0:00:02 > 0:00:06WE believe Britain has the best food in the world!
0:00:07 > 0:00:11'Our glorious country hosts some fantastic ingredients...'
0:00:11 > 0:00:13Start eating it, will you?
0:00:13 > 0:00:16It's home to some amazing producers...
0:00:16 > 0:00:19My goodness gracious. That is epic, isn't it?
0:00:20 > 0:00:22..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 > 0:00:35BOTH: Yes!
0:00:35 > 0:00:37'And in this series, we're uncovering
0:00:37 > 0:00:40'revealing stories of our rich culinary past...'
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Now, there is food history on a plate.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47- COW MOOS - ..as well as meeting our nation's food heroes,
0:00:47 > 0:00:50who are keeping this heritage alive.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52Let's have them enjoying themselves.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55It's a short life. Best make it a happy one, like they've always had.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58And of course we'll be cooking up a load of dishes
0:00:58 > 0:01:00that reveal our foodie evolution.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07Spring, summer, autumn or winter. Brilliant.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11BOTH: Quite simply the best of British!
0:01:31 > 0:01:34We Brits are blessed to live on an island that is
0:01:34 > 0:01:36surrounded by some of the best waters,
0:01:36 > 0:01:40filled by some of the best fish and seafood in the world.
0:01:40 > 0:01:47Yeah, gurnard, huss, pouting, mackerel, pilchard, whiting,
0:01:47 > 0:01:51brill, grey mullet, red mullet, Dover sole, lemon sole,
0:01:51 > 0:01:56- megrim, John Dory.- Pollock.- Yes, the list is endless and quite delicious.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59Yes, there's so much more to British fish
0:01:59 > 0:02:02than that certain deep-fried delicacy
0:02:02 > 0:02:05commonly served with chipped potatoes.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07So, today's show is all about celebrating the great diversity
0:02:07 > 0:02:11of aquatic delights we have in our reach.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16We'll be exploring their influence on our culture...
0:02:16 > 0:02:19And their role in shaping our native cuisine.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22Well, we couldn't not include our national dish, now, could we?
0:02:23 > 0:02:26Fishing has been part of British food culture
0:02:26 > 0:02:30since the first humans walked on our island shores.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33These days, there are fears about our depleting fish stocks,
0:02:33 > 0:02:37but we consumers can help by expanding our culinary horizons.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42So, to kick things off, we're heading down to the Isle of Wight,
0:02:42 > 0:02:46where the waters are teeming with a wide range of fish species
0:02:46 > 0:02:50that aren't regularly seen on our plates, despite being good eating.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55We Brits have been, well, a bit unadventurous at times
0:02:55 > 0:02:57when it comes to all things fishy.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01So, we're here to meet a fisherman who's passionate
0:03:01 > 0:03:04about some of the lesser-known varieties.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13Mike Curtis is the skipper of the Shooting Star.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18And he's offered to take us out for a morning's fishing.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22Morning, fellas.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24Hi, guys, how you getting on? All right?
0:03:24 > 0:03:27- Come aboard.- Thank you very much.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30Mind the step.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41As well as the boat, Mike runs a busy fishmonger's,
0:03:41 > 0:03:44selling his catch of the day to the lucky locals.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48He sells a wonderful variety - everything from skate
0:03:48 > 0:03:52and gurnard to seabass and Dover sole,
0:03:52 > 0:03:54caught straight from his boat.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56Mike, how long have you been fishing?
0:03:56 > 0:04:00My dad took me fishing 1966, instead of watching the World Cup.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02I've never forgiven him since!
0:04:02 > 0:04:05About eight or nine years ago, we moved to the Isle of Wight
0:04:05 > 0:04:09and I bought this boat, and we've been fishing since.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11Right.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14'If you're a fisherman these days, not only do you need a broad range
0:04:14 > 0:04:17'of fish, you need to catch it sustainably.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21'And the Shooting Star is just the ticket.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24'The nets have a large mesh, which only catches the bigger
0:04:24 > 0:04:28'and older fish, allowing the immature ones to escape.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30'This prevents overfishing
0:04:30 > 0:04:34'and also means unwanted species can be thrown back.'
0:04:34 > 0:04:35There's a stingray.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41- And what will you do with him? Just put him back?- Yeah.- Brilliant.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46'That's if you can catch the slippery fellas.'
0:04:50 > 0:04:51See? Off he goes.
0:04:51 > 0:04:56'In no time, the right sort of catch is coming in.'
0:04:56 > 0:05:01- That's what we're after, really. Dover sole.- Oh, lovely!
0:05:01 > 0:05:05'Sole is a classic, fried up in lemon butter.'
0:05:05 > 0:05:09- Oh, that's a beautiful, beautiful fish.- I bet that's tasty.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11Oh, they're coming now.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13That's a wrasse.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15- 'Ooh! Ideal in a stew!'- Wa-hey!
0:05:15 > 0:05:19'You don't often see these types on the shelves,
0:05:19 > 0:05:22'but variety is what Mike's work is all about.'
0:05:22 > 0:05:26- Now, this is a baby.- A lobster!
0:05:26 > 0:05:29- THEY CHEER - That's a beauty!
0:05:32 > 0:05:36So, Mike, are there any varieties that are more prevalent than others?
0:05:36 > 0:05:40Yeah, this time of year, we get a lot of smooth-hounds here.
0:05:40 > 0:05:45Which is, when we skin it up, and it's sold as huss, rock salmon?
0:05:45 > 0:05:48You know, it's a really popular fish.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50But it's sort of gone out of favour somewhat.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55'And it's not long before we meet one, face-to-face.'
0:05:55 > 0:05:57- Huss!- Huss!
0:06:01 > 0:06:04'The name "huss" covers a whole range of species.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06'It's also known as rock salmon
0:06:06 > 0:06:10'and used to be a favourite down the chippy, as rock and chips.'
0:06:10 > 0:06:14As a cook, it's a fish I like, because when it's fresh, it's tasty,
0:06:14 > 0:06:17but you get nice, big steaks of fish, don't you?
0:06:17 > 0:06:19Absolutely, you know,
0:06:19 > 0:06:21and 20 years ago, monkfish was used as pot bait.
0:06:21 > 0:06:26'Because of its popularity, some types of huss, like spurdog
0:06:26 > 0:06:29'and spiny dogfish have become endangered.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34'But there are a whole load of varieties with brilliant names,
0:06:34 > 0:06:35'like starry smooth-hound
0:06:35 > 0:06:39'and lesser-spotted dogfish, that are plentiful.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41'And perfectly sustainable
0:06:41 > 0:06:44'for a small boat like the Shooting Star to catch.'
0:06:45 > 0:06:48Do you know what I love about day boats?
0:06:48 > 0:06:51You know that the fish you get is absolutely dead fresh.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53We catch for the shop.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55When I've got enough for the shop, we stop fishing.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58So in terms of sustainability, and for the consumer,
0:06:58 > 0:07:02they're getting a product you can't possibly get any fresher
0:07:02 > 0:07:04unless you went and caught it yourself.
0:07:05 > 0:07:10'In fact, Mike's approach has a lot in common with how we used to fish.
0:07:10 > 0:07:15'This boat might be high-tech, but it has a low impact on fish stocks.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17'In the age of sail, wooden fishing boats were restricted
0:07:17 > 0:07:21'by the weather to shallower waters, and catches were
0:07:21 > 0:07:25'much smaller, with boats staying at sea for shorter periods of time.'
0:07:26 > 0:07:30As they became steam and diesel powered, they could go further
0:07:30 > 0:07:34out to sea and target deeper water varieties like cod and haddock.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39Metal hulls allowed bigger boats to land much bigger catches.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44By the '70s, there were super-trawlers on the seas -
0:07:44 > 0:07:48giant, floating factories that could catch and process
0:07:48 > 0:07:50incredible amounts of fish.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52But nature couldn't quite keep up.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55Some accounts say that stocks of larger varieties like cod
0:07:55 > 0:08:00could have declined by a terrifying 90% since 1950,
0:08:00 > 0:08:02but it's as much down to what we choose to eat
0:08:02 > 0:08:04as what the industry catches.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08And for Mike, getting us to try new things
0:08:08 > 0:08:11is what it's all about, so, with the catch sorted,
0:08:11 > 0:08:14it's time to head back to shore and inspect the goodies.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17That's quite a selection box of fine fish, Mike.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20Yeah, it's great for the shop. We've got a nice range of fish here.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23We've got some nice grey mullet...
0:08:23 > 0:08:26- Black bream.- Bream.- Lovely. - Lovely on the barbecue, those.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29- A beautiful fish.- Nicely grilled. - Obviously, the money fish -
0:08:29 > 0:08:32- Dover sole. Look at that.- Dover sole.- That's quite fresh, isn't it?
0:08:32 > 0:08:34And this is what we targeted today. This is huss.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36Once it's been skinned off,
0:08:36 > 0:08:38you can see why it's called rock salmon. It's got that...
0:08:38 > 0:08:41Oh, it's beautiful. Firm flesh. Beautiful.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43It's so versatile, what you can do with it.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45You know, you can roll it, stuff it with stuff,
0:08:45 > 0:08:47you can put Parma ham on the outside
0:08:47 > 0:08:49and have it like you would a monkfish.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51It is lovely. What I like about it, it's a real easy eat, isn't it?
0:08:51 > 0:08:54It's not a bone-fest, and it's not a fiddle.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01Within half an hour, Mike's fish are ready for sale at his shop.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09And he's invited us down the road to a local restaurant,
0:09:09 > 0:09:12so we can get stuck into some huss ourselves.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17Now, the best bit - the taste test.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Tell you what, that fishing has given me an appetite.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27Absolutely, man. Me too.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29- I hope so.- Yeah. - Oh, here it comes.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31BOTH: Ohhh!
0:09:31 > 0:09:33- Nice.- Ah, brilliant. Thank you.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35That looks lush.
0:09:35 > 0:09:36Oh, my word.
0:09:36 > 0:09:37Marvellous.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40Here we have another British classic. Look at that.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42Huss, parsley sauce...
0:09:43 > 0:09:46- What's not to love? - Fantastic. Look at that.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50It's a real proper steak of fish, isn't it?
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Look at the flake on that.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55- Fantastic. - And not a bone to be found.
0:09:55 > 0:09:56Oh, that is gorgeous, man.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58'It's a foodie delight,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01'and this is something that would get chucked from other boats.'
0:10:01 > 0:10:05- I'll tell you what I like - the price.- Portion like that,
0:10:05 > 0:10:08probably cost you £1.50 in the shop.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10- Fantastic.- Oh, wow.- It's lovely.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13It's the sort of meal that my mother would say to you,
0:10:13 > 0:10:16- "Eat that, son, and you'll live for ever."- Yeah.
0:10:16 > 0:10:17It's lovely.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21'So next time you're hankering after a fish supper,
0:10:21 > 0:10:25'why not try something a bit different, like Mike's huss?
0:10:25 > 0:10:29'It's local, sustainable and delicious.'
0:10:31 > 0:10:33And our fishy friends are also very versatile,
0:10:33 > 0:10:36so first up in our Best Of British kitchen,
0:10:36 > 0:10:39we're going to combine three British classics.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41- Number one.- Fish.
0:10:41 > 0:10:42- Number two.- Mustard.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44- Number three.- Curry.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48And there's no better representation of this
0:10:48 > 0:10:51than a good old Bengali fish curry.
0:10:51 > 0:10:52What's not to love?
0:10:54 > 0:10:56It's fish, it's onions, it's mustard seeds,
0:10:56 > 0:10:57it's cumin, it's....
0:10:57 > 0:11:00- It's all sorts of gorgeous. - It's a fiesta on your tonsils.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02- It is, mate, it is.- It's brill.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05What's special about a Bengali fish curry is, traditionally,
0:11:05 > 0:11:09it's flavoured with mustard oil. But we're not using mustard oil,
0:11:09 > 0:11:11but we've done the workings out and the balance
0:11:11 > 0:11:14so that it tastes like a proper Bengali curry,
0:11:14 > 0:11:16but it's using good old English mustard.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20And don't forget, English mustard is English, and it's mustard.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23- Aye. And our mustard is frighteningly hot.- It is.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25And they say the English food's boring!
0:11:25 > 0:11:29In the 15th century, Tewkesbury in Britain was noted
0:11:29 > 0:11:33- for its blazing-hot mustard. - MIMICS FANFARE
0:11:33 > 0:11:36And it's a widely used spice throughout the country,
0:11:36 > 0:11:38so don't forget that. It's quintessentially British.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41It is, it is. And now the curry is.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44And the thing is, there are more than 500,000 people
0:11:44 > 0:11:48of Bengali or Bangladeshi extraction in our country.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51And out of the 8,500 or so curry houses in Britain,
0:11:51 > 0:11:547,000 of them are run by people
0:11:54 > 0:11:58from West Bengal and Bangladesh, so it's dead British.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03We are using line-caught seabass for a more sustainable choice,
0:12:03 > 0:12:07but this recipe goes well with any meaty whitefish.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11In Bengal, they would traditionally use big, thick steaks of whitefish,
0:12:11 > 0:12:13stuff like kingfish or shark.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16The main thing is, it's the mustard flavour, the green chilli.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19It's bouncing. I'm just cutting this in a jaunty angle,
0:12:19 > 0:12:23about 7cm pieces, like so.
0:12:23 > 0:12:24A teaspoon of salt.
0:12:26 > 0:12:27(Big one.)
0:12:27 > 0:12:30And about half a teaspoon of chilli powder
0:12:30 > 0:12:34and half a teaspoon of good old English mustard, and actually,
0:12:34 > 0:12:37powdered mustard was first developed
0:12:37 > 0:12:40and perfected by a lass from Durham.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43- Aye. Mrs Clements, I believe. - Mrs Clements from Durham!
0:12:43 > 0:12:45HE GIGGLES
0:12:45 > 0:12:47It's great, isn't it? Food history's brilliant.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50So, you know, the Bengalis might have their mustard oil,
0:12:50 > 0:12:52but we've got Mrs Clements from Durham,
0:12:52 > 0:12:55who's kind of responsible for powdered mustard
0:12:55 > 0:12:56that blows your taters off.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59She was the first person successfully able to dry the seed.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02And she got a royal warrant from George I.
0:13:02 > 0:13:03Yes, she did, she did.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06Lots of freshly ground black pepper.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10It's funny, this comes out as quite a nice, mild, mellow curry,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13but by what goes in it, you would never guess.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17Just rub that together. Just sprinkle it on the fish.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23It's quite potent, so don't worry about there not being enough.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26But handle the fish carefully with curry.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28You know, there's nothing worse than a fish curry
0:13:28 > 0:13:31where the fish is just broken up and goes to nothing.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35Could you put us four tablespoons of oil in there, Si?
0:13:35 > 0:13:36No worries, yeah.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40Each piece of fish is going to be a diamond of flavour.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42We're going to set this aside,
0:13:42 > 0:13:45but this is the mustard powder we're talking about.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49So you take two teaspoons of mustard powder...
0:13:49 > 0:13:53and 300ml of water.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56All you do, just make a paste initially,
0:13:56 > 0:14:01and then gradually add the water, and what we're doing is,
0:14:01 > 0:14:03we're making, in essence, mustard-water,
0:14:03 > 0:14:06which goes into the curry at a later date.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09And again, it's just that base flavour.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11- It's really aromatic, isn't it? - It's brilliant, it's brilliant.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13Now, I'm ready to cook the fish.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17Start out by cooking the pieces of fish, skin-side down,
0:14:17 > 0:14:20for about a minute on that side, then a minute on the other side.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23Then we set the fish aside. We crack on with the curry,
0:14:23 > 0:14:25but we add the fish at the last minute.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28With a fish curry, you've got to have integrity in the flavours.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30That's why you don't need to marinate the fish for ages.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34You don't want to overpower the wonderful fresh-fish taste.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36Look at that. There's nothing lovelier than seeing fish
0:14:36 > 0:14:38fry in the pan, is there? It's great.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42Now, that's done, so I'm going to turn this over gently.
0:14:44 > 0:14:45Oh, yes.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48I think I'm there, mate, do you?
0:14:48 > 0:14:51Oh, beautiful, Dave, beautiful.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55That oil is now infused with fishiness.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57That's the base flavour that we're looking for.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01To the hot oil, add a teaspoon of yellow mustard seeds
0:15:01 > 0:15:02and half a teaspoon each
0:15:02 > 0:15:05of black mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08Oh, it's popping like a good 'un, isn't it?
0:15:08 > 0:15:10And what we're going to do is just push that round,
0:15:10 > 0:15:12and that's what you want - you want it to pop,
0:15:12 > 0:15:15because that means that all of those little pods of gorgeousness
0:15:15 > 0:15:19are releasing their flavour. Then, we're going to add the onions.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24We waste no flavours in this whatsoever.
0:15:24 > 0:15:25It's all about recycling flavours,
0:15:25 > 0:15:29about building the dish bigger and bigger and bigger.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31And then we just put some chillies in there as well.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34Leave the seeds in. Have you seen what we've done?
0:15:34 > 0:15:36We've just kind of halved them
0:15:36 > 0:15:39right down the middle, right down the centre. Get those in...
0:15:42 > 0:15:45And then we add a bay leaf.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49Add salt and cook for five minutes
0:15:49 > 0:15:53until the onion is soft and lightly golden.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55Add half a teaspoon of garam masala...
0:15:56 > 0:15:59..and half of turmeric.
0:15:59 > 0:16:00Get in.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03Give that a stir.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07Now, we put in some tomatoes.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09There's, like, a couple of small tomatoes here.
0:16:09 > 0:16:15I've got about 1½ tomatoes. Should be 150g.
0:16:15 > 0:16:16And cook that for a couple of minutes.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Now, we did some mustard-water.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31What we're going to do, we're going to add that now to the frying pan,
0:16:31 > 0:16:33and all those lovely ingredients.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36At this point, we do have to ask you to bear with us,
0:16:36 > 0:16:38because I can see you sitting at home thinking,
0:16:38 > 0:16:42"That's like the same mustard that I put on my ham sandwich.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46"You're having that with seabass? Are you Radio Rentals?"
0:16:46 > 0:16:49- No, we're not. Bear with us. It's belting.- It is.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51And what were going to do is,
0:16:51 > 0:16:54- were going to reduce that liquid by a third.- Mmm.
0:16:58 > 0:16:59When your sauce is at a simmer,
0:16:59 > 0:17:02look out for the bubbles around the side of the pan.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Small ones mean your sauce is reducing nicely.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08Right, and just place the fish in gently.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14Don't want to break the fish up.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17Not making fish soup, it's a fish curry.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21Beautiful. And now we just spoon that over the fish.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28We're going to serve the curry in this bowl,
0:17:28 > 0:17:30we're going to serve the rice in that one,
0:17:30 > 0:17:31and that's nice, that is.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33It's a nice way to present it, cos it looks great.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35It just looks like you've taken a bit more care.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37Should we put some coriander with that as well?
0:17:37 > 0:17:39Yeah, and let's put a green chilli.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42Not for eating, it just lets people know what's going on in there.
0:17:43 > 0:17:44I tell you what, Kingy,
0:17:44 > 0:17:47there's something really special about this fish curry.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50It's light, and it has just enough chilli to give it a kick,
0:17:50 > 0:17:53but not so much that it blows your socks off.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55Ohhh! I love you.
0:17:55 > 0:17:56Yes. Thanks.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58- No, no, no - the curry.- Oh.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04- A bit of rice with that.- Oh, man.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08That's fabulous. That is beautiful.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11The seabass just sits really well with it.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13And it is quite a light curry.
0:18:13 > 0:18:18It's spicy, but not in the sense that chilli is hot.
0:18:18 > 0:18:24- It's a warming, lovely, spiced curry. - Yeah, it doesn't taste of mustard.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27It tastes of fragrant heat, and it's not too hot,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30even with those two massive chillies.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33And the nice thing is, the way we've cooked the fish,
0:18:33 > 0:18:35it's still really sweet seabass.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39- Underneath all that, it hasn't been destroyed or dominated.- Mmm.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43Mmm.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47# I got a fish in my dish... #
0:18:47 > 0:18:52And there it is - our British take on a Bengal curry.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55Oh, look at that, man - it's a FIN of beauty.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01Here in Britain, fish has not only played
0:19:01 > 0:19:03an important part in our cuisine,
0:19:03 > 0:19:07the industry that grew up around it has helped shape our culture.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14And somewhere that can be seen clearly
0:19:14 > 0:19:17is on the River Teifi in south-west Wales.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21Where, being sensible Welshman,
0:19:21 > 0:19:23they don't catch fish the hard way...
0:19:24 > 0:19:32..wearing Speedos and carrying an oversized lacrosse stick.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36Oh, no. Their attitude to fishing is a little more refined.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40This oddly-shaped craft might look like an upturned strawberry punnet,
0:19:40 > 0:19:42but it has served the people of Carmarthenshire well
0:19:42 > 0:19:44for generations.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47# Cruising down the river... #
0:19:47 > 0:19:51A century ago, some 300 coracles would have fished these waters.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53Most families would have had one,
0:19:53 > 0:19:57and the entitlement to fish was passed from father to son.
0:19:57 > 0:19:58And even in the 1950s,
0:19:58 > 0:20:02they were still a common sight on the River Teifi.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06'In certain parts of Wales, one of the oldest and most primitive
0:20:06 > 0:20:09'type of boat is still in daily use - the coracle.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11'The ancient Britons used them
0:20:11 > 0:20:13'to travel on the rivers and even on the sea,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16'and today, they are made almost exactly
0:20:16 > 0:20:19'as they were then, 2,000 years ago.'
0:20:19 > 0:20:22The coracle is believed to be the oldest fishing vessel
0:20:22 > 0:20:26in the world, and makes catching salmon look downright easy.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28'This is the salmon net,
0:20:28 > 0:20:30'drawn slowly along between two coracles
0:20:30 > 0:20:34'and hauled in whenever they think the fish is caught.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39'There, he is - a fine, fresh salmon.
0:20:39 > 0:20:40'Not particularly large,
0:20:40 > 0:20:44'but worth quite a lot of money on the fishmonger's slab.'
0:20:46 > 0:20:49The craft was so stable and manoeuvrable,
0:20:49 > 0:20:52you could even fish in a shirt and tie.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55Or kitted out in the full national attire!
0:20:55 > 0:20:58But the fact that the coracle was so efficient for the task
0:20:58 > 0:21:00meant that, as salmon numbers dwindled,
0:21:00 > 0:21:04the river couldn't sustain too many, and by the 1970s,
0:21:04 > 0:21:07coracle men became a dying breed.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10'Jack Jones, coracle fisherman and aged 74.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13'He's fished with a coracle all his life.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15'Once, there were some 13 pairs of coracles
0:21:15 > 0:21:17'working this part of the river.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21'But under a bylaw passed in 1932,
0:21:21 > 0:21:23'the licences by which the coracle men were allowed to fish
0:21:23 > 0:21:27'were made to run only during the fisherman's lifetime.'
0:21:29 > 0:21:33Happily, from 1976, new licences did start to be issued,
0:21:33 > 0:21:37but with only 12 per year and with very restricted conditions.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40And with the coracles saved from extinction,
0:21:40 > 0:21:41telly types like John Noakes
0:21:41 > 0:21:44couldn't wait to get out and have a go.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48There's something I must tell you about the coracle too.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50The pointy part is always the front end of the boat.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54A coracle is different, and the pointy part
0:21:54 > 0:21:55is the back part of the boat,
0:21:55 > 0:21:58and having said that, they actually go sideways.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04The paddling action is a shallow figure-of-eight movement.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06The effective stroke is a down-stroke.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08The backstroke stops you from spinning around.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11- They're quite manoeuvrable, really, aren't they?- They are.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14By gum. You could get dizzy on one of these.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21Thankfully, a few stalwarts still fish using them, making Wales
0:22:21 > 0:22:24one of the few places in the world where the tradition lives on.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29And our affection for the simple but perfectly formed coracle
0:22:29 > 0:22:32is just as strong today as it's always been.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35'There's no need for docks or boathouses.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37'If you're a coracle owner,
0:22:37 > 0:22:40'just lift it out of the water when you finish your day's work,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43'put it on your back and walk home.
0:22:43 > 0:22:44'And there they go,
0:22:44 > 0:22:47'looking like a couple of long-legged tortoises.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50'But a link, nevertheless, with very ancient times.'
0:22:56 > 0:22:59Some people are put off preparing their own fish
0:22:59 > 0:23:01because it looks messy and complicated,
0:23:01 > 0:23:03but we're going to alleviate those fears
0:23:03 > 0:23:07with a beginners' guide to filleting our great British fish.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09And you look at that and you think,
0:23:09 > 0:23:11"Ooh, look at that kind of plate of reptiles.
0:23:11 > 0:23:12"What do I do?"
0:23:12 > 0:23:14Well, it's quite easy, you see.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16First off, the mackerel.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18Now, mackerel is what you would call a round fish,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21as opposed to plaice, which is a flatfish.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24So what I would do is, I'd make my first incision down there,
0:23:24 > 0:23:26and this will come off, hopefully, into fillets.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29So cut down the spine.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32You want all the meat to come off on the fillets.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36You don't want the flesh to be left on the bone.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40I think that's a waste of food and it's also disrespecting
0:23:40 > 0:23:43the creature that has died so you can have your dinner.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45You can hear the bones as you go.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48I've reached the gills, so cut there,
0:23:48 > 0:23:51and that's one fillet of mackerel.
0:23:51 > 0:23:56- Beautiful.- Pretty damn tidy. So now, we turn it over.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59And go down there.
0:24:01 > 0:24:02And just pop that off there.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05So there we've got the two fillets of mackerel,
0:24:05 > 0:24:08and really, there's very little on there.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11We've got two lovely fillets of fish off there.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15But trout, like mackerel, you will have a line of bones down there.
0:24:15 > 0:24:16You need to pin-bone them.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19So, one tip is, take a bowl, put your fish over there,
0:24:19 > 0:24:23and look - it pops up like a little hedgehog's back.
0:24:23 > 0:24:24Take the tip of your knife
0:24:24 > 0:24:26and just put those bones out one by one.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30There you are - filleted and boned mackerel.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34Thank you. Let's have a look at Mr Turbot.
0:24:34 > 0:24:35One of my favourite fishes.
0:24:35 > 0:24:40So what we need to do first is to establish the lateral line,
0:24:40 > 0:24:43the spine, so we make a cut down there
0:24:43 > 0:24:45and I can feel the bone.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47Once you've got down to the tail,
0:24:47 > 0:24:50just put your fingers in and you can see the flesh.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53Keep the knife flat on the ribs like that,
0:24:53 > 0:24:55and just keep slicing it, like so.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59Just take it there behind the gill and cut that off there.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01- Beautiful.- Now, the big fillet.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04Cut behind the gills, little bone there.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08And fish like turbot's so expensive,
0:25:08 > 0:25:12- you really don't want to waste any of it. - SCRAPING
0:25:12 > 0:25:14And that's the sound you're looking for.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19If you want to skin this,
0:25:19 > 0:25:23put your knife flat and kind of just see-saw the knife
0:25:23 > 0:25:26through, flat to the board...
0:25:27 > 0:25:31..and off the skin pops, leaves the fish. Perfect.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35Now, turn it over, and like a fishy samurai,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38repeat the process on the other side.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42All of these carcasses are still full of flavour,
0:25:42 > 0:25:44so as long as you take the gills out,
0:25:44 > 0:25:47you can make fantastic bouillabaisse, you can make
0:25:47 > 0:25:51a really, really good fish stock, everything is used.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55- Nothing goes to waste. - But you must take the gills out.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58For years, I often wondered why my fish stock was appalling,
0:25:58 > 0:26:01and it was the fact I tried to make stock with the gills in.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05- And you end up...it ends up being very sour.- And bitter.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07There's a real bitterness to it that's awful.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10Mr Turbot! Little turbot, that one.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12Four nice fillets.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16Well, that's how you fillet fish,
0:26:16 > 0:26:18and hopefully not waste too much.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21- Nicely done, mate, nicely done. - Thank you.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30Trawling for fish that is both plentiful and popular
0:26:30 > 0:26:33in these troubled times is a tricky business.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36There is still money to be made from the commercial fishing
0:26:36 > 0:26:40of our traditional favourites, but with stocks under pressure,
0:26:40 > 0:26:43many are looking elsewhere to survive.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46And that's what fishermen Stefan Glinski has been doing,
0:26:46 > 0:26:48and business is booming.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52No cod or tuna for him - it's all about pilchards.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58I started fishing when I was 16.
0:26:58 > 0:26:59Every night is different.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03No night is the same. It is not like going to your nine-to-five job.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07There's so many variables in this job that change every day.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10Getting in the catch takes a combination of modern technology
0:27:10 > 0:27:12and traditional fishy know-how.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15You got to look for signs like birds sitting on the water,
0:27:15 > 0:27:17patches of oil.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19You've got to know where the fish like to track,
0:27:19 > 0:27:22what depth of line they're contouring on.
0:27:22 > 0:27:27There's all sorts of other knowledge without the technical equipment
0:27:27 > 0:27:31that you have to bring into play to be able to track the fish down.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35Six miles off the coast of Newlyn, and after an hour at sea,
0:27:35 > 0:27:38Stefan's spotted a shoal, and it's all hands on deck.
0:27:38 > 0:27:39OK!
0:27:42 > 0:27:45In the dark, Stefan's crew shoot the nets.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50It's best to fish for pilchards in the dark, as during the day,
0:27:50 > 0:27:53they can see the nets coming and they escape.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55Ten fathoms.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05Basically, we shot around a shoal of fish in a circle
0:28:05 > 0:28:08and now we're closing up the net by pulling in on the purse rope,
0:28:08 > 0:28:11which goes through the rings at the bottom of the net.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16All right?
0:28:16 > 0:28:17With the lights back on,
0:28:17 > 0:28:20Stefan thinks this could be a five-tonne haul.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22Every cloud has a silver lining.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27Oh, but there's still a lot of work to do.
0:28:28 > 0:28:33Not yours till you put them in the quay, you've landed.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36With the catch on board, it's time for the White Heather
0:28:36 > 0:28:39to return to port and get the fish to the customers.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45There was a time not so long ago,
0:28:45 > 0:28:48when Stefan wouldn't have had a market for his bumper haul.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52There are certain varieties that we all eat,
0:28:52 > 0:28:57and there are those that have fallen out of fashion over the years.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00The humble pilchard was once one of Britain's favourite fish,
0:29:00 > 0:29:04and the glittering jewel of the nets of Cornish fishermen.
0:29:05 > 0:29:07It was landed in enormous quantities,
0:29:07 > 0:29:10and as well as being scoffed in huge amounts at home,
0:29:10 > 0:29:12it was exported to countries like Italy,
0:29:12 > 0:29:16where the Catholic population couldn't get enough of them
0:29:16 > 0:29:17for their Friday meals.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24In 1871, the industry hit the big time,
0:29:24 > 0:29:29when an incredible 16,000 tonnes of pilchard were pulled from the sea,
0:29:29 > 0:29:32salted and packed into barrels at Newlyn.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35Which is one hell of a lot of fish!
0:29:39 > 0:29:42It was a business that employed thousands of people, but as
0:29:42 > 0:29:47refrigeration was introduced in the 1930s, fresher alternatives to
0:29:47 > 0:29:51the salty pilchard became available, and tastes started to change.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56Eventually, no-one wanted the tomato-y tinned horror
0:29:56 > 0:30:00that supermarkets were peddling as pilchards any more.
0:30:02 > 0:30:06By 1998, less than seven tonnes of them were landed.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09Pilchards had all but disappeared from our tables.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14But in recent years, this modest little fish has made
0:30:14 > 0:30:19an incredible culinary comeback, reborn as the Cornish sardine.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24It was all started by Cornish entrepreneur Nick Howell.
0:30:25 > 0:30:29We tried selling fresh pilchards to the British supermarket.
0:30:29 > 0:30:31Absolutely no interest whatsoever.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33And it was a bit of luck
0:30:33 > 0:30:35that one of the major supermarket suppliers asked
0:30:35 > 0:30:38if I could get some sardines for them from Brittany.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42And I actually sent them a box of fresh Cornish pilchards.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45Now, pilchard is sardina pilchardus, that's the species.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47The pilchard is a sardine.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50The idea of a pilchard, and the image, is tinned, tomato sauce,
0:30:50 > 0:30:54and of course the image of sardines is barbecues, sunshine.
0:30:54 > 0:30:56It's a much brighter image as a Cornish sardine,
0:30:56 > 0:30:58so that's where it started going.
0:30:58 > 0:31:02Over the last decade, he's taken a fish that no-one wanted
0:31:02 > 0:31:05and transformed it into a fashionable treat.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08Using the great British art of reinvention,
0:31:08 > 0:31:13the pilchard is once more in the hearts of consumers.
0:31:13 > 0:31:17Getting the pilchard back on track was about giving it a fresh start
0:31:17 > 0:31:20and a bit of a makeover.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24And as well as being tasty, it isn't bad for the environment, either.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26The size of the Cornish stock,
0:31:26 > 0:31:30you're talking between 600-800,000 tonnes,
0:31:30 > 0:31:32So with us taking 2,400,
0:31:32 > 0:31:34we've got a long way to go before we have much of an impact,
0:31:34 > 0:31:38but lovely to see just how a name-change has taken off
0:31:38 > 0:31:41just on one noble little fish from Cornwall,
0:31:41 > 0:31:44and how it is now registered as a Cornish sardine.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49Every year, Newlyn holds a festival to celebrate
0:31:49 > 0:31:53the region's world-class ingredients and fishing heritage.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56And the pilchard...
0:31:56 > 0:31:58Ahem - Cornish sardine.
0:31:58 > 0:31:59..takes pride of place.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02There's nothing finer for the barbecue, even if it is
0:32:02 > 0:32:04chucking it down.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06I like them so much, I've come all the way here
0:32:06 > 0:32:07just to get this in a storm.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10It's worth it. It's brilliant.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14They are about as fresh as you can get without a wetsuit and a snorkel.
0:32:14 > 0:32:18Cornish sardines nowadays - but pilchards to me...
0:32:20 > 0:32:22..and they're absolutely lovely.
0:32:22 > 0:32:23Mmm! Delicious.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30The future of Cornish fish is always looking upwards,
0:32:30 > 0:32:32and the sky's the limit.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35So next time you're at the fish counter,
0:32:35 > 0:32:39remember that in buying a Cornish sardine, you'll be helping revive
0:32:39 > 0:32:42an industry that was almost wiped out.
0:32:42 > 0:32:47But dragged back from the brink by these best-of-British food heroes.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53And what better way to celebrate its return to our dinner plates,
0:32:53 > 0:32:57then our next recipe? It's our take on a true British classic.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01Sometimes, one we've been out combing a beach, we come back
0:33:01 > 0:33:05for our supper and there's nothing better than sardines on toast.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07Yes, we open a tin...
0:33:07 > 0:33:10- No, we don't.- No?- That's the thing. It's our sardines on toast.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12The hairy bikers' sardines on toast.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19Oh, yes. Ours are served on toasted sourdough bread,
0:33:19 > 0:33:23slathered with mustard butter and served with a red onion pickle.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27Now, these are as they would be, coming from the sea,
0:33:27 > 0:33:30and they're full of guts. First up, you need to prepare the fish.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33Start off with a knife at the back end.
0:33:33 > 0:33:35Run it through there, very delicately,
0:33:35 > 0:33:37and they're a soft thing, a sardine.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39They're a delicate creature.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41You don't want to rip that lovely flesh out.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44Open it up, scrape out its little innards.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46There's not much in there, but chances are,
0:33:46 > 0:33:48when you buy them, it'll be done for you.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51Next thing we do is take off its little heady-head.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55So, lift the fin up there.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57Behind the gills and chop.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00And remember, if you're not up for doing this yourself,
0:34:00 > 0:34:02you can always ask your fishmonger to do it for you.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04But we say, why not give it a go?
0:34:04 > 0:34:07It wouldn't be a good time to be a sardine, now, would it, really?
0:34:07 > 0:34:10Not really. But I think he's past caring, this poor lad.
0:34:10 > 0:34:14During World War II, sardines became like subsistence food.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17You know, they were like real basic grub,
0:34:17 > 0:34:19but it hasn't always been like that.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21I mean, they're quite often thought to be gourmet food.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24In fact, Oscar Wilde's son, Vyvyan Holland,
0:34:24 > 0:34:28he formed a sardine appreciation society in 1935,
0:34:28 > 0:34:33and the society continued, and it was thought that 1959,
0:34:33 > 0:34:37was, in fact, a premier year for a vintage sardine.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40- Really?- So you get a can of 1959, you're on a winner!
0:34:40 > 0:34:44Now, take that cut there to the tail.
0:34:46 > 0:34:51Just start to open it. Now what you do is, you place it like so...
0:34:52 > 0:34:54..and just press gently.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56And this releases the backbone
0:34:56 > 0:34:59from the meat.
0:34:59 > 0:35:00Just cut the spine...
0:35:01 > 0:35:03..and start to pull.
0:35:04 > 0:35:08And if you're gentle, all the bones come out...
0:35:09 > 0:35:13..and they leave all the meat beautifully intact on the fillet.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16'To give the finished dish that gourmet look,
0:35:16 > 0:35:18'make sure you leave the tail on.'
0:35:18 > 0:35:21Just check for bones there, and that's...
0:35:23 > 0:35:24..a butterflied sardine.
0:35:24 > 0:35:29- Two of those would just blanket the toast beautifully.- Oh, yes.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32'Finally, slice a red onion and cook over a medium heat
0:35:32 > 0:35:33'for four to five minutes.'
0:35:37 > 0:35:39OK, a little top tip for you.
0:35:39 > 0:35:44What you do is just add a little bit of salt to the onions
0:35:44 > 0:35:46while they're cooking.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49What happens is, the salt draws out the natural sugars and moistures
0:35:49 > 0:35:51from the onions.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54And what we're doing is, we just want these onions to be soft.
0:35:54 > 0:35:55Once your onions are done,
0:35:55 > 0:36:00add two tablespoons of red wine vinegar and one of caster sugar.
0:36:00 > 0:36:04Now, what we're trying to do here, we don't want the brine.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09So just drain that off...
0:36:12 > 0:36:16And if you like more capers, guess what? Put a few more in.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19- How long has that to cook for, Si? - That's it now, man.
0:36:19 > 0:36:21It's literally just a couple of minutes,
0:36:21 > 0:36:24just to kind of get it through - and look what's happened, Dave.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26It's lovely. It's just thickened there,
0:36:26 > 0:36:28and it's kind of like that kind of chutney vibe.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30Oh, it's lovely, yeah.
0:36:30 > 0:36:32Now, I need some seasoned flour,
0:36:32 > 0:36:34some pepper. I like pepper.
0:36:36 > 0:36:37Some fine salt.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43Dredge your sardine fillets in the seasoned flour.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47Oh...
0:36:47 > 0:36:49And the flavour of the fresh sardines is quite delicate,
0:36:49 > 0:36:52isn't it? It's not overpowering.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55It's a palatable fishy fish, isn't it?
0:36:55 > 0:36:58Beautifully done, mate. Beautifully done.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01Right, I'm not going to fry these till we're absolutely ready.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03Put that there. I want some butter.
0:37:03 > 0:37:07This has got to be the ultimate sardines on toast, hasn't it?
0:37:07 > 0:37:08Oh, it's lovely, man. And it's such...
0:37:08 > 0:37:11They're kind of pretty cheap, sardines, you know?
0:37:11 > 0:37:14- Oh, yeah.- Brilliant.- It's a bit of a sardine bruschetta, isn't it?
0:37:14 > 0:37:16- Indeed.- You could posh it as much as you like.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18Because sardines are a stronger-tasting fish,
0:37:18 > 0:37:21you can afford to be a bit bolder with your flavours.
0:37:21 > 0:37:26To 50g of softened butter, add two teaspoons of wholegrain mustard.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28- Do you know what I reckon I'd have with this?- What?
0:37:28 > 0:37:32- Cider.- Oh, yeah! - Wouldn't it be perfect?!
0:37:35 > 0:37:38Let the sardines fry for a minute on each side.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40Whilst that's cooking, toast your bread,
0:37:40 > 0:37:45slice a tomato and add a handful of chopped parsley
0:37:45 > 0:37:46to the red onions.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49That's going to wilt down, release its flavour....
0:37:50 > 0:37:54Lovely. Oh, look at that. It smells beautiful, doesn't it?
0:37:54 > 0:37:57Absolutely beautiful.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59Once the sardines are ready, place them
0:37:59 > 0:38:02onto some kitchen paper to get rid of the excess oil.
0:38:02 > 0:38:06We Brits, you know, we do have a tradition for teatime savouries.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09There are mushrooms on toast, beans on toast, gentleman's relish,
0:38:09 > 0:38:12anchovy pate... We do like a bit of flavour, you know,
0:38:12 > 0:38:14bit of spice in the afternoon.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17- It's not all crumpets and cream, is it?- No, it's not. It's not.
0:38:17 > 0:38:21Now to assemble. Spread the toast with the mustard butter.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24Layer on the tomatoes, then the sardines.
0:38:26 > 0:38:30And finally, the warm red-onion pickle.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33Ee, mate. Sardines on toast,
0:38:33 > 0:38:35but as my mother never knew them.
0:38:35 > 0:38:40- Yeah. The Hairy Bikers' way. Look at that.- Sardines for the 21st century.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42- And now for the acid test.- Yeah!
0:38:54 > 0:38:58TALKS UNINTELLIGIBLY THROUGH FOOD
0:39:01 > 0:39:05That was a modern twist on a classic British savoury.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07That's what I said!
0:39:15 > 0:39:20But when it comes to the archetypal British fish dish,
0:39:20 > 0:39:24there can be only one meal that comes top of our list.
0:39:24 > 0:39:29Where and when did these good companions come together?
0:39:29 > 0:39:34What genius arranged such a happy and satisfying meal?
0:39:36 > 0:39:39Britons have been eating the mighty fish-and-chip supper
0:39:39 > 0:39:41since the mid-19th century.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45And today, we eat over a quarter of a billion portions every year.
0:39:45 > 0:39:50That's almost four for each man, woman and child in the country.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52With around 10,000 outlets,
0:39:52 > 0:39:56the chip shop is the biggest takeaway restaurant in Britain.
0:39:56 > 0:39:57But not many of them
0:39:57 > 0:40:01can claim to be up to the standard of the chippy that beats them all.
0:40:03 > 0:40:07Thornton in Lancashire is the proud home to the current holder
0:40:07 > 0:40:10of the Best Fish And Chip Shop In Britain award.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13Thanks to the inspired efforts of Alastair Horabin,
0:40:13 > 0:40:16managing director of Seniors restaurant.
0:40:18 > 0:40:23It's taken hard work, perseverance and some very early mornings.
0:40:23 > 0:40:28The secret to Seniors' success? Quality ingredients.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31Unlike most fish-and-chip shops that buy frozen fish,
0:40:31 > 0:40:34Alastair buys his direct from the market.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37We're at Fleetwood Fish Market this morning. It's 7.30, auction time.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39There's plenty of fish on the market today.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42It's something that we start our week with, our day with,
0:40:42 > 0:40:44and it really sets us up for the week.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47If we can buy fresh fish, good fish, top-quality fish
0:40:47 > 0:40:50and put it into the restaurants, it's a great start to the week. It's fantastic.
0:40:50 > 0:40:54For Alastair, it's not all about the usual cod and haddock.
0:40:54 > 0:40:57His restaurant has a range of different locally-sourced fish
0:40:57 > 0:40:59on the menu.
0:40:59 > 0:41:00Like megrim,
0:41:00 > 0:41:04a tasty flatfish, that's not all that common down the local chippy.
0:41:04 > 0:41:0740, 60, 4.80, a fiver. 5.20.
0:41:07 > 0:41:0940. 60. 5.80.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12Six pound. 6.20. 20?
0:41:12 > 0:41:14- Yes.- 20.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17Alastair started going to the fish market with his dad
0:41:17 > 0:41:20- when he was a young boy. - Being at the Fleetwood Market
0:41:20 > 0:41:23is part of me growing up, really, so it's a huge passion
0:41:23 > 0:41:26and a huge part of our... of my life, really.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30Fresh fish from Fleetwood is really what we're known for,
0:41:30 > 0:41:32and the variety and the sustainability,
0:41:32 > 0:41:35so, yeah, it's a huge benefit to buy the fish from the market.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38- And today's catch is a good one. - I'm very happy with that.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41It's fantastic. It's a lucky morning.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44Lemon sole, witches, megrims, and some monkfish,
0:41:44 > 0:41:47so perfect for tonight.
0:41:48 > 0:41:52Not only does shopping locally mean it's the freshest possible,
0:41:52 > 0:41:56but Alastair's regular purchases go a little way to help keep
0:41:56 > 0:42:00Fleetwood's ailing fishing fleet out on the waters.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03At its height in the 1920s,
0:42:03 > 0:42:07Fleetwood was home to one of the three major fishing ports
0:42:07 > 0:42:12in Britain, with some 200 boats and employing around 3,000 people.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15After some hard economic times and European squabbles over fish stocks,
0:42:15 > 0:42:19the fishing fleet in Fleetwood was almost gone.
0:42:19 > 0:42:23Now there are only a handful of small trawlers,
0:42:23 > 0:42:26but their catch is still as tasty as ever.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32But it's not just sourcing the right fish that makes the perfect
0:42:32 > 0:42:35fish and chips. It's the spuds, too.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41Alastair also sources these locally,
0:42:41 > 0:42:44from just up the road, where they are grown,
0:42:44 > 0:42:48washed, sorted and chipped, before being delivered straight to
0:42:48 > 0:42:49the shop ready for the fryer.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56With all the ingredients sorted, every step of the preparation
0:42:56 > 0:42:59is closely monitored and controlled by Alastair.
0:43:01 > 0:43:02This is our secret fish lair.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05This is where we produce the nation's best fish.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10With the fish hand-picked and filleted,
0:43:10 > 0:43:13you need to get the right quality of batter to go with them.
0:43:14 > 0:43:19The secret of a perfect batter is the thickness.
0:43:19 > 0:43:23We like a nice, thin, light batter, similar to tempura.
0:43:23 > 0:43:27We have the best fish. Why would you want to hide it with horrible,
0:43:27 > 0:43:29thick, claggy, distasteful batter?
0:43:29 > 0:43:33Early Victorian recipes for batter often used beer to make it lighter,
0:43:33 > 0:43:35which gives it a strong, traditional flavour.
0:43:35 > 0:43:39But Alastair is after the lightest of batter casings that doesn't
0:43:39 > 0:43:43distract from the fresh flavour of his fish.
0:43:43 > 0:43:46The way we do it, to make batter, is no measurements.
0:43:46 > 0:43:48Just used to the feel and the touch.
0:43:48 > 0:43:51There's no beer, no complications, no fuss, no mess.
0:43:51 > 0:43:54Just purely plain flour and ice-cold water.
0:43:57 > 0:43:59Just coat your finger till it's just coming off slightly.
0:43:59 > 0:44:01Not thick and pappy and horrible.
0:44:01 > 0:44:04That should be the perfect batter.
0:44:06 > 0:44:07You can hear from the sizzle,
0:44:07 > 0:44:10that batter's as light as an ant's slippers.
0:44:10 > 0:44:12We're starting to get that nice colour now.
0:44:12 > 0:44:15It's worked all the way through. There's no showing of fish,
0:44:15 > 0:44:17and it's ready to be served.
0:44:19 > 0:44:21But, of course, you can't have fish without chips
0:44:21 > 0:44:24and they need just as much care and attention.
0:44:24 > 0:44:27Like a posh restaurant, Alastair cooks them twice.
0:44:28 > 0:44:32So when the chips are blanched, they'll be about 150 degrees,
0:44:32 > 0:44:33so they'll be soft.
0:44:33 > 0:44:36We take them all out into baskets and then, when the customers
0:44:36 > 0:44:40are ready for the chips, we finish them in a hot pan, about 180 degrees.
0:44:41 > 0:44:43The perfect consistency of the chip, I believe,
0:44:43 > 0:44:46is soft on the inside, sweet and tasty
0:44:46 > 0:44:49with a nice golden, crispy coating.
0:44:49 > 0:44:52The holy trinity of fish and chips is completed
0:44:52 > 0:44:55with a portion of mushy peas.
0:44:56 > 0:44:58Lancashire caviar, I call them.
0:44:58 > 0:45:00Perfectly steeped, nice and creamy
0:45:00 > 0:45:03but you can still see the definition of the pea.
0:45:03 > 0:45:06A perfect complement to fish and chips.
0:45:06 > 0:45:08Despite all that attention to detail,
0:45:08 > 0:45:12the real proof of quality with any food is in the eating.
0:45:14 > 0:45:17And customers are the best judges around.
0:45:17 > 0:45:21What will they make of his lesser-known megrim fish?
0:45:21 > 0:45:23It's beautiful.
0:45:23 > 0:45:24I thought it was lovely and meaty.
0:45:24 > 0:45:28- It's the best I'VE tried, anyway. - Yeah.
0:45:28 > 0:45:30It deserves its award.
0:45:30 > 0:45:31Yes, it's very good.
0:45:31 > 0:45:34As far as we're concerned, they are Britain's best fish-and-chip shop.
0:45:37 > 0:45:41Here Alastair Horabin has perfected the most traditional of British dishes,
0:45:41 > 0:45:44giving it his own twist with new, exciting,
0:45:44 > 0:45:48and - most importantly - sustainable ingredients.
0:45:49 > 0:45:52Fish and chips, they're the nation's favourite,
0:45:52 > 0:45:56but only the 250,000 portions that Alastair's chippy produces
0:45:56 > 0:46:02every year can claim to be the best of British.
0:46:03 > 0:46:07Fish and chips might be thought of as the nation's original fast food
0:46:07 > 0:46:11but in the capital there was another dish that could be said to claim that honour.
0:46:14 > 0:46:17And at the heart of it was the slippery snakelike eel.
0:46:17 > 0:46:19It's no aquatic oil painting,
0:46:19 > 0:46:23but it provided generations of Londoners with a quick, tasty meal.
0:46:23 > 0:46:27Eels have been a delicacy in Britain since before the Middle Ages
0:46:27 > 0:46:31and are still the Cockneys' Sunday treat in their jellied form.
0:46:31 > 0:46:33# Jellied eels, jellied eels
0:46:33 > 0:46:35# Woggling about like wonky wheels. #
0:46:35 > 0:46:39Yes, this gelatinous delight was the traditional taste
0:46:39 > 0:46:41of London's East End. Awight?
0:46:41 > 0:46:45You didn't have to be a Pearly King or affected Dick Van Dyke accent
0:46:45 > 0:46:47to enjoy them. But, it did help.
0:46:48 > 0:46:53As you say, eels must be the most nutrimental food there is.
0:46:53 > 0:46:57As well as being "nutrimental", eels were once so plentiful
0:46:57 > 0:47:00in the Thames that the nets were set as far up river
0:47:00 > 0:47:01as the capital itself.
0:47:01 > 0:47:03And, along with the pies and oysters,
0:47:03 > 0:47:06they were the original London street food.
0:47:08 > 0:47:13Aye, and in 1844, long before the chippy took its place on our high streets,
0:47:13 > 0:47:16the first of many eel, pie and mash shops appeared.
0:47:19 > 0:47:20They quickly began to flourish
0:47:20 > 0:47:24and spread across the East End of London, appealing to the poor
0:47:24 > 0:47:28working classes, with their hot, cheap and nutritious meals.
0:47:28 > 0:47:30Easy to digest. You'll never have an illness in your life.
0:47:30 > 0:47:33The only trouble is they give you more mash than eels.
0:47:33 > 0:47:36# Pie and mash and liquor and walking about in the rain. #
0:47:36 > 0:47:40Eels were commonly sold alongside another East End delicacy,
0:47:40 > 0:47:42pie, mash and liquor.
0:47:42 > 0:47:44By the end of the Second World War,
0:47:44 > 0:47:48there were as many as 100 eel, pie and mash shops across London.
0:47:49 > 0:47:51While the Scotsman swears by his haggis,
0:47:51 > 0:47:55the Lancastrian his hotpot, and the Yorkshireman his pudding,
0:47:55 > 0:47:57for some in the East End of London,
0:47:57 > 0:48:01life would hardly be worth living without pie and mash.
0:48:02 > 0:48:04# That's what I like! #
0:48:04 > 0:48:07Now, meat pies and eels don't immediately seem to go together
0:48:07 > 0:48:10but the link, you see, is in the liquor.
0:48:10 > 0:48:13This green liquor, now, this is obviously very important to have this right.
0:48:13 > 0:48:16The thing is, there's a special secret thing about the liquor.
0:48:16 > 0:48:21It's made only from the water in which you have stewed the eels.
0:48:21 > 0:48:23It can only be made from that.
0:48:23 > 0:48:25You know, ordinary water, forget it.
0:48:27 > 0:48:30Eels were considered such a culinary treasure that even
0:48:30 > 0:48:33West End restaurants got in on the action.
0:48:33 > 0:48:38Here at Desmond's Palais de Pies, they've opened up to cater
0:48:38 > 0:48:41for a slightly different brand of clientele.
0:48:41 > 0:48:43It amuses the Knightsbridge group.
0:48:43 > 0:48:45They say, "We've heard of this pie and mash,
0:48:45 > 0:48:48"liquor and all that jazz, but we've never had it.
0:48:48 > 0:48:50"What's it all about, you know?
0:48:50 > 0:48:53"Daisy-doo, let's go and have a pie and mash in this place."
0:48:55 > 0:48:59But most Cockneys would agree that eels are best eaten standing up.
0:48:59 > 0:49:03One of the best places is down here in Aldgate at Tubby Isaac's store.
0:49:03 > 0:49:06Tubby, somebody told me once that stewed eels were aphrodisiac.
0:49:06 > 0:49:07Any truth in that?
0:49:07 > 0:49:10Well, I wouldn't know so much about stewed eels, but jellied eels,
0:49:10 > 0:49:13they've been known to be an aphrodisiac.
0:49:13 > 0:49:17This was one of the things they blamed the high population in the East End of London.
0:49:17 > 0:49:21One of our cries used to be, when we was flogging our wares in the old days was,
0:49:21 > 0:49:23"Everyone's a baby, come and have a basin!"
0:49:23 > 0:49:26Do you see a time ever coming, Tubby,
0:49:26 > 0:49:28when jellied eels are going to be as expensive as oysters are now?
0:49:28 > 0:49:31I think as long as they've got a bob or two in their pocket,
0:49:31 > 0:49:33they are going to eat jellied eels.
0:49:35 > 0:49:38But the eels' days as a plentiful source of food
0:49:38 > 0:49:40are now a distant memory.
0:49:40 > 0:49:44Fish stocks have fallen so low that today they're an endangered species.
0:49:45 > 0:49:48So, sadly, jellied eels, and the eel and pie shop,
0:49:48 > 0:49:51might be relegated to Britain's culinary past,
0:49:51 > 0:49:55unless a more sustainable answer can be found in the future.
0:49:55 > 0:49:58# There must be some kind of way out of here. #
0:49:58 > 0:50:02We're sticking with our vintage fish theme, and next up,
0:50:02 > 0:50:05in our Best Of British kitchen, is a dish that once adorned
0:50:05 > 0:50:08many a '70s pub menu.
0:50:08 > 0:50:11Like eels, whitebait used to be fished in huge quantities
0:50:11 > 0:50:14in the muddy and polluted waters of the Thames.
0:50:14 > 0:50:19So much so that in Greenwich, they were considered a native dish.
0:50:19 > 0:50:21The deep-fried incarnation we know and love today
0:50:21 > 0:50:24first came about during the 17th century,
0:50:24 > 0:50:27appealing to both the working classes and the political elite,
0:50:27 > 0:50:30who ate them in their millions.
0:50:30 > 0:50:33But, there was a problem. Back then everyone assumed that
0:50:33 > 0:50:36whitebait were a species of fish, distinct from any other,
0:50:36 > 0:50:37but they were wrong.
0:50:39 > 0:50:41- Do you know what, Kingy?- What, dude?
0:50:41 > 0:50:44These are the biggest blinking whitebait I've ever seen.
0:50:44 > 0:50:47- IN POSH ACCENT: Rather large, old fruit!- Yes.
0:50:47 > 0:50:48But, you know what these are,
0:50:48 > 0:50:52these are whitebait that have been allowed to grow into herring.
0:50:52 > 0:50:54Because, really, whitebait isn't a species of fish,
0:50:54 > 0:50:57it is, in fact, the fry. It's herring babies!
0:50:57 > 0:51:00It is, herring babies and other varieties of fish, too.
0:51:00 > 0:51:03Yeah, in fact, in the early 20th century
0:51:03 > 0:51:05one man's plate of whitebait was analysed
0:51:05 > 0:51:08and it had 32 species of fish!
0:51:08 > 0:51:11And that's why we cannot really eat it.
0:51:11 > 0:51:15Yeah, if we eat all the fish babies, there'll be nothing left
0:51:15 > 0:51:16to breed for the future.
0:51:16 > 0:51:19But the thing is, we've got a great recipe.
0:51:20 > 0:51:24Oh, yes. We're going to swap the babies for the grown-ups
0:51:24 > 0:51:28and make a sustainable and up-to-date version of the classic whitebait.
0:51:28 > 0:51:32This is devilled herring with a vierge dipping sauce.
0:51:32 > 0:51:35In some ways, I prefer it.
0:51:35 > 0:51:39It's not so many eyes, not so many heads, not so many fins
0:51:39 > 0:51:41and it's meaty bits.
0:51:41 > 0:51:42You rebel!
0:51:42 > 0:51:46But that idea, he can sit there, eat spicy little fish bits
0:51:46 > 0:51:49in a tavern with a jug of ale, it's the same effect.
0:51:49 > 0:51:52The thing is, though, I'm going to have to fillet all of these,
0:51:52 > 0:51:58- cut them into strips, which gives you ample time to do absolutely everything else.- OK.
0:51:59 > 0:52:01A vierge, or a green sauce.
0:52:01 > 0:52:05Now, the history about a green sauce, or the vierge,
0:52:05 > 0:52:08is it's herbs that are from the garden.
0:52:08 > 0:52:11It's whatever's in season. That's the whole thing about it.
0:52:11 > 0:52:14- Everything except next-door's tomcat.- Exactly that.
0:52:14 > 0:52:17That may be in season, but don't put it in.
0:52:17 > 0:52:20But what does go is two egg yolks,
0:52:20 > 0:52:23two teaspoons of Dijon mustard,
0:52:23 > 0:52:26one tablespoon...
0:52:28 > 0:52:30..of white wine vinegar,
0:52:30 > 0:52:32a pinch of salt. And...
0:52:34 > 0:52:36..about half a teaspoon
0:52:36 > 0:52:39of caster sugar. Then what we do...
0:52:41 > 0:52:44We whizz it together because we want to start to add our sunflower oil
0:52:44 > 0:52:48in the not-too-distant future, but before that happens,
0:52:48 > 0:52:53those egg yolks need to go nice and light in colour.
0:52:53 > 0:52:56Now, I've got half a dozen herring here.
0:52:56 > 0:52:59We fillet them before we make our, kind of,
0:52:59 > 0:53:03faux whitebait, herring fingers.
0:53:04 > 0:53:06If you take your time with this,
0:53:06 > 0:53:10there is quite a lot of good meat that comes off these herring.
0:53:10 > 0:53:14What was it they used to call them in the old days? Silver Darlings.
0:53:14 > 0:53:17You can see how this has gone a really light colour.
0:53:17 > 0:53:20Now we're going to put the sunflower oil in.
0:53:20 > 0:53:22Just take your time,
0:53:22 > 0:53:24because, if you put it all in at once,
0:53:24 > 0:53:27it's not going to emulsify with the other ingredients.
0:53:28 > 0:53:31Once you've got a mayonnaise-type consistency,
0:53:31 > 0:53:34you need to add one shallot, quartered,
0:53:34 > 0:53:36and half a clove of garlic.
0:53:36 > 0:53:38Then, prepare a good handful of parsley
0:53:38 > 0:53:42and half that amount of mint, basil and tarragon.
0:53:42 > 0:53:45The soft stalks of the tarragon I don't mind using.
0:53:47 > 0:53:48The harder, woodier and thicker they are,
0:53:48 > 0:53:51then you're going to have to strip the leaves off.
0:53:51 > 0:53:54Do you know, Kingy, why they were called whitebait in the olden days?
0:53:54 > 0:53:55No, I don't, actually, mate, no.
0:53:55 > 0:53:59Well, it was because outside pubs people would say,
0:53:59 > 0:54:01"Do you want some little fishes?"
0:54:01 > 0:54:03And, a bloke would shout back,
0:54:03 > 0:54:05"Yeah, all right, mate?"
0:54:05 > 0:54:07And it became misheard as whitebait.
0:54:07 > 0:54:10It's one of those strange Cockney things.
0:54:10 > 0:54:12That is complete and utter nonsense!
0:54:14 > 0:54:18Once you've got rid of the woody stalks, add the herbs to the mix,
0:54:18 > 0:54:21along with a good tablespoon of drained baby capers,
0:54:21 > 0:54:25one tablespoon of lemon juice
0:54:25 > 0:54:28and a tablespoon or so of water,
0:54:28 > 0:54:32just to get that spoonable consistency that we're looking for.
0:54:35 > 0:54:37Now I'm left with a strip of meat,
0:54:37 > 0:54:41and it's those strips of meat we're going to cut
0:54:41 > 0:54:46into our, kind of, I suppose our tribute to whitebait.
0:54:46 > 0:54:49Look at that. From a distance, with me glasses off,
0:54:49 > 0:54:51that looks like whitebait.
0:54:51 > 0:54:54Just so you can see the consistency that we're looking for,
0:54:54 > 0:54:56I'm going to spoon this out into a glass bowl.
0:54:56 > 0:54:59And a great way of just making sure that this is the proper consistency
0:54:59 > 0:55:02for a little bit of a dipper, take the spoon,
0:55:02 > 0:55:05dip it in, if it sticks and stays on the back of the spoon,
0:55:05 > 0:55:07the job's a good 'un, you're there.
0:55:09 > 0:55:13Right, that's the hard work done, a nice pile of pretend whitebait.
0:55:13 > 0:55:16They just need to be washed to get any stray scales off.
0:55:16 > 0:55:18Now the coating.
0:55:18 > 0:55:21Into a bowl put six tablespoons of plain flour
0:55:21 > 0:55:24and three tablespoons of semolina.
0:55:24 > 0:55:26Let the devilment commence.
0:55:26 > 0:55:29For this I've got English mustard powder,
0:55:29 > 0:55:32the bright-yellow strong stuff.
0:55:34 > 0:55:38And one big spoon of cayenne pepper.
0:55:38 > 0:55:42Black pepper, ample,
0:55:42 > 0:55:45and a teaspoon of salt.
0:55:47 > 0:55:50Mix that up. It's a very fine balance.
0:55:50 > 0:55:53You've got to have enough moisture on the fish
0:55:53 > 0:55:57for the flour to stick, cos that's what's going to go crusty.
0:55:57 > 0:56:00If the fish start to dry out, do rinse them off again
0:56:00 > 0:56:02and just leave them to drain, but let's have a go.
0:56:02 > 0:56:04Take a handful of them.
0:56:05 > 0:56:08Pop them in the flour, give them a shake.
0:56:08 > 0:56:10That's sticking beautifully.
0:56:10 > 0:56:12Just place in hot fat.
0:56:12 > 0:56:15It's about 180 degrees Celsius.
0:56:15 > 0:56:17If you've got a deep-fat fryer, brilliant.
0:56:19 > 0:56:22Just go for a couple of minutes until they're crispy.
0:56:22 > 0:56:26Look, I think the fishes are starting to swim, aren't they?
0:56:26 > 0:56:28Oh, yes.
0:56:29 > 0:56:31Remember that you mustn't overcrowd the pan,
0:56:31 > 0:56:34so you may have to do several batches to get yourself
0:56:34 > 0:56:37a suitable mountain of crunchy fishiness.
0:56:37 > 0:56:39What will happen... I don't know whether you noticed the oil,
0:56:39 > 0:56:41but the oil tells you when the fish is ready
0:56:41 > 0:56:44because when Dave put it in, it came up and was right bubbling away.
0:56:44 > 0:56:47But now what's happening, all the fish has come to the surface
0:56:47 > 0:56:49and look...
0:56:49 > 0:56:51This is the colouring point.
0:56:51 > 0:56:52Come on, you little fellows.
0:56:55 > 0:56:59It's kind of fish with the yum factor of pork scratchings.
0:57:02 > 0:57:04- And load them up.- Perfect.
0:57:04 > 0:57:06And a bit of the crowning glory.
0:57:07 > 0:57:10Diamonds of the sea.
0:57:10 > 0:57:14Our pretend whitebait, or a great alternative.
0:57:14 > 0:57:17Yeah, they're a great fishy snack on your plate.
0:57:18 > 0:57:22Now, have we got that whitebait sensation?
0:57:28 > 0:57:29Yes, we have.
0:57:30 > 0:57:33It is true that we have to safeguard our food
0:57:33 > 0:57:36and things like whitebait, we've enjoyed for centuries.
0:57:36 > 0:57:38We have to be a little bit more careful now
0:57:38 > 0:57:41but, with a bit of clever thinking,
0:57:41 > 0:57:44it's a way you can still have guilt-free pleasure.
0:57:44 > 0:57:46I'll nibble to that!
0:57:46 > 0:57:50- Mmm... Fancy a pint?- Yeah.
0:57:50 > 0:57:51Cor blimey!
0:57:51 > 0:57:53- It's my round, I think, isn't it?- Oh...
0:57:54 > 0:57:57We bikers believe you can't get better than British fish.
0:57:57 > 0:57:59Not only is there an amazing variety,
0:57:59 > 0:58:02with something to suit every taste and pocket,
0:58:02 > 0:58:06it's a huge part of our cultural heritage.
0:58:06 > 0:58:08From lobster, in an exclusive restaurant,
0:58:08 > 0:58:11to fried fish out of a newspaper.
0:58:11 > 0:58:15Our culinary journey has led us to rediscover some old favourites...
0:58:15 > 0:58:17..and explore new alternatives for the future.
0:58:19 > 0:58:22And to find out how to cook the recipes in today's show, visit -
0:58:45 > 0:58:48Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd