0:00:02 > 0:00:04The heart of my home is the kitchen.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07At this time of the year,
0:00:07 > 0:00:11it's the perfect place to gather and celebrate the festive season.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19For me, Christmas is all about rustling up some fantastic food.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24And eating it in the company of my favourite people.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29These are the dishes that I cook
0:00:29 > 0:00:31when I want to spread a little bit of cheer.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35These are my Christmas Home Comforts.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42# Rocking around the Christmas tree... #
0:00:42 > 0:00:44Christmas is such a busy time,
0:00:44 > 0:00:47but you can make the day go a whole lot smoother
0:00:47 > 0:00:49if you start preparing early.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55This includes getting ahead of the game in the kitchen too,
0:00:55 > 0:00:57and I've got some really great dishes you can cook in advance
0:00:57 > 0:01:00to de-stress the festive season.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05Starting with this, a make-ahead consomme with tortellini.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10As the nights draw in, you get this bowl of loveliness.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12Our festive food reporter, Annie Gray,
0:01:12 > 0:01:15samples a seasonal slice over in Austria.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18It smells like Christmas just standing here.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23Back home, the king of conversation, Sir Michael Parkinson, drops by...
0:01:23 > 0:01:25How are you doing, boss, all right?
0:01:25 > 0:01:28..for an extra large serving of chat and pork.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30It's not very slimming, is it?
0:01:30 > 0:01:33It's my house, what do you expect?
0:01:36 > 0:01:41We've all heard of farmers fattening up their turkeys for Christmas,
0:01:41 > 0:01:43but fattening their fish?
0:01:45 > 0:01:48Robbie Wilkieson has pioneered the perfect alternative
0:01:48 > 0:01:50to meat on the big day.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57Tucked away off Scotland's west coast is the Isle of Gigha,
0:01:57 > 0:02:02home to Robbie and the UK's best kept culinary secret.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05Our one and only onshore halibut farm.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07On the site as a whole,
0:02:07 > 0:02:12we have about 120,000 halibut, of various sizes and various ages.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15It takes on average from the fish being hatched from an egg
0:02:15 > 0:02:18to market, about 4.5 years.
0:02:18 > 0:02:19And in that time,
0:02:19 > 0:02:21the world's largest flatfish
0:02:21 > 0:02:24can grow to more than ten feet in length.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28That is almost as big as my car bonnet, but not quite as pretty.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31Some folks say it is not a particularly bonny looking fish,
0:02:31 > 0:02:33but I think it's pretty beautiful.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36They've got grace and beauty about them
0:02:36 > 0:02:38if you look at them long enough.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40I think I'd rather eat them.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49We have got an Atlantic halibut and we have just taken it out to
0:02:49 > 0:02:51give it a check before we harvest it.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54We are just checking fins, the eyes are still there.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56The fins are all in good condition
0:02:56 > 0:02:59and it's ready for the Christmas market.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02A nice female fish, maybe 7.5 kilos. We harvest every week.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06We harvest every Sunday, maybe 300 fish a week.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08In the run-up to Christmas, that order will double
0:03:08 > 0:03:11to over 600 fish for the couple of weeks before Christmas
0:03:11 > 0:03:14just as the restaurants gear up to serve the finest quality fish that
0:03:14 > 0:03:18they can find to keep the customers happy with something different.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23Although demand is high all over the UK,
0:03:23 > 0:03:26not all the halibut make it off the island.
0:03:26 > 0:03:31Some of its 160 inhabitants get a taste too.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35Tonight, local chef Gordon McNeill is preparing a festive feast
0:03:35 > 0:03:39at his restaurant for Robbie, along with his friends and family.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42It's fantastic, you can't really go wrong with it.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44It is this little chef's baby.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Pan-fried, grilled, chargrilled, barbecued, oven-baked,
0:03:47 > 0:03:49with lots of different ingredients, it's fantastic.
0:03:49 > 0:03:54At £12 a kilo, this is not exactly your everyday fish, but it is always
0:03:54 > 0:03:58worth trying something a little different at this time of year.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00Smoked Christmas canape, anyone?
0:04:00 > 0:04:03The good thing about smoked halibut is you can put it with
0:04:03 > 0:04:06a lot of meaty things like horseradish, chestnuts, cranberry.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08It will fit in wonderful.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12So, after four years in the water,
0:04:12 > 0:04:16and just one hour in the kitchen, how well does it go down?
0:04:16 > 0:04:19I think it makes a really lovely change from your turkey
0:04:19 > 0:04:23or your roast, and I think something like halibut adds a really
0:04:23 > 0:04:26different dimension to a Christmas meal.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29It's great after all the hard work put in by the team over
0:04:29 > 0:04:32the year, from the hatchery right through to the chef, it is great
0:04:32 > 0:04:37to sit back and relax and enjoy a bit of halibut produced in Gigha.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40Whether you live on the island, or mainland,
0:04:40 > 0:04:44you don't need an excuse to buy this delicious fish at Christmas time.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46I would eat it just for the halibut.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52# It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... #
0:04:52 > 0:04:55There are lots of ways to cook this fantastic fish.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57Whatever the time of year.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59But I'm going to make a halibut dish
0:04:59 > 0:05:03that's just perfect for a Christmas Eve supper.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07I'm serving it with this superb make-ahead ingredient,
0:05:07 > 0:05:10Korean kimchi pickle.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14You wouldn't think of pickled cabbage as a classic Christmas dish,
0:05:14 > 0:05:18but, particularly around wintertime, this is the staple of all
0:05:18 > 0:05:22Korean cooking for me, and the recipe can vary. It is kimchi.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25Traditionally, it would be done with just cabbage and beef stock.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28They'd make this in the summer, store it underground until
0:05:28 > 0:05:32it's frozen, and over the winter they would defrost it and eat it.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34Over the years, the recipe has changed
0:05:34 > 0:05:36and developed into this spicy cabbage.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39There are hundreds of different recipes, but this is mine.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42I'm going to use some rice wine vinegar,
0:05:42 > 0:05:44which is slightly milder than malt vinegar, not as strong.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46It is perfect for this.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48A little bit of fish sauce.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50For me, this recipe is a bit of yin and yang, really.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53You have got the fish sauce to add the salty flavour,
0:05:53 > 0:05:55but then I'm going to use palm sugar.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58You can get palm sugar in various different guises.
0:05:58 > 0:05:59This is the dehydrated form.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01It keeps for much longer,
0:06:01 > 0:06:05rather than the palm sugar which is in the solid or liquid blocks.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09The final ingredient I will put in is this Korean red pepper powder.
0:06:09 > 0:06:14It's got a really distinct flavour, but it is one that is fantastic, and
0:06:14 > 0:06:15I think works so well with kimchi,
0:06:15 > 0:06:17so I'll just put a little bit in there.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21It is not hot, but it is sweet. Then we will warm all those flavours in.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23We will put it on a low heat.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26Into the main mixture, we of course use cabbage.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28This is Chinese cabbage.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31You can use red cabbage, white cabbage, entirely up to you.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34The key to this is to get it nice and thin.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38Once you've sliced your cabbage, pop it into a bowl.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Then add a few chopped red chillies,
0:06:41 > 0:06:43two carrots sliced with a peeler...
0:06:45 > 0:06:48..and some chopped ginger...
0:06:48 > 0:06:49and garlic.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52Rather than add too much salt in this, because we've got
0:06:52 > 0:06:55the fish sauce as well, what I like to add is some of this seaweed.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57This is just reconstituted dulse.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59You can buy this from the supermarket.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02All you've got to do is just put it in water to reconstitute it.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06Just adds the saltiness you need, I think, with kimchi.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11Add the seaweed and mix all the ingredients together before stuffing
0:07:11 > 0:07:14them into a sealable container.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Now, the pot is quite crucial because it needs to be airtight.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19If it doesn't, it can ferment and go off because
0:07:19 > 0:07:22we're not going to actually store this in the fridge.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24This is stored at room temperature.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27Once you've filled the container to the top, add the juice of
0:07:27 > 0:07:29a lemon to the pickle liquor,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32then pour it into the container and seal.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34Finish off with a shake to combine.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37Good idea to do this every day, really, or every couple of days.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39Just give it a quick mix around.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42Don't open the lid, just give it a quick shake around there,
0:07:42 > 0:07:44so all that dressing and acidity gets into that cabbage.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48Then after a week - that's all it wants - we end up with this.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52We leave it in a warm place, not in an airing cupboard
0:07:52 > 0:07:54or stuff like that, just in your house.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57You can see what it goes from, this mixture to this mixture.
0:07:57 > 0:07:58And if we leave it any more,
0:07:58 > 0:08:00it will just get less and less and less as well.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02I'm going to serve this with some lovely halibut
0:08:02 > 0:08:07and some nice scallops. The scallops couldn't be easier.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09I'm simply slicing them thinly and serving them
0:08:09 > 0:08:12as a Latin American ceviche.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15Technically, a lot of people say ceviche's raw,
0:08:15 > 0:08:16it's actually not.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19You're curing the scallops in lemon juice, lime juice,
0:08:19 > 0:08:22whatever you want, really. So it's kind of not raw, really.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26Zest of lime over the top of the scallops, along with its juice
0:08:26 > 0:08:28and a seasoning of salt.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32Just leave those for no more than about sort of five minutes
0:08:32 > 0:08:34and then we serve them.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36The longer you leave it in that lime juice,
0:08:36 > 0:08:37the more that the scallops will cook.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Pour some oil into a pan and carefully fry the halibut
0:08:42 > 0:08:45on the presentation side first for two minutes.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47Really, it is one of the prize fish, really,
0:08:47 > 0:08:50so it has to be treated really delicately.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52I'm just going to sear it.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54Of course, to get a bit of colour in there,
0:08:54 > 0:08:56it's just nice to use a little bit of butter.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59After one minute in the butter, carefully turn the fish over
0:08:59 > 0:09:01and fry for another two minutes.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08And then all we need to do now is serve it.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13Now, it is quite pungent, so quite strong in flavour.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15Don't put too much on the plate.
0:09:18 > 0:09:23You feel the scallops already firmed up as they start to cure.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26What I'm going to do now is just take a nice piece of this fish,
0:09:26 > 0:09:30lift this on the top and, finally, just for effect,
0:09:30 > 0:09:34put these little coriander shoots, bursting with flavour,
0:09:34 > 0:09:36that you can just put on the top.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39It's a dish that I absolutely love.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41That beautiful colour on the fish.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43This is how lovely halibut should be.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45You get these gorgeous chunks of meat.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53You don't need me to tell you this tastes really good.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56I mean, it's just beautiful. It packs a punch.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58That cabbage, you wouldn't believe it.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00But with the fish and the scallops, I think
0:10:00 > 0:10:03in the Martin household this Christmas,
0:10:03 > 0:10:05this might be on the menu.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11Make-ahead pickle and quick-as-you-like fish
0:10:11 > 0:10:14make this the ideal, stress-free festive dinner.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19And the punchy kimchi delivers a definite Christmas kick.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25Belt-busting food isn't compulsory at Christmas.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28So why not try something lighter instead?
0:10:28 > 0:10:30This one packs so much flavour
0:10:30 > 0:10:33and it's the ideal antidote to seasonal stodge.
0:10:33 > 0:10:39One of my favourite dishes to make in advance is consomme.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42It's one of those dishes that have kind of fallen out of favour,
0:10:42 > 0:10:44really, I suppose, over the years.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47People think it's more complicated than it is.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49It's actually really simple.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52Roughly chop a couple of carrots and one leek
0:10:52 > 0:10:54and throw them in a pan.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Next, chop some fresh thyme
0:10:56 > 0:11:01and add it to the pan along with some good quality lean beef mince.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04Then whisk two egg whites together.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07Of course, it's the whites that will clarify
0:11:07 > 0:11:12and clear our consomme to give it that classic appearance.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16Add the whisked egg whites to the pan along with beef stock,
0:11:16 > 0:11:20then bring it gently to a simmer for one-and-a-half hours.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24Don't boil or stir it because, as the egg whites set,
0:11:24 > 0:11:28they capture anything that could cloud the consomme.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32While this cooks, I can get on with the pasta.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34Now, for a tortellini, I'm kind of going to cheat, really.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37I'm going to use some pate.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40I'm stuffing the tortellini with the pate
0:11:40 > 0:11:43and, once made, they can be kept in the freezer for months.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47But first, I've got to get my pasta rolled as thin as I can.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50It's a good idea to roll it out a couple of times through
0:11:50 > 0:11:53the machine, just to make sure it really is thin.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56I'm going to cut this roughly in half,
0:11:56 > 0:11:58and then we can start to fill it.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02Lay two neat rows of pate filling on the pasta sheet.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07And then brush around each ball with a little water.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11Next, lay another sheet of pasta on the top...
0:12:14 > 0:12:19..and use a biscuit cutter to cut out your shape.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23What I'm going to do now is just basically just take this mixture,
0:12:23 > 0:12:24fold it over...
0:12:24 > 0:12:28Simply wrap both ends around your finger and press to secure.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31It doesn't have to be perfect. I just think they look nice.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Purists are probably screaming at the TV now,
0:12:34 > 0:12:37but I just think they look so much nicer.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39Continue cutting and shaping your pasta.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42You'll need three for each serving.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46And then place them in the fridge.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48Now time to check on the consomme.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52If I lift a bit out on the spoon, that egg white is doing its thing.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55You can see that starting to clear. That once cloudy stock,
0:12:55 > 0:12:57see that? Already starting to come through.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00You've got bits and pieces in there but those bits and pieces will
0:13:00 > 0:13:04actually start to clog up and solidify together as it cooks.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08This dish does call for a little time and patience.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11But while the consomme does its thing, you can do yours,
0:13:11 > 0:13:13especially if it's Christmassy.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16# Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
0:13:16 > 0:13:18# Had a very shiny nose... # That it?
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Ralph.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23You're going, "Dad, don't make me look stupid."
0:13:23 > 0:13:26A little titbit will soon have Ralph the red-nosed dog-deer
0:13:26 > 0:13:29a little happier. Good boy.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32Once the consomme has had its hour and a half,
0:13:32 > 0:13:35strain the liquid through a muslin cloth.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38And then you end up with this amazing consomme,
0:13:38 > 0:13:42this beautiful clear smelling and tasting liquid,
0:13:42 > 0:13:44which is so, so good.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47Just leave that to gently warm through and, while that's happening,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50we can just prepare the rest of our little garnish for our pot.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53To do that, I'm going to use a Parisienne scoop.
0:13:53 > 0:13:54Now, I say Parisienne scoop.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57If you're from Chelsea, it's a Parisienne scoop,
0:13:57 > 0:14:00anywhere else, it's a melon baller. All right?
0:14:00 > 0:14:03So you just scoop out some courgette.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06Once you've scooped enough from the courgette,
0:14:06 > 0:14:08do the same with a carrot.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Then pop the balls into a pan of boiling water
0:14:11 > 0:14:13for a couple of minutes, along with the tortellini.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17Once drained, we're ready to serve.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21So we take the garnish first of all,
0:14:21 > 0:14:25with your nice veg and your tortellini.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28Just put a few in the bottom. This is what I like about this, you can
0:14:28 > 0:14:30almost eat the consomme
0:14:30 > 0:14:33and you get this little sort of nugget of gold on the bottom.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38And then we pour this over the top.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43The smell of this - just fantastic.
0:14:45 > 0:14:46You get this amazing...
0:14:48 > 0:14:49..consomme.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52But this is what it's all about.
0:14:56 > 0:15:02There's something about this that I just love. Just tastes wonderful.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04This is perfect for one of those dishes that you can make
0:15:04 > 0:15:07way ahead of time, make it now for next Christmas.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12Simple, tasty, delicious.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21Our festive-food reporter Annie Gray has been hunting out some
0:15:21 > 0:15:26fantastic seasonal bakes in the capital of Christmas, Austria.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28Nothing beats the glistening lights
0:15:28 > 0:15:33and sweet smells of mulled wine and spicy cakes, like these.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38Before visiting Austria's street markets,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41I went high up in the mountains of the Tyrol.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44There, I met a family keeping
0:15:44 > 0:15:47the Austrian Christmas-baking tradition alive.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50I travelled to the small town of Niederndorferberg...
0:15:52 > 0:15:56..to learn how to make their time-honoured Christmas bread...
0:15:57 > 0:16:00..along with the traditional seasonal butter that goes with it.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05Farmer Peter Bischofer is getting me started.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10Erm, I've never milked a cow before.
0:16:11 > 0:16:12HE EXPLAINS IN GERMAN
0:16:15 > 0:16:17There's a sort of sucking motion, quite strong -
0:16:17 > 0:16:20I suppose just like a calf sucking at a teat -
0:16:20 > 0:16:23but it's surprisingly tuggy.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27What's remarkable is that I'm seeing these cows being milked now
0:16:27 > 0:16:31and, in half an hour or so, the milk will be shooting down the mountain.
0:16:34 > 0:16:35Yes, you heard me right.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39The milk is carried on a unique network of zip-wires that extend
0:16:39 > 0:16:43from 30 of the most remote mountain farms straight to the dairy.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47Sadly, this is one car I can't hitch a ride on.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53Their main products they make here at the dairy are cheese,
0:16:53 > 0:16:58kind of big Emmenthals and mountain cheeses, and also butter.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02And, in particular, a type of butter called fasslbutter.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Fasslbutter is really popular at Christmas.
0:17:05 > 0:17:06It's eaten all year round,
0:17:06 > 0:17:08but particularly in the festive season,
0:17:08 > 0:17:12with a thing called Kletzenbrot, which is a sort of spicy,
0:17:12 > 0:17:16fruity bread which I'm looking forward to help make.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23And, when it comes to baking their bread,
0:17:23 > 0:17:26Peter's mum Anna is the unrivalled expert.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32- Hallo, Anna.- Hallo.- Hallo. - Wie geht's?- Mir geht es gut.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35Anna's in the middle of making dough for the Kletzenbrot.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37There's two types of flour in here,
0:17:37 > 0:17:40white flour and rye flour, so it'll be quite dark and nutty.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43A little bit of honey and some yeast as well as a little bit of salt,
0:17:43 > 0:17:45so it's pretty much a straight bread dough.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48What we're going to do next is add some fruit to it.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51So we've got hazelnut, sultanas, we've got dried pears
0:17:51 > 0:17:53from the garden just behind me.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56So this really is a very local treat.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01Local and loved by each and every generation.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03Anna got this recipe from her mother
0:18:03 > 0:18:06and she's been cooking it, she says, for more years than
0:18:06 > 0:18:09she can remember, so it's a real family recipe.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13I can really imagine that
0:18:13 > 0:18:17if you're up on the fields above the Tyrol that a slice of this
0:18:17 > 0:18:21and a bit of fasslbutter would keep you going all day.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27This is a traditional Christmas bread around in this region.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29It's eaten throughout the winter,
0:18:29 > 0:18:32a really good thing to welcome guests and Anna says her
0:18:32 > 0:18:35children really like it and her grandchildren as well.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39But this really comes into its own at Christmas and, I have to say,
0:18:39 > 0:18:42it smells like Christmas just standing here.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46Das ist jetzt das originale Kletzenbrot.
0:18:46 > 0:18:47ANNIE GIGGLES
0:18:48 > 0:18:52Anna leaves the bread to rise for about 30 minutes.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54Then, after baking in the oven for an hour,
0:18:54 > 0:18:57it can be enjoyed by the whole family...
0:18:57 > 0:19:00and one lucky guest. Yup.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03The bread lasts for about two months once it's been cooked,
0:19:03 > 0:19:05as long as it's kept in a cool room,
0:19:05 > 0:19:09so it's absolutely ideal for a winter treat because you can
0:19:09 > 0:19:12eat it throughout December and keep going until Twelfth Night.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20This is fantastic.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24The bread is like a sort of really refined Christmas cake
0:19:24 > 0:19:27and that coat, that crust on the outside is lovely.
0:19:27 > 0:19:33And then the butter is so crisp, raw milk butter from cows I can see.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35And sitting here, with the family all around,
0:19:35 > 0:19:37I can really see that this is
0:19:37 > 0:19:40the epitome of a Christmas cake or bread.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43I can just imagine the snow falling on the Tyrolese mountains,
0:19:43 > 0:19:47a roaring fire, and this in front of you,
0:19:47 > 0:19:50and, it lasts for two months, so it's the perfect thing to
0:19:50 > 0:19:54make ahead for all those Christmas droppers-in.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01LAUGHTER
0:20:03 > 0:20:05MUSIC: Let It Snow by Dean Martin
0:20:05 > 0:20:08# Oh, the weather outside is frightful... #
0:20:08 > 0:20:13'Christmas means good food, old friends and great conversation,
0:20:13 > 0:20:15'and today, I've got all three...'
0:20:15 > 0:20:18How are you doing, boss? Are you all right?
0:20:18 > 0:20:20- Great.- Good to see you. - Yeah, you too.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22'Because the king of TV chat, Sir Michael Parkinson,
0:20:22 > 0:20:24'is dropping by for dinner.'
0:20:26 > 0:20:29We're both proud Yorkshiremen and huge pork lovers...
0:20:29 > 0:20:32# Let it snow Let it snow... #
0:20:32 > 0:20:36..so, today, I'm cooking him the best present I can think of.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40Now, I know you're a big fan of this particular meat as well.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43I love pork, absolutely. I hate Turkey as a Christmas dish.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45- Right.- I hate Turkey full stop,
0:20:45 > 0:20:47and this is the perfect Christmas dish, in my view.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49Wonderful. I'm looking forward to it.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51What do you normally have it with? How do you have yours?
0:20:51 > 0:20:54- Well, I just have a loin of pork, basically.- Right.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56The big crispy stuff, and all of that stuff -
0:20:56 > 0:20:58the traditional apple sauce and all that.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00So, do you venture into the kitchen then or not?
0:21:00 > 0:21:01Not if I can help it.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03I mean, I learnt how to cook when I was a kid.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06Well, hopefully, you're going to learn a little bit more now,
0:21:06 > 0:21:09because what we've got in here, we're going to basically do
0:21:09 > 0:21:12- spare ribs and pork belly, but with a barbecue sauce.- Yeah.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14- And it's really simple, I promise you.- Yes.- All right?
0:21:14 > 0:21:17It's fantastic. Full of flavour, tastes delicious.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21I start by placing the ribs and pork belly into a large saucepan
0:21:21 > 0:21:24and covering both with cold water.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26Are you all right with a knife?
0:21:26 > 0:21:28- It depends.- What do you mean? It depends on what?
0:21:28 > 0:21:30It depends who I'm with.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33- Right, are you all right with that one?- Yeah.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35Armed with that. It's very sharp, all right?
0:21:35 > 0:21:38- So, carrots first of all. - Big pieces? Little pieces?
0:21:38 > 0:21:39Decent pieces, like that.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42Like that, we're going to chop it all up.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45- So what was Christmas like for you, then?- It was at home.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48- Restaurants were unheard of.- Yeah. - Everybody chipped in.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51I had an auntie who was a wonderful pastry chef, and...
0:21:51 > 0:21:53- This one.- Thanks.
0:21:53 > 0:21:54- Downwards? That way?- Yeah.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57- A pastry chef, and... - Watch your fingers.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59..made lovely mince pies and things like that.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03- Right.- And my granny always did the main course...- Yeah.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05..and my father would do the potatoes.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07Of course, he liked them crispy and all that stuff.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09I'm being very careful here,
0:22:09 > 0:22:11- cos I nearly chopped my finger off the other day.- OK.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14- Is that...?- That's it. It's fine. That's all we need.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17Add the chopped carrots and onions to the pan,
0:22:17 > 0:22:20along with some Christmas spices, including cinnamon,
0:22:20 > 0:22:24bay leaves, star anise and cloves.
0:22:24 > 0:22:25- Bring this to the boil...- Yeah.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28- ..and gently simmer this for about an hour.- Yeah.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30OK, now, while that's simmering over here,
0:22:30 > 0:22:33we're going to make our amazing barbecue sauce, all right?
0:22:33 > 0:22:35- So, have you ever made barbecue sauce before?- Never.
0:22:35 > 0:22:36- Never?- Oh, it is a first.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38Well, you can go home and impress the wife,
0:22:38 > 0:22:40because you now know how to make barbecue sauce.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43Even with three ingredients, it's all you need.
0:22:43 > 0:22:44We're going to glam ours up,
0:22:44 > 0:22:46but all barbecue sauce is
0:22:46 > 0:22:51- is light brown sugar, soy sauce and ketchup.- Yeah. Yeah.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53- Wonderful. Sounds simple enough, yeah.- That's it.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56Now, because we've got the pork in here, and I've got to do
0:22:56 > 0:22:57something special for you,
0:22:57 > 0:22:59we'll then just use Bramley apples, all right?
0:22:59 > 0:23:01- All right.- Which I absolutely love.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03So we're going to use those as a base.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06- Apples are great with pork, which we know you love.- Yes, indeed.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09And it was an important cut of meat for you around Christmas time,
0:23:09 > 0:23:10- wasn't it?- We had a pig.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12We used to club together, about eight of us,
0:23:12 > 0:23:13- and buy this pig.- Right.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16We used to keep it at the back of our next-door neighbour's garage,
0:23:16 > 0:23:18and keep it there all year, and feed it,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21- all the potato peelings and all that stuff.- Yeah.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24And then the gamekeeper used to come down and kill it,
0:23:24 > 0:23:27and it lasted till Easter time, I suppose.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30- But then one year, somebody nicked our pig.- Somebody nicked the pig?
0:23:30 > 0:23:31- Pinched it. - I bet that didn't go down well
0:23:31 > 0:23:34- with all you Yorkshire folks. - It did not. Absolutely not, no.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36It was a very bad Christmas after that, I tell you.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38So what was replacing the pig when somebody nicked it?
0:23:38 > 0:23:40Having a bacon sandwich.
0:23:42 > 0:23:43Now, melt some butter in the pan,
0:23:43 > 0:23:47and cook the apples for a few minutes, till they're soft.
0:23:47 > 0:23:53Next, add the sugar, the soy sauce and chilli ketchup.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56Then add some teriyaki sauce,
0:23:56 > 0:23:59tamarind and maple syrup.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03Bring the sauce to the boil and stir on the heat
0:24:03 > 0:24:06for five minutes until the apple is smooth.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11Oh, it's wonderful. Oh, that is dreamy.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13- Beautiful.- All right?
0:24:13 > 0:24:15- Yeah, lovely.- So what's Christmas like for you, then, now, at home?
0:24:15 > 0:24:17Do you have all the family round or...?
0:24:17 > 0:24:21Been in Australia for the past, I suppose, 20 years or more.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24- In the main... At Christmas time.- Right.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26So you have then the Australian equivalent of
0:24:26 > 0:24:28- what we try to do here. - And what's that like in Australia?
0:24:28 > 0:24:31It's madness because what they do, they pretend it's cold,
0:24:31 > 0:24:35so it's about 85-90 degrees in Sydney,
0:24:35 > 0:24:36and we're in this restaurant,
0:24:36 > 0:24:38and Father Christmas arrives outside,
0:24:38 > 0:24:41with sleigh bells and all that, and gets out of his sleigh
0:24:41 > 0:24:42and falls down because he's...
0:24:42 > 0:24:44he collapses through heatstroke.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47So then we have this problem of taking his beard off and all that.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49It's not the same as in Yorkshire, though.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Once the ribs and the pork belly have cooked,
0:24:51 > 0:24:53allow them to cool in the pan.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Then place the ribs onto a baking tray
0:24:55 > 0:24:58and put the pork belly to one side.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01The great thing about this is you can make these in advance.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04Right? Stick these in the fridge, in the liquid,
0:25:04 > 0:25:05- and forget about it.- Mm-hmm.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07I think that's everything out of there.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10- What was that thing that came out? - What's that?- What was that?
0:25:10 > 0:25:12- A cinnamon stick.- Oh, I see.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15You thought it was just a piece of wood that fell in?
0:25:15 > 0:25:16Firewood, yeah.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18- Bit of firewood? - That's what it looked like.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20There you go.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23Now, spoon half your barbecue sauce over the ribs
0:25:23 > 0:25:26and place them in a hot oven for 10-15 minutes,
0:25:26 > 0:25:28basting halfway through.
0:25:34 > 0:25:39Now, while that's cooking, we can then turn our attention to this.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41- And you've got the pork belly here. - Yeah.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45Now, the great thing about this, if you take it into chunks.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49So you get the pan nice and hot.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52- I'm going to crisp up the fat, OK? - Mm-hmm.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55So this is just the belly pork like that.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57So we're going to colour this slightly.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00You'll need to fry the pork bellies fat side down
0:26:00 > 0:26:02until they're golden brown.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04Then turn them onto the other side,
0:26:04 > 0:26:07before spooning some of the barbecue sauce over the top.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12I see you're smiling at it.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14I was just thinking, it's not very slimming, is it?
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Look, it's my house. What do you expect?
0:26:17 > 0:26:18Wonderful.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22I get accused, in this game, of, sort of, using too much butter
0:26:22 > 0:26:25and cream and everything else, but I figure, if I didn't use it,
0:26:25 > 0:26:28then there wouldn't be the need for healthy cookbooks.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30This is... This is true.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Well, at least alongside the ribs and the pork belly,
0:26:33 > 0:26:36I'm serving a slimline side salad of baby gem lettuce
0:26:36 > 0:26:39with a white balsamic vinegar dressing.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45The meat is ready, so let's pull this pork-fest together.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51We've got our pork ribs.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54Take these out.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56Our sticky glazed ribs.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59And then we can lift these out,
0:26:59 > 0:27:03and put a rack of the ribs on here.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05- Another rack... - How many are we inviting for?
0:27:05 > 0:27:08It's just me and thee, lad.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11- What?- Can you see the size? Eh?
0:27:11 > 0:27:13- It's just me and you.- Oh, gosh.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15And then we're going to grab the sauce,
0:27:15 > 0:27:16and sprinkle it over the top.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22A final flourish, with some chopped spring onions,
0:27:22 > 0:27:25and we're ready to dive in...
0:27:25 > 0:27:26almost.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29- The pork pie?- I know.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31- Ah.- This is just for you.- Oh, gosh.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35How wonderful. This is my idea of paradise. I'm regarding paradise.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37- It's a pork-fest.- It is, indeed.
0:27:37 > 0:27:38- You take the salad.- Yes, sir.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40- And I'll take this.- Lovely.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42- Bon appetit.- Ah.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44Where are we going?
0:27:44 > 0:27:47- There's no starter, I'm afraid. This is it.- No starter...
0:27:47 > 0:27:49- That's the truth, isn't it? - LAUGHTER
0:27:49 > 0:27:51- Happy with that? - Well, it's proper food.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53There you go.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58The sauce is wonderful, isn't it? It's just right.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01- That sort of syrupy, tangy, at the same time.- Yeah.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03Gorgeous. I could eat a lot of these.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05- Well, that's the maple syrup, I think.- Uh-huh.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08You can make an absolute pig of yourself, can't you?
0:28:08 > 0:28:11I mean, you end up dribbling and end up with sauce all over your nose,
0:28:11 > 0:28:13and down your face, in a posh restaurant.
0:28:13 > 0:28:14- Cheers.- Cheers, mate.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17- Lovely seeing you. - Yeah, have a lovely Christmas.
0:28:17 > 0:28:18You too.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22Plan ahead and it might just be the best Christmas ever.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27You can find all the recipes from the series at...