0:00:02 > 0:00:05The heart of my home is the kitchen.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07And at this time of year,
0:00:07 > 0:00:09it'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 > 0:00:24..and eating it in the company of my favourite people.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29These are the dishes that I cook
0:00:29 > 0:00:32when I want to spread a little bit of cheer.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35These are my Christmas Home Comforts.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48Nostalgia isn't what it used to be,
0:00:48 > 0:00:50except at this time of the year,
0:00:50 > 0:00:54when we all crave the sights, sounds and tastes of the past.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58So I'm going to take you on a trip down memory lane
0:00:58 > 0:01:01and make some of my favourite childhood Christmas meals.
0:01:02 > 0:01:07Including this sticky classic, a world away from school dinners.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09HE CHUCKLES
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Steamed sponge pudding!
0:01:11 > 0:01:15One of the best desserts you could ever wish to have.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17If you want even more sugar,
0:01:17 > 0:01:21Annie Gray serves up some Austrian Christmas candy.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23There is something about the bright colours
0:01:23 > 0:01:24and the scent that is coming off it.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27It just fills you with joy.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31And I teach Aussie racing legend Mark Webber
0:01:31 > 0:01:33how to barbie like a Brit.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37If we have this in Australia, it starts a bush fire.
0:01:37 > 0:01:38We've got a national incident on our hands.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42But first, I'm delving into my past
0:01:42 > 0:01:45with something I first had when I was growing up on the farm.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48It's a one-pot winter warmer -
0:01:48 > 0:01:51uncomplicated, unfussy, unbeatable.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57Now, there are several dishes for me that epitomise my childhood,
0:01:57 > 0:02:00and this has to be top of the list.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02Proper grub. As my grandad put it,
0:02:02 > 0:02:05"You don't get to be a six-foot-three Yorkshireman
0:02:05 > 0:02:06"by eating a few carrots."
0:02:06 > 0:02:08And it was a big chunk of beef
0:02:08 > 0:02:10chopped up, slowly cooked.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13It is one of the most amazing dishes I think I ever tasted as a kid.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15And it is really simple to do.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18And I use my own mother's recipe still to this day, really,
0:02:18 > 0:02:19for the beef stew.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23So this is a piece, or a chunk, of silverside.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25Now, the reason why I like to buy it
0:02:25 > 0:02:29as a whole piece is I can dictate the size of the dice, really.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Too many times, diced pieces of beef for stew
0:02:32 > 0:02:34are far too small.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36And you just end up cooking it, and they just dissolve
0:02:36 > 0:02:38into little pieces.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41So when you cut it up, cut it up into decent sized chunks.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Next, coat the beef with a touch of flour.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48And brown the pieces off in a casserole dish
0:02:48 > 0:02:50along with a little oil.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53This is where you get the colour of your beef stew.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02Once browned, remove the meat from the pan,
0:03:02 > 0:03:07then chop up some onions, carrots and celery into big chunks.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12So what we're going to add to this is some tomato puree. Now,
0:03:12 > 0:03:14you've got to be careful with this sort of stuff.
0:03:14 > 0:03:19It's quite bitter and it must go in at the beginning of the cooking.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21So we do what chefs call "we cook it out".
0:03:23 > 0:03:27Now it is the time to deglaze the pan with some good quality red wine.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32All you need to add afterwards is fresh beef stock.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35We are just going to bring this to the boil.
0:03:37 > 0:03:38Now we can add in the beef.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41Right. We are nearly there now.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45But then what we are going to create is a little bouquet garni.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48Wrap some parsley and thyme in bay leaves
0:03:48 > 0:03:52and tie them all up with string, just like a Christmas present.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54This way, you can easily remove the herbs
0:03:54 > 0:03:56once they've done their job.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00Add garlic and bring it to the boil.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04Then gently simmer on the hob for an hour and a half.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08Which gives me time to sort out my little Christmas mascot.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Here we go, buddy. What is this?
0:04:11 > 0:04:13Yes...
0:04:13 > 0:04:16It is half a Christmas pudding. Up you get.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20How does that look?
0:04:20 > 0:04:22Not impressed?
0:04:23 > 0:04:26HE SIGHS
0:04:30 > 0:04:33And this has only had an hour and a half, so you can imagine
0:04:33 > 0:04:35how my mother's used to be
0:04:35 > 0:04:38for eight, ten hours, just slowly cooking.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Great dish, this. Now, it is difficult to improve on this, I know,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44but we are going to improve this with some dumplings.
0:04:45 > 0:04:50To start, put some beef suet in a bowl with double the amount of flour
0:04:50 > 0:04:52and a touch of baking powder.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56Then chop up some fresh parsley.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00This is one of the dishes that inspired me to cook
0:05:00 > 0:05:01and do this for a living.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04My mother used to tell me that I used to stand there
0:05:04 > 0:05:06and put the little dumplings in, stood on a chair,
0:05:06 > 0:05:09so I can't have been any more than five, six years old,
0:05:09 > 0:05:11making this as a kid.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18To make the dough, add salt, then water to the mixture bit by bit
0:05:18 > 0:05:19until it feels sticky.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26When you are doing this, about half the size of a golf ball,
0:05:26 > 0:05:27that's what you're looking for.
0:05:27 > 0:05:28And don't be tight either.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31These are the things that everybody fights over, I think.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38Before you place them on top, remove the bouquet garni,
0:05:38 > 0:05:40season and stir,
0:05:40 > 0:05:43because you won't be able to once the dumplings are in.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48Now, I'm going to enrich this with two ingredients.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52One of which - and I know what a lot of people are waiting for -
0:05:52 > 0:05:54is a little bit of butter.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56Just a touch.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59And a little tip...
0:05:59 > 0:06:01that I remember as a kid.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05Red currant jelly. But just about a teaspoon of red currant jelly.
0:06:05 > 0:06:06It's all you need.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09It just adds a lovely sweetness to it.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13And then you can pop the little dumplings
0:06:13 > 0:06:15in and around the stew.
0:06:15 > 0:06:16Now, what you need to do now
0:06:16 > 0:06:18is just let it gently simmer away...
0:06:20 > 0:06:22..for about another 15 minutes.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24And it will be ready!
0:06:29 > 0:06:34You see, it is the anticipation of this dish which I absolutely love.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37Beef stew and dumplings.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41It has been a part of my life for nigh on 40 years.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46It doesn't need anything else, I don't think.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49You don't need any fancy bits of mash.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53It's just that. That is all you need.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55It is like winter in a bowl.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00Then you have got these little golden nuggets, these amazing dumplings.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04It is kind of weird, us chefs,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07cos we always try and reinvent the wheel all the time.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Why do we bother when we have got food as good as this?
0:07:12 > 0:07:15And for me, this is where it all started.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22A pot like this is perfect for this time of the year.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24Hearty, wholesome
0:07:24 > 0:07:27and, for me, packed with memories of Christmas as a kid.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31Try it yourself, and don't be stingy with the dumplings!
0:07:34 > 0:07:37# Rocking around the Christmas tree
0:07:37 > 0:07:41# At the Christmas party hop... #
0:07:41 > 0:07:43Now, what can I say about nuts?
0:07:43 > 0:07:47Well, they are tasty, filling and as much a part of the festive season
0:07:47 > 0:07:50as turkey, tinsel and stuffing.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52As long as you know how to crack them open!
0:07:54 > 0:07:55At this farm in Kent,
0:07:55 > 0:07:59Alexander Hunt has been preparing for Christmas for the last four months.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03He grows a very special type of nut, you see.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05I'll let him tell you all about it.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08The cobnut is a variety of hazelnut
0:08:08 > 0:08:12in the same way as a Bramley is a variety of apple.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14It is a cultivated hazelnut
0:08:14 > 0:08:18with a lovely, large size and a delicious flavour.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23They are also the only nuts you can eat fresh.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26And our ancestors loved them.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30I think, historically, the Victorians always had nuts
0:08:30 > 0:08:33after a meal with port and cheese.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36And I think that tradition has very much carried on.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38And I think most people in the country
0:08:38 > 0:08:41would associate Christmas with nuts.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44Kentish hop-pickers were also big fans,
0:08:44 > 0:08:47and they ate them by the handful during harvest time.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50But the end of hop growing in the county had an impact
0:08:50 > 0:08:53on the number of cobnut trees.
0:08:53 > 0:08:58The 25 acres that Alexander harvests are important survivors,
0:08:58 > 0:09:02enabling us to enjoy this fantastic seasonal flavour
0:09:02 > 0:09:04just as previous generations did.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08When we pick the fresh, green cobnuts in August,
0:09:08 > 0:09:11they are milky and succulent and juicy.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14And as we then progress through August,
0:09:14 > 0:09:16September and October, the real maturity
0:09:16 > 0:09:18of the nutty flavour comes out.
0:09:18 > 0:09:23And they are delicious in all manner of dishes - from biscuits, cakes...
0:09:23 > 0:09:27And the real, true flavour comes out as we lead up to Christmas.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33But the job of picking cobnuts is definitely not for the faint-hearted.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39We pick in all weathers - wet, wind, rain, sun -
0:09:39 > 0:09:41because it is always a race in the autumn
0:09:41 > 0:09:44between us and the grey squirrels.
0:09:44 > 0:09:45So they brave the cold,
0:09:45 > 0:09:47they dodge the rain
0:09:47 > 0:09:49and they fight off the squirrels.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52What is the best way to describe the people that do this?
0:09:52 > 0:09:55The families that pick cobnuts
0:09:55 > 0:09:59are known within the industry as nutters.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05You see, I'd probably describe them as passionate or productive,
0:10:05 > 0:10:08because these nuts are thriving.
0:10:08 > 0:10:112015, the crop we've just finished,
0:10:11 > 0:10:13has been one of our heaviest picks ever.
0:10:13 > 0:10:19We will sell and market between 15 and 20 tonnes of cobnuts.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22As well as being a traditional stocking filler,
0:10:22 > 0:10:25cobnuts have many other uses for the Christmas cook.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29They can be used in mincemeat and Christmas puddings,
0:10:29 > 0:10:33a variety of stuffings, etc, with the turkey.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39# I'm dreaming
0:10:39 > 0:10:46# Of a white Christmas... #
0:10:46 > 0:10:48It has been a hectic few months,
0:10:48 > 0:10:51but with his harvest now successfully gathered,
0:10:51 > 0:10:55Alexander is celebrating by throwing a festive feast,
0:10:55 > 0:10:59and it wouldn't be complete without all the other local nutters.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03Cobnuts are ideal when you've got a Christmas dinner party
0:11:03 > 0:11:06because you crack them - you have to share the nut crackers
0:11:06 > 0:11:11around them - and I like the noise of the cracking, don't you?
0:11:11 > 0:11:13I really like them on apple crumble.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16They are just so natural and really healthy
0:11:16 > 0:11:19and full of vitamins and really good things.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22I am a traditionalist and I think I go with the flow.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25And I like to eat cobnuts after dinner,
0:11:25 > 0:11:29particularly with this sort of cheese and especially port course.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32It brings back memories of growing up and working
0:11:32 > 0:11:33on the farm,
0:11:33 > 0:11:36eating nuts whilst you are working. It keeps you going.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39It is almost an activity.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42It's like eating crab or mussels,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45you have to earn the nut, and then it tastes even better.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48It is food that you have earned.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52# And may all
0:11:52 > 0:11:58# Your Christmases
0:11:58 > 0:12:06# Be white. #
0:12:09 > 0:12:12Seeing all the hard work that goes into colleting this produce
0:12:12 > 0:12:14makes me appreciate it even more.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19So I am going to put some cobnuts to good use
0:12:19 > 0:12:23in a festive roast that reminds me of my roots.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28Around Christmas time, it would be a busy time for the farmers,
0:12:28 > 0:12:30and my dad would go out and shoot quite a lot
0:12:30 > 0:12:31and bring back partridges -
0:12:31 > 0:12:34not like this, oven ready, still in their feather.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37And for a young kid, aged six years old,
0:12:37 > 0:12:38to earn a little bit of pocket money,
0:12:38 > 0:12:41I would be put into the shed with a pile of pheasants
0:12:41 > 0:12:42and partridges to pluck.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46So the first thing we are going to do is roast these,
0:12:46 > 0:12:48and what you need is a little bit of salt and pepper.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51Just pop it inside the cavity, to season it well as well.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56A nice little bit of butter in the pan.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00And then pop the partridges in.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06Now, set the oven for this quite high cos I think
0:13:06 > 0:13:08particularly partridge, pheasant and grouse
0:13:08 > 0:13:11want to be cooked as little as possible in the oven
0:13:11 > 0:13:13to keep them nice and pink. But the key to this is making sure
0:13:13 > 0:13:15you've got a nice little bit of colour on it first.
0:13:15 > 0:13:20# Oh, the weather outside is frightful... #
0:13:20 > 0:13:21When the partridges are sealed,
0:13:21 > 0:13:24put them in the oven for 15 minutes.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26# Since we've no place to go... #
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Now, while that's cooking, we can get on with the rest
0:13:28 > 0:13:30of our ingredients, and I'm going to do this
0:13:30 > 0:13:31with a lovely buckwheat salad.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33It is a great, great dish, this.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39To get the salad started, rinse the buckwheat.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41Put some chicken stock into a pan.
0:13:43 > 0:13:44Then add the rinsed wheat.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50Now, partridge lends itself to so many different great flavours,
0:13:50 > 0:13:53but one flavour that is bang in season at the moment
0:13:53 > 0:13:55are these things - cobnuts.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57They are wonderful!
0:13:57 > 0:14:00They've got an outer casing to it, which is this husk.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02And then to crack them open, if you just give it a little tap...
0:14:10 > 0:14:12You can stop them flying around just using a cloth.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17And always at this time of the year, with the partridges and the peasants,
0:14:17 > 0:14:20the cobnuts - these ingredients go so well together.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22It's just the perfect accompaniment.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27By the time you've got a few whole ones out,
0:14:27 > 0:14:29the buckwheat should be ready.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31So remove from the heat and drain.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36Next, you need to blanch some baby leeks
0:14:36 > 0:14:38in salted boiling water.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41So, while our leeks are just gently cooking away,
0:14:41 > 0:14:43we can make our dressing for this,
0:14:43 > 0:14:45using ingredients which I love.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48One part pomegranate molasses.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52One part runny honey.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59And then you need some sharpness with this as well.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02You can either put lemon juice, if you want, or this stuff.
0:15:02 > 0:15:03This is white balsamic vinegar.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06It is fabulous in this salad.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12Mix the dressing, drain the leeks...
0:15:13 > 0:15:15..and take the partridges out of the oven.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23Spoon over a little butter and leave them to rest for 15 minutes.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28Which gives us enough time to finish off this.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Now, so often you would just serve
0:15:32 > 0:15:34the buckwheat as it is,
0:15:34 > 0:15:37but what I am going to do is foam it in some butter.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39To give the buckwheat a golden colour,
0:15:39 > 0:15:42the butter needs to turn a nutty brown.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46As soon as that is done, we can then take our buckwheat...
0:15:48 > 0:15:49..and go straight in here.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53In we go with the dressing.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56You've got this lovely, syrupy, sugary molasses dressing.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58Pomegranate.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00Fresh pomegranate.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03The best way to get the pomegranate seeds out - back of a spoon.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07Or a bit like plucking partridges,
0:16:07 > 0:16:09give it to somebody else to do!
0:16:10 > 0:16:12Or you can buy this pre-done.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16Like pre-cooked crispy bacon.
0:16:16 > 0:16:17The world is going mad!
0:16:20 > 0:16:23There is room in that pan for just a couple more ingredients -
0:16:23 > 0:16:27chopped parsley and some delicious cobnuts.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31Just wonderful sort of rich... It's not dry.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33It's lovely with that dressing over the top as well,
0:16:33 > 0:16:35that lovely sweetness. And then finally,
0:16:35 > 0:16:37just to add some texture with this...
0:16:38 > 0:16:40..we've got...the leeks.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45Drizzle them with a touch of oil, season...
0:16:46 > 0:16:48..and then chargrill.
0:16:49 > 0:16:50While they are finishing off,
0:16:50 > 0:16:53it is time to bring this feast together.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55We've got this delicious salad.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57Wonderful colour from this as well.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01And we can pop on this fantastic partridge.
0:17:05 > 0:17:06Then your leeks,
0:17:06 > 0:17:09you can put those back through the dressing as well.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14I love dishes like this -
0:17:14 > 0:17:18simple, quick, full of flavour!
0:17:18 > 0:17:20It is exactly what I want to eat.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25You see, this partridge is perfectly cooked. It is lovely and pink inside.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29You have got the cobnuts.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32I love the buckwheat with the pomegranate and the sweetness
0:17:32 > 0:17:34of that dressing with the honey, the molasses.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38This is one of my favourite dishes for this time of the year.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40For years, I remember
0:17:40 > 0:17:41just being sat in the shed,
0:17:41 > 0:17:43plucking partridges and pheasants.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48It was an amazing time, but if I had had a pound for every one I'd done,
0:17:48 > 0:17:50I might have retired by the time I was 14.
0:17:52 > 0:17:53It would have been nice,
0:17:53 > 0:17:57but cooking succulent roast partridge along with some fantastic cobnuts
0:17:57 > 0:18:00is a great reminder of my childhood now.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08Something else that transports me back to my Christmas past
0:18:08 > 0:18:12is sweet, spicy and sticky gingerbread men.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16Food historian Ivan Day has been tracing their origins and
0:18:16 > 0:18:20finding out why we eat these little figures at this time of the year.
0:18:22 > 0:18:27Modern gingerbread men like these are a familiar treat,
0:18:27 > 0:18:29but these spicy little fellows
0:18:29 > 0:18:32have a really interesting history.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36Gingerbread has appeared in numerous stories throughout time,
0:18:36 > 0:18:40from Hansel and Gretel's gingerbread house
0:18:40 > 0:18:43to Tchaikovsky's Christmas ballet, The Nutcracker.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48I am going to make two important figures
0:18:48 > 0:18:52that tell the early history of gingerbread.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54Ivan's following the oldest known recipe,
0:18:54 > 0:18:57dating from medieval times.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59The mould is a rare relic, too,
0:18:59 > 0:19:02from a surprisingly progressive era.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05I am a firm believer in equality,
0:19:05 > 0:19:08and I am going to make a gingerbread woman
0:19:08 > 0:19:10from this remarkable
0:19:10 > 0:19:12early Jacobean mould,
0:19:12 > 0:19:16which was carved at the time of Shakespeare.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20He starts by grinding up some pepper.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23Then he mixes honey with breadcrumbs,
0:19:23 > 0:19:25ginger, cinnamon and red sandalwood
0:19:25 > 0:19:28for a splash of colour.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31This mixture has to be heated on the hob until it is thickened.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Once it is cooled to the perfect consistency,
0:19:36 > 0:19:39the gingerbread can be pressed into the mould.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42Ivan has dusted his with red saunders
0:19:42 > 0:19:44to stop the mixture from sticking.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48My ginger gentlewoman is not going to be baked in the oven.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52I am just going to dry her out in front of the fire.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56Gingerbread figures come in all shapes and sizes,
0:19:56 > 0:20:00but this is one of the most popular - St Nicholas,
0:20:00 > 0:20:02the patron saint of children.
0:20:02 > 0:20:07Ivan is making a white one using ground almonds,
0:20:07 > 0:20:11sugar paste for the dough, and ginger and galangal for flavour.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15But what about the real St Nick, what was he made of?
0:20:15 > 0:20:20Nicholas was a 4th century Greek bishop.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23He received a very large inheritance
0:20:23 > 0:20:26and used it to assist the poor,
0:20:26 > 0:20:28the sick and the needy.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32He was celebrated on the anniversary of his death,
0:20:32 > 0:20:34the 6th of December,
0:20:34 > 0:20:39when children would receive a gingerbread figure of him.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44Countries across northern Europe celebrated the legend of St Nicholas
0:20:44 > 0:20:47for hundreds of years after his death.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49And in the 19th century,
0:20:49 > 0:20:51his popularity spread to the British Isles.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56When Queen Victoria married the German Prince Albert,
0:20:56 > 0:21:01the German and the English traditions of Christmas merged,
0:21:01 > 0:21:07and we see St Nicholas becoming a feature of the English Christmas.
0:21:07 > 0:21:13In time, St Nicholas evolves into everybody's favourite visitor -
0:21:13 > 0:21:15Father Christmas.
0:21:15 > 0:21:20Once Ivan's gingerbread has dried out, he adds the gilding.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24Hang on a minute, why does this old figure seem so familiar?
0:21:24 > 0:21:28The chocolate Santas that are so popular today
0:21:28 > 0:21:33are the direct descendants of the gingerbread St Nicholases.
0:21:33 > 0:21:38And the gold leaf has been replaced with metal foil.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41So there we have it, a gilded St Nick.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Well, they certainly all look good enough to eat.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50In addition to my gingerbread woman,
0:21:50 > 0:21:54I have made her partner on the back of the mould, this gingerbread man.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56And on behalf of the neglected
0:21:56 > 0:22:01equal rights of gingerbread women over the last 500 years,
0:22:01 > 0:22:04I am going to behead him.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06Off with your head!
0:22:09 > 0:22:10That is delicious, actually.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14It's lovely because it is very sweet, almondy.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16The galangal and the ginger give a lovely kind of
0:22:16 > 0:22:19vindaloo like hit. If you like spicy,
0:22:19 > 0:22:21you'll like white gingerbread.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28Doing this, I think, reminds us that although we have strong
0:22:28 > 0:22:32Christmas traditions, we have lost many on the way,
0:22:32 > 0:22:34and many of them are very interesting,
0:22:34 > 0:22:36like these gingerbread figures.
0:22:36 > 0:22:41What could be more seasonal than this beautiful gilded
0:22:41 > 0:22:44gingerbread figure of St Nicholas,
0:22:44 > 0:22:48the patron saint of children and giving gifts?
0:22:51 > 0:22:54# Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer... #
0:22:54 > 0:22:57Well, I can tell you what is just as seasonal,
0:22:57 > 0:23:00and that is the smell of baking.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03This dish couldn't smell any sweeter.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05And it couldn't be any tastier.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10Now, this time of year, as the nights draw in,
0:23:10 > 0:23:13there is no better pudding than a steamed sponge pudding.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15But this is my twist on it, really.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18It's using the steamed sponge as a classic base but incorporating
0:23:18 > 0:23:21a few winter touches as well with it.
0:23:21 > 0:23:22The first thing is I am going to cook it
0:23:22 > 0:23:25in a tureen mould. Now, normally, you would do this in a pudding basin,
0:23:25 > 0:23:28but to do this in a tureen mould, you treat it exactly the same.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32First of all, you get plenty of butter to stop it from sticking.
0:23:32 > 0:23:33So, take the butter...
0:23:33 > 0:23:37I always like to do this by hand rather than a pastry brush.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40And then once we have done that, I am going to use some pears.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Now, I love these.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48What we are going to do is just basically shave it
0:23:48 > 0:23:50on a mandolin.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52Now, be really careful with these things.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55If you have got a guard, use a guard at home.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58Shave this nice and thin.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03And what we do is we just layer the pears
0:24:03 > 0:24:05in the bottom of your dish.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Once you've covered the bottom of the tin with the slices,
0:24:11 > 0:24:13add some golden syrup.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18This, as we know, is why we love
0:24:18 > 0:24:20steamed sponge pudding. It is that...
0:24:21 > 0:24:24..sauce, that glaze that you get out of it when you tip it out
0:24:24 > 0:24:26that makes it oh, so special.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30And the sponge is just as easy.
0:24:30 > 0:24:31To start the mixture,
0:24:31 > 0:24:36incorporate 175 grams of both butter and sugar.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40Now, I love this recipe. I have been having it...
0:24:40 > 0:24:41all my life,
0:24:41 > 0:24:43ever since I was a young kid.
0:24:43 > 0:24:44My granny used to make this.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47Never on a machine like this, though.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49She used to be sat there with a bowl.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52And her old, gnarly wooden spoon that was actually bent.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54It wasn't bent through going in the dishwasher, it was bent through
0:24:54 > 0:24:56the amount of use. And she used to
0:24:56 > 0:24:58hammer the butter and the sugar together like this -
0:24:58 > 0:25:00she had one hell of a grip on her -
0:25:00 > 0:25:02to produce a lovely, light sponge.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06So now I can add three eggs.
0:25:07 > 0:25:08One at a time.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15As soon as you have added the eggs, take it off.
0:25:15 > 0:25:20Next, mix in 175 grams of self-raising flour.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25Now, I didn't learn this tip from my gran, but whenever you use
0:25:25 > 0:25:29golden syrup on anything, add a pinch of salt.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31Quite a heavy pinch.
0:25:32 > 0:25:33Even though this is a dessert.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37Because when you bite it, that salt cleanses the palate.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40So every taste, you get a hit of the syrup.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43Once you have combined everything,
0:25:43 > 0:25:47pour the mixture on top of the syrup and fruit.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50Now, traditionally of course, you could use a pudding basin for this.
0:25:50 > 0:25:51Nothing wrong with that.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55Just by doing it in a tureen, it just makes it look good
0:25:55 > 0:25:57in the end, especially when you have got
0:25:57 > 0:25:59that layer of pears in there as well.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05Cover the pudding with grease-proof paper and tinfoil.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08Then place in a pan of gently simmering water
0:26:08 > 0:26:10for one and a half hours.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Now, on its own, the steamed sponge pudding
0:26:13 > 0:26:16is absolutely perfect for this time of the year. But to turn it into
0:26:16 > 0:26:19a sort of festive dessert, what you can do is this bit.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24I am going to poach some pears using mulled spices,
0:26:24 > 0:26:26which go amazingly well together.
0:26:26 > 0:26:31To get started, put star anise and cloves into a pan.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33Then break in some cinnamon.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37Now, rather than just put a combination of just water
0:26:37 > 0:26:38and sugar in here, what I am going to do
0:26:38 > 0:26:42is add some wine. But I am going to use a sweet wine.
0:26:43 > 0:26:44A little bit of muscat.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51While the liquor infuses, peel the pears, ready for poaching.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58So you cut the pears in half,
0:26:58 > 0:26:59and into quarters.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01And we'll put them straight into the syrup.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09We can then add some lemon and orange zest.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13It is just delicious. As soon as it starts to boil up,
0:27:13 > 0:27:15you get this mulled sort of wine smell. It's wonderful.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19So you're going to bring this to the boil,
0:27:19 > 0:27:21cook this for about 15 to 20 minutes.
0:27:28 > 0:27:34So we've got our pears in this gorgeous, sweet white wine.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40It smells Christmassy, looks pretty festive as well.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43And then, of course, you've got your pudding.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47It has been steaming away for about an hour and a half.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51Take it out of the water and turn it out onto a plate.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57All good things.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59They all happen if you wait.
0:27:59 > 0:28:00Don't rush it!
0:28:07 > 0:28:09HE CHUCKLES
0:28:12 > 0:28:14Steamed sponge pudding
0:28:14 > 0:28:16with a glaze of pears and syrup,
0:28:16 > 0:28:21one of the best desserts you could ever wish to have.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25Gooey sponge and perfect poached pears,
0:28:25 > 0:28:30but you still need another ingredient to make this pud complete.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32You know the one I am talking about.
0:28:34 > 0:28:35You can't beat...
0:28:37 > 0:28:40..steamed sponge pudding and custard, can you?
0:28:40 > 0:28:43And the pears just turn it a little bit Christmassy.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48Got the right amount of spice in there.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51It is that lovely sort of mulled wine sort of taste.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53But this is what it is all about.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56School dinner steamed sponge pudding?
0:28:56 > 0:28:58Didn't taste like this.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00Well, it didn't in my day, that's for sure!
0:29:00 > 0:29:03This winter warming dessert is guaranteed to bring back
0:29:03 > 0:29:05a whole lot of memories.
0:29:05 > 0:29:07And if you serve this at Christmas,
0:29:07 > 0:29:09you'll be creating even more.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17You know me, I love sweets of any kind,
0:29:17 > 0:29:20especially at this time of the year.
0:29:20 > 0:29:25And few places do confectionary better than Austria at Christmas.
0:29:25 > 0:29:30Our festive food reporter Annie Gray has been sampling their delights.
0:29:30 > 0:29:31Tough job(!)
0:29:32 > 0:29:33That's it!
0:29:33 > 0:29:35I am giving up all thoughts of diets
0:29:35 > 0:29:38and puritanical constraints. This looks amazing!
0:29:42 > 0:29:46Austrian artisans and food producers spend months preparing
0:29:46 > 0:29:48for this huge annual food fest,
0:29:48 > 0:29:52so a few weeks back, I caught up with one couple who are recreating
0:29:52 > 0:29:54the ultimate taste of Christmas past.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59Looks like Christmas has come early!
0:30:01 > 0:30:03Chris Mayer was a professional pop singer
0:30:03 > 0:30:06and his girlfriend, Maria, was a successful lawyer.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09But they fell in love with an old-fashioned sweet shop
0:30:09 > 0:30:12they visited while on holiday in Amsterdam.
0:30:12 > 0:30:14It changed their lives.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16It was just... "Wow," I wanted to do it.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19Then we came home and two months later, we decided,
0:30:19 > 0:30:20"We are doing candy."
0:30:21 > 0:30:24The following year, they opened Zuckerlwerkstatt,
0:30:24 > 0:30:26or sugar workshop.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31Chris is the hands-on sweet maker and showman.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35Today, he is teaching me the skilled art of making
0:30:35 > 0:30:37old-fashioned Christmas candy,
0:30:37 > 0:30:39working with volcanic sugar syrup.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41It is pure sugar.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44- It's very hot as well. - It is very hot.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46We're doing a candy
0:30:46 > 0:30:49with a pattern of a Christmas present, so with two ribbons on it.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52- I have absolutely no idea how you would make that.- Really?
0:30:52 > 0:30:54- I will show you.- Excellent.
0:30:54 > 0:30:58Natural flavourings are added to the boiling sugar solution.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01My first test is to guess what they are.
0:31:01 > 0:31:02Almond.
0:31:02 > 0:31:04Not bad.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06- It is cherry and almond.- OK.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08So, a Christmassy taste.
0:31:08 > 0:31:10Kind of marzipan and Christmas cake...
0:31:10 > 0:31:12- Yeah, yeah.- Sugar... Yep.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15It doesn't matter how grey it is outside, inside
0:31:15 > 0:31:19- it is just...cosy!- So now we are going to pour the sugar,
0:31:19 > 0:31:20so to cool it down.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24And you should be really aware that you don't get burned by the sugar.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29Next, the colours are added - again, all natural,
0:31:29 > 0:31:32so it is ingredients like elderflower and gooseberries.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35The sugar is getting harder and harder.
0:31:35 > 0:31:36- Yep.- And we are going to help.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38It is visibly cooling, isn't it?
0:31:38 > 0:31:41- As you watch, you can see it start to crystallise.- Yep.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44It is a good work out, isn't it?
0:31:44 > 0:31:47Yep. It has got a long tradition already now in Austria,
0:31:47 > 0:31:50to do this kind of candy. It just disappeared in the last 50 years.
0:31:50 > 0:31:54And we are the first ones taking it back to the future!
0:31:54 > 0:31:57But I can see what you mean, because you are taking
0:31:57 > 0:32:01- old techniques, so it is 1819 meets 21st century.- Yep.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05And I am not going to miss the chance to meet the man
0:32:05 > 0:32:07who provided Chris and Maria with some of his secret,
0:32:07 > 0:32:10traditional recipes - Fritz Heller.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13Heller is as well-known in Austria
0:32:13 > 0:32:16as Cadbury's or Rowntree's are in the UK.
0:32:17 > 0:32:21My grandfather started 1891 here in Vienna.
0:32:21 > 0:32:25We were one of the largest factories in the Austrian-Hungarian monarchy.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27- Absolutely huge.- Yes.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30- Nearly everything was made by hand. - Wow.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33Producing hundreds of sweets and chocolates.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36- And how do you feel about...? - I am very happy that sweets
0:32:36 > 0:32:40we made once, 100 years ago...
0:32:40 > 0:32:45And now young people make them here. It really makes me happy.
0:32:45 > 0:32:47Now it is time for me to get back to work
0:32:47 > 0:32:49because these sweets are in demand.
0:32:49 > 0:32:51It's really lovely.
0:32:51 > 0:32:53Everybody who comes in here stops,
0:32:53 > 0:32:58breathes in and this smile spreads over their faces.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01To give the sweets their trademark chewy crunch,
0:33:01 > 0:33:04Chris needs to work in thousands of tiny air bubbles.
0:33:04 > 0:33:06No job for an amateur.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10Wow.
0:33:10 > 0:33:11It makes you have a new respect
0:33:11 > 0:33:14for sweet makers in the past, doesn't it?
0:33:14 > 0:33:17- This was really hard work.- Yeah. - I mean, it still is!
0:33:17 > 0:33:18Yeah.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24Bubbles safely sealed, now for the moulding.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29The team have to work quickly so the sugar solution stays warm
0:33:29 > 0:33:30and pliable.
0:33:31 > 0:33:33- It is quite therapeutic. - Yeah, it is.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36It is a bit like making pasta...but hotter
0:33:36 > 0:33:38and more dangerous.
0:33:38 > 0:33:39It is not quite as neat as yours.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42- If you are looking for a job... - SHE LAUGHS
0:33:42 > 0:33:45This is probably one of the most attractive substances
0:33:45 > 0:33:46I've ever worked with.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48I've kneaded bread and pasta
0:33:48 > 0:33:50and fondant and icing sugar,
0:33:50 > 0:33:52but there is something about the bright colours and the scent
0:33:52 > 0:33:56that is coming off it that just...fills you with joy.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01What are we doing now? I can see that this is a Christmas present.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03We are putting the ribbons
0:34:03 > 0:34:06on the present cos we want to have it nicely wrapped.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12It is frenetic, but there is just something really quite involving
0:34:12 > 0:34:14about the whole process.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16Now, that is what you call a mouthful.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20The sugar now needs to be seriously stretched
0:34:20 > 0:34:23if it's to be turned into bite-sized Christmas treats.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25I thought it was finished when it was big,
0:34:25 > 0:34:26that shows how much I know.
0:34:30 > 0:34:34Chris and his team turn out about 1.5 tonnes of this sweet stuff
0:34:34 > 0:34:35every month,
0:34:35 > 0:34:38enough to cause a serious sugar rush.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42What do you see?
0:34:42 > 0:34:45- It looks like a Christmas present, doesn't it?- That is unbelievable.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47Do you want to try it? Just taste it.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52It is still warm.
0:34:52 > 0:34:54- But it's...- It's tasty. - ..incredible.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56- Yeah.- You are a genius.- Nah!
0:34:59 > 0:35:02When I walked in here this morning, I honestly felt just like
0:35:02 > 0:35:03a kid in a sweets shop,
0:35:03 > 0:35:05but I don't think I've ever realised
0:35:05 > 0:35:08how much work goes into something like this.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11This isn't just a cute, Christmas-time treat,
0:35:11 > 0:35:13this is edible art!
0:35:18 > 0:35:21Christmas is a hectic time of the year.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24It seems like there is never enough time to do everything,
0:35:24 > 0:35:27especially when you're cooking for mates.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31Today, Australian F1 legend Mark Webber
0:35:31 > 0:35:34has come over to my house.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36- Hey. How are you doing? You all right?- Good to see you.
0:35:36 > 0:35:37Come on in.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40And we are going to cook up a super quick dish that will channel
0:35:40 > 0:35:42a bit of his Christmas past,
0:35:42 > 0:35:45along with some Aussie sunshine...hopefully.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50- Right.- Here we are.- Kitchen.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52Chin-chin! I didn't know what to cook for you, really,
0:35:52 > 0:35:53so I thought we'd do a barbecue.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55- OK.- I have got some amazing Madagascan prawns.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58- Check out these little fellas. - They are monsters.
0:35:58 > 0:35:59OK, they are superb.
0:35:59 > 0:36:01I thought we'd do two marinades for this.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03- So we're going to do a marinade for the prawns.- Yep.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05- We'll do an Indian marinade for the chicken as well.- OK.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07- So tandoori. - This looks intimidating, mate.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11- What are you like in the kitchen? - Horrendous.- Are you?- Horrendous.
0:36:11 > 0:36:12Vegemite on toast?
0:36:12 > 0:36:14- Really?- Nah, I'm only joking, mate!
0:36:16 > 0:36:19I hope Mark's knowledge stretches a little bit further
0:36:19 > 0:36:22because I want him to start the marinade for the prawns
0:36:22 > 0:36:25by grating some fresh ginger.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28- Straight in? - Straight in there. OK?
0:36:28 > 0:36:30- Job done.- OK.
0:36:30 > 0:36:32If somebody just switched on now, it would look as if you knew
0:36:32 > 0:36:34what you were doing!
0:36:34 > 0:36:36I do this every day of the week, mate.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39It is like me asking you to get in my race car.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41Yeah. Getting in it is a bit of a problem.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44So what do you remember about Christmas, then, growing up as a kid?
0:36:44 > 0:36:45- Boiling hot.- Yeah.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47Generally down on the beach.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50Christmas Eve was a big deal.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52My grandfather would dress up as Santa Claus.
0:36:52 > 0:36:53That was Christmas Eve.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55Massive feed.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57And then do all the same on Christmas Day, like.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01While Mark makes a meal out of grating that ginger,
0:37:01 > 0:37:04I have put some fresh coriander into the blender.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07So did you venture into the kitchen when you were a young kid?
0:37:07 > 0:37:09Hey, mate, Mum had the kitchen.
0:37:09 > 0:37:10Mum's got the kitchen.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13No, everyone would bring maybe the odd dish around, but generally,
0:37:13 > 0:37:15it was Mum's domain, mate. She was in charge.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18Christmas was a massive deal for her.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21We then add some ground coriander and cumin.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26Along with a tin of coconut milk.
0:37:28 > 0:37:29Everything is blitzed together...
0:37:32 > 0:37:34..and then finished off with a squeeze of lime.
0:37:37 > 0:37:38Now, you take the prawns
0:37:38 > 0:37:41and then you skewer them through the head...
0:37:41 > 0:37:42and through the tail.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45Now, whenever you are doing a barbecue, not that I should be
0:37:45 > 0:37:47- telling ANY Aussie how to do a barbecue...- No.
0:37:47 > 0:37:48..leave the shell on
0:37:48 > 0:37:51cos it burns the meat otherwise.
0:37:51 > 0:37:55Watch those fingers, you'll need them for your next job.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57- Oh.- That was close!
0:37:57 > 0:37:59Once those prawns are on the skewer,
0:37:59 > 0:38:02it is time for a bit of speedy onion chopping.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04Going to show you how to chop mucho quick.
0:38:04 > 0:38:05This is where I get nervous.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07You guys are weapons at this stuff, aren't you?
0:38:07 > 0:38:10So... Slice the onion like this.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12Make sure it's flat on the board.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16OK? So...
0:38:17 > 0:38:18Like that.
0:38:18 > 0:38:19- Got that?- Yeah.
0:38:20 > 0:38:22It is like driving, it is a piece of cake.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25- You are not even watching! - JAMES LAUGHS
0:38:25 > 0:38:26The key is - keep your fingers out of the way.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29- This will take your finger off, you won't even feel it.- Oh, right, OK.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32- Just keep your thumb out of the way. - So...
0:38:32 > 0:38:34Care... Oooh, careful!
0:38:35 > 0:38:38It is actually sticking in the board, it is so sharp!
0:38:40 > 0:38:43How on earth...? I'm not getting my fingers anywhere near that thing!
0:38:43 > 0:38:47Once Mark has carefully chopped the rest of the onion,
0:38:47 > 0:38:48he adds it to the blender.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51So then...lid on.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53Give this a quick blitz.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55Just enough time for some amber nectar.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01Now, we are nearly there. Look.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03And then, what you want to do is spread this
0:39:03 > 0:39:05all over the top of your prawns.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08So spread it on the top, roll them around on the plate.
0:39:08 > 0:39:09Sorted.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12Once the prawns are smothered in their marinade,
0:39:12 > 0:39:15Mark chops some ginger for our chicken skewers.
0:39:15 > 0:39:16Or attempts to.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19- I am slow.- Don't worry. Just keep your fingers...
0:39:19 > 0:39:21- Oooh...- Oh.
0:39:21 > 0:39:22- What do I do with the last bit? - Whoa, whoa!
0:39:22 > 0:39:24Put that flat there and I'll do that.
0:39:24 > 0:39:26- That's good?- That's it, keep going.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29That thing...is deadly!
0:39:31 > 0:39:33Under my strict supervision,
0:39:33 > 0:39:36he cuts a chilli and peels the garlic
0:39:36 > 0:39:39while I add some tomato puree to the blender.
0:39:41 > 0:39:43And then you are going to take a few spices.
0:39:43 > 0:39:44So we need turmeric,
0:39:44 > 0:39:46bit of chilli powder.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49We need some cumin and some garam masala.
0:39:49 > 0:39:54The marinade needs a teaspoon of each along with some coriander,
0:39:54 > 0:39:56yogurt and a squeeze of lime.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59All that is left to do is blitz everything together.
0:39:59 > 0:40:03Right, this is the tikka marinade.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06So I'm going to get you to blitz this while I chop up the...
0:40:06 > 0:40:07chop up the chicken.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14Pour the marinade over the chopped chicken.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16That smells phenomenal.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20Skewer and leave them for about an hour.
0:40:21 > 0:40:25Giving me enough time to go back to Christmas past with Mark.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28Now, before you got here, I was on the phone to your missus.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31- OK.- And she sent me this.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34Oh, here we go! Here we go!
0:40:34 > 0:40:35I think this was at Christmas.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38Your folks say this was at Christmas.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41- Oh, yeah. Hey, look at that. - Look at that, eh?
0:40:41 > 0:40:43That is Christmas, look at the date.
0:40:43 > 0:40:4625th of the 12th, '85.
0:40:46 > 0:40:47'85. So tell me about this picture, then.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50- So, a brand-new BMX, by the looks of it.- Yeah.- Um...
0:40:50 > 0:40:53And, yeah, pulling some moves on the... That's our driveway.
0:40:53 > 0:40:55- So that was a Christmas present, was it?- Yeah.
0:40:55 > 0:40:57- It was one of the best I ever got, mate.- Well...- Just.
0:40:57 > 0:40:59That needs to marinate.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01- But I've got something to show you.- Beautiful.
0:41:04 > 0:41:05Down by the fire pit,
0:41:05 > 0:41:08I've a little surprise gift for Mark.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10Hey, buddy, I searched high and low.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12- What have you been doing? - Happy Christmas.- Really?
0:41:12 > 0:41:14He might have worked out what it is.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16Mate...
0:41:16 > 0:41:18I've never had a cracking present off a Yorkshireman, mate.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20This is sensational.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22- Aw!- It is even the same colour, buddy!
0:41:22 > 0:41:25# We wish you the merriest The merriest... #
0:41:25 > 0:41:26- That is a cracker!- Go on, then.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28Take it for a spin!
0:41:28 > 0:41:31# We wish you the merriest The merriest
0:41:31 > 0:41:33# The merriest... #
0:41:33 > 0:41:34Some BMX bandits!
0:41:36 > 0:41:37Oh, nearly tapped the front there!
0:41:37 > 0:41:39- You are going to come off it in a minute.- Valentino.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42Your mother said if you don't put it down, you are going to hurt yourself.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44Keep it tidy, mate.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49Mark's managed to put in a few good laps, and the chicken and prawns
0:41:49 > 0:41:52are ready to slip onto the barbie.
0:41:52 > 0:41:54So are you a charcoal man or you a gas fire?
0:41:54 > 0:41:55Just a gas plate, mate.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58- Not wood?- Yeah, not wood. - JAMES LAUGHS
0:41:58 > 0:42:00See, if we have this in Australia, it starts a bush fire.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03We've got a national incident on our hands.
0:42:04 > 0:42:06The skewers need to go over the flames
0:42:06 > 0:42:07for about ten minutes,
0:42:07 > 0:42:10and be sure to turn them every so often.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12- Looks good, though, mate, doesn't it? - Yep.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16And that is it, the Christmas barbie is ready to eat.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18It is not hot. It is a bit colder.
0:42:18 > 0:42:22- It is fresh out here, but it's all right.- It'll do.
0:42:22 > 0:42:23Mm!
0:42:23 > 0:42:25That is not bad, though, is it?
0:42:25 > 0:42:28You never forget the food you grew up with.
0:42:28 > 0:42:30Whatever side of the world you are from,
0:42:30 > 0:42:32there'll always be some recipes
0:42:32 > 0:42:35from your youth that make Christmas unforgettable.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39So don't leave them in the past. Bring them into the present.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41- I've got a little gift for you. - What's that?
0:42:41 > 0:42:42- Cos you gave me a gift.- Yeah.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47Just...thought it'd come in handy.
0:42:47 > 0:42:48Very Australian.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51They are called sluggos.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53And I reckon they are the perfect size for you, mate.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56So when you go down there, you're in business.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58Don't say I never look after you.
0:42:58 > 0:43:00- Mate, thanks.- You happy?- Yeah.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05You can find all the recipes from the series at...
0:43:09 > 0:43:12LAUGHING: Can you imagine me wearing these things?
0:43:12 > 0:43:14You'll break some hearts with those, mate.
0:43:14 > 0:43:16I reckon you'll break some hearts.