0:24:11and keep British growers, like these, in business.

0:24:13 > 0:24:15And I have the perfect recipe to entice

0:24:15 > 0:24:19you into the world of speciality mushrooms.

0:24:19 > 0:24:23They'll prove how simple and delicious they are to cook with.

0:24:23 > 0:24:26My trio of mushroom antipasto.

0:24:28 > 0:24:31Now, the first of the dishes that I wanted to show is

0:24:31 > 0:24:37the crostini. In the sort of department of antipasti,

0:24:37 > 0:24:40there are various sort of preparations for mushroom

0:24:40 > 0:24:42which are delightful to eat before the meal.

0:24:42 > 0:24:45Antipasto means before the meal.

0:24:45 > 0:24:48Not the antipasta, before the pasta, as many people believe.

0:24:48 > 0:24:49Antipasto.

0:24:49 > 0:24:54All the mushrooms I'm using here are grown in Britain

0:24:54 > 0:24:57and sold in selected supermarkets.

0:24:57 > 0:25:02This mushroom crostini showcases their wonderful flavours.

0:25:02 > 0:25:07For this dish, I put a few shiitake mushroom, which I have to cut

0:25:07 > 0:25:09a little bit of the leg because the leg is a bit tough sometimes.

0:25:10 > 0:25:17So, then we take one of the...chestnut one.

0:25:19 > 0:25:24This is the gold or yellow oyster. Also very good.

0:25:24 > 0:25:27We take also some few of the shimeji.

0:25:28 > 0:25:33We cut away a little bit of the stem, and then like this.

0:25:33 > 0:25:35There's no secret to using speciality mushrooms.

0:25:36 > 0:25:39Treat them not differently to button or chestnut

0:25:39 > 0:25:41mushroom, and experiment.

0:25:41 > 0:25:45Shiitake are fantastic for flavouring broth and pasta dishes.

0:25:46 > 0:25:50Shimeji add a wonderful flavour to stews and sauces.

0:25:51 > 0:25:54Oyster varieties are extremely delicate,

0:25:54 > 0:25:56so perfect in a stir fry or salad.

0:25:56 > 0:26:01They also work perfectly sauteed together with chilli,

0:26:01 > 0:26:04garlic and herbs and served on freshly toasted bread rubbed

0:26:04 > 0:26:06with olive oil and garlic.

0:26:06 > 0:26:10We put them on the crostino.

0:26:11 > 0:26:16And this is a crostino of mushrooms and this

0:26:16 > 0:26:21is the first of the dishes which is really utter delicious.

0:26:21 > 0:26:24This is fantastic as a light snack,

0:26:24 > 0:26:28but it also works perfectly accompanied by my next dish,

0:26:28 > 0:26:30deep fried mushrooms.

0:26:31 > 0:26:36Simply take an assortment of sliced mushrooms, cover in flour,

0:26:36 > 0:26:39egg and breadcrumbs and shallow fry in oil.

0:26:39 > 0:26:43A few at a time you put them in. That's fantastic.

0:26:43 > 0:26:47They will cook very, very quickly. Lovely, look at this.

0:26:49 > 0:26:55So, we turn it now and look how wonderful, brown and nice and it's cooked.

0:26:55 > 0:26:58They cook so easily.

0:26:58 > 0:27:03With the crunchy breadcrumb coating, they are irresistible.

0:27:04 > 0:27:09Yes, there. There is a mixture of mushrooms that's really superior.

0:27:09 > 0:27:12That's unbelievable.

0:27:13 > 0:27:15Ah, I'd like to eat them straight away.

0:27:17 > 0:27:22Hm. That's fantastic.

0:27:22 > 0:27:26To complete my trio of delights, I serve some wonderful British

0:27:26 > 0:27:28mushrooms I have cooked in vinegar and water

0:27:28 > 0:27:31and then preserved in olive oil.

0:27:31 > 0:27:32Deliziosi.

0:27:32 > 0:27:35This is the chestnut.

0:27:35 > 0:27:37We have here the hon-shimeji.

0:27:37 > 0:27:43We have the shiitake. My trio of mushroom antipasto. A quick feast.

0:27:43 > 0:27:49Now, do as we Italians do, and share them with your family and friends.

0:27:57 > 0:28:00I am coming to the end of my revival journey,

0:28:00 > 0:28:03but I've got one final stop, in London.

0:28:05 > 0:28:09Stay with me. Now, we're going to find out what the future

0:28:09 > 0:28:11holds for the mushroom.

0:28:11 > 0:28:14I wouldn't expect to find mushrooms growing in the city,

0:28:14 > 0:28:17but Adam Sayner wants to prove me wrong.

0:28:17 > 0:28:21Wow, what is all this? My goodness.

0:28:22 > 0:28:25- What is that? - These are mushrooms that we grow

0:28:25 > 0:28:28and it's all grown on waste coffee grounds, like this.

0:28:28 > 0:28:33Wow. Let me see. Let me see. That's interesting.

0:28:33 > 0:28:39Adam reckons that we throw away at least 1500 tonnes of coffee grounds

0:28:39 > 0:28:43every month, but he's developed a pioneering use for it.

0:28:43 > 0:28:44Look at this.

0:28:44 > 0:28:46- Yeah, all of that.- All of it?

0:28:46 > 0:28:48All of that, yep. OK.

0:28:48 > 0:28:50After you now.

0:28:50 > 0:28:52Thank you.

0:28:52 > 0:28:55Adam collects the grounds from cafes

0:28:55 > 0:28:57and mixes it with mushroom spawn.

0:28:59 > 0:29:04So, how long does it take until the first fruit appears?

0:29:04 > 0:29:08So it will take now three weeks for the spawn to grow across the whole

0:29:08 > 0:29:12coffee and then it is ready for, to go into the grow kit

0:29:12 > 0:29:15and to be opened up and then it will just take two weeks from

0:29:15 > 0:29:18when you open the grow kit to the first harvest.

0:29:18 > 0:29:20- Interesting. - So, it's very quick.

0:29:21 > 0:29:26Adam then sells it online, as a ready-made kit for growing at home.

0:29:27 > 0:29:31I have to shake my head because it's incredible that somebody

0:29:31 > 0:29:36comes up with an idea like this and you learnt it all by yourself?

0:29:36 > 0:29:39Yeah, through a mixture of trial and error

0:29:39 > 0:29:41and from reading books and on the internet.

0:29:41 > 0:29:44So you must be very passionate about mushrooms.

0:29:44 > 0:29:45I am, yeah.

0:29:45 > 0:29:48It started as an interest just in foraging, quite like you

0:29:48 > 0:29:51and then I began to think "I want to grow

0:29:51 > 0:29:54- "stuff for the rest of the year, not just in the autumn."- Very good idea.

0:29:54 > 0:29:58Do you know, in the fungi world I was expecting anything, but not this.

0:29:58 > 0:30:03This really is a novelty and it makes sense and I wish him,

0:30:03 > 0:30:06the guy here, a lot of success.

0:30:06 > 0:30:11Adam and all the British mushroom growers deserve our support,

0:30:11 > 0:30:15so now it's down to you.

0:30:15 > 0:30:19Now we have a variety of mushroom here that is fantastic.

0:30:19 > 0:30:23I call them the jewel of nature. Go to the supermarket.

0:30:23 > 0:30:27Buy them. Preserve them. Cook them. Fry them.

0:30:27 > 0:30:31Stew them and you will see which delightful dish you can produce.

0:30:31 > 0:30:33Mushrooms. Mushrooms. Mushrooms.

0:30:36 > 0:30:40Stay with us as we launch a revival campaign for yet another

0:30:40 > 0:30:43classic British product.

0:30:50 > 0:30:55I'm Matt Tebbutt and I pride myself on my robust approach to life and food.

0:30:55 > 0:30:58But this time even I could have met my match.

0:30:58 > 0:31:01I'm celebrating a food that some may say is the culinary

0:31:01 > 0:31:04equivalent of climbing Everest and its very name can strike

0:31:04 > 0:31:07terror into the hearts of the average shopper.

0:31:07 > 0:31:10It's sometimes known as the quinto quarto or the fifth quarter

0:31:10 > 0:31:13and in America it's known as variety meats

0:31:13 > 0:31:15and here in Britain we call it offal.

0:31:16 > 0:31:19In my campaign, to revive great British offal, I'll be bravely

0:31:19 > 0:31:21going where few dare.

0:31:21 > 0:31:23That is tripe.

0:31:23 > 0:31:26I'm covering an underground offal club willing to try anything.

0:31:26 > 0:31:29- And this is what we're eating tonight, is it?- Lambs' testicles.

0:31:29 > 0:31:32Right. Nice. In their purest form.

0:31:32 > 0:31:33They need, er, they need peeling.

0:31:33 > 0:31:35HE LAUGHS

0:31:35 > 0:31:37And in the revival kitchen I'll be showing you how to turn these

0:31:37 > 0:31:41cheap and delicious cuts into family favourites.

0:31:41 > 0:31:43It's fast. It's nutritious and it's delicious.

0:31:43 > 0:31:44What more do you want?

0:31:50 > 0:31:52I grew up eating all this. All the good stuff. The hearts.

0:31:52 > 0:31:54The livers. The kidneys.

0:31:54 > 0:31:55But I think we've forgotten about offal

0:31:55 > 0:31:58and I think we've forgotten how to cook it.

0:31:59 > 0:32:02Offal is all the off cuts, from brains to trotters, but we've become

0:32:02 > 0:32:07squeamish about what we eat and offal is going to waste as a result.

0:32:07 > 0:32:09Incinerated, exported or used in pet food

0:32:09 > 0:32:13and if we don't act now it could vanish completely.

0:32:13 > 0:32:15My motto is embrace the waste.

0:32:15 > 0:32:17Let's get offal back on the menu.

0:32:17 > 0:32:18Come on, Britain, I need your help.

0:32:20 > 0:32:23Here in South Yorkshire, they used to eat literally

0:32:23 > 0:32:26everything from black pudding and blood sausage,

0:32:26 > 0:32:30one of my favourite types of offal, to the cow's stomach lining, or tripe,

0:32:30 > 0:32:32my least favourite cut.

0:32:32 > 0:32:36Now, up to a few years ago offal was a mainstay of the working class diet.

0:32:36 > 0:32:38It was quick, it was cheap and it was easy.

0:32:38 > 0:32:41Now I've come to Barnsley market to visit one of the last

0:32:41 > 0:32:44bastions of old-school offal and to find out what he's got.

0:32:44 > 0:32:46Steve Short has been in the offal business

0:32:46 > 0:32:52since 1980 and has seen sales decrease massively in recent years.

0:32:52 > 0:32:54This is quite a sight. You don't see this very often.

0:32:54 > 0:32:57No, it's a thing of the past. Unfortunately, yes.

0:32:57 > 0:33:00How many people like you are there? Still doing this.

0:33:00 > 0:33:03- There's three of us in the country. That's it.- Just three?

0:33:03 > 0:33:05Yes. 30 years ago there was between 30 and 40.

0:33:05 > 0:33:09Really? It's a real shame to me to see that, you know, this whole industry

0:33:09 > 0:33:11is shrinking so fast, so quickly.

0:33:11 > 0:33:13The selection is pretty vast

0:33:13 > 0:33:15and there's stuff here that I've never heard of.

0:33:15 > 0:33:18I mean, pig bag, I'm presuming, is the stomach.

0:33:18 > 0:33:20OK, and what about reed?

0:33:20 > 0:33:22It's another part of the tripe.

0:33:22 > 0:33:25A cow has three stomachs and that's number two.

0:33:25 > 0:33:27Right. And what about wesson? What's that?

0:33:27 > 0:33:33That's the tube which the grass passes down from the mouth to the stomach.

0:33:33 > 0:33:35- Really? Do you eat all this? - Yes.

0:33:35 > 0:33:36OK, do you love it all?

0:33:36 > 0:33:38Join me in a sample.

0:33:38 > 0:33:39HE LAUGHS

0:33:39 > 0:33:42That's so sweet. I love my liver, heart and kidneys

0:33:42 > 0:33:43but I think you need to see the more, well,

0:33:43 > 0:33:48the more extreme end of the scale so you can work out where you stand.

0:33:48 > 0:33:50Are you ready?

0:33:50 > 0:33:52First up, wesson. How do you cook this?

0:33:52 > 0:33:54Just boil it up?

0:33:54 > 0:33:56- Boil it. - For a long time?

0:33:56 > 0:33:57Three to four hours, yeah.

0:34:03 > 0:34:05Texturally, it's lovely.

0:34:05 > 0:34:07It's got quite an aroma to it.

0:34:07 > 0:34:10It's very bland. You'd be better off with salt on it.

0:34:10 > 0:34:13Yeah. Next its pigs' intestines.

0:34:17 > 0:34:19It's, ah, I'll tell you what it is.

0:34:19 > 0:34:20It's knowing what it is.

0:34:20 > 0:34:24Hm, that's a lot of problem with a lot of people.

0:34:24 > 0:34:26- There is one you haven't tried. - Oh, really?

0:34:26 > 0:34:27Yes, the reed.

0:34:27 > 0:34:29No, we didn't have reed. Shall we try the reed?

0:34:29 > 0:34:31The cow's second stomach.

0:34:31 > 0:34:34- I take this as it is. - Do you?

0:34:35 > 0:34:37- It has a flavour of its own. - Me too.

0:34:43 > 0:34:47There's a smell that just fills your mouth as soon as you bite into it.

0:34:47 > 0:34:50It's just like the, um, wesson.

0:34:50 > 0:34:51Is it?

0:34:51 > 0:34:54Yeah. I don't know what to do with it now.

0:34:54 > 0:34:55Thank you, very much.

0:34:55 > 0:34:57You're more than welcome.

0:34:57 > 0:34:59- I'm just going to leave it here for a while.- Nice to meet you.

0:34:59 > 0:35:01Cheers.

0:35:03 > 0:35:05Now, there's an experience I won't be forgetting in a while.

0:35:05 > 0:35:09Even I had no idea there were so many outrageous cuts available.

0:35:09 > 0:35:11So, is there a future for these delicacies?

0:35:11 > 0:35:16I've stocked up on a few treats from Steve's stall to find out.

0:35:17 > 0:35:19No? I can't give it away.

0:35:19 > 0:35:22Can I ask you if you'd be interested in trying any of this?

0:35:22 > 0:35:23That looks like tripe.

0:35:23 > 0:35:26That is tripe. Have you ever tried it?

0:35:26 > 0:35:28Are you familiar with haslet?

0:35:28 > 0:35:30- No.- Just eat it. Go on. Do it.

0:35:32 > 0:35:35Come on. It's not that bad, is it?

0:35:35 > 0:35:37HE LAUGHS

0:35:37 > 0:35:40Do you want a bit of vinegar on it?

0:35:40 > 0:35:42- It's gone. - It's gone? Right, how was that?

0:35:42 > 0:35:44It weren't that bad actually.

0:35:44 > 0:35:47Exactly. Success, at last.

0:35:47 > 0:35:49But my last taster was definitely in the minority.

0:35:49 > 0:35:52Most of the people I approached wouldn't even try it.

0:35:52 > 0:35:56So, what's clear to me is that even in this offal stronghold, tastes

0:35:56 > 0:35:59have changed and people aren't embracing it like they used to.

0:35:59 > 0:36:00But you know what?

0:36:00 > 0:36:03I believe in this and I want those tastes to change again

0:36:03 > 0:36:06and there's so much more to offal than just this.

0:36:07 > 0:36:11And you don't have to start at the extreme end of the scale.

0:36:11 > 0:36:14For this recipe I'm going to be doing a real kind of offal

0:36:14 > 0:36:18classic and it's one to maybe dip your toe in the water of offal-eating

0:36:18 > 0:36:21and it's using one of the most popular cuts.

0:36:21 > 0:36:24I'm going to be doing a steak and kidney pudding.

0:36:29 > 0:36:32The kidneys that I first experienced were in school, where

0:36:32 > 0:36:34they were overcooked and they were very grey and chewy

0:36:34 > 0:36:37and almost inedible and disgusting

0:36:37 > 0:36:40and I think that's what a lot of people's kind of memories are.

0:36:40 > 0:36:42But this, and in this recipe, it's going to be totally delicious

0:36:42 > 0:36:45because it's being cooked for such a long time.

0:36:45 > 0:36:47I'm using beef kidneys in my pudding

0:36:47 > 0:36:49and ox cheeks instead of regular steak.

0:36:49 > 0:36:51Get them from your local butcher.

0:36:51 > 0:36:54The colour and the texture of a kidney... And that's really important.

0:36:54 > 0:36:58It shouldn't be sticky. It shouldn't have any smell either.

0:36:58 > 0:37:00It should be a very sort of fresh taste.

0:37:00 > 0:37:05Kidney and offal in general has got a sort of a two or three-day shelf life.

0:37:05 > 0:37:07It's very important that you get it fresh.

0:37:07 > 0:37:11This is the ox cheek. Now this is a real classic recipe.

0:37:11 > 0:37:15It's based on a Mrs Beeton recipe and it's one of those that

0:37:15 > 0:37:18I don't think you should mess around with.

0:37:18 > 0:37:20It doesn't need it, you know?

0:37:20 > 0:37:22If you get good beef and you get good kidneys,

0:37:22 > 0:37:25you've got all the flavours you need.

0:37:25 > 0:37:28And I'm sticking with a traditional suet crust, too.

0:37:30 > 0:37:34Suet pastry has kind of fallen out of, out of fashion, as it were, but

0:37:34 > 0:37:40very, very easy, totally delicious and it's kind of a meal on its own.

0:37:40 > 0:37:43You don't need loads of potatoes and what-have-you because the

0:37:43 > 0:37:48pastry, as it were, is just so rich and it soaks up all those juices.

0:37:50 > 0:37:53Wrap it and then give it about an hour in the fridge.

0:37:55 > 0:37:56Brown the meat.

0:37:58 > 0:38:01Now, once it's in the pan you want to leave it alone

0:38:01 > 0:38:02and don't be playing with it too much

0:38:02 > 0:38:06because you're going to lift it off the base and it won't brown as well.

0:38:06 > 0:38:11You won't get the caramelly juices, and that's what gives you lots

0:38:11 > 0:38:12and lots of flavouring.

0:38:14 > 0:38:18So we get it out, and that's what I'm talking about, those nice

0:38:18 > 0:38:21kind of golden-looking bits and pieces on the bottom of the pan

0:38:21 > 0:38:26and before you lose those, just get a little bit of water in there.

0:38:27 > 0:38:32Swirl it around and get that into your finished stew

0:38:32 > 0:38:34and then in with kidneys.

0:38:34 > 0:38:36Drop them in and then leave them alone.

0:38:38 > 0:38:42Now, the reed and the wesson were a real kind of challenge for me

0:38:42 > 0:38:47because in my head, offal meant things like liver, kidneys and delicious oxtail.

0:38:47 > 0:38:48But that was just...

0:38:48 > 0:38:51It was quite hard work and you've got the kind of...

0:38:51 > 0:38:55I remember the smell of it and it's not for everyone.

0:38:55 > 0:38:57Some people love it, but it's not for everyone.

0:38:57 > 0:39:00But this is a very different ball game because this,

0:39:00 > 0:39:05the kidneys are going to give that just delicious flavour and they're

0:39:05 > 0:39:09going to be so soft you're almost not going to notice they're there.

0:39:09 > 0:39:12Then add the celery and onions to the meat

0:39:12 > 0:39:13and some good old British stout.

0:39:14 > 0:39:18So, this recipe is everything you'd want in a meal, I think.

0:39:18 > 0:39:22I mean, it's the perfect kind of, you know, plonk it in the middle of the table. Cut it.

0:39:22 > 0:39:26Everyone goes, "wow" and it's kind of a taste of the past, in a way,

0:39:26 > 0:39:29without sounding too romantic.

0:39:29 > 0:39:31Once the filling is cooled,

0:39:31 > 0:39:34pour it into a pudding bowl lined with the suet pastry and seal it in.

0:39:37 > 0:39:39That's it, done. Right. OK, so now we need a lid.

0:39:41 > 0:39:42Now, the lid I've got,

0:39:42 > 0:39:45you can either use foil and some grease-proof paper or you can buy

0:39:45 > 0:39:47this clever stuff which is all-in-one.

0:39:47 > 0:39:50It's important, because it's going to swell as it cooks.

0:39:50 > 0:39:52It's important you put a crease.

0:39:53 > 0:39:58Then steam it for around four hours or use a pressure cooker like this one

0:39:58 > 0:40:01and leave it to cook for two-and-a-half hours

0:40:01 > 0:40:03before turning out and diving in.

0:40:11 > 0:40:17Beautiful. Beautiful. That looks really good and it smells amazing.

0:40:17 > 0:40:22That suet pastry. Don't be upset. It will start to fall apart.

0:40:24 > 0:40:27And there you have it. My classic steak and kidney pudding.

0:40:32 > 0:40:33Right, so let's try it.

0:40:33 > 0:40:36The smells, the aromas from this are just brilliant.

0:40:41 > 0:40:44It's a real winner. You know, it's a classic for a reason. And you've got to go out,

0:40:44 > 0:40:47you've got to try offal. You've got to get it in recipes like this,

0:40:47 > 0:40:50because you won't be disappointed. I'm telling you.

0:40:58 > 0:41:02Offal, and tripe in particular, which is the cow's stomach lining,

0:41:02 > 0:41:04had its heyday after the war.

0:41:04 > 0:41:06It was the only meat that wasn't rationed

0:41:06 > 0:41:11and soon became the fast food of its day with over 140 tripe shops

0:41:11 > 0:41:14and restaurants run by United Cattle Products on every street corner.

0:41:14 > 0:41:16- Peter, right? - Yes, Matt.

0:41:16 > 0:41:20I've come to the outskirts of Manchester to meet somebody

0:41:20 > 0:41:22who witnessed tripe's decline first hand.

0:41:22 > 0:41:27- 25 years ago we used to deliver to, er, about 130 shops every week.- Wow.

0:41:27 > 0:41:31- We now do about three.- Really? - Really.- And all this area?- All this area. This is the centre of it.

0:41:31 > 0:41:35- This is Manchester and they were the biggest tripe eaters in the world. - Really?- Oh, yeah.

0:41:35 > 0:41:39We've found it's quite generational. There's a lot of older people who will happily eat it

0:41:39 > 0:41:44- but the young kids, not so much at all.- Well, the older people when they couldn't get any other

0:41:44 > 0:41:47source of protein, they had to eat it and it is an acquired taste.

0:41:47 > 0:41:49You try it a few times and you eventually like it.

0:41:49 > 0:41:52- HE LAUGHS - Did you enjoy your first pint of bitter?- No.

0:41:52 > 0:41:54- You've got to work at it.- I'm really good at it now.

0:41:54 > 0:41:55Absolutely, same with tripe.

0:41:55 > 0:41:57HE LAUGHS

0:41:57 > 0:42:00Believe it or not, today there's only one remaining tripe

0:42:00 > 0:42:02shop in the whole of Manchester.

0:42:02 > 0:42:0520 years ago this tiny shop would have sold 100lbs of tripe a day.

0:42:05 > 0:42:09Today it sells just a quarter of the amount it used to.

0:42:09 > 0:42:12So this is it? This is a typical tripe shop?

0:42:12 > 0:42:13This is a typical tripe shop.

0:42:13 > 0:42:15It's quite sort of small and compact.

0:42:15 > 0:42:17It used to just sell just tripe and nothing else.

0:42:17 > 0:42:20That was the original idea. They didn't need a lot of space.

0:42:20 > 0:42:22The window would get filled up every morning

0:42:22 > 0:42:24and the girls would serve the tripe from there.

0:42:24 > 0:42:27From inside, but they would serve from that display.

0:42:27 > 0:42:30- Really? Hi, are you Karen?- I am.

0:42:30 > 0:42:32Karen Baxter's been selling tripe for 23 years

0:42:32 > 0:42:35and knows a thing or two about this local delicacy.

0:42:35 > 0:42:38- So it comes in and it's cooked and it's ready?- It's ready-cooked, yeah.

0:42:38 > 0:42:40What have you got here? What type?

0:42:40 > 0:42:41We've got honeycomb here.

0:42:41 > 0:42:44This is the one with the holes in which is the most popular tripe,

0:42:44 > 0:42:46because it holds the vinegar better.

0:42:48 > 0:42:49Is that right?

0:42:49 > 0:42:53That's why people like it. And this is the jelly tripe.

0:42:53 > 0:42:54The smooth tripe.

0:42:54 > 0:42:57In terms of nutrition, is it quite nutritious?

0:42:57 > 0:43:01- It's got, supposed to have the same protein content as steak.- Really?

0:43:01 > 0:43:04Probably a little bit less than that but provided you... There's very little fat on it.

0:43:04 > 0:43:07So Karen, do you think there's much of a future for tripe

0:43:07 > 0:43:09and for offal in general?

0:43:09 > 0:43:12I think if a lot more people tried it they probably would like it.

0:43:12 > 0:43:15I think it will be residual people who will eat it.

0:43:15 > 0:43:19But it will be a delicacy rather than a food that everybody eats.

0:43:22 > 0:43:25I think it's amazing to think that, in a short space of time,

0:43:25 > 0:43:29you know, just one generation, this huge part of British lifestyle

0:43:29 > 0:43:31and culture has almost gone for ever.

0:43:31 > 0:43:35You know, this whole area. Over 141 UCP shops, you know?

0:43:35 > 0:43:38Tastes and styles and the way people are eating has changed

0:43:38 > 0:43:42and it's going to be lost for ever and I think that's very, very sad.

0:43:43 > 0:43:47Nowadays, we buy over 80% of our weekly shop in supermarkets,

0:43:47 > 0:43:51the majority of which only stock a very limited selection of offal.

0:43:51 > 0:43:54And I think that's one of the reasons why offal has

0:43:54 > 0:43:56fallen off of our shopping lists, because quite simply

0:43:56 > 0:44:00if people like these guys don't stock it, we can't buy it.

0:44:00 > 0:44:02However, things are slowly changing.

0:44:03 > 0:44:06Here at Morrisons they've introduced a radical new

0:44:06 > 0:44:07approach to the whole animal.

0:44:07 > 0:44:11Now that's something you don't see every day in supermarkets.

0:44:11 > 0:44:15Roy Craven has been a master butcher for over 20 years.

0:44:15 > 0:44:19They slaughter 3,000 cattle and 20,000 lambs

0:44:19 > 0:44:21and pigs every week to sell in their stores

0:44:21 > 0:44:25and three years ago, they decided to sell the offal, to avoid waste.

0:44:25 > 0:44:28Something no other supermarket is doing.

0:44:30 > 0:44:34This is the pluck in here. The heart.

0:44:34 > 0:44:37The liver and the kidneys are all left in.

0:44:37 > 0:44:39And this is an enormous part of the animal, isn't it?

0:44:39 > 0:44:43It weighs a lot and it's... I always find it's, you know,

0:44:43 > 0:44:46in weight terms, in money terms, it's an awful amount of waste.

0:44:46 > 0:44:49It's in everybody's interests to utilise as much as you

0:44:49 > 0:44:53possibly can in the best possible way you can.

0:44:53 > 0:44:57To keep all of this fantastic food within the human food chain, really.

0:44:57 > 0:45:00Since changing their policy, offal sales have increased,

0:45:00 > 0:45:02and last year went up by 12%.

0:45:02 > 0:45:05I've brought a few extras. This is the ox heart.

0:45:05 > 0:45:08- Quite a bit bigger than the lamb heart.- Wow.

0:45:08 > 0:45:11This is the pig's head, as everybody would know.

0:45:11 > 0:45:14They even have ox liver. Wow. That's beautiful, isn't it?

0:45:14 > 0:45:16Gorgeous. Gorgeous piece of meat. Full of flavour.

0:45:16 > 0:45:18Full of goodness.

0:45:18 > 0:45:22Yeah. So go on, be brave. Give offal a go. It's cheap,

0:45:22 > 0:45:24it's delicious and it shouldn't end up in the bin.

0:45:27 > 0:45:30It's really good that supermarkets, like Morrisons, are getting

0:45:30 > 0:45:32behind offal and getting it on their shelves

0:45:32 > 0:45:35so that people can get hold of it more readily. And it's such a shame.

0:45:35 > 0:45:37You know, we kill all these animals just for their meat

0:45:37 > 0:45:42so it's an awful waste that we're not using the offal, as well.

0:45:42 > 0:45:44And with that in mind, I've got a very accessible offal dish.

0:45:44 > 0:45:47This is lamb's liver with balsamic sauce.

0:45:53 > 0:45:55That is what your lamb's liver looks like.

0:45:55 > 0:45:58It often comes with a slash in it

0:45:58 > 0:46:01because they have to check these things in the abattoir.

0:46:01 > 0:46:06But it's very, very easy to cook but it's also very easy to mess up.

0:46:06 > 0:46:09So, first things first. It is an organ. It does a job.

0:46:09 > 0:46:13There's lots of tubes in there that you need to kind of work around.

0:46:13 > 0:46:16There's also this membrane, which on a lamb's liver is pretty thin,

0:46:16 > 0:46:19but if you go up the scale and get some calf's liver,

0:46:19 > 0:46:24it gets quite thick and you need to remove that the best way you can.

0:46:24 > 0:46:28Otherwise, what happens is the liver will contort in the pan

0:46:28 > 0:46:31and it makes it a little bit... a little bit rubbery.

0:46:31 > 0:46:33But I'm using lamb's liver

0:46:33 > 0:46:38because it's probably one of the easiest to get hold of.

0:46:38 > 0:46:41When you go to restaurants you often see calf's liver on the menu.

0:46:41 > 0:46:43Calf's liver is very, very good.

0:46:43 > 0:46:46It's almost kind of seen as the king of liver.

0:46:46 > 0:46:49Um, but they've all got their own unique taste.

0:46:49 > 0:46:52They're all creamy, very rich but lamb's liver is a little bit

0:46:52 > 0:46:57cheaper and it's a bit more accessible.

0:46:57 > 0:46:59I'm going to serve the liver simply with crisp bacon,

0:46:59 > 0:47:04soft mushrooms and wilted baby gem lettuce.

0:47:04 > 0:47:05OK, so while they're waiting,

0:47:05 > 0:47:08we're going to throw the mushrooms in, in just a sec.

0:47:08 > 0:47:10Now this liver, it's very, very fast food.

0:47:10 > 0:47:14It's not what you think of when you think of fast food, but it takes two minutes to cook.

0:47:14 > 0:47:16Very, very quick. It's also very good for you.

0:47:16 > 0:47:19It's full of vitamin A. It's packed full of iron and protein.

0:47:19 > 0:47:21It's very high in cholesterol, which is not great,

0:47:21 > 0:47:23but you can't have everything.

0:47:23 > 0:47:25But it's also... It's very cheap and it's very accessible

0:47:25 > 0:47:28and we need to be eating more of it.

0:47:29 > 0:47:31Now, I grew up eating this kind of stuff.

0:47:31 > 0:47:32My mum used to make it.

0:47:32 > 0:47:35My grandmother was a big kind of offal advocate.

0:47:35 > 0:47:39The first time I ever had cuts like this, and kidneys

0:47:39 > 0:47:42and oxtail, was at my grandmother's, and it was all a bit odd

0:47:42 > 0:47:47when you're aged kind of five or six, but it was delicious, you know?

0:47:47 > 0:47:49I think as long as you all sit down together

0:47:49 > 0:47:52and you all kind of buy in to the whole kind of offal experience...

0:47:52 > 0:47:55It's just delicious. It's a delicious piece of meat.

0:47:59 > 0:48:03Now, for the liver. OK, so warm pan.

0:48:03 > 0:48:07Liver into just some seasoned flour.

0:48:11 > 0:48:15Right, so when the butter is looking like that just lay the liver

0:48:15 > 0:48:19slices with just a real fine dusting of flour.

0:48:23 > 0:48:26And this is what makes liver so delicious.

0:48:26 > 0:48:29It's just nice, fast cooking.

0:48:29 > 0:48:31Nice pink liver in the middle, and that's how you want to eat it.

0:48:31 > 0:48:33Nice and creamy. Not sort of shoe leather.

0:48:36 > 0:48:37And that's it.

0:48:37 > 0:48:39Time to plate up. Right.

0:48:45 > 0:48:53A couple of bits of this liver and then a little bit of this sauce.

0:48:54 > 0:48:58So there you go. That's my lamb's liver with balsamic sauce. Beautiful.

0:49:10 > 0:49:13Mmm. Delicious. It's fast,

0:49:13 > 0:49:16it's nutritious and it's delicious. What more do you want?

0:49:23 > 0:49:26It's shocking to think we discard between a third to

0:49:26 > 0:49:30half of every animal we kill just because we won't eat offal.

0:49:30 > 0:49:34It's such a waste, but more people are beginning to think the same way.

0:49:34 > 0:49:36Author and environmentalist

0:49:36 > 0:49:39Tristram Stuart is behind the Feeding The 5,000 campaign

0:49:39 > 0:49:42and is promoting its message at an event here in Bristol.

0:49:43 > 0:49:47The aim of Feeding the 5,000 is, in practical terms, feed 5,000 people

0:49:47 > 0:49:50in one sitting all on food that otherwise would be wasted.

0:49:50 > 0:49:53They're encouraging people to stop wasting food by showing how

0:49:53 > 0:49:58to turn previously disregarded offal into delicious, nutritious meals.

0:49:58 > 0:50:01There's the cured pig's cheek. Essentially, you should just

0:50:01 > 0:50:05be able to use it like pancetta or lardon bacon, basically.

0:50:05 > 0:50:08What we're trying to do here today is say to people look, this

0:50:08 > 0:50:12stuff is relatively easy to cook and very often it's a lot cheaper.

0:50:12 > 0:50:16So, this is one of those rare occasions where the

0:50:16 > 0:50:17environmentally friendly

0:50:17 > 0:50:21and socially responsible thing to do is also the cheaper thing to do.

0:50:21 > 0:50:24And it's not just campaigns like this one that are encouraging us

0:50:24 > 0:50:26to eat more offal.

0:50:28 > 0:50:30Top-end restaurants, up and down the country, are already dishing up

0:50:30 > 0:50:34unusual cuts to a new wave of adventurous eaters, keen to

0:50:34 > 0:50:37explore a nose-to-tail style of dining.

0:50:37 > 0:50:41- Its great news for my offal revival. - I'm going to try some brain.

0:50:42 > 0:50:44Tonight, in this London restaurant,

0:50:44 > 0:50:47customers are being initiated into offal.

0:50:47 > 0:50:49Well, it looks tasty.

0:50:52 > 0:50:54It's a first class offal tasting menu.

0:50:56 > 0:51:01But, at 40 quid a head, it comes with quite a hefty price tag.

0:51:05 > 0:51:10Here in Manchester, however, there is a different kind of grassroots offal revival going on.

0:51:10 > 0:51:13It's a little bit hardcore, but it's more affordable and accessible

0:51:13 > 0:51:16because it's taking place in their very own kitchens.

0:51:16 > 0:51:19Simon, Howie and Jason set up the Manchester offal club 12 years ago,

0:51:19 > 0:51:22to share their love of all things offal.

0:51:22 > 0:51:26They take turns to host offal dinner parties. I'm intrigued.

0:51:26 > 0:51:28Now these guys meet once a month and they're serving

0:51:28 > 0:51:32delicacies like deep-fried calf brains salad and crispy pigs' ears.

0:51:32 > 0:51:33They mean business.

0:51:37 > 0:51:38- Hi, Simon?- Hi, Matt.

0:51:38 > 0:51:40Matt. Pleased to meet you.

0:51:40 > 0:51:43I'm going to try out some of their home-made delicacies

0:51:43 > 0:51:45and I can't wait to find out what's on the menu.

0:51:47 > 0:51:48So, what are we doing tonight then?

0:51:48 > 0:51:52Well we've got lambs' testicles and we're going to do a couple of different dishes with these.

0:51:52 > 0:51:56We're going to do, um, slices of lambs' testicles sauteed with some nice wild garlic.

0:51:56 > 0:52:00- Very nice.- And then we're also going to put them inside a meatloaf which we're,

0:52:00 > 0:52:03- amusingly, going to call a nut roast.- Right. A nut roast. OK.

0:52:03 > 0:52:05And if you think testicles is pushing it, then

0:52:05 > 0:52:08how about a large lymph node?

0:52:08 > 0:52:09We've tried some very strange things.

0:52:09 > 0:52:14We've tried spleen, which butchers affectionately call the melt.

0:52:14 > 0:52:16How was that?

0:52:16 > 0:52:20It was, um, it tasted like death and, er, and chewy death at that.

0:52:20 > 0:52:25- Yes, it was pretty awful. - What a lovely phrase.

0:52:25 > 0:52:29I mean, so you don't necessarily love every bit of offal?

0:52:29 > 0:52:32- But we'd like to try it.- You'll try it first.- Yeah. Absolutely.

0:52:32 > 0:52:34It's a brilliant attitude and one we should all adopt

0:52:34 > 0:52:37if we're going to rescue offal from the bin.

0:52:37 > 0:52:40I can't wait to get stuck in. Are you with me?

0:52:40 > 0:52:43First course, pig's head terrine with a side of brains.

0:52:43 > 0:52:46This cut will feed four for less than 50p a head.

0:52:46 > 0:52:47Shall we try it?

0:52:51 > 0:52:54Mmm. That is really good.

0:52:54 > 0:52:55Really good.

0:52:55 > 0:52:58OK, gents, next course.

0:52:58 > 0:53:02A salad of crispy lambs' testicles, or fries, as they're more politely known.

0:53:02 > 0:53:05It looks beautiful. It's very, very delicate.

0:53:05 > 0:53:08Considering it is such a gutsy sort of dish, isn't it?

0:53:08 > 0:53:12The first time I had testicles actually the texture really shocked me.

0:53:12 > 0:53:15For some reason I got it into my head that they'd be chewy

0:53:15 > 0:53:17and they're not at all.

0:53:18 > 0:53:21It was really surprising, you know?

0:53:21 > 0:53:23That was delicious. But there's more, isn't there?

0:53:23 > 0:53:25There's more to come.

0:53:25 > 0:53:28Beautiful. The piece de resistance.

0:53:28 > 0:53:29Simon's nut loaf with lambs' testicles.

0:53:29 > 0:53:32That's really nice.

0:53:32 > 0:53:34Do you find the spicing always works with offal?

0:53:34 > 0:53:36I think it does.

0:53:36 > 0:53:38We never want to mask the taste of the offal,

0:53:38 > 0:53:40because the taste is important.

0:53:40 > 0:53:42Yeah. They're lovely.

0:53:42 > 0:53:45- This is completely experimental, as we've never tried this dish before. - Oh, really?

0:53:45 > 0:53:48So, I'm really pleased that it's worked out.

0:53:48 > 0:53:49- It's very good.- I love the name.

0:53:49 > 0:53:52Look, what these guys are doing here is really important.

0:53:52 > 0:53:55Yes, we've got offal eating in high-end London restaurants,

0:53:55 > 0:53:58but it's in our own kitchens we need to get to grips with it.

0:53:58 > 0:54:01So, we really should be following their lead.

0:54:01 > 0:54:05Now that offal club, it was a really interesting night out. Not what I expected at all

0:54:05 > 0:54:08and who would have thought three really great courses of offal

0:54:08 > 0:54:12and three great recipes? And now I've got another one for you.

0:54:12 > 0:54:15It is, probably, something you've tried in the past and maybe forgotten about.

0:54:15 > 0:54:17It is the great British faggot.

0:54:22 > 0:54:25Now, the faggot, it's not a fantastic name and I think it probably

0:54:25 > 0:54:28puts a lot of people off but it's essentially a bundle.

0:54:28 > 0:54:30That's what it kind of loosely translates to

0:54:30 > 0:54:33and here we've got the most sort of offaly of all the dishes.

0:54:33 > 0:54:36But, there's lots of different elements going on here

0:54:36 > 0:54:39and they're all going to kind of envelope the offal

0:54:39 > 0:54:41and make it really, really tasty and delicious.

0:54:43 > 0:54:45So, here's your pluck. We've got the heart.

0:54:45 > 0:54:47We've got the lungs and we've got the liver.

0:54:47 > 0:54:53Let's take a small amount of liver. A bit of the lungs.

0:54:54 > 0:54:58Now, if you go and ask your butcher for this, they will get very

0:54:58 > 0:55:02excited because all this usually sort of ends up in the bin.

0:55:05 > 0:55:10This really is the perfect kind of nose-to-tail eating.

0:55:10 > 0:55:13You know, using all the bits and pieces of the animal.

0:55:13 > 0:55:14Not wasting anything.

0:55:14 > 0:55:17There's not many recipes that use lungs and what-have-you,

0:55:17 > 0:55:20but this is one of them and it's delicious

0:55:20 > 0:55:24and in these sort of economic times, these cash-strapped times,

0:55:24 > 0:55:28this is a really good recipe to be getting your head around.

0:55:28 > 0:55:31I'm going to boil the offal first in salty water.

0:55:31 > 0:55:33And it's not in there for long.

0:55:33 > 0:55:39All you're doing is just kind of softening those strong offal flavours.

0:55:41 > 0:55:42Then, in the fridge.

0:55:42 > 0:55:44Let it cool.

0:55:47 > 0:55:50And then when it's cool, you need to mince it.

0:55:50 > 0:55:53It's a different texture. So these are well worth investing in.

0:55:53 > 0:55:56Especially if you want to make sausages or anything like that.

0:55:56 > 0:55:58Just don't put your fingers too far into them.

0:55:58 > 0:56:01That could be awfully messy.

0:56:03 > 0:56:06Now, I reckon this is one of those dishes that has

0:56:06 > 0:56:11kind of fallen off the sort of the British culinary list.

0:56:11 > 0:56:15I mean it is a great British sort of heritage dish and, you

0:56:15 > 0:56:18know, it's one of those recipes that really needs to be revived.

0:56:20 > 0:56:26Now, we mix that with a little bit of onion and garlic.

0:56:26 > 0:56:29Now, I came across faggots quite late in life

0:56:29 > 0:56:33and I was quite surprised how much I liked them.

0:56:33 > 0:56:36And you wouldn't know if you served these to somebody who said,

0:56:36 > 0:56:39"I don't like offal and I certainly don't like lungs and liver."

0:56:39 > 0:56:42Um, they probably wouldn't know they were in there

0:56:42 > 0:56:44because the whole kind of overall sense of taste

0:56:44 > 0:56:48and texture is that of a delicious meatball in a way.

0:56:49 > 0:56:53Then, cover the faggots in caul fat to hold them together.

0:56:53 > 0:56:57Now, this is available from butchers by request.

0:56:57 > 0:57:00So, what you need to do is just lay it over each one.

0:57:01 > 0:57:04Just gather it underneath and give it a bit of a twist

0:57:04 > 0:57:07and then cut off the excess.

0:57:07 > 0:57:10So, when you ask for this, ask your butcher for caul fat or

0:57:10 > 0:57:13crepinette and he'll know what you're after.

0:57:13 > 0:57:15He'll also be very impressed.

0:57:18 > 0:57:22So, there you go. There's your little faggots and now we need to cook them.

0:57:23 > 0:57:25Just cover them in stock and whack them in the oven.

0:57:27 > 0:57:32So, after an hour's cooking that's what the faggots look like.

0:57:32 > 0:57:37Lovely, beautiful, rich kind of glossy meatballs.

0:57:42 > 0:57:45So, there you go. That's it. That's the great British faggot.

0:57:50 > 0:57:52You really, really need to try these

0:57:52 > 0:57:55and start cooking with offal on a regular basis.

0:57:55 > 0:57:57It's an ingredient I'm passionate about and

0:57:57 > 0:58:01if you didn't get offal before, I hope you do now.

0:58:01 > 0:58:03Come on. This is part of our heritage.

0:58:03 > 0:58:04We need to experiment more. You know?

0:58:04 > 0:58:06We need to get hold of offal.

0:58:06 > 0:58:08Put it in the supermarket trolleys and take it home

0:58:08 > 0:58:12and just play around with it and this needs to become much

0:58:12 > 0:58:15more of a feature of our dinner tables, you know?

0:58:15 > 0:58:17We need to be embracing this. Not wasting it.

0:58:19 > 0:58:21Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd