0:00:03 > 0:00:05Sometimes, there's no place like home,
0:00:05 > 0:00:07and few things are more comforting
0:00:07 > 0:00:10and delicious than real home cooking.
0:00:10 > 0:00:11Living in this beautiful country
0:00:11 > 0:00:14with great produce right on our doorstep,
0:00:14 > 0:00:16we really are spoilt for choice.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21So in this series, I'm inviting you into my kitchen to share with you
0:00:21 > 0:00:25some of my tasty home-cooked treats,
0:00:25 > 0:00:28the dishes I turn to, whether entertaining friends and family
0:00:28 > 0:00:30or just relaxing on my own.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48Home for me is the Hampshire countryside.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52Here, and in Yorkshire growing up, I've been surrounded by great food.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56I love the relaxed pace of life you get in a rural setting,
0:00:56 > 0:01:00and that goes hand-in-glove with cooking slower food for those days
0:01:00 > 0:01:02when you want to do as little as possible.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07And the thought of a lazy day to me would be cooking something that's
0:01:07 > 0:01:11very easy to prepare but something that takes time to cook in the oven.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15That way, you get to experience the full-on flavour of slow-cooked food.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19I want to inspire you with food that doesn't demand all your attention -
0:01:19 > 0:01:21dishes that do all their own work in the oven,
0:01:21 > 0:01:26as well as those that you can just throw together in no time at all.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29We'll be learning how kitchen gadgets that make life easier
0:01:29 > 0:01:31are by no means a new thing.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35Using the best possible produce means you can take it easy
0:01:35 > 0:01:37without compromising on flavour.
0:01:39 > 0:01:44For me, there's no better place to switch off than at my own house.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48At this time of the year, I always want to eat robust, hearty food.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51Like my sticky barbecued ribs.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54They're simple to prepare and finger-licking good.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Now, this dish is perfect for a lazy day at home,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02because these just require a decent amount of time to braise,
0:02:02 > 0:02:04but then you've got the roasting time as well.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08The first thing I need to do is braise these ribs in water
0:02:08 > 0:02:10with some onion, garlic and fennel seeds,
0:02:10 > 0:02:15to make sure the meat is ready to fall off the bone. And star anise.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19I think, as chefs, we often go through phases, really,
0:02:19 > 0:02:24and I'm in a star anise phase, if that's what it means. I love this.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26I use it in so many different things.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28It's great in chocolate cake as well.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31This sort of aniseedy sort of flavour.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33I can't really get enough of this stuff.
0:02:33 > 0:02:34It really is delicious.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37I like to poach these ribs for three hours, which is
0:02:37 > 0:02:41more than enough time for me to sort out the barbecue sauce.
0:02:41 > 0:02:47And once you make it, you'll realise how easy it is to make your own.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52I fry up the same base as before - onions, garlic, fennel seeds,
0:02:52 > 0:02:54and my starring spice.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57Then give the sauce a real kick with some chilli.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05I like it serious. Two whole red chillies.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08Remember, these ribs are massive,
0:03:08 > 0:03:10so you want a decent amount of sauce to go with it.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13Throw that in, and the seeds - everything.
0:03:13 > 0:03:19The whole lot goes in. There's no real mystery to barbecue sauce.
0:03:19 > 0:03:20It's sugar and ketchup.
0:03:25 > 0:03:26You'll never buy it again.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29It tastes so much better if you make your own,
0:03:29 > 0:03:31because you can have your own recipe.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35Mine is using some dark soy sauce... and then this stuff.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39People walk past this stuff in the supermarket.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41It's a bit like star anise, this, for me, really.
0:03:41 > 0:03:42I can't get enough of this.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46This is chipotle, or like a smoky sort of ketchup,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49which is perfect for our ribs.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51Once that's gone in, keep it simmering
0:03:51 > 0:03:55until all the sugar has dissolved, and then bring it to the boil.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57It just shows how quick it is, really,
0:03:57 > 0:03:58because the soy, the chipotle
0:03:58 > 0:04:01and the ketchup were already out of a jar,
0:04:01 > 0:04:04and it's just what you add to it that transforms this
0:04:04 > 0:04:09into a delicious barbecue sort of sauce.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11But I'm going to put the whole lot in a blender,
0:04:11 > 0:04:15even the star anise, cos I want a nice, rich, smooth sauce.
0:04:24 > 0:04:25Cor, that's...!
0:04:25 > 0:04:27That's good.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29It's got a kick but that's what you want, really,
0:04:29 > 0:04:33cos we're going to serve this with sour cream and jacket potatoes.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44To finish off the ribs, I like to coat them in loads of the sauce,
0:04:44 > 0:04:47then roast them in the oven for about 20 minutes.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54This is something that I really love to cook at home.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57If I can class anything as chef's food, this would be it.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00Now, I reckon there should be a law saying
0:05:00 > 0:05:03baked potatoes must be served with sour cram.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06I like to make my own by whisking up some double cream with salt,
0:05:06 > 0:05:08lemon juice and chives.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12And once I've done that, it's time to serve up.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17Just grab our ribs. I mean, check them out.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23It goes lovely and sticky while they roast in the oven.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25Of course, we've got our jacket potato as well.
0:05:32 > 0:05:33It's worth the wait.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35These really are fantastic.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37If you can get them from the butcher's, do you know what?
0:05:39 > 0:05:41This is perfect for one of those lazy days
0:05:41 > 0:05:43that you're just chilling around at home.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49Then in the evening there's always something good to watch on TV.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55That is proper grub.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58There you have it - my very own barbecued ribs.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00A dish I dream of when I'm away,
0:06:00 > 0:06:04made all the better by using the best ingredients I can find.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09In fact, these days, wherever you live in the UK,
0:06:09 > 0:06:13there's no excuse for not using top-quality local produce.
0:06:14 > 0:06:19Here in Hampshire, I'm always amazed by the fresh, award-winning meat,
0:06:19 > 0:06:23veg and fruit readily available within a stone's throw of my home.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29For me, the perfect lazy day has a pint in it.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31There are some brilliant local beers in my area.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35Like those made by brewer Alasdair Large,
0:06:35 > 0:06:39who set up the award-winning Keystone Brewery in 2006.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42It's built in a converted barn
0:06:42 > 0:06:46at the very farm which grows the barley for his artisan beer.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49We're very keen that the beer that we produce
0:06:49 > 0:06:52reflects our bit of South Wiltshire.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54It goes out to local pubs.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57We go to Wiltshire, Hampshire, a little bit of Dorset,
0:06:57 > 0:07:00and keep everything as local as possible.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03Keep the food miles down and keep the money in the local economy.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05But before he can do any brewing,
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Alasdair needs to get his barley malted.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13It's a process where the seeds are germinated to unlock the sugars
0:07:13 > 0:07:16which the brewing process converts into alcohol.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18True to his local approach,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21the company he works with are only seven miles away.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24Originally opened in 1855,
0:07:24 > 0:07:28Warminster Maltings is the oldest working maltings in the country.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31Most malt houses are industrial-scale factories.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35This is one of only four keeping local traditions alive -
0:07:35 > 0:07:37an art that's barely changed for centuries.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43Head maltster Chris Garratt has been with the company for 39 years.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52This is the very start of the malting process.
0:07:52 > 0:07:53Here we have barley
0:07:53 > 0:07:56that's been delivered to us from our nearest farms.
0:07:56 > 0:08:02And it's going into the steep tank, where it will be left for 72 hours
0:08:02 > 0:08:05to increase its moisture.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11So the barley is cast from the steep tank
0:08:11 > 0:08:14and then levelled onto our germination floors.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23The grains are turned several times a day for five days to aerate them
0:08:23 > 0:08:25and make for a top-quality pint.
0:08:28 > 0:08:33Back in the brewery, the malt is turned into a craft ale.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37At the start of the brewing day, we mash in, which is where we mix
0:08:37 > 0:08:42the malted barley and the hot water to form a porridge in the mash tun.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46The malted barley releases its sugar to create the raw beer.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48Hops are used to flavour the beer,
0:08:48 > 0:08:52and yeast ferments the sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide,
0:08:52 > 0:08:54which is what gives the pint its head.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56At the end of that fermentation,
0:08:56 > 0:09:00we're ready to run the raw beer off into casks.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03Then it's ready for drinking in a week, two weeks,
0:09:03 > 0:09:06and ready for delivering into the pub cellar.
0:09:06 > 0:09:11Of course, the best bit is tasting the fruits of your labour.
0:09:11 > 0:09:1418 months ago, we opened our own pub in Tisbury
0:09:14 > 0:09:18and it gives me the opportunity to test each batch as it goes out -
0:09:18 > 0:09:21go down to the pub, which is on the way home.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24And my locals are my harshest critics.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35I'm lucky to have such a decent drop on my doorstep,
0:09:35 > 0:09:38especially as Alasdair's even bringing some brews over
0:09:38 > 0:09:41for me to use for my braised beef cheeks -
0:09:41 > 0:09:43the laziest stew I know.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Served with mashed potatoes and spiced carrots,
0:09:47 > 0:09:50this is cooking that gives you the afternoon off.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53I have to say, I enjoy anybody that arrives at my house with some beer.
0:09:53 > 0:09:54I've got a couple for you today.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57Well, I'm going to create a nice little dish for you.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59The first thing I'm going to do is marinate the beef.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01To do that, we just marinate it with a little bit of garlic,
0:10:01 > 0:10:05some onions, carrot, fresh thyme and then some beer.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08- Can we have a taste of these? - I've brought two along for you today.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12I've brought our porter, which is a dark beer.
0:10:12 > 0:10:17Brewed using roasted barley along with the lighter malts.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19- It's very dark. - It's almost a black beer.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24I've also brought our best bitter along.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27This is your standard copper-amber coloured beer.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29What's the difference in producing them?
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Well, they're brewed the same way.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36Any beer is made up of about 85% of what we call pale malt.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39And it's that small percentage, that 15%, that you can play with,
0:10:39 > 0:10:42the different varieties of malt that go in
0:10:42 > 0:10:44and this has got roast malt in it.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46Crystal malt gives it some sweetness.
0:10:46 > 0:10:52The roast malt gives a deep, roast, almost slightly burnt flavour.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54Try that one first, it's a lighter one.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57- Am I right in thinking that this is still alive?- That is live.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01That's got yeast in it, and it's still fermenting ever so slowly.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04It's done 95% of its fermentation in the brewery.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06There's a little bit of yeast still in there,
0:11:06 > 0:11:08there's a little bit of sugar still present.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11And that last bit of fermentation happens in a closed environment.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13And that's what we call conditioning.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15When you see "cask-conditioned beer" what it means
0:11:15 > 0:11:18is it's had that last bit of conditioning happen inside the cask.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21This is what I'm used to as well - this is the porter.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23Totally different in colour.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26There's a lot going on in this glass, really, in terms of flavour.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28- It's quite complex. - It IS quite complex.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Very good to cook with. We use it instead of red win at home.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33I use it a lot to cook with as well,
0:11:33 > 0:11:35so, I'm going to marinade the cheeks in this.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37In here we've got some diced carrot.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40We've got some onion, garlic, thyme.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43It's a great pub dish, this, cos you can just bung it all in.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46I'm going to set you to work cos I want you to peel the carrots.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49There's no such thing as a free lunch in my house, you see.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51Marinate the meat in the fridge
0:11:51 > 0:11:54for at least 12 hours to impart some flavour.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00Then you want to seal them in a little bit of oil
0:12:00 > 0:12:03in a smoking hot pan to lock in the flavour.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09These will actually shrink as they cook.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12A lot of people think this is a decent sort of sized portion
0:12:12 > 0:12:15but they will actually shrink to a sort of portion size as well.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18We want to get lots of colour on here,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21so help it along its way with a little knob of butter as well.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26Can you get these cuts from any butcher?
0:12:26 > 0:12:29- It's not a standard cut of meat, is it?- The cheeks, really,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32a lot of the times they were just used for burgers
0:12:32 > 0:12:34and mince and stuff like that.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36Nowadays we're looking at different types of food,
0:12:36 > 0:12:38particularly slow-cooking food.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41Even pig's trotters used to be cheap
0:12:41 > 0:12:45- until chefs on TV decided to use them...- So, it's all your fault?
0:12:45 > 0:12:47..bumped up the price. Yeah.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50These are still inexpensive, really.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53So, why beer for you? How did you get involved in it?
0:12:53 > 0:12:56A friend of the family had a small brewery up in Norfolk
0:12:56 > 0:13:01and I went up and spent my summer holiday doing some brewing with him.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05Whenever I had some leave, I would spend it in someone else's brewery,
0:13:05 > 0:13:09sweeping the floor, you know, just getting an idea of,
0:13:09 > 0:13:12"Do I really want to do this?" No-one gets rich doing what I'm doing.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16And it's a lifestyle. It's a bit of fun.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18It's a really nice industry to be involved in.
0:13:18 > 0:13:23Why that particular type of production, when it comes to malt?
0:13:23 > 0:13:26To ensure that we get as local possible flavour
0:13:26 > 0:13:28into our product as we can.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32- Who produces the best beer, Yorkshire or down here?- Down here.
0:13:34 > 0:13:35Moving swiftly on.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39I'm layering my marinated veg into the casserole with the beef
0:13:39 > 0:13:41to maximise the flavour.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43Normally, if you're doing a red wine marinade,
0:13:43 > 0:13:45you wouldn't use this, you'd strain it off.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48But with beer this good and the fact that I'm a Yorkshireman
0:13:48 > 0:13:49and I don't want to waste any,
0:13:49 > 0:13:52it's going to go into our pot as well.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55So, you just throw the whole lot in. Now, just to help it along its way,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58we're just going to use some beef stock.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02Just a little pack of this. Probably a couple of these, actually.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06And then all that you do now is put the lid on.
0:14:09 > 0:14:14This is the perfect dish for a lazy day because with these,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17you just put them in the oven and kind of forget about them.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19Just enough time to go down the pub.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21Come on.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24My stew needs at least four hours on a very low heat
0:14:24 > 0:14:28so the meat can break down, producing a delicious velvety sauce.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30150 degrees should do it.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34If you spend all night in the pub, even better
0:14:34 > 0:14:38because the longer it takes...
0:14:38 > 0:14:42the better they will be as well. A bit like the garnish for this.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45And I'm going to show you how to do these fantastic carrots,
0:14:45 > 0:14:47which are great for your pub, all right?
0:14:47 > 0:14:51So, you just top and tail them.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54Can you grab me some star anise out the back there, on the shelf?
0:14:55 > 0:14:58This is my take on a French favourite - Vichy carrots,
0:14:58 > 0:15:02slow-cooked with a sweet, buttery glaze.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06I put whole carrots in a pan of water with a dash of salt,
0:15:06 > 0:15:08a good knob of butter,
0:15:08 > 0:15:10plus star anise for an aniseed note.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15Finally some sugar and you're ready to roll.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17Put the carrots on to cook for at least half an hour
0:15:17 > 0:15:21before you want to serve them up alongside these tender beef cheeks.
0:15:24 > 0:15:25But it's not finished yet
0:15:25 > 0:15:28because we're going to make a sauce out of this.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31You get a nice hot pan...
0:15:32 > 0:15:34..and put the sauce in here.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37It's all about the reduction, really,
0:15:37 > 0:15:40and by reducing it, you strengthen the flavour.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42The carrots are just cooking away nicely.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44I've got some mashed potato here -
0:15:44 > 0:15:46proper mashed potato with cream and butter.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50That's just going to...
0:15:50 > 0:15:52sit on our plate like this.
0:15:52 > 0:15:57Decent-sized chunk of carrot, which I think is what you want for this.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59You can trim that up.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02You can have a taste of those while we're waiting for the sauce.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05But it's the star anise that really works in it.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07They're fantastic, aren't they?
0:16:07 > 0:16:09- A bit of aniseed?- Yeah, you get a lovely flavour with it.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12You can see this sauce now, as it reduces down,
0:16:12 > 0:16:15a little knob of butter.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18Then what we do is, we put our beef cheek back in here
0:16:18 > 0:16:21and just basically glaze it.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25- You get this wonderful sort of... - Shine.- ..shine with it.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27That's by reducing that sauce down.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29Too much and it's too strong.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33- But you get a decent, pub-sized portion, you see?- Yep.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38And then some of our lovely sauce over the top.
0:16:38 > 0:16:43- You get to dive in. I'll do you a swap.- Oh, good deal.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47Dive in. Tell us what do you think.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50It just rips off. You can almost eat this with a spoon.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53You don't really need a knife and fork.
0:16:53 > 0:16:58It's one of the most underused cuts of beef, I think, cooked properly.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00- Get in.- Happy with that?- Very.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03There's a bit of sweetness and roundness that comes through.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06- Excellent.- You can have that for your pub menu.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10- I'll let you have that one. - Can I call it James's?- Fair enough.
0:17:10 > 0:17:11As long as I get a pint.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14Alistair's beer works brilliantly in this slow-cooked braise,
0:17:14 > 0:17:18a dish which proves that good things come to those who wait -
0:17:18 > 0:17:21something our ancestors were only too aware of.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27The ultimate lazy day treat, and a big favourite of mine,
0:17:27 > 0:17:29is the traditional British roast.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34As food historian Ivan Day knows,
0:17:34 > 0:17:38it was relished just as much by our ancestors as it is by us today.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43From his Cumbrian home, he reveals how his inventive forebears
0:17:43 > 0:17:47made their lives a little bit easier when cooking this classic dish.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52Roast meats have been in England since the Norman conquest
0:17:52 > 0:17:54and probably earlier.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57We were esteemed in Europe as being the very best roasters.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59That's why the French called us rosbifs.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02It wasn't a derogatory term. It was praising us.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06What I'm going to do this morning is to actually roast
0:18:06 > 0:18:09a lovely loin of pork. We're going to put it in front of the fire
0:18:09 > 0:18:12and we're going to get the spit to turn,
0:18:12 > 0:18:14not by turning it laboriously by hand
0:18:14 > 0:18:18but by getting a culinary robot to do it for you,
0:18:18 > 0:18:21which is what I'm going to do.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24So this machine is called a spit jack.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27It dates from about 1780.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31But, very simply, it's a bit like the inside of a grandfather clock.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35Hanging from here is a very heavy weight.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39So if I wind it up, the rope will wind around the drum.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42COGS SQUEAK
0:18:42 > 0:18:43That's a great noise.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46It's the sound of an 18th-century kitchen.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50That's as far as it will go.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54If I give that a bit of a flick, that'll keep moving.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58The main reason it's doing it is to turn this chain around.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03What I'm going to do is put the spit chain onto the pulley
0:19:03 > 0:19:06at the end of the spit.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08It'll hang on there.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12As you can see, the meat is now beginning to rotate
0:19:12 > 0:19:15very, very slowly towards the fire.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18The first lazy cook to use one of these
0:19:18 > 0:19:22was probably in Italy in the 15th century.
0:19:22 > 0:19:27Then it spread all over Europe. It came to England in the 16th.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31For me, the best accompaniment to spit-roasted meat
0:19:31 > 0:19:34is something called a fired pudding.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37And it's a recipe that's right up my street.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40Mash, pepper, onion, nutmeg,
0:19:40 > 0:19:43and a good wedge of butter.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49These two dishes predate industrialised food.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52But they show how people, even 300 years ago,
0:19:52 > 0:19:56were trying to make the task a lot easier for themselves
0:19:56 > 0:19:59by using labour-saving devices.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02The whole point of this dish is that a lot of the juices
0:20:02 > 0:20:04that are dripping off now are not fat,
0:20:04 > 0:20:07it's the gravy that's actually dripping down.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10It just toasts in front of the fire.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14It should be a lovely mahogany colour when it's finished.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18The lazy Sunday roast only really started to become a feature
0:20:18 > 0:20:20of English life in the 19th century.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23More and more people could A, afford the meat
0:20:23 > 0:20:27and B, afford to have a fireplace in their house.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31A large spit like this needs a big fire.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33So it would only be found in wealthy houses.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42The joint is absolutely perfectly cooked now.
0:20:46 > 0:20:52Spit-roasted meat doesn't lose its moisture,
0:20:52 > 0:20:55so when you take it off the spit,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58you get half a gallon of gravy, which just oozes out.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02You don't have to go and mix some stock cubes up.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04It provides its own juice.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08Try the crackling first, I think.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11Let's just test that out.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17Absolutely unbelievable.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23For me, I'm pretty sure that the best bit
0:21:23 > 0:21:27is going to be the crispy crust on the potato pudding.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36Which is as close as you can get to heaven, actually. It really is.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38It's just so amazingly good.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43Plus it's a roast that gives you plenty of time off.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51But lazy-day home cooking doesn't always mean long and slow.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54Sometimes you need food you can just rustle up in a jiffy
0:21:54 > 0:21:56without skimping on flavour.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00Something that I find that fits the bill
0:22:00 > 0:22:04is my cream chicken and mushroom pie with a golden puff pastry top.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07It's a one-pot wonder, all cooked in a frying pan.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09So make sure yours is ovenproof.
0:22:09 > 0:22:10It takes minutes to make
0:22:10 > 0:22:13but tastes like you've slaved on the stove for hours.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16In my line of work, I don't really get many lazy days.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18But when I do get the occasional day off,
0:22:18 > 0:22:22there's nothing better, really, than to sit and cook a pie.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26It's one of the things that's a winter warmer.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28It warms your heart as well as your taste buds.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31We're going to start off with a few shallots.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34Garlic, just chopped up.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38Then add diced chicken breast to your pan.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41The perfect partner for poultry is mushrooms.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43They have an amazing flavour,
0:22:43 > 0:22:45so pick and choose your favourite varieties.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48That's one of the great things nowadays about supermarkets.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51Now you're starting to get different types of mushrooms,
0:22:51 > 0:22:53from chanterelle, girolles...
0:22:53 > 0:22:56Just getting a little bit of colour on here.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59Not too much.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01Just colour the chicken a little bit.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03Be careful not to burn the onions as well.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05Otherwise it can become slightly bitter.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07That's probably enough now.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10Then we can throw in our mushrooms.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15With mushrooms, you want to cook them as hot as possible,
0:23:15 > 0:23:17because they contain a lot of water.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20That's why we don't really want to wash mushrooms.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22You basically just rub off the dirt.
0:23:22 > 0:23:27Whenever frying them, the temptation is to have the pan not hot enough,
0:23:27 > 0:23:29and then they end up sweating.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34And then one of the great flavourings
0:23:34 > 0:23:36with chicken and mushrooms is Madeira.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41What you do need to do is flame this.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45Flaming it will get rid of the alcohol from it as well.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49Otherwise it's too intense a flavour.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53Then I'm going to add some of this chicken stock.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56This is one of the great things in supermarkets,
0:23:56 > 0:23:58like mushrooms now, that's readily available
0:23:58 > 0:24:01and makes this such a quick dish to be able to cook.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06While we're doing that, we can add one of the great ingredients
0:24:06 > 0:24:10to go with chicken. I love it. It's tarragon.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13It's got a lovely aniseedy sort of flavour
0:24:13 > 0:24:17that goes well with so many different meats and fish.
0:24:17 > 0:24:22Tarragon and chicken really are a great combination.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26And then finally, no creme fraiche, no single cream.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28Double cream.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31The reason for the double cream is, we get the texture
0:24:31 > 0:24:33of a sauce almost straightaway,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36particularly when we bring this to the boil,
0:24:36 > 0:24:39to reduce that liquid down to create this wonderful sauce
0:24:39 > 0:24:41to go in our pie.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44Don't forget to season it and then let it simmer away
0:24:44 > 0:24:47for five to 10 minutes. And that's it.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49See? I said it was easy.
0:24:58 > 0:24:59This is great.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02You could eat it almost as it is, straightaway like this.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06But as I'm making a pie, I need to crack on with the pastry top.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09So often with pies, they use shortcrust pastry.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13But for me, really, the best tasting pie to go with chicken or beef
0:25:13 > 0:25:17has to be with puff pastry. I don't know what it is.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21It's that buttery layers of crisp pastry as you sort of break into it
0:25:21 > 0:25:23before you get to the filling,
0:25:23 > 0:25:26which you know is going to taste great.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Particularly, it looks great.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32Make sure the pastry isn't too thick,
0:25:32 > 0:25:35because you want it to cook in the middle.
0:25:35 > 0:25:40That'll do, sort of 4mm to 5mm thickness would be great.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Then just very quickly roll this up.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48Once the pastry is ready, paint the edge of the pan with egg wash.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53Then roll out the pastry over the top.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58And trim the edges, before egg-washing the top of your pie.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04When you get to that stage,
0:26:04 > 0:26:08you can do your fancy little crimping around the edge.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10Just take two fingers and a thumb
0:26:10 > 0:26:15and really press this onto the side of the pan.
0:26:19 > 0:26:24And then, to be a bit fancy, a few leaves.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36And then we just put these on nice and quick.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42In the oven. About 25 minutes. Hot oven.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Done.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48So kick back and relax before tucking in.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04You see, look at this. I know it's very different cooking it in a pan.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06But it just saves on washing up.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09Let's face it, if you want a lazy day,
0:27:09 > 0:27:12why spend most of the time washing up?
0:27:12 > 0:27:15You just take some of this pie out.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20That combination between chicken, mushrooms,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23tarragon, puff pastry...
0:27:24 > 0:27:29Even just looking at it, you know it's going to taste good.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31I've got to dive in.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39That is so delicious.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41It's so simple.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45You can just cook it time and time again.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51It's the sort of dish that makes me realise how lucky I am
0:27:51 > 0:27:54to be able to make a living from food.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57Lazy-day eating shouldn't mean missing out on good grub.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00For me, it's all about having a relaxed approach to meals,
0:28:00 > 0:28:03choosing the dishes that take a while to cook,
0:28:03 > 0:28:04so let you enjoy your time off.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07And that's the way to eat fantastic food
0:28:07 > 0:28:10and avoid putting too many hours in the kitchen.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13If you'd like to know more about how to cook any of the recipes
0:28:13 > 0:28:15featured on today's show,
0:28:15 > 0:28:17you can get all of them at our website...