0:00:02 > 0:00:05'The heart of my home is the kitchen.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07'And at this time of the year,
0:00:07 > 0:00:11'it's the perfect place to gather and celebrate the festive season.'
0:00:12 > 0:00:13Cheers, everybody.
0:00:15 > 0:00:16'For me,
0:00:16 > 0:00:19'Christmas is all about rustling up some fantastic food,
0:00:19 > 0:00:24'and eating it in the company of my favourite people.'
0:00:27 > 0:00:29'These are the dishes that I cook,
0:00:29 > 0:00:31'when I want to spread a little bit of cheer.'
0:00:31 > 0:00:33LAUGHTER
0:00:33 > 0:00:35These are my Christmas home comforts.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47'Christmas can be an intimidating time of year
0:00:47 > 0:00:49'for the less-confident cook.'
0:00:49 > 0:00:52There's so much pressure to deliver.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55But I've got a bunch of great recipes
0:00:55 > 0:00:58that are perfect for people who want to create fantastic food
0:00:58 > 0:01:01this festive season, with absolutely no fuss.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06So, today, I'm making a sumptuous retro supper,
0:01:06 > 0:01:07ideal for Christmas Eve.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13Who'd have thought macaroni cheese could taste this good?
0:01:13 > 0:01:17Our festive food reporter, Annie Grey, gets high...
0:01:17 > 0:01:19on cake.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22This is the first time a glacier snow cake
0:01:22 > 0:01:25has been made at 3,440 metres.
0:01:27 > 0:01:28Welcome to the kitchen.
0:01:28 > 0:01:32'And TV presenter Helen Skelton gives me a bit of a grilling.'
0:01:32 > 0:01:34- Butter?- With your fingers?
0:01:34 > 0:01:35- It's my kitchen.- Yeah.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41But I'm kicking off with the ideal Christmas starter,
0:01:41 > 0:01:44'a dish that you can prepare well in advance.'
0:01:44 > 0:01:47It's a real winter warmer.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49It's super-simple to make
0:01:49 > 0:01:52and it comes with my very own special curry twist.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56Now, for the inexperienced cook,
0:01:56 > 0:02:00there's no better place to start in a kitchen than making a soup,
0:02:00 > 0:02:05and you really can do some amazing soups with just simple ingredients.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07Now, I'm going to do a cauliflower soup with onion,
0:02:07 > 0:02:11touch of curry powder, and a little bit of veg stock and some milk.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14And then for this, really, all we do is prepare our cauliflower.
0:02:16 > 0:02:17'But before cooking it,
0:02:17 > 0:02:21'I have to chop it up, roughly, stalks and all.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25'I'm also chopping an onion,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28'which needs to be gently fried in a pan with some oil.'
0:02:30 > 0:02:31Now, while they soften,
0:02:31 > 0:02:34we can then add a bit of this stuff, this is curry powder.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37Now, for this you want the mild curry powder,
0:02:37 > 0:02:40so you just take a touch of the curry powder
0:02:40 > 0:02:42and we mix this together with water.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46So, the onions are nearly there, we can throw in our cauliflower now.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51And then you can pop... some of this curry powder in.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57'The key to making this soup silky smooth
0:02:57 > 0:03:00'is to add 500ml of milk,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03'and the same amount of veg stock to the pan.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07'Bring it to the boil, reduce to a simmer,
0:03:07 > 0:03:09'and leave for about 15 minutes.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13'More than enough time to cook the perfect partner for this soup,
0:03:13 > 0:03:14'poached eggs.'
0:03:16 > 0:03:20So, the first thing we need is a deep pan of water,
0:03:20 > 0:03:22and then what we're going to do is add
0:03:22 > 0:03:24about two tablespoons of vinegar.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26Now, I use white wine vinegar,
0:03:26 > 0:03:28rather than sort of a strong malt vinegar,
0:03:28 > 0:03:31otherwise it tends to taint the flavour of the egg.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33'And the best thing about these poached eggs
0:03:33 > 0:03:36'is you can make them well ahead of time.'
0:03:36 > 0:03:38Now, this is a trick that I learnt while training,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41is to make the eggs and put them into ice cold water,
0:03:41 > 0:03:43and it's a trick that can be used at home.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46It's such a simple way of actually doing this.
0:03:47 > 0:03:52'For the perfect poached egg, make sure the water is boiling.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54'Crack a fresh egg into a pot,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57'whisk the water to create a mini whirlpool,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00'and then add the egg into the centre.'
0:04:00 > 0:04:02So, these can be done two days in advance
0:04:02 > 0:04:05and especially if you've got lots of people round for breakfast,
0:04:05 > 0:04:08this is a great way to serve breakfast for mass numbers.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11'After a minute and a half,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14'the white should be firm and the yolk runny.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18'So, plonk the egg into iced water to make sure it doesn't over-cook,
0:04:18 > 0:04:20'and then repeat the process.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22'You'll need two for every bowl of soup.'
0:04:24 > 0:04:28And then what we can do is take these eggs...in the ice
0:04:28 > 0:04:30and pop them in the fridge.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36And these can stay in there for about 48 hours until we need them.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41'For a simple and tasty topping, it has to be croutons.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44'So, chop up some good quality, day-old white bread,
0:04:44 > 0:04:48'leaving the crusts on, and gently fry for two minutes.'
0:04:48 > 0:04:51So, when your croutons are ready, just on a bit of kitchen paper
0:04:51 > 0:04:53tip them out,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56this just gets rid of any excess oil in there,
0:04:56 > 0:04:58and now the 15 minutes is up,
0:04:58 > 0:05:00we're now ready to blitz our soup.
0:05:02 > 0:05:07'For a really smooth liquid, divide it into three batches,
0:05:07 > 0:05:11'then pass them through a blender for two to three minutes each time.'
0:05:16 > 0:05:20What you end up with is a delicious silky soup, like that.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24Now that's the milk that you've cooked the veg in.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26You see, just from one cauliflower,
0:05:26 > 0:05:28how much soup you get out of it as well.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31'Season with salt and pepper,
0:05:31 > 0:05:35'and add a squeeze of lemon juice to lift all those rich flavours.'
0:05:35 > 0:05:37And then, really, we're ready to serve.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39Your soup can be just kept warm.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42You can allow this to cool right down, you can even freeze this
0:05:42 > 0:05:44and defrost it and bring it back up to temperature.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48'When it's time to serve this luxurious starter,
0:05:48 > 0:05:52'revive the eggs in boiling water for just 20 seconds,
0:05:52 > 0:05:53'then add them to the soup.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59'Top with the croutons...
0:06:00 > 0:06:04'..add a little coriander cress and that really is it!'
0:06:05 > 0:06:09And then, because you now can cook,
0:06:09 > 0:06:14a little cheffy drizzle of oil. And there you have it -
0:06:14 > 0:06:18a simple yet delicious and tasty cauliflower soup.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22This is a cracking dish for Christmas Day lunch.
0:06:24 > 0:06:29Because, remember, all of this can be made about 48 hours in advance.
0:06:29 > 0:06:30It's a good dish, that.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34'It also proves that soups don't have to be boring.
0:06:34 > 0:06:39'The crunchy topping and cleverly concealed poached eggs make this
0:06:39 > 0:06:42'the perfect curtain-raiser for your celebrations.'
0:06:46 > 0:06:49Mind you, no-one celebrates Christmas
0:06:49 > 0:06:52quite like the Scandinavians.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56And with more than 150,000 of them living in London alone,
0:06:56 > 0:07:00their festive food is gaining popularity over here too.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06Bronte Aurell has brought her family's Danish yuletide traditions
0:07:06 > 0:07:07to her new London home.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12Today, she's preparing for one of the biggest events
0:07:12 > 0:07:15in the Scandinavian Christmas calendar.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19I am baking traditional saffron buns called lussekatter.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22We're doing this, because it's the feast of St Lucia
0:07:22 > 0:07:25on the 13th of December. A traditional St Lucia festival,
0:07:25 > 0:07:31er, you have a lot of choirs across towns and cities in Scandinavia.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34Tonight, we're going to have a choir at the Swedish church,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36and, at the front of the choir, there'll be a Lucia bride -
0:07:36 > 0:07:41a girl usually dressed in white with real candles in her hair.
0:07:41 > 0:07:42The festival is important,
0:07:42 > 0:07:45because, back in the day, in the old calendar,
0:07:45 > 0:07:47this was traditionally the darkest night of the year
0:07:47 > 0:07:49and it was also the night where people believed
0:07:49 > 0:07:51that the evil spirits could roam.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56Well, December 13th may mean evil spirits,
0:07:56 > 0:07:58but it also means heavenly food.
0:07:59 > 0:08:04To make her lussekatter, Bronte dissolves yeast in lukewarm milk
0:08:04 > 0:08:06and then sprinkles some caster sugar.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10While we're waiting for the sugar to dissolve,
0:08:10 > 0:08:14we can add the saffron flavour and colour.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17The colour, that is traditionally the colour to ward off evil spirits
0:08:17 > 0:08:19and ward off the Devil.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21To this potent mixture
0:08:21 > 0:08:25she adds melted butter, flour, yoghurt and a whole egg.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28The dough mixture is now ready to be rolled out.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33You want to have quite an even roll on this.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37And then you twist it from different ways
0:08:37 > 0:08:39into the traditional S shape, like this.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42This shape is actually a really old Nordic shape.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46The S shape is the most traditional bun - dates to pre-Christian times.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50So that is, er, that's why the Lucia buns have that shape.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54The final thing we do with the Lucia buns before they go into the oven
0:08:54 > 0:08:58is that we put a little raison in each end.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00The buns need 20 minutes baking,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03so there's time for Bronte and her daughters
0:09:03 > 0:09:05to make a second Scandinavian delicacy.
0:09:05 > 0:09:10- Right, so...let's have a little bit of dough.- I'm making pepparkakor!
0:09:10 > 0:09:14- It's, er, like a ginger biscuit. - A type of ginger biscuit!
0:09:14 > 0:09:17- Where do pepparkakors come from? - Scandinavia!
0:09:17 > 0:09:20We're going to make 60 or 70 biscuits -
0:09:20 > 0:09:21that's quite a lot, isn't it?
0:09:21 > 0:09:24I might want to eat a few hundred myself, though.
0:09:24 > 0:09:29- This really smells of gingerbread. - Yeah!- And cinnamon, and Christmas.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32When the whole house fills with the smell of the Lucia buns
0:09:32 > 0:09:35and ginger biscuits that have just been baked,
0:09:35 > 0:09:37that signifies Christmas is here.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39Christmas is the most important thing to all Scandinavians.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42That's the most important time of the year to us.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44It takes us straight back to home,
0:09:44 > 0:09:46straight back to our mother's kitchens,
0:09:46 > 0:09:50and straight back to snow-clad landscapes and log fires.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53The baking for tonight's celebration complete...
0:09:53 > 0:09:56- ALL: Skal! - Cheers!- Skal!
0:09:56 > 0:09:58..Bronte invites friends and family
0:09:58 > 0:10:01to share one more old-style Scandi favourite.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04'A smorgasbord actually means a laid out table
0:10:04 > 0:10:08'and everybody sits around and makes their own little open sandwiches.
0:10:08 > 0:10:09'It can take up to...
0:10:09 > 0:10:12'Well, a big smorgasbord can take up to five or six hours,'
0:10:12 > 0:10:15where you sit and you start off with a herring, drink a few shots
0:10:15 > 0:10:18of aquavit to warm yourself up for the rest of the meal,
0:10:18 > 0:10:21take a break, then have some different kinds of fish,
0:10:21 > 0:10:24different kinds of salads, pates and then your warm meats.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27But what brings it all together is that it's all about
0:10:27 > 0:10:30sharing time with the people you love, and we share Christmas
0:10:30 > 0:10:33and the Christmas spirit that way. It's wonderful.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36But they haven't got six hours to share this smorgasbord.
0:10:36 > 0:10:41It's nearly time for church, and that St Lucia celebration.
0:10:41 > 0:10:46# Sankta Lucia
0:10:46 > 0:10:52# Ljusklara hagring
0:10:52 > 0:10:58# Drommar med vingesus
0:10:58 > 0:11:04# Under oss sia
0:11:04 > 0:11:10# Tand dina vita ljus
0:11:10 > 0:11:17# Sankta Lucia. #
0:11:20 > 0:11:24This religious celebration, and the food that goes with it,
0:11:24 > 0:11:29provides all the congregation with a festive reminder of home.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33The taste and the smell and the eating the buns, er...
0:11:33 > 0:11:38well, yes, they do bring me back to childhood memories
0:11:38 > 0:11:41and I think it does for most... most Swedish people,
0:11:41 > 0:11:45because you had them at school, you had them at home with your family,
0:11:45 > 0:11:49and the smell you can smell now it's Christmas time soon, so...
0:11:49 > 0:11:51it gives you that feeling.
0:11:51 > 0:11:52BUZZ OF CONVERSATION
0:11:52 > 0:11:55'Doing a Christmas the Scandinavian way is really, really simple,
0:11:55 > 0:11:57'and it's just about having really good produce,'
0:11:57 > 0:12:01simply prepared, um, getting some friends together
0:12:01 > 0:12:04and enjoying good food, with love from Scandinavia.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16So, you can find sticky treats wherever you go at Christmas time,
0:12:16 > 0:12:19which is fine by me, because I love them.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24'It's hard to get away from these things too.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27'So, why not use them to make a couple of sweet desserts?'
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Now, when you think of cooking a dessert for Christmas,
0:12:34 > 0:12:37you really want something simple that's full of flavour
0:12:37 > 0:12:41and there's nothing better than a bowl of these - clementines.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44So what I'm going to do is I'm going to make two really simple desserts
0:12:44 > 0:12:46using these, one of which is a classic syllabub,
0:12:46 > 0:12:49and the other one is based on a classic crepe suzette,
0:12:49 > 0:12:51both of which are really simple to make.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55'First up, the syllabub.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59'Mix icing sugar and mascarpone cheese together in a bowl.
0:12:59 > 0:13:04'Then whisk in 200ml of double cream, little by little.'
0:13:04 > 0:13:06It's one of the easiest desserts I think you'll make
0:13:06 > 0:13:09and one of the great desserts for Christmas as well,
0:13:09 > 0:13:12because you can make it in literally five minutes.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17It's nearly there now. You can see the texture changes.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21It almost resembles sort of half-whipped cream.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23That's what we're looking for.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25'For a really festive flavour,
0:13:25 > 0:13:29'add some orange curd and the juice of one clementine.'
0:13:31 > 0:13:33You just carefully fold it in, almost like a raspberry ripple,
0:13:33 > 0:13:35but with clementines and orange.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37You can have a quick taste.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42It's really good, that.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45Now, to put it into the glasses, you use a piping bag.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51If not, you can just use a spoon and dollop it in.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53'For this, no nozzle is required.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55'Just cut a big hole in the bottom,
0:13:55 > 0:13:57'and fill the glasses with the mixture.'
0:14:00 > 0:14:02And this is what I love about this dish -
0:14:02 > 0:14:05you can make this two, three, four days in advance,
0:14:05 > 0:14:07have them in the fridge,
0:14:07 > 0:14:11and you can see the texture already is just exactly how you want it.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14You've got this amazing syllabub.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16'To decorate, slice some clementine...
0:14:18 > 0:14:20'..and add sprigs of mint.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23'And while they're chilling away in the fridge,
0:14:23 > 0:14:25'it's time for some French inspiration.'
0:14:25 > 0:14:27Now another dessert that I wanted to show you,
0:14:27 > 0:14:31one that's equally quick and simple, is, of course, pancakes.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35'Or "crepes", as they say across the Channel.
0:14:35 > 0:14:42'Whisk together 125g of plain flour, one egg and 300ml of milk.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45'Add a knob of butter to a heavy-based non-stick pan,
0:14:45 > 0:14:48'and prepare some greaseproof paper for when they're done.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52'Add a little of the mixture into a hot pan
0:14:52 > 0:14:54'and, hopefully, it won't stick.'
0:14:56 > 0:14:59This is why you cook it in butter and not oil.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01The pancake's not in the pan for very long...
0:15:01 > 0:15:03PAN RATTLES
0:15:03 > 0:15:05..and the butter will give it a nice colour.
0:15:07 > 0:15:08Practice.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15'Repeat the process until you have enough for you,
0:15:15 > 0:15:17'your friends and family.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20'Oh, and Santa too, if he stops by.'
0:15:23 > 0:15:27And you don't normally associate pancakes with Christmas,
0:15:27 > 0:15:29but I certainly do,
0:15:29 > 0:15:33because my mother used to make these and freeze them.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35She used to take them out of the freezer on Boxing Day,
0:15:35 > 0:15:37just let them defrost and actually fold them over
0:15:37 > 0:15:39and make a nice little sauce, so often just with
0:15:39 > 0:15:42a little bit of honey and a bit of sugar sprinkled over the top.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44It's a great go-to dessert, this.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48'But these days, I prefer something a bit more grown-up on my pancakes -
0:15:48 > 0:15:52'my take on a classic French suzette sauce.'
0:15:52 > 0:15:54Now, this would be so often done with orange,
0:15:54 > 0:15:58but we're going to use the zest of the clementines as well,
0:15:58 > 0:15:59together with the segments.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06'Start by caramelising caster sugar in a non-stick pan.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10'Add brandy and, if you're confident you won't set fire to your eyebrows,
0:16:10 > 0:16:12'flambe to burn off the alcohol.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17'Then add lemon and clementine juice,
0:16:17 > 0:16:19'along with those segments and zest.
0:16:21 > 0:16:22'But there's one final ingredient
0:16:22 > 0:16:26'that really holds this sauce together.'
0:16:26 > 0:16:28See, this is where it all went wrong...
0:16:28 > 0:16:29or all started.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34Throw the butter in, keep it on the heat.
0:16:36 > 0:16:37'And while the butter does its stuff,
0:16:37 > 0:16:40'fold the pancakes into quarters,
0:16:40 > 0:16:43'ready to be doused in this rich sauce.'
0:16:45 > 0:16:48And then pour this over the top of the pancakes.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53'Now, you could serve this with vanilla ice cream,
0:16:53 > 0:16:55'but why would you do that
0:16:55 > 0:16:58'when you have a syllabub waiting in the fridge?'
0:16:58 > 0:17:00This is delicious.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05It's full of flavour!
0:17:05 > 0:17:07So simple to make!
0:17:07 > 0:17:09It's a great dessert to have up your sleeve
0:17:09 > 0:17:11or have in the back of the fridge.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15Fantastic! And then, of course, you've got your pancakes.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22See, dishes like this are just the essence of Christmas.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25It's a good dish, that.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27'Even if I do say so myself!
0:17:27 > 0:17:30'A clementine syllabub, with no-nonsense pancakes
0:17:30 > 0:17:35'and a show-off sauce - enough to bring yuletide cheer to any table.'
0:17:41 > 0:17:45I'm always singing the praises of modern, straightforward recipes.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48But nothing could be easier
0:17:48 > 0:17:53than some of the festive foods championed by the Victorians.
0:17:53 > 0:17:54Food historian Ivan Day is
0:17:54 > 0:17:58going to recreate a memorable meal from the period.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01It featured in one of the most famous
0:18:01 > 0:18:05Christmas stories ever written - A Christmas Carol.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10Charles Dickens sets a scene
0:18:10 > 0:18:14which has inspired Christmas dinners across the land -
0:18:14 > 0:18:21the Cratchit family's roast goose with roast potatoes and apple sauce.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25The fire needs to be red hot to roast the goose,
0:18:25 > 0:18:29so Ivan's going to start by making the trimmings.
0:18:29 > 0:18:34This stuffing recipe is from a really important book called
0:18:34 > 0:18:38A Shilling Cookery Book For The People.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42The author was a famous chef called Alexis Soyer
0:18:42 > 0:18:44and he aimed the recipes
0:18:44 > 0:18:47at people who were living off a very low income.
0:18:47 > 0:18:53In A Christmas Carol, Bob Cratchit earns 15 shillings a week,
0:18:53 > 0:18:58the equivalent of £72 in modern money.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00Well, he did have Scrooge as a boss!
0:19:01 > 0:19:06So, Cratchit had to make his meal with very affordable ingredients.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10For the stuffing, fresh sage is added to the breadcrumbs,
0:19:10 > 0:19:14and then something a bit more surprising - beetroot.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16I'm not going to chop them too small,
0:19:16 > 0:19:19cos I think they'll be really nice in big chunks.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25Softened onions and a little sugar go in next,
0:19:25 > 0:19:29and it's all bound together with an egg yolk and some seasoning.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33And I'm not sure how the Cratchits' liked their pepper,
0:19:33 > 0:19:34but I know what I like.
0:19:36 > 0:19:37I like mine nice and coarse.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41Then it's stirred together,
0:19:41 > 0:19:44the bird's stuffed and hung by the fire.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49Poorer Victorian families didn't have ovens,
0:19:49 > 0:19:54so they'd often ask the local baker to cook their meat for them.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57But an ingenious device changed all that.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01This gadget is called a bottle jack,
0:20:01 > 0:20:07and it enabled fairly poor people to enjoy a roast goose
0:20:07 > 0:20:12every Christmas in front of their quite small domestic fireplaces.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17This is a type of English cookery that has entirely disappeared -
0:20:17 > 0:20:19roast meat.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22In order for meat to be roasted, it has to be rotated
0:20:22 > 0:20:27in front of a fire, and certainly not in an oven - that's baked meat.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30This goose will cook in about an hour-and-a-half.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35And during that time, Ivan can cook the perfect companion -
0:20:35 > 0:20:39potatoes roasted in the dripping from the bird.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43Goose is such a fat bird that I don't need to add any more fat
0:20:43 > 0:20:46to these potatoes to get them to roast.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49A goose provided a hearty Christmas meal
0:20:49 > 0:20:53for the hardworking Victorians, and much more besides.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55Every last bit of the bird was put to good use
0:20:55 > 0:20:58by the families who had space to keep them.
0:20:58 > 0:21:05Cottages often ran a lag of geese to provide meat for the table,
0:21:05 > 0:21:10grease for medicine, and feathers for arrows or pens.
0:21:10 > 0:21:16Charles Dickens probably penned A Christmas Carol with a goose quill,
0:21:16 > 0:21:21which would have also been an essential piece of office equipment
0:21:21 > 0:21:26for his poor overworked clerk, Bob Cratchit.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29While Ivan's roast lunch is finishing off,
0:21:29 > 0:21:32here's a reminder of the Cratchit family's excited reaction
0:21:32 > 0:21:34to their Christmas feast.
0:21:34 > 0:21:39"Bob said he didn't believe there ever was such a goose cooked.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43"Its tenderness and flavour, size and cheapness
0:21:43 > 0:21:47"were the themes of universal admiration.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49"And the youngest Cratchits in particular
0:21:49 > 0:21:55"were steeped in sage and onion to the eyebrows."
0:21:55 > 0:21:59Sounds like my kind of roast, but how's Ivan's turned out?
0:21:59 > 0:22:04My goose is cooked to kind of mahogany perfection.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08So I'm going to slice a little bit of breast meat off,
0:22:08 > 0:22:10let's just cut that off there.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13What I really like about this particular variation
0:22:13 > 0:22:17on the Cratchit Christmas dinner
0:22:17 > 0:22:21is this wonderful Alexis Soyer beetroot stuffing,
0:22:21 > 0:22:23which really makes it sparkle.
0:22:23 > 0:22:30A few potatoes, and then, last but not least, some apple sauce.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32So, there we have it,
0:22:32 > 0:22:38a perfect Dickensian Christmas dinner, cooked to perfection.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41A meal like this was a rarity for the poor,
0:22:41 > 0:22:45and as Tiny Tim tucked into
0:22:45 > 0:22:48the best meal he'd eaten since last Christmas,
0:22:48 > 0:22:51it is understandable that he would say,
0:22:51 > 0:22:54"God bless us, every one!"
0:22:58 > 0:23:02The night before Christmas can be one of the busiest of the year.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04There's just so much to think about.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08Cooking a complicated supper is the last thing you need.
0:23:08 > 0:23:12Instead, you want something fast and familiar, like this.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19Now, if there's one dish that's had a bit of a renaissance recently,
0:23:19 > 0:23:22it's mac and cheese, and this is my version of it.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25It's quick, simple, easy to prepare, full of flavour
0:23:25 > 0:23:26and tastes fantastic.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29It's perfect for the run-up to Christmas.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31First of all, we're going to cook our macaroni.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33For that you need salted boiling water,
0:23:33 > 0:23:36a bit of macaroni. Make sure you've got plenty of water as well.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40Now, this will take about maybe eight to ten minutes to cook.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43Follow the instructions on the back of the packet, really.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46That gives me the chance to make the sauce.
0:23:46 > 0:23:51I start by melting some butter in a warm pan, and stir in some flour.
0:23:52 > 0:23:57Then add 500ml of milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
0:23:57 > 0:24:02Now, what you end up with is a lovely rich sauce.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04And a little hint of nutmeg.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10Now, this is a great thing you can get on your Christmas list,
0:24:10 > 0:24:12a little grater.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16Then we can turn our attention to the cheese.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18Whatever cheese you've got, really.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21It's kind of the stuff that you use a leftover cheeseboard.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24This gorgonzola dolce -
0:24:24 > 0:24:27which is that combination of mascarpone cheese and gorgonzola -
0:24:27 > 0:24:28we throw a little bit of that in.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32You've got some Cheddar cheese, you can put this into chunks.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35This is where you can transform the everyday macaroni cheese
0:24:35 > 0:24:38that we used to have as a kid into something really special
0:24:38 > 0:24:42by the combination of different types of cheeses.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44So we've got a Caerphilly cheese,
0:24:44 > 0:24:47which you can dissolve into it as well.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51And finally, I'm adding Parmesan,
0:24:51 > 0:24:54but you can add whatever you happen to have in.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57And the flavouring that I'm going to add as well
0:24:57 > 0:25:00is just a tiny bit of mustard, but I'm going to use some grain mustard,
0:25:00 > 0:25:03and whisk that together.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05Season with salt and pepper
0:25:05 > 0:25:08and taste to see if the sauce is cheesy enough.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11Do you know what? That's not bad, actually.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14And then add my secret ingredient.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17You've got to have this next thing in macaroni cheese.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21It shouldn't be just cheese and pasta.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24I know that'll please a lot of people.
0:25:24 > 0:25:29But for me, it's all about this - pancetta,
0:25:29 > 0:25:31this wonderful ingredient.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33It's cured Italian belly pork, it's wonderful,
0:25:33 > 0:25:36and if we chop it up into pieces...
0:25:36 > 0:25:40You can actually buy this stuff as lardons now as well,
0:25:40 > 0:25:44but I'm going to fry it up so it's crispy.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47So you get different types of flavours in every single bite.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49Tiny bit of oil...
0:25:49 > 0:25:53and we throw in a little bit of pancetta.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Now, this is a dish that everybody wants, really, at Christmas.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58It's quick, simple to prepare,
0:25:58 > 0:26:01you can actually put it in the fridge and reheat it.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03So it makes for the perfect dish, really,
0:26:03 > 0:26:06whether you're doing this for a dinner party
0:26:06 > 0:26:10and you want to surprise them with something slightly different,
0:26:10 > 0:26:11or using leftovers as well,
0:26:11 > 0:26:14everybody's got leftovers on the cheeseboard,
0:26:14 > 0:26:15you're wondering what to do with it,
0:26:15 > 0:26:18gets to Boxing Day, after Christmas, you want a quick snack,
0:26:18 > 0:26:20something like that for the kids,
0:26:20 > 0:26:23this is the perfect way to incorporate everything together.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27By the time the pancetta's ready, the macaroni should be too.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30So take them both off the heat and drain the pasta,
0:26:30 > 0:26:33and then pour it back into the pan.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37So now we're more or less ready, really. Switch off the heat.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41We've got this fantastic sauce that I can pour into it as well.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49Stir all this lot in, so we want to coat all that macaroni
0:26:49 > 0:26:51in the sauce...
0:26:52 > 0:26:55..and then we can take some of this crispy pancetta.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58Now, I know a lot of people would drain off the fat -
0:26:58 > 0:27:01you're fools! That's all flavour in there!
0:27:02 > 0:27:04Mix that together.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06Ha-ha!
0:27:06 > 0:27:08You see, now we're talking.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11Cheese starts to melt, those chunks of cheese in there.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15Chuck it on our dish, like that.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19But then, what I like to do,
0:27:19 > 0:27:21something a little bit more special,
0:27:21 > 0:27:25you take some mozzarella cheese over the top...
0:27:28 > 0:27:30..a nice bit of breadcrumbs.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32So I'm going to pop this straight under the grill
0:27:32 > 0:27:35for about three or four minutes.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39And while that's finishing off,
0:27:39 > 0:27:42I'm going to make a fresh and speedy salad.
0:27:42 > 0:27:43A simple grain-mustard dressing
0:27:43 > 0:27:47is great over cheese-topped cos lettuce.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50Perfect with that hot mac and cheese.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57Oh, ho, ho, look at that.
0:27:57 > 0:28:02Now, me, personally, I would just put a touch of basil on it.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06I'm basically just going to dive straight in and have a taste.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08Now macaroni cheese...
0:28:10 > 0:28:12..has been around for years.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15I'm a '70s child, and this was the staple back then,
0:28:15 > 0:28:18but if it tasted like this - sorry, Mother -
0:28:18 > 0:28:21I'd be the size of a house.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26Some people think I am.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28It's an optical illusion.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31It's just your TVs are getting bigger.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33Well, that's my excuse, anyway.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35So, there you have it -
0:28:35 > 0:28:38a delicious, comforting, savoury supper for Christmas Eve.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40Make this,
0:28:40 > 0:28:43and you'll never have to throw away your leftover cheese again.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50During the holidays, British homes are packed with treats.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53But even our famous love of sugar
0:28:53 > 0:28:56is nothing compared to that of the Austrians.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59They adore all things sweet, which is why
0:28:59 > 0:29:04we sent our festive food reporter, Annie Gray, over for a visit.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08Austria's long-standing love affair with cakes and baking
0:29:08 > 0:29:10really comes into its own at Christmas.
0:29:13 > 0:29:18I've spent the last few months travelling all over the country,
0:29:18 > 0:29:19meeting the artisans and producers
0:29:19 > 0:29:23who've helped to make it the capital of Christmas food.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27And this is undoubtedly the high point of my journey.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37I am here on the Pitztal Glacier in Austria to meet Norbert Santeler,
0:29:37 > 0:29:41a man who bakes cakes to thrill, no matter what the chill.
0:29:44 > 0:29:49For the past 33 years, patissier Norbert has been baking cakes
0:29:49 > 0:29:52and strudels halfway up this mountain.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56Working at this altitude isn't easy,
0:29:56 > 0:29:59because the thin air affects the dough and cooking time.
0:30:02 > 0:30:06And today, Norbert definitely needs some outside assistance.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11Hi, Annie. Hilf mir. Bitte!
0:30:11 > 0:30:13SHE SIGHS
0:30:13 > 0:30:18That's because he intends to bake a cake 650 metres further up,
0:30:18 > 0:30:21right at the glacier's summit.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24- OK.- Das ist so schon.
0:30:26 > 0:30:28I've just seen this side. Wow!
0:30:29 > 0:30:31So beautiful, yeah.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34'Norbert's agreed to teach me how to make
0:30:34 > 0:30:38'his version of a traditional Austrian Christmas cake.'
0:30:38 > 0:30:42This is quite special. I don't think you can really beat this, can you?
0:30:42 > 0:30:45All this snow - it's like Christmas has come early.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48Together, we'll attempt to make his cake
0:30:48 > 0:30:51just outside Austria's highest cafe.
0:30:55 > 0:30:56OK.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59HE SPEAKS IN GERMAN
0:30:59 > 0:31:06So we're making glacier snow cake at 3,440 metres. Wow.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08Do I get a hat like yours?
0:31:08 > 0:31:10HE REPLIES IN GERMAN
0:31:10 > 0:31:12OK.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14- OK?- Ja.
0:31:16 > 0:31:18OK, perfect, super.
0:31:18 > 0:31:19OK.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24So what we've got here is sour cream with sugar in,
0:31:24 > 0:31:28and some coconut syrup, and gelatine to go into it to make it set.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30Obviously, at these temperatures,
0:31:30 > 0:31:32there are some issues with using gelatine
0:31:32 > 0:31:34because it starts to set straightaway.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37You can really smell the coconut coming off this.
0:31:37 > 0:31:41It's quite a different smell to what you'd expect from English cakes.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44I think this is going to be a real Christmas treat.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49This is whipped cream going into the mixture.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51OK, stop.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53- Stop?- Stop, yes.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56It's a really simple thing to make,
0:31:56 > 0:31:58perfect for the novice cook,
0:31:58 > 0:32:04and although it's slightly more challenging up here at 3,500 metres,
0:32:04 > 0:32:06I would say it's a pretty good dish to start with
0:32:06 > 0:32:08if you're not particularly confident,
0:32:08 > 0:32:10or if you're on top of a glacier.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14'The recipe's simple, but keeping warm is a challenge,
0:32:14 > 0:32:18'so Norbert, ever the gent, is letting me take over.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20'To help my circulation, obviously.'
0:32:20 > 0:32:23Really, this is just layers, so there's cake at the bottom,
0:32:23 > 0:32:26standard sponge cake, then my cream mixture.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30Some of these lady fingers, or boudoir biscuits,
0:32:30 > 0:32:32call them what you will, on top,
0:32:32 > 0:32:34and then pineapple round the edge,
0:32:34 > 0:32:39a sort of coconut, pineapple, cream cake. Wow.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42The other really good thing about this cake of course
0:32:42 > 0:32:44is that you can make it in advance
0:32:44 > 0:32:47so it makes your Christmas Day really simple
0:32:47 > 0:32:49as well as the cake itself.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53Last thing to do - put the final layer of my sour cream mix on top,
0:32:53 > 0:32:57and this is actually setting as I do this, it's so cold.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01If you don't have a glacier at home, you can probably use a fridge,
0:33:01 > 0:33:04but here, there's absolutely no need for one.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09All that's left now is some fresh snow.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11So we're using desiccated coconut
0:33:11 > 0:33:14to give it that really snowy, Christmassy feel.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17- Super.- Vielen Danke.- Bitte schon.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22This is the first time a glacier snow cake
0:33:22 > 0:33:27has been made at 3,440 metres, and I made it.
0:33:31 > 0:33:37Wow! Austria has so much cake, and I have so little time.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39It's going to have to be the one I helped to make,
0:33:39 > 0:33:44though, isn't it, really, my very own glacier snow cake.
0:33:44 > 0:33:45Right...
0:33:45 > 0:33:47Danke.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51I've got my Austrian Christmas cake and a glass of cherry punch,
0:33:51 > 0:33:55and I have to say I'm starting to feel really Christmassy.
0:33:55 > 0:33:59But the proof of the pudding is always in tasting.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05Oh, yes! Wow!
0:34:05 > 0:34:07If you told me that had booze in, I'd believe you.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11The sour cream really cuts through any of the richness in the cake.
0:34:11 > 0:34:16This would be absolutely perfect after a big Christmas dinner,
0:34:16 > 0:34:19and it's so simple, I can barely believe it.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22Classic, simple Christmas. Easy.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29Well, Annie, Christmas SHOULD be easy, and relaxing too.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32But when you've got an old friend coming for dinner,
0:34:32 > 0:34:34there's no time to rest,
0:34:34 > 0:34:39especially when your guest is as lively and energetic as this one.
0:34:41 > 0:34:43- Hello!- Helen, how are you? Are you all right?
0:34:43 > 0:34:45- Good. Good to see you. - Come on in.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49'TV presenter Helen Skelton is known for taking on big challenges.
0:34:49 > 0:34:54'Today, her mission is to help me prepare a sensational salmon dish.'
0:34:54 > 0:34:58- Right, then, Helen, welcome to the kitchen.- They look serious.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01They look serious? Well, we've got a serious job to do, really,
0:35:01 > 0:35:03but this is simple because...
0:35:03 > 0:35:06I kind of know what you're like in the kitchen.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08Terrible!
0:35:08 > 0:35:09I want to be good in the kitchen.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11You want to be good.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13I always invite people over to our house,
0:35:13 > 0:35:16we often end up with 10 or 12 people coming round.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19We had 12 people over for Christmas last year, and I can't cook at all.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21Right. Who did the cooking, then?
0:35:21 > 0:35:24- My husband. I got sent out of the kitchen...- OK.- ..on a long dog walk.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27So, we're going to start off with a salmon pasty.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29That's a massive fish, isn't it?
0:35:29 > 0:35:30It's called a coulibiac.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32Now, coulibiac's traditionally done with rice,
0:35:32 > 0:35:34it's a very famous Russian dish,
0:35:34 > 0:35:37but we're going to do it with just mushrooms and spinach, all right?
0:35:37 > 0:35:40We're going to slice up the mushrooms first -
0:35:40 > 0:35:42a very straightforward task, just to be on the safe side.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44You see, my family get mad at me
0:35:44 > 0:35:47because I do like to cook and I attempt to cook
0:35:47 > 0:35:49but I don't believe in recipes, I think they're a bit...
0:35:49 > 0:35:52That's where you're falling down, mainly, you see.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55So what's the traditional go-to Helen dish, then?
0:35:55 > 0:35:56- Chilli.- Chilli?
0:35:56 > 0:35:58Yeah, but that can be quite complicated to make.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00You make that without a recipe?
0:36:00 > 0:36:03Yeah, but, again, my friends laugh because I always say
0:36:03 > 0:36:04"Come over, I'll cook a chilli,"
0:36:04 > 0:36:07and then they come over and after about an hour of them being there,
0:36:07 > 0:36:09they order a pizza
0:36:09 > 0:36:12because I've burnt mince and got tomatoes everywhere and...
0:36:12 > 0:36:15You see, that's why you need to follow a recipe.
0:36:15 > 0:36:19'Well, today's recipe requires those mushrooms to be cooked.'
0:36:19 > 0:36:22Now, whenever you're frying mushrooms - a very, very hot pan.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24So a hot pan, butter...
0:36:24 > 0:36:25With your fingers?
0:36:25 > 0:36:27Yeah, it's my kitchen.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30- Yeah.- Right, in there, we throw the mushrooms in.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33- What kind of mushrooms are these? - These are enoki.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35Enoki? I thought that was pasta.
0:36:35 > 0:36:36No?!
0:36:36 > 0:36:39Do I have to go back a different level?
0:36:39 > 0:36:42We used to go and pick mushrooms from the fields.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44Cos you were brought up on a farm, weren't you? Like myself.
0:36:44 > 0:36:46Yeah, I was brought up in the middle of nowhere
0:36:46 > 0:36:49and you can hit a golf ball off the back-door step.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51You know, how sometimes if kids go in and their mums say,
0:36:51 > 0:36:54"Oh, you're all mucky"? If we were head to toe in mud,
0:36:54 > 0:36:56- my mum was happy because we'd had a good time.- Right.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59I was lucky because my dad was on the farm, so he was always there
0:36:59 > 0:37:02so he could always build a den with us and run across the field with us
0:37:02 > 0:37:04and all that kind of stuff so I feel lucky.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06So what gave you the adventurous side, then?
0:37:06 > 0:37:09Rowing down the Amazon and all that sort of stuff, why all that?
0:37:09 > 0:37:12I think, James, it's a fine line between brave and stupid,
0:37:12 > 0:37:15and if I'm completely honest, I never really thought it through.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18When I went to the Amazon, I had no idea how big it was.
0:37:18 > 0:37:19- Really?- No.
0:37:19 > 0:37:21'I won't laugh.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24'I'm not exactly an expert on South American rivers myself.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26'Anyway, back to the dish.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30'The mushrooms have now softened, so I take them out of the pan
0:37:30 > 0:37:33'and get ready to saute the second filling - spinach.'
0:37:34 > 0:37:37Now, next time I come over to your house, I'm expecting this.
0:37:37 > 0:37:41- Well, I...- You can practise it over Christmas, can't you, on everybody?
0:37:41 > 0:37:44Well, I'm going to have a new social circle over Christmas
0:37:44 > 0:37:47- cos we're moving to France so... - You're moving to France?
0:37:47 > 0:37:50We are moving to France for my husband's work.
0:37:50 > 0:37:52- The home of great cooking.- Yeah!
0:37:52 > 0:37:55He even said to me, "Don't start inviting everyone over
0:37:55 > 0:37:58"and then offer them burnt chilli or a takeaway pizza,"
0:37:58 > 0:38:00so I want to be able to go and cook something
0:38:00 > 0:38:02so I don't embarrass myself.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04'Once the spinach is sauteed,
0:38:04 > 0:38:07'it all needs to go into the fridge to cool.'
0:38:07 > 0:38:09So what was Christmas like growing up for you, then?
0:38:09 > 0:38:11I'm really, really close to my family
0:38:11 > 0:38:13and so Christmas was always a big deal for us.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17My dad was always milking, so we used to wake up at four o'clock
0:38:17 > 0:38:19and want to open our presents and you couldn't
0:38:19 > 0:38:20because he wasn't in yet
0:38:20 > 0:38:22so we had to wait until he'd finished milking.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24I remember our mum holding us in the kitchen,
0:38:24 > 0:38:27like trying to keep back greyhounds from the start of a race
0:38:27 > 0:38:30because we were like, "The presents! Santa's been!"
0:38:30 > 0:38:33But we had to wait until my dad came in, so she used to try and pacify us
0:38:33 > 0:38:35with bits of melon on cocktails sticks.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37'We can do better than that, I'm sure,
0:38:37 > 0:38:41'as long as Helen's fish-filleting skills are up to scratch.'
0:38:41 > 0:38:45You've got to keep the knife at about ten degrees, pointing down.
0:38:45 > 0:38:46Just watch your fingers.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50Tell you what, you've got the hang of this.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53- I don't know what I was worried about.- Ta-da!- You ready?
0:38:53 > 0:38:55So you're basically just putting the knife in
0:38:55 > 0:38:57and keeping it close to the bone?
0:38:57 > 0:38:59That's exactly what we're doing.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01'Once the edges are trimmed,
0:39:01 > 0:39:03'there's one very important task left
0:39:03 > 0:39:06'to turn the salmon into a festive treat.'
0:39:06 > 0:39:09I think in the run-up to Christmas you have so much turkey,
0:39:09 > 0:39:12don't you, at Christmas dos and specials, when you're out -
0:39:12 > 0:39:13that, Christmas week,
0:39:13 > 0:39:16you need something a bit different, and fish is light, isn't it?
0:39:16 > 0:39:19- It's perfect for you for Christmas in France, isn't it?- And healthy.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21- Are you ready for this next bit? - Yep.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23So you get a pair of pliers...
0:39:23 > 0:39:24Oh, I wondered what they were for.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27- Fish pliers. Now, if you run your finger along here...- Mm-hm.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29..you'll feel the bones.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32Now watch, grab hold of the fish bone
0:39:32 > 0:39:35- and pull it towards the head end. - Ah.- And they come out.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37That's quite fun, isn't it?
0:39:37 > 0:39:39You see, this is my kind of cooking.
0:39:39 > 0:39:41It's like plucking your eyebrows.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44- Oh, that one's buried. Oh! - If you've got eyebrows this long,
0:39:44 > 0:39:47you've got a big problem, haven't you, really?
0:39:47 > 0:39:50'After every bone has been painstakingly removed,
0:39:50 > 0:39:52'it's time to move on to the puff pastry.'
0:39:52 > 0:39:55- You can buy this stuff already made.- Yeah.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58Now, what we've got to look at is the shape of the salmon here,
0:39:58 > 0:39:59and what we're trying to create
0:39:59 > 0:40:03- is two bits of pastry the same shape as the salmon.- Yeah.
0:40:03 > 0:40:04So what we're going to do is,
0:40:04 > 0:40:07we're going to roll this out in one direction.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10'When the pastry is the right thickness,
0:40:10 > 0:40:12'layer up the fish for the filling.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16'Season the salmon,
0:40:16 > 0:40:18'add the mushrooms
0:40:18 > 0:40:20'then the spinach.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24'And get your assistant to roll out the second piece of pastry.'
0:40:24 > 0:40:25- OK.- Like that.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29'Now, you might want to check that they're properly dressed first!'
0:40:29 > 0:40:33These sleeves were very festive but a terrible idea, weren't they?
0:40:36 > 0:40:39Which is harder, rowing the Amazon or this?
0:40:39 > 0:40:42- I like cooking. - Cos this looks harder.
0:40:42 > 0:40:45Can I help with these sleeves, or something?
0:40:46 > 0:40:49'Once the pastry is eventually rolled out,
0:40:49 > 0:40:51'egg-wash the edges of the base
0:40:51 > 0:40:54'and place the second fillet on top.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56'Now all you need to do is add the lid,
0:40:56 > 0:41:00'and make sure your sleeves stay out the way!'
0:41:00 > 0:41:03That is like a piece of art.
0:41:06 > 0:41:11'Then seal the pastry by squeezing the top and bottom layers together.'
0:41:11 > 0:41:13As pasties go, this is quite a posh pasty, isn't it?
0:41:13 > 0:41:15- It is a posh pasty. Good.- OK.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18- Right, we're nearly there. Eggwash.- I'm impressed.
0:41:18 > 0:41:22I'm just in awe of what we've already achieved here.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25We're basically just going to make a pattern in the top -
0:41:25 > 0:41:28one, two, three, four.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30This could go wrong, couldn't it?
0:41:30 > 0:41:33No. Just don't cut through the pastry, Helen,
0:41:33 > 0:41:35- cos it'll all be ruined.- Noted.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37See, this is doable, innit? Look.
0:41:37 > 0:41:38This is totally doable.
0:41:38 > 0:41:40I'm excited because I think I could do this -
0:41:40 > 0:41:43salmon - head, scale, bones.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46Yeah, you can buy it already filleted, though.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48No, I want to do it. I want to do the whole thing.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50- You want to do it?- Oh, yeah.- OK.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53- If you're going to do it, do it properly.- And then hot oven.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55OK. How hot's that? Does it matter?
0:41:55 > 0:41:57- What, the oven?- Yeah.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59Does matter, otherwise you're eating sushi, yeah.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01Does this specific temperature matter?
0:42:01 > 0:42:04- Yes, Helen. Yes, it does matter. - Right.
0:42:04 > 0:42:06Because I always just turn my oven on to full,
0:42:06 > 0:42:09because I think it'll be done quicker, and chuck it in.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11I'm going to leave you to clean now.
0:42:11 > 0:42:12And that's why I burn stuff.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14I'm going to go get a drink.
0:42:15 > 0:42:19I pushed him to the edge, and he jumped off all by himself.
0:42:19 > 0:42:21I was certainly thinking about it.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24Now, you don't need years of experience in the kitchen
0:42:24 > 0:42:27to prepare a show-stopping Yuletide feast.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30That's beautiful.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34Have faith in what you can do, and you won't need to order a takeaway.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37And they're probably not open on Christmas Day, anyway.
0:42:40 > 0:42:42So, you reckon you're going to try this this Christmas, then,
0:42:42 > 0:42:44over in France?
0:42:44 > 0:42:47I'm definitely going to try it. That's delicious.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50Sometimes, when I watch people eating food on TV,
0:42:50 > 0:42:52and they say "Mmm, that's beautiful,"
0:42:52 > 0:42:55I think they're lying. I'm not lying, this is stunning.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00You can find all the recipes from the series on...
0:43:04 > 0:43:06Eh!
0:43:06 > 0:43:09Oh, that must have been your bit.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11SHE LAUGHS
0:43:11 > 0:43:13I told you to remove all the bones. What's that?
0:43:13 > 0:43:15Um, we didn't have a Christmas pudding,
0:43:15 > 0:43:18so it's the equivalent of finding the gold penny, and make a wish!