0:00:02 > 0:00:06We believe Britain has the best food in the world!
0:00:07 > 0:00:11Our glorious country boasts some fantastic ingredients.
0:00:11 > 0:00:12Start eating it, will you!
0:00:14 > 0:00:16It's home to amazing producers...
0:00:16 > 0:00:19- My goodness gracious. That is epic! - Isn't it?
0:00:20 > 0:00:23..and innovative chefs.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27But our islands also have a fascinating food history.
0:00:27 > 0:00:33The fish and chip shops of South Wales are running out of chips.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36BOTH: Yes!
0:00:36 > 0:00:40And in this series, we're uncovering revealing stories of our rich culinary past...
0:00:41 > 0:00:45Now, there is food history on a plate.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48..as well as meeting our nation's food heroes
0:00:48 > 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 > 0:00:56Let's make it a happy one, like they always have had.
0:00:56 > 0:01:01And of course we'll be cooking up a load of dishes that reveal our foodie evolution.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07Spring, summer, autumn or winter - it's brilliant.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11BOTH: Quite simply the best of British!
0:01:30 > 0:01:33Now, all nations have their own versions of comfort food.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37But we very firmly believe that British comfort food is the most
0:01:37 > 0:01:41wonderfully warming, comforting, consoling food on this planet.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45You know, like cream of chicken soup on a winter's day.
0:01:45 > 0:01:46Like cake!
0:01:46 > 0:01:50Or baked potato with grated Cheshire cheese.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52Or cake.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56Comfort food is filled with memories, flavour and tradition.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00And today's show is about celebrating and exploring
0:02:00 > 0:02:05the most grounding of all cuisines - comfort food!
0:02:05 > 0:02:09Hey! Have we not got any cake? I wanted cake.
0:02:09 > 0:02:10Where's me cake?!
0:02:12 > 0:02:17OK, we might not have cake, but we do have food that sustains us and brings us together.
0:02:19 > 0:02:24Dishes that remind us of our roots.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26The recipes that make us smile.
0:02:29 > 0:02:30From filling and hearty...
0:02:30 > 0:02:33..to the unusual and tasty.
0:02:34 > 0:02:39It's the food we're almost genetically programmed to reach for in times of need.
0:02:40 > 0:02:46It's probably no coincidence that the term "comfort food" was coined in the late 1970s,
0:02:46 > 0:02:48because back then, our food and diet
0:02:48 > 0:02:53was changing at a quicker rate than ever before.
0:02:53 > 0:02:58As fancy new-fangled foods like Vesta curries and frozen peas started to fill the supermarkets,
0:02:58 > 0:03:03maybe, subconsciously, we began to crave the food we grew up with -
0:03:03 > 0:03:05the food of our parents and grandparents.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09# Home cooking! Home cooking! #
0:03:09 > 0:03:15Good, honest old-fashioned grub - the food that was part and parcel of the British psyche...
0:03:15 > 0:03:19..and had all the qualities we look for when it comes to comfort food.
0:03:19 > 0:03:20Firstly - stodge!
0:03:20 > 0:03:24Good fresh beef suet is chopped up and mixed with flour to make a paste.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27Then there's the brown sugar and the currants and the butter.
0:03:27 > 0:03:33Fold into an envelope, which makes your Sussex pond pudding.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39In our cold and wet climate, it's no surprise that pastry and suet in particular
0:03:39 > 0:03:42became a staple of our national cuisine.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46The favourite of our family is the normal steak and kidney pudding.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50Nothing can beat a good pudding and pie when it comes to filling us up.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52It's beautiful, I think.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55Now, look, do start when you get it, because it will all go cold.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59Whether it should be called pond pudding or pound pudding,
0:03:59 > 0:04:03it's not a pudding to have every day if putting on pounds bothers you.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07When it comes to comfort food, the more calories the better.
0:04:07 > 0:04:12In fact, some foods were almost specifically designed to fill us up as cheaply as possible,
0:04:12 > 0:04:16but became a much-loved speciality in their own right.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19The main part of Yorkshire pudding, it ain't like you go in a caff,
0:04:19 > 0:04:20as like you do now,
0:04:20 > 0:04:23you get a little bit. Weird, innit?
0:04:23 > 0:04:28The Yorkshire people likes that as a course and all you want with that is a bit of good gravy.
0:04:28 > 0:04:33It is the finest thing, is Yorkshire pudding with a wild rabbit gravy.
0:04:33 > 0:04:34It's really great.
0:04:34 > 0:04:39There are those who'll tell you that Yorkshire pudding is served as a separate first course
0:04:39 > 0:04:44to fill the family up at the start of the meal, so that they'll need less meat.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48The people of East Anglia had their own tasty way of padding out the belly, too.
0:04:48 > 0:04:53Now, these are the real old traditional Norfolk dumplings - like I'm one.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Now, I'll show you the inside of a dumpling.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59As you see, like the Cockneys say, as light as love! Look. Delicious.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03It's better than any toast with your bacon, tomato or egg in the morning.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06They're lovely fried with jam, treacle, et cetera, et cetera.
0:05:06 > 0:05:12But what could be better with dumplings then a lovely bowl of steaming, hearty stew?
0:05:12 > 0:05:13The Scots have their broth.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17Here, in this farmhouse, we found the last traditional hearth in Wales.
0:05:17 > 0:05:22Here, the long hours of simmering of the pot on the open fire produce cawl.
0:05:22 > 0:05:28Whatever its regional variant, fresh vegetables and meat slow-cooked for hours in one pot
0:05:28 > 0:05:31has got to be one of the most comforting foods there is.
0:05:31 > 0:05:36We put all kinds of vegetables in - potatoes, swedes,
0:05:36 > 0:05:38a few onions sometimes.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42Everybody used to make cawl. Yes, it was a very special meal.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46You can't get that food today, boy, they don't cook the same!
0:05:46 > 0:05:48They don't cook the same today.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50# I need home
0:05:50 > 0:05:52# Home cooking! #
0:05:52 > 0:05:55When it comes to comfort food, factors like simplicity,
0:05:55 > 0:05:58wholesomeness and ease all have a role to play.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01But nostalgia is often at the core.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04It needs to makes us feel all warm and cosy and rooted -
0:06:04 > 0:06:07the culinary equivalent of home.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10So whatever new culinary advances come our way,
0:06:10 > 0:06:14some of our comfort food choices might simply be down to our DNA.
0:06:19 > 0:06:24- Comfort food truly is soul food. It can be very personal.- It can.
0:06:24 > 0:06:29- Yeah, what's yours?- Flat-rib broth. That's it, flat-rib broth.
0:06:29 > 0:06:34Me mam used to make it and she's made it, and me grandma before her and me great-grandma.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38It's fed clans of the Kingys throughout the generations.
0:06:38 > 0:06:43This is immediately identifiable as the Kingys' comfort food?
0:06:43 > 0:06:46Absolutely, we all love it.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50It was one of those things that came from big mining communities. Everybody used to have it.
0:06:50 > 0:06:55Come the autumn, come the winter, you could always smell flat-rib broth cooking in people's houses.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59It was brilliant! And this is the offending article. This is flat rib.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Flat rib can be found in some good butchers',
0:07:02 > 0:07:05but if you can't get hold of it, use a little joint of brisket.
0:07:05 > 0:07:06It works just as well.
0:07:06 > 0:07:11And that's it. You cook it with the bone on and it puts a lovely layer of fat through it
0:07:11 > 0:07:14and that just infuses into the broth - it's lush.
0:07:14 > 0:07:19I read somewhere it's the only piece of meat, and you cook it and it gets bigger.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21- It does.- Sometimes you say, "Oh, that meat's shrinking!"
0:07:21 > 0:07:26This one doesn't, because of the fat content, you end up with more than you started with.
0:07:26 > 0:07:31The first step to beefing up our broth even more is to finely
0:07:31 > 0:07:34chop one onion, one stick of celery and a couple of carrots.
0:07:37 > 0:07:42- As you finely dice it, the more flavour you're going to get out of it, isn't it?- Exactly.
0:07:42 > 0:07:47You need a big pan for flat-rib broth because, normally, it feeds quite a lot of people
0:07:47 > 0:07:50and we're going to start with about a kilo of flat rib,
0:07:50 > 0:07:53which is basically two bits. That's what you'll get.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56Do you cook this now for your boys?
0:07:56 > 0:08:00Yeah, they love it, and Jane, my wife,
0:08:00 > 0:08:04me mam passed the recipe on to Jane,
0:08:04 > 0:08:06and Jane was going...
0:08:06 > 0:08:09I did it at home the other day and she went, "Oh, your mam doesn't do that."
0:08:09 > 0:08:12I go, "How do you know?" She goes, "She told us the recipe."
0:08:12 > 0:08:16I said, "Well that's nice - she didn't tell me!" You know what I mean?
0:08:16 > 0:08:18But now we're sharing it with the nation!
0:08:18 > 0:08:21To a splash of hot oil, add the veg.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25- But do we put in chunkier veg later?- Yeah, we do, mate.
0:08:25 > 0:08:32And I have to say that what was brilliant is that if you didn't finish the flat-rib broth
0:08:32 > 0:08:36when it was cooked, it was even better the next day.
0:08:36 > 0:08:41You warmed it up, heat the meat through again. Oh, just lush!
0:08:41 > 0:08:45But so many dishes are like that, be it a hotpot or a curry, aren't they?
0:08:45 > 0:08:46Yes, they are.
0:08:46 > 0:08:51At this point I'm going to add a little bit of salt...
0:08:53 > 0:08:55..and some black pepper.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02- Shall I give it a stir? - Yes, mate, absolutely.
0:09:02 > 0:09:07And just let that go for about five minutes, just to soften it off.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11I'm going to add a couple of bay leaves at this point.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14That is what you want. You just want it sweated off.
0:09:14 > 0:09:20And we are going to add two pieces of flat rib. Like that.
0:09:20 > 0:09:26Now, we add three litres of water.
0:09:28 > 0:09:33Now, that's just going to cover the flat rib.
0:09:33 > 0:09:38Whack on the lid and let it snuggle together for about 20 minutes.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42Just enough time to conjugate about what comfort food means to us.
0:09:44 > 0:09:49It's all those things that you have some sort of an emotional connection with, isn't it,
0:09:49 > 0:09:51that you've kind of grown up with.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54As your experience expands, as your palate expands,
0:09:54 > 0:09:57you get to taste some great things and it shifts and changes.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59- Curry's comforting.- Oh!
0:09:59 > 0:10:03When you fancy a curry, there's only a curry going to do.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07- And it's funny - that's our comfort food as well these days. - Absolutely right.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Now, once we're on a rolling boil,
0:10:12 > 0:10:17we add 125 grams of yellow split peas.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21Whack 'em in, mucker. And 125 grams of pearl barley.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23Give it a stir.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27And now you put the lid on
0:10:27 > 0:10:33and you cook it on a slow simmer for about an hour-and-a-half.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38- An hour-and-a-half?- Oh, yeah. - It's not fast food this, is it?- No.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42It might not be fast, but in the pan, magic is occurring.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46Oh, aye, the barley's frothed up.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51- Eeh!- Now... Oh, that takes us back!
0:10:53 > 0:10:56Oh, yeah! Now, at this point, you need to put the seasoning in,
0:10:56 > 0:10:59because it's going to take quite a lot of seasoning.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03You're cooking that flat rib on the bone, and it's creating its own stock as it cooks.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07There's lots of fat in there, lots of flavour, so now we just need to season it up.
0:11:07 > 0:11:08Stir it in.
0:11:11 > 0:11:12Oh, yeah!
0:11:15 > 0:11:17Loads of black pepper.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19Three or four sprinklings.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23Excellent.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27We add 125 grams of red lentils.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34I like the idea of the mixture of pulses - the barley, the split peas, the lentils.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38Well, they were kind of that stalwart thing, because they were cheap, you know what I mean?
0:11:38 > 0:11:42- Still got variety, though. - Absolutely. Absolutely.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45Put the lid on, cook for 20 minutes.
0:11:45 > 0:11:50And in the meantime, get chopping some hearty chunks of turnip, potato and leek.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52Thank you.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55You need to use a large leek.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58So if it's a small one, just use two.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02- This is full of flavour and goodness, isn't it?- It is, yeah.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06It's like a really nice thing, really nice winter warmer, you know?
0:12:06 > 0:12:09It is definitely internal central heating.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13And, quite naturally, what will happen,
0:12:13 > 0:12:16the lentils will actually thicken the broth. So lovely.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18Leeks in.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24Beef-a-leekie, isn't it?
0:12:24 > 0:12:29Turnip...or swede, depending on your regionality,
0:12:29 > 0:12:30and a potato.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34And, yep, you guessed it - put the lid on for another 20 minutes.
0:12:35 > 0:12:40But don't worry if you leave it longer - it will only get better.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44And also, just another tip - if you want your broth thick-thick,
0:12:44 > 0:12:46then ten minutes from the end
0:12:46 > 0:12:50take the lid off and just reduce it for that last five minutes.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53I like mine in the middle, because that's how me mam used to do it
0:12:53 > 0:12:55and that's how we've always eaten it.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58If this was French this would be called a "bouillon".
0:12:58 > 0:13:01And if it was Italian, it would be called a "brod".
0:13:01 > 0:13:04Because it's British, we call it a broth.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06It smells good.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09- Shall we see?- Aye.
0:13:09 > 0:13:10Brilliant.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13Do you know, 20 years I've known you.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17You've never cooked me flat-rib broth before.
0:13:17 > 0:13:22- Yes, mate, that's it!- It is, isn't it?- Get in!- That's hearty.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24- That meat will just... Oh, hey! - Whoa!- Right.
0:13:24 > 0:13:30- Ladle, it's got to be a big bowl of that, hasn't it? - Oh, yeah, you cannot not, can you?
0:13:34 > 0:13:36Oh, this is brilliant.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39- Is it taking you back? - Yeah! It is, it's lovely.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44The hearty bowl of the Kings' family broth now gets
0:13:44 > 0:13:49a crown of melt-in-the-mouth, tender flat rib in a real heart-warmer.
0:13:54 > 0:13:55Thanks, mate.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59And then...get in!
0:14:03 > 0:14:07The perfect complement to this beefy broth is bread and butter.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11And the stottie - a soft white flat bread me mam used to make - is perfect.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15Stottie, a bit of French or English mustard - whichever it is you fancy -
0:14:15 > 0:14:17on the top of the meat, like that.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23And it's incredibly good value. I think it's going to be incredibly tasty.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25That's lovely.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29Get some of that meat, mate, it's brilliant.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32It literally just does melt in your mouth.
0:14:33 > 0:14:34Oh, hey!
0:14:34 > 0:14:39It's healthy, it's hearty, it's filling. You know, I can see where you're coming from.
0:14:39 > 0:14:46Good, and it's very amiss of me not to have made it for you, having been me mate for 20 years.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49- So welcome to the family!- Why aye!
0:14:51 > 0:14:52That's comfort food for me!
0:14:54 > 0:14:58Si's flat-rib broth is part of a rich tradition of one-pot cooking in this country.
0:14:58 > 0:15:03And our taste for it goes way back, beyond our parents and grandparents.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07It's been bred into us Brits through history. It's in our blood.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13We've come to the Weald and Downland Open Air museum in Chichester.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16This place has 50 historic buildings
0:15:16 > 0:15:19from the 14th to the 20th century,
0:15:19 > 0:15:22that have been rescued from destruction and moved to the site.
0:15:22 > 0:15:27The museum staff are experts on bringing authentic rural ways back to life,
0:15:27 > 0:15:31and so what better venue to explore our foodie roots?
0:15:31 > 0:15:34So, today, we're going to find out about a dish that once
0:15:34 > 0:15:38provided all of us Britons with sustenance - pottage!
0:15:39 > 0:15:44Everyone from peasants to kings dined on this thick vegetable stew,
0:15:44 > 0:15:48and we're here to meet historic chef Cathy Flower-Bond,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51to experience how the meal that's probably
0:15:51 > 0:15:55responsible for many of our modern comfort food cravings was made.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59Here, hither, vagabond. There doth lie comely wench
0:15:59 > 0:16:02over there in t'spinny, gathering fodder for one's pottage.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06- Hither, comely wench. I'm Dave. - Hello, Dave. Nice to meet you.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10- Hello.- I'm Si. Very nice to meet you.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13- What happened to you? - I've gone back in time.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15It's been a time slip.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18So, Cathy, what is pottage?
0:16:18 > 0:16:20Pottage is one-pot cooking,
0:16:20 > 0:16:24so you have a pot that you put anything you're going to pick in there.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28So it changes with the seasons. It changes with whatever you've got available.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31You put it in all in your pot with some stock - it could have meat or grain -
0:16:31 > 0:16:32and that's pottage.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36So, forsooth, what treats can one pick from the medieval kitchen
0:16:36 > 0:16:39for maketh the pottage for us supp?
0:16:39 > 0:16:41We're going to pick mainly herbs today, and some vegetables.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45- But we'll pick some edible weeds, as well.- Weeds?!- Edible weeds.- Oh.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48'Pottage goes back to Roman times,
0:16:48 > 0:16:52'but our recipe will be one Tudor peasants ate.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55'Every plant in the museum's garden would've been available
0:16:55 > 0:16:58'to your average 16th-century Baldrick type.'
0:16:58 > 0:17:00So what's this, then, Cathy?
0:17:00 > 0:17:05This is good king Henry, and this is a sort of a leaf-beet, I suppose.
0:17:05 > 0:17:10It is a weed...but this will flavour things quite nicely.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12And what's the flavour of it?
0:17:12 > 0:17:16- It's a bit bland, really. A bit like a nettle.- Oh.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19She's not really selling it. I'm sure it's lovely, like.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23This is calendula. So, the marigold.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26That's brilliant in cream, for bruises.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30Yes, it is usually used for medicinal purposes. For ointments,
0:17:30 > 0:17:35- for hand-washing and things like that.- Brilliant. You learn something new every day.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38- What do they taste like? - Quite bitter, actually.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42Like a dandelion leaf. And they've got a... They're quite sticky.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45Yeah, wouldn't kill for 'em, like.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49Next, we're going to pick some Alexanders.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53Fingers crossed these are a bit tastier.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57This was brought in by the Romans, and it's the forerunner to celery.
0:17:57 > 0:18:04- Thank you.- So it's got that flavour to it. Quite light, isn't it? - Yeah, lovely.
0:18:04 > 0:18:09Now, the seed here - you can use these in place of peppercorns.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12You can grind them up and use them as pepper.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14With our herby flavouring sorted,
0:18:14 > 0:18:19it's time to make our merry way back to the kitchen and get dinner going.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22The farmhouse is from the 16th century,
0:18:22 > 0:18:25and pottage is exactly the kind of meal
0:18:25 > 0:18:28people would've eaten here almost every day.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30So, here we are in the kitchen.
0:18:30 > 0:18:36Aw, gadzooks! 'Tis fine to be in your cottage making up a pottage.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39'Don't worry, Cathy. He's like this all the time.'
0:18:40 > 0:18:46So this is the sort of dish most lower-class Tudor people would have eaten.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50Anything below gentlemen class, to peasants.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52- Plebs' pottage.- Yeah. Plebs' pottage.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56And we're going to use the ingredients in this bowl here.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58Pottage is based around common veg,
0:18:58 > 0:19:01but they're a bit different than we're used to.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04These are called skirrets, a forerunner to parsnip.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07Now, these went out of fashion in the 1700s, really,
0:19:07 > 0:19:11because, as you can see, they are ridiculously small.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14Simon, these are the carrots.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16Oh, purple carrots!
0:19:16 > 0:19:20So we'll wash those, rough-chop them and then use...
0:19:20 > 0:19:22- Use the carrot tops, as well?- Yes.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24Dude, while you're on, wash me carrots, mate.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27- I'm not your serf, you know. - I'm not saying!
0:19:27 > 0:19:30I'm just saying you've got the bowl, you know.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34I know what you're thinking - why are those carrots purple?
0:19:34 > 0:19:36What witchcraft is this?
0:19:36 > 0:19:40Until the 18th century, carrots normally came in a variety of colours.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43- Amazing, aren't they? - Beautiful, aren't they? - Like a tie-dye shirt!
0:19:43 > 0:19:46Like a Grateful Dead cover.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49Nothing's going to waste on this table.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52With a little bit of chopped garlic, it's ready to stew.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55And there's quite a range of flavours.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59So we're going to put all this into the pot that we've warmed by the fire.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03Simon, if you take that pan cloth and take the lid off...
0:20:03 > 0:20:05It should be nice and hot now.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09- Oh, wow! It's a wooden lid.- It is, yeah. I have pre-soaked them
0:20:09 > 0:20:12so, hopefully, they won't catch fire, but they are wood.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16OK, Dave, so if you put that all into that pot.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18Mind yourself, because it is very warm down there now.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21Ooh, it is! I'm roasting myself!
0:20:21 > 0:20:25And then put the stock that's in the jug next to it, just cover it over.
0:20:25 > 0:20:26Yep.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30- All this is a vegetable stock.- Yeah.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32- Ooh, aye!- Crumbs!
0:20:32 > 0:20:35STEAM HISSES And put the lid back on.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40It's not what you would call a tight-fitting lid, there, Cathy.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42It's not, no, but it'll work.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45So, Cathy, how long before we get to enjoy our pottage?
0:20:45 > 0:20:47- About 20 minutes. - Oh, well, that's all right.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50Gives us enough time to get into character.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53- To dress for dinner!- Indeed. - Gadzooks, forsooth!
0:20:54 > 0:20:57This was the comforting sight that would've greeted almost every
0:20:57 > 0:21:00Tudor farmer, workman and peasant
0:21:00 > 0:21:03as he came through the door at the end of a day's work.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05But it wasn't just for the poor.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09Along with our peasants' pottage, Cathy has made us one
0:21:09 > 0:21:11that the rich would've eaten.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Well, as there's posh stuff on offer, too,
0:21:13 > 0:21:17one of us is going to have to be the lord of the manor, Si.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20- Well, I definitely have the whole regal thing going on.- Eh?
0:21:20 > 0:21:24Noble bearing, me! What do you think people call me Kingy for?
0:21:24 > 0:21:27It's your name, not your job title!
0:21:27 > 0:21:30If anyone's going to be the lord, it should definitely be me.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35Goodness! Hello, sir.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38'Now who's getting carried away?!'
0:21:38 > 0:21:41Eee...that smells champion!
0:21:42 > 0:21:45Hopefully, it'll taste as good as it smells.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49And then for you, sire, I have a special pottage for you.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52'It's just not fair, is it?'
0:21:52 > 0:21:54What's he got that I haven't?
0:21:54 > 0:21:59Well, he's got wine and he's got samphire and he's got almonds,
0:21:59 > 0:22:02milk and... Lots of very fine things.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04You might even have coloured it with saffron.
0:22:04 > 0:22:09'It might be a dish for aristos, but it looks like a bit of a dog's dinner to me.
0:22:09 > 0:22:10'I'm not really sure about this.'
0:22:10 > 0:22:13So this one here is fit for somebody of some wealth.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16Which, of course, I have.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21I hope it chokes ya.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30- POSH VOICE:- That, my fair maiden...
0:22:30 > 0:22:32is very good pottage!
0:22:34 > 0:22:36I think he likes it.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40I'm really hungry.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44- Please may I have a few frugal mouthfuls of the poor man's pottage? - Of course.
0:22:44 > 0:22:49'Mine might not have too much nutrition, but at least it looks better.'
0:22:49 > 0:22:51Ooh, what's that thing?
0:22:51 > 0:22:53Oh, it's a purple carrot.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55I thought it was chorizo.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57That hasn't been invented yet.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02It's nice.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06What's fascinating is,
0:23:06 > 0:23:10this would have been a taste of home for millions and millions of people
0:23:10 > 0:23:12for hundreds of years,
0:23:12 > 0:23:15and it's a wonderful window on the past.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19- Well, I still prefer mine. - Yeah, you would, wouldn't you?
0:23:19 > 0:23:23It's easy to pour scorn on things people ate centuries ago,
0:23:23 > 0:23:26but pottage wasn't just survival food.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29It was a dependable and tasty dish
0:23:29 > 0:23:32that kept people fed and happy in their homes.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35And that is what comfort food is all about.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42Food can be a strong emotional force, providing sustenance for the soul
0:23:42 > 0:23:47which is every bit as important to us as nourishment for the body.
0:23:47 > 0:23:52And it's often a shared experience, be it family or geography.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55It's so powerful it can bring whole communities together
0:23:55 > 0:23:57wherever they are in the world.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01During the 19th century, Jewish immigrants from Russia, Poland and Eastern Europe
0:24:01 > 0:24:04brought a whole host of comfort foods with them.
0:24:04 > 0:24:10And some of their specialties, like fried fish, have become part of our culinary landscape.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Comfort food is a great reminder of home and family,
0:24:14 > 0:24:18but it can also be a deep connection with your ancestry.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22With roots from all over the world, the British Jewish community
0:24:22 > 0:24:26brings in different regional influences to a proud food heritage,
0:24:26 > 0:24:30whether it's the Ukraine or Golders Green.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35Michal Freeman-Shor moved to Britain from Israel 18 years ago.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39Michal may have left her homeland behind,
0:24:39 > 0:24:43but she's brought a rich family tradition of comfort food with her.
0:24:43 > 0:24:49You know, when I cook my grandma's and my mum's chopped liver,
0:24:49 > 0:24:54I see them in my head doing the same exact thing.
0:24:54 > 0:24:59And then I see us sitting around a table, you know, kind of fighting -
0:24:59 > 0:25:03who's going to have the chopped liver first.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Food has an important place in Jewish culture,
0:25:06 > 0:25:09and on Friday night, during Shabbat, it takes centre stage.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15Shabbat is a fundamental part of Jewish belief
0:25:15 > 0:25:17and links people together across the world.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19Friday night is family time.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23It doesn't matter if you're a Jew in Israel or in Maidenhead,
0:25:23 > 0:25:27or New York or Japan - Friday night, things stop.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30By lighting the candles, you remember your mother lighting the candles,
0:25:30 > 0:25:35and by saying the blessing over the wine, that's what your dad did. And you recreate your family legacy
0:25:35 > 0:25:38and you root in to 3,000 years' worth of history,
0:25:38 > 0:25:42and it's not just a religious thing, it's a spiritual thing.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44The one thing I remember from my home is that,
0:25:44 > 0:25:47Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday - everyone was out different places.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49Friday night - Shabbat - we were all in together.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53That was the family night, that's what bound us together.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56When you come to the Pearly Gates, God will ask you,
0:25:56 > 0:25:59"Why didn't you enjoy as much of life as you could've enjoyed?"
0:25:59 > 0:26:02In other words, not at the expense of others,
0:26:02 > 0:26:04but, yes, sit down with friends, with family,
0:26:04 > 0:26:07have good hot, nourishing food, and make the best of life.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10We've only got one shot at life, so let's make it a good shot.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Michal's dinner isn't just going to be pizza and chips!
0:26:13 > 0:26:17She's cooking a whole host of foodie goodness.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19There's chicken soup with her own twist -
0:26:19 > 0:26:21chopped liver and onions.
0:26:21 > 0:26:22Oh, and plov.
0:26:22 > 0:26:23What's plov?
0:26:23 > 0:26:25I've no idea.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29With any great comfort food, there's always a special ingredient.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33- I've got you bone marrow. Here. - That's fantastic.
0:26:33 > 0:26:38I love you using bone marrow for my plov because it has so much flavour.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42Actually, in Israel, they serve it as a delicacy in restaurants,
0:26:42 > 0:26:46and it's quite expensive, but here they give it to the dogs.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48I love it!
0:26:49 > 0:26:52With loads to do, Michal gets cooking.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57First up is a hearty chicken soup.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01Everyone referred to it as the Jewish penicillin.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04There is a very good reason for that.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08It's a great, great mix
0:27:08 > 0:27:11of vegetables, chicken,
0:27:11 > 0:27:14love...spices...
0:27:16 > 0:27:20It's a family recipe, but Michal's given it a British twist of her own.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24Whenever I make my chicken soup, I think about my grandma
0:27:24 > 0:27:29doing exactly the same thing I am doing now - apart from the parsnip -
0:27:29 > 0:27:32because in Israel or Russia,
0:27:32 > 0:27:35they didn't have parsnips.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39Chicken soup is pretty universal comfort food,
0:27:39 > 0:27:43but I think it's fair to say plov isn't something you see every day!
0:27:48 > 0:27:52Oh, yeah, that looks like a tempting stew - beef, carrots, onions -
0:27:52 > 0:27:54that'll definitely cheer me up.
0:27:54 > 0:27:59It looks nice, it's hearty, it's full of flavour.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01When you are feeling down, it brings you up.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04It's like a psychiatrist, really!
0:28:06 > 0:28:07Plov is from Uzbekistan,
0:28:07 > 0:28:11and Michal has picked up the recipe from her parents.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15And it's time for that special ingredient - marrow bone.
0:28:15 > 0:28:21This is going to make the plov the most amazing flavour.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26For Michal, the really traditional dish in this lot
0:28:26 > 0:28:28is fried liver and onions.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31My favourite thing in the whole world.
0:28:31 > 0:28:36This is the proper Jewish chopped liver. You don't change it.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39My mother makes the same, my sister makes the same,
0:28:39 > 0:28:42my grandma made the same, my aunties make the same...
0:28:42 > 0:28:45We are all making exactly the same dish.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48You don't want to mess with that recipe!
0:28:48 > 0:28:50To make it one big, tasty food hug,
0:28:50 > 0:28:54the key is making it extra delicious without worrying about the calories!
0:28:54 > 0:28:55It's our kind of cooking!
0:28:55 > 0:28:58There's lots of oil, lots of livers,
0:28:58 > 0:29:00you know, cholesterol!
0:29:00 > 0:29:04Absolute comfort food!
0:29:04 > 0:29:07And when you eat it, it's so good you don't think about a diet.
0:29:09 > 0:29:13Michal lights candles to mark the beginning of Shabbat,
0:29:13 > 0:29:18which starts as the sun goes down, and then it's back to more cooking!
0:29:18 > 0:29:20Typically, there's never quite enough time.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23DOORBELL Oh, goodness gracious.
0:29:23 > 0:29:25First one's arrived!
0:29:25 > 0:29:26Hey, how you doing?
0:29:28 > 0:29:30Oh, but look at that spread!
0:29:30 > 0:29:32It looks amazing, doesn't it?
0:29:32 > 0:29:35And that's not even the main course!
0:29:35 > 0:29:37Michal's husband Lee blesses the meal
0:29:37 > 0:29:41and it's time to tuck in with friends and family.
0:29:41 > 0:29:43Chicken soup with dumplings.
0:29:43 > 0:29:45I love it.
0:29:45 > 0:29:47The chicken soup is going down nicely,
0:29:47 > 0:29:50but Michal's still got to finish off the plov!
0:29:50 > 0:29:52- What's she doing?- I don't know!
0:29:52 > 0:29:56Ooh, that could go wrong. I can't look!
0:29:58 > 0:30:02Ah, Dave, that looks champion, that, man!
0:30:02 > 0:30:04- Oh, Michal, that looks delicious! - Oh, wow!
0:30:07 > 0:30:12For thousands of years, people have been brought together for Shabbat.
0:30:12 > 0:30:14CHATTER
0:30:14 > 0:30:18The Friday gathering is the perfect place to enjoy comfort foods
0:30:18 > 0:30:23at their finest, and pass on their delights to the next generation.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25Chicken soup!
0:30:25 > 0:30:27My favourite!
0:30:29 > 0:30:32British cuisine is always evolving and adapting.
0:30:32 > 0:30:34Especially when it comes to soul food,
0:30:34 > 0:30:37because our tastes are always being influenced
0:30:37 > 0:30:39by the new people we meet.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42And particularly by the people we love.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47Now it's time for my ultimate comfort food,
0:30:47 > 0:30:49and it's a little bit different, mine.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52I'm not raking back into my memories from my childhood,
0:30:52 > 0:30:55not my teens or my student years,
0:30:55 > 0:31:00it's what I come home to and what I love - stuffed cabbage!
0:31:00 > 0:31:02- SI SNIGGERS - Well, don't laugh!- Sorry!
0:31:02 > 0:31:04- It's great!- I know. Yeah, it is!
0:31:04 > 0:31:06- I love to go home to my plate of sarmale...- He does.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08..and go to Romania with my in-laws.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11Mother-in-law makes vast quantities of sarmale.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13Stuffed cabbage rolls. Nobody will give me a recipe!
0:31:13 > 0:31:17Every time I make 'em, they just say, "Is not like mine."
0:31:17 > 0:31:19So anyway, Kingy, what have we done?
0:31:19 > 0:31:23We've had to make one up ourselves, and it works and it's brilliant,
0:31:23 > 0:31:28so...Dave's Romanian outlaws - in-laws and otherwise-law -
0:31:28 > 0:31:31we've done it! And we don't care if we get it wrong,
0:31:31 > 0:31:33because you wouldn't give us the recipe!
0:31:33 > 0:31:38But what we do have is wonderful cabbage parcels filled with a pork stuffing.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42- As they say in Romania... - HE SPEAKS ROMANIAN
0:31:42 > 0:31:45- "These are excellent." - I think that means he likes it.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50- I love cabbage.- I know you do. - Always loved cabbage.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53- You know, the Ancient Greeks loved cabbage.- Did they?- Yes.
0:31:53 > 0:31:57'Tis said that the cabbage came from Zeus.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59Zeus concentrated so much, the sweat from his brow
0:31:59 > 0:32:03landed on the ground, and up popped cabbage out of Zeus' sweat.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07And it's time for us to show you our superpowers
0:32:07 > 0:32:10by prepping our cabbage and making the filling.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12Take some rice.
0:32:14 > 0:32:18I've got 125g. That rice goes in there for five minutes.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20We're going to drain it, we're going to cool it,
0:32:20 > 0:32:22and then we're going to set it aside.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24This is the sort of cabbage leaf you want.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27You get about a dozen leaves off each cabbage.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29When you get to the little leaves in the middle, forget it.
0:32:29 > 0:32:30You'll never roll them.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33Just save and cook yourself something later with that.
0:32:33 > 0:32:34You know, knock yourself out.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37I always loved that story about your dad.
0:32:37 > 0:32:40- Oh, my dad, yes. It's true! - It's brilliant.- Cabbage in my life!
0:32:40 > 0:32:42There was one time I came home...
0:32:42 > 0:32:47One time I woke up, and my dad had come back from work
0:32:47 > 0:32:49and he'd been on, like, nights.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52And he was covered, all his legs and his arms and body,
0:32:52 > 0:32:56with cabbage leaves, and the cabbage leaves were tied to him.
0:32:56 > 0:32:58He was like the Jolly Green Giant.
0:32:58 > 0:32:59And as he explained,
0:32:59 > 0:33:03it was the thermal quality of cabbage on the motorbike,
0:33:03 > 0:33:07he'd lined his body with cabbage to stop himself freezing to death.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15Now, in Romania... And my wife, traditionally...
0:33:15 > 0:33:18She's going to be at home now, going,
0:33:18 > 0:33:19"That's not the cabbage you use!"
0:33:19 > 0:33:23They use a spring cabbage. You know, the big kind of white ones.
0:33:23 > 0:33:28The thing is, I like savoy cabbage. I think it's got more flavour.
0:33:28 > 0:33:33So, I'm going to take my cabbage leaves and, like a happy rabbit,
0:33:33 > 0:33:37I'm going to hop off over here and wash them.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39And while Dave rinses his leaves,
0:33:39 > 0:33:41I'm adding three chopped garlic cloves
0:33:41 > 0:33:45and an onion to a hot pan with a glug of olive oil.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49Pop the cabbage into a pan with one to two litres of boiling water,
0:33:49 > 0:33:51cook them until they're nice and soft.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55The rice has now been on for five minutes, so what I'm going to do,
0:33:55 > 0:33:59I'm going to drain this off and run it under cold water
0:33:59 > 0:34:02to stop the cooking process, because the rice will be cooked again
0:34:02 > 0:34:05when Dave's wrapped them and stuffed them in the cabbage leaves.
0:34:05 > 0:34:06The leaves come out.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14Oh, these are just a bit more flexible now.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17Cabbage doesn't have to be a green sludgy mess.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20We're putting it centre stage and treating it with the respect
0:34:20 > 0:34:24it deserves, so it keeps its colour and all that goodness.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29I'm sure people like Mrs Beeton and my parents didn't help the cause.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31I mean, Mrs Beeton's recipes,
0:34:31 > 0:34:34she's said to boil a cabbage for 40 minutes.
0:34:34 > 0:34:40- Oof, did she?- My mum and dad, they would pressure-cook cabbage.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42There wasn't that much left at the end of it, really.
0:34:42 > 0:34:43Despite that,
0:34:43 > 0:34:46stuffed cabbage was one of the cheap and filling dishes
0:34:46 > 0:34:49that kept us Brits going through the lean war years.
0:34:49 > 0:34:51The Greeks and Romans, they did realise
0:34:51 > 0:34:54- that cabbage was very, very healthy. - Really?
0:34:54 > 0:34:59But they believed that it prevented intoxication.
0:34:59 > 0:35:00Eat cabbage, don't get drunk.
0:35:00 > 0:35:04Maybe that's why Romanians always eat sarmales
0:35:04 > 0:35:07before any form of celebration.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09Rest assured, the theory does not work.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13Right...
0:35:13 > 0:35:16To the onion and garlic stuffing, add one teaspoon of hot paprika
0:35:16 > 0:35:19and three of sweet.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22Get off the heat, stir it in.
0:35:24 > 0:35:30And we are going to get a glass bowl, just to let that cool.
0:35:30 > 0:35:36You know, the smell of boiling cabbage, I do find it comforting.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39Whether it be at home, at my in-laws, or even school dinners.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42- Did you?- Yes.- Man!
0:35:42 > 0:35:46Cabbage water, I'm going to use it for cooking the sarmales.
0:35:46 > 0:35:47So, I put that into a jug.
0:35:49 > 0:35:50A chicken stock cube.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57And set that aside for later.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00But now it's time to build our sarmale stuffing mix.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03To the rice, add a handful of chopped parsley,
0:36:03 > 0:36:05500g of raw pork mince
0:36:05 > 0:36:10and finally, the colourful paprika, garlic and onion stuffing.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13And now season well with salt and pepper.
0:36:19 > 0:36:20And mix well.
0:36:23 > 0:36:28And then pass to your best mate, who is the cabbage stuffer,
0:36:28 > 0:36:31to use when he is ready.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33What I'm doing, making it easier to roll,
0:36:33 > 0:36:39I'm going through leaf by leaf, and you cut out that tough spine.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41Take care you don't go all the way through.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45Take your leaf, place it cut side up, and take, like,
0:36:45 > 0:36:49a little sausage of your par-cooked rice and meat stuffing.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53Put your little sausage there down the spine and start to roll.
0:36:53 > 0:36:59Get to there, tuck your end in and carry on rolling to the end.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01And then take this end,
0:37:01 > 0:37:05and you want to do it like a little belly button - just tuck it in.
0:37:05 > 0:37:06Now, while Dave is doing that,
0:37:06 > 0:37:09I'm going to make a very, very quick tomato sauce.
0:37:09 > 0:37:14Tomato sauce is not traditional, but it's nice with it.
0:37:14 > 0:37:15Tin of tomatoes.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20Tomato puree. Two tablespoons full.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23Fill the tomato up with water.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26A teaspoon of caster sugar.
0:37:28 > 0:37:29Little bit of salt.
0:37:32 > 0:37:33Stir with a wooden spoon.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36If you're making tomato sauce, don't stir with a metal spoon,
0:37:36 > 0:37:38because there is a chemical reaction between the spoon
0:37:38 > 0:37:42and the acidity in the tomatoes that will turn your sauce tangy.
0:37:42 > 0:37:48And then cook that down on a good simmer for 25 minutes.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50So, really doesn't take long once you get a bit of a run on.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54Hey-hey! There's no stopping us now! We're on a roll.
0:37:54 > 0:38:00- It is brilliant. It doesn't leak, does it?- No.- That's brilliant.
0:38:00 > 0:38:02- They are good, them.- All right.
0:38:04 > 0:38:06And when you've got two layers in the pan,
0:38:06 > 0:38:08cover with the cabbage water chicken stock.
0:38:11 > 0:38:15Put the lid on and simmer it for about 40 minutes.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19Oh, that smell takes me back to Transylvania.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22There's a wedding, the sarmales are bubbling away,
0:38:22 > 0:38:23but they do man dancing.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25- Do they?- The blokes dance. - What do you do?
0:38:25 > 0:38:27# Hey-da-da-hey-hey
0:38:27 > 0:38:29# Da-dee-day-day Hey-diddle-day... #
0:38:29 > 0:38:32The time flies when you're having fun, or even doing this.
0:38:32 > 0:38:37So much so, the cabbage packets of porky goodness are ready to dish up.
0:38:37 > 0:38:43- Look at this!- They are absolutely stuffed with stuffing.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45Comfort food's personal.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48This is my personal little treat.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51- But I can feel myself getting nostalgic.- I'm not surprised.
0:38:51 > 0:38:56You know, with the smell of them. Look at that. Stuffed cabbage rolls.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00Comfort food that's not only great value, but hearty and good for you.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06Topped with tomato sauce, soured cream and sauerkraut,
0:39:06 > 0:39:11this really is one dish I know my mucker would love you to try.
0:39:11 > 0:39:12Well...
0:39:12 > 0:39:17- I can see why, mate. I can see why. - It's humble, it's hearty.
0:39:17 > 0:39:19- It's like your flat-rib broth. - Yes. It is.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21That's what it's about, comfort, isn't it,
0:39:21 > 0:39:24when you're at home? It's about this.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27- It's your personal story, isn't it? - Yes.- On a plate.- Of course it is.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32Look at that. That rice and pork is cooked through.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35I'm going to take a little bit of sauerkraut as well.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38Yes. Sauerkraut...
0:39:38 > 0:39:40Oh, mate! Mm!
0:39:42 > 0:39:46A feel-good dish using all the best of British ingredients.
0:39:47 > 0:39:51Comfort food's for you personally. And this one is for me.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54But I am sharing, if you fancy some.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07Comfort food is often influenced by places
0:40:07 > 0:40:10you or your family grew up.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13Whether it's Swindon or Senegal, Pakistan or Portsmouth,
0:40:13 > 0:40:18a taste of home is just what's needed to give you a boost.
0:40:18 > 0:40:22But this homely food also has a great influence on British cooking
0:40:22 > 0:40:25as a whole, and there's one group whose influence
0:40:25 > 0:40:27is brighter, brasher and louder than most.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34Notting Hill Carnival is Europe's biggest, brightest street party
0:40:34 > 0:40:37and has been held on London's streets since 1965.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41It's a three-day celebration of all things West Indian
0:40:41 > 0:40:44and a real treat for the senses.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46Not least your taste buds!
0:40:47 > 0:40:51Caribbean food and drink is worth £77 million a year to the
0:40:51 > 0:40:55British economy and like the dancing, the dishes on show
0:40:55 > 0:41:00at the carnival offer a cracking glimpse of the region's culture.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03Trinidadian chef, Hasan Defour, is going to be cooking
0:41:03 > 0:41:07breakfast for the 700-strong dancing troupe called Pure Lime.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12And in true comfort food style he's cooking a dish
0:41:12 > 0:41:16that will fill their stomachs with a reassuring taste of carnival home,
0:41:16 > 0:41:19and energy for the dancing day ahead.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22Today I'm going to be cooking fry bakes,
0:41:22 > 0:41:24which is a Caribbean fried bread
0:41:24 > 0:41:30and I'm going to make a saltfish buljol, as we call it in Trinidad.
0:41:30 > 0:41:34They're going to get wings with this. They'll enjoy it.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36But his breakfast is more than just filling food.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39It has to bring the whole spirit of the carnival with it.
0:41:39 > 0:41:43We're in London. Sometimes the weather might not be on our side
0:41:43 > 0:41:47but what I can do as a chef is ensure that they get that breakfast,
0:41:47 > 0:41:51that home taste that mummy and granny used to make,
0:41:51 > 0:41:53that smell that you wake up in the morning
0:41:53 > 0:41:56smelling those lovely fried bakes,
0:41:56 > 0:41:58that is what they're going to get.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00This is no English fry-up.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02There's not going to be any beans involved today.
0:42:07 > 0:42:08This is what I came here for.
0:42:08 > 0:42:13Salted cod fish is in many a home.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16They have it in fritters for breakfast.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18You have it as part of a main meal
0:42:18 > 0:42:22with the ground provisions, dasheen and yam and stuff.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25It's still a very important part of Caribbean food.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34# London is the place for me... #
0:42:34 > 0:42:39For the Windrush generation arriving from the late '40s,
0:42:39 > 0:42:42Britain wasn't all it was cracked up to be.
0:42:42 > 0:42:48I can't let you in. I've got 14 English boys in here.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52Faced with a country that was often hostile, holding onto recipes
0:42:52 > 0:42:57and dishes that reminded them of home was particularly important.
0:42:57 > 0:43:01Compared to the bland austerity food of the post-war years,
0:43:01 > 0:43:06West Indian cooking is something no-one would want to leave behind.
0:43:07 > 0:43:09Drawing on ingredients
0:43:09 > 0:43:11and influences from all over the world, but with a distinct
0:43:11 > 0:43:16Caribbean style, it's a cuisine that celebrates flavour and spice.
0:43:16 > 0:43:20Famous for fish dishes, curried goat and jerk chicken,
0:43:20 > 0:43:24Caribbean food's influence is growing in Britain.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27And the Notting Hill Carnival has done more than its share to
0:43:27 > 0:43:29make it popular.
0:43:29 > 0:43:33On the eve of the carnival, there's just time for Hasan to do
0:43:33 > 0:43:36one final test run of his tasty Caribbean breakfast.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41It don't matter which island you're from in the Caribbean -
0:43:41 > 0:43:45you could start way up at Jamaica and come down to Trinidad and Tobago.
0:43:45 > 0:43:49Saltfish and bakes are eaten in homes
0:43:49 > 0:43:52throughout the archipelago of islands.
0:43:52 > 0:43:55We're going to be doing it Caribbean style.
0:43:55 > 0:43:57The first stage in getting this dish ready
0:43:57 > 0:43:59is preparing the saltfish.
0:43:59 > 0:44:03It might be a cheap food. It's one of those homely flavours
0:44:03 > 0:44:06that you just love.
0:44:07 > 0:44:10Hasan boils the saltfish in fresh water several times
0:44:10 > 0:44:12to get rid of some of the excess salt.
0:44:15 > 0:44:18While it's boiling, he chops the veg that is going to give his recipe
0:44:18 > 0:44:22that Caribbean style, like tomatoes, lots of peppers,
0:44:22 > 0:44:24and spring onions.
0:44:24 > 0:44:30With all these colours, you're feeling the sunshine.
0:44:30 > 0:44:34You know it's something Caribbean cooking in this kitchen right now.
0:44:34 > 0:44:36Well, you've got to admire his optimism!
0:44:36 > 0:44:39He'll need all the sunshine he can get his hands on!
0:44:39 > 0:44:43These are extremely hot.
0:44:43 > 0:44:47These are the daddies on the pepper world - Scotch bonnets.
0:44:47 > 0:44:49You've got to be very careful.
0:44:49 > 0:44:52It depends on how much spice you want to add to the dish.
0:44:52 > 0:44:56If you watch, you can see there's a white sort of membrane and seeds.
0:44:56 > 0:45:00That is where it is most hot.
0:45:00 > 0:45:03That is where you touch, you better go and wash
0:45:03 > 0:45:06your hands because you're going to be in trouble
0:45:06 > 0:45:08if you touch your eyes, touch anywhere.
0:45:08 > 0:45:12Be careful when you're using these Scotch bonnets.
0:45:14 > 0:45:15Next up, some garlic.
0:45:15 > 0:45:18This is what makes that real taste of home.
0:45:18 > 0:45:22This the old school way of doing it.
0:45:22 > 0:45:25This is the way your granny and your great-granny
0:45:25 > 0:45:28would have grown up seeing it made in Trinidad.
0:45:28 > 0:45:35I'm sharing a bit of my secrets but I've got love for you guys!
0:45:39 > 0:45:40That's it.
0:45:41 > 0:45:45With the fish sorted, Hasan prepares a type of bread called fry bake.
0:45:45 > 0:45:47So what is it, fried or baked?
0:45:47 > 0:45:48Well, it's fried.
0:45:48 > 0:45:50- Not baked? - I don't think so.
0:45:50 > 0:45:52- Just fried? - Yes.
0:45:52 > 0:45:56- Why's it not called fry? - I don't know.
0:45:56 > 0:45:58It's nearly time to eat, people!
0:45:59 > 0:46:02Golden sunshine, that's what we're looking for.
0:46:02 > 0:46:03Love it.
0:46:03 > 0:46:05When my mum used to make them,
0:46:05 > 0:46:07right now it's just a bit of butter and cheese...
0:46:07 > 0:46:10and you're happy, you know?
0:46:14 > 0:46:18Saltfish buljol, ready. Fry bakes, ready.
0:46:18 > 0:46:20I need some people to sample it.
0:46:20 > 0:46:22This is Hasan's mother's recipe.
0:46:22 > 0:46:23Hey. All right?
0:46:25 > 0:46:27And no-one makes comfort food like your mum.
0:46:27 > 0:46:29Pressure's on Hasan.
0:46:29 > 0:46:30This is very good.
0:46:30 > 0:46:32Ten out of ten.
0:46:32 > 0:46:35- As good as yours?- As good as mine. - Nice. Thanks.
0:46:35 > 0:46:38I'm feeling happy now. I'm a happy chef!
0:46:38 > 0:46:42OK, they're off. There's 700 hungry dancers to impress.
0:46:42 > 0:46:46This is going to be hard, hard grafting.
0:46:46 > 0:46:49We're going to be working straight through the night
0:46:49 > 0:46:51to ensure that we get this job done.
0:46:51 > 0:46:53Now, that's dedication.
0:46:56 > 0:46:58As the sun rises over the festival,
0:46:58 > 0:47:01Hasan's breakfast is getting the party started.
0:47:01 > 0:47:04We have opened these boxes and the sunshine has just
0:47:04 > 0:47:09come out and it has exploded on the Notting Hill Carnival.
0:47:09 > 0:47:13We're having some fun, the music trucks are ready,
0:47:13 > 0:47:15the food is being served, masqueraders are coming in.
0:47:15 > 0:47:18This is what London needs.
0:47:20 > 0:47:21Delicious.
0:47:21 > 0:47:24This kind of food reminds me of when I'm back home
0:47:24 > 0:47:26and my mum makes bake and saltfish in the morning.
0:47:26 > 0:47:29It gives you that feeling so you can come out
0:47:29 > 0:47:32and carnival and jump.
0:47:32 > 0:47:34And have fun.
0:47:34 > 0:47:35SHE LAUGHS
0:47:35 > 0:47:37It's really good.
0:47:37 > 0:47:38Bring it on!
0:47:41 > 0:47:44With Hasan's help, the signature flavours of Caribbean cooking
0:47:44 > 0:47:47will keep people dancing all day.
0:47:47 > 0:47:51As we've seen, our idea of what constitutes comfort food is
0:47:51 > 0:47:53formed at an early age.
0:47:53 > 0:47:57And apart from home, for many of us, school had a pretty big role
0:47:57 > 0:48:00to play when it came the education of our taste buds.
0:48:06 > 0:48:10Ah, the British school dinner! It's an institution loved by some,
0:48:10 > 0:48:12loathed by others.
0:48:12 > 0:48:16But whether you look back at them with fondness...
0:48:16 > 0:48:18- ..or terror...- ..one thing's for sure, they will have left
0:48:18 > 0:48:21an indelible mark on the memory of everyone who ate them.
0:48:21 > 0:48:22# Yummy, yummy, yummy
0:48:22 > 0:48:24# I've got love in my tummy
0:48:24 > 0:48:27# And I feel like I'm loving you... #
0:48:27 > 0:48:29You tell me what sort of food you'd have every day.
0:48:29 > 0:48:34Erm, we have pork, lots of fish fingers.
0:48:34 > 0:48:37Boiled potatoes.
0:48:37 > 0:48:38Tomatoes.
0:48:38 > 0:48:40Beans and peas.
0:48:40 > 0:48:42I can't remember!
0:48:44 > 0:48:46But no-one could forget the smell!
0:48:46 > 0:48:47The minute I think about school dinners,
0:48:47 > 0:48:49I get a whiff of boiled turnip.
0:48:49 > 0:48:53The Education Act of 1944 made it compulsory
0:48:53 > 0:48:55for all schools to supply every child
0:48:55 > 0:48:57with a school dinner.
0:48:57 > 0:48:59Over the coming decades, they provided
0:48:59 > 0:49:01generations of children with their first taste of food
0:49:01 > 0:49:03outside the home.
0:49:06 > 0:49:07If there's something you don't like,
0:49:07 > 0:49:09say something like spinach, do they say
0:49:09 > 0:49:11you can leave it or do they make you eat it?
0:49:11 > 0:49:13Sometimes they make you eat it.
0:49:18 > 0:49:21Ah! This was the golden age of school dinners.
0:49:21 > 0:49:24Not a turkey twizzler or a fizzy drink in sight.
0:49:24 > 0:49:26Yep, and no salad either - unless you counted
0:49:26 > 0:49:27bitter limp iceberg.
0:49:27 > 0:49:30Just good, solid, hearty food.
0:49:30 > 0:49:32And whilst some were easy to please...
0:49:32 > 0:49:34What's your favourite food at school?
0:49:34 > 0:49:36Anything what fills me!
0:49:36 > 0:49:38- Do you get enough of it?- Yeah.
0:49:38 > 0:49:40..others were more opinionated.
0:49:40 > 0:49:42What do you like best of all to eat?
0:49:42 > 0:49:48Er, potatoes and greens and sausages and fried eggs.
0:49:48 > 0:49:51- Do you always get those things to eat at school?- No.
0:49:52 > 0:49:55Processed meat, an ice cream scoop of mashed potato, overcooked veg
0:49:55 > 0:49:59- and a gravy that you could cut with a knife.- Magic!
0:49:59 > 0:50:01- What do you particularly like? - Sausages.
0:50:01 > 0:50:04- Sausages.- Sausages.
0:50:04 > 0:50:07Ah, cheap school chipolatas! I have never managed to find
0:50:07 > 0:50:10a sausage that quite lives up to their memory.
0:50:10 > 0:50:12At the end of the day though, there really was
0:50:12 > 0:50:14only one thing that mattered.
0:50:14 > 0:50:18Pudding was always a proper cooked affair, served with a slice of custard.
0:50:25 > 0:50:27We get jam tart.
0:50:27 > 0:50:31We get sometimes chocolate cake with chocolate custard.
0:50:31 > 0:50:34- Which pudding do you like best? - Apple pie.
0:50:34 > 0:50:38- Is it not as good as home cooking? - Well, not really.
0:50:38 > 0:50:41My favourite was rice pudding with a nice thick skin on it, you know?
0:50:41 > 0:50:42What was yours?
0:50:42 > 0:50:45A lovely slice of Manchester tart.
0:50:45 > 0:50:46Ooh, nice!
0:50:46 > 0:50:48But there was a downside.
0:50:48 > 0:50:50BOTH: Semolina!
0:50:55 > 0:50:59When it came to school dinners, some days were definitely better than others.
0:50:59 > 0:51:02But you were always guaranteed a good, proper hot meal.
0:51:02 > 0:51:06And whether you enjoyed it or not, one feeling was universal.
0:51:06 > 0:51:08That heart-sinking moment when the bell rang
0:51:08 > 0:51:10and it was time to go back to class.
0:51:10 > 0:51:12BELL RINGS
0:51:16 > 0:51:21Of all the school favourites, there's one dish that's closer to our hearts than most.
0:51:21 > 0:51:27Love it or hate it, rice pudding is one the nation's favourite comfort foods.
0:51:27 > 0:51:30But we've taken this classic and given it a Hairy Bikers spin.
0:51:32 > 0:51:37And to top off the creamy goodness, a rich, fruity prune Marsala compote.
0:51:37 > 0:51:38It couldn't be simpler.
0:51:38 > 0:51:41It's rice pudding reloaded.
0:51:41 > 0:51:42I'll go and get a pan.
0:51:42 > 0:51:46And into it pour one litre of whole milk and put over a medium flame.
0:51:46 > 0:51:51For richness, a knob of butter, optional.
0:51:54 > 0:51:59- The rice. You don't need much rice, do you?- 150g, that's all. - That's it.
0:52:00 > 0:52:04Add the rice and grate half a nutmeg into it.
0:52:04 > 0:52:06Although we've taken a few liberties with the rice pudding,
0:52:06 > 0:52:10we're still keeping good old-fashioned traditional flavours.
0:52:10 > 0:52:13And those flavours just keep on coming.
0:52:13 > 0:52:14A stick of cinnamon.
0:52:17 > 0:52:20And you know what, you could use already ground nutmeg,
0:52:20 > 0:52:24but don't, because it's fresher and lovely off the meg.
0:52:24 > 0:52:27They often say a nutmeg does last a long time,
0:52:27 > 0:52:30and it keeps its flavour, as long as you don't grind it.
0:52:30 > 0:52:33- And stir.- And cook for 20 minutes.
0:52:33 > 0:52:36The butter will melt, the spices will infuse the milk,
0:52:36 > 0:52:38and the rice will start to go soft.
0:52:38 > 0:52:42I don't know about you, Kingy, but I loved rice pudding at home,
0:52:42 > 0:52:45the way my mam made it, and she always had it with a skin that thick on,
0:52:45 > 0:52:48- and that was the best bit. She always used evaporated milk...- Yes!
0:52:48 > 0:52:50- ..which made it quite creamy.- Yeah.
0:52:50 > 0:52:52You've got to admit...
0:52:53 > 0:52:56..tins of rice pudding are quite nice cold, aren't they?
0:52:58 > 0:53:02- Particularly if you just eat it out of the tin.- Out of the tin. I know.
0:53:02 > 0:53:06And when you take the top off, what I do, sometimes,
0:53:06 > 0:53:08I put jam in it.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11Now, it's important that you continue to stir this.
0:53:11 > 0:53:15- So it doesn't stick.- Aye.
0:53:15 > 0:53:17- Do you know AA Milne who wrote Winnie the Pooh?- Yes.
0:53:17 > 0:53:20He wrote a poem called Rice Pudding.
0:53:20 > 0:53:22And the poem goes something like this:
0:53:22 > 0:53:25Whatever is the matter With Mary Jane?
0:53:25 > 0:53:27She's perfectly well And she hasn't a pain
0:53:27 > 0:53:30And the thing is It's rice pudding for dinner again.
0:53:30 > 0:53:36And now to the compote and the inspiration for many a poet - booze!
0:53:36 > 0:53:40In a pan, 150ml of Marsala wine.
0:53:42 > 0:53:45That wonderful old-fashioned booty.
0:53:49 > 0:53:53- This is a well boozed-up pudding. - It's brilliant.
0:53:53 > 0:53:55- Oh, aye. - But that's what you want, don't you?
0:53:55 > 0:53:58You want those comforting, warming elements to your pud, don't you?
0:53:58 > 0:54:01- Yes! Like brandy.- Exactly!
0:54:02 > 0:54:05One tablespoon should do the trick.
0:54:05 > 0:54:10And of course, you can leave it out completely if you are tee-total.
0:54:10 > 0:54:14The juice of one orange gives the compote a fruity and sweet zing
0:54:14 > 0:54:18and really complements the cinnamon and nutmeg.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20That's a great orange.
0:54:22 > 0:54:26And 25 grams of golden caster sugar.
0:54:29 > 0:54:32To that, a heap of prunes.
0:54:35 > 0:54:40And lastly, the finely grated zest of an orange.
0:54:40 > 0:54:44- Ooh, lovely.- Bring that to a simmer.
0:54:44 > 0:54:47Let it bubble for five minutes until it's reduced by half.
0:54:47 > 0:54:50The alcohol will boil off, so it's all right for the nippers.
0:54:50 > 0:54:54And the flavours will intensify and the prunes will expand.
0:54:54 > 0:54:58Leave to go cold, and you'll never put a dollop of cheap jam
0:54:58 > 0:55:02- in the middle of your pudding again.- Never!
0:55:02 > 0:55:05Do you know, rice pudding was a descendant of the early
0:55:05 > 0:55:08rice potages which date back to Roman times.
0:55:08 > 0:55:10Rice potages were very expensive,
0:55:10 > 0:55:12because the rice had to come from overseas,
0:55:12 > 0:55:17and they were the preserve of the rich, which were eaten during Lent.
0:55:17 > 0:55:19There isn't much we don't know about puddings,
0:55:19 > 0:55:22and I can tell you that this one is coming on a treat.
0:55:22 > 0:55:26- Ooh, nice!- Beautiful.- Dude! - That needs to cool now.
0:55:26 > 0:55:29I think I'm ready. Look, I've gone thick and creamy.
0:55:29 > 0:55:31- That's what we are looking for. - It certainly is.- It is.
0:55:31 > 0:55:34Rice pudding is in the house.
0:55:34 > 0:55:35Another half litre of milk.
0:55:37 > 0:55:40To the rice pudding, add 50g of golden sugar
0:55:40 > 0:55:43and some chopped candied fruit peel.
0:55:43 > 0:55:45You want about a good tablespoon of this.
0:55:45 > 0:55:48We've got some orange and lemon.
0:55:52 > 0:55:56Now this needs to simmer for another 40 minutes, stirring regularly.
0:55:56 > 0:55:57No pressure, Si.
0:55:58 > 0:56:00Don't worry, mate, it's in safe hands.
0:56:00 > 0:56:03There's nothing worse than a burnt rice pud, wouldn't you agree?
0:56:03 > 0:56:05Dave?
0:56:05 > 0:56:06Dave?
0:56:06 > 0:56:08Here! Sleeping beauty!
0:56:10 > 0:56:11We're done.
0:56:13 > 0:56:14(Honestly.)
0:56:14 > 0:56:17- That's worked a treat, hasn't it? - Hasn't it?
0:56:17 > 0:56:21- That's the texture you want. - That's it. That's comfort.
0:56:21 > 0:56:24Do you know, that looks so good it could have come out of a tin.
0:56:24 > 0:56:28- It could, it's true. - It hasn't. We're not in the business of deception.- Oh, no.
0:56:33 > 0:56:35Beautiful.
0:56:35 > 0:56:38Great on its own, even better with a dainty dollop of prune compote.
0:56:39 > 0:56:42Oh, beautifully placed, Mr Myers.
0:56:42 > 0:56:44And a sprinkling of golden toasted almonds.
0:56:47 > 0:56:49Isn't that lovely?
0:56:49 > 0:56:51That's comfort food.
0:56:51 > 0:56:54Our rice pudding and plum compote reloaded
0:56:54 > 0:56:57in a comfortable sort of fashion.
0:56:57 > 0:57:01If rice pudding is a comfort food, that's a fluffy slipper.
0:57:01 > 0:57:03Isn't it? It's a onesie.
0:57:07 > 0:57:10- Mmm!- That's lovely.- Oh, it is.
0:57:10 > 0:57:15- Do you know what I like about it? It's not too sweet.- No, it's not.
0:57:15 > 0:57:17Oh, hey, that is good.
0:57:20 > 0:57:22Mmm, the almonds are nice, Dave.
0:57:22 > 0:57:27Yes, the compote is great, you mix that in, sweetens up the rice.
0:57:27 > 0:57:31What I love about it, though, is the cinnamon and nutmeg are there.
0:57:31 > 0:57:33- Yes, they are. - But very, very subtle.
0:57:33 > 0:57:35They just make it, like, super nice rice pudding.
0:57:38 > 0:57:40- Mmm.- A marriage made in heaven. - It is.
0:57:40 > 0:57:44And you know what? It's still got that yummy comfort factor
0:57:44 > 0:57:49of our mothers' rice pudding that we remember from when we were children.
0:57:49 > 0:57:53But maybe just that little bit more up-to-date.
0:57:56 > 0:58:00And there we have it in all its creamy gorge-if-ousness.
0:58:03 > 0:58:06Just the sight of it is enough to warm the heart.
0:58:08 > 0:58:12And that is what all good comfort food should do -
0:58:12 > 0:58:16Connect us to our past...
0:58:16 > 0:58:17..The people we love...
0:58:17 > 0:58:20..And the places we feel most at home.
0:58:22 > 0:58:28And if you'd like to find out more about today's recipes, go to:
0:58:34 > 0:58:37Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd