0:00:03 > 0:00:05Sometimes, there's no place like home, and few things are
0:00:05 > 0:00:10more comforting and delicious than real home cooking.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12Living in this beautiful country, with great produce
0:00:12 > 0:00:16right 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
0:00:21 > 0:00:24share with you some 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.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54Home for me is the Hampshire countryside.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58Here, and in Yorkshire, growing up, I've been surrounded by great food.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06But great food doesn't have to be expensive.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11Now, when I was training as a young kid as a chef, I was forever
0:01:11 > 0:01:14short of money, but because you were short on cash didn't mean
0:01:14 > 0:01:17you have to produce food that's short on flavour.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19If you know what you're doing, you can produce amazing meals
0:01:19 > 0:01:21out of very little.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25So, it's time to embrace those value cuts of meat,
0:01:25 > 0:01:28experiment with different and exciting new veg,
0:01:28 > 0:01:34and discover frugal but flavoursome sauces that can enhance any meal.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36Creativity is the key.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39Use your leftovers wisely and you can incorporate them
0:01:39 > 0:01:42into all manner of delicious dinners.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44It's a tradition that we've been embracing for centuries with
0:01:44 > 0:01:47recipes that have survived the test of time.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51As any chef will tell you, carefully pick your ingredients,
0:01:51 > 0:01:56and cost-conscious, stunning suppers can be knocked up in any kitchen.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00So, let's start with a joint of meat that's exceptional versatility
0:02:00 > 0:02:04is only matched by its incredibly low price.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06Now, because ingredients are cheap, it doesn't mean to say
0:02:06 > 0:02:08they're not full of flavour
0:02:08 > 0:02:12and one cut in particular which is still inexpensive is ham hocks.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20So, I'm going to make a delicious ham hock and pea soup
0:02:20 > 0:02:22that clocks in at less than a pound a portion,
0:02:22 > 0:02:26yet it wouldn't look out of place on the flashiest dinner table.
0:02:28 > 0:02:29Now, I love ham hocks.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Back when I was a kid, we couldn't even give these away,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35really, on the farm. Now, it's very simple to actually cook, really.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37It's very different to sort of lamb shanks.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40which is the same cut of meat on lamb.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43So, what we're going to do is just pop them into a decent-sized pan.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49I like to add a whole bulb of garlic with a bay leaf, some thyme
0:02:49 > 0:02:52and a bunch of parsley.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54Because ham hocks cook for such a long time,
0:02:54 > 0:02:58all the flavours we add have plenty of time to infuse with the meat.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02Rough chop a carrot, celery and an onion.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Drop in some whole peppercorns...
0:03:05 > 0:03:07and top it all up with water.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12I often think if food looks good, you know it's going to taste good,
0:03:12 > 0:03:16and just even that is almost a picture in itself, really,
0:03:16 > 0:03:18and it brings back sort of so many memories of me
0:03:18 > 0:03:22on a farm where my granny would actually just put the ham hocks
0:03:22 > 0:03:24in and then we'd all go off working in the farm all
0:03:24 > 0:03:27the afternoon and then come back, you used to have the cooked ham
0:03:27 > 0:03:30that used to rip apart with a little bit of mustard.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33It was really delicious. But I'm going to turn this into a soup.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35And all I need to do now is just bring it to the boil,
0:03:35 > 0:03:38gently simmer it and cook it for about an hour and a half.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43Making affordable food like this into something that will taste out
0:03:43 > 0:03:47of this world, doesn't mean you have to slave over the stove all day.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49When your ingredients are spot on,
0:03:49 > 0:03:53dishes like this will practically make themselves.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57Now, really, the secret for this is not just the meat that you
0:03:57 > 0:03:59get from this, it's the liquor
0:03:59 > 0:04:02and it's that liquor that I'm going to use for our delicious soup,
0:04:02 > 0:04:05but what we're going to do is just lift this out.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07Now, you get so much for your money
0:04:07 > 0:04:10when you're looking at ham hocks. You see that?
0:04:10 > 0:04:13And that can keep you going for days.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17A ham, egg and chips like this can clock in at less than £1.50.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20For the more health conscious, a walnut dressing on some
0:04:20 > 0:04:23thinly sliced red cabbage gives you a tasty meal
0:04:23 > 0:04:28for just 50p. For more details, check out the website.
0:04:29 > 0:04:30For me, at under three quid a go,
0:04:30 > 0:04:34a ham hock is one of the biggest bargains out there.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37More tender flesh than you can shake a stick at, and of course,
0:04:37 > 0:04:41this delicious stock, which reminds me - on with the soup.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44Now, I wouldn't bother shelling out on any fresh peas here.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47For me, they're just as good straight out the freezer.
0:04:47 > 0:04:48Frozen peas...
0:04:50 > 0:04:53Frozen peas straight into our pan.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56I'm going to cook them very quickly, cos, really, with this
0:04:56 > 0:04:57you want to preserve the colour.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01And, above all else, the sweetness and the flavour of the peas.
0:05:01 > 0:05:02Parsley.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06This is a pea and parsley soup.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10So, we put almost the same quantity of parsley to peas
0:05:10 > 0:05:12and then we've got this liquor...
0:05:14 > 0:05:16..which is brilliant
0:05:16 > 0:05:18as the stock for our soup.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26Now, in all my soups, there's always a touch of double cream...
0:05:28 > 0:05:30..not just to add flavour, but to add texture to it as well
0:05:30 > 0:05:33because the double cream actually starts to thicken it up also.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36So, as soon as it comes just even to the boil,
0:05:36 > 0:05:40that parsley starts to wilt, take it off the heat and blitz it.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47Blend these ingredients thoroughly until you get a rich, thick,
0:05:47 > 0:05:49smooth and silky texture.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57I like to serve my soups with a bit of bread to mop it up,
0:05:57 > 0:06:01but you can jazz it up a bit by toasting it on a hot griddle.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03The mistake that people make
0:06:03 > 0:06:05when using a griddle like this or a griddle pan at home is
0:06:05 > 0:06:09you don't pour oil on it, you always oil the food that goes onto it.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14Leave it for two or three minutes on a really high heat
0:06:14 > 0:06:17and it will naturally just peel away as it gets hotter.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22To finish it off, rub it with a bit of garlic.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29And, really, the key to this soup...
0:06:29 > 0:06:33is don't reheat it any more than once, cos, again,
0:06:33 > 0:06:36you're going to overcook those peas, you're going to discolour them,
0:06:36 > 0:06:38take away the flavour as well.
0:06:38 > 0:06:39The whole point about it is
0:06:39 > 0:06:42you've got this lovely, fresh flavour of the peas
0:06:42 > 0:06:44and, to do that, only reheat it once
0:06:44 > 0:06:47and then you can just take this ham,
0:06:47 > 0:06:49and this is so tender.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Being a pig farmer's kid, I've tried so much of this...
0:06:53 > 0:06:56in my life and it's often the case
0:06:56 > 0:06:57with all meat, really,
0:06:57 > 0:07:00it's the part of the animal that does the most amount of work
0:07:00 > 0:07:04that tastes the best, but requires the longest amount of time to cook,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07so things like the neck, the hocks,
0:07:07 > 0:07:11the trotters, really are fantastic in terms of flavour.
0:07:11 > 0:07:12This is a dish that really is...
0:07:14 > 0:07:16..it really sings with flavour.
0:07:16 > 0:07:21It may sound daft, just a pea and ham hock soup, but, make it right...
0:07:21 > 0:07:24there is so much going on on your palate
0:07:24 > 0:07:29and then, all we do now, is just simply serve this.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34Garnish this with a sprinkling of the ham hock...
0:07:36 > 0:07:40..a drizzle of olive oil and, of course, a splash of cream.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47You've got to admit, this dish is the perfect example
0:07:47 > 0:07:50of just how great cheap food can be.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53There you go, art on a plate on a brilliant budget.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00And when you taste it, it is one of these dishes
0:08:00 > 0:08:03that really comes alive in your mouth.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07You've got this lovely sweetness of the peas, the colour of it as well.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09But, also, the texture of that ham hock,
0:08:09 > 0:08:10there's nothing else like it
0:08:10 > 0:08:13and when you serve it with some crusty bread rubbed with that
0:08:13 > 0:08:17bit of garlic, that lovely charred flavour you get with it...
0:08:17 > 0:08:19you've got a dish that's not only great for you to have at home
0:08:19 > 0:08:24on your own, but one that you could easily serve for a dinner party.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26I might just do this next time my mates are coming round.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31I believe that if you make the effort to source
0:08:31 > 0:08:34quality, cheap, central ingredients like that ham hock,
0:08:34 > 0:08:36then delicious food on the tightest of budgets
0:08:36 > 0:08:38is well within your grasp.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46And veg box schemes represent a fantastic opportunity to get
0:08:46 > 0:08:49a huge variety of delicious local, seasonal,
0:08:49 > 0:08:53value for money produce delivered straight to your door.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58Just a stone's throw from my house, a Maltese horticulturalist,
0:08:58 > 0:09:02Lawrence Camilleri, has been using his unique talents to coax
0:09:02 > 0:09:06some incredible vegetables out of the Hampshire countryside.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09I am a piano player/horticulturalist.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13I've been a concert pianist since I was four-and-a-half.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Every now and then, I get the piano in the middle of the greenhouse
0:09:19 > 0:09:20and play for my plants.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22HE PLAYS THE PIANO
0:09:27 > 0:09:30Growing stuff like this gives you the satisfaction in itself to see
0:09:30 > 0:09:32something from seed being developed...
0:09:33 > 0:09:36..and grow and then you serve it to people and give it to them
0:09:36 > 0:09:39and educate them on new crops, is a fantastic thing to do.
0:09:39 > 0:09:40It gives me a real pleasure.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46Lawrence set up his business in the heart of the New Forest.
0:09:46 > 0:09:51He's no stranger to the value for money that these schemes can offer.
0:09:51 > 0:09:52Vegetables are healthy,
0:09:52 > 0:09:56cheap and are used in practically every meal, but, to him,
0:09:56 > 0:09:59this didn't mean his produce would have to be predictable.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03I like to introduce different crops in here,
0:10:03 > 0:10:07especially Maltese original crops, so they've got, I would say,
0:10:07 > 0:10:1150% they know what they're going to get, the other 50% is going to
0:10:11 > 0:10:14be a surprise element like the famous tromboncino.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18What we're seeing now is my pride and joy, which I brought
0:10:18 > 0:10:23over from Malta, so, when I cook my Sunday lunch it reminds me of home.
0:10:23 > 0:10:28This is our tromboncino growing at a very young stage here.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31It's practically a courgette.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35You can slice it and cook it as a normal courgette.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38It's beautiful, it's very tasty and you can have it in salads.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47What we've got over here is a full-size grown
0:10:47 > 0:10:49tromboncino on a trellis.
0:10:49 > 0:10:55It grows straight and as you can see, this is as big as me.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00For Lawrence, this sort of vegetable is perfect for
0:11:00 > 0:11:03anybody looking to cut a few corners on their grocery bill.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10It's got a very, very long shelf life.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13Once you've grown it, it can last for six months till you are eating it.
0:11:13 > 0:11:18It's got a sap which self-seals it and it preserves it,
0:11:18 > 0:11:19so every time you cut it...
0:11:20 > 0:11:23it heals itself and it preserves itself.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27If you look at that, that's fantastic. Chop it,
0:11:27 > 0:11:31slice it in half, scoop it all out and that would make a fantastic
0:11:31 > 0:11:36meal if you fill it up with bolognese, cheese on top, then...
0:11:36 > 0:11:40the rest of this can be either grilled or barbecued.
0:11:40 > 0:11:45And, as you can see, you can make a lot of meals out of this tromboncino.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49This one is one I just picked from on the floor,
0:11:49 > 0:11:50which, as you can see,
0:11:50 > 0:11:53it doesn't grow straight like it does on the trellis
0:11:53 > 0:11:58and it grows semicircular, the size, the shape of a trombone
0:11:58 > 0:12:01and the reason why the Italians call it a tromboncino.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06The customers, they found them humorous,
0:12:06 > 0:12:10but also gave us very, very good reports how good they taste.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13I'm hoping that it will catch up in the UK and people get more
0:12:13 > 0:12:16interested in cooking different dishes with different crops...
0:12:17 > 0:12:19..especially the Maltese tromboncino.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25So, in homage to Lawrence's horticultural talents,
0:12:25 > 0:12:27I'm going to make a delicious meal out of, what else,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30but one of his famous tromboncinis.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40Now, I know what you're thinking,
0:12:40 > 0:12:42"What on earth am I going to do with one of these?"
0:12:43 > 0:12:47Luckily, I do have the perfect recipe.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51At £3 per person, my Indian spiced pumpkin pickle served with
0:12:51 > 0:12:55golden brown chicken breast is low cost, but big on flavour.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02First thing I use is a little bit of oil
0:13:02 > 0:13:03in our pan,
0:13:03 > 0:13:04and some butter.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08Now, I actually use half oil, half butter because I find that
0:13:08 > 0:13:12if you use all butter, and this is me saying this, it's going to burn.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16If you use all oil, you don't get the nice colour and this is sort of
0:13:16 > 0:13:20the combination of the two, really, or it's what I call a compromise.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23These chicken breasts are by far the most expensive ingredient in
0:13:23 > 0:13:27this dish, but, if you want to use cheaper cuts, a thigh will be fine.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29A touch of salt and pepper on our chicken breasts.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32Now, I've actually left the skin on the chicken breasts for these.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35These have been...what we class as French trim.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38You can actually buy these, your butcher can do these, but you can
0:13:38 > 0:13:41get these from the supermarket now. French trim just means that it's had
0:13:41 > 0:13:43the bone at the end cleaned,
0:13:43 > 0:13:47it just makes it look nicer when you serve it as well.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50What we're going to do now is just grab
0:13:50 > 0:13:52our chicken and just colour this
0:13:52 > 0:13:55on the skin side.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Now, for our tromboncino...where do you start with this, really?
0:13:58 > 0:14:00I'm assuming the seeds are in the bottom part.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03It's very similar to sort of butternut squash, really.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07You can actually serve this raw in salads, which is
0:14:07 > 0:14:11equally as good, but, what I'm going to do is just cut this
0:14:11 > 0:14:14up into a piece, first of all, and roast it.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16So, just colour this in the pan with the chicken.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22So many different dishes that you can do with veg like this,
0:14:22 > 0:14:24particularly things like butternut squash.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27It's so versatile and it's one of those sort of veg that isn't
0:14:27 > 0:14:30really used that much. People tend to walk past it
0:14:30 > 0:14:31in the supermarket wondering,
0:14:31 > 0:14:34"What on earth am I going to do with it?"
0:14:34 > 0:14:38So, stick it in the oven. It wants about sort of 15 minutes.
0:14:38 > 0:14:39Now, for the pickle for this,
0:14:39 > 0:14:42it's kind of like an Indian inspired pickle.
0:14:45 > 0:14:46Chop a shallot...
0:14:48 > 0:14:49..a clove of garlic...
0:14:51 > 0:14:52..one chilli...
0:14:53 > 0:14:55..and peel the root of a ginger.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02Now, whenever you're buying ginger as well, make sure you look for
0:15:02 > 0:15:05something with a smooth skin because it means that the ginger's fresh,
0:15:05 > 0:15:08it's got lots of flavour in there. When your skin's wrinkled,
0:15:08 > 0:15:11it means that it's probably been sat on the supermarket shelf
0:15:11 > 0:15:14for too long, so always buy the ginger when it's nice and smooth.
0:15:14 > 0:15:15And then, with this,
0:15:15 > 0:15:18we'll take another chunk off
0:15:18 > 0:15:21and this pickle is really inexpensive and, you know,
0:15:21 > 0:15:23often when you look at Indian cookbooks,
0:15:23 > 0:15:26they're real masters at the art of creating flavour out of
0:15:26 > 0:15:30not a lot of ingredients, particularly vegetarian food.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33And stuff like this pickle would be great on its own, but it also
0:15:33 > 0:15:35makes a great accompaniment with a piece of chicken.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38Now, really, to get this started and cooking,
0:15:38 > 0:15:40we just want just a little bit of butter.
0:15:40 > 0:15:41In we go with the shallots and the garlic.
0:15:43 > 0:15:44Straight in...
0:15:46 > 0:15:47..with the tromboncino.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Get that frying and then, to get that caramelising just a touch...
0:15:54 > 0:15:57I'm going to pop in a little pinch of sugar
0:15:57 > 0:15:58and grate the ginger in.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02I find you get so much more flavour out of ginger
0:16:02 > 0:16:03when you do it this way.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09Next, add a trio of Indian spices...
0:16:09 > 0:16:11turmeric,
0:16:11 > 0:16:12fenugreek,
0:16:12 > 0:16:15and, finally, add some black onion seeds,
0:16:15 > 0:16:17sometimes called Nigella seeds.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21Now, the temptation with dishes like this, and particularly Asian food as
0:16:21 > 0:16:24well as Indian food, is the minute you see it dry out in the pan,
0:16:24 > 0:16:25is to grab the oil,
0:16:25 > 0:16:30but it's really a common problem that most home cooks face.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32What you need to do is just grab a little bit of water
0:16:32 > 0:16:33instead of the oil.
0:16:36 > 0:16:37In we go with the chilli.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43And then, finally, really, there's two more ingredients. Coriander...
0:16:47 > 0:16:49..a good pinch of salt...
0:16:52 > 0:16:55..and then you can see the mixture is actually quite dry.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59Well, to bring it back into what I class as sort of a chutney,
0:16:59 > 0:17:03that sort of liquid to go with it, is we just turn the heat off.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06And then add some of this - good old mango chutney.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10And you want, for this, about two tablespoons.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16It smells delicious. It's that...
0:17:16 > 0:17:19The fenugreek seeds in there really are... They're really quite pungent.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27It tastes really good as well.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29The chicken should be about ready.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32Now, the great thing about asking your butcher to French trim
0:17:32 > 0:17:34a chicken breast, it doesn't cost you a thing
0:17:34 > 0:17:36and it gives it a real high class image.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43So, these actually look like sort of little roast potatoes, really,
0:17:43 > 0:17:45and they've got a texture quite similar.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50Pop the little bit of chicken on there and then you've got
0:17:50 > 0:17:53some of this pickle, which we can just put on the side.
0:17:54 > 0:17:55But...
0:18:02 > 0:18:07It's great that. This works so well that pickle with things like fish.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09Even on its own you could serve this as a vegetarian meal -
0:18:09 > 0:18:11it's wonderful.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14With a bit of inspiration and a few spices to hand,
0:18:14 > 0:18:17even the most competitively priced ingredients can be
0:18:17 > 0:18:20transformed into spectacular dishes.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22All that's needed is a bit of effort.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29If you're feeling a bit skint, one brilliant way of saving
0:18:29 > 0:18:33yourself a few pennies is to forage your food for free.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37The New Forest is right on my doorstep.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41And, for one award-winning local food producer,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44it's the perfect place to find some of her key ingredients.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49'I'm Jen. I make jams, jellies and marmalade
0:18:49 > 0:18:52'with fruit foraged from the countryside.'
0:18:52 > 0:18:55I don't use anything but the bare ingredients.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59It's just fruit, sugar and a bit of love, care and attention.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05The jams are unique in the sense that I forage season-by-season.
0:19:05 > 0:19:10Each berry ripens at different times, and that gives each fruit
0:19:10 > 0:19:13and each jar a slightly subtle but different taste.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17And, in the winter, you get what you're given really from the trees
0:19:17 > 0:19:19and the bushes and, this time of year,
0:19:19 > 0:19:25we typically find rose hips and, if we're really lucky, some crab apples.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34These are rose hips and they're from a rock rose,
0:19:34 > 0:19:35and in the summer they're pink.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39Pink, pink flowers and they make beautiful jam and jellies.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43This is a hotel local to where I live, and they allow me to come in
0:19:43 > 0:19:46and forage and take what I can and turn it into jam
0:19:46 > 0:19:49so they can serve it for their cream teas.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51The recipes come from my mum.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54My mum's the inventor of cooking, as we used to call her.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56She was the cook in a big house.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59My dad was a keen gardener and he was the vegetable gardener.
0:19:59 > 0:20:00So, it was whatever was in season
0:20:00 > 0:20:02and whatever was in the garden my mum would cook.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04You start with a rhubarb in February
0:20:04 > 0:20:09and you just go on and on. And every time you think you're finished,
0:20:09 > 0:20:11there's something else to pick.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14My mum taught me to cook and, without her, I could never do what I'm
0:20:14 > 0:20:17doing, so it's kind of a tribute to the both of them, really.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19It's a thank you very much for putting me on the path
0:20:19 > 0:20:20and I'm loving it.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30Crab apple tree. Fantastic. There's still crab apples this time of year.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32Can you believe it?
0:20:32 > 0:20:36These are a sour apple. They've been around since prehistoric times.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38They're indigenous to our country.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41They're like berries, but that's an apple. That's a little apple,
0:20:41 > 0:20:45something that us jam makers that forage the fruit love.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48Horrible to eat now, but when you cook it,
0:20:48 > 0:20:51it turns into this pink, floral, beautiful, fragrant jelly.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54You couldn't wish for anything better at this time of year to get some.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03I make jams not just for toast.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06I like them to be enjoyed with everything,
0:21:06 > 0:21:08like, this is perfect with ice cream.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12It's for cakes, it's for pies, it's for cocktails.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14A martini with rose hips, oh!
0:21:16 > 0:21:19This takes now about 20 minutes to simmer down and all the rose hips
0:21:19 > 0:21:21and the apples all to turn to mush,
0:21:21 > 0:21:25and at which point we stick it in a muslin and let it drip overnight.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29And the smell is just, oh...heaven!
0:21:29 > 0:21:32It's looking perfect. This is just ready to be dripped.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36You have to leave it 12 hours...
0:21:38 > 0:21:40..but it's great. It's worth it.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44Once it's dripped through, we collect all the juice,
0:21:44 > 0:21:48measure it out, add the sugar, stir it till it thickens.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50So, we've added the sugar to the juice.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53So, once it's dissolved, it'll start thickening.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56Once it starts thickening, we've got jelly
0:21:56 > 0:21:59and we can feel it thickening with the spoon.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01You can really smell the rose hips.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04So, now you're transported back to the minute that you picked them
0:22:04 > 0:22:07and you smelled them the first time. Lovely!
0:22:11 > 0:22:12The way the drip falls,
0:22:12 > 0:22:16the way it slows down and it just stops in midair.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20Look at that, perfect. That's set.
0:22:22 > 0:22:23It's like anything, really,
0:22:23 > 0:22:26it's what you put in. And I just put in the fruit and the sugar -
0:22:26 > 0:22:28it doesn't need anything else -
0:22:28 > 0:22:31and that's what gives it the uniqueness, I guess, the taste.
0:22:38 > 0:22:43Jennifer's popped over to my place with a selection of her jams.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45As good as I'm sure they are on their own,
0:22:45 > 0:22:48I think I've got just the recipe to make them sing.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51Now, Jennifer, one of the things that I love with this,
0:22:51 > 0:22:53and particularly these style of jams,
0:22:53 > 0:22:54is the lovely frangipane tarts,
0:22:54 > 0:22:56- so that's what I'm going to show you now.- Oh, lovely.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59Frangipane is an almond flavoured cake mixture
0:22:59 > 0:23:02that works brilliantly when baked as a tart.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06Best of all, this recipe will serve up to a dozen people at less
0:23:06 > 0:23:10than a quid a head, making it one pudding we can all stretch to.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12You get a lot of sort of fruit farmers around
0:23:12 > 0:23:14- your neck of the woods down there as well.- Oh, we do.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17We've got strawberry farmers, everything. We've got...
0:23:17 > 0:23:19And why is that? Is that because...?
0:23:19 > 0:23:22It has got its own little micro climate down at that
0:23:22 > 0:23:24- neck of the woods.- Yes.- What do you find that
0:23:24 > 0:23:26grows best down there, then? Is there one particular type?
0:23:26 > 0:23:29- I mean, cos we've got so many things here.- It depends on the year,
0:23:29 > 0:23:33- depends on the year. Last year, 2013, strawberries.- Yeah.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36- Oh, the strawberries were fantastic. They started late...- Yeah.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40..admittedly, but when they come in, oh, my word, they were gorgeous
0:23:40 > 0:23:43and they went on until late September.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47With such brilliant ingredients, I'll have to pull out all the stops.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50My grandma's pastry recipe will be perfect.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53I want some flour and I definitely want some cold butter,
0:23:53 > 0:23:56and that's the key to making really good quality pastry
0:23:56 > 0:23:58is get everything cold.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02Even, I've seen chefs put flour in the freezer before to get it
0:24:02 > 0:24:05nice and cold. But if you allow the butter to get nice and cold,
0:24:05 > 0:24:08it's that mixing of the butter and flour together,
0:24:08 > 0:24:10you seem to get much more of a finer mix.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12So, tell us about the jams that we've got in here then,
0:24:12 > 0:24:15cos you've brought along a fantastic selection.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17- I mean, a lot of it I forage.- Yeah.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20Greengage, I forage, and you can get wild strawberry.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23There are a few wild raspberry bushes out on the sea wall in Limington,
0:24:23 > 0:24:25- but we don't tell everybody that. - Right!
0:24:25 > 0:24:27And then the blueberry grown in my garden
0:24:27 > 0:24:29and the rose petals again, foraged.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32The only thing I've really got down there in the garden is
0:24:32 > 0:24:35- a bullace tree.- Oh, lovely! - They are fantastic.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38- Best with vodka.- Is it?- Yeah!
0:24:38 > 0:24:41That sounds like a great treat for later.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43I'll get this pastry under way by mixing 250g of flour
0:24:43 > 0:24:47and 125g of butter until we get the texture of breadcrumbs.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49Now, I see you've got an old-fashioned cookbook there.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52I've got an old-fashioned cookbook. It's my mum's cookbook!
0:24:52 > 0:24:54But, yeah, we've got a few recipes.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58We've got this recipe, which is a jam recipe, and this goes back
0:24:58 > 0:25:05to 1862 and that's greengage, sloes, ginger, cayenne pepper.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09- Would you put cayenne pepper...? - Cayenne pepper?!- ..with greengage?
0:25:09 > 0:25:14- No, but, I suppose the flavour... But back in...was that 1862?- 1862.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18- The flavour of jams was not as sweet I suppose.- No.- It was more savoury.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20More savoury. Well, I do savoury ones.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23But there will be no savoury jams in this recipe.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26In we go with just an egg, a medium egg.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30Gradually, it'll start to come together into this pastry is
0:25:30 > 0:25:32what we're sort of familiar with, really.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38- So, this pastry has now come together.- Mm-hm.
0:25:38 > 0:25:39Don't want to overwork it,
0:25:39 > 0:25:42but most importantly really is you must allow this to rest.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44Pop that in the fridge.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48- Lovely.- And I've got one that I've just allowed to rest, really.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50So, I'm going to roll this out now
0:25:50 > 0:25:53and line our little tartlet tin, which I've greased nicely.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Meanwhile, I want to have a taste of some of these jams cos we
0:25:56 > 0:25:59need to figure out which one's going to be best to put in here then.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03- So, which one do you reckon?- I think pear and cardamom.- Pear and cardamom!
0:26:03 > 0:26:06- Really? With almonds and everything else, do you think?- Hmm. Greengage?
0:26:06 > 0:26:09Well, go on. Open it up, we'll have a taste, have a taste.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12Now, these greengages, these are local to you, are they?
0:26:12 > 0:26:15There's a hotel across the road from where I live and I like to go
0:26:15 > 0:26:17- and scrump!- Scrump!
0:26:17 > 0:26:19Do you know the story with that hotel, don't you?
0:26:19 > 0:26:22- It's a place where I used to be the pastry chef.- I did hear.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25- See, 20 years ago, we used to make our own.- Did you, really?
0:26:25 > 0:26:29- So, how times have changed, you see! - Now, you need an expert!
0:26:29 > 0:26:32- OK, so what have we got here then? - That's greengage.
0:26:32 > 0:26:33That'd be nice with almonds.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38- Hmm.- No. Strawberry or raspberry? - Blueberry.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40This is proper jam, you see! You keep the chunks in it.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46Fantastic. And you mentioned the strawberries - I've got to try that.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49So, this... Oh, it's awful. No, you wouldn't want it.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51So, go on, let's have a try of this one then. This is...
0:26:51 > 0:26:53Now, it takes 24 hours, this.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00- See, that's better.- That's nice.- A real kick of flavour as well.- Yeah.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02Why does it take 24 hours?
0:27:02 > 0:27:06- I core them...- Right. - ..and then I layer them in sugar...
0:27:06 > 0:27:10- OK.- ..and leave it 24 or 48 hours. - Right.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12People say, "Oh, it takes 20 minutes to cook jam."
0:27:12 > 0:27:14No, you need patience, you need the slowness of it.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16So, you put it on the pan, put in a little gas,
0:27:16 > 0:27:19and it's slow and it's coming up and you can feel it cooking.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21And then you smell it and it's insipid,
0:27:21 > 0:27:23and it's disgusting and then...
0:27:23 > 0:27:25Jennifer, if anybody's just tuned into this,
0:27:25 > 0:27:27they'd think you'd need to get out more,
0:27:27 > 0:27:29- getting enthused that much over jam! - Sorry!
0:27:29 > 0:27:31THEY LAUGH
0:27:31 > 0:27:32It's nice jam!
0:27:32 > 0:27:34I've got to use strawberries then, haven't I?
0:27:34 > 0:27:37You can tell it was a good season last year,
0:27:37 > 0:27:40but it's quite interesting that you do it sort of way, really.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43It's... It just holds the flavour of the strawberry.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46So, is that your forte, then? Is that jam?
0:27:46 > 0:27:48Are you baking or what are you? Are you...?
0:27:48 > 0:27:51I don't know, really. I like food, I like cooking.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53- I like the whole process... - I'm just wondering whether
0:27:53 > 0:27:55- I have to up my game at this point. - Yeah, you have!
0:27:55 > 0:27:57All right, I've got to up my game then.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59The recipe for the frangipane is pretty simple.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02You start off with some room temperature butter,
0:28:02 > 0:28:05about 8oz of butter, add the seeds from a vanilla pod...
0:28:07 > 0:28:10..8oz of sugar and beat that really, really well
0:28:10 > 0:28:11until it's nice and white.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17This recipe's bound to be in that old cookbook, you know.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19Yeah, I'm going to have to have a look.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21There is a Hampshire pudding recipe.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23What on Earth is a Hampshire pudding?
0:28:23 > 0:28:26- It's actually not... It's similar to this.- Is it?
0:28:28 > 0:28:31So, Hampshire pudding... "Line a deep plate with the paste,
0:28:31 > 0:28:34"cover the bottom with a layer of jam...
0:28:34 > 0:28:35"beat the eggs..."
0:28:36 > 0:28:38Somebody's beaten me to it.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44And then slowly mix in five medium eggs.
0:28:51 > 0:28:55And then fold in 8oz of ground almonds by hand.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59Get it lovely...and light.
0:28:59 > 0:29:00- See that?- Oh, yeah. I like that.
0:29:02 > 0:29:03Do you have to test it?
0:29:03 > 0:29:04You can have a taste. Why not?
0:29:08 > 0:29:11- Nice.- It's all right? - I like that.- It's all right?
0:29:11 > 0:29:13- Yeah, I like that.- It doesn't want any vodka in?- No!
0:29:13 > 0:29:15Bullace for vodka.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17Right, we're going to grab this...
0:29:17 > 0:29:20Carefully fill the tart with the mixture
0:29:20 > 0:29:24and I like to decorate the top with, what else, but a few almonds?
0:29:24 > 0:29:27It's important not to bake this at too high a heat.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31160 centigrade for about 35 minutes will do the job.
0:29:31 > 0:29:35Meanwhile, I'm going to make a nice little custard to go with this.
0:29:35 > 0:29:37- All right?- I'm coming again.
0:29:37 > 0:29:42My custard's deliciously rich, so, again, a little goes a long way.
0:29:44 > 0:29:49First, slowly bring to the boil 250ml of milk and 250ml of cream.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53To be prudent, we'll add the vanilla pod from the frangipane filling.
0:29:53 > 0:29:58Meanwhile, whisk four egg yolks with 110g of castor sugar.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00Pour...
0:30:00 > 0:30:03- this mixture onto the egg yolks and the sugar...- Whisky, whisky.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06..and then very quickly pour this into our pan.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11Now, you need to keep an eye on it cos it starts to thicken.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14If you've got a fancy thermometer, stick it in here.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18The temperature's about 72 degrees when the egg yolks start to thicken
0:30:18 > 0:30:22- our custard, but what I find better is to actually use a whisk.- Yeah.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25And if you keep it on the heat and keep stirring, you can
0:30:25 > 0:30:27- see the bubbles that are on the top now...- Let's have a look.
0:30:27 > 0:30:31- There you go. ..will actually start to disappear...- Ahh!
0:30:31 > 0:30:32..as the mixture gets thicker.
0:30:32 > 0:30:34Even I didn't know that.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37Yeah, but what you need to do is be ready so get yourself a bowl,
0:30:37 > 0:30:39- a big bowl, ideally.- Yep.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42Using a big bowl like this, allows your custard to cool quickly
0:30:42 > 0:30:44and won't turn it into scrambled eggs.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47- You can see it starting to thicken up.- Yeah.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50And then, all we do now is we just pour this through into our bowl.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54- Lovely.- There you go, have a taste of that.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57See, that'll give your jam a run for its money.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00It's nice custard, but you need a jam tart to go with it.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02You've just got to wait 25 minutes, haven't you?
0:31:04 > 0:31:06Patience is indeed a virtue.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12We're going to serve some of this wonderful little custard...
0:31:12 > 0:31:13of course.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18There you go. And then a decent sort of slice of this.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23Now, because your strawberry jam is so good...
0:31:23 > 0:31:25we'll serve it with a little bit more.
0:31:27 > 0:31:31- Let me in.- Dive in. And if you can't be bothered with the custard,
0:31:31 > 0:31:33then just serve it with some double cream.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39Eat it in one sitting.
0:31:39 > 0:31:41- Jam's not bad too, is it? - You're not a bad cook.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43- You should do this for a living. - That's really nice! Cheers!
0:31:46 > 0:31:48Order a pudding like this at a restaurant
0:31:48 > 0:31:50and you'd expect to pay top dollar.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55Make it at home with ingredients you've got in your cupboard
0:31:55 > 0:31:58and it turns into something everybody can afford.
0:32:00 > 0:32:01Come on.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04Of course, home cooking has always given us the ability to make
0:32:04 > 0:32:08ingredients go that little bit further to make ends meet.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14But as food historian Ivan Day can testify, our thrifty ancestors
0:32:14 > 0:32:18also knew a thing or two about how to make a little go a long way.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22From his Cumbrian home, he reveals how one classic little dish with
0:32:22 > 0:32:27a silly name jumped straight from the hearth into the nation's heart.
0:32:27 > 0:32:31Cheap and cheerful food, I think that's an area of cooking
0:32:31 > 0:32:34that the British really excel at,
0:32:34 > 0:32:38and if there's one dish that comes to mind more than any other,
0:32:38 > 0:32:44I think it's bubble and squeak. But bubble and squeak has changed.
0:32:44 > 0:32:45I'm not using potatoes,
0:32:45 > 0:32:48which is a pretty obligatory ingredient
0:32:48 > 0:32:51in modern bubble and squeak, but we are using cabbage.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54And it's a wonderful thing when it's re-cooked
0:32:54 > 0:32:57and it has that special unique flavour,
0:32:57 > 0:33:00which you only get when foods are cooked again.
0:33:02 > 0:33:06Ivan first melts a little butter into a hot pan.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08That's a Georgian amount of butter.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12I have to say, Ivan, it looks about right to me.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15It's the sauce that's in the dish - rather horrifying!
0:33:15 > 0:33:19The cholesterol police would get very worried about that.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23Adding a few handfuls of cooked cabbage into the hot bubbling butter
0:33:23 > 0:33:25should supply the right sound effect.
0:33:25 > 0:33:30Listen to this. This is the squeak of the cabbage cooking.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32HIGH-PITCHED HISSING
0:33:33 > 0:33:37From my experience, and I've made this quite a few times,
0:33:37 > 0:33:41the best bubble and squeak is made with very rare beef.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43Beef was actually quite a cheap meat
0:33:43 > 0:33:49and certainly by the 18th century, um, it was eaten by every class.
0:33:50 > 0:33:53We don't get recipes for bubble and squeak,
0:33:53 > 0:33:55which are just based on potato and cabbage,
0:33:55 > 0:33:57until after the First World War.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01Meat became a luxury item during wartime rationing,
0:34:01 > 0:34:05whilst potatoes were easily available and much cheaper.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08Five or six years of war is a long time and people forget
0:34:08 > 0:34:10and I think, actually, a lot of people preferred
0:34:10 > 0:34:14the bubble and squeak which was just vegetables.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17And gradually we forget about the original bubble and squeak,
0:34:17 > 0:34:21which had been around for nearly 200 years before the First World War.
0:34:23 > 0:34:27This early bubble and squeak was actually considered to be
0:34:27 > 0:34:33rather a common dish. And a dinner party which the Prince Regent,
0:34:33 > 0:34:37who became George IV attended, was offered some bubble and squeak
0:34:37 > 0:34:40and he absolutely loved it, but the host was a little bit reluctant to
0:34:40 > 0:34:43give it to him cos you associate it really with the sort of food that
0:34:43 > 0:34:45the servants would be eating.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49But then the king gives it his special approbation
0:34:49 > 0:34:51and it becomes a royal dish.
0:34:51 > 0:34:55The cabbage is sizzling absolutely perfectly, so I think what I'm going
0:34:55 > 0:34:59to do is put a couple of handfuls of really finely chopped beef in there.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05Some people might think that this doesn't look terribly appetising,
0:35:05 > 0:35:10but I think that combination of bright green and pink
0:35:10 > 0:35:12is actually rather attractive.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16But it was the Victorians who decided the dish needed
0:35:16 > 0:35:18a more elegant presentation.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23I found a very rare image of it, the only one I've ever seen,
0:35:23 > 0:35:25in this lovely cookery book from the early 1890s
0:35:25 > 0:35:30and we're instructed to pile up our mixture of cooked cabbage
0:35:30 > 0:35:36and beef, and then to slice very thinly some more
0:35:36 > 0:35:38little sheets of that lovely rare beef.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41So, I'm going to try and make my version look just like that.
0:35:48 > 0:35:53There we have it, the mother of all bubble and squeaks!
0:35:56 > 0:36:00Having a spare joint of beef knocking around is a luxury
0:36:00 > 0:36:02many can't afford. That said, it's good to know
0:36:02 > 0:36:05if you've got a few leftovers from your Sunday roast,
0:36:05 > 0:36:08a vintage bubble and squeak could be the answer.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15These days, when it comes to keeping your bubble and squeak
0:36:15 > 0:36:17on the affordable side of the tracks,
0:36:17 > 0:36:20the humble spud really does take some beating.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24Now, when it comes to cheap dishes,
0:36:24 > 0:36:26you don't get any cheaper than potatoes.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30Now, I'm going to use them to make this tartiflette,
0:36:30 > 0:36:33a hearty French-style cheesy potato bake that serves
0:36:33 > 0:36:37six to eight people for as little as £2.50 a head.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42So, the first thing I'm going to use is these Desiree potatoes.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45You can tell them apart cos they've got these lovely red skins.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47For this one...
0:36:47 > 0:36:50what I'm going to do is actually par-cook these for
0:36:50 > 0:36:53between eight and ten minutes, so just bring them to the boil
0:36:53 > 0:36:54and just gently simmer them.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57Now, while they're cooking, we can get on and do our other
0:36:57 > 0:37:01part of our little tartiflette, which is the onions and thyme.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03These get stewed together.
0:37:03 > 0:37:05Now, this is a famous dish that you get when you go skiing.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08Um, I have to confess, I've been skiing once,
0:37:08 > 0:37:12snowboarding once, um, never, ever, ever again!
0:37:12 > 0:37:17Eh, because I had a massive pile-up at the bottom of the slope
0:37:17 > 0:37:19and I've still got the bruises to prove it.
0:37:21 > 0:37:25But what we're going to do is we're going to take our lovely onions
0:37:25 > 0:37:27and just gently cook these in some butter.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31And this dish is literally all about sort of warming you up really,
0:37:31 > 0:37:33I suppose, after you've come off the slopes.
0:37:33 > 0:37:37Don't be frightened to use plenty of butter to start this off.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40We're going to fry that off with some thyme.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44One of the great benefits of growing your own herbs, if you can, and,
0:37:44 > 0:37:47to be honest, you can do this just on a windowsill, really,
0:37:47 > 0:37:49is that you save an absolute fortune.
0:37:52 > 0:37:55I always think this should sort of resemble the onions you
0:37:55 > 0:37:59get at one of those vans by the side of the road
0:37:59 > 0:38:02when you order a burger, occasionally...
0:38:02 > 0:38:04and a hot dog. And that's what you're looking for,
0:38:04 > 0:38:07for this, really, you don't want to add too much colour to it.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11And then, the other parts of the flavour in this, are Reblochon...
0:38:13 > 0:38:15..and bacon.
0:38:16 > 0:38:20Reblochon is a wonderful cheese with a unique flavour that melts
0:38:20 > 0:38:24perfectly, but if you can't hold of it, Brie will do just as well.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26But one thing you have to do is just prepare it
0:38:26 > 0:38:28and what I'm going to do is just trim off the top.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32Try not to lose too much and then, very carefully,
0:38:32 > 0:38:34we're just going to trim it off round the edge,
0:38:34 > 0:38:38because what I want it to do is just to evenly melt into our potatoes.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42And by just taking off the outside of the cheese,
0:38:42 > 0:38:45you'll get that, but you can leave the underside intact.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50Now, this next part is purely optional.
0:38:50 > 0:38:55I actually like to sort of almost coat the dish in garlic
0:38:55 > 0:38:59and to do that, you basically just rub the dish with the garlic,
0:38:59 > 0:39:02just crushed garlic or chopped garlic like this, and just rub it,
0:39:02 > 0:39:04and it's the flavour that you get from the dish...
0:39:06 > 0:39:09You can smell it. It's like you haven't washed the dish, but...
0:39:09 > 0:39:13And then, of course, you do need a little bit of butter and then,
0:39:13 > 0:39:15what we're going to do is just grab our onions...
0:39:17 > 0:39:21And then our next layer is really good quality dry cured bacon.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24You can tell really sort of poor quality bacon when you try
0:39:24 > 0:39:27and pan-fry it and you never get it nice and crisp,
0:39:27 > 0:39:29but that's because, mainly, it's full of water
0:39:29 > 0:39:31and that's what you're paying for.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34So, you actually get much better value buying better quality bacon
0:39:34 > 0:39:37because a little bit goes much further,
0:39:37 > 0:39:40and what we're going to do is take the bacon like this...
0:39:40 > 0:39:41and layer it...
0:39:42 > 0:39:44..on our onions. Then, with our potatoes,
0:39:44 > 0:39:47you want to cook these for about sort of ten minutes, no more.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50And then, it depends whether you've got asbestos hands or not, but...
0:39:53 > 0:39:55..you just gently peel them.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58I have no idea why you don't peel these beforehand.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00It's probably this French dear who taught me how to do this
0:40:00 > 0:40:03when I was a young nipper in France.
0:40:03 > 0:40:05She must have done this to wind me up
0:40:05 > 0:40:06and I've done it ever since, really.
0:40:06 > 0:40:11Once we're all peeled and sliced, we can lay the potatoes into the dish.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14One thing leaving the skins on might do is to make these spuds
0:40:14 > 0:40:16a little bit more sticky.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19And they're actually starting to stick together these already.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22Cook spuds this way and they feel luxurious.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26It's like a meal for one, innit, really?
0:40:26 > 0:40:28Decent sort of sized portions.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30And then, what we can do is just grab...
0:40:30 > 0:40:32our Reblochon cheese.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35So, basically, put that on the centre,
0:40:35 > 0:40:37a few good knobs of butter...
0:40:37 > 0:40:39just to help it along its way.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42A bit of ground black pepper.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47Put the salt on just over the top like that.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51Open the oven door, stick it in the oven, 200 degrees centigrade,
0:40:51 > 0:40:5335, 40 minutes.
0:40:53 > 0:40:54Job done.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56As you'll have gathered by now, I'm a great fan of butter,
0:40:56 > 0:40:59but it's the cheese that really steals the show.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03It's a great melter. It's unique nutty flavour permeates
0:41:03 > 0:41:06the whole dish making, tartiflette the perfect winter warmer.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09Now, for this I thought I'd carry on the theme with
0:41:09 > 0:41:11the tartiflette in there in terms of the bacon
0:41:11 > 0:41:15and create a nice little green salad to go with it with crispy bacon.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18Chop up any spare bacon you've got left over.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21For me, it's best if you fry it until it's nice and crispy.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24BACONS SIZZLES
0:41:24 > 0:41:27You can't get much simpler than this salad dressing.
0:41:27 > 0:41:29Bind the egg yolk,
0:41:29 > 0:41:31a teaspoon of Dijon mustard,
0:41:31 > 0:41:34and some white wine vinegar...
0:41:34 > 0:41:36together with some veg oil.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39In this pan there's so much flavour
0:41:39 > 0:41:42and I'm going to use that flavour to create a lovely little dressing.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45Bacon fat dressing is simply delicious.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48Once you've tried it, trust me, there's no going back.
0:41:48 > 0:41:52Now, this is far cheaper than buying readymade dressings.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57Just drizzle it over the salad, as in lightly coat the leaves.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02Oh, it's lovely. A simple little warm salad,
0:42:02 > 0:42:07but it tastes so good using that fat from the bacon.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09And then, really, all we need now...
0:42:11 > 0:42:13..is the classic tartiflette.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15Now, it looks really impressive, but remember,
0:42:15 > 0:42:17this is a dish that doesn't cost a lot of money.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20You've just got a bit of bacon...
0:42:20 > 0:42:23The cheese is probably the most expensive part of this entire dish.
0:42:25 > 0:42:29Now, not only is this economical, but it feeds loads of people.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32If you don't believe me, check out this lot. Come on, crew.
0:42:32 > 0:42:34I'm going in first. There's going to be none left.
0:42:34 > 0:42:36'When you're prepared to get inventive
0:42:36 > 0:42:38'and adventurous with your cooking,
0:42:38 > 0:42:42'it's not hard to produce all sorts of rewarding dishes that
0:42:42 > 0:42:46'won't just put a smile on your face, but on everybody else's too.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50'Perhaps the most important of all, is that
0:42:50 > 0:42:52'when you know you can make it for peanuts,
0:42:52 > 0:42:56'great food like we've seen today always seems to taste much better.'
0:43:00 > 0:43:03If you'd like to know more about how to cook any of the recipes
0:43:03 > 0:43:06featured on today's show, you can get all of them at our website...