0:00:03 > 0:00:06We believe Britain has the best food in the world.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11'Our glorious country boasts some fantastic ingredients.'
0:00:11 > 0:00:14Start eating it, will you?
0:00:14 > 0:00:17It's home to amazing producers.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20- My goodness gracious! That is epic. - Isn't it?
0:00:21 > 0:00:23And innovative chefs.
0:00:23 > 0:00:29But our islands also have a fascinating food history.
0:00:29 > 0:00:34The fish and chip shops of South Wales are running out of chips.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36- BOTH:- Yes!
0:00:36 > 0:00:38And, in this series,
0:00:38 > 0:00:42we're uncovering revealing stories of our rich culinary past.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45Now, there is food history on a plate.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47As well as meeting our nation's food heroes
0:00:47 > 0:00:50who are keeping this heritage alive.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53Let's have them enjoying themselves. It's a short life.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55Let's make it a happy one like they always have had.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58And, of course, we'll be cooking up a load of dishes
0:00:58 > 0:01:02that reveal our foodie evolution.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Spring, summer, autumn or winter.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07It's brilliant.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11- BOTH:- Quite simply, the best of British!
0:01:31 > 0:01:33You know, dude, I don't know about you,
0:01:33 > 0:01:35it's hard to look at these little feathered friends
0:01:35 > 0:01:39- without thinking of chipolatas, and bread sauce, isn't it?- Yeah, yeah.
0:01:39 > 0:01:40I do love a plump bird, dude.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42Oh, me too.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46Without doubt, the chicken is the most popular of our edible birds.
0:01:46 > 0:01:47Here in the UK,
0:01:47 > 0:01:51we are blessed with a plethora of wild and domesticated fowl
0:01:51 > 0:01:55that are both beautiful, and give us exceptional eating.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57Partridge.
0:01:57 > 0:01:58Woodcock.
0:01:58 > 0:01:59Pigeon.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01Pheasant.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03Goose.
0:02:03 > 0:02:04Duck.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06Quail.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08- And swan.- Eh?
0:02:08 > 0:02:11All have a huge part to play in our culinary heritage,
0:02:11 > 0:02:14and are well worth eating and celebrating to this day.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16Other than swan!
0:02:16 > 0:02:18We're very sorry, Your Majesty.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21# Everybody's talking about chicken
0:02:21 > 0:02:23# Chicken's a popular word
0:02:23 > 0:02:25# But anywhere you go
0:02:25 > 0:02:28# You're bound to find chicken ain't nothing but a bird. #
0:02:29 > 0:02:31In today's programme,
0:02:31 > 0:02:33we're urging you to broaden your culinary horizons
0:02:33 > 0:02:36and discover the world of British fowl.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38Forget chicken.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41We want to show you that there's a wealth of flavour out there,
0:02:41 > 0:02:45from the pot-roasted partridge, to the Aylesbury duck.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Our native game birds have made a welcome return to dinner tables
0:02:48 > 0:02:50in recent years.
0:02:50 > 0:02:51A word on the foodie grapevine
0:02:51 > 0:02:54is that this is a trend that's set to continue.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57# Ain't nothing but a bird! #
0:03:00 > 0:03:03So, to begin our journey into all things feathered,
0:03:03 > 0:03:06we need to revisit our culinary past.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10And, if there's one man who can give us the historical perspective
0:03:10 > 0:03:13on just how important fowl were to our diets,
0:03:13 > 0:03:17it's champion of bygone foods and forgotten recipes, Ivan Day.
0:03:17 > 0:03:22Ivan, did fowl have a big part to play in British food history?
0:03:22 > 0:03:26Oh, absolutely. The time it really came into its own was at Christmas.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29We argue and say, "What was traditional, goose or turkey?"
0:03:29 > 0:03:32Actually, neither, because Christmas was a time when
0:03:32 > 0:03:37both wild birds and domestic fowl, poultry, are at their very best.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39When you get into the colder days after Christmas,
0:03:39 > 0:03:41the wild ones start to lose weight.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44And you don't really want to be feeding too many domestic ones,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47so they tended to kill them around that time.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51You see, if you look at some of the medieval and early modern periods,
0:03:51 > 0:03:53say, 17th-century dinner menus,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56they've got bittern, they've got woodcock,
0:03:56 > 0:03:59they've got doves, they've got everything.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02They've got turkey, they've got geese, a whole range.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Swan was very traditional at Christmas.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08- This was if you were wealthy.- Yes.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10You have a lot of different birds at that time of year.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14So, sometimes, you look at these menus, they look quite horrific.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18You're eating the whole avian population of the area.
0:04:18 > 0:04:19But they were very important.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22- And they all have their own unique flavours.- Yes.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28And the best way of combining all these flavours in one dish
0:04:28 > 0:04:30was, of course, in a pie.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33But not just any old pie.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35A Yorkshire Christmas pie.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37A massive pastry fantasy,
0:04:37 > 0:04:40stuffed with turkey, goose and fowl ad infinitum.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46With many of the original ingredients now on the endangered list,
0:04:46 > 0:04:51Ivan's promised to only use birds we can all get our hands on.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53Ivan, what's in our Christmas pie?
0:04:53 > 0:04:58The biggest thing in it is a lovely, free-range roasting hen,
0:04:58 > 0:05:01which I spent this morning boning out.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04And we're going to put inside that a wild mallard,
0:05:04 > 0:05:06which I've also boned out.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09I've got a pigeon and a partridge.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12As well as that, in some of the Victorian recipes,
0:05:12 > 0:05:17we're told to make force meats, to fill all the little gaps and things.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21Forcemeat is basically packing for our pie.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24Here, Ivan's got some turkey mince to which we'll add
0:05:24 > 0:05:28some chopped parsley, mushrooms and ham.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Now, the last thing I want you to do is,
0:05:31 > 0:05:34I want you to grate the nutmeg.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38The thing about this, it's going to be a cold pie.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40So you need to season it very high.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43So, I'm going to put a surprising amount of salt in it.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47Otherwise, it will taste really bland, actually.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Right, I think we're there.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54So, we've now got to actually construct the pies.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57To save us time, I've already made some pastry,
0:05:57 > 0:06:01which looks a little bit like hot-water pastry.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03- BOTH:- It does!- But it's not.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05This is for the base of the pie.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08I'm going to roll this out fairly flat.
0:06:08 > 0:06:13This is heavy-duty pastry, perfect for a princely pie like this.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17The great thing about this pastry is, you can make it really thin
0:06:17 > 0:06:19and it doesn't crack.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21Made from lard rather than butter,
0:06:21 > 0:06:24a further five egg yolks give it an almost Play-Doh feel -
0:06:24 > 0:06:28perfect for our highly ornate pie mould.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31Do you not think that there's a certain,
0:06:31 > 0:06:35a kind of similarity there between this gadgie here,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38- and this one on here? - It's spectacularly right, isn't it?
0:06:38 > 0:06:41- It's you?- Good grief, look at that!
0:06:41 > 0:06:44- "Si's why-aye pie." - "Si's why-aye pie."
0:06:44 > 0:06:47All you need is two croissants on your head!
0:06:51 > 0:06:54The next thing is, we've got to line this.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56I might need a bit of help here.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59If one of you could lift the mould onto the board.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01- I'll clear your pastry trimmings. - Yeah, OK.
0:07:01 > 0:07:06I'm going to put this on to this, so that it sits on there like that. OK.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09We need this overlap. It's very important.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11This pastry won't just look fancy,
0:07:11 > 0:07:14it's also perfect for preserving the meat.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16Ensuring it was all well sealed,
0:07:16 > 0:07:20meant that the birds within it could be kept for months on end.
0:07:20 > 0:07:21The most important thing
0:07:21 > 0:07:25is to make sure that the sides join onto the base.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27You don't want a leaking pie, do you?
0:07:27 > 0:07:30'But will our pie look like Si?'
0:07:30 > 0:07:33You push that really well in there.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36- We do want all those delicate features.- Yes, so...
0:07:36 > 0:07:38That's brilliant.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42Right, so, really, it's time to fill the pie, I think.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44So, we've got some forcemeat here,
0:07:44 > 0:07:47which we're going to put a layer of in the bottom.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50- We push that in like that.- Oh, man.
0:07:50 > 0:07:51And those birds will sit on that.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55- It's going to be a good eat, this. - It is, isn't it?- Absolutely.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59What we're going to do is we're going to coat this one
0:07:59 > 0:08:04in some forcemeat. So, it's a little bit more even.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08We go on to the next bird, which is mallard, the wild duck.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11We put him like that, in the middle.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14The modern equivalent is one of these multi-bird roasts.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17- A bird within a bird.- Which is kind of a modern heritage fake thing.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20- They didn't actually... - So that isn't anything that's...
0:08:20 > 0:08:23They probably never ever roasted things like that.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26They had made more sense. They put them in a pie.
0:08:26 > 0:08:31And we finish with the pigeon. We've now got to get the whole thing.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34It might be a two-person job, though. OK.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38- We can just gently drop it in. Look at that for a fit. Perfect fit.- Wow.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41OK, just push it in. That's lovely, look at that.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45- That's a well packed pie.- Look at that, absolutely perfect.- Fantastic.
0:08:45 > 0:08:46Right up to the top.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50'To keep the meat moist, a layer of bacon is added to the top.'
0:08:50 > 0:08:53Even if you haven't got a pie dish like this,
0:08:53 > 0:08:56I still think this would be a really valid pie to make,
0:08:56 > 0:08:59a really good cold cutting pie, a good pie for a picnic.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01- Absolutely.- A Christmas pie.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03It's a great celebration dish, isn't it?
0:09:03 > 0:09:05It's opulent, it's got... It's lovely.
0:09:05 > 0:09:10Right, so, I think it's time to finish off our "Why-aye Si pie"...
0:09:10 > 0:09:12THEY LAUGH
0:09:12 > 0:09:15..by ornamenting it, which is absolutely essential.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19This is a Christmas pie. It's a bit like decorating a Christmas tree.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22OK, right, let's get it into the oven. Slip that into there.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25It fits perfectly.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27This pie is relatively small,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30compared to the Christmas pies of old.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33And, although it'll take still take three hours to cook,
0:09:33 > 0:09:37we're more than happy to hang around to see how it turns out.
0:09:37 > 0:09:38Take that off, and then...
0:09:38 > 0:09:41Ah! There he is, there's himself.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43Caught the sun. Sun-kissed.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46That's what you Geordies call the full tango, isn't it?
0:09:46 > 0:09:48THEY LAUGH
0:09:48 > 0:09:50That's very true, that's very true.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52That is rather wonderful.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55Just gently go through, it's nice and crisp, can you see?
0:09:55 > 0:09:57So let's have a look. This one there.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59Oh, right, look at that!
0:09:59 > 0:10:01- Man!- Look at that.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03Now, that's a pie.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06- Can we have a taste?- Yeah.- Go on.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09- Help yourselves, lads.- Thank you.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13For me, that little bit of crust on the bottom is always...
0:10:13 > 0:10:15Oh, man!
0:10:15 > 0:10:17..superb.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19That is fabulous.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Ivan, thank you so much
0:10:22 > 0:10:28for showing us this time machine in a crust, as well as a wonderful pie.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32It's a wonderful piece of history. But it's wonderful food.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34- Do you know what? You're not- fowl!
0:10:34 > 0:10:37- Oh, my God!- Corker, absolute corker.
0:10:37 > 0:10:42Surely nothing pays finer tribute to our great British fowl
0:10:42 > 0:10:45than a Yorkshire Christmas pie.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48These days, of course, we have much simpler tastes.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52Our festive bird of choice is the good old-fashioned turkey.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55There's one British breed that's not only top of the pecking order
0:10:55 > 0:10:57when it comes to taste...
0:10:57 > 0:11:00It's a valuable slice of our foodie heritage.
0:11:00 > 0:11:01But, back in the 1950s,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04the Norfolk Black could have died out altogether
0:11:04 > 0:11:06if it was not for one family
0:11:06 > 0:11:08and their mission to save it from extinction.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12- NEWSREEL:- The one remaining firm belongs to Frank Peele and his wife.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15There's a good boy, there's a good boy.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18Mrs Peele likes her turkeys and she likes to talk to them.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21She knows them all by sight.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24The Norfolk Black had a distinguished pedigree.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26It's a direct descendant of the first turkey
0:11:26 > 0:11:30to be introduced to England from Mexico, in 1524.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34They were eaten by that great food lover Henry VIII,
0:11:34 > 0:11:38and were first sold at Smithfield meat market in 1554.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41And were prized for their robust taste.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44I've tried various other breeds,
0:11:44 > 0:11:48but my customers, they still prefer their black turkey.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51It's got a nice flavour.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54I call it a nutty flavour but a nice...
0:11:54 > 0:11:57It's got a distinct flavour to other breeds of turkeys.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01Don't think I'm running other breeds of turkeys down, because I'm not.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04The breed has been a mainstay of British poultry
0:12:04 > 0:12:06ever since their introduction.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09But, in the post-war years, things changed a bit.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12- NEWSREEL:- These days, it's something of a curiosity
0:12:12 > 0:12:15even to see a turkey wandering about a farm in its natural state.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21The country had moved towards intensive farming.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25And the Peeles' neighbour, a certain Mr Bernard Matthews,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28was a turkey trailblazer.
0:12:28 > 0:12:29Bootiful.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33- NEWSREEL:- Computers, statistical analysis, environmental research
0:12:33 > 0:12:37have all been enlisted to perfect the new white supermarket turkey.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42They come off the conveyor belt at the rate of three million a year,
0:12:42 > 0:12:46a fantastic achievement that has made the turkey available to all.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48Reared in indoor growing units,
0:12:48 > 0:12:50fed on specially compounded pellets,
0:12:50 > 0:12:54the new turkey is automatically plucked and oven-ready
0:12:54 > 0:12:56in less than 24 hours.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58In this fast-moving world,
0:12:58 > 0:13:00the expensive to rear and slow-growing Norfolk Black
0:13:00 > 0:13:03was completely out of step.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07But Mr Peele understood all good things take time.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10Now, a turkey is not a turkey until it's really mature
0:13:10 > 0:13:12and got the flavour.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15And it should be hung properly,
0:13:15 > 0:13:17and hung up for at least a week according to the weather.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Then you get maturity.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23But Mr Peele wasn't alone in appreciating
0:13:23 > 0:13:26a good traditionally raised ma-turkey.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29I say, if it's a free-range bird,
0:13:29 > 0:13:32just let it wander about the farm and just pick it up,
0:13:32 > 0:13:35to me, it's a lot better than a turkey and a chicken
0:13:35 > 0:13:39which has been force-fed, in these broiler houses.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42Mr Peele's selective breeding had plucked the true Norfolk Black
0:13:42 > 0:13:45back from obscurity.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49But he had no idea what lay ahead for his top-flight bird.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55I haven't a son, worst luck, but I've got two daughters,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58and I hope they'll carry on the old tradition.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01Thankfully, his daughter did take over,
0:14:01 > 0:14:05and, today, his grandson James Graham runs the business.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07Without this one family,
0:14:07 > 0:14:09the Norfolk Black might have been gobbled up for good
0:14:09 > 0:14:11by the intensive-farming movement.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Instead, thanks to them, a crucial ingredient of our poultry past
0:14:17 > 0:14:22has been saved for the delectation of generations to come.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26# Stay for good this time. #
0:14:30 > 0:14:32But the Norfolk Black isn't the only historic bird
0:14:32 > 0:14:34that remains on our menus.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37Partridge may have a reputation for being eaten
0:14:37 > 0:14:40by the upper-class types after a morning's hunt.
0:14:40 > 0:14:41But it's relatively inexpensive.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44It's already stocked by some supermarkets
0:14:44 > 0:14:47and, for foodies, it ticks all the right boxes.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50It's flavoursome, low in fat, properly free-range
0:14:50 > 0:14:52and, best of all, British.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54I've told you!
0:14:54 > 0:14:55Don't play with your food!
0:14:55 > 0:14:58It's not. It's the Partridge family!
0:14:58 > 0:15:01HE GUFFAWS
0:15:01 > 0:15:06This is a beautiful, beautiful partridge that has its overcoat on.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09This is what they look like ker-naked!
0:15:09 > 0:15:12These may look like the game birds' answer to the Spice Girls.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18But we're going to transform them into this.
0:15:18 > 0:15:24Pot-roasted partridge, a traditional British classic.
0:15:24 > 0:15:25It's the perfect pairing.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29It's a casserole of partridge, chestnuts, cabbage.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31The most wonderful autumnal dish.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35- They are in season from... - September 1st.- ..to February 1st.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39And we don't eat enough partridge. We don't eat enough game.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41- We've got loads of it in this country.- Game, fowl, the whole bit.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43Well, we are fowl obsessed.
0:15:43 > 0:15:48Do you know, there are over 19 billion chickens on the planet.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51That's three chickens for every person.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54Fowl and game bird has played such an important role
0:15:54 > 0:15:56in our culinary history.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59And I'm very pleased to say that we still do eat it.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03Casseroled, it's lovely. That way, it's not going to go dry.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06Now, juniper berries, into your doodah.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08Crush.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12And, do you know? Juniper was very important to the Greeks.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16They believed that during the games and sports, you ate juniper berries
0:16:16 > 0:16:20and it increased your stamina and improved your performance.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22It also smells amazing!
0:16:23 > 0:16:25It does smell of gin, though.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29Right, I'm just going to take the legs.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32Ha-ha ha!
0:16:32 > 0:16:35They think we're sweet and cuddly, but we're not!
0:16:35 > 0:16:36- No!- No!
0:16:36 > 0:16:38THEY LAUGH WICKEDLY
0:16:38 > 0:16:42Now, then, what we're going to do, we're going to, nice and gently,
0:16:42 > 0:16:47push the juniper berries into the skin.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50Season the partridge with salt and pepper.
0:16:50 > 0:16:55Then, into a flameproof casserole dish, place 25 grams of butter,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58and one tablespoon of sunflower oil.
0:16:58 > 0:16:59In Greek mythology,
0:16:59 > 0:17:03the partridge was considered a very important bird.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06- Why was that, Dave? - Yes, it's a very interesting story.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08Relates to the character, Perdix,
0:17:08 > 0:17:11who was a student cousin of Daedalus, who was a great scholar.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14Perdix was very, very clever.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16In fact, it is said he invented the saw.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19- He also invented a compass and a potter's wheel.- Really?
0:17:19 > 0:17:23Daedalus was so jealous of Perdix's invention,
0:17:23 > 0:17:25- that he threw Perdix off a cliff! - Flame!
0:17:25 > 0:17:28And, in middle air, the gods took pity on Perdix,
0:17:28 > 0:17:30and turned him into a bird.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33And so, therefore, the bird that we know as a partridge,
0:17:33 > 0:17:37which actually means Perdix, became the bird that doesn't fly.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40The Perdix or partridge. Hm.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43Well, OK, smarty-pants!
0:17:43 > 0:17:47But then, why can you find it up a pear tree?
0:17:47 > 0:17:50- You can't, it's absolute nonsense. - Really?
0:17:50 > 0:17:52- The partridge would never climb a pear tree.- Why?
0:17:52 > 0:17:54In fact, in January, as a present,
0:17:54 > 0:17:57a partridge in a pear tree, it wouldn't even be looking for fruit,
0:17:57 > 0:18:00because at that time of year, there'd be no fruit on a pear tree.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04- Of course.- It's ridiculous, it's a myth, it's stupid.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07Now, what I've done, I'm just browning the breasts off here.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10- Look.- A little bit of colour. - Oh, aye, beautiful.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13Look at that, it's like Cheryl Cole on a sunbed.
0:18:13 > 0:18:18Four rashers of thick, streaky bacon, chopped into lardons.
0:18:18 > 0:18:19Oh, Perdix.
0:18:19 > 0:18:24- I wish I was called Perdix.- Why? - So much more interesting than Dave.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27- That's what you're called - Dave! - I'm not called "Dairve"!
0:18:27 > 0:18:30Dave. It's nice, it's a good solid name, Dave.
0:18:30 > 0:18:35- It's not very classy. - What do you want to be called, Dirk?
0:18:35 > 0:18:38- Perdix would be good.- Perdix?
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Perdix, Perdix Myers.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45- Perdix Myers?!- Perdix... Myers.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Once your "per-die" has browned nicely,
0:18:48 > 0:18:52remove and place to one side, and we'll come back to these later.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55A partridge, of course, is a very healthy meal,
0:18:55 > 0:18:58with far less fat than lamb or duck.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02And actually, gram for gram, it has three times more iron than beef.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05- Does it?- Yep.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09'Now, add the lardons to the pan, along with one onion, finely sliced,
0:19:09 > 0:19:11'and three to four sprigs of thyme.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14'To this, add flour.'
0:19:14 > 0:19:17You sprinkle that so well, Perdix.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19And the juice of one large orange.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21Squeezed by my own fair hands.
0:19:21 > 0:19:26Supplemented by five tablespoons of gin. One. Two...
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Crumbs, don't be shy with the gin, Dave!
0:19:29 > 0:19:31..Five.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34Now, add 350mls of chicken stock,
0:19:34 > 0:19:38and 200mls of red wine.
0:19:38 > 0:19:43- It's funny, how booze and game go together quite well.- They do.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45Red wine, gin. But it all works.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47Sloe gin works well with venison.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50If your dinner's rubbish, the gravy's going to make you happy.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52Oh, it's going to be epic, this.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55'To that veritable punchbowl,
0:19:55 > 0:19:58'add two teaspoons of finely grated orange zest.'
0:19:58 > 0:19:59And stir it in.
0:19:59 > 0:20:04Together with two tablespoons of redcurrant jelly.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06'Fruit and game go brilliantly together.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09'And cranberry sauce will work just as well here.'
0:20:09 > 0:20:14Now, for the chestnuts. You'll need 200 grams.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17These vac-packed ones don't look as appetising
0:20:17 > 0:20:19as the ones you peel yourself.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23But, honestly, they'll work great with this. Just halve these.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26- Because a whole one would be vulgar. - Oh, yeah.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28Scatter them gaily into your pan.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31Let that come to a gentle sizzle.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33Right, now we've got a rumble on,
0:20:33 > 0:20:37just pop that partridge back...
0:20:39 > 0:20:41..into its little cauldron of love.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47Right. Turn it right down.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51Let that bubble away for half an hour.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01- HE SNIFFS - Ah!
0:21:01 > 0:21:05And just turn your partridge,
0:21:05 > 0:21:10so that each side is cooked through beautifully.
0:21:10 > 0:21:16And again, this ingredient goes brilliant with game, the cabbage.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19I like the Savoy cabbage. It's lovely. The curly one.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23'Take half the cabbage and cut into four wedges,
0:21:23 > 0:21:26removing the tough core.'
0:21:26 > 0:21:31And then, just plant the cabbage at jaunty little intervals, like that.
0:21:31 > 0:21:37That's going to cook and steam beautifully with that partridge.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41And you've got your greens then. Heaven.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45Now, just simmer that away for 30 minutes
0:21:45 > 0:21:47until the partridge is cooked through beautifully,
0:21:47 > 0:21:50and the cabbage is succulent.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55Mm-mm!
0:21:55 > 0:21:57- Oh, nice!- Nice.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01'Not only does it look good on the plate,
0:22:01 > 0:22:04'partridge has a delicate gamey flavour,
0:22:04 > 0:22:08which falls somewhere between chicken-ville and pheasant central.
0:22:08 > 0:22:09Ooh, yes!
0:22:09 > 0:22:12- Absolutely beautiful.- Should we? - I think we should.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19Do you know, that is a very honest celebration
0:22:19 > 0:22:22of our British partridge.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25So, next time you're thinking about cooking a chicken,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28do your taste buds a favour and cook this instead.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31It's a homage to our great British partridge.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33With not a pear tree in sight.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Ah, the great British countryside.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43Green, romantic woodlands,
0:22:43 > 0:22:45sleepy meadows,
0:22:45 > 0:22:47cows in the field,
0:22:47 > 0:22:49birds in the trees.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Here, in the Cotswolds' hills,
0:22:52 > 0:22:55wherever you look, there's something beautiful...
0:22:55 > 0:22:57That you can eat!
0:22:57 > 0:23:01Some of our best food traditions come straight from our landscape,
0:23:01 > 0:23:04and none more so than game birds.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08This sort of meat was often potted, an age-old tradition,
0:23:08 > 0:23:12which was once a familiar sight on dinner tables across the country.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16But these days, well, it's a bit forgotten.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19Hidden away in this rural bliss are two food heroes,
0:23:19 > 0:23:23Rory Baxter and Jemima Palmer-Tomkinson.
0:23:23 > 0:23:28They're dedicated to bringing potted game back for the 21st century.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31Potted game is a very old-fashioned idea.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35It was used a lot before fridges were invented, to preserve meat.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39The idea being, you have a layer of clarified butter over the meat,
0:23:39 > 0:23:42which seals out the oxygen, thus preserving the meat underneath.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44Jemima and Rory source game,
0:23:44 > 0:23:47like wood pigeon, right on their doorstep.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50The wood pigeon is a completely different bird to an urban pigeon.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52They're actually a different species,
0:23:52 > 0:23:54or certainly a family within the species.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57They're slightly bigger, they're a lot wilier,
0:23:57 > 0:23:59and they don't feed on chips, for a start.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02And a wood pigeon is a delicious thing to eat.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05I wouldn't want to eat an urban pigeon from Trafalgar Square.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09It's important to know that wood pigeons can only be shot
0:24:09 > 0:24:11to protect crops.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14It's just a lucky coincidence that they also taste delicious.
0:24:14 > 0:24:19Of course, to get one in the pot, you have to catch it first -
0:24:19 > 0:24:21which is easier said than done.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30Left a bit. Left a bit!
0:24:30 > 0:24:32Oh, man, you missed!
0:24:32 > 0:24:36So far - wildlife one, us nil.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40Obviously, dealing with animals,
0:24:40 > 0:24:43from running around, to ready-to-cook,
0:24:43 > 0:24:46is not everyone's cup of tea. It's not particularly pleasant.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48But it is part of life.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51If you eat meat, that's what happens, that's where it comes from.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54We wanted to get the point across that you can eat rabbits and pigeons
0:24:54 > 0:24:57which most people wouldn't normally eat in their day-to-day life.
0:24:57 > 0:24:58Rory's empty-handed,
0:24:58 > 0:25:02but luckily they've already got some wood pigeon ready to go.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05And Jemima is trying a new flavour combination
0:25:05 > 0:25:07for their potted game range.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10As wood pigeon's a very dark meat, you can see,
0:25:10 > 0:25:12it's got a very strong, gamey flavour.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16So, it's really good, you can match loads of different stuff with it,
0:25:16 > 0:25:17and it can hold its own.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20Jemima's matching the strong flavoured game
0:25:20 > 0:25:24with distinctive ingredients, like horseradish and ale.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26First, we're going to heat up the butter.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29And there's a lot of butter in this one.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33Jemima separates it into transparent clarified butter, and butter solids,
0:25:33 > 0:25:36both of which are used in her recipe.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39The pigeon is cooked with the butter solids,
0:25:39 > 0:25:41which contain all the flavour.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44Yeah, I mean, people are pretty scared of cooking game.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46They don't know how to cook it.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49They often think it's very dry and not very palatable.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51So we are basically doing the hard bit for them.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54And all they have to do is open a pot, put it on a bit of toast,
0:25:54 > 0:25:55and there we go.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01In goes some ale and, like any good chef, you've got to have a taste.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05Mm. Really good!
0:26:07 > 0:26:10To add a bit of zing, in goes some mixed spice and horseradish.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15I don't know if this is going to taste good or not,
0:26:15 > 0:26:18it's a bit of an experiment, so, we shall see.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Actually, this is how we normally come up with new ideas for recipes.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25We think up a bunch of things, put them together,
0:26:25 > 0:26:27and then we take them to shows, farmers' markets,
0:26:27 > 0:26:30and see what the public thinks.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33And to seal all of that flavour in and preserve the meat,
0:26:33 > 0:26:36Jemima pours over a layer of the clarified butter.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39I'm going to put these in the fridge to set.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41And then we're all done.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45As we all know, there's no better judge of food quality
0:26:45 > 0:26:47than the great British public.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50So, Jemima and Rory head to the market
0:26:50 > 0:26:52with their new weapon of choice.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58- There we go, that's £3.50, please. - Thank you very much. Thank you.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02They last ten days. The trout lasts for seven.
0:27:02 > 0:27:03This is our local market.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07We try to come as often as we can, which is easily once a month.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10We actually meet the people who are buying the product,
0:27:10 > 0:27:11which is really important.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13You get instant feedback on what it's like.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17No-one holds back around here, they're all quite frank.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19The potted wood pigeon is a bit experimental,
0:27:19 > 0:27:22so the team are keen to know how they can refine the recipe.
0:27:22 > 0:27:28It's quite nice to get a first-hand yay or nay.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30When we brought out the wild boar and the quail,
0:27:30 > 0:27:34we did exactly the same, so it's really good for product development.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36Would you like to try some potted game?
0:27:36 > 0:27:39Wood pigeon with ale and horseradish here. It's our new recipe.
0:27:39 > 0:27:40Thank you.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45- Very nice.- Is it good? We're just trying it out today.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48All feedback gratefully received.
0:27:48 > 0:27:49Hm, delicious.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52- It's beautiful.- Really?- Really good.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54- I would take another one, actually. - Oh, do.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56That's exactly the response we want.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01That's lovely. You can't taste the horseradish in that one.
0:28:01 > 0:28:02Actually, the ale is lovely.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05A lot of people have said that. But the ale comes through.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09It's absolutely amazing. I haven't tasted it before,
0:28:09 > 0:28:12- but it's great.- Oh, right! - Thank you.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15It's going really well, everyone seems to enjoy it, which is good.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18I'm not sure if the horseradish is necessary,
0:28:18 > 0:28:20but they are definitely enjoying the ale.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24- How was that? - Mm, tastes very, very nice.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28- Would you like to try some? - I'm a vegan, I'm afraid!
0:28:28 > 0:28:30The new recipe has gone down well
0:28:30 > 0:28:35and with a few tweaks, it'll be ready to send out into the world.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37It's great to see traditional food brought back.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40And with a modern twist on such a historical idea,
0:28:40 > 0:28:42I think they're onto a winner.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47# Ain't nobody here but us chickens. #
0:28:47 > 0:28:48There's no doubt, Kingy,
0:28:48 > 0:28:51these fair isles are home to some great fowl.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53But dude, when it comes to popularity,
0:28:53 > 0:28:56the humble chicken still rules the roost.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59Over the last decade or so,
0:28:59 > 0:29:03more and more of us have taken to keeping chickens at home.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06They don't require a lot of space, are fairly easy to look after,
0:29:06 > 0:29:10and can provide us with a handy supply of delicious eggs.
0:29:10 > 0:29:12A wonderful thing in its own right.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15But, when you look at these beauties,
0:29:15 > 0:29:19it's not hard to understand why some people get a bit carried away.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23It started as a hobby, just for fun.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26Which went beyond the bounds of common sense.
0:29:26 > 0:29:27HAIRDRYER WHIRRS
0:29:27 > 0:29:31Sue is a chicken fancier. And she isn't alone.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36# Beautiful, beautiful brown-eyed... #
0:29:36 > 0:29:39She's one of a growing number of people consumed
0:29:39 > 0:29:41by a passion for poultry.
0:29:43 > 0:29:45Membership of the Poultry Club of Great Britain
0:29:45 > 0:29:50has been on the increase, and now boasts some 1,600 members.
0:29:50 > 0:29:54And it's a love affair that's gripped many a Brit for a long time.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58Even the royal family have demonstrated a fetish
0:29:58 > 0:30:01for our feathered friends.
0:30:01 > 0:30:06Aye! Queen Victoria was very partial to a Cochin fowl.
0:30:06 > 0:30:11And the Queen Mother boasted some particularly fine Buff Orpingtons.
0:30:12 > 0:30:16It might well be a hobby with royal patronage,
0:30:16 > 0:30:18but its roots are less salubrious.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22They lie in the barbaric sport of cock fighting,
0:30:22 > 0:30:25which was mercifully banned in 1849.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34But because we Brits are a quietly competitive breed, we quickly looked
0:30:34 > 0:30:38for a new but thankfully humane way to battle it out with our birds.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41And poultry competitions were born.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44Hard fought arenas where generations
0:30:44 > 0:30:46have strived for feathered perfection.
0:30:46 > 0:30:50Birds at their beak... I mean, sorry, peak of their game.
0:30:50 > 0:30:54- The finest of fowl. - But as we more than most know,
0:30:54 > 0:30:57it takes a lot of hard work to look this good -
0:30:57 > 0:31:02something John Noakes found out in 1967.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05To win a prize in a poultry show, a bird's really got to look its best
0:31:05 > 0:31:08and getting him ready is quite an elaborate job.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11It starts with a nice, hot bath.
0:31:11 > 0:31:17When I've completely washed him in here, I take him out,
0:31:17 > 0:31:18put him on here like this...
0:31:21 > 0:31:23..and put some clean water over him.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28- Just get the worst of the soap off, like that.- A quick rinse.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32Give him a quick rinse. Then he goes into this clean water
0:31:32 > 0:31:35and gets all the soap out of him like that.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39He's enjoying it. He should have been a duck!
0:31:42 > 0:31:46# You've got possibilities
0:31:46 > 0:31:49# Takes a fella to tell
0:31:50 > 0:31:53# You've got possibilities
0:31:53 > 0:31:58# Let me pry you from your shell. #
0:32:00 > 0:32:03Now, I'm used to dressing a chicken,
0:32:03 > 0:32:06but generally it's wearing a bit less when I do it.
0:32:09 > 0:32:11But you wouldn't dream of eating
0:32:11 > 0:32:13one of these perfect specimens, would you?
0:32:13 > 0:32:16They're the kings and queens of the coup.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20And the competition doesn't just stop
0:32:20 > 0:32:23at buffed up bantams and cosseted cockerels.
0:32:23 > 0:32:27In this game, the judging starts at an early age.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30With well over 100 breeds and varieties of poultry
0:32:30 > 0:32:32in this country,
0:32:32 > 0:32:36each has its own distinctive attributes and character.
0:32:38 > 0:32:43So if you're tempted to just get a few hens to provide you with eggs...
0:32:43 > 0:32:45And have a bit of a competitive streak.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48..don't say we didn't warn you.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53# Ain't nobody here but us chickens. #
0:32:55 > 0:32:58But you can't have chickens without eggs.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02Not only are they both versatile and brilliant ingredients
0:33:02 > 0:33:06for the chef, their chronology begs an age-old metaphysical conundrum.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10That has troubled even the most brilliant of minds.
0:33:10 > 0:33:14Often I ponder, I think about it - which came first,
0:33:14 > 0:33:17the chicken or the egg?
0:33:17 > 0:33:20Will you stop doing that?!
0:33:20 > 0:33:23Look, I'm trying to get all Brian Cox about this.
0:33:23 > 0:33:27Chickens are great, eggs are great, but without the celebration of fowl,
0:33:27 > 0:33:30you wouldn't have the celebration of the egg. You wouldn't have eggs!
0:33:30 > 0:33:33Well, yes. But then you wouldn't have the chicken.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36The thing is, there's lots of things you can do with a chicken.
0:33:36 > 0:33:40- We eat a lot of chickens in Britain. - We eat a lot of eggs in Britain.
0:33:40 > 0:33:41We do.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44I think a really good traditional British egg recipe that goes
0:33:44 > 0:33:47back to medieval times is custard.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51Custard is a much maligned thing. Powder packet, I quite like that.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53But real custard is special.
0:33:53 > 0:33:58And our celebration of the egg is a rhubarb and custard tart.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01This classic British flavour combo is old school.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04It's all about the contrast between the sharp fruit
0:34:04 > 0:34:08and sweety comfortness of the custard.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11Custard tarts are fabulous, long loved by royalty.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14In fact, on her 80th birthday, Her Majesty, she had a custard tart.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16- Did she?- Yeah.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19So to make this monarch-endorsed dessert,
0:34:19 > 0:34:21we first need to make some custard.
0:34:21 > 0:34:26Take three whole eggs, medium size, and two egg yolks.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29Take 100 grams of caster sugar.
0:34:30 > 0:34:34And then I'm just going to whisk it until it's smooth.
0:34:35 > 0:34:39For the pastry, place 250 grams of plain flour into a bowl.
0:34:39 > 0:34:44Into that, add 150 grams of fridge cold butter, cut into cubes.
0:34:44 > 0:34:48And rub into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52300ml of whole milk.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56300ml of double cream.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00And what we're going to do, we're going to heat that gently
0:35:00 > 0:35:05with the addition of a vanilla pod's seeds.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07Wow!
0:35:07 > 0:35:11Now, vanilla pods are amazing and they're expensive.
0:35:11 > 0:35:16So what you do, with great care - gentility -
0:35:16 > 0:35:19and not a little bit of dexterity...
0:35:19 > 0:35:22open it out, you see that in the middle.
0:35:22 > 0:35:26That's flavour and that's just black gold. That's beautiful!
0:35:26 > 0:35:30- That's kind of spiced caviar, isn't it?- It certainly is that, mate.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32What you do, take the tip of your knife
0:35:32 > 0:35:36and then run it along the length of the pod.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39Now, Si's got those lovely seeds out for the custard,
0:35:39 > 0:35:41but what we do, is those old vanilla pods,
0:35:41 > 0:35:45they can make vanilla sugar, but we put it in a bottle of brandy.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48There's about half a dozen in there. Over time, it goes black.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51And you end up having your own vanilla extract.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55And it's really strong, really natural and really good.
0:35:55 > 0:35:59Now, stir your spiced caviar into the milk and cream and gently heat.
0:35:59 > 0:36:04Back to the pastry, mix in a beaten egg until it forms a ball.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06That's fine.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10Now, just knead this pastry lightly.
0:36:10 > 0:36:14- And I've got cold hands, so I'm all right.- Warm heart, though, mate.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16I wouldn't say so!
0:36:16 > 0:36:18Flour?
0:36:18 > 0:36:21I'll roll that out and line the tin.
0:36:21 > 0:36:23We're not going to bother letting this set,
0:36:23 > 0:36:26cos this is man's pastry,
0:36:26 > 0:36:28so chances are, it's going to crumble and fall apart
0:36:28 > 0:36:31and we'll be patching it like an old sock!
0:36:31 > 0:36:34When your milk and cream combo is hot but not boiling,
0:36:34 > 0:36:37slowly stir it into the egg mixture.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41That's real custard.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44Custard has a long history and it dates back to the Middle Ages.
0:36:44 > 0:36:49It was used in those days to thicken other ingredients.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52And the ingredients were formed into a tart with a lid
0:36:52 > 0:36:55- and that tart was called a "custarde".- Ah!
0:36:55 > 0:36:58And it kind of spread to the eggy filling you used to bind,
0:36:58 > 0:37:00which was in fact the custard.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02You're good, you.
0:37:02 > 0:37:04Right. So there's my pastry.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08I've just kind of formed it into a roughly circular shape.
0:37:08 > 0:37:12I'm just going to paint my tart tin with some melted butter.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15We don't want this to stick. I'm doing this quite thoroughly.
0:37:15 > 0:37:19Now, you could chill this pastry, but I think I'll be all right.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22- I'm going to go for it. - Are you?- Yeah!
0:37:25 > 0:37:28Now, to get it onto your pin, just lift it,
0:37:28 > 0:37:32kind of roll it like so, and I think I've got plenty of overlap.
0:37:32 > 0:37:37Lay that like so.
0:37:37 > 0:37:41And I've got a lot this end, so just lower it and press it
0:37:41 > 0:37:44and make sure it goes into the flutes.
0:37:44 > 0:37:48What I'm not going to do is I'm not going to cut the pastry off the top.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50I'm going to nip it, like this.
0:37:50 > 0:37:54And you nip it, it kind of gets a nice finish.
0:37:54 > 0:37:58See how it's kind of mitred into the flan
0:37:58 > 0:38:04and you get a nice patisserie chic finish to your pastry.
0:38:04 > 0:38:09I want holes in this, so I take a fork and pop it.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15Now, I want this to chill for half an hour
0:38:15 > 0:38:18- before I put it into the oven to blind bake.- Yeah.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21The rhubarb and custard tart, in fact,
0:38:21 > 0:38:26it's like a custard tart classic, but topped with stewed rhubarb.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29This is brilliant rhubarb!
0:38:29 > 0:38:33Cut into two centimetre chunks and put them in a pan.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37Add one tablespoon of water and 65 grams of caster sugar.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40And place over a low heat.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43With your pastry suitably rested,
0:38:43 > 0:38:45pop a baking tray into the oven to heat it up.
0:38:45 > 0:38:49This little trick will give the pastry a crispier bottom.
0:38:49 > 0:38:53For blind baking, what I do is I make a little pleaty thingy,
0:38:53 > 0:38:55like so.
0:38:56 > 0:39:01Put that in there. And I fill that with my baking beans.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04I want the cartouche to sit in the corners.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08- If that pastry starts to lift, then I have failed.- Dave, you have!
0:39:08 > 0:39:10- I'll use these.- What are you doing?
0:39:10 > 0:39:13You weren't saving these kidney beans for anything, were you?
0:39:13 > 0:39:16- No, mate.- Excellent.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18This is probably for tomorrow's chilli.
0:39:18 > 0:39:22- It'll be all right, just be a bit tough.- Look at that.
0:39:22 > 0:39:27Now pop that into a preheated oven, onto a hot baking tray,
0:39:27 > 0:39:32at 180 degrees Celsius, for a fan oven, for about 25 minutes.
0:39:32 > 0:39:36Meanwhile, your rhubarb should be stewing nicely.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39Now, what we're going to do, we want some texture in the rhubarb,
0:39:39 > 0:39:44so we've cooked on one side and then just take a spatula
0:39:44 > 0:39:47and just turn it over, nice and gentle.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50Because we want to maintain some of that...
0:39:50 > 0:39:54We want to see rhubarb on the top of the tart.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56Right.
0:39:56 > 0:40:00I'm going to transfer our rhubarb now into a heat-proof bowl
0:40:00 > 0:40:03and set aside to cool. Beautiful.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06When your pastry's done, remove the paper and beans.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08Ooh!
0:40:08 > 0:40:13You take one end. I don't want to wreck it. It's a fragile thing.
0:40:13 > 0:40:17- Look at that!- Which way?- To me.
0:40:17 > 0:40:21- Let's not turn into the Chuckle Brothers!- No, that'd be a bad thing!
0:40:21 > 0:40:25Now, gently pour the custard into the pastry case.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28- There we go, mate.- Beautiful. That's just about the right level.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31Remember, we're going to top this with the rhubarb.
0:40:31 > 0:40:36This needs to go in at 140 degrees Celsius for about 40-45 minutes,
0:40:36 > 0:40:38until the custard's set.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41This'll be ready when it's a nice golden brown,
0:40:41 > 0:40:44but the custard still has a bit of wobble in the middle.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46And when that time comes, remove the tart from the oven
0:40:46 > 0:40:50and allow to cool completely. Then chill for at least two hours.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58As we greased this properly, it should pop out.
0:41:00 > 0:41:02Oops.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05Thank you!
0:41:06 > 0:41:10Now, that's what you call a custard tart.
0:41:10 > 0:41:15Now, if you like the rhubarb a little tart,
0:41:15 > 0:41:18then 65 grams of sugar is fine.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21If you like it a little sweeter, at this point,
0:41:21 > 0:41:23add some caster sugar and just stir through it.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26- But we kind of quite like it with a bit of zing.- Yeah.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29And we've got some sweetness in the tart as well.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31We're hoping the whole thing will come together.
0:41:31 > 0:41:35But I think overall our kind of sweet buds, as it were,
0:41:35 > 0:41:37they've got less as the years have gone on.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40- Not just personally, but as a nation.- Yes.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43Some of the old-fashioned recipes have got so much sugar in them,
0:41:43 > 0:41:45it's gone beyond sweet and it's almost sour
0:41:45 > 0:41:47- in its intensity.- There we are.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50- Perfect.- There we are. Look at that, it's beautiful.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52It is, lovely thing.
0:41:52 > 0:41:57- Mr Myers, that pastry cuts like an angel's toenail.- Oh!
0:42:00 > 0:42:02Nice.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05Just a little dressing of cream.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07- I think it's beautiful.- Excellent.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10The colours are fantastic, aren't they?
0:42:10 > 0:42:13The sort of thing you'd serve at a dinner party
0:42:13 > 0:42:16and then you go home and paint your house to match your tart.
0:42:17 > 0:42:21Mmm. For my money, that rhubarb's dead right.
0:42:21 > 0:42:27It is tarty, but when you mix it with the custard,
0:42:27 > 0:42:31the fruit of the chicken...it's magic.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33Mm-hmm.
0:42:33 > 0:42:34Ah, rhubarb and custard!
0:42:34 > 0:42:38For so long have you been wasted on retro sweets and school dinners.
0:42:38 > 0:42:39Not any more!
0:42:39 > 0:42:43Our gourmet pie celebrates this quintessentially British union
0:42:43 > 0:42:49and just like me and my mate, Si, they're inseparable.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52Across the UK, you can find towns and villages that have been
0:42:52 > 0:42:55so successful at producing a fantastic foodstuff
0:42:55 > 0:42:59that their very name has become synonymous with it.
0:42:59 > 0:43:03Aye, from Melton Mowbray, you get the eponymous pie.
0:43:03 > 0:43:04To cheese from Cheddar,
0:43:04 > 0:43:09these places are celebrated for making the best of the best.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11And here in Buckinghamshire,
0:43:11 > 0:43:14you'll find a small market town that became famous for its
0:43:14 > 0:43:19fabulously flavoursome feathered friend, the Aylesbury duck.
0:43:23 > 0:43:27Today, Best of British food hero Richard Waller is the country's last
0:43:27 > 0:43:31remaining breeder of this small but important part of our food history,
0:43:31 > 0:43:36which, without his family's efforts, could have disappeared completely.
0:43:36 > 0:43:40Back in the late 1700s, when we can actually trace our family connection
0:43:40 > 0:43:44back to Aylesbury duck breeding, it was purely a cottage industry.
0:43:44 > 0:43:49Farm workers and suchlike would rear a few and it was purely and simply
0:43:49 > 0:43:51for a little bit of extra money for the family.
0:43:51 > 0:43:54It bought the children perhaps a new pair of shoes for the winter
0:43:54 > 0:43:56or the wife a new coat.
0:43:56 > 0:44:00My grandfather and father then evolved with it, I suppose,
0:44:00 > 0:44:04in the early 1900s, to make it into a business,
0:44:04 > 0:44:06rather than just a sideline.
0:44:06 > 0:44:10Unfortunately, for the Aylesbury duck industry, in the 1930s, 1940s,
0:44:10 > 0:44:14mass production took over, which then overtook my father in the end
0:44:14 > 0:44:18and we now just stand as a small producer,
0:44:18 > 0:44:23producing the old Aylesbury duck exactly as it was 200 years ago.
0:44:23 > 0:44:26I'd like to think if my grandfather or grandmother came back now
0:44:26 > 0:44:29to see what I'm doing, they would actually think,
0:44:29 > 0:44:31apart from a few improvements,
0:44:31 > 0:44:34"He's done it exactly as we were many years ago."
0:44:34 > 0:44:37And I still think this helps to retain the whole essence
0:44:37 > 0:44:39of the Aylesbury duck industry.
0:44:39 > 0:44:42Small production, look after your birds really well
0:44:42 > 0:44:47and you'll end up with a superior product.
0:44:47 > 0:44:51And in the duck world, you can't get better than an Aylesbury.
0:44:51 > 0:44:54Back in the 19th century, the breed gained a reputation
0:44:54 > 0:44:58for its snowy white plumage and superior-tasting meat.
0:44:58 > 0:45:02But in the 1870s, the Peking duck was introduced from China.
0:45:02 > 0:45:05It was both hardier and cheaper to raise,
0:45:05 > 0:45:08so producers began to cross-breed the two
0:45:08 > 0:45:11and the true Aylesbury duck began to slip off our menus.
0:45:11 > 0:45:15Richard's ducks are direct descendents of the ones
0:45:15 > 0:45:16bred by his ancestors.
0:45:16 > 0:45:19And maintaining this pedigree has been possible
0:45:19 > 0:45:22thanks to some incredible foresight.
0:45:22 > 0:45:26Now, my father realised the small breeds were in decline,
0:45:26 > 0:45:29and as they packed up, died unfortunately, whatever,
0:45:29 > 0:45:32he bought livestock from them to keep his bloodline fresh.
0:45:32 > 0:45:36And there's so much different blood went into his bloodlines,
0:45:36 > 0:45:38we don't get any inbreeding.
0:45:38 > 0:45:41And thank goodness he had the forethought to do it
0:45:41 > 0:45:44because it seems now that I'm the very last breeder
0:45:44 > 0:45:46of the real Aylesbury duck.
0:45:46 > 0:45:48It's such a shame that we may lose
0:45:48 > 0:45:50part of our foodie heritage for ever,
0:45:50 > 0:45:54but Richard is determined to preserve this disappearing tradition
0:45:54 > 0:45:56for as long as he can.
0:45:56 > 0:45:59I do think it's been instilled in me over the years
0:45:59 > 0:46:03to carry on in the same old-fashioned way,
0:46:03 > 0:46:04none of this mass production
0:46:04 > 0:46:06where the poor ducks are inside all the time.
0:46:06 > 0:46:10They're roaming round paddocks and pens. They're enjoying themselves.
0:46:10 > 0:46:14It's a short life. Let's make it a happy one, like they always have had.
0:46:16 > 0:46:19It's a sentiment shared by Richard's wife Beverley,
0:46:19 > 0:46:21who's in charge of the eggs.
0:46:21 > 0:46:24Traditionally, these would have been placed under broody hens
0:46:24 > 0:46:29to keep warm, but these days, the eggs are hatched in an incubator.
0:46:29 > 0:46:32I love looking after the little uns.
0:46:32 > 0:46:36During the hatching, we actually come here several times a day,
0:46:36 > 0:46:39just to check to see if any of them needs any help
0:46:39 > 0:46:43coming out of the eggs. They might slightly get stuck.
0:46:43 > 0:46:46We just ease the head back, release them
0:46:46 > 0:46:50and then let them push themselves out of the egg.
0:46:50 > 0:46:52Once they've all hatched out,
0:46:52 > 0:46:54we put them into what we call the brooder shed
0:46:54 > 0:46:58and then they stay there for two weeks
0:46:58 > 0:47:01and then we have them out and about.
0:47:01 > 0:47:05The quality of life for the ducks is everything.
0:47:05 > 0:47:07Come on, gently, come on.
0:47:07 > 0:47:09It's said that in the 1700s,
0:47:09 > 0:47:13the ducks were herded from Aylesbury to London on foot,
0:47:13 > 0:47:15a journey of over 40 miles.
0:47:15 > 0:47:18I'm guessing that would take a while, judging by this lot!
0:47:18 > 0:47:21It's like herding cats, innit!
0:47:21 > 0:47:25They're outside now, they'll enjoy hopefully the sunshine.
0:47:25 > 0:47:27A little bit of rain, they don't like a lot of rain.
0:47:27 > 0:47:31And they'll be there until the day that they die.
0:47:35 > 0:47:37Now traditionally,
0:47:37 > 0:47:41Aylesbury ducks have been killed straight from their shed.
0:47:41 > 0:47:44We still haven't altered that, because it cuts the stress levels.
0:47:44 > 0:47:48I think there's nothing worse for an animal than to be picked up,
0:47:48 > 0:47:51crated up, put on the back of a lorry,
0:47:51 > 0:47:54transported 20 miles to be killed.
0:47:54 > 0:47:57This way, the necks have been dislocated
0:47:57 > 0:48:00and the whole thing's over and done with very quickly.
0:48:00 > 0:48:01My father always taught me that
0:48:01 > 0:48:05if an animal's going to give you the privilege of eating its flesh,
0:48:05 > 0:48:09it should be given the privilege of a very quick, clinical death.
0:48:09 > 0:48:12Painless, quick and stress free.
0:48:12 > 0:48:15And hence, that's what we still do. The old-fashioned, traditional way.
0:48:15 > 0:48:18And I think that adds a lot to the texture,
0:48:18 > 0:48:21flavour and everything of the meat itself.
0:48:21 > 0:48:23Plus the fact, to be quite honest, it makes me feel better.
0:48:27 > 0:48:29And because Richard's made the decision
0:48:29 > 0:48:34to slaughter his ducks on site, a quirky bit of EU legislation
0:48:34 > 0:48:37means that the birds can only be sold within 20 miles of the farm.
0:48:37 > 0:48:42So what that means is anybody further than about 20 miles from me,
0:48:42 > 0:48:45unless they've actually come and bought the duck from me,
0:48:45 > 0:48:49a farm gate sale, has probably never eaten a real Aylesbury duck.
0:48:49 > 0:48:51In fact, I'm sure they haven't.
0:48:51 > 0:48:54What they've eaten is an English white farm duck
0:48:54 > 0:48:58that somebody's flagged up as being, quote, "Aylesbury."
0:48:58 > 0:49:00But of course, it isn't.
0:49:02 > 0:49:05Before they can find their way onto our dinner tables,
0:49:05 > 0:49:08the birds get the avian equivalent of a leg wax
0:49:08 > 0:49:10to get rid of the downy feathers.
0:49:10 > 0:49:12The big producers would wet pluck them.
0:49:12 > 0:49:15They would put the whole bird in hot water
0:49:15 > 0:49:18until the feathers soften, then put them in a machine
0:49:18 > 0:49:21with a rotating drum to take the feathers off.
0:49:21 > 0:49:25What this does tend to do is spoil and damage the skin slightly.
0:49:25 > 0:49:30Hence, it's quite difficult these days to cook a duck with crispy skin.
0:49:30 > 0:49:33But this dry method, using this wax, leaves you with a nice crispy skin
0:49:33 > 0:49:35when it's cooked.
0:49:35 > 0:49:39And just down the road at the King's Head in Ivinghoe,
0:49:39 > 0:49:41chef Jonathan O'Keefe regularly cooks
0:49:41 > 0:49:46using duck from Richard's farm, just as his father did before.
0:49:46 > 0:49:49It's our most popular dish and between myself and my father,
0:49:49 > 0:49:53we've cooked probably well over the 60,000 mark.
0:49:53 > 0:49:56People come here to the King's Head for the Aylesbury duck.
0:49:56 > 0:50:00It's a fantastic product. It's rich, it's succulent.
0:50:00 > 0:50:01You need to do very little to it
0:50:01 > 0:50:05and Richard has turned down many a good restaurant
0:50:05 > 0:50:07just so he can supply us.
0:50:07 > 0:50:11So we're very privileged to have Richard on our side.
0:50:11 > 0:50:15Without him the King's Head wouldn't be as good a place.
0:50:15 > 0:50:17So when you're cooking duck for Richard,
0:50:17 > 0:50:19you'd better get it just right.
0:50:23 > 0:50:27I am very biased, but this has got to be the tastiest duck I've ever eaten.
0:50:27 > 0:50:29It really, really is.
0:50:29 > 0:50:32And it's all down to good cooking and good breeding.
0:50:32 > 0:50:35- Cheers. Here's to the Aylesbury duckling.- Yeah.
0:50:38 > 0:50:40Duck used to be Britain's favourite fowl
0:50:40 > 0:50:43and right up until the mid 20th century,
0:50:43 > 0:50:45our preference was for richer, fattier meats.
0:50:45 > 0:50:49But changing tastes and a decline in stocks after World War II
0:50:49 > 0:50:51meant it slipped off our menus
0:50:51 > 0:50:54and our appetite for it has never quite recovered.
0:50:54 > 0:50:58Yet, there's no reason why duck can't be number one again.
0:50:58 > 0:51:01Well, in our homage to the duck fowl,
0:51:01 > 0:51:04- we have crossed it with Britain's favourite dish.- Which is?
0:51:04 > 0:51:08Chicken tikka. It's also the favourite dish of ABBA.
0:51:08 > 0:51:12# Chiquitita, you and I know... #
0:51:12 > 0:51:14We're going to take this lovely rich meat
0:51:14 > 0:51:18and marinade it in yoghurt, garlic and spices.
0:51:18 > 0:51:20And because of the fat content in the duck,
0:51:20 > 0:51:24it makes the most fantastic tikka or tandoori.
0:51:24 > 0:51:26- I'll get spicy.- All right, mate.
0:51:26 > 0:51:30In a dry frying pan, place one tablespoon of coriander seeds,
0:51:30 > 0:51:32one of cumin seeds, a couple of cloves
0:51:32 > 0:51:35and half a teaspoon of black peppercorns.
0:51:35 > 0:51:38Stir until lightly toasted.
0:51:38 > 0:51:42Now, take four boneless duck breasts and remove the skin.
0:51:42 > 0:51:45There's a membrane that sits in between the duck breast
0:51:45 > 0:51:48and the skin.
0:51:48 > 0:51:49So all you're doing is...
0:51:49 > 0:51:51Look, I'm not cutting into the duck breast.
0:51:51 > 0:51:56I'm just easing that membrane away. And eventually, it will come off.
0:51:56 > 0:52:01You know, the Chinese started to domesticate ducks 4,000 years ago.
0:52:01 > 0:52:04Mind you, they're still the number one meat in China.
0:52:04 > 0:52:07Look, the smoke's beginning to come off the spices.
0:52:07 > 0:52:10It's time to pop that into the pestle.
0:52:10 > 0:52:12They're just nicely toasted.
0:52:12 > 0:52:14Oh, look at that!
0:52:14 > 0:52:16Ooh! Pump up the flavour!
0:52:16 > 0:52:20Fenugreek. Fenugreek is a very interesting spice.
0:52:20 > 0:52:26Do you know, Si, that apparently fenugreek increases
0:52:26 > 0:52:28the milk production in lactating women
0:52:28 > 0:52:31and it helps improve a fella's libido?
0:52:31 > 0:52:34- Does it?!- Yep. Put more in, Dave. Put more in.
0:52:34 > 0:52:36No, we have a mere half teaspoon.
0:52:37 > 0:52:43A quarter teaspoon of cinnamon. One and a half teaspoons of turmeric.
0:52:44 > 0:52:47And two teaspoons of paprika.
0:52:47 > 0:52:52Yep, it's going to be tasty and it's going to be colourful.
0:52:52 > 0:52:57I've got half a teaspoon of hot chilli powder. A good half teaspoon.
0:52:57 > 0:52:59- Go on, Dave!- I know.
0:52:59 > 0:53:01Now, I want a teaspoon of sea salt flakes.
0:53:01 > 0:53:04The nice thing about using the flakes in a pestle and mortar
0:53:04 > 0:53:08is it acts like a grinding paste and this is the spice mix.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11There's real alchemy in that. Look at that.
0:53:11 > 0:53:14The word "tikka" literally means bits and pieces.
0:53:14 > 0:53:16Which describes the way it's prepared,
0:53:16 > 0:53:20but I'm taking a more methodical approach.
0:53:20 > 0:53:24That's each duck breast cut into eight portions,
0:53:24 > 0:53:28ready for the perfect skewer sized mouthful.
0:53:30 > 0:53:33Look at that! That's my tikka blend.
0:53:35 > 0:53:36And to these aromatic flavours,
0:53:36 > 0:53:40we're adding a thumb-sized chunk of fresh root ginger.
0:53:40 > 0:53:44Finely chop it... Look at that, mate.
0:53:44 > 0:53:47- Smell that.- That is superb.
0:53:47 > 0:53:51And this is where doing this dish at home is going to be better
0:53:51 > 0:53:55than anything that's done with a bought sachet of spices or a paste,
0:53:55 > 0:53:58cos all the fresh... That's alive!
0:53:58 > 0:54:00Into this bowl, I've got some full-fat yoghurt.
0:54:00 > 0:54:04Now, you could use fat-free yoghurt and actually, I've done this with
0:54:04 > 0:54:09chicken, with lamb, and it works brilliantly with either.
0:54:09 > 0:54:13Now, into that, two cloves of crushed garlic.
0:54:13 > 0:54:17It really is a wicked, spicy brew.
0:54:17 > 0:54:21And then add your ginger.
0:54:21 > 0:54:24Into that, Dave's wonderfully prepared spice mixture.
0:54:24 > 0:54:27Look at that.
0:54:27 > 0:54:30And then give it a mix.
0:54:30 > 0:54:36Just to evenly distribute all of those fantastic spices.
0:54:36 > 0:54:39Bung in the duck.
0:54:39 > 0:54:43- I tend to get my hands in at this point...- Yeah.- ..which are clean.
0:54:43 > 0:54:46- And just kind of massage it through. - Perfect, man.
0:54:46 > 0:54:50This needs to be left for at least four hours to marinade.
0:54:50 > 0:54:52Or preferably overnight.
0:54:52 > 0:54:55The thing is, we have got what we did yesterday.
0:54:55 > 0:54:57And it's a good thing to do.
0:54:57 > 0:54:59One on, and then do one the day you're going to eat it,
0:54:59 > 0:55:03cos I guarantee, you will want some the next day.
0:55:03 > 0:55:05And here's the one we made earlier.
0:55:07 > 0:55:10I've got some thick bamboo skewers.
0:55:10 > 0:55:13We're going to grill this, about five lumps to the stick.
0:55:13 > 0:55:18And leave a little gap in between each lump, about a centimetre's gap.
0:55:18 > 0:55:23You want the heat to radiate around your duck.
0:55:23 > 0:55:26A top tip, if you've got marble worktops or a white top,
0:55:26 > 0:55:31don't let this drop cos it'll stain it a terrible ochre colour.
0:55:31 > 0:55:35Traditionally, this dish would have been baked in a clay oven
0:55:35 > 0:55:40or tandoor, but the secret of a good tikka is all to do with the heat.
0:55:40 > 0:55:44What we do is we put this under a blisteringly hot grill
0:55:44 > 0:55:46for about two to three minutes on each side.
0:55:46 > 0:55:49After two to three minutes, turn it. You want it slightly charred.
0:55:49 > 0:55:52The beauty of ducks' breast is if it's slightly pink in the middle,
0:55:52 > 0:55:54that's kind of going to be better.
0:55:54 > 0:55:57If you want to cook it through, cook it through obviously.
0:55:57 > 0:56:00The duck tikka police aren't going to come and get you.
0:56:00 > 0:56:04So under there, top shelf. And it's the hottest to the bars.
0:56:04 > 0:56:08When the big hand's on four, we take it off and turn it.
0:56:08 > 0:56:14- Here, Kingy, what do you call a cat that swallows a duck?- I don't know.
0:56:14 > 0:56:16A duck-filled fatty puss.
0:56:16 > 0:56:18God! Dear me!
0:56:21 > 0:56:23- Ooh, yes!- Nice!
0:56:23 > 0:56:27Ah! Just starting to char up, so we turn this.
0:56:27 > 0:56:29And now another three minutes.
0:56:29 > 0:56:32Satisfaction guaranteed.
0:56:32 > 0:56:35- What time does a duck wake up in the morning?- I don't know.
0:56:35 > 0:56:38The quack of dawn! Ha!
0:56:43 > 0:56:46Here, Kingy, how do you turn a duck into a soul singer?
0:56:46 > 0:56:48I don't know, how?
0:56:48 > 0:56:52Stick him in the microwave and take him out when he's Bill Withers(!)
0:56:52 > 0:56:55Oh, God! Dear me! Myers, man!
0:56:55 > 0:56:59# Oh, you're beautiful... #
0:56:59 > 0:57:01# And you're mine! #
0:57:01 > 0:57:03Look at that.
0:57:03 > 0:57:08Now, with a fork, slide the duck tikka chunks off the skewer.
0:57:08 > 0:57:10There's going to be treats for everybody.
0:57:10 > 0:57:12I love this recipe so much.
0:57:18 > 0:57:20- Ah, look at that!- That's beautiful!
0:57:20 > 0:57:22Duck tikka.
0:57:22 > 0:57:26Starter for eight, mains for four, I think, at least.
0:57:26 > 0:57:31There it is, duck tikka, a perfect mashup of east meets west.
0:57:32 > 0:57:36So tasty, you need never reach for a takeaway menu again.
0:57:42 > 0:57:44Brilliant! Oh, look at that!
0:57:44 > 0:57:48And I'll just take myself a little onion ring.
0:57:50 > 0:57:55- Man, that is so good!- Kingy? - What?- I've just seen the future.
0:57:55 > 0:57:58It's duck-shaped.
0:58:01 > 0:58:06Our British fowl is more than worthy of its place on our dinner tables.
0:58:06 > 0:58:09As far as we're concerned, partridge, woodcock, pigeon,
0:58:09 > 0:58:14pheasant, goose and duck, they're all the new chicken.
0:58:14 > 0:58:19And if you want to give the recipes in today's programme a go, visit -
0:58:42 > 0:58:47Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd