0:00:02 > 0:00:06Sometimes, there's no place like home, and few things are more
0:00:06 > 0:00:09comforting and delicious than real home cooking.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13Living in this beautiful country with great produce
0:00:13 > 0:00:18right on our doorstep, we really are spoilt for choice.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21So in this series, I'm inviting you into my kitchen to share with
0:00:21 > 0:00:23you some of my tasty home-cooked treats.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27'The dishes I turn to,
0:00:27 > 0:00:30'whether entertaining friends and family or just relaxing on my own.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50'In our busy lives, the daily grind of getting a half decent meal
0:00:50 > 0:00:54'onto the plate and onto the dinner table on time can feel like a chore.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59'And that's why it's so important for home cooks
0:00:59 > 0:01:01'to grab any opportunity to make dishes
0:01:01 > 0:01:04'that are a delight to cook and an indulgence to eat.'
0:01:07 > 0:01:09Today, I'm going to show you dishes that are a real treat,
0:01:09 > 0:01:13dishes that I can't wait to come home and have a go at cooking.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18'For me, a home-cooked treat is about dishes packed full of flavour
0:01:18 > 0:01:19'and happy memories.'
0:01:20 > 0:01:23My granny always used to make her own mint sauce,
0:01:23 > 0:01:27and it's one of the things that I always remember.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29'And by using a few luxurious ingredients,
0:01:29 > 0:01:32'your dinner guests will feel truly spoilt.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37'We've always had a fondness for a treat, so when you have time,
0:01:37 > 0:01:41'indulge yourself in some guilt-free home-cooking pleasure.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45'My first treat is an ingredient most of us
0:01:45 > 0:01:48'would think is pretty decadent, but I'm turning it into something
0:01:48 > 0:01:51'light, clean and pretty as a picture.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58'My vanilla cured salmon with cool cucumber ketchup is a dish to
0:01:58 > 0:01:59'impress.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02'It will definitely make your guests feel indulged.'
0:02:05 > 0:02:09So the first thing we're going to do is prepare our cure for it.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12Now, it's very similar to sort of gravlax in the way that we
0:02:12 > 0:02:15actually start the cure, and like smoked salmon as well.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17But we're going to infuse it with vanilla.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21Now, vanilla and fish go fantastically well together.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25It goes particularly well with salmon, cod and scallops.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27But the first thing we're going to do is blend it all together.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30Now, this is a good way of actually using up leftover vanilla pods.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33So if you scrape out the seeds, and you want to use the leftover
0:02:33 > 0:02:36pods, then this is fantastic to actually do.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38We're going to put some sugar in this.
0:02:38 > 0:02:43And roughly, it's equal quantities of sugar and salt for your cure.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49'Blend the sugar and the vanilla pod until thoroughly ground together.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52'Pour it into a bowl, then add the same quantity of salt.'
0:02:54 > 0:02:57Now, I like to use sea salt for this.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00I find table salt is a bit harsh,
0:03:00 > 0:03:04tastes too much of sodium for what I need.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07But we just mix this together, and you've got, basically,
0:03:07 > 0:03:10your simple cure, as easy as that.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12And then we've got our lovely salmon.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16Now, what you need to do with this is line your board with some
0:03:16 > 0:03:17clingfilm first.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21It's a good idea to use clingfilm because
0:03:21 > 0:03:26whenever you're curing any fish, it actually draws out the moisture.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28And if you don't wrap it in clingfilm,
0:03:28 > 0:03:30you'll find it'll just go everywhere.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33'Make sure your clingfilm is overlapping,
0:03:33 > 0:03:36'then place half the cure mix down the middle.'
0:03:37 > 0:03:40We take this beautiful bit of Scottish salmon.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44Now, you could do Scottish salmon like this or trout.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46And we just lay the fish
0:03:46 > 0:03:48on top of the little bit of salt, first of all.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52And then, take the remaining salt and just sprinkle this over
0:03:52 > 0:03:56the top, and then wrap the fish in the clingfilm.
0:03:57 > 0:03:58By using the clingfilm, really,
0:03:58 > 0:04:02you'll actually hold the salt onto the fish as well.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07'Pop the salmon onto a tray, then ideally,
0:04:07 > 0:04:09'leave it in the fridge for 24 hours.'
0:04:09 > 0:04:13Now, what you end up with, you see the liquid that's come out of this?
0:04:13 > 0:04:16What you need to do is just open this up,
0:04:16 > 0:04:19and the texture and the colour changes so much.
0:04:19 > 0:04:24But also, the feel of it, really, becomes much firmer,
0:04:24 > 0:04:27and you've got this beautiful piece of cured salmon.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31'Wash off all the cure mix, as it's now done its job,
0:04:31 > 0:04:35'then pat the fish dry with a clean cloth or kitchen paper.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39'Rewrap the salmon
0:04:39 > 0:04:42'and it can be stored safely in the fridge for up to a week.'
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Now, with this, I'm going to serve a cucumber ketchup.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48It sounds more complicated than it actually is.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Whereas a tomato ketchup, you've got to cook it, this one, you can
0:04:51 > 0:04:53actually have it raw.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57'Thickly cut off the skin of the two cucumbers.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00'It's the outside I'm going to use to make the ketchup.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03'But don't throw away the remaining cucumber centres
0:05:03 > 0:05:04'cos I'm chargrilling them later.'
0:05:06 > 0:05:08With the remaining part, we can just chop it up.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13No need to peel this as well cos you want the actual colour,
0:05:13 > 0:05:18the green colour, to come out into our ketchup.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22There's no need to add much liquid to this as well
0:05:22 > 0:05:24because there's so much water in cucumber.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26All we need to do now is just blitz it.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30'Once the cucumber is blitzed, add rice wine vinegar,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32'a pinch of salt, then blitz again.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39'At this stage, the ketchup is really runny,
0:05:39 > 0:05:42'but I have an ingredient that will thicken the mix.'
0:05:43 > 0:05:44This is Xanthan gum,
0:05:44 > 0:05:48and you can actually buy this from supermarkets now. It's on the shelf.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50People don't know what the hell to do with it cos you just walk
0:05:50 > 0:05:52past it.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55'Xanthan gum is made from a natural bacteria,
0:05:55 > 0:05:58'and it's most often used to stabilise sauces and dressings.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01'It will act like cornflour and thicken the ketchup.'
0:06:03 > 0:06:07And after about sort of two or three teaspoons, just check it.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14And what you end up with is a lovely ketchup.
0:06:14 > 0:06:15The secret is not to add too much.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17There's enough flavour to the Xanthan gum.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22If you add too much, it becomes too thick and too heavy,
0:06:22 > 0:06:26so we can just lift this out, and you can see the texture.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32And you get a texture very similar to sort of tomato ketchup.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35And that's it.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39'Making the pickled ginger to go with the dish couldn't be simpler.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41'Peel and finely slice some fresh ginger,
0:06:41 > 0:06:45'then add it to a pan with some rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt.'
0:06:45 > 0:06:47The key to this, really,
0:06:47 > 0:06:49is sticking to those same three ingredients - the salt,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52the sugar and the vinegar, but use the right vinegar, the right salt,
0:06:52 > 0:06:56otherwise you'll never have the same sort of effect running throughout.
0:06:58 > 0:06:59'Let the pickle simmer for a couple of minutes
0:06:59 > 0:07:04'until the ginger wilts, then take it off the heat and let it cool.
0:07:04 > 0:07:05'Now to the griddled cucumber.'
0:07:07 > 0:07:11And what you do with this is you grab the inside of the cucumber
0:07:11 > 0:07:14and chargrill it. It's a little bit fancy, I know.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17It's a little bit poncey. But this is a treat.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20If you chargrill it on the barbecue, it's wonderful.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23It's brilliant to serve in drinks, but also,
0:07:23 > 0:07:26fabulous with chicken and fish.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29'While the cucumbers griddle, you can
0:07:29 > 0:07:31'prepare the garnishes for the salmon.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34'I like to use crisp and peppery radishes,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36'watercress and mustard cress.'
0:07:40 > 0:07:42It's nicely chargrilled.
0:07:42 > 0:07:47And then, all you can do is plate it up, really. It's as easy as that.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53'With a sharp knife, cut thin slices of the salmon on an angle,
0:07:53 > 0:07:55'much like smoked salmon, and then arrange them
0:07:55 > 0:07:58'on a plate along with the garnishes and the cucumber ketchup.'
0:08:00 > 0:08:02It's a little bit cheffy.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04But hey, it's my house!
0:08:08 > 0:08:12Now, this dish looks spectacular and really is a special treat
0:08:12 > 0:08:13when you've got guests coming round.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19And it tastes so much better than the bought-in stuff,
0:08:19 > 0:08:20I can't tell you.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22And so simple to make.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27'This dish is both humble and luxurious at the same time
0:08:27 > 0:08:30'and a treat for the eyes and the taste buds.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33'It's guaranteed to delight any dinner party guest.'
0:08:34 > 0:08:38All you need is time and a pair of tweezers. Now you know.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46'But time is one thing that's become scarce in modern life,
0:08:46 > 0:08:51'and convenience has often become what's important to us.'
0:08:51 > 0:08:52Take a humble loaf.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54By the 1950s, mass-produced,
0:08:54 > 0:08:58sliced bread accounted for 80% of what we bought in Britain.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02But the times, they say, are a-changing!
0:09:02 > 0:09:05And with the growth of Artisan bakeries, the percentage
0:09:05 > 0:09:09of proper bread eaten by us Brits has well and truly risen.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12But to make that genuine Artisan loaf,
0:09:12 > 0:09:16it all starts with the most important ingredient - flour.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23Just up the road from me in Dorset,
0:09:23 > 0:09:27award-winning miller Michael Stoate is producing some of the best
0:09:27 > 0:09:31traditional stone-ground flour to be found anywhere in the country.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36The family's been milling for the last 180 years.
0:09:36 > 0:09:41We started milling in 1832, and I'm the fifth generation of miller.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44It's something I really enjoy doing and have a passion for.
0:09:45 > 0:09:50We're producing nine different types of flour - wheat, rye and spelt.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53It's nearly all organic, so it's all stone-ground in a traditional
0:09:53 > 0:09:55way between horizontal millstones.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00The history books go back to Domesday Book record, really.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04There's been a mill here for at least 1,000 years. Who knows, maybe more.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07It's a water-driven mill.
0:10:07 > 0:10:12It's one of five on a mile section of the River Stour.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14That's the only one still being used.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18This is an overshot cast-iron water wheel.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20It was built in about 1880.
0:10:26 > 0:10:31So the age-old process of milling starts like it always has
0:10:31 > 0:10:32- by choosing the grain.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Like anything, the better quality the raw material,
0:10:35 > 0:10:37the better quality the end result.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40And we can source most of that locally within a 30-mile
0:10:40 > 0:10:41radius of the mill.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44But before any of the actual grinding begins,
0:10:44 > 0:10:48the grain is cleaned, sieving out any of the dust or leftover chaff.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53But once that's done, the milling goes into full swing.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56Each set of stones here has a raw hopper above it
0:10:56 > 0:11:01and the grain comes down, through the hopper, and feeds into the stones.
0:11:01 > 0:11:06The millstones inside here, turning at about 120 revs per minute.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10And the flour comes out through here to check the quality of it.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14The stones we use here are French Burr millstones, so they're
0:11:14 > 0:11:18renowned for being the best for producing a nice, soft quality flour.
0:11:18 > 0:11:19It doesn't stop there.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23The milled wholegrain needs sieving, and it's that process that
0:11:23 > 0:11:25determines if the flour is white or brown.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30This is the second flour sieve.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32The flour, having passed through the millstones,
0:11:32 > 0:11:35then goes upstairs and goes through a first sieve
0:11:35 > 0:11:37and comes down and goes through this sieve, which is
0:11:37 > 0:11:40finer and removes more of the brown, making the white flour.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51This is our strong white flour, ready to go out to the baker's.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54This is the most refined flour we produce.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57It's had a lot of the brown sifted out of it,
0:11:57 > 0:12:00so down to about a 70% extraction.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03So it's still got a creamy colour to it,
0:12:03 > 0:12:06so it's got a good flavour and good colour.
0:12:06 > 0:12:07It's making a tasty loaf.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11And it's real products, like Michael's flour,
0:12:11 > 0:12:15made the time-honoured way, with passion and expertise,
0:12:15 > 0:12:18that confirms the humble loaf is once again on the rise.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31'Having the time to make home-made bread is almost a treat in itself.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35'Michael's popped round from the mill with not a small bag of flour,
0:12:35 > 0:12:39'so I think I should treat him with my next recipe.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41'My spice-scented, butter-rich rolls with Bourbon
0:12:41 > 0:12:45'and maple icing are an indulgence you just have to try.'
0:12:46 > 0:12:49We're going to make a dough, and we're going to make it
0:12:49 > 0:12:51with your very, very special flour that we've got.
0:12:51 > 0:12:52And I'm going to use this sort of...
0:12:52 > 0:12:55Well, the strong bread flour for this one.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57So what's so special about this?
0:12:57 > 0:13:00The strong white flour, all our flours are stone-ground,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03so unlike roller-ground mills, mass-produced roller-ground mills,
0:13:03 > 0:13:06- this is done in one pass.- Yeah.- The wheat goes through the millstones.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08Everything gets ground together.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11Even the wheat germ oils, they get mixed in with the mill.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14It's quite interesting, that. When you think of a manufactured flour,
0:13:14 > 0:13:16big manufactured flour, you actually make it like a recipe.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19You combine all the ingredients and then mix in at the end.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23And it separates every separate bit of the grain into its different
0:13:23 > 0:13:24- fragments.- Yeah.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27And then, to manufacture the flour they want to market,
0:13:27 > 0:13:29they put various bits back together again.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31You get a massive difference in taste.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33I've got 625 grams of this flour.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36Now, you can see straightaway, really, with this flour,
0:13:36 > 0:13:39it's not as white as sugar, even.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43It's almost got that sort of grey, browney tint to it as well.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46Nice and fine. In we go with the sugar.
0:13:46 > 0:13:47Now, this is an enriched yeast dough,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50so we're going to add a pinch of salt
0:13:50 > 0:13:51with the sugar.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55And then, what we need to do is just mix this together with the yeast.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57Now, I'm going to use sort of dried yeast for this.
0:14:00 > 0:14:05Add the warm water, about 450 mls of warm water for this.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07So how long's the family actually owned the mill?
0:14:07 > 0:14:10We've always been in the West Country.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13- It started in 1832 in Watchet in Somerset.- Right.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17And then moved to Bristol, and then my father moved to the present
0:14:17 > 0:14:20mill in 1947, so we've been there...
0:14:20 > 0:14:22Now, is there going to be a sixth generation?
0:14:22 > 0:14:25- Have we got kids in the background? - No pressure on the kids!
0:14:26 > 0:14:29Is that what they want to do or is that what they're going to
0:14:29 > 0:14:30have to do?
0:14:30 > 0:14:32Apparently, my grandfather was told he had to be a miller.
0:14:32 > 0:14:33He wanted to be a farmer.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36And so, he had to be a miller until he retired,
0:14:36 > 0:14:37and then he became a farmer.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39I don't think you can get away with that these days!
0:14:39 > 0:14:42No, I don't think you can, actually.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45'Once the dough is thoroughly mixed, pop it into a bowl,
0:14:45 > 0:14:49'cover it with clingfilm and allow it to proof for 20 minutes or
0:14:49 > 0:14:50'until it doubles in size.'
0:14:52 > 0:14:57Now we're going to laminate it, which is layers of butter in this.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00So we just basically take this mixture here, and this is
0:15:00 > 0:15:04where it's kind of similar to making sort of puff pastry, really.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06But as I said to you, this is a treat.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11- So I hope Michael likes his butter! - I certainly do.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13- We've got a block each going in here!- Excellent!
0:15:13 > 0:15:16There's actually 500 grams of butter going in.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21'Laminated bread is made by folding in layers of butter
0:15:21 > 0:15:22'and dough together.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25'In the oven, steam from the melted butter gets trapped
0:15:25 > 0:15:26'and helps the dough rise.'
0:15:28 > 0:15:29Check this out.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32This is what puts people off about making croissants, you see,
0:15:32 > 0:15:34and stuff like Danish pastries
0:15:34 > 0:15:37because this is the amount of butter that you put in, you know.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40This is not for sort of the health-conscious, Michael,
0:15:40 > 0:15:41you know I mean?
0:15:41 > 0:15:43But what you do with this is you put this over...
0:15:45 > 0:15:51..until you end up with, basically, the layers of butter inside.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55Now, you've got to make a little bit of noise in here.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58If anybody's upset you, now you can get your anger back on them!
0:15:59 > 0:16:00But you're just batting this out.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02It's important to use cold butter as well.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05So you can see, as you're rolling that out, the pieces of butter
0:16:05 > 0:16:08that are trapped in-between that dough get a little bit bigger.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11And then what you do is you can create what we call buck turns.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15So you basically fold the dough over.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18Fold it over into the middle, so it looks like a buck.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20And fold it over again.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23'Repeat this process another two times
0:16:23 > 0:16:25'and then rest the dough in the fridge for an hour.'
0:16:27 > 0:16:31And basically, I'm going to fill this with a mixture.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33And just when you thought there wasn't enough butter and fat
0:16:33 > 0:16:37and everything else going in here, full fat cream cheese with
0:16:37 > 0:16:41a little bit of vanilla and then ground cinnamon.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45'Roll the dough into a rectangle, and then evenly spread your filling.
0:16:45 > 0:16:50'Then simply roll it into a Swiss roll and cut it into thick slices.'
0:16:52 > 0:16:54And then you take one in the centre.
0:16:55 > 0:16:56Six will be enough.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02Around the edge. And then we need to leave this to prove.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04And this is the one that's been proving.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06Again, leave it for about sort of 30, 40 minutes.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09It's one of those things that if you're at home all day,
0:17:09 > 0:17:11then this is the ideal dish to sort of make.
0:17:11 > 0:17:12A little bit of egg wash...
0:17:14 > 0:17:16..over the top. Just brush it.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20And you can see you've got this sort of Catherine Wheel effect to it.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24Now, what we need to do is set the oven quite high.
0:17:24 > 0:17:29This one's set about 400 degrees Fahrenheit, 200 degrees Centigrade.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33And I've got one that's nicely cooked there.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36This'll take about sort of 45 minutes in here.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42'While the rolls are still warm, I like to make a sticky glaze
0:17:42 > 0:17:45'using icing sugar, a bit of Bourbon and maple syrup.'
0:17:46 > 0:17:48If you just pipe this over the top.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55The key to this, Michael, is you just basically just dive in!
0:17:55 > 0:17:57And because we've got that cream cheese in there,
0:17:57 > 0:18:02you've got this lovely sort of filling in amongst it as well.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05There you have it. Dive in. Tell us what you think.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07You're going to need a full day at work to get rid of this,
0:18:07 > 0:18:08the calories in it!
0:18:09 > 0:18:14- That's fantastic. Very good.- That is good, isn't it?- Very rich.
0:18:14 > 0:18:15It is pretty rich.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19'But who cares when it tastes this good?
0:18:19 > 0:18:22'These butter-rich rolls are the perfect treat
0:18:22 > 0:18:25'when you have the luxury of a little time.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27'Just make sure you grab one for yourself before the rest
0:18:27 > 0:18:28'of the family does.'
0:18:31 > 0:18:35But like anything, all good things come to thee who waits.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41And if you wait long enough, you can have something like this as well.
0:18:41 > 0:18:42It's delicious.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51Well, patience might be a virtue,
0:18:51 > 0:18:53apart from when it comes to sinful British puds.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59And in his kitchen, food historian Gerard Baker is
0:18:59 > 0:19:03delving into the origins of a perennial British classic.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10What a splendid thing the trifle is! A true home-cooked treat.
0:19:10 > 0:19:15We've got layers of jelly and sponge, fruit, wonderful custard,
0:19:15 > 0:19:19whipped cream and glace cherries and hundreds and thousands on top.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21There's so much going on in there,
0:19:21 > 0:19:24how did all those different elements get into the modern trifle?
0:19:25 > 0:19:30Trifles are an important dish in our foodie evolution.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34And Gerard's making a recipe dating back to 1750 by legendary
0:19:34 > 0:19:37cookbook writer Hannah Glasse.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39Layer by layer, he's going
0:19:39 > 0:19:43to explore how the trifle took older ideas from British food history
0:19:43 > 0:19:48and brought them all together in one iconic super-dessert.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50Like the modern trifle,
0:19:50 > 0:19:53the early trifles did have an element of sponge in there.
0:19:53 > 0:19:58Now, the practice of eating sponge fingers dipped in sweet wine
0:19:58 > 0:20:02dates from about 1600, when the first proper sponge cakes were
0:20:02 > 0:20:05brought from Spain and Italy into the English kitchen.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10In a modern trifle, we have, usually, a raspberry or a strawberry,
0:20:10 > 0:20:13probably a packet jelly, to be honest.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16But historically, a fruit jelly, like a jam kind of jelly,
0:20:16 > 0:20:20would have been used. I'm using plum jelly today.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22Some people still use some jam with their sponge,
0:20:22 > 0:20:25perhaps even in the form of a Swiss roll.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28Now, jelly was eaten in the Medieval dining room.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32It would have been set in small glasses flavoured with spice
0:20:32 > 0:20:34and perhaps fruit juices to be eaten at the end of the meal
0:20:34 > 0:20:39alongside things like the sponge biscuits dipped in sweet wine.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43So the elements of trifle were existing alongside one another as far
0:20:43 > 0:20:45back as 1600.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50Now, I've made a lovely big jug of proper egg
0:20:50 > 0:20:52custard for my traditional trifle.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57This is a lovely, thick mixture of egg yolks, double cream
0:20:57 > 0:21:00and a little bit of vanilla essence.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03Spice would have been used quite widely in early custards,
0:21:03 > 0:21:07and some of the earliest recipes for trifle really are just
0:21:07 > 0:21:13custard set into a shallow dish. The sponge and the jelly came much later.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16The earliest custards weren't eaten as much as drank
0:21:16 > 0:21:20in the way that we drink eggnog sometimes at Christmas today.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26Now, the final, major layer of my trifle is going to be a syllabub.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29It's essentially a sweetened, flavoured cream,
0:21:29 > 0:21:31but it had been around for centuries before it was
0:21:31 > 0:21:35incorporated into our 18th-century trifle.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39The Elizabethan court loved to drink cream whipped with sweetened
0:21:39 > 0:21:41wine, white wine, and spice.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46By the middle of the 18th century,
0:21:46 > 0:21:49sugar was much cheaper than it had been historically
0:21:49 > 0:21:53because an awful lot was brought in from the West Indies.
0:21:53 > 0:21:58So I can put the layer of syllabub on top of the custard to build up
0:21:58 > 0:21:59the proper trifle.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03Now, we love to decorate a trifle, don't we?
0:22:03 > 0:22:06Glace cherries, hundreds and thousands,
0:22:06 > 0:22:08maybe even a bit of Angelica.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13The 18th-century trifle was even more elaborate, even more fanciful.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17If you can't go completely mad with a trifle, when can you?
0:22:18 > 0:22:22The first declaration I'm going to put on my historic trifle is
0:22:22 > 0:22:24a hedgehog.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26Now, that might seem slightly odd but, in fact,
0:22:26 > 0:22:30some of the early trifle recipes were a tipsy cake,
0:22:30 > 0:22:34a cake soaked in alcohol, covered with custard and cream
0:22:34 > 0:22:37and flaked almonds to give the impression of a giant hedgehog.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48So, that's my trifle nearly finished but, of course,
0:22:48 > 0:22:52a classic trifle is not a trifle without hundreds and thousands.
0:22:52 > 0:22:53But what we think of hundreds
0:22:53 > 0:22:58and thousands today actually came from these - sugar-coated seeds
0:22:58 > 0:23:02called comfits, which were very popular from the Medieval time.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06And they're just flavoured seeds covered with sugar and colours.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10So there we have it. An 18th-century home-cooked comfort.
0:23:11 > 0:23:16The really clever thing about Hannah Glasse was that she amalgamated all
0:23:16 > 0:23:21these lovely elements of our dessert history into one fantastic dish.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24An awful lot of history in an awful lot of pudding.
0:23:27 > 0:23:32Eating trifle featured quite a bit in my 1970s childhood.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34Yes, that is me!
0:23:34 > 0:23:38But one dish featured more than most in the '70s and appeared
0:23:38 > 0:23:42at the start of every dinner party - the classic prawn cocktail.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47It was introduced to this country by the doyenne of British post-war
0:23:47 > 0:23:50cookery, Fanny Cradock.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53Six ounces of chopped prawns,
0:23:53 > 0:23:57to which I then add a generous dollop of real mayonnaise.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01With a swish of a chiffon ballgown,
0:24:01 > 0:24:04Fanny brought gastronomy to the home cook.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09This is called une assiette de fruits de mer - fruits of the sea,
0:24:09 > 0:24:13seafoods which make a most lovely presentation dish on a buffet
0:24:13 > 0:24:15when you're going a bit grand.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18Much like Fanny, the kitsch prawn cocktail fell out of fashion,
0:24:18 > 0:24:23but made at home with care, this '70s starter is a classic.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29And I'm upping the treat factor, using luxurious tiger prawns
0:24:29 > 0:24:36and langoustines, all enveloped in a home-made rich Marie Rose sauce.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39What I'm going to use is a combination of langoustines
0:24:39 > 0:24:42and these tiger prawns. Now, you can actually buy them whole, like this.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44These have obviously been frozen.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46But you can actually buy them just with the tails.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48Either way, you can cook them exactly the same.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51And what we're going to do with these is steam them.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55Now, steaming is a much more delicate way of cooking prawns,
0:24:55 > 0:24:57particularly langoustines, cos when you overcook them,
0:24:57 > 0:25:00they go very, very flaky in the centre.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02So to keep them nice and firm, we steam them,
0:25:02 > 0:25:05only for about sort of one minute, one and a half minutes.
0:25:05 > 0:25:06That's all they're going to take.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09So firstly, to make our mayonnaise, you start off with that
0:25:09 > 0:25:13traditionally, really, with some mustard and egg yolks.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17Just a little bit in there.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19And then, what we need to add is just some plain oil.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21Now, one thing you don't want to be doing
0:25:21 > 0:25:23when you're making mayonnaise is adding olive oil.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27Olive oil's got far too much flavour - brilliant for dressings
0:25:27 > 0:25:28and things like that -
0:25:28 > 0:25:31but within mayonnaise, you just want a mild, delicate flavour.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34So just a standard veg oil would be great for this.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39'To begin with, add just a few drops of oil at a time,
0:25:39 > 0:25:42'making sure they combine before adding the next few drops.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44'Once it begins to thicken, you can
0:25:44 > 0:25:46'pour the rest of the oil in a steady stream.'
0:25:48 > 0:25:50Now, really, the misconception with mayonnaise,
0:25:50 > 0:25:54the more oil you add, the thinner it gets. It's actually the opposite.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56The more oil you add, the thicker it gets.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00So you've got your classic mayonnaise there, lovely and thick.
0:26:00 > 0:26:05And then, the water's boiled, ready for our prawns and langoustines.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08Now, because the prawns are going to take slightly longer to cook,
0:26:08 > 0:26:10I'm going to pop these in first.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15Pop the lid on and cook these for about a minute and a half.
0:26:15 > 0:26:20'To finish off the Marie Rose sauce, add some Worcester sauce, a few
0:26:20 > 0:26:26'drops of Tabasco, a touch of brandy and finally, some tomato ketchup.'
0:26:28 > 0:26:29And really,
0:26:29 > 0:26:34the amount of ketchup to mayonnaise should be about one third
0:26:34 > 0:26:37ketchup, two thirds mayonnaise cos you still want to keep that
0:26:37 > 0:26:39mayonnaise sort of flavour.
0:26:39 > 0:26:40We've mixed this together.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45And there we have, you know, that simple,
0:26:45 > 0:26:48classic-looking sauce that we all know and love.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54Great colour, fantastic flavour cos we've made it ourself.
0:26:54 > 0:27:00We can just season this up with some salt, little bit of black pepper.
0:27:00 > 0:27:05What I think it needs is just a squeeze of lemon.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07Now, I remember dishes such as this when I was a young kid,
0:27:07 > 0:27:10when I used to go with the family, with my sister,
0:27:10 > 0:27:14and we used to go to those steakhouses back in the '70s
0:27:14 > 0:27:17and I used to have chicken in a basket. That kind of stuff.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19And steak that was always well-done, even though
0:27:19 > 0:27:21you asked for it sort of medium.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25Dishes like sort of prawn cocktail have been around for so long,
0:27:25 > 0:27:28they should be back on our menu, I think, cos when you realise
0:27:28 > 0:27:32how simple it is to make, I think you'll do it more often.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36Look! There's your little prawns done. Almost cooked now.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38At the same time, now, we can add our langoustines cos
0:27:38 > 0:27:42these are only going to take about a minute.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45'Once the tiger prawns and langoustines are cooked, take
0:27:45 > 0:27:48'them out and allow them to cool for around 10 minutes before peeling.'
0:27:51 > 0:27:54And then, just to finish this off...
0:27:54 > 0:27:57Now, I was going to go very traditional
0:27:57 > 0:27:59and use a butterhead lettuce, really.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03But a little lettuce like this will do or a nice little
0:28:03 > 0:28:05sort of crispy cos, really.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07Something like that would be really nice.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09What we're going to do is basically just rip this up.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15Like that. And then, just lightly dress it.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19This is a combination of honey, vinegar, herbs, bits and pieces.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23But just ever so slight amount of dressing. Not too much.
0:28:26 > 0:28:27Give this a quick mix together.
0:28:29 > 0:28:33And then I had to sort of hark back to the 1970s, really,
0:28:33 > 0:28:34when it comes to presenting this.
0:28:34 > 0:28:39Especially for a dinner party, I think this looks sort of kitsch.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43Good old Martini glass! And then you can pile the lettuce on there.
0:28:47 > 0:28:49Often, when you're doing sort of dinner parties
0:28:49 > 0:28:52and you want a treat, choose something that's simple,
0:28:52 > 0:28:56and you don't really get any more simple than a prawn cocktail.
0:28:56 > 0:28:58But done properly, with really nice prawns.
0:29:01 > 0:29:02Just a bit of that on the top.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10'To finish this dish in true '70s style, I like to garnish it
0:29:10 > 0:29:15'with a slice of lemon, some cress and a pinch of cayenne.'
0:29:15 > 0:29:18You can't have prawn cocktail without bread and butter.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27'This sumptuous treat couldn't be further from the pink
0:29:27 > 0:29:30'goo in a glass many of us might remember.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33'It's posh enough to serve any dinner party.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36'Or for pure indulgence, just make it for yourself.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38'Now, that would be a treat and a half!'
0:29:39 > 0:29:41It is a great combination, that.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45And it goes to prove, some of the best things come out of the '70s.
0:29:46 > 0:29:47I was born in 1972.
0:29:52 > 0:29:56So many of my home-cooked treats are retro classics -
0:29:56 > 0:29:59dishes like Bearnaise sauce, eggs royale...
0:30:01 > 0:30:04..omelette Arnold Bennett and raspberry pavlova.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09'They've all got one ingredient in common...
0:30:09 > 0:30:10'..eggs.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14'Just down the road from me at Heathlands Farm,
0:30:14 > 0:30:17'Ivor Williams and his partner, Pam, produce a whole range
0:30:17 > 0:30:22'of the very best eggs from a selection of 40 rare
0:30:22 > 0:30:24'and traditional breed chickens.'
0:30:26 > 0:30:29We started this about 17/18 years ago.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32It all started off as a bit of a hobby.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36We've got traditional breeds, some of them quite rare,
0:30:36 > 0:30:38on the endangered list.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42These here that we're looking at now, these are just the hybrids we keep
0:30:42 > 0:30:46that the general public have just started buying from us
0:30:46 > 0:30:49to keep in the bottom of their garden because they want their own eggs.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52They want to know where the eggs are coming from
0:30:52 > 0:30:54and they enjoy keeping the birds.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00Keeping the birds happy, there's no mystery to it.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03We let our birds go free range,
0:31:03 > 0:31:05keep them in fresh water and food
0:31:05 > 0:31:07and that is what makes them happy.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13The eggs that our chickens lay,
0:31:13 > 0:31:18we tend to find that they're a lot better than your shop bought ones.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21They're a lot fresher, the taste of the egg
0:31:21 > 0:31:23will come from what you feed the hen
0:31:23 > 0:31:26and what the hen can pick up off the ground.
0:31:27 > 0:31:31You'll find the birds, they will tend to lay in the same place
0:31:31 > 0:31:33and if they are free range,
0:31:33 > 0:31:36sometimes you do have to have a look around because they will go
0:31:36 > 0:31:39and make their nests in the corner somewhere under a bush
0:31:39 > 0:31:42and they up end sitting on them
0:31:42 > 0:31:45and the fox will come along and have her away, if he can.
0:31:47 > 0:31:52Customers do come to us because they want a specific colour in an egg.
0:31:53 > 0:31:58We produce the Cream Legbar which gives us that lovely green egg.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00Then you've got your Welsummer
0:32:00 > 0:32:03which borders on nearly a chocolate egg.
0:32:03 > 0:32:07'Of course chickens aren't the only birds that produce tasty eggs.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10'Ivor and Pam also keep ducks which lay eggs
0:32:10 > 0:32:12'with a very different flavour.'
0:32:12 > 0:32:17In this run here there is just a few of the 400/500 ducks we've got.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20We've built them up to this amount
0:32:20 > 0:32:23because there's a growing demand for the duck eggs.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26In there you'll see two different breeds.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29The brown ones are the Khaki Campbells,
0:32:29 > 0:32:32the white ones are the Cherry Valleys.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36Your duck egg is a richer, more tastier egg.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38For baking, I mean,
0:32:38 > 0:32:41I would use duck egg over chicken egg, especially on my cakes
0:32:41 > 0:32:45because I get a better quality cake at end of the day.
0:32:45 > 0:32:46Can I have a dozen eggs, please?
0:32:48 > 0:32:52We sell a lot of our eggs from the gate, the chicken eggs especially.
0:32:52 > 0:32:57The surplus that we have go off to a wholesaler who distributes them
0:32:57 > 0:32:59to a lot of local places around here.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02Namely cafes, restaurants,
0:33:02 > 0:33:06hotels, pubs, anyone that cooks with them.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10'One of those restaurants is run by chef, Jason Hornbuckle.
0:33:10 > 0:33:14'The farm's eggs are just the sort of ingredient he looks for.'
0:33:15 > 0:33:17We get the eggs in every week.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21They come in delivered fresh, they're beautiful, very rich,
0:33:21 > 0:33:24the yolks are beautiful, the whites very fresh.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28I love using the eggs for baking or just on their own.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30The product is absolutely fantastic.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34'It's the duck eggs that Jason likes to showcase in his cooking
0:33:34 > 0:33:37'and his crispy duck egg with celery and hazelnut salad
0:33:37 > 0:33:40'is a real treat.'
0:33:40 > 0:33:41They're a lot richer.
0:33:41 > 0:33:45The yolks are a lot, lot richer but the richness works really
0:33:45 > 0:33:47well in cooking so long as you pair it well.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52Boil the eggs for six minutes, put them into ice
0:33:52 > 0:33:54and then we're going to take the shell off.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56Stunning. Look at that.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58Beautiful and soft.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01Then we're going to make a little bit of salad with hazelnuts,
0:34:01 > 0:34:03watercress and rocket.
0:34:03 > 0:34:07Then we will coat the eggs in a little mixture of celery salt,
0:34:07 > 0:34:11coriander seeds and breadcrumbs and then deep fry it.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22This is a great dish, it's great way to eat it
0:34:22 > 0:34:25and, for me, I could eat it all day long.
0:34:31 > 0:34:35'For a boy who grew up on a farm, I can really appreciate having
0:34:35 > 0:34:38'such great, fresh produce right on my doorstep.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42'On the farm, one meal was a treat above all others...
0:34:42 > 0:34:44'..a roast.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48'But not just any roast, it's my weeping roast lamb
0:34:48 > 0:34:53with boulangere potatoes and my gran's mint sauce.'
0:34:55 > 0:34:57I'm going to do this a weeping-style lamb.
0:34:57 > 0:35:01It's a fantastic way of cooking lamb, when you're doing potatoes like this.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05What you do for this is make incisions all over the lamb.
0:35:05 > 0:35:09This is good old Welsh lamb which is from about 100 miles
0:35:09 > 0:35:11in that direction.
0:35:11 > 0:35:15Fantastic, there are so many different types of lamb in the UK.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19Salt marsh lamb, all manner of different joints,
0:35:19 > 0:35:21as well to choose from.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24It really is special when it's in season.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27I'm going to make incisions all over the surface like that
0:35:27 > 0:35:29and then grab some garlic.
0:35:29 > 0:35:30Just take the garlic...
0:35:30 > 0:35:33You want decent slivers of garlic
0:35:33 > 0:35:36and then you grab a nice little bit of rosemary
0:35:36 > 0:35:38and just stick...
0:35:38 > 0:35:41..the garlic in the centre.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45It is actually a classic way of roasting a joint of lamb like this.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48But the garlic infuses throughout, that's why you want to
0:35:48 > 0:35:53stick it inside that cavity, get it right down deep.
0:35:53 > 0:35:58As it cooks it basically infuses and almost dissolves to nothing really.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00Get plenty of rosemary in there.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02I remember when I used to work in London
0:36:02 > 0:36:05we used to stud this with anchovies, as well,
0:36:05 > 0:36:09to add additional flavour but really it's not everybody's
0:36:09 > 0:36:14cup of tea, particularly if I did this with my mother around for dinner.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16She wouldn't be too impressed
0:36:16 > 0:36:20getting an anchovy fillet mixed with her favourite cut of meat.
0:36:20 > 0:36:24A little drizzle of oil will just help in the cooking process,
0:36:24 > 0:36:29first of all, and a good sprinkling of salt over the top.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33We're just going to leave that to one side because the actual potato
0:36:33 > 0:36:37dish takes the same amount of time as it takes to cook the lamb.
0:36:38 > 0:36:42I'm going to do a real classic for this, it's boulangere potatoes,
0:36:42 > 0:36:44that famous potato dish that originates from France.
0:36:46 > 0:36:50'Potatoes boulangere literally translates as baker's potatoes.
0:36:52 > 0:36:56'When the French bakers had finished baking, local people would
0:36:56 > 0:37:00'bring this dish to be cooked in the residual heat of their bread ovens.'
0:37:00 > 0:37:05I was going to say there has to be an invention to do potatoes quicker
0:37:05 > 0:37:07but for the women watching this,
0:37:07 > 0:37:10you've got one, it's called your husband!
0:37:12 > 0:37:15'Once your husband has peeled the potatoes, cut them
0:37:15 > 0:37:17'and some onions into thin slices.'
0:37:19 > 0:37:23All we do is just layer this up so every time you slice it,
0:37:23 > 0:37:26stick a layer of onions in,
0:37:26 > 0:37:28a layer of potatoes.
0:37:28 > 0:37:32The thing is with this don't be poncey, it's not a poncey dish.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35It's supposed to be like this, it is supposed to be rustic,
0:37:35 > 0:37:39that's what it is. It's all the flavour all in one dish.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41Every time you do it,
0:37:41 > 0:37:44a bit of salt, a bit of black pepper...
0:37:47 > 0:37:50And then you build up another layer.
0:37:50 > 0:37:52'Continue to build up the potato and onion layers
0:37:52 > 0:37:57'and if chopping onions makes you weepy, I might have a solution.'
0:37:57 > 0:37:59And what I got sent to me, are these.
0:38:06 > 0:38:07Onion glasses.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12The whole point of this is a sharp knife.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15If you have a sharp knife, you don't cry.
0:38:17 > 0:38:21And you don't look a total idiot!
0:38:22 > 0:38:24'Once you've finished your layers,
0:38:24 > 0:38:26'pour chicken stock half way up the dish
0:38:26 > 0:38:29'and top it with, what else, but a little butter.'
0:38:30 > 0:38:34Now I've set the oven to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit,
0:38:34 > 0:38:36that's 200 degrees Centigrade so quite a hot oven
0:38:36 > 0:38:40because we're going to cook the potatoes in the bottom shelf.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42This is where the lamb comes in.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44What you need to do is get a cooling rack,
0:38:44 > 0:38:45turn it the other way up,
0:38:45 > 0:38:48because it's easier to take out of the oven,
0:38:48 > 0:38:50and take the lamb...
0:38:52 > 0:38:56..and place that on the cooling rack.
0:38:56 > 0:38:57There's no real oven tray for this.
0:38:57 > 0:39:01What's going to happen is the juices from the lamb will drip down
0:39:01 > 0:39:03while it cooks onto your potatoes.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06That's why you need to put this right over the top of the potatoes,
0:39:06 > 0:39:10otherwise you're going to set the fire alarms off in your house.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13You sit that meat on there,
0:39:13 > 0:39:17close the oven door and leave it for about 1.5 hours.
0:39:20 > 0:39:24While that's cooking, I can give Fudge his favourite treat,
0:39:24 > 0:39:26a nice walk in the country.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36To serve with the lamb, I'm making a rich, red wine gravy.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41So you just put a little bit in.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48A bottle!
0:39:48 > 0:39:52And then you use some good quality stock,
0:39:52 > 0:39:56chicken stock or really with lamb, beef stock is really good.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59We just pour that in.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01This is real key to this.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04You bring it to the boil and reduce it down by about three quarters.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07'While the red wine gravy reduces,
0:40:07 > 0:40:10'I can get on chopping the mint for my mint sauce.'
0:40:11 > 0:40:14My granny always used to make her own mint sauce
0:40:14 > 0:40:19and it's one of the things that I always remember for Sunday lunch,
0:40:19 > 0:40:21my granny would be allowed to make the mint sauce.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23Well, not allowed, she had to make the mint sauce
0:40:23 > 0:40:26because nobody was as good at making it as my gran.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30'With the mint chopped, add some vinegar to the pan
0:40:30 > 0:40:34'and, like Gran, I'm not using anything fancy.'
0:40:36 > 0:40:38Exactly the same malt vinegar as you put on your fish and chips.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43Fish and chip night was a Tuesday night in my granny's house.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48Next add a pinch of caster sugar and salt
0:40:48 > 0:40:50and, once it's dissolved, take it off the heat.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53Now all you have to do is throw in your chopped mint and mix.
0:41:04 > 0:41:08'By now the lamb should be done and so should the potatoes.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11'While they rest, turn your attention back
0:41:11 > 0:41:13'to the red wine gravy.'
0:41:14 > 0:41:16Now I'm just going to finish off this sauce.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19The sauce has been reducing down nicely.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21A quick taste of this.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28That's really nice but one thing it does need is a little bit of butter.
0:41:28 > 0:41:32This is called Monteux beurre, it's to finish a sauce.
0:41:33 > 0:41:37This makes the difference between a sauce that you cook at home
0:41:37 > 0:41:40and one that you'll find when you go and eat out.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44You can still create it at home by adding this little bit of butter.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47The secret is the texture needs to be right
0:41:47 > 0:41:50and you get that by reducing the stock.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54What you end up is this lovely, rich sauce.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57Which you can see there almost looks see-through, really.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03That's fantastic. So often you don't need to season it at all.
0:42:05 > 0:42:09All that's left to do is assemble this onto the plate.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11And then give it a try.
0:42:19 > 0:42:21Life just does not get any better.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25Well, it does.
0:42:25 > 0:42:26I could have Heidi Klum here.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33But as I don't have supermodel Heidi,
0:42:33 > 0:42:34I'll have to make do with this lot.
0:42:36 > 0:42:37Guys, you've got to try this.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42Taste that. Taste that.
0:42:42 > 0:42:46A night at home doesn't have to mean boring home cooking.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49And we can all treat ourselves to something a bit special
0:42:49 > 0:42:51without too much effort.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54After all, don't we deserve it?
0:42:58 > 0:43:01If you'd like to know more about how to cook any of the recipes
0:43:01 > 0:43:04featured on today's show, you can get all of them on our website.