0:00:02 > 0:00:04The heart of my home is the kitchen.
0:00:05 > 0:00:09And at this time of the year, it's the perfect place to gather
0:00:09 > 0:00:11and 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.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48Christmas Day may be the highlight of the holidays,
0:00:48 > 0:00:50but all that pressure in the kitchen can definitely put
0:00:50 > 0:00:53a dampener on your celebrations.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55But don't panic, I've got all the recipes you'll need,
0:00:55 > 0:01:00together with some fantastic tips, to make the day go off without a hitch.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05Today I'm adding some seasonal fire to a classic starter.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08Now treat this like rocket fuel.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11It's everything you want for a lovely Christmassy edge.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15Settling creative differences with my Michelin-starred mate,
0:01:15 > 0:01:16Paul Ainsworth.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19- Do you want some more? - Absolutely, it's my house now.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21THEY LAUGH
0:01:21 > 0:01:22Cheers, everybody.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26And discovering that there's more to Christmas dinner than I thought.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29I've learnt a new dish today - chocolate and Yorkshire pudding.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31ALL LAUGH
0:01:32 > 0:01:35But if you want the day to go well, you need to start it well,
0:01:35 > 0:01:39with something that's easy to prepare and bursting with flavour.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42And this is my favourite way to kick off the celebrations.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47Right, well, the big day's arrived. You want something really nice
0:01:47 > 0:01:49and simple for breakfast.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52And rather than do a full English breakfast and fill everybody up -
0:01:52 > 0:01:55cos you really want them to eat that lovely Christmas lunch -
0:01:55 > 0:01:59this is a great alternative and it's using waffles as the base.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01It's a simple recipe that you can incorporate
0:02:01 > 0:02:03tonnes of different flavours in.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05And I'm going to do this with smoked salmon.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08You want something luxurious, but you want something not too heavy,
0:02:08 > 0:02:11because you want to enjoy your lunch later on.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14The first job is to make the waffle batter.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18Mix 250g of plain flour with about 200ml of milk,
0:02:18 > 0:02:20three eggs,
0:02:20 > 0:02:22a pinch of baking powder and salt.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25And then we grab some melted butter,
0:02:25 > 0:02:31so you just want about 100g of butter that we just melt in a pan.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35While it's on the hob, add around 200ml of milk to the batter mix,
0:02:35 > 0:02:38followed by the butter.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40And don't go using half-fat ingredients,
0:02:40 > 0:02:42this is a Christmas recipe.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46Now if you want to turn this into a sweet batter,
0:02:46 > 0:02:48you would just put in a little bit of sugar,
0:02:48 > 0:02:50but this is where you can add whatever you want.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53I'm just going to add a touch of chives to this,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56but you could of course add a little bit of cooked bacon,
0:02:56 > 0:02:58even some chopped smoked salmon.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01I'm roughly chopping three tablespoons of the herb.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05Once mixed in, the batter's ready to go into the waffle iron,
0:03:05 > 0:03:07and this is the fun bit.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11I just want a tiny little bit of butter in each one,
0:03:11 > 0:03:13and all we do is just pour the waffle mixture in.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Now, it's got baking powder in so they will actually puff up
0:03:16 > 0:03:19a little bit, so try not to overfill...
0:03:19 > 0:03:20with mixture.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25We just shut the lid, like that.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28The waffles take around four to five minutes
0:03:28 > 0:03:29and while they're cooking,
0:03:29 > 0:03:31you can get on with poaching your eggs.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35You start this by bringing a pan of water to the boil.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37Drop some salt in there
0:03:37 > 0:03:40and then you've got some vinegar.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48So whisk up the water so you can get a nice little vortex.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51Swirling the water like this stops the eggs breaking up.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54Just as well because you really don't want to waste these.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56And I'm going to use duck eggs.
0:03:56 > 0:03:57I love duck eggs.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59You could do this with some hen's eggs,
0:03:59 > 0:04:02but I think duck eggs work a treat with this.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06When your eggs go in, turn down the heat and let them
0:04:06 > 0:04:09poach for three to four minutes.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11In that time, heat some butter into a pan,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14and when it bubbles, add a little greenery.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18I've just got some picked baby spinach.
0:04:18 > 0:04:19Tiny bit of salt.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24Little bit of black pepper and we're just going to wilt this down.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28Soon as it hits the pan, you take it off the heat
0:04:28 > 0:04:31and it basically keeps that nice colour.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35And if you keep the colour, of course, you keep the flavour.
0:04:35 > 0:04:36Just perfect.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40This is really just fancy egg on toast.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45I pile the wilted spinach, slices of salmon and poached egg
0:04:45 > 0:04:46onto the waffle.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50But to make it extra special, I also add a touch of creme fraiche.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54And all you do is grab some leftover bits of chives...
0:04:55 > 0:04:59..chop them up, put the chives into the creme fraiche...
0:05:02 > 0:05:04..and all you want is a dollop...
0:05:05 > 0:05:08..of that over the top.
0:05:10 > 0:05:15And there you have it - breakfast for a champion.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18It's delicious. It's really simple, but it's really luxurious.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21You've got the nice warm waffles, you've got the wilted spinach and
0:05:21 > 0:05:24that delicious smoked salmon, and not forgetting the amazing duck egg.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28As you basically crack open the egg yolk, you get this lovely
0:05:28 > 0:05:31sauce that makes it really special for a Christmas morning.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40And above all else,
0:05:40 > 0:05:41it's actually nice and light.
0:05:43 > 0:05:44Because you know what's coming.
0:05:46 > 0:05:47A big roast.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56We all like to raise a glass at Christmas,
0:05:56 > 0:06:00but we don't have to stick to the same old tipples every year.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02Our festive food reporter Annie Gray
0:06:02 > 0:06:06has gone to Austria for some alcohol inspiration.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08And she's found plenty of ideas
0:06:08 > 0:06:11in the amazing Christmas markets at Innsbruck.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16But she's also got a whiff of something special up in the Alps.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19I'm here in the village of Stans in Tyrol.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23It looks sleepy and quiet, only 150 households,
0:06:23 > 0:06:25but 50 of them are distillers.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28It's why it's known as the town of schnapps.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31I'm here to meet one family in order to find out
0:06:31 > 0:06:33about schnapps, Austria and Christmas.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41Schnapps is a brandy that can be made from all kinds of fruit.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45In the Tyrol, more than 4,000 people have a licence to distil it -
0:06:45 > 0:06:48not bad for a place that's barely bigger than Yorkshire.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53The Schimpfossl family take a real pride in their festive
0:06:53 > 0:06:55version of the spirit.
0:06:56 > 0:06:57Hallo, Angelika?
0:06:57 > 0:07:01'And I caught up with Angelika to find out about their juicy,
0:07:01 > 0:07:02'home-grown ingredient.'
0:07:04 > 0:07:07- So this is your orchard? Wow. - Yes, yes.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10Tell me, what's special about these plums?
0:07:10 > 0:07:12Are they a particular variety?
0:07:12 > 0:07:15We say we have Genuss Region.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19It means in this region, the plants are very good.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21But it's special here.
0:07:21 > 0:07:28Because we are living in a village 1,035 metres high,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31we can have 25 degrees Celsius on the day
0:07:31 > 0:07:36and in the night it can go down, maybe five degrees.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39That's why the plums make sugar.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41And how important is the fruit for making schnapps?
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Can you make it with just anything that's lying around
0:07:44 > 0:07:45or does it have to be really good?
0:07:45 > 0:07:48Only what you put in, you can get out, so if you...
0:07:48 > 0:07:53if there is good fruit in, you can...good schnapps will come out.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56And it's popular here in Tyrol, especially at Christmas?
0:07:56 > 0:07:59Yes, it's very popular at Christmas, because it's the time when
0:07:59 > 0:08:04we produce the schnapps, because the fruits are ready in September
0:08:04 > 0:08:08and we produce the schnapps in the time before Christmas.
0:08:08 > 0:08:13It's very special to drink schnapps after very good meal.
0:08:13 > 0:08:14ANNIE LAUGHS
0:08:14 > 0:08:18- So it this a medicinal thing to have at Christmas?- Yes.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23Before anyone can take a sip of the stomach-settling spirit,
0:08:23 > 0:08:26those plums have to be picked.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28The whole family helps with harvesting,
0:08:28 > 0:08:31then it's over to the master distiller,
0:08:31 > 0:08:32Angelika's husband, Josef.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37What we're doing here is making a mash.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41So in go the plums and then we're just going to add some yeast,
0:08:41 > 0:08:44and this is the base for our schnapps.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48Making the drink started as a hobby for Josef about 25 years ago.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51It's not exactly a money-spinner, but he loves it so much,
0:08:51 > 0:08:53he even takes time off work to do it.
0:08:55 > 0:08:56I don't blame him!
0:08:56 > 0:08:59What's not to like about playing with a giant mixer?
0:08:59 > 0:09:01I wish he'd give me a go on it.
0:09:04 > 0:09:05It smells like autumn.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09All the plums together giving off this incredible aroma,
0:09:09 > 0:09:13kind of like jam, but kind of not.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17The next step is to distil the seasonal spirit
0:09:17 > 0:09:18from the plummy jam.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22And as this is a proper cottage industry,
0:09:22 > 0:09:24Josef does it all in his front room.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27This gets more fascinating by the second.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36We're just adding the mash, that's the plums that we saw earlier,
0:09:36 > 0:09:39they've been waiting for two weeks with a bit of yeast.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42They go into this and then there's a wood fire underneath,
0:09:42 > 0:09:46which is heating up all of the plums so that the alcohol comes off
0:09:46 > 0:09:48and then it's distilled down into a bucket.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52There's no water added, it's all just pure fruit juice
0:09:52 > 0:09:55and this starts the process of making schnapps.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02You can see that the alcohol is being condensed right now
0:10:02 > 0:10:04and coming off into this bucket.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07And that's at about 45-50% alcohol.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09That's then taken off and redistilled,
0:10:09 > 0:10:12and by this point, the alcohol will be at 80%.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14And then it will be watered down to give us
0:10:14 > 0:10:19what we think of as drinking schnapps, around 40% alcohol.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21But there's more to this than science.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24Making schnapps is also an art.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27Distil it for too long and it reeks of hay,
0:10:27 > 0:10:30stop the process too soon and it tastes of garlic.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34So, getting the plummy, Christmassy flavour just right
0:10:34 > 0:10:36really is a job for an expert.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39Good schnapps needs a lot of things.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42You need to be able to judge when the fruit is ready.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45You need to be able to make the process happen properly.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47You need a real personal set of skills to be
0:10:47 > 0:10:50able to know that you've got a really good product.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56This is so brilliant. Schnapps brings the whole family together.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59I'm definitely going to have a bottle in my cupboard
0:10:59 > 0:11:00on Christmas Day.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10Like Annie, I love trying out new flavours at this time of year.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14But there are one or two traditional dishes that you just can't beat.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20I'm making a massive festive lunch for some special guests later.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23And I'm kicking the whole thing off with a classic starter.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26I'm going to create wonderful little pate. It's really simple,
0:11:26 > 0:11:28using chicken livers at its base.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30Now, you can use duck livers for this,
0:11:30 > 0:11:33it's entirely up to you which one of those two you use.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36First off, you'll need to cook the livers.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39But before they go in the oven, season them generously
0:11:39 > 0:11:40and add fresh herbs.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44I've got marjoram still growing way till
0:11:44 > 0:11:47sort of January, February, but if you haven't got this,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50you can just use some basil, you can use rosemary, bit of thyme,
0:11:50 > 0:11:54it's entirely up to you what herbs you want to put in here.
0:11:54 > 0:11:55Then a tiny bit of brandy...
0:11:57 > 0:11:58..over the top.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02And as I say a tiny bit,
0:12:02 > 0:12:05a little bit, it's a Christmas portion, isn't it, really?
0:12:06 > 0:12:09Smells pretty good, and just tuck the whole lot in the oven.
0:12:11 > 0:12:12Don't overcook them.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16If you overcook chicken livers, they instantly go bitter.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18To avoid the unpleasant taste,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21preheat your oven to 230 degrees Centigrade
0:12:21 > 0:12:24and put them in there for just four to five minutes.
0:12:24 > 0:12:25While they're cooking,
0:12:25 > 0:12:30I oil a terrine that I'm going to use as a mould for the pate.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33And just line this with Clingfilm.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35Well, I say just line it,
0:12:35 > 0:12:37but as we all know, Clingfilm is one
0:12:37 > 0:12:42thing almost guaranteed to slow you down in the kitchen.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Still, Christmas recipes are worth making a special effort for.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49This has to be nice and sort of precise when you turn it out.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52So make sure you've got no air bubbles in there.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57When the livers are cooked, pop them whole into a blender
0:12:57 > 0:12:59and blitz to a fine puree.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06So, while the livers are still warm,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10you can throw in a decent amount of butter.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14In my book, a decent amount is 250g.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18With the motor running, add it a bit by bit to the pureed livers.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21Stop the blender and season well.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23Plenty of salt and pepper.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25Then just blitz again for a minute or two.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33Then you'll end up with this amazing mixture,
0:13:33 > 0:13:34this beautiful colour
0:13:34 > 0:13:37and when you pour it into the mould,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40you get this delicious pate.
0:13:42 > 0:13:43It really is that simple.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48Now this goes in the fridge to chill for half an hour,
0:13:48 > 0:13:51leaving me time to make my lovely seasonal chutney.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56This is the key to it - Bramley apples,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59one of the finest apples there is.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03And I've tried growing these in my garden here, failed miserably.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06So I've resorted to buying them, but there's one thing with these -
0:14:06 > 0:14:09you're guaranteed an amazing flavour.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12It doesn't work the same with eating apples.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15Peel and slice about 450g of the Bramleys.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20Then add 200g of light, soft, brown sugar to a dry pan.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24You get this on a high heat
0:14:24 > 0:14:26and get this caramelising.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29What this is going to do is speed up the process of making a chutney.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35I always like a little bit of fruit as well as the apples.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38You can use sultanas, I've got some nice apricots here.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42You can use dried figs, works really well also.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45When the sugar is caramelised, add the dried apricots
0:14:45 > 0:14:48along with two finely chopped shallots.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51Now, at this point, you can turn it down a bit
0:14:51 > 0:14:53and we can deglaze the pan with some vinegar.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57You can use malt vinegar, or I've got white wine vinegar.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05Or even, of course, a bit of cider vinegar will work as well.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07Now I can throw in the main ingredient -
0:15:07 > 0:15:09those lovely Bramley apples.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12To give it all a bit of winter warmth,
0:15:12 > 0:15:14I also add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20And then ground cloves. Now treat this like rocket fuel.
0:15:20 > 0:15:25Cloves are so strong in flavour, so you only want a tiny, tiny amount.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29You start to get this amazing smell coming off this chutney.
0:15:31 > 0:15:32And a free facial.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Once everything's in the pot, cook until the apples are tender.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40Then stir in chopped walnuts and season well.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45So you can just leave that
0:15:45 > 0:15:47to go cold.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50To make sure the pate doesn't discolour,
0:15:50 > 0:15:52I'm using readymade clarified butter,
0:15:52 > 0:15:54otherwise known as ghee.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57Now you can actually buy this from the supermarket.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59Indian cookery uses this all the time.
0:15:59 > 0:16:04Melt it down and pour that over the top of the set pate.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06And once you've put that butter over the top,
0:16:06 > 0:16:10you can make this about a week in advance, you can even freeze it.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13Once you get that nice and covered over the top of the pate,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16pop it in the fridge and leave it for a couple of hours.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20Because I'm a '70s kid, I'm serving this with Melba toast.
0:16:20 > 0:16:25To make it, I first grill good old-fashioned white, sliced bread
0:16:25 > 0:16:26on both sides.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30Then what you need - it's good to do it with a serrated knife -
0:16:30 > 0:16:33is you slice the bread in half...
0:16:35 > 0:16:37..through the middle like that.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39You then need to roll the slices,
0:16:39 > 0:16:43cut-side down, on a board to remove any loose bits of bread.
0:16:43 > 0:16:48What you end up with is sort of a thin, dry piece of bread,
0:16:48 > 0:16:50which is perfect for Melba toast.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54Just put it under the grill, it'll only take about 30 seconds.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57Keep your eye on it cos you definitely don't want it to burn.
0:17:00 > 0:17:01It works.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09Look at that!
0:17:09 > 0:17:10Melba toast.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15With everything else ready, the only thing left to do is de-mould
0:17:15 > 0:17:19the pate, then you've got a real Christmas cracker on your hands.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22Now the reason why I'm serving it on this,
0:17:22 > 0:17:25and on this piece of wooden board,
0:17:25 > 0:17:29is that this is actually my gran's old wooden chopping board.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34It's kind of a little homage to her.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36You've got a chicken liver pate
0:17:36 > 0:17:39with a lovely apple and walnut chutney
0:17:39 > 0:17:41and classic Melba toast.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52It's everything you want for a quick and easy starter at Christmas.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55All of it can be made in advance
0:17:55 > 0:17:58and it is one of those classic dishes.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01By adding those lovely winter spices, that touch of clove little
0:18:01 > 0:18:03bit of cinnamon,
0:18:03 > 0:18:06gives it that lovely Christmassy edge.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13This dish is a real reminder of my childhood.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16Another one is Christmas crackers.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19And do you know what? I still get a kick out of those old jokes.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22And food historian Ivan Day has been finding out
0:18:22 > 0:18:26when novelties like these first landed on our tables.
0:18:26 > 0:18:32Breaking open a novelty to discover a small gift, motto or riddle inside
0:18:32 > 0:18:38dates back to the Tudors and lasts through until the 18th century.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42They had a sweet course called a banqueting course,
0:18:42 > 0:18:46which consisted of edible sweets placed on the table
0:18:46 > 0:18:48for the delight of the guests.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53And the richer the host was, the more extravagant the gift.
0:18:53 > 0:18:58We know about bottles of perfume, diamond rings
0:18:58 > 0:19:01and other expensive items of jewellery,
0:19:01 > 0:19:04so when their guests broke them open,
0:19:04 > 0:19:08it enabled hosts to demonstrate to their friends
0:19:08 > 0:19:12that they could afford to enjoy such luxuries.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15And Ivan has been busy for weeks
0:19:15 > 0:19:19hiding surprises in his own festive novelties.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22Today, he's making his final treat, ready for the big day.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27I have a little book here
0:19:27 > 0:19:29which is called A Queen's Delight,
0:19:29 > 0:19:32the queen being Henrietta Maria,
0:19:32 > 0:19:34who was Charles I's wife.
0:19:34 > 0:19:39And these are allegedly recipes from her and I have one here,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42which is to make artificial walnuts.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46And that's the recipe that I'm going to use from the 17th century.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51Ivan begins by mixing powdered sugar with water,
0:19:51 > 0:19:56and a strange medieval binding material - gum tragacanth.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59After kneading, it becomes smooth and white.
0:20:00 > 0:20:05I've got here a little pot covered with silk,
0:20:05 > 0:20:10which has been rubbed with almond oil and this is Tudor Clingfilm.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16Having rested in Ivan's special airtight container for 24 hours,
0:20:16 > 0:20:18the paste is ready for a splash of colour.
0:20:20 > 0:20:26A very popular dye used by Tudor confectioners was something
0:20:26 > 0:20:30called red sanders, from a tree, which grows in Indonesia.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34And it gives this amazing brick red colour.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38I pick some up on the paste and I knead it in.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42And I'm going to pick up a little bit of cinnamon.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44And I've also got some ginger,
0:20:44 > 0:20:47which I'm going to also blend into the paste.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49We're getting a colour now, which is
0:20:49 > 0:20:54not that far off from the light brown of a walnut shell.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57Illusion and deception were all part of the fun
0:20:57 > 0:21:01and Ivan's 17th-century walnuts are tame compared to the
0:21:01 > 0:21:04elaborate novelties created for royalty.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07Mischievous sugar novelties like these
0:21:07 > 0:21:11often featured on royal tables.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15Henry VIII once presented Francis I of France with
0:21:15 > 0:21:19a full sugar chess set and board.
0:21:19 > 0:21:24His daughter, Elizabeth, at Christmas in 1561,
0:21:24 > 0:21:28was given as a table centrepiece a scale sugar model
0:21:28 > 0:21:32of Old St Paul's Cathedral.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35That must have been quite a treat, even for a queen.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38Before long, people lower down the ranks were enjoying sugar
0:21:38 > 0:21:42surprises at Christmas too, and Ivan's been hiding gifts
0:21:42 > 0:21:45and mottos inside his own designs.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50So here we have a lovely selection of sugar sea shells,
0:21:50 > 0:21:54artificial walnuts and other novelties.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57There's a magnificent sugar egg
0:21:57 > 0:22:00which has really caught my attention here.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02So let's see what's there.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04You have to crack it open...
0:22:05 > 0:22:07Aha!
0:22:07 > 0:22:10Amethyst and diamonds, my goodness me.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14And of course, the other feature that's so important
0:22:14 > 0:22:16in a Christmas cracker these days
0:22:16 > 0:22:19are those corny old mottos and jokes,
0:22:19 > 0:22:24so let's see what we have in this Tudor artificial walnut.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29Do you know what it says? It says,
0:22:29 > 0:22:32"There is no place like Home Comforts."
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Now, all that sugar's got me thinking about how I'm going
0:22:40 > 0:22:43to round off my own Christmas Day lunch.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46I've decided to do something a bit different.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49It's a dessert that's rich and festive,
0:22:49 > 0:22:52and there's not a brandy flame in sight.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55Now, to be honest, it's difficult to know what to do for dessert
0:22:55 > 0:22:58on the big day, but for me, it has to be one thing,
0:22:58 > 0:23:00and that's not Christmas pudding.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04It's a prune and Armagnac tart - one of the finest desserts
0:23:04 > 0:23:07and tastiest desserts you'll ever have,
0:23:07 > 0:23:10because when it's made fresh, it can be absolutely delicious.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13So, the first thing I'm going to do is soak these wonderful prunes,
0:23:13 > 0:23:16Agen prunes.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18You'll need to warm a syrup of Armagnac brandy,
0:23:18 > 0:23:20water and sugar to soak them in.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25Agen prunes come from the south west of France
0:23:25 > 0:23:27and are just about the best you can get.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31But you could make this dish with less fancy varieties.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35Fantastic. We just leave those,
0:23:35 > 0:23:39just to sit there and plump up and get full of flavour.
0:23:39 > 0:23:43Think of this as a French version of the Bakewell tart.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47The base is a sweet pastry made from plain flour, butter,
0:23:47 > 0:23:49icing sugar and eggs.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51What we're going to do is roll this out.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54Now the key to pastry is to make sure the surface is cold,
0:23:54 > 0:23:56that's why it's a good idea to use a metal surface
0:23:56 > 0:23:58or even a bit of marble, to be honest.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00I remember when I was a young nipper,
0:24:00 > 0:24:03for Christmas, I was always into a bit of sugar work.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05And I always wanted a sugar lamp.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09And sugar lamps were a heat lamp over the top of a warming plate.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11But being a Yorkshireman,
0:24:11 > 0:24:14my dad was never going to spend 300 quid
0:24:14 > 0:24:17on a heat lamp or a sugar lamp.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20I ended up with a pig lamp and a bit of broken marble.
0:24:20 > 0:24:21But it kind of worked.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25In order to get this pastry to work,
0:24:25 > 0:24:28you need to roll it out nice and thin,
0:24:28 > 0:24:31and then use it to line a greased baking tray.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33But don't trim the excess just yet.
0:24:37 > 0:24:38That looks pretty good to me.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40So once you get to this stage,
0:24:40 > 0:24:42we take the entire lot and chill it.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44And while the pastry case is in the fridge,
0:24:44 > 0:24:47turn your attention back to the prunes.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Now, even after about sort of five minutes,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53these will actually start to puff up,
0:24:53 > 0:24:55which is exactly what we want.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59And then what we need to do is to create almost like a puree.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03And for that, what I need to do is just blend some of these prunes
0:25:03 > 0:25:05with some of the liquid.
0:25:05 > 0:25:06About half of them.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19And what we end up with
0:25:19 > 0:25:21is what the French call a jam.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24You've got this combination of prunes and Armagnac,
0:25:24 > 0:25:28and we can use that to line the base of the tart.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35Now, the flavours remind me so much of my childhood
0:25:35 > 0:25:39and this is one I have in the house all the time at Christmas time.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43I just think it's so special and so simple to prepare as well.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46So you've got that layer of the prunes.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Now, one thing you have to do with this as well
0:25:48 > 0:25:52is keep this still nice and cold, so back into the fridge.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56And then we can make our classic frangipane, that really light
0:25:56 > 0:26:01filling that people know of when they're thinking of Bakewell tart.
0:26:01 > 0:26:06Start by beating 100g of butter with the same amount of caster sugar.
0:26:08 > 0:26:09Until it's white and fluffy.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13Then mix in three eggs.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Now the key to this is add the eggs one at a time.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21You mix this together.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27Sometimes it'll actually start to split and separate.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30Just keep persevering, the mixture will come together
0:26:30 > 0:26:32and then we add another egg.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Now what you end up with is this very light,
0:26:38 > 0:26:40kind of sponge mixture, I suppose,
0:26:40 > 0:26:43but then we need to add the rest of the ingredients,
0:26:43 > 0:26:46which are ground almonds and self-raising flour.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51And for that, it's crucial that you measure them.
0:26:52 > 0:26:57What you need is 50g of flour and 125g of ground almonds,
0:26:57 > 0:26:59and another splash of Armagnac.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02Then it's just a matter of mixing the whole lot together gently
0:27:02 > 0:27:05and using it to fill your tart.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09Now, the reason I like this, particularly for Christmas Day,
0:27:09 > 0:27:13is that you can make this on Christmas Eve.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16In fact, you can do this the day before Christmas Eve as well.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19You don't have to cook it until Christmas Day,
0:27:19 > 0:27:22you can just leave it in the fridge until you need it.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26Spread the almond mixture evenly
0:27:26 > 0:27:30and then gently place the Armagnac-soaked prunes on the top.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33Making a Christmas pattern with them is optional.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38I'm not into sort of fancy sort of stuff,
0:27:38 > 0:27:40just randomly chuck them on.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44Then grab some whole almonds. It's a good idea to use whole
0:27:44 > 0:27:48almonds and not flaked almonds because the flaked ones tend to burn.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51What you do is just chuck them on with finesse.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55Like that.
0:27:55 > 0:27:56Decoration done.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58The tart can now go into an oven,
0:27:58 > 0:28:04preheated to 190 degrees Centigrade for 25 to 35 minutes.
0:28:04 > 0:28:09While it's baking, put the pruney Armagnac syrup back onto the heat.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11So we bring it to the boil
0:28:11 > 0:28:14and rapidly cook this for about five to ten minutes.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18And after that, that sugars will start to thicken up the liquid,
0:28:18 > 0:28:20which will make a nice glaze.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25When the tart comes out of the oven, cut off the excess pastry.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30To turn it out, I put a bowl under the tin.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34And then for a final touch of seasonal excess,
0:28:34 > 0:28:37I whip cream with a splash of
0:28:37 > 0:28:39what else but Armagnac.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42You could do this with pouring cream,
0:28:42 > 0:28:43you could do it with ice cream.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45If you want it to be a bit fancy,
0:28:45 > 0:28:47you could do it with a creme anglais or a custard, really.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50But for me, I like the simplicity of this.
0:28:50 > 0:28:51And let's face it,
0:28:51 > 0:28:55on Christmas Day, we just want it nice and simple.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58And of course, it would be rude to serve it to anybody without
0:28:58 > 0:29:01some quality control. Well, that's my excuse.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04Now you have to take my word for it when I say,
0:29:04 > 0:29:07this is one of the best desserts you can ever make.
0:29:07 > 0:29:09If it's made properly.
0:29:13 > 0:29:17So just a dollop of the cream as well to go with it.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27If there was Christmas on a plate for me, this would be it.
0:29:30 > 0:29:32This festive dessert is part of a meal I'm cooking
0:29:32 > 0:29:34for eight people later.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36I want Ralph to look his best for the occasion.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43But his costume is going down about as well as a turkey dinner did
0:29:43 > 0:29:46for Ian and Brenda Waterman a few years ago.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49But instead of accepting their Christmas Day disaster,
0:29:49 > 0:29:52they decided to take radical action.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55Essentially, it goes back about 12 years when we were having
0:29:55 > 0:30:00a Christmas lunch and I said to Brenda, "Not a bad turkey."
0:30:00 > 0:30:04And she said, "Well, it should be pretty good for the price I paid."
0:30:04 > 0:30:08She told me what she paid for it and I nearly went through the roof.
0:30:10 > 0:30:11Come on!
0:30:11 > 0:30:13Once he calmed down,
0:30:13 > 0:30:16Ian decided they could rear better turkeys themselves
0:30:16 > 0:30:20and he knew exactly what type of bird they needed.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23I was adamant that I wanted the heritage variety,
0:30:23 > 0:30:24a traditional variety.
0:30:24 > 0:30:29And by that I mean a turkey that can mate naturally,
0:30:29 > 0:30:33can incubate and rear its own young, so we started looking around.
0:30:36 > 0:30:40But that search proved to be long and difficult,
0:30:40 > 0:30:43because these turkeys are rarer than hen's teeth.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47All of the nine varieties that we have
0:30:47 > 0:30:51are on the Rare Breed Survival Trust endangered list.
0:30:51 > 0:30:55But some are rarer than others, in particular, the Buffs.
0:30:55 > 0:30:59They're a variety - small, bit diminutive bird,
0:30:59 > 0:31:03very nice nature, very good flavour, easy to keep.
0:31:03 > 0:31:08We have the Lavender. They're a good converter of feed to meat.
0:31:08 > 0:31:13We have Crollwitzers, who are not good on the table,
0:31:13 > 0:31:15but they're beautiful for ornament.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17Some other birds have talents that stretch
0:31:17 > 0:31:19far beyond the Christmas kitchen.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23Turkeys, they're tremendous characters, no doubt about that.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25They can make very good pets.
0:31:30 > 0:31:34But sentiment aside, Ian and Brenda are running a business.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37And every year, customers like Peter
0:31:37 > 0:31:41buy their turkeys to rear at home during the run up to Christmas.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43That's it.
0:31:43 > 0:31:45That'll fatten up nicely up for Christmas.
0:31:45 > 0:31:47It'll do lovely, I should think.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49And how were the birds you had last year?
0:31:49 > 0:31:52They did very well indeed. The family members had them
0:31:52 > 0:31:55and they were happy, you know, really enjoyed the taste
0:31:55 > 0:31:57and flavour of the turkeys.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01The couple are at their busiest in the spring and summer,
0:32:01 > 0:32:05when chicks hatch and there are young to look after.
0:32:05 > 0:32:09By late December they can relax, even if the turkeys can't.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13On Christmas Day, we find it quite amusing coming out and giving them
0:32:13 > 0:32:15some treats, thinking,
0:32:15 > 0:32:18"You made it this year, let's hope you do next!"
0:32:19 > 0:32:23With a steady supply of free-range birds roaming outside,
0:32:23 > 0:32:27you can guarantee the Waterman's lay on one mean Christmas lunch.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29Cheers. Merry Christmas.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32They're a niche bird,
0:32:32 > 0:32:35but they're a delightful bird to have on the table.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39They're unique and we should hone in on that.
0:32:39 > 0:32:44I think it's only by creating a specialist market for them
0:32:44 > 0:32:47that we can sustain them long term.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51It's delicious. It's full of flavour and it's got a body to it.
0:32:51 > 0:32:53It's not the least bit watery.
0:32:53 > 0:32:54Really nice.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58Clearly the key to a happy Christmas dinner table
0:32:58 > 0:33:00is a tasty home-reared bird.
0:33:00 > 0:33:05And Ian believes we could all enjoy the benefits of a DIY turkey.
0:33:05 > 0:33:09I would love to think that other people would do just as we've done.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11You could do it in the back garden.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14You could have a couple of turkeys and you could enjoy
0:33:14 > 0:33:17a brilliant Christmas dinner that you produced yourself.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24Well, I'm not sure how impressed Ralph would be
0:33:24 > 0:33:26if I started breeding turkeys in the back garden.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28Hello, Ralph. How are you?
0:33:28 > 0:33:31But luckily, he does approve of my Michelin-starred buddy,
0:33:31 > 0:33:32Paul Ainsworth.
0:33:35 > 0:33:37- Hello, mate.- How you doing? How are you?- You good?
0:33:37 > 0:33:40- Yeah. Good to see you. - Come on in.- Excellent.
0:33:40 > 0:33:44He's here to help me make my favourite Christmas meal.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47We've been friends for years and today I'm hosting a festive
0:33:47 > 0:33:50blow-out for him and his family, who are all coming over later.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54- I thought we'd do classic roast dinner.- Yeah.
0:33:54 > 0:33:57I thought we'd do roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes
0:33:57 > 0:34:00you've got to have. And we'll do a selection of veg because
0:34:00 > 0:34:02that's what Christmas is about, a classic roast dinner.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04Definitely. Nice to have a change as well, some nice beef.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08So are you a traditional sort of thing? Would you do turkey or not?
0:34:08 > 0:34:11No, I'd do beef. Do beef, maybe a nice shoulder of lamb,
0:34:11 > 0:34:13but a traditional roast, keep it nice and simple.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15I'm all for an easy life too.
0:34:15 > 0:34:19For our Christmas lunch, I'm using a beautiful side of sirloin.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22The key to this is sealing the meat in a pan before it
0:34:22 > 0:34:23goes into the oven.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25A straightforward job
0:34:25 > 0:34:29unless you've got someone like Paul in your kitchen.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32Right, so the pan's on full whack, so I'll let you season the beef.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34- Absolutely.- There you go.
0:34:35 > 0:34:37So I just score it as well, just across.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39You can't resist, can you?
0:34:39 > 0:34:42These Michelin-star boys. I would just stick it straight in the pan!
0:34:42 > 0:34:43It just lets it in, doesn't it?
0:34:43 > 0:34:45Oh, that's to get the seasoning in?
0:34:45 > 0:34:47Yeah, that's it, that's it.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50Now you say that Christmas is sort of traditional for you really.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52Christmas is very special to my mum.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55That's, like, the one time of year you don't mess around with.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58I remember once me and my sister went out on Christmas Eve,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01we weren't too good Christmas Day, never again.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03Gosh, she was not impressed.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06When it's well and truly seasoned,
0:35:06 > 0:35:10the meat goes into a very hot pan with 25g of dripping.
0:35:10 > 0:35:11So once it goes in, don't move it.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13Too many people start fiddling around.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16And then the water comes out of the meat and then it just starts
0:35:16 > 0:35:18to boil and it's no good. It's like you said, just relax.
0:35:18 > 0:35:20This should be stress-free.
0:35:20 > 0:35:21It's in the preparation, isn't it?
0:35:21 > 0:35:24Just do that prep and then make the day quite simple
0:35:24 > 0:35:26and enjoy it with the guests.
0:35:26 > 0:35:28I'm going to get the potatoes on as well.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31Now these are King Edwards, which I think are the best.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33Cut them up into decent sized pieces,
0:35:33 > 0:35:35- I don't like roast potatoes that are too small.- No.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38The potatoes should only take a few minutes to parboil
0:35:38 > 0:35:40in a pan of salted water.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42I'm giving myself the simpler jobs,
0:35:42 > 0:35:45because Paul loves the more complicated stuff.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48- Oh, dear.- Cos you were classically trained though, weren't you, really?
0:35:48 > 0:35:50- Yeah, I was. - You were an ex-Gordon Ramsay?
0:35:50 > 0:35:52Yeah, yeah, Gary Rhodes.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55- Marcus Wareing.- So, was food in your blood then? Or...?
0:35:55 > 0:35:57Yes, definitely. I think I was very lucky.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00I grew up in... My mum and dad own a bed and breakfast in Southampton.
0:36:00 > 0:36:04Dad cooked every night. He cooked all the breakfasts in the morning,
0:36:04 > 0:36:05and my mum would cook at weekends.
0:36:05 > 0:36:09I was very lucky to grow up in a household where everyone cooked.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13Once the joint is sealed all over, put it into an oven,
0:36:13 > 0:36:17preheated to 200 degrees Centigrade.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20I like my beef medium rare, which takes about 50 minutes.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23And now it's time to sort out the spuds.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25Right, what I want you to do with the tray,
0:36:25 > 0:36:28- just put a few pieces of dripping in it.- Absolutely, yeah.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30And I'm going to get the potatoes.
0:36:30 > 0:36:31Drain them off.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35Shake the pan like that, just to loosen them up a bit.
0:36:35 > 0:36:39Just break the edges of the potatoes, really, more than anything else.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43- What are you doing? - Do you want some more?- Absolutely.
0:36:43 > 0:36:44Oh, is there not enough in there?
0:36:44 > 0:36:46THEY CHUCKLE
0:36:46 > 0:36:49- It's my house now.- Yeah, yeah. - Although we're cooking for your lot.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52Into the tray.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54- Pinch of salt.- Yeah.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57No grief whatsoever.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59- In the oven.- In the oven.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02Doing the meat and spuds is the easy part on Christmas Day.
0:37:02 > 0:37:07It's the endless veg preparation that most people find a bit nerve-racking.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Not that that's a problem for me this year.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13I'll let you break this up into little florets
0:37:13 > 0:37:16and you can be as chef-y as you want.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18- Yeah.- All right?
0:37:18 > 0:37:20What was Christmas like for you growing up as a kid?
0:37:20 > 0:37:23It was literally about the lovely meal,
0:37:23 > 0:37:26all the family being together and sort of like that,
0:37:26 > 0:37:29which I think's nice. I think ultimately that's what it's about.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31Don't you want the rest of this cauliflower or something?
0:37:31 > 0:37:34- Oh, we want all of it, do we? - Yeah, of course we do.- Yeah, OK.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37Look at how many people you've got, we've got eight of us, isn't there?
0:37:37 > 0:37:41No matter how many guests you have, the key to making your Christmas veg
0:37:41 > 0:37:45is to cook them one after another in the same pot.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48But to avoid the cauliflower getting discoloured by the carrots,
0:37:48 > 0:37:51cook it first.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53The great thing about this is all the veg,
0:37:53 > 0:37:56I say all the white veg, yeah, all the veg is perfectly cooked.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59That's what we're looking for, so while I cook this lot,
0:37:59 > 0:38:03I'll leave you to prepare the next batch, which can be the beans.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05- The beans, yeah. - So top and tail the beans
0:38:05 > 0:38:07and then we're going to basically do the carrots.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10Do you want them both ends? I leave this end on.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13I thought you would do that being a Yorkshireman, to be honest,
0:38:13 > 0:38:15- you top and tail? - No, we just leave the whole things.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17THEY LAUGH
0:38:17 > 0:38:20Now do you have traditions at Christmas or...?
0:38:20 > 0:38:21Mum has her traditions.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24So you wake up, the Christmas albums are on, loud.
0:38:24 > 0:38:28- The Christmas albums are on? - Yeah, music is a huge part of it.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30Huge, huge part of it.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32See, we had an organ.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34Nobody could play it, apart from my granddad
0:38:34 > 0:38:37who used to get quite drunk and thought he was
0:38:37 > 0:38:39basically Liberace on the piano.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42How did you do the whole Father Christmas, mince pies,
0:38:42 > 0:38:43milk and all that?
0:38:43 > 0:38:46That for me was just, that sticks in my mind so much.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49I couldn't believe when I saw it empty, it was just...
0:38:49 > 0:38:51- Yeah, he'd been. - Fascinating. Yeah, he'd been.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54He started drinking a pint of lager at one stage as well.
0:38:55 > 0:38:59I don't remember Father Christmas having that much fun in our house.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03Anyway, the cauliflower will take three to four minutes,
0:39:03 > 0:39:07then plunge it into iced water to stop it cooking.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10After that, it's just a matter of repeating the process with
0:39:10 > 0:39:12the other veg, ending with the carrots.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19My mum would always keep that water and we'd have a ham on Boxing Day
0:39:19 > 0:39:22and she'd put that in for the stock and that made amazing soup.
0:39:22 > 0:39:23Shall we just put it in a container
0:39:23 > 0:39:25and give her it as a Christmas present?
0:39:25 > 0:39:27I think she'd appreciate that, yeah.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29He's going to be in trouble when his mum sees this.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32Whatever you decide to do with the water,
0:39:32 > 0:39:34the beauty of cooking your veg like this
0:39:34 > 0:39:36is you can prep them beforehand,
0:39:36 > 0:39:40leaving plenty of time to get your gravy just right.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43So, I'm going to get the sauce on for this one.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46We've got the residual sort of gubbins, as I call it,
0:39:46 > 0:39:47from the beef.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50I add 200ml of red wine to the pot and cook it
0:39:50 > 0:39:52until it's reduced by half.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54And then we're going to take some of this beef stock.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57This is just bought in beef stock, you can buy this. Yeah.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59But they're great quality now, aren't they?
0:39:59 > 0:40:01- I think it's fantastic stuff. - I mean, look at the colour of that.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04Use a litre of the stock and cook the whole lot
0:40:04 > 0:40:06until it's reduced to a nice thick gravy.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11Meanwhile, I'm going to let you, on your own,
0:40:11 > 0:40:15let you loose in my kitchen to do the sprouts.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17To do the sprouts? OK.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21And surprise, surprise, Paul's making posh ones.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24He starts by frying pieces of streaky bacon in a pan
0:40:24 > 0:40:26with some dripping.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30And then we've got the fun job of chopping 500g of sprouts.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34That's... All this crisscrossing and stuff like that,
0:40:34 > 0:40:38just kind of...just shred them nice and fine. It's just like cabbage.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42For me, this is the one vegetable that you could just do
0:40:42 > 0:40:44about ten minutes before serving.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47- I've noticed how you started talking and stopped chopping.- Chopping.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50- You don't miss a trick you, do you? - I don't.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52I thought I'd get out of it.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54No-one takes it easy in my kitchen.
0:40:54 > 0:40:57When the bacon is crispy and golden, Paul adds the sprouts
0:40:57 > 0:40:59and fries them for a couple of minutes.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02A knob of butter will make it extra rich.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06Then it's time to crack open a classic Christmas ingredient.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08Now the two types of chestnuts you can buy
0:41:08 > 0:41:11are obviously fresh or what they call sous vide,
0:41:11 > 0:41:14and these are sous vide ones, much easier.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16Now be careful when you're actually buying these as well
0:41:16 > 0:41:19because they come whole, which it says whole,
0:41:19 > 0:41:22but right next to it it'll have pureed.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25There's two different types of puree - sweet and savoury.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28'And you don't want to be cooking the sweet ones with your sprouts,
0:41:28 > 0:41:29'believe me.
0:41:29 > 0:41:33'About 250g of the savoury version works a treat though.'
0:41:34 > 0:41:37I think they're good like this, actually, the sprouts.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39- It just takes them to a different level.- Yeah.
0:41:39 > 0:41:43Finally, add a splash of water and stir fry for a minute or two.
0:41:43 > 0:41:48With the sprouts done, the last job is to warm through the cooked veg.
0:41:48 > 0:41:52It takes just 30 seconds in one pot of boiling water.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55Then it's a matter of plating everything up.
0:41:55 > 0:41:56Look at that!
0:41:58 > 0:42:01Just as well, because Paul's family has arrived.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03He'd better get a move on.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11Hello! Come on in, come on in.
0:42:12 > 0:42:13Here we go, guys.
0:42:15 > 0:42:16Dig in.
0:42:16 > 0:42:19There's nothing to beat good food with friends.
0:42:19 > 0:42:23I just hope it gets the festive thumbs up from Paul's mum.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25- Do you want a Yorkshire pudding? Mum?- Not a massive one.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28HE LAUGHS
0:42:28 > 0:42:30Anyway, cheers, everybody.
0:42:30 > 0:42:32- Merry Christmas.- Cheers, everybody.
0:42:32 > 0:42:37In my book, you just can't top a roast dinner at Christmas.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40But by mixing traditional dishes with new flavours,
0:42:40 > 0:42:43you can really make the big day go with a bang.
0:42:43 > 0:42:47And with a little forward planning, you'll even be able to sit down
0:42:47 > 0:42:49to enjoy the food yourself.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52Well, now you know how to make Christmas stress-free.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55And if you're worried, invite a chef over for dinner.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58Well, I think that's a really good idea.
0:42:58 > 0:43:00THEY LAUGH
0:43:00 > 0:43:03You can find all the recipes from the series on...
0:43:08 > 0:43:09Yes!
0:43:11 > 0:43:14I've learnt a new dish today - chocolate and Yorkshire pudding.
0:43:14 > 0:43:16ALL LAUGH