Central Fish Great British Menu

This week on Great British Menu, three of the Central region's

top chefs are putting their reputations on the line.

It's either an awesome idea or a suicide mission.

Fourth-time competitor Richard Bainbridge...

It's either going to be amazing or I'm going to crash and burn.

..returning contender Jason Hodnett...

I don't really think I could have taken a bigger risk, if I'm honest.

..and Michelin-starred newcomer Pip Lacey...

I don't know if I'd be doing that on a fish course,

right now, for the risk.

..are competing to cook at a celebratory banquet, marking

100 years of the Women's Institute at London's historic Drapers' Hall.

In yesterday's starter course, fourth-timer Richard disappointed...

It did drop to six, I'm afraid.

..putting him in second place, with newcomer Pip taking the lead...

-Shocked.

-..and returner Jason sitting bottom.

Today's fish course is a three-way battle

and Richard is desperate not to fail...

I could be, quite easily, in last place.

..with Pip focused on maintaining her lead...

Seems like you're a bit panicky now, actually.

..and last-placed Jason taking a huge risk to claw back points.

Stick with it and have the courage of your convictions.

-Well, that's good.

-That's what you've got to do.

-But competition is hotting up.

-Oh, no!

-Never done that in the

-BLEEP

-ten times I've practised it.

BLEEPING

Someone get me another piping bag, please.

I haven't left any room for error here, you know.

This year, the chefs are celebrating the centenary of the WI

and honouring those women who've helped make British food world-class.

They've researched the long history of the institute

and visited local groups...

-Who played you in the movie?

-Helen Mirren.

Really?

..and taken inspiration from the women in their own families...

Come here.

..to take home cooking to new gastronomic heights.

-Let's hope it's a winner.

-Yeah.

Judging them all week is Great British Menu's most victorious

chef, Richard Corrigan.

A former fish course winner, he knows what he's looking for.

Fish doesn't need love.

It needs just a little touch of magic, the magic as a cook.

So Pip, you look at the scores, you're top of the pile.

It's only one point but it still is one point.

It's up to you to come get me. Think you've got what it takes?

That's what's spurring me on, is that I'm after your tails, you know.

Being in the position I am, I've surely got to take risks,

but if I pull that risk off, then it is all to play for again.

First up, Pip Lacey,

the protege of Great British Menu veteran Angela Hartnett.

Pip impressed yesterday with her skilled cooking

but up against two returning chefs, she needs to stay focused.

I'm really determined to keep the momentum going.

I want to get another great score.

Once you get a lead, I think, you don't want to let it go.

-Hello again.

-Pip.

-How are you feeling?

-Good, fresh, ready.

So the title of your dish and the inspiration?

The title of my dish is called Grandma!

-And the inspiration is Grandma.

-That's a very sweet photograph.

We always used to go round to Grandma's for tea.

It would always be smoked fish but the reason for the Grandma!

title is because she'd be sitting there, piling on the salt,

piling on the vinegar, and we used to shout, and still do, "Grandma!

-"What are you doing?"

-Just to get her to stop seasoning?

-Yeah!

-So hopefully, I won't overseason everything for you.

-OK.

I'm bringing elements

and inspiration from her into an elevated WI banquet dish.

So what is that dish?

This haddock I'm going to salt and then smoke.

It's going to be quite delicate.

Also, I'm making a hotpot potato dish

-and then putting it in the beer batter and deep-frying it.

-OK.

And I'm going to be making a cucumber vinegar to go over

-the potatoes and fish.

-OK. So...

sounds like fish and chips.

It does but it's not.

I'm really confident with this dish,

so it's one of my favourite ones out of the whole menu.

-Listen, happy cooking.

-Thank you.

There is potential risk in this dish

if she oversmokes it, that the batter

is not as crisp as it should be.

It's hers to lose.

Next up, fourth-time competitor Richard Bainbridge.

He lost marks for his complicated starter and having never

won his regional heat, he's focused on catching leader Pip today.

After starter, I've kind of been kicked a little bit,

so that's made me more determined to get my head down

and get this dish out exactly as I want it and not have silly mistakes.

Hiya, hiya.

-How are we, chef?

-Very good.

Title and inspiration?

So the name of the dish is For Home And Country, which is

quite a prominent thing in the WI that they talk about a lot.

And the big inspiration is Lady Denman.

She was the first chair of the WI.

In World War I, there was a shortage of vitamin C

and there was a massive harvest of plums in the UK,

so Lady Denman got behind the WI to make them into jams.

I love that story and then I wanted to kind of

evolve that into my dish.

So I'm cooking trout,

this amazing rainbow trout that's been farmed at sea.

-I'm going to lightly smoke it.

-Smoke?

Have you two been talking here? Bit of smoking going on on both sides?

Yup.

What I'm going to be doing is taking the plum stones from these plums,

drying them out, grounding them up and it's very, very lightly smoked.

And then I'm just going to serve it with some raw plums on the side.

I've got some pickled cucumber on there

-and then I'm just going to serve it with some bee pollen.

-Why?

It just adds that little bit of seasoning.

I've also got some buttermilk to add a little bit of extra

acidity in there and then the whey that's come out of the bottom,

I'm going to make that into a little...

kind of quite a hard-set jelly.

Is it going to say, "Wow!

-"That's the spirit of our organisation!"?

-I think so,

I think because everything is sourced from the land

and that's what they're about.

I do like the idea

from Richard on the plums and the cucumbers.

There's a homely feel to what he's trying to achieve.

He knows he has to deliver.

Finally, returner Jason Hodnett.

The pressure got to him yesterday

and mistakes in his overcomplicated dish lost him points.

After his disastrous experience last year, he's gambling on a risky,

complex menu.

There's only two points between myself and the leader,

so yes, it's all to play for.

At the same time, I may be crazy in doing what I'm doing.

Either people are going to like it or they're going to hate it.

And that worries me.

-Chef.

-Jason. How are you feeling?

Bit battered and bruised, I would say,

but got to try and take the bull by the horns and improve on yesterday.

-What's the name for this dish?

-Liver, Onions And Mash.

The inspiration is a really lovely quote from one of the pioneers

of the WI called Adelaide Hoodless who was really passionate

about education and development and things not being always the same.

And I really wanted to take a homely dish and really flip it on its head.

-And the liver you're using?

-Monkfish liver.

-Monkfish liver?

-Yup.

-That is brave and it's different.

-It's either brave or stupid.

That's good.

This competition is all about enthusiasm and changing

and pushing things.

So, monkfish liver, a cheap, an unused product, you know.

That's what the WI are about, about using everything.

So I'm going to use some sweeter onions to make puree,

potatoes, I'm going to make a mash, which is going to

have some of the bacon through it, and then I'm going to make an

ice cream to give it a really different kind of spin on

the baked potato.

Baked potato ice cream? If you can pull this off, well, my God!

-You will be absolutely one for the book.

-Yeah, let's hope so.

I really hope that he can

really, really pull this off

because he has been incredibly brave and we love that.

As they get cooking, Jason's dish is the talk of the kitchen.

Jason, do you think you're taking a big risk with the monkfish liver?

I don't really think I could be taking a bigger risk, if I'm honest.

If I can get this how I know it can be,

then I think it's an unbelievable dish,

but there's still so much room for error in it

that, you know, it's either an awesome idea or a suicide mission.

You seem like you're a bit panicky now, actually.

No, no, no, just slow and methodical.

Pip, are you confident about your fish course?

I am if I can get it all ready in time.

Fourth-timer Richard is preparing his unusual whey jelly

And filleting the trout for his Home And Country dish,

inspired by the WI's support for home-sourced produce.

My dish is so simple that there is no room for error.

His starter was criticised for being too rich and complicated

so today, he's focusing on a few key elements.

He's not just chasing leader Pip, he's using similar ingredients, too.

-You and me - smoked fish.

-Yep.

-And cucumber.

-Should we just put one dish up?

-Yeah, we might as well.

We'd get a better mark if we just went together.

I'm not splitting my scores with you, though.

Newcomer Pip has made the bread dough for her dish,

inspired by her grandma and is making a start on her lemon puree.

She is anxious to keep her lead

and hopes her fish dish meets the brief.

But she must execute it perfectly.

I'm worried about the bread, getting it proved.

It doesn't look like it's doing anything at the moment

so it'll be interesting.

I'm feeling the pressure, definitely, to stay ahead,

I don't want to lose the lead at all so I just got to get things right.

To give her traditional dish a modern twist,

Pip is making an unusual potato hotpot

of sliced and layered potatoes, baked, then deep fried in batter.

You know, I've got a real little bee in my bonnet about batter.

-Is there yeast in that?

-No.

-No.

-But there's beer in it.

So you're using that to get it.

Because that batter needs to be pitch perfect

to get that crisp envelope, you know what I mean?

Yes, Chef.

Returning contender Jason is making bacon powder

and potato ice cream for his twist on liver, onions and mash,

inspired by WI pioneer Adelaide Hoodless,

a champion of education and innovation.

The ice cream itself is a savoury ice cream

so it seems to work quite well.

It has the salty undertone kind of thing.

Having received the lowest mark for his starter,

Jason is taking a huge risk with his fish course,

hoping it will pay off.

It's certainly not a play-it-safe dish,

-but then this isn't a play-it-safe competition, really, is it?

-True.

I don't know if I'd be doing that on a fish course right now, the risk.

Even though it's only course two,

it almost feels like do or die time now

cos I really don't want to be any further behind than I am.

How are you feeling?

-All right at the moment.

-Cutting-edge, brave? Or confident?

I feel I'm doing the right thing by doing it.

Stick with it, and have the courage of your convictions,

-that's all you got to do.

-That's good.

-Rightly or wrongly, who knows?

-Yeah. You ran quite late last time.

-Yeah.

-You're on time for the pass?

-I'm on time for the pass.

There's a lot going on in his dish, no question about it.

I do worry for him. I really want him to do well

cos he's full of enthusiasm.

I just hope he hasn't tried to be different for the sake of it.

Michelin-starred Pip and Richard are using similar ingredients,

but Pip's hoping her research will give her the edge.

Pip, what are you doing with your cucumber?

-I'm making a cucumber vinegar.

-Oh, cool.

I went to see some lovely ladies from the WI

who make their own vinegars and jams

so hopefully I'll do them proud today.

To help her make the best possible vinegar,

Pip went to visit a WI group

to get some advice on this preserving technique.

Oh, hi, you must be Pip! Nice to meet you, come on in.

Making all these vinegars, is it a traditional part of the WI?

They played a key part in making limited food supplies go further.

-Preserving's still just as popular.

-Have you got any tips?

I would say the thing that you really need to do at the start

is to actually let the fruit steep, probably, I would say,

maybe up to about two weeks.

To ensure her cucumber vinegar is up to scratch,

Pip asks the ladies for their honest opinion.

Yes, I like that.

That's such a taste of childhood and grandparents,

sort of Saturday afternoon tea.

I would try to look for a younger cucumber

because if you put too much of, say, the skin, it could be bitter.

With the WI's seal of approval, the next stop is Pip's mum

-and her grandma who inspired her dish.

-Nice to see you.

-Hi, Grandma!

-Hello!

Basically, it's all about you

cos I know that you like a lot of salt on your food.

Oh, no, not too much, no!

Well, I'm told off, aren't I, but I do like salt.

It was a thing that we all loved. We loved fish, we loved salt fish.

Grandad had salt fish every Sunday morning.

I remember coming to yours

and you putting lots of salt and lots of vinegar on your potatoes

so I'm kind of bringing all those elements together

and, hopefully, it'll all work on one dish.

Sounds lovely!

We like cucumber and vinegar, don't we?

Great!

So what do you think, do you think this is enough to get me through,

-to get me all the way through to the banquet?

-Well, I do.

If their taste buds are right, they will love it.

Oh, no!

In the kitchen, things aren't going well with Pip's smoked haddock.

It's got too hot so it's just cooked it.

-It's never done that in the

-BLEEP

-ten times I've practised it.

The gentle woodchip smoking was intended to add flavour to the fish

before poaching in a waterbath,

but the heat of the smoke has started to cook the fish.

-Always expect the unexpected in here.

-So I can't do anything.

I haven't got time to do it again so I'll just have to go with it.

It's not over over,

but it's not exactly how I've done it before so...

Richard's cooking a simpler dish than his rivals,

but he's still feeling the pressure

to ensure his smoked trout and cucumber fish course

takes the lead from Pip.

If I mess one of those ingredients up,

I could be quite easily in last place

and that's not where I want to be.

He dresses his trout with bee pollen and cured pork fat

to be smoked with plum stones,

inspired by the WI's jam making in World War I.

-Is this your stones?

-Yes. If you get a real smell, it's quite marzipanny.

There is this little bit of sweetness coming from there.

The bee pollen is something we don't see a lot of in kitchens.

It has got an amazing flavour to it and it adds a little texture,

adds that interest to the dish that I'm looking for.

Are you under pressure?

Yeah, these guys are putting up amazing foods

and keeping my dish so simple is either going to be amazing

or I'm going to crash and burn.

Jason is pushing hard, prepping the monkfish liver

for his Liver, Onions And Mash dish,

inspired by the WI values of education and innovation.

It's painstaking, getting all the membrane off the outside.

It's not going to take you too long a time.

Yesterday, he was late to the pass and is determined not to be today.

In trials, I've managed to do in time,

but this kitchen is just a whole different thing.

Cos you don't want to be late a second time.

Plus Mr Corrigan, I do not think,

will have the same sympathy the second time round.

Luckily for Jason, it's Pip who's first

to plate up her smoked haddock and cucumber dish.

She's deep frying her unusual potato hotpot at the last minute.

-Is that a bit like an onion bhaji?

-Yeah, a little bit, yeah.

She's keeping the presentation simple

for her modern take on a traditional dish.

Pickled cucumber goes on to vintage plates,

then the smoked haddock, which she's concerned may have

accidentally overcooked in the smoker.

Last on the plate is the battered potato hotpot

and dots of lemon puree.

A slice of bread is served on the side with her cucumber vinegar

in old fashioned shakers.

-Happy?

-Um... Not overly happy.

I've not fulfilled my expectation.

You seem upset.

I'm not ecstatic, I'll be honest,

because I know I can do it better so...

You feel you blown this before I've even eaten it, haven't you?

So, this is the cucumber vinegar.

-See, I really like that.

-That's delicious.

What about cooking of your fish?

Actually, it's better than I thought it was going to be.

The fish is lovely.

I think if you have too much of the lemon, it can be a real...

It's quite sweet and then quite bitter.

Are you happy with the levels of smokiness?

Erm...

I wanted it subtle, everything on there,

apart from the lemon puree that is the kick.

Can you even get the smoke or...?

If you had your eyes closed, would you know that was smoked haddock?

What about the hotpot chips?

Erm, crispy batter, but it could have been slightly better batter.

Do you think that was seasoned enough?

No, it is a little bit underseasoned.

If you had to score it, what would you give it?

-For me, I think it's a five.

-I'd give it a six.

Are you going to increase your lead with this dish?

I think maybe not as much as my first course.

-Does that make you nervous?

-No, my own course makes me nervous!

This doesn't need to.

Richard is next.

He knows he must deliver a perfect fish course to steal Pip's lead.

The presentation of his dish, For Home And Country, will evoke fishing

and the WI's historic support

of produce sourced from the local countryside.

First into fishing tins is sliced plum and cubes of whey jelly,

followed by the smoked trout.

-How did that go?

-I'm not that happy.

I could have executed it all a bit better.

Next into the tins is pickled cucumber, edible nasturtium leaves

and a buttermilk mousse, finished with a drizzle of dill oil.

Richard closes the tins and covers with a fly-fishing basket.

This is my dish, For Home And Country,

so I've tried to be a bit playful

by having out a flyfisherman's basket,

some flies around there,

the netting around there and inside is the little sandwich box.

Very playful! Let's go taste it. Thank you.

The prop looks good.

Yeah, it's fun and it's light-hearted

and that's what I think the event should be.

-As soon as you open it, you get a...

-Yeah, real powerful smoke, yeah.

Happy with the cooking of the fish?

It is still moist and it's not dry,

but it's not as perfect as I really wanted it to be.

Actually, it's a lot less smoky.

I expected it to blow my mind, the smoke, actually.

I think he's got it right.

The smokiness with the fish is really delicate,

I don't want it to be in your face.

I want it to just become part of the dish.

You just had a bone.

Do you think it's a schoolboy error

or should we try and see if there is any more?

Cucumber and plum, think it's a good combination?

Yeah, I think they work beautifully.

-Is this the buttermilk mousse?

-Yeah. I'd quite like more of that.

You think the buttermilk is necessary?

I think it adds a richness to the dish, especially with the dill oil.

I score it seven.

For me, it's a seven, but I think it should be an eight.

Last to plate up is Jason.

He is cooking a hugely risky dish and is feeling the pressure.

-I just need that

-BLEEP

-butter. Any chance?

He's in last place, but hopes his controversial monkfish liver

with onion and mash will pay off and score highly.

How did it go?

We'll see how the scores go, but not too bad.

How are you? Going on time?

Yeah, hopefully.

First into special plastic dishes is mashed potato

with bacon stirred through.

BLEEP!

BLEEP!

Topped with the pan-fried monkfish liver.

Next is bacon powder,

crispy shallot rings and onion puree.

What's the relevance of the sea herbs?

Well, it's a fish dish...Chef.

He tops the liver with gravy made to look like caviar.

The dish is served in specially made books

with a quote by WI pioneer Adelaide Hoodless.

Last on, a drizzle of gravy and the potato ice cream.

-I'm done.

-OK.

-Fish dish, chef.

-Well done, that looks amazing.

I'm not going to open it.

-Bring it into the tasting room straightaway.

-Let's go.

Ta-da!

It looks lovely, really clever.

I just hope it tastes as good as it looks.

It essentially is liver, bacon and onions.

Happy with that monkfish liver?

-If I'm honest, it's a touch overcooked, I would say.

-Hmm.

It's almost like a fish paste, it's so heavy.

It's intense, it's really intense.

What do you think of the liver? It's super fishy.

You've got to like that particular taste, haven't you?

And the potato ice cream?

I would have it more potatoey, but I don't think it is unpleasant.

I've forgotten it already.

It's quite a small element with so many strong flavours going on.

Do you think the diners at the banquet would get this dish?

I think they would appreciate that whole different take

on something that is such a familiar and popular dish.

On a whole, maybe the majority won't particularly go for it.

Out of ten, what would you give this dish?

The way I see it, it's either going to be a good score

or it's going to be an appalling score

and I don't know which at the moment.

-How did it go?

-I don't know, I really don't know.

The pressure crushes you at times, but...

You're now starting to realise how hard this competition can be.

-It doesn't get any easier, though, does it?

-No!

-Hello, chefs.

-Hi!

-How was that?

-Hard work.

Pip, I'm going to start with your dish, Grandma!

The flavour and texture of the smoked haddock was good.

The lemon puree was like a sharp tartare sauce

And I loved the cucumber vinegar.

But...

those crispy fried potatoes,

I wasn't totally convinced about those.

And your seasoning, it was just that slight, little bit under.

Richard, for your dish, For Home And Country,

the effort that went into hitting the brief showed real spirit.

The buttermilk mousse had a real good zing about it

and the plum and pickled cucumber was a really clever idea.

But...

..the trout was a little bit underseasoned

and I couldn't really taste the plum smoke.

Jason...

for your monkfish liver and baked potato ice cream,

that was bold cooking, Jason.

You're a braver man than I.

That was one of the most beautiful ways of presenting a dish

in this competition for a long time.

-Thank you.

-So well done, you. Strangely...

..the potato ice cream worked.

You very nearly sold me monkfish liver.

But...

..you didn't.

You cooked it well...

..but it tasted like cod liver oil tablets.

Just remember it's all about the piece of fish. So, for the scores...

Pip, for your dish...

..I'm giving you...

..seven.

Richard...

..I'm giving you an eight.

Thank you.

Jason...

-..I'm giving you a six.

-BLEEP!

So heads down, keep focused because tomorrow, I want to see some tens.

Good night, chefs.

Come on, chin up, forget it. Tomorrow is a different day.

You're still in the game, it's not like you're going home.

With two courses down, Richard has caught leader Pip

and they're joint top on 14 points with Jason trailing by three points.

Yeah, it's not where I want to be

and I don't think it's where I should be.

You've got two more courses, you are still in the game.

You should feel proud of what you've done.

I've got to go into the mains and look positively and just push on.

The cracks are starting to show in all of us.

Deep down, I'm really chuffed,

but yeah, I'm feeling a bit for Jason at the minute.

It's all to play for for main course.

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