0:00:03 > 0:00:07You know, we believe that Britain has the best food in the world.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11'Not only can we boast fantastic ingredients...
0:00:11 > 0:00:13- Piece de resistance.- Aah, nice.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15- Now which is which?- Lamb. Mutton.
0:00:15 > 0:00:16SHEEP BLEATS
0:00:16 > 0:00:19'..outstanding food producers...
0:00:19 > 0:00:20It's brilliant, isn't it?
0:00:20 > 0:00:23'..and innovative chefs...
0:00:23 > 0:00:26'..but we also have an amazing food history.'
0:00:26 > 0:00:28- Oh, brilliant!- Oh, wow.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Don't eat them like that. You'll break your teeth.
0:00:32 > 0:00:37Now, during this series, we're going to be taking you on a journey
0:00:37 > 0:00:38into our culinary past.
0:00:38 > 0:00:43- Everything's ready, so let's get cracking.- We'll explore its revealing stories..
0:00:43 > 0:00:45BOTH: Wow!
0:00:45 > 0:00:48..and meet the heroes who keep our culinary past alive.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51Pontefract liquorice has been my life,
0:00:51 > 0:00:53and I've loved every minute of it.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56'And of course be cooking up a load of dishes
0:00:56 > 0:00:58'that reveal our foodie evolution.'
0:00:58 > 0:01:01Look at that. That's a proper British treat.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08We have a taste of history.
0:01:09 > 0:01:10Quite simply...
0:01:10 > 0:01:12BOTH: The best of British.
0:01:28 > 0:01:33Today, we're going to be looking at a distinctively British offering to the world of gastronomy.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35Pub grub.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39MUSIC: "We're Going Down The Pub" by Sham 69
0:01:39 > 0:01:43Yeah! Pubs have been the mainstay of British society since the Middle Ages,
0:01:43 > 0:01:47and our favourite venue for eating our traditional native cuisine.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50'In the show, we'll be cooking up some pub-inspired classics...
0:01:50 > 0:01:53'..revisiting a much-maligned bar snack...
0:01:53 > 0:01:55Cooked by our own fair hands.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58'..and celebrating a dining trend that has redefined pub culture.'
0:01:58 > 0:02:03Throughout history, beer was seen as a staple of the British diet.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07These days, a lot of British boozers not only serve great grub as well as beer,
0:02:07 > 0:02:12they've been instrumental in shaping our food culture.
0:02:12 > 0:02:13Cheers, mate.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15- The great British pub.- Yes.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18It is incredible how food's come on, isn't it?
0:02:18 > 0:02:23What was the first, kind of, piece of pub grub that you ever had, Kingy?
0:02:23 > 0:02:27Three separate dishes on the bar, on Sunday, and only on a Sunday.
0:02:27 > 0:02:32Cheese, raw black pudding and silver-skinned onions. That was it. Brilliant. What about you?
0:02:32 > 0:02:37You had a pickled egg, you put it in the cheese and onion crisps, you gave it a bang on the bar,
0:02:37 > 0:02:39and then you just kind of hoy it out like that -
0:02:39 > 0:02:43the cheese-and-onion-crispy pickled egg. I still like it, actually.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45But what was the last thing you ate in a pub?
0:02:45 > 0:02:48A pave of turbot with a beer sabayon.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50- THEY LAUGH - What about you?
0:02:50 > 0:02:55Oh, a saddle of rabbit with a duxelles of porcini mushrooms, wrapped in pancetta!
0:02:55 > 0:02:58- Give over, man!- I know!- It's great! - It is, isn't it?
0:02:58 > 0:03:00THEY SIGH
0:03:02 > 0:03:06The British boozer can trace its family tree back 2,000 years.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10Decent pub grub, however, is a more recent phenomenon.
0:03:10 > 0:03:15The Romans introduced us to drinking establishments, with taverns selling wine.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19Beer, or ale made from hops, arrived in the 14th century,
0:03:19 > 0:03:24followed soon after by pub signs reflecting local trades and political loyalties.
0:03:24 > 0:03:30The Victorians built thousands of pubs as a place of relaxation for tired workers.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34The pub really is a distinctly British institution.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37And for many years, the food had a distinct flavour.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40- Well, yeah, it was sh...- Shocking.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42Or just non-existent.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45See, in the early days, the pub wasn't a place for women, children or food.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47Food? In a pub?!
0:03:47 > 0:03:48Time, gentlemen, please.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50It just wasn't right.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53There WERE bar snacks,
0:03:53 > 0:03:57and if you were lucky, you might even get a curled-up sarnie or a cold sausage roll.
0:03:57 > 0:04:02In all the pubs, there would be bread and cheese, and pickles,
0:04:02 > 0:04:06and other things on the table for any of the customers, you know, and probably cold meat.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08They would give that away, of course.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Naturally, that used to bring the people into the pubs.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15Ee, well, those wouldn't. What's that? Cheddar? Ham?
0:04:15 > 0:04:17I can't really tell!
0:04:17 > 0:04:19But there was no hot food.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22What you would call a proper meal.
0:04:22 > 0:04:27Pubs survived like this for years, but by the 1960s, eating out had become fashionable,
0:04:27 > 0:04:29and cafes and restaurants were booming.
0:04:29 > 0:04:34So the pubs fought back, and used improved food and atmosphere to tempt in the fairer sex.
0:04:34 > 0:04:39The pint tankard, though not replaced, is outnumbered by the daintier stemmed glass.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43The businessman's lunch can be shared by the businessman's wife.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47Flowers are a constant reminder of the feminine presence.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51The man in a hurry will eat his sandwiches over the public bar.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54But the woman would sooner not.
0:04:54 > 0:05:00Then, some bright spark realised that if you could have the meals with minimal washing up,
0:05:00 > 0:05:02you'd be on to a right good winner.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04Chicken in a basket was born.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07Soon followed by everything in a basket.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09Sausage in a basket, scampi in a basket...
0:05:09 > 0:05:13Hmm. Or for the more sophisticated palate, hope was just around the corner...
0:05:13 > 0:05:15..at the Berni Inn.
0:05:20 > 0:05:25'But what everyone likes at Berni Inns are the tender Berni Steaks.
0:05:26 > 0:05:31'There's a place for you at your Berni Inn. Why not join the Berni set?'
0:05:31 > 0:05:33The first Berni Inn opened in Bristol
0:05:33 > 0:05:34in the mid-1950s,
0:05:34 > 0:05:38but they were really popular in the '70s.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42Oh, yes. By then, B-E-R-N-I spelt "class."
0:05:42 > 0:05:46- Prawn cocktail...- Steak and chips... - Black Forest gateau...
0:05:46 > 0:05:48You know how to treat a girl!
0:05:48 > 0:05:55Breweries got in on the action, opening up endless chains of family pubs that did grub.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57But while most stuck to the tried and tested,
0:05:57 > 0:06:01a revolution was beginning at The Eagle in London.
0:06:01 > 0:06:07In 1991, they brought in a real chef, making high-quality food in a real pub.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11A decent British boozer with some - how would you say? - gastronomy!
0:06:11 > 0:06:15A pub with gastronomy... You could call it "pubstronomy."
0:06:15 > 0:06:18- SIMON SIGHS - It was the birth of the gastro-pub.
0:06:18 > 0:06:23Gradually, the idea spread, and by the Noughties, every smart pub worth its weight in sea salt flakes...
0:06:23 > 0:06:27- ..or freshly ground black pepper... - ..started remodelling as gastro.
0:06:27 > 0:06:32Even supermarkets joined in, packaging ready meals as "gastro-pub style."
0:06:33 > 0:06:37In 1993, just over half of all pubs served food.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39But a decade later, it was nine out of 10.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43Things have come a long way since pickled eggs.
0:06:43 > 0:06:49And the pubs that have called time on bad food have helped revolutionise British cuisine.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54Indeed, in the last two decades, the gastro-pub has led the way
0:06:54 > 0:06:57in keeping traditional British dishes alive.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01Aye, and you know, first up in our Best of British kitchen,
0:07:01 > 0:07:06we're cooking a time-honoured dish that has become a great pub grub classic.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10It's the Barnsley chop with Cumberland sauce.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12Ee-up, landlord!
0:07:12 > 0:07:14What's on't menu toneet?
0:07:14 > 0:07:16Barnsley chop.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19Oh, where would Barnsley chop hail from, then?
0:07:19 > 0:07:26It is said to have originated from t'King's Head in Market Hill in Barnsley in 1849.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29Ee, and it was an egalitarian sort of cutlet.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33Because, you know, farmers would go in there on market day, and eat a whopper.
0:07:33 > 0:07:40But also, in 1933, the Barnsley chop was served at the opening of Barnsley Town Hall,
0:07:40 > 0:07:43and even the Prince of Wales had a whopper.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47Now, this is a Barnsley chop, and this is proper pub grub.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51- It's basically a slice off a sheep's back.- It is.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54Now, to start our Barnsley chop,
0:07:54 > 0:07:59we have thyme, we have mint, and we have rosemary.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05I'm going to make some Cumberland sauce, and ours is a lovely recipe.
0:08:05 > 0:08:12It's got orange zest, port, stem ginger, redcurrant jelly, orange juice, lemon juice...
0:08:12 > 0:08:16It's really aromatic and lovely. It's much better than the stuff you buy.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19First off, I need to peel an orange. I want the zest.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21Now, all I'm doing while Dave's doing that
0:08:21 > 0:08:24is I'm just finely chopping the three herbs that we mentioned.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28- It's a herby rub, isn't it?- It is. That's what we're going to do with it.
0:08:28 > 0:08:33- Mix it with some salt and pepper in a bowl, and then really push those herbs into our Barnsley chop.- Oh!
0:08:33 > 0:08:36Look at that. Orange peel.
0:08:36 > 0:08:41Do you know, I remember Barnsley chops were judged as much on the quantity as the quality of the food.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44- Yeah.- And a Barnsley chop, you always do a whopper.
0:08:44 > 0:08:49- It's the kind of T-bone steak equivalent, isn't it, of the sheep world?- Yes, it is.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53Now, you see this zest. I've done it with a potato peeler, which is what I want.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57But I must cut that white pith out, because that's really sour.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59Just get a knife, and just pare it down even finer.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04See? Get rid of that. Get it going.
0:09:04 > 0:09:09We're going to boil this zest for about five minutes, just to make it nice and soft.
0:09:09 > 0:09:14That's where the orange oils are, all the good stuff.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16Now for the herbs.
0:09:16 > 0:09:21We're using two tablespoons of rosemary, one tablespoon of thyme, and four tablespoons of mint.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25Ee, Kingy, hasn't pub food changed over the years?
0:09:25 > 0:09:30I always remember, years ago, going to a pub in Langport in Somerset.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32It was a real old scrumpy pub.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35All the food they used to do was beans on toast.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39- SIMON CHUCKLES - But can you imagine it, being a scrumpy pub...
0:09:39 > 0:09:41- it really was quite... - HE LAUGHS
0:09:41 > 0:09:43It was quite a heady mixture in there, really.
0:09:43 > 0:09:44- I bet it was.- You know?
0:09:44 > 0:09:46I mean...
0:09:46 > 0:09:49Like a lot of these things, you can buy Cumberland sauce in a jar,
0:09:49 > 0:09:54but when you take the time to do it properly, with the real orange zest, you know, and the stem ginger,
0:09:54 > 0:09:58it's just beautiful.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00What do you think about the advent of the gastro-pub?
0:10:00 > 0:10:03Well...
0:10:03 > 0:10:05- I like it if it's still a pub.- Yeah.
0:10:05 > 0:10:10If it's a pub that's serving, kind of, spoonfuls of nonsense, then it's not a pub.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14I mean, there's a place for fine dining, and I'm not sure whether the pub is it.
0:10:14 > 0:10:19- gastro-pubs and pub food, it shouldn't be, kind of, small portions.- No.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23It's quite a difficult balance. Some get it right and some don't, don't they?
0:10:23 > 0:10:29Yeah, but are we kidding ourselves, Si? Is a gastro-pub a term for simply a pub that does good food?
0:10:29 > 0:10:30I want to go to a pub for a night out.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33I want to have some proper good beer, or some proper nice cider,
0:10:33 > 0:10:36and I want to have something...
0:10:36 > 0:10:40No, I don't want to eat fancy food, I just want it to be really, really good.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44- And if they've made a reputation on good, simple food, then all power to their elbow, in my view.- Yeah.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48- I don't want formality...- No! - ..in my pub food.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51You know, I don't want to have to dress up for it.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54I love fine dining, I love the conventions of fine dining,
0:10:54 > 0:10:57I love the etiquette and the history of it, but not in a pub.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00- No. It's the wrong environment, isn't it, in essence?- Yeah.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04'Chop the orange into juliennes - ooh, sorry - matchsticks,
0:11:04 > 0:11:06'this is pub grub we're cooking, after all.'
0:11:06 > 0:11:11It's taken a bit of time, but that's the pared-down zest of one orange.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14That's the substance of my Cumberland sauce.
0:11:14 > 0:11:19'Place the orange matchsticks in a small saucepan, cover with water, and bring to the boil.'
0:11:19 > 0:11:23'Simmer for about eight minutes, then drain and set aside.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25'Now for the ginger.'
0:11:25 > 0:11:29Now, stem ginger is preserved ginger.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31And they do it in balls.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34It's just root ginger that's been preserved in syrup.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37It's either great with sweet or savouries.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40'Now, chop it up, and set it aside.'
0:11:40 > 0:11:44What I'm going to do is take the thyme, rosemary and the mint,
0:11:44 > 0:11:49salt and pepper, and just push that into the Barnsley chop.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52It even sounds big, doesn't it? A Barnsley chop.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54You just know it's going to be, like, a big chop.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57The cut's changed, hasn't it, Si, over the years?
0:11:57 > 0:12:00A Barnsley chop originally, the weight of it would be around 1lb 6oz,
0:12:00 > 0:12:04about three quarters of a kilo.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08You know, but you only got two chops off each sheep.
0:12:08 > 0:12:14- Which is not that economic. - Oh, no, that's a man-size chop. - It certainly is.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17Nowadays, they butcher it differently
0:12:17 > 0:12:20in that they take it off the saddle.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23Now, extract the juice from the orange
0:12:23 > 0:12:25and add the juice of half a lemon.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27Don't forget, we don't want the pips.
0:12:27 > 0:12:32There you are, in the pan I've got the juice of one orange,
0:12:32 > 0:12:35the juice of half a lemon, about 15ml of port.
0:12:35 > 0:12:40There's nothing that glugs like port, is there?
0:12:40 > 0:12:46Some redcurrant jelly and all it is is jelly made from redcurrants.
0:12:46 > 0:12:51- Cook for 7 minutes over a low heat. - Oil in a pre-warmed pan.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54Two things to remember when you are cooking meat.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57Make sure that the meat is at room temperature
0:12:57 > 0:13:00and you've got some heat in your pan
0:13:00 > 0:13:04because it makes all the difference to how that meat tastes
0:13:04 > 0:13:08and how succulent it becomes. That's a top tip!
0:13:11 > 0:13:13Heat straightaway into the meat.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18What we are doing is cooking these chops in a traditional way
0:13:18 > 0:13:22in that the pan we are cooking them in is then going to be transferred
0:13:22 > 0:13:25into the oven so we've got three minutes per side.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28We finish them off for eight minutes in the oven.
0:13:28 > 0:13:29Brilliant way of doing it
0:13:29 > 0:13:32and that's how they would have done it all those years ago.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36We were talking about gastro-pubs before?
0:13:36 > 0:13:39It's important not to forget that one important role of the gastro-pub
0:13:39 > 0:13:44is that it really supports local farmers and local suppliers.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47It's one way that they can cut out the middleman
0:13:47 > 0:13:50and sell direct to the consumer, the publican.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54It's good, honest business.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57Gastro-pubs are known and should be known for their fresh,
0:13:57 > 0:14:01seasonal, local produce.
0:14:01 > 0:14:02That's what they do.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05When you're putting the meat in the pan,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08don't move it about for the first couple of minutes.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Then, you'll get a nice, even colour around it.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15See this bit here? We want some colour on that now.
0:14:15 > 0:14:20We are going to stand the chops up, next door to each other.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23It's funny lamb fat, isn't it? It's nice when it's crispy.
0:14:23 > 0:14:29- But when it's not crispy, it's not...- It's a bit... Aye!
0:14:29 > 0:14:34Put them together like that, hold them in.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37And then, as soon as we've got some colour on this fat,
0:14:37 > 0:14:39pop them in the oven for about six to eight minutes,
0:14:39 > 0:14:41depending on how you like your meat.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43To finish off the Cumberland sauce,
0:14:43 > 0:14:46I'm going to pop in that boiled orange zest.
0:14:46 > 0:14:47That's nice and soft now.
0:14:50 > 0:14:51And this lovely stem ginger.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54It's great, stem ginger, it's sweet, it's sticky
0:14:54 > 0:14:56but still got the fire of the ginger.
0:14:59 > 0:15:04Now, Cumberland sauce can be served warm or cold.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08Now, this can go in the oven between six and eight minutes.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10We are not going to transfer them to a baking tray
0:15:10 > 0:15:14because this frying pan has a metal handle and can go straight into the oven.
0:15:18 > 0:15:19Thanks, mate.
0:15:19 > 0:15:25Yours is ready in six, mine's ready in about seven.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27Which gives the chop time to rest!
0:15:34 > 0:15:37# Where hast thou been since I last saw thee?
0:15:37 > 0:15:41# I love you, my fat Barnsley chop
0:15:41 > 0:15:46# I'm loving my big Barnsley chop... #
0:15:46 > 0:15:48Is it just me?
0:15:51 > 0:15:53Oh, man!
0:15:55 > 0:15:58We should leave it to rest for a minute, shouldn't we?
0:15:58 > 0:15:59Yeah.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02That's a minute. That's champion.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10The sauce, as it's cooling, it's just like a syrup.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13If we let this go cold, it would go back to jelly.
0:16:13 > 0:16:18That's the one you put it in a jar and you have it with your ham sandwiches.
0:16:21 > 0:16:22Yes, that's it.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24When you're faced with such fine produce
0:16:24 > 0:16:27and great pub food traditions, it's hard not to be greedy, isn't it?
0:16:27 > 0:16:30It is, but the good thing about a Barnsley chop,
0:16:30 > 0:16:32it can be a chop for sharing.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35You start at an end each and meet in the middle.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37- Like spaghetti. - Yeah.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39No.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42Oh!
0:16:45 > 0:16:48Oh, heaven. That's perfect. Really nice.
0:16:48 > 0:16:53That is, isn't it? Do you know, the Barnsley chop, I can't see it not having a future.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55Great British pub food.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58- What's yours? Fancy a pint? - Oh, yeah.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01- Where we going? The local? - Pub!
0:17:03 > 0:17:07'Ee, lad. There you have it. The big, bad Barnsley chop.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09'And with double the meat of a regular cutlet,
0:17:09 > 0:17:11'it's value for money, too.
0:17:13 > 0:17:14'You could argue that pub grub
0:17:14 > 0:17:17'these days has had a bit of a posh makeover,
0:17:17 > 0:17:22'but there's one foodstuff that still retains a more down-to-earth charm.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26'We've come to the Black Country in the West Midlands,
0:17:26 > 0:17:30'birthplace of the archetypical pub snack
0:17:30 > 0:17:32'but one with a bit of a mixed bag.'
0:17:32 > 0:17:36When it comes to pub grub, there's nothing that's as loved and loathed
0:17:36 > 0:17:41in equal measure, and we love them, as the humble pork scratching.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45That's perhaps due to the fact that it's hard to work out exactly what a pork scratching is.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48I mean, they taste great but what are they?
0:17:51 > 0:17:55For those of you who are undecided, we've come to meet Nigel Moore,
0:17:55 > 0:17:58owner of this pork scratching manufacturers, to find out.
0:17:59 > 0:18:04They make up to 60 tonnes of these little beauties here every week,
0:18:04 > 0:18:06and they're going to show us how it's done.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09But first it's time for a bit of health and safety.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13That's better, I can breathe.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16Right, guys. This is where it all starts.
0:18:16 > 0:18:17What we do is we put it on the bandsaw.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30Put all three together and just put them down the chute.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37Like a chippy chunker.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40We're now slicing at 18mm thick,
0:18:40 > 0:18:43which is the perfect pork scratching width.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47So when you start cooking the product, they're broadly the same size.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49- Then they cook properly, of course. - Even and right.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57Nigel, when did the tradition for pork scratchings start in the Black Country?
0:18:57 > 0:19:00As far as I'm aware, it started in the 1800s.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04When they slaughtered a pig in their backyard, they didn't waste anything.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08So they killed it for bacon, they made black pudding,
0:19:08 > 0:19:10all the traditional Black Country favourites.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13And what was left was pork rind.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15So Mrs Housewife then cooked up the pork rind
0:19:15 > 0:19:18and that's why it's a Black Country delicacy.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20- And it was a snack? - And it was a snack, absolutely.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22Butchers took that to their shops,
0:19:22 > 0:19:26cooked it at the back of the shops and then sold it over the counter.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30And that's where the origins of retail packing of pork scratchings started.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33Which is what you did, because you were a High-Street butcher?
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Absolutely right. I've been in the meat industry for,
0:19:36 > 0:19:39since Adam and Eve had boys and girls, let's put it that way.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43'Today pork scratchings are big business,
0:19:43 > 0:19:46'with over 20 million bags sold in the UK every year.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48'But not only have sales increased in this country,
0:19:48 > 0:19:52'these salted pork rinds are winning new fans.'
0:19:52 > 0:19:55We go to Russia, we send some to China
0:19:55 > 0:19:59and one of my customers is actually trying to get it into outer space with the astronauts.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01Now that would be a first.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04You could say it's a product that's out of this world. Aw!
0:20:04 > 0:20:07- Oh, Nigel, man! - Sorry, guys. Sorry.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12You've got it, Kingy? You've got that one.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15- Follow me, guys. - Scratching paradise.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19The edge of the fryer.
0:20:21 > 0:20:22Brilliant.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30How long do they take to cook?
0:20:30 > 0:20:34At this temperature, which is about 170, 180C,
0:20:34 > 0:20:37it will take about an hour and-a-half to two hours.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41An hour and-a-half? I thought three to five minutes or something.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43The scratching now has cooled down the oil
0:20:43 > 0:20:46as you can see by there's no bubble.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49It sinks to the bottom of the cooking pans.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51What we have to do next, or specifically,
0:20:51 > 0:20:55what you guys have to do next is actually agitate the scratchings
0:20:55 > 0:20:57so they do not stick to the bottom of the pan.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59Right.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01MUSIC: "O Mio Babbino Caro" by Giacomo Puccini
0:21:11 > 0:21:15Now, that, guys, is the perfect cooked pork scratchings. Well done.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18Once cooled, it's over to quality control
0:21:18 > 0:21:22and time to put to bed a popular misconception.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25What part of the pig does the rind come from?
0:21:25 > 0:21:28That's a good question, because most people think that a pig,
0:21:28 > 0:21:32- it's all the rind - the ears, the snout, the tail...- Yeah.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34..dare I say it? - the nipples.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38All we use is one particular part of the animal - which is the shank,
0:21:38 > 0:21:40- which is this bit up here.- Right.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42It's the most tender, it's taken off and boned by hand,
0:21:42 > 0:21:46and then comes into the processing site that we saw at the beginning.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49- So it's the rind from leg of pork? - Absolutely right.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51Come on, Kingy, let's get crackling!
0:21:57 > 0:22:01- Is it OK if we try and personalise our scratchings?- Ohh!
0:22:01 > 0:22:03It'd be hard to beat our secret seasoning,
0:22:03 > 0:22:05but I'm willing to give it a go.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07We thought about all sorts of flavours -
0:22:07 > 0:22:12maybe lime zest and chilli - and then we thought we'd go traditional.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15Good traditional, solid flavours on your pork scratchings.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19Salt, pepper, sage and rosemary - can we give it a go?
0:22:19 > 0:22:22- Oh, that sounds wonderful. Let's give it a go.- Right - peppercorns,
0:22:22 > 0:22:25sea salt...
0:22:25 > 0:22:28rosemary, sage.
0:22:30 > 0:22:31Sprinkle at will?
0:22:31 > 0:22:35Sprinkle at will, generously, all over, so they all get a nice coating.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37- The smell is wonderful. - It's nice, innit?
0:22:37 > 0:22:41So, if we move them down the chute, the magic arm will take over
0:22:41 > 0:22:47and we can see them disappear into the mechanical part of our process, which is bagging.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49What shall we call them, Kingy? Hairy Scratchings?
0:22:49 > 0:22:52- No, Dave, that's not a good name for a food product.- No.
0:22:52 > 0:22:57- What do you think, Nigel? Biker Scratchings? - Biker Scratchings is a good name.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01- Bikers' Busting Black Country Scratchings!- That's great.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05Do you think he's humouring us, Si? The final stage is the packaging.
0:23:05 > 0:23:06This way, guys.
0:23:08 > 0:23:15- There it goes!- Dave, this is a big moment, mate, this! Look at that!
0:23:15 > 0:23:16Our first scratchings!
0:23:18 > 0:23:20Aw, yes! Like dominoes, innit?
0:23:20 > 0:23:23The proof of the scratchings is in the taste, Dave.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29THEY MUMBLE WITH THEIR MOUTHS FULL
0:23:29 > 0:23:33There you have it - pig skin plus salt.
0:23:33 > 0:23:38It's like culinary alchemy. There is only one place to test our porky snacks...
0:23:38 > 0:23:39The pub!
0:23:39 > 0:23:41Pork Scratching Central.
0:23:41 > 0:23:46For hundreds of years, people have been connoisseurs of the scratching.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49And these are Northern tapas!
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Oh, I think we're flattering ourselves there.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55- They're Northern tapas! - Northern tapas.- They are.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58A little amuse-bouche? Hey! Come on, man.
0:23:58 > 0:23:59How are you doing?
0:23:59 > 0:24:03Ladies and gentlemen, we've been making scratchings this afternoon.
0:24:03 > 0:24:04Oh, yes.
0:24:04 > 0:24:09Proper Black Country scratchings with our own seasoning - sage, rosemary, salt and pepper.
0:24:09 > 0:24:14- We'd love to know what you think. - I'll try... - Cooked by our own fair hands.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19CUSTOMERS CHATTER
0:24:19 > 0:24:21I wouldn't like to say!
0:24:21 > 0:24:26- They were bagged about an hour ago. - We've seasoned them ourselves, straight off the fryer.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29I have to say, that's delicious. I'll take another one.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32- I'll have one. - Go on, then. That's a good one!
0:24:33 > 0:24:39- Where's the biggest one?- Cheers! You didn't waste long, you sweet-talker!
0:24:39 > 0:24:43- Have a little one. They are good, aren't they?- They're excellent.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46Well, you can't argue with the good people of Wolverhampton.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49I think it's fair to say, dude, that they are a success.
0:24:49 > 0:24:54Scratchings are a pub-grub tradition, and they're going to be here for ever.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56- I sincerely hope so.- Oh, aye.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01The scratching is a bona fide British delicacy...
0:25:01 > 0:25:05- but there's more to pubs than snacks.- In recent years,
0:25:05 > 0:25:09British food has been recognised as being some of the best in the world...
0:25:09 > 0:25:13with some of the most gratifying dishes coming not out of restaurants
0:25:13 > 0:25:18but from that national treasure - the humble public house.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26As a result, we Brits now eat more meals in pubs than we do in restaurants.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Sadly, though, the Great British boozer is in decline,
0:25:29 > 0:25:33with an average of 25 closing every week.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36Some ARE stopping the rot by offering great food
0:25:36 > 0:25:40and keeping the locals happy with a real pub atmosphere.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Like our Best Of British food hero and pub saviour...
0:25:43 > 0:25:46- I'm not overdoing this, mate, am I?! - No!
0:25:46 > 0:25:51- Give the lad a big build-up, like... - ..pub super chef Dominic Chapman,
0:25:51 > 0:25:53at the Royal Oak in Berkshire...
0:25:53 > 0:25:57one of only 13 pubs in the country to hold a coveted Michelin Star.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00And the power behind it is someone
0:26:00 > 0:26:03who remembers the Great British boozer in its heyday.
0:26:03 > 0:26:08In my generation, they were where you went - to gossip, to talk, to cash a cheque.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12Well, we didn't have cheques in those days! To borrow money.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15They defined village life for me, growing up in Yorkshire.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18They had a very important part to play in my life.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Food wasn't on the agenda. You had that at home. They were drinking places.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25Places where you played snooker, cribbage, where you gambled.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29There's a generation that wouldn't understand what I'm talking about.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33I might be talking about igloos, for all that they would understand what I'm talking about!
0:26:33 > 0:26:38That's been the trick, my trick, is to understand the difference, the change, what's happened here.
0:26:38 > 0:26:43Nowadays, you have to give people a different reason for going to a pub than I had.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47After years as Britain's best-known TV chat show host...
0:26:47 > 0:26:52..Sir Michael Parkinson sunk his money into a pub partnership with his son Nick.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56I can remember showing you it, and you said, "Are you mad?"
0:26:56 > 0:26:57MICHAEL GUFFAWS
0:26:57 > 0:27:00Cos it was a fairly rundown, horrible place.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03That doesn't describe it half what it was like.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06It was an absolute shambles. It was like buying a ruin, wasn't it?
0:27:06 > 0:27:10- Yeah, it was horrible. - You saw the potential before I did, that's for sure.
0:27:12 > 0:27:17They opened the pub in 2001, and whilst Sir Michael and Nick front the business...
0:27:18 > 0:27:21..behind the scenes, Dominic is busy cheffing.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27He joined the team in 2007, and raised their game,
0:27:27 > 0:27:31earning the Royal Oak a Michelin Star in 2010.
0:27:31 > 0:27:36It's amazing. It took a few years, but when we got the news, you know,
0:27:36 > 0:27:39that's the best day of your life, it really is.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41I mean, that's... You know, I was...
0:27:41 > 0:27:44Michelin stars are pretty special within our industry,
0:27:44 > 0:27:47so we now need to work hard and protect that,
0:27:47 > 0:27:52because all the effort and hours you put in to achieve a Michelin star,
0:27:52 > 0:27:55you don't want to throw it away. It's all about performing every day
0:27:55 > 0:27:59and making sure you're consistently very, very good. That's what it's all about.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03Just because you've received one doesn't mean you'll hold onto it.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05Michelin is about good food.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08You don't have to be poncy to get a Michelin Star.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11You have to produce food that is tasty, seasonal,
0:28:11 > 0:28:15looks great, and there's a little bit of love on that menu.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17I don't think it's rocket science. I love my job.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19I love what I do.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23So, I hope that's reflected in the food that we serve
0:28:23 > 0:28:26and the menu that's on offer at the Royal Oak.
0:28:26 > 0:28:31It's not what I would call typical Michelin food. Dom's food is very real, very basic
0:28:31 > 0:28:34and good and tasty. He doesn't do foam!
0:28:34 > 0:28:37We don't do things like that. We don't want to.
0:28:37 > 0:28:43And Dominic is cooking up one of his signature dishes - hare and trotter pie.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46I'm going to joint the hares,
0:28:46 > 0:28:48I'll brown a piece of bacon...
0:28:48 > 0:28:51carrot, leek, celery, onion, garlic,
0:28:51 > 0:28:53and I'll brown that off.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55Separate pan - I'll brown some button mushrooms,
0:28:55 > 0:28:58I'll caramelise some tomatoes...
0:28:58 > 0:29:03It's a dish with a traditional feel, but it's not a simple one.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06I'll do a reduction, a red-wine reduction,
0:29:06 > 0:29:08I'll do a port-madeira reduction.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12No way! This recipe's got more reductions than a closing-down sale!
0:29:12 > 0:29:16Put them all into one pan with some stock, I'll then add may aromats -
0:29:16 > 0:29:21bay leaf, thyme, pink peppercorns, juniper berries, black peppercorns -
0:29:21 > 0:29:23into the oven for 2.5 hours.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26Break down the meat, get rid of the bone.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29So the next stage is building the pies.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31I've got my onion, some bacon, some pear,
0:29:31 > 0:29:34some mushrooms and some pig's trotter.
0:29:37 > 0:29:39Lay the pastry over the pie,
0:29:39 > 0:29:42and then into the oven at 200 degrees for 12 minutes.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44The pie's ready.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48- Well, the proof of the pudding... - Pie!- ..is in the eating.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51YORKSHIRE ACCENT: Bring on the pie! Aye, bring on t'pie!
0:29:54 > 0:29:56Very excited. Yeah. I love it.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00If you're a careful cook and take time to be delicate
0:30:00 > 0:30:05and make things look great, but also taste great, that's the battle, and I guess that's what's so hard.
0:30:05 > 0:30:07I've got real interest in that,
0:30:07 > 0:30:10so that's what I try really hard to get right...if I can!
0:30:12 > 0:30:14Oh, God!
0:30:18 > 0:30:21That sauce is fantastic.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24And the sauce - to die for.
0:30:24 > 0:30:25Well done, Dominic.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27THEY BOTH LAUGH
0:30:29 > 0:30:31That's beautiful. You can't get better than that.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34There's nothing posh about that at all.
0:30:34 > 0:30:35It's basic good grub.
0:30:35 > 0:30:37You couldn't eat better than that
0:30:37 > 0:30:39anywhere in the world.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41- Is it all right? > - Very good that.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45- You like that, did you(?) - I can't really contribute much more. It's very good.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47Here endeth the lesson.
0:30:47 > 0:30:51Hold on your party! He's still got it in him, you know!
0:30:51 > 0:30:53The great thing is, like many gastro-pubs,
0:30:53 > 0:30:58the Royal Oak is helping to keep the spirit of the traditional local well alive!
0:30:59 > 0:31:03Now it's time for our top five pub-grub classics, pop pickers!
0:31:03 > 0:31:06MUSIC: "Top Of The Pops" Theme Tune
0:31:06 > 0:31:09At number 5, it's the ploughman's lunch.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12Here are your ploughman's lunches. Annie.
0:31:12 > 0:31:17Introduced to pubs in the late 1960s, quite simply - cheese, bread and pickle.
0:31:17 > 0:31:21- Imagine those hungry farmhands wiping off sweat after a hard day's ploughing!- Uh, no.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24Actually, Simon, it had nothing to do with that.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27It was invented by the Milk Marketing Board
0:31:27 > 0:31:29- to promote the sales of British cheese.- Oh.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32Anyway, I love mine with a big hunk of Stilton.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34I know you do, Sizo!
0:31:34 > 0:31:37Bangers and mash is our number 4!
0:31:37 > 0:31:40And did you know the term was in use as far back as 1919?!
0:31:41 > 0:31:45Sausages, particularly those made under rationing in World War II,
0:31:45 > 0:31:48had a higher water content and a tendency to burst with a bang
0:31:48 > 0:31:50if cooked too quickly, hence the name.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53Bangers and mash, for me, is all about variety,
0:31:53 > 0:31:55especially if you use a speciality sausage
0:31:55 > 0:32:00or add an ingredient like chives or roast garlic to the mash. Mmm!
0:32:00 > 0:32:04- DEEP VOICE:- And it absolutely has to be onion gravy!
0:32:05 > 0:32:09- Coming in at 3 is fish and chips.- Wowser!
0:32:09 > 0:32:11You can't beat our national dish.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15Just the smell of vinegar soaking into the batter is enough to drive me crazy!
0:32:15 > 0:32:18Fish and chips are truly iconic.
0:32:18 > 0:32:23A visit to the chippy has been an important part of British culinary experience
0:32:23 > 0:32:25since the late 1850s.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29'Certainly no other food has won such a special place in the British way of life.'
0:32:29 > 0:32:34And during World War II, fish was one of the few foods that wasn't subject to rationing.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36Lots about!
0:32:36 > 0:32:39Steak-and-ale pie is number 2 on our list.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41The classic pie-and-a-pint.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45- What could give you more pleasure?- Pie-tastic, Dave!
0:32:45 > 0:32:48And pub grub needn't be any more gastronomic than this.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51Simply made and using local ingredients,
0:32:51 > 0:32:54it's British food at its best.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57- And topping the chart, it's... - HE IMITATES FANFARE
0:32:57 > 0:32:59..the fish pie.. ..a mainstay of any pub menu
0:32:59 > 0:33:01and topped with clouds of fluffy mash.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04The ULTIMATE comfort food!
0:33:04 > 0:33:07So, next up in our Best Of British kitchen,
0:33:07 > 0:33:13we're cooking just that - our pub grub tour de force - the fish pie!
0:33:13 > 0:33:17But this is no ordinary fish pie...
0:33:17 > 0:33:22No, this is OUR fish pie, a fabulous fish pie.
0:33:22 > 0:33:25A decadent mix of cod, smoked haddock and salmon
0:33:25 > 0:33:28in a dill-and-white wine sauce with a cheesy mash topping.
0:33:28 > 0:33:33Once upon a time, in a land far, far away - called Glasgow -
0:33:33 > 0:33:38we wandered into a hostelry and we came upon a gentleman called Billy.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41And he was very famous for his granny's fish pie,
0:33:41 > 0:33:46and after some gentle persuasion, Billy passed on that recipe.
0:33:46 > 0:33:52It's about what's affordable and fresh, so go to your fishmonger - they're brilliant people.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55But Billy's fish pies were individual,
0:33:55 > 0:33:59they were a honking big meal and it was rammed with fish.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02Now, milk goes into the pan.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05'There's 600ml of whole milk,
0:34:05 > 0:34:08'add a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper...
0:34:08 > 0:34:10'and a couple of bay leaves.
0:34:10 > 0:34:16'Then place in three different types of fish.'
0:34:16 > 0:34:20You only poach that for two minutes,
0:34:20 > 0:34:25then you leave it to stand for five minutes, and all that liquor,
0:34:25 > 0:34:29you use to make the sauce, a dill sauce, in which to suspend the pie.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32Oh, the suspended animation of dill. Ooh.
0:34:32 > 0:34:38Now, while Dave's doing that, I'm just going to get on and do our cheesy mash.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42Very, very simple. All I'm going to do is add butter to the pan.
0:34:42 > 0:34:47- That's a lot of butter. - It certainly is. But it's worth it.
0:34:47 > 0:34:51But it's interesting, it was after the Romans left
0:34:51 > 0:34:53when we got left with the legacy of eating fish,
0:34:53 > 0:34:57because the Church insisted that we had a meat-free day,
0:34:57 > 0:35:01so Friday became fish day, and we all started to eat more fish.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05Over the millennia or so, we learned to be more inventive with fish,
0:35:05 > 0:35:08so we made fish pie, we cooked the fish with fruit.
0:35:08 > 0:35:12Those medieval recipes, they're, like, mackerel with gooseberries.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15Still a classic dish. I've had that on numerous occasions.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17- It's really, really good.- Phwoar!
0:35:17 > 0:35:22'For the mash, poach the potatoes until they're just soft,
0:35:22 > 0:35:24'then squidge through a ricer.'
0:35:24 > 0:35:28Now, I've just melted the butter. I'm just going to put some cream...
0:35:28 > 0:35:32- Lovely.- This is proper mash, innit?- Yeah.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35Just give that a little squidgely-widgely.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38'Coarsely grate 150g of mature Cheddar
0:35:38 > 0:35:42'and put aside about a quarter of that for the topping.'
0:35:42 > 0:35:47It's funny. Seafood pasta - Parmesan I don't think goes, do you?
0:35:47 > 0:35:51- Oh, God, yeah.- Oh. Strike that one, then.- Yeah. What?
0:35:51 > 0:35:53- Cheese goes great with fish. - It does.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57All I've done with the mashed potato is I've put them through a ricer.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00I'm going to add the cream and butter to that,
0:36:00 > 0:36:02and then I'm going to stir through the cheese,
0:36:02 > 0:36:07- and that's the cheesy mash that's going to top our fantastic fish pie. - Yep.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11Now, we turn this off now and we wait for five minutes.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14That fish is just going to relax in that milk.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17After five minutes we can crack on and make the sauce.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20See, it's really very simple.
0:36:20 > 0:36:24Stir the cream and butter into the mashed spuds.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26You see, when I was a kid, in our house,
0:36:26 > 0:36:30we were more fishcake people than fish pie people.
0:36:30 > 0:36:34- Opinion is divided, Dave, isn't it, about fish pie?- Mm-hm.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37Do you have eggs in it, or do you not have eggs in it?
0:36:37 > 0:36:39Billy had eggs in it.
0:36:39 > 0:36:44- And what do we like?- Eggs. - Love 'em.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47I've just mixed that cheese in.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50Can I taste it, see if it needs a bit salt?
0:36:50 > 0:36:55Oh, loads of seasoning necessary. White pepper in mashed potato.
0:36:55 > 0:36:59- Always.- Always white pepper in mash.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03- I think, white pepper, it tastes sharper with the mash.- Yeah.
0:37:03 > 0:37:04It's nice. It's cleaner.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07Right, this fish is done, cos really,
0:37:07 > 0:37:10what I want at this moment, rather than the fish, is that juice.
0:37:10 > 0:37:11Look at that.
0:37:15 > 0:37:16Take the fish out.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19Lovely big paves of salmon.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23Smoked haddock.
0:37:23 > 0:37:27I'm going to flake this, so don't worry about this falling apart.
0:37:29 > 0:37:33In that milk we've got all the goodness from the fish,
0:37:33 > 0:37:36the bay and the seasoning.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39It's not a namby-pamby sauce, I've got a lump of butter
0:37:39 > 0:37:40and I'm going to make a roux.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46To the melted butter, add five tablespoons of plain flour
0:37:46 > 0:37:50and stir the flour in and make a paste.
0:37:50 > 0:37:54Some may say it's going to resemble wallpaper paste.
0:37:54 > 0:37:56However, do not panic.
0:37:57 > 0:38:02Slowly add the milky fish broth, stirring over a medium heat for five minutes,
0:38:02 > 0:38:05until the sauce is thickened.
0:38:05 > 0:38:11Believe me, this will be smooth. If it isn't smooth, we will put a whisk to it.
0:38:11 > 0:38:12Yeah, yeah...
0:38:14 > 0:38:15Tell us when, mate.
0:38:18 > 0:38:23It's a bit lumpy, but we'll soon deal with that.
0:38:24 > 0:38:28While Dave's wrestling with the sauce, I'm going to cut the eggs.
0:38:28 > 0:38:31- A top hairy biker... Oh, it's lush, that.- It is, look at that.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33Have a butcher's.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44The first thing you notice when you taste it,
0:38:44 > 0:38:46is the smoky flavour from the fish.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50It's brilliant. The sauce is quite salty with the smoked fish.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52I have to watch my seasoning.
0:38:52 > 0:38:56We haven't been shy with the dill, either. Lovely.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00Remember, this will let down a bit more of the sauce
0:39:00 > 0:39:04because, as the pie cooks, there will be more liquid coming out of the fish.
0:39:06 > 0:39:10'If you're using eggs, you need six hard-boiled ones
0:39:10 > 0:39:11'and they need to be sliced.'
0:39:11 > 0:39:15A little tip, which really does help to get a neat finish on your eggs,
0:39:15 > 0:39:19is wet your knife as you cut through the egg.
0:39:19 > 0:39:24- My mam used to have one of those wire things for cutting eggs. - I love them.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27I used to think it was a banjo and I used to pretend I was George Formby.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32"Son, put the egg slicer down." "Mum, where's the plasters?"
0:39:33 > 0:39:36- Right, there's all the eggs you can shake a stick at.- Brilliant.
0:39:36 > 0:39:40- The mash is ready. - Sauce, fish, eggs.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46Put a dollop of sauce in the bottom of each bowl.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49Then break up the fish, checking all the time for bones.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52A bit of salmon...
0:39:52 > 0:39:56It's funny, that salmon... It started off being a poor man's fish
0:39:56 > 0:40:00and then it was a super posh man's fish and now, ironically,
0:40:00 > 0:40:02it's one of the most affordable fish on the market.
0:40:04 > 0:40:09- Continue to layer up. There we go.- Eggs.- Look at that.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12- That'll do us, that's enough egg. - I think so.- Now, more sauce.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15'It may look quite thick at the moment but in the oven
0:40:15 > 0:40:19'it'll mix with the juice from the fish and come out perfect.'
0:40:25 > 0:40:31Essentially the logic is, and I agree, I hate watery fish pies.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34So many people make fish pies, and you go through the process
0:40:34 > 0:40:36and it looks great when you put it in,
0:40:36 > 0:40:39but there's like a layer of water when you get under the potatoes.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41Not this pie.
0:40:41 > 0:40:43Not this pie, viewers.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46Now pub pies, whether it's a fish pie, steak and kidney,
0:40:46 > 0:40:50chicken and mushroom, you have to have a generous, well packed pie.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53These pies are going to be towered up like that.
0:40:55 > 0:40:57We're going to be rustic with this.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00None of your fancy piping or Duchess kind of rondelles,
0:41:00 > 0:41:04it's just dollops of mash, as rough as you like.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07All those rough bits will translate into crispy bits.
0:41:07 > 0:41:11- Keep it rough, keep it rough. - I'm roughing.- Hee, hee.
0:41:11 > 0:41:13That's a hearty portion for one, isn't it?
0:41:13 > 0:41:18Sprinkle the remaining cheese onto the pies and place on a baking tray.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21I had a geometry wipe-out, then.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23There we are.
0:41:23 > 0:41:27Pop these into a preheated oven about 180 to 200 degrees Celsius,
0:41:27 > 0:41:29for about half an hour until golden.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32The top tip, if they're not golden enough, finish them under a grill.
0:41:41 > 0:41:43Oh, yes.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45Oh, they are...
0:41:45 > 0:41:47DAVE LAUGHS
0:41:47 > 0:41:48That is gorgeous.
0:41:48 > 0:41:53- That is a proper pie, isn't it?- Look at that. I love the colour.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56But we know there's a lot going on below that crust, you know.
0:41:56 > 0:41:58- Shall we find out?- Yes, go on.
0:41:58 > 0:42:03It's like David Bellamy looking into a garden pond. Look at that.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06You see, that's where the sense of that thick sauce comes in.
0:42:06 > 0:42:10It's perfect. It's creamy. It's not full of water.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18That's brilliant.
0:42:18 > 0:42:23It tastes brilliant. It's simple, straightforward, no-nonsense, pub fish pie.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25And tasty.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28It's great, I love the combination of the fish, it's so simple.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31There's just enough smokiness. A third of the fish was smoked.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33But the salmon is meaty and flaky.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37I say, because of that sauce being thick, it's not at all watery.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42And the mash. It's quite simply decadent.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44Long live pub grub.
0:42:46 > 0:42:50In recent times, Britons have been rediscovering the joys of our traditional pub grub
0:42:50 > 0:42:55from the sumptuous gourmet meals to the salt-based snacks.
0:42:55 > 0:43:00The British pub holds a unique place in our culture and adding decent grub into the equation
0:43:00 > 0:43:04has helped create a truly, British culinary experience.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07And to find out how to cook the recipes in today's show...
0:43:07 > 0:43:08Visit...
0:43:12 > 0:43:16..to discover some amazing facts about the history of food.
0:43:48 > 0:43:50Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:50 > 0:43:51E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk