0:00:02 > 0:00:05If there's one thing I look forward to at the end of a busy day,
0:00:05 > 0:00:08it's the thought of getting back to my kitchen at home.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13For me, nothing beats cooking some simple, heart-warming, food.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18Oh, oh, oh! It is so good.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22The kind of no-nonsense grub that brings people together.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24ALL: Cheers, everyone.
0:00:26 > 0:00:31The dishes I turn to when I want to put a big smile on everyone's face.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35These are my home comforts.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45I think home cooking has been transformed
0:00:45 > 0:00:47over the last 20 years
0:00:47 > 0:00:51by the amazing range of ingredients that we can now grow and buy
0:00:51 > 0:00:52in the UK.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57Whether you pick them fresh from your garden or buy them
0:00:57 > 0:00:59ready-made in the shops,
0:00:59 > 0:01:02as a nation, us Brits, have totally fallen for
0:01:02 > 0:01:04fresh herbs and fragrant spices.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08Whether it's the zingy taste of lemon verbena
0:01:08 > 0:01:12or the beautiful sweetness of fresh basil, the options are endless.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15It's just a matter of knowing which ones to choose.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19Get the right blend of herbs and spices
0:01:19 > 0:01:22and you can turn a good meal into a great one.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29Today, I'll be cooking dishes from the States and India.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35Food historian Ivan Day takes a leaf out of the oldest cookbook
0:01:35 > 0:01:36in Britain.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41And we meet a woman who forages for the herbs we've all forgotten.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45The majority of things that you regard as weeds are actually
0:01:45 > 0:01:47wild ingredients.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50But first, for me, the Italians are the masters
0:01:50 > 0:01:52when it comes to using fresh herbs.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57Using basil in the pasta, in the filling
0:01:57 > 0:01:59and in the pesto,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02my basil tortellini with ricotta and pine nuts
0:02:02 > 0:02:07is a celebration of one of the tastiest and most versatile herbs.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11Basil has to be one of my favourite herbs
0:02:11 > 0:02:13to either grow in the garden
0:02:13 > 0:02:16or to use in cooking in general, and I'm going to create a wonderful
0:02:16 > 0:02:20little pasta dish, one with a little twist, which I think you'll love.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24So the first thing I'm going to make is my pasta.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28'I'm using about 200g of fine grade 00 flour.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31'Make a well in the middle, crack in a couple of eggs
0:02:31 > 0:02:34'and mix it all together by hand.'
0:02:34 > 0:02:38Now, I'm not going to add any salt, any oil, anything like that,
0:02:38 > 0:02:41just mix the two ingredients together.
0:02:41 > 0:02:46Once you've got one egg almost mixed in, then we can add the other.
0:02:46 > 0:02:47Now, it's better to do this by hand
0:02:47 > 0:02:52because you actually can understand when the pasta's right and
0:02:52 > 0:02:56when you need to add a little more liquid or a little bit more flour.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01And you can almost tell when the pasta dough is ready because it
0:03:01 > 0:03:04actually brings everything together off the bench...
0:03:05 > 0:03:09..and the texture starts to firm up a little bit,
0:03:09 > 0:03:12and, really, you've got the pasta dough done.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15It's as simple as that. It doesn't take very long to do at all,
0:03:15 > 0:03:17but what it does need is time to rest.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22To do that, just clingfilm it and pop it in the fridge.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25Now, I've got one that's in here.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32The texture is now perfect.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36It goes a little bit more pliable, a little bit nicer to work with.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39Now scatter the work surface with flour and you can start
0:03:39 > 0:03:44rolling half the dough through one of my favourite kitchen gadgets.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48These pasta machines often gather dust in kitchen cupboards
0:03:48 > 0:03:50but they need to be used.
0:03:50 > 0:03:51Get it out and use it.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56The more you do it, the more confident you get to work with it.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03Each time you do it, just a small amount of flour.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05Too much flour, you end up drying it out.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09And then you keep going all the way through your settings.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13Every time I use this, it just reminds me so much
0:04:13 > 0:04:16of when I was a kid at Malton swimming baths.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19But back then, after you finished swimming,
0:04:19 > 0:04:22when you were at school, you put your shorts through the mangle.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26When your dough's nice and thin,
0:04:26 > 0:04:30you can do a nifty little trick with some basil leaves.
0:04:30 > 0:04:31Pop them on top of the pasta,
0:04:31 > 0:04:36fold them in with the leaves inside the pasta, then roll through again.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43And every time you do it, it's kind of stretching the leaves.
0:04:43 > 0:04:44Looks fantastic.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48Once the basil pasta's rolled out - to the thinnest you can get it -
0:04:48 > 0:04:52grab a pastry cutter and we can start making our tortellini.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57So, once I've got to that stage, you can fill it with whatever you want.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59Basil has some really subtle peppery
0:04:59 > 0:05:04and sweet notes that will balance perfectly with the creamy ricotta.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07The secret with Italian food, I always think,
0:05:07 > 0:05:09is the quality of the ingredients.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11It's just simply cooked.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13And because of this, you can
0:05:13 > 0:05:15really appreciate the flavours of the basil.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19And then you want a tiny bit of water.
0:05:19 > 0:05:24Just dab almost like half the edge of the pasta dough.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28Flip one half over, make sure it's all nicely sealed.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33Like that. And then around your thumb or your finger,
0:05:33 > 0:05:35you just basically fold this around.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37Round that way and round that way
0:05:37 > 0:05:41and the water sticks the pasta at either end.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44So you've got your wonderful little...
0:05:46 > 0:05:47..tortellini.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53So, the pasta and the filling are flavoured with the basil,
0:05:53 > 0:05:58but where you get the real full effect of the herb, is in the pesto.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01Now, traditionally this would be done in a pestle and mortar
0:06:01 > 0:06:04but, for this one, I'm just going to use a blender,
0:06:04 > 0:06:07cos it's going to really take as long as the pasta takes to cook.
0:06:07 > 0:06:13To 50g of fresh basil leaves, I'm adding 10g of toasted pine nuts,
0:06:13 > 0:06:18a clove of garlic and 25g of grated Parmesan cheese.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22Now I'm going to use two types of oil for this.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24Always Italian olive oil, of course.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27I'm going to use a little bit of extra virgin.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30But then, mainly some plain olive oil
0:06:30 > 0:06:32because I want the flavour of the basil to come out
0:06:32 > 0:06:35and I think the extra virgin is too strong.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37Now, to cook the pasta, all you do
0:06:37 > 0:06:40is drop it into salted boiling water.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43This is going to take about two to three minutes to cook.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47At the same time, just blitz the pesto.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55That's just about perfect. So the pasta's now cooked.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59Drain it off.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01Put it back in the pan.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05Mix that together, keep it on the heat
0:07:05 > 0:07:09and almost finish off the cooking of the pasta in the pan.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15Garnish the dish with some toasted pine nuts and some ground pepper.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18And then, really, you just want to serve it
0:07:18 > 0:07:21exactly like the Italians do.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24Not poncey, just relying on the lovely flavour you've got.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28Simple as that. And then finally, of course,
0:07:28 > 0:07:32just a little flourish of Parmesan cheese.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36This dish really epitomises everything that's great
0:07:36 > 0:07:37about Italian cooking.
0:07:37 > 0:07:42Great pasta, a lovely ricotta, but the key to this is fresh basil.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48And the flavour you get from it is just fantastic.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55For me, the flavour of basil works on so many different levels.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00And when you use it with some simple, Mediterranean ingredients,
0:08:00 > 0:08:04you've got the perfect recipe to showcase its many talents.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10Now, basil is a very familiar ingredient, but there are still
0:08:10 > 0:08:14plenty of great herbs out there just waiting to be discovered.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19Lavender is one that's gradually creeping into our cooking.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25One of the very few people growing edible lavender in Britain
0:08:25 > 0:08:28is Hampshire farmer Richard Norris.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31And his love affair started at a very young age.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35As a child, I had been very interested in gardening.
0:08:35 > 0:08:40Took over part of my parents' garden aged seven.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44By ten, I could give you the Latin name of any plant in the garden.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49Richard took up lavender farming,
0:08:49 > 0:08:51turning his passion for plants into a business.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57But we quickly discovered that you really have to,
0:08:57 > 0:09:01as the accountants say, add value and sell finished products.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03So he created two lavender farms.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07One farm produces traditional essential oils
0:09:07 > 0:09:10and the other grows several varieties of edible lavender,
0:09:10 > 0:09:13with some unusual flavours on offer.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17This variety is Blue Mountain White.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19Along with a lot of the pink lavenders,
0:09:19 > 0:09:22has a vaguely mushroomy scent.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24Not unpleasant.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26If you use this with something like redcurrant,
0:09:26 > 0:09:30infused it in that, to create a sauce to go with game,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33I think that would be a very interesting flavour.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36In contrast, it's lavender Grosso.
0:09:36 > 0:09:42If you were to use this in cooking for ice cream or a sorbet,
0:09:42 > 0:09:45it would be incredibly refreshing.
0:09:45 > 0:09:50Unlike most herbs, the flavour comes from the flowers, not the leaves.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54So here, this bunch is ready for drying,
0:09:54 > 0:09:58either to dry and keep as a bunch
0:09:58 > 0:10:01or to rub off the stem and use for cooking.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06Rubbing the flowers off the stalk in this way, by hand,
0:10:06 > 0:10:08is a very gentle process.
0:10:09 > 0:10:14It results in very little stalk or leaf in here.
0:10:14 > 0:10:15Lovely clean product,
0:10:15 > 0:10:18absolutely perfect for using with food.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22A whole range of delicious lavender-flavoured goodies
0:10:22 > 0:10:24are served in Richard's cafe,
0:10:24 > 0:10:28which is right on site within a whiff of the fields.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31These sweet treats are flavoured with milk or water
0:10:31 > 0:10:34that's been infused with the flower heads.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38I've ordered a lavender scone, really gorgeous taste of lavender.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41More kind of perfumey of lavender than I thought it would be
0:10:41 > 0:10:44- but, you know, really delicious. - Really nice.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47Chef Toby also loves finding new ways to use
0:10:47 > 0:10:50the herb in savoury dishes.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53I think lavender is fantastic to experiment with.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56It's a very versatile herb, it can be put in both sweet
0:10:56 > 0:10:57and savoury dishes.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01Surprisingly, it goes with prawns and it complements lamb perfectly
0:11:01 > 0:11:04without making it bitter or overpowering.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07Today, Toby's making a marinade of lavender, thyme,
0:11:07 > 0:11:10freshly-squeezed lemon, honey, melted butter
0:11:10 > 0:11:14and olive oil for his own take on honey roast chicken.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17It brings a depth of earthiness to the dish
0:11:17 > 0:11:19and it really complements the meat.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23After just 20 minutes in the oven, it's ready for the table.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25Well, I chose to have the chicken today.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27I like the flavour. It smells nice too,
0:11:27 > 0:11:29there's a good aroma of lavender from it.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31But when you taste it, it's not overpowering.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34It definitely adds to the experience
0:11:34 > 0:11:38and leaves a nice taste in the mouth afterwards. Very clean.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40It's pretty to look at too, so I've got a pretty lunch!
0:11:40 > 0:11:42SHE LAUGHS
0:11:45 > 0:11:47I've used lavender in savoury dishes myself,
0:11:47 > 0:11:51but I think its flavour has even more to offer.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54I've invited Richard over so I can cook him a sweet dish
0:11:54 > 0:11:58which works brilliantly with his fresh, fragrant lavender.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03This lavender creme caramel with lavender shortbread is
0:12:03 > 0:12:07the perfect pudding to showcase the subtle flavours of this
0:12:07 > 0:12:09underused but delicious herb.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Now, I've got loads of lavender in my garden, I love it.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18Is there two distinct types between the culinary lavender
0:12:18 > 0:12:19and the ones you use for oil?
0:12:19 > 0:12:22Because I was told not all lavender you can eat.
0:12:22 > 0:12:23Is that right?
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Some lavenders - you wouldn't want to.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28- It's like chewing on a bar of soap? - Chewing on a bar of soap.- OK.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30- Others have milder flavours.- Right.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33I thought, with this, I'd do a creme caramel with a nice
0:12:33 > 0:12:35little shortbread to go with it, something really simple.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39The first thing I want to do is get my caramel on.
0:12:39 > 0:12:44'Put 150g of caster sugar into a saucepan over a high heat
0:12:44 > 0:12:48'and cook it without stirring until it's golden brown.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51'Whilst that's caramelising, we can get on with our custard.'
0:12:51 > 0:12:54And then, in the fridge, I've got some milk and cream.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59I'm using 150ml of whole milk...
0:13:01 > 0:13:03..and 300ml of double cream.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08I'm going to use some of this fantastic lavender,
0:13:08 > 0:13:09just a little bit.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11And it needs to go into the cold milk and cream
0:13:11 > 0:13:14so, as it comes to the boil, it infuses nicely.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17While that's coming to the boil,
0:13:17 > 0:13:21whisk four eggs with another 75g of caster sugar.
0:13:23 > 0:13:24But why lavender for you, then?
0:13:24 > 0:13:28I read an article about the history of commercial lavender growing
0:13:28 > 0:13:30in the UK, and the article just said, you know,
0:13:30 > 0:13:32"Why isn't it done any more?"
0:13:32 > 0:13:34And it was the classic light bulb moment.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36That's what I'm going to do.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39Then, yeah, I became completely obsessed with lavender.
0:13:39 > 0:13:44Right, I'm just going to pour this lovely mixture into here
0:13:44 > 0:13:46and actually pop it in while it's still warm
0:13:46 > 0:13:47cos as it cools,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50it's going to get the flavour out the lavender as well.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52There are so many different types.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54What type is this cooking lavender, particularly?
0:13:54 > 0:13:57Right, that type is called lavender intermedia
0:13:57 > 0:14:00and the variety is called Grosso.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03We found that it's great in cooking.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05It's quite strong, as you may have found,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08but you just reduce the quantity you use a little bit.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10Now, my lavender's not too bad in the garden.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13It's about six to seven years old
0:14:13 > 0:14:15and it's starting to look a bit withered.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17Do you have to cut the crops down? I mean, how do you treat it?
0:14:17 > 0:14:20In the wild, lavender is grazed by animals,
0:14:20 > 0:14:25so it responds, therefore, to quite a good, hard pruning.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28'Adding a splash of water dilutes the melted sugar,
0:14:28 > 0:14:30'making it less sticky and easy to pour.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34'When it's the consistency of golden syrup,
0:14:34 > 0:14:35'it's ready to go into the moulds.'
0:14:39 > 0:14:43Now, what this is going to do is set while it's in the moulds.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48'Lavender is a strong herb and I don't want to let the flowers
0:14:48 > 0:14:52'infuse for too long, so I'm straining them out with a sieve.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56'To stop these caramels from curdling or cracking,
0:14:56 > 0:15:00'I'm going to cook them in a water bath.'
0:15:00 > 0:15:03So, is it in the same sort of family of heather? Would that...?
0:15:03 > 0:15:04- No.- What family is it?
0:15:04 > 0:15:07Lavender's in the same family as mint.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09- Mint?!- Rosemary.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12That's why it grows everywhere in my garden then, lavender and mint.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14Yeah. And, you know, if you look at the stems,
0:15:14 > 0:15:17it's quite interesting, you'll see they're square in cross-section.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20You've probably never noticed it before, but if you look,
0:15:20 > 0:15:21they're all the same.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24So, all you do with this is take the mixture
0:15:24 > 0:15:26and just carefully pour it in.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28Now, you need to make sure the caramel on the base is set,
0:15:28 > 0:15:33otherwise it's just going to go into this dark mush, really,
0:15:33 > 0:15:34more than anything else.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36Fill up these little moulds like that...
0:15:37 > 0:15:38..and then bake it in the oven.
0:15:38 > 0:15:43Now, what it requires is a low oven. That's 300 degrees Fahrenheit,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46about sort of 150 degrees centigrade, for about 45 minutes.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51The reason why I'm doing this recipe in the first place
0:15:51 > 0:15:54is that this was my granny's favourite recipe - creme caramel -
0:15:54 > 0:15:56and she used to make the most amazing shortbread.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01'My gran insisted on unsalted butter.
0:16:01 > 0:16:06'Take 175g and mix it with 100g of icing sugar.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09'I'm still using her recipe
0:16:09 > 0:16:13'but this time I'll be adding some of Richards's lavender.'
0:16:13 > 0:16:15So, just to finish off our shortbread,
0:16:15 > 0:16:18I'm going to do it the old-fashioned way - with a wooden spoon
0:16:18 > 0:16:21rather than a whisk, and you just basically cream the icing sugar
0:16:21 > 0:16:24and the butter together so the butter's nice and soft.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26You almost get it to that sort of texture.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30The whole point about shortbread is the fact that it's short,
0:16:30 > 0:16:34as in, when you break it, it's quite crumbly.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38'To achieve this texture, my gran always used a mixture of flour.
0:16:38 > 0:16:43'200g of plain flour combined with 100g of cornflour
0:16:43 > 0:16:44'gives the best results.'
0:16:44 > 0:16:47This bit needs to be done quite carefully and, in fact,
0:16:47 > 0:16:51it's probably better, to be honest, to do this bit by hand.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53You just work this all together.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57Now, at this stage, I can throw in a little bit of this lavender.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02So you learnt this at your grandmother's?
0:17:02 > 0:17:05This is Granny's cooking down to a T, you see.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Probably be looking down at me, telling me to do it...
0:17:07 > 0:17:09I'm doing it wrong, no doubt, but...
0:17:09 > 0:17:13'It's best not to use any more flour when rolling out the shortbread.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17'A fraction too much and you can change the texture.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20'Instead, just press it into a buttered tray using your fingers.'
0:17:21 > 0:17:24And I've set the oven about 180 degrees centigrade,
0:17:24 > 0:17:27that's about 350 Fahrenheit, and it wants to cook for about 15 minutes.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31Lavender, where's its natural habitat?
0:17:31 > 0:17:35Its natural habitat, in the main, is the Mediterranean.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38So, hot, sunny climates. Provence, in particular.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41'Whilst we bake the shortbread,
0:17:41 > 0:17:44'I can turn my attention back to the creme caramels.'
0:17:44 > 0:17:45This has just been chilled.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48You can keep it in the water, but they're nice and set.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50The best way to test it when it comes out of the oven
0:17:50 > 0:17:51is just press it like that.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55If it's firm on the top, that means it's cooked all the way through.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58'To take the creme caramels out,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01'run the blade of a knife round the edge of the mould.'
0:18:01 > 0:18:05And then, just with the edge of the knife, lift this to one side
0:18:05 > 0:18:07and then you can flip it out.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09Nice and delicate. You've got a nice, even caramel as well
0:18:09 > 0:18:11on the top.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13And then, for our shortbread.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16The key to this is to cook it without any colour.
0:18:18 > 0:18:23And it is so delicate, so delicious, you almost need a palette knife
0:18:23 > 0:18:27to lift it off, but you just break this off.
0:18:27 > 0:18:28And what I love about this
0:18:28 > 0:18:31is you just serve pieces of this
0:18:31 > 0:18:33just popped on the side.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35No need to add any sugar on the top
0:18:35 > 0:18:37because you've got the lovely caramel to go with it.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41And there you have it, the cold creme caramel.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44- Looks fantastic.- Looks pretty good.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49- But the lavender really works. - Really does.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53I was actually surprised how little lavender you put in.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55I don't think it needs a lot, I think that's the key to it.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59And that's... I'm hoping that people use more of it
0:18:59 > 0:19:02because it is a fantastic culinary ingredient
0:19:02 > 0:19:04and one that you can grow in your garden.
0:19:04 > 0:19:05It's lovely.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11Lavender might not seem the obvious flavour to add to our food
0:19:11 > 0:19:12but it really works.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17A subtle creamy hint of lavender in the creme caramel is perfect
0:19:17 > 0:19:20with the aromatic sweetness of the shortbread.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24This is one dessert I'll definitely be making again.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31Herbs and spices bring our everyday cookery to life,
0:19:31 > 0:19:34and with a number of cuisines available in the UK today,
0:19:34 > 0:19:36there are lots of flavours for us to try.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39But spicing up our meals is nothing new.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48Food historian Ivan Day is at the medieval manor house
0:19:48 > 0:19:52Gainsborough Hall, in Lincolnshire, where he's discovering how
0:19:52 > 0:19:56top cooks in the Middle Ages created surprisingly exotic dishes.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02In the last 100 years, we've learned so much from Indian cooks
0:20:02 > 0:20:04about herbs and spices,
0:20:04 > 0:20:06but if we go back to the Middle Ages,
0:20:06 > 0:20:11the food was just as spicy then as it is in your local tandoori.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15I'm going to rustle up a couple of dishes which will show
0:20:15 > 0:20:19how medieval cooks used herbs and spices.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23A spicy stew and a lovely herby salad.
0:20:24 > 0:20:29Both these recipes are from the very earliest English cookery book,
0:20:29 > 0:20:34a manuscript which was first written in the 1390s by the master cook
0:20:34 > 0:20:36of Richard II.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40The book is called The Forme Of Cury,
0:20:40 > 0:20:43which really means 'the method of cookery.'
0:20:45 > 0:20:50The first recipe is a stew, which is called a brewet of Alamayn,
0:20:50 > 0:20:53which literally means a German stew.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58This is a very spicy goat stew.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02In fact, it will remind you very much of Oriental food
0:21:02 > 0:21:05as we understand it today. There's some ginger in it,
0:21:05 > 0:21:09which will be familiar to most people but, more unusually,
0:21:09 > 0:21:13one of the main condiments in it is this stuff, which is galingale.
0:21:13 > 0:21:18It's a very pungent, quite hot, quite gingery flavour.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21Generous amounts of both ginger and galingale
0:21:21 > 0:21:23were rubbed into the goat meat,
0:21:23 > 0:21:25which had been cut into bite-size pieces.
0:21:26 > 0:21:27It's looking great.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30It's so surprising, isn't it, that in England,
0:21:30 > 0:21:34seven centuries ago, we were cooking food like we enjoy now.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39Just as many of our favourite Asian dishes feature coconut milk,
0:21:39 > 0:21:43this medieval recipe used almond milk as the stock.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50It was a very important constituent in medieval culinary art
0:21:50 > 0:21:54because it was a substitute originally for animal milk,
0:21:54 > 0:21:57but then became established as a really delicious
0:21:57 > 0:22:00vehicle for cooking everything in, from fish to meat.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05When the almonds had been ground, hot water was added.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08Then the whole lot was put through something called a jelly bag,
0:22:08 > 0:22:12which was basically an elaborate medieval sieve.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16I'm literally milking it and squeezing all of the goodness
0:22:16 > 0:22:21out of the almonds into the bowl without getting any nuts in my mix.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28Once the meat and the almond milk had been prepared,
0:22:28 > 0:22:32it was time to cook the brewet over an open fire.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35Onion and the finely-diced meat were fried in oil
0:22:35 > 0:22:37and then the almond milk was added.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41My brewet of Alamayn is going to take about an hour to cook.
0:22:41 > 0:22:46There's one other stage, which is to use one more spice,
0:22:46 > 0:22:50which is a rather unusual one called alkanet.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Traditionally, alkanet roots were powdered
0:22:52 > 0:22:55and used as a fabric dye and food colouring.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59It gives a brilliant crimson and was in use in Europe
0:22:59 > 0:23:03well before cochineal came from Central America in the 16th century.
0:23:04 > 0:23:05To extract the dye,
0:23:05 > 0:23:10a little pot called a chafing dish was filled with embers.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12Powdered alkanet and oil were gently warmed over it
0:23:12 > 0:23:14until the red dye came out.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19While that's happening, I'm going to go
0:23:19 > 0:23:23and make what is Britain's very earliest salad.
0:23:25 > 0:23:30This recipe is for something which is very simply called salat.
0:23:30 > 0:23:35This 14th-century salad contains 14 different herbs.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37The one that I like the most is a plant which
0:23:37 > 0:23:43I feel could be used a lot more, and it's called purslane.
0:23:43 > 0:23:48It's got a lovely, succulent texture and a slightly acidic taste.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54The salad also had more familiar ingredients like watercress,
0:23:54 > 0:23:59parsley, fennel, mint, rosemary and purple sage.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02I can smell that from here and it's really powerful,
0:24:02 > 0:24:05but adds a nice bit of colour, actually, to the salad.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10The dish was given extra bite by scattering it with garlic,
0:24:10 > 0:24:14spring onions, chives and leeks.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17The final strong-flavoured herb is this one,
0:24:17 > 0:24:22known in the medieval period as herb of grace, or rue.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26It's a very, very pungent herb, more used in medicine
0:24:26 > 0:24:29but very popular in salads from the Roman times
0:24:29 > 0:24:31right through to the medieval period.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35The finishing touch was a decoration of bright blue borage flowers
0:24:35 > 0:24:37around the edge of the plate.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41For a medieval cook in the royal household, it wasn't
0:24:41 > 0:24:45enough for their food to taste delicious and exotic -
0:24:45 > 0:24:48it also had to look amazing.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51For a very unusual and final flourish,
0:24:51 > 0:24:54medieval lords like a lot of colour on their plate,
0:24:54 > 0:24:56so this is the alkanet oil.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00So what I'm going to do is just drizzle it,
0:25:00 > 0:25:03see if I can get a nice marbled effect.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09My brewet Alamayn is ready, I can't wait to have a taste.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12So this is the medieval style of dining,
0:25:12 > 0:25:14which is from the tip of the knife.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18Mmm, it's really tender.
0:25:18 > 0:25:19Gingery.
0:25:21 > 0:25:22Very tasty.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26There's a slight hint of almonds in the background.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30Now, the salad, I think, is incredibly attractive.
0:25:33 > 0:25:39And that's as good, if not better, than most English restaurant salads.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42A tremendous range of flavours in there.
0:25:42 > 0:25:47With all the spice in this stew and all 14 herbs in this salad,
0:25:47 > 0:25:51I don't think you can get more spicy or herby than this.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55Exploring and copying how our ancestors used herbs
0:25:55 > 0:25:59and spices is made much easier when they leave a written record.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05But a lot of herb and spice blends have historically been
0:26:05 > 0:26:07closely-guarded secrets.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12Fortunately, I'm very happy to pass on my recipe for a succulent
0:26:12 > 0:26:15and spicy Southern-fried buttermilk chicken
0:26:15 > 0:26:18with tomato and sweetcorn salsa.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24This has to be one of my ultimate favourite TV meals
0:26:24 > 0:26:27that you can just dive into while watching your favourite programme -
0:26:27 > 0:26:30a Southern-fried chicken.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32'First, we need to prepare our bird.'
0:26:32 > 0:26:34And it's quite simple.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37You've got four pieces of dark meat, four pieces of white meat
0:26:37 > 0:26:40on a chicken, so the first thing you do is remove the legs.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42And just crack the legs open,
0:26:42 > 0:26:44you end up with this little muscle underneath.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47This is called the little chef's eye or a little oyster.
0:26:47 > 0:26:48Insert the knife underneath
0:26:48 > 0:26:52so you gather that up as well, and cut that through.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55You don't really have to cut through any bones at all.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57All you're doing is following the joints.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01Cut out that little chef's eye again the other side
0:27:01 > 0:27:04and you end up with two nice pieces of dark meat.
0:27:04 > 0:27:09To turn them into four pieces, find the knuckle, cut through
0:27:09 > 0:27:12and you've got a thigh and a leg.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15It's much simpler to fillet the white meat.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18Just take off the breasts and then cut them in half.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21Fried chicken can be a bit dry,
0:27:21 > 0:27:26but this next step guarantees that your meat remains moist and tender.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29And the marinade is really simple.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33It uses buttermilk, and it's one of the ingredients that you don't
0:27:33 > 0:27:36really use that much, but I love this stuff.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41A good pinch of salt and that's it.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44There's nothing else that goes in this marinade at all.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46You just chuck the chicken in.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49Pop this in the fridge overnight.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52I've got one done already that we can use right away.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56The Chinese call this velveting.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00It's actually to soften the chicken before it cooks.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02As tender as our chicken will be,
0:28:02 > 0:28:04the main event of this dish has got to be
0:28:04 > 0:28:09the unique blend of herbs and spices that go into my spice rub.
0:28:09 > 0:28:14To start, take 125g of plain flour and grate in the zest of a lemon.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19You can vary the amounts of spices to suit your own personal taste,
0:28:19 > 0:28:21but after a bit of experimentation, I've settled on
0:28:21 > 0:28:24one and a half teaspoons of the following.
0:28:24 > 0:28:29For a bit of heat, smoked hot paprika and mustard powder.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33And I just love the flavours you get from celery salt.
0:28:34 > 0:28:39And this is made just by using sea salt, dried celery bulb
0:28:39 > 0:28:43and some cumin, so it's got a little bit of spice in there as well.
0:28:44 > 0:28:45Dried thyme.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50Oregano, or as they call it, "orig-ano".
0:28:50 > 0:28:52And a good squidge of black pepper.
0:28:56 > 0:28:58The first time I came across Southern-fried chicken,
0:28:58 > 0:29:01I fell in love with it, really, mainly because of the people
0:29:01 > 0:29:03that I was with. I was with the Amish community
0:29:03 > 0:29:06and I was staying there for about four to five days working.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09Everything was ploughed by hand, either by hand or with horses.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12It was just unbelievable. They go everywhere by skateboard
0:29:12 > 0:29:16and scooter, push scooter, like these things.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19But I thought it was just a fantastic sort of experience.
0:29:20 > 0:29:24So often in the States, this is just simply deep-fried,
0:29:24 > 0:29:26which is fine.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29And one of the recipes that I learnt while I was out there
0:29:29 > 0:29:32that I ordered at a cafe was deep-fried chicken.
0:29:32 > 0:29:33I thought I was going to get this.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37What I ended up with was just a whole chicken,
0:29:37 > 0:29:39thrown in a deep-fat fryer, that was it.
0:29:39 > 0:29:44Nothing else on it - just a chicken, which was interesting.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48Now we just lift this out the marinade.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52You need some of this marinade on there to enable our spice,
0:29:52 > 0:29:55dry rub mixture, to stick to it.
0:29:55 > 0:29:56Just wash my hands.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00Pour some veg oil in the bottom of a frying pan
0:30:00 > 0:30:01and put it onto a low heat.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04It's not deep-fried fully, it's almost shallow-fried
0:30:04 > 0:30:07and then finished off in the oven. That way you get it nice and crisp.
0:30:10 > 0:30:12You've got to make sure the chicken is cooked.
0:30:12 > 0:30:14And I find that when you bake it in the oven as well,
0:30:14 > 0:30:15it gets it nice and crisp.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21And once you've got it frying away like that,
0:30:21 > 0:30:23you can take the entire lot, including the pan,
0:30:23 > 0:30:24and stick it in the oven.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27It's quite a hot oven, about 400 degrees Fahrenheit,
0:30:27 > 0:30:29200 degrees centigrade.
0:30:29 > 0:30:31This wants to go in there for about 15 minutes.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36While that's cooking, I'm going to quickly knock up a salsa.
0:30:37 > 0:30:42For this, I'm chopping up 300g of tomatoes and two red chillies.
0:30:43 > 0:30:48To cook the salsa, I first need to caramelise 90g of caster sugar.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52What you want is a nice, even caramel.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55You certainly don't want to overcook it,
0:30:55 > 0:30:58because if you overcook sugar, it goes very bitter.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01So once you get a lovely golden brown colour like that,
0:31:01 > 0:31:03you can get all the other ingredients ready.
0:31:03 > 0:31:05So the tomatoes can go in.
0:31:05 > 0:31:06Throw in the chilli.
0:31:08 > 0:31:09Throw in the corn.
0:31:10 > 0:31:11Now keep the pan on the high heat,
0:31:11 > 0:31:14otherwise you'll end up with big lumps of sugar.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17You can see them already starting to form like that.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19Keep it on the heat, they'll all start to dissolve,
0:31:19 > 0:31:23especially when you de-glaze it with vinegar.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26I like using red wine vinegar and a squeeze of lime.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31Leave this simmering away for about eight minutes and it's done.
0:31:32 > 0:31:37Now, just to finish off this salsa, throw in the parsley,
0:31:37 > 0:31:41a good grind of black pepper and a nice big pinch of salt.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45The great thing about this - when you reduce it down,
0:31:45 > 0:31:47you can have this hot or cold,
0:31:47 > 0:31:49which is going to be perfect for our chicken.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55Now, this is what it's all about -
0:31:55 > 0:31:58proper, proper Southern-fried chicken.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03The sweetness of this salsa makes it the perfect partner
0:32:03 > 0:32:06to the savoury spice of the fried chicken.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09But you just serve it in a nice little pot like that and then
0:32:09 > 0:32:13what I like to do is just kind of pour it over the chicken as well.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15And there you have it - Southern-fried chicken,
0:32:15 > 0:32:17or certainly my version of it.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19So often, with us chefs, we try and do things so fancy
0:32:19 > 0:32:21and so elaborate, but...
0:32:23 > 0:32:25..let's go back to basics now and then.
0:32:25 > 0:32:26This is just fantastic.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37Tastes delicious.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39Getting the right balance of herbs and spices
0:32:39 > 0:32:42is a skill many prefer to keep to themselves.
0:32:43 > 0:32:47But cook this tender and tasty fried chicken dish for your mates
0:32:47 > 0:32:50and I guarantee they'll be asking where you got the recipe from.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54Luckily, I've always believed that when food's this good,
0:32:54 > 0:32:56it's far more sensible to share it.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01Recipes like this often include herbs and spices
0:33:01 > 0:33:03that we could never grow here in the UK.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07But the British countryside is actually home to many
0:33:07 > 0:33:11surprisingly flavoursome plants that can easily be used to enhance
0:33:11 > 0:33:13food you cook at home.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17Liz Knight is an expert forager,
0:33:17 > 0:33:20who has taken the time to bottle some of these unique flavours
0:33:20 > 0:33:23and make them available for us to buy and cook with.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26I was a child of the late '70s, early '80s where we were allowed
0:33:26 > 0:33:28to go off on our choppers and go out for the day
0:33:28 > 0:33:30and, you know, I was one of those children who would chew
0:33:30 > 0:33:33blades of grass and would find myself kind of like trying things.
0:33:35 > 0:33:39I kind of developed that passion and that love for the detail of things.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42And everything kind of is... no matter how small it is,
0:33:42 > 0:33:44it's as significant as something that's really big.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48It was around the time of the year 2000.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51I actually spent a summer just reconnecting back to that child
0:33:51 > 0:33:53that was there, you know, picking at blackberries and then
0:33:53 > 0:33:56discovering something else to pick and to making things.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58And then I started volunteering at a day centre.
0:33:58 > 0:34:02The majority of people that went were farming widows.
0:34:02 > 0:34:06My role there was to be an activity officer and to teach them,
0:34:06 > 0:34:09and I swiftly realised, actually, they should be teaching me.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11And so I started learning from them.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14And from there, that real passion came for the flavours
0:34:14 > 0:34:15that grow in Britain.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24There's lots of plants that grow in the wild that you would know,
0:34:24 > 0:34:26that you wouldn't necessarily know were food.
0:34:26 > 0:34:30Clover, for example, is lovely in sweet or savoury dishes.
0:34:30 > 0:34:35Sweet in cordials and syrups and jams, it tastes like honey.
0:34:35 > 0:34:37But if you use it as a savoury ingredient, raw,
0:34:37 > 0:34:41it's part of the pea family and it tastes just like peas.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47The kind of herbs that you can eat don't have to be obscure at all.
0:34:47 > 0:34:51The majority of things that you regard as weeds are actually
0:34:51 > 0:34:53wild ingredients with delicious flavours.
0:34:53 > 0:34:58There's things like this - cleavers, which everybody knows,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01sticks to you, you can't get rid of it from your garden.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04It's the most delicious kind of peppery-flavoured herb.
0:35:04 > 0:35:08When you've gathered the little seed pods, you can use those as a spice.
0:35:08 > 0:35:09You can use it as a tea.
0:35:09 > 0:35:14They're delicious in salads and just used wilted as a vegetable.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19Summer is a particularly fruitful and busy time for Liz.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22There are literally hundreds of flavours that can be picked
0:35:22 > 0:35:23and preserved.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31Today, Liz has picked some sorrel, which she'll combine with
0:35:31 > 0:35:35lilac flowers and lavender in a simple home-made jelly
0:35:35 > 0:35:39that she's going to try out at a village dinner happening later.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42An easy way to make sure that you get good consistency
0:35:42 > 0:35:47and thickness in your leaves is to roll your leaves like a cigar.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49I use a cleaver for my chopping.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51I chop all of my herbs by hand,
0:35:51 > 0:35:53just because I think it gives a nicer texture.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57So I let the jelly cool down, enough to be able to...
0:35:57 > 0:36:00when I put the sorrel in, it doesn't cook it,
0:36:00 > 0:36:03it just suspends it in the jelly and will set beautifully in it.
0:36:03 > 0:36:07It just transforms anything that you eat at this time of year
0:36:07 > 0:36:10into a real celebration of what's going on outside.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15Capturing the essence of summer is just one part of the story.
0:36:16 > 0:36:21Liz's extensive research has seen her develop a range of unique
0:36:21 > 0:36:24foraged products that preserve the seasonal flavours
0:36:24 > 0:36:26of the British countryside all year round.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30But tonight, summer is in the air.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33We're here at Walterstone Village Hall
0:36:33 > 0:36:36where there's a wild feast celebrating the beginning of summer.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39It's about to start. I think people might actually have even started.
0:36:39 > 0:36:40We're running a little bit late.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43But in here is the delicious jelly that's going to go with the lamb
0:36:43 > 0:36:46and lots of things to garnish what's already a pretty wild feast.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49So, hopefully, we're going to make it into a pretty sensational evening.
0:36:52 > 0:36:56But will these hedgerow herbs and spices win this crowd over?
0:36:57 > 0:37:02The little chive flowers and little bits of clover,
0:37:02 > 0:37:04like the red clover that just grows everywhere,
0:37:04 > 0:37:07just adds that kind of extra depth of flavour to something
0:37:07 > 0:37:09like a simple salad. It's really yummy.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12The sun has been out the last few days and over the last weekend,
0:37:12 > 0:37:15and that's what you feel you're tasting right here and now.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20It's a little...a bit like a mint sauce,
0:37:20 > 0:37:24but it's not a mint sauce, it's sorrel and lavender and lilac.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29The jelly tastes of flowers.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31You can taste the lilac in it, it's beautiful.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34It tastes very herby as well. It's absolutely delicious.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37It's just unbelievably fulfilling
0:37:37 > 0:37:41and satisfying to know that meals like tonight are a way
0:37:41 > 0:37:45of keeping the kind of flavours of Britain alive.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49Given the variety of flavours that are growing on our doorstep,
0:37:49 > 0:37:50it's ironic then
0:37:50 > 0:37:54that the spices we use most here in the UK are usually Asian.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00Marinated using chilli, cinnamon, cumin and garam masala,
0:38:00 > 0:38:05my tandoori king prawns with butter sauce is the kind of dish
0:38:05 > 0:38:07that can take these spices to another level.
0:38:11 > 0:38:15You can't do anything with spices without doing something Indian,
0:38:15 > 0:38:18in my opinion, and I'm going to do an authentic-style
0:38:18 > 0:38:21tandoori prawn dish, which is wonderful.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23It's all about the marinade and how you cook it,
0:38:23 > 0:38:26and it's actually really simple to make.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30Start the marinade off with a teaspoon of garam masala...
0:38:31 > 0:38:36..another one of cinnamon, one of chilli,
0:38:36 > 0:38:39and half a teaspoon of cumin.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44The whole point about tandoori food is what you cook it in.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46Normally, it's done in a tandoor clay oven,
0:38:46 > 0:38:48but I'm going to cook it in something slightly different
0:38:48 > 0:38:50cos this is great on the barbecue as well.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52But the whole point about this
0:38:52 > 0:38:54is the lovely marinade that goes with it.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57Taking time to marinate the ingredients
0:38:57 > 0:39:01infuses the full flavour of the herbs and spices I'm using.
0:39:02 > 0:39:07Here, I'm grating in two inches of root ginger and two garlic cloves.
0:39:07 > 0:39:12It's a good tip that my Indian mates told me,
0:39:12 > 0:39:16you get almost like a puree out of the ginger and the garlic
0:39:16 > 0:39:19and it actually absorbs into the meat a lot better.
0:39:21 > 0:39:25And the liquid element of this is some natural yoghurt,
0:39:25 > 0:39:28and I always think this is a great starter for Indian cookery.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31If you really want to do something for the very, very first time,
0:39:31 > 0:39:34then have a go at this because it's relatively easy.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37And the great thing about prawns like these
0:39:37 > 0:39:39is you can prepare them in seconds.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44All you do with these is just peel them.
0:39:44 > 0:39:48And the best way to do that is actually to squeeze the tail
0:39:48 > 0:39:50and the shell just comes off.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53Keep the head on because they look really nice,
0:39:53 > 0:39:55but also there's tonnes of flavour in this as well.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57You don't want to get rid of this.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00Seafood flavours are generally quite mild
0:40:00 > 0:40:04but this marinade will really build on what's already there.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08You can leave this for as little as 20 minutes
0:40:08 > 0:40:11but you get far better results if you let it infuse overnight.
0:40:12 > 0:40:13Now, while they're in there,
0:40:13 > 0:40:16I'm going to create a lovely little sauce to go with this.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19And anybody that knows me, particularly my Indian mates,
0:40:19 > 0:40:21will know that I love that butter sauce
0:40:21 > 0:40:24you get from Indian restaurants.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27Start it off with onions.
0:40:27 > 0:40:33And this is really the key part, I think, to authentic Indian cookery.
0:40:35 > 0:40:37I'm going to fry these onions in what else
0:40:37 > 0:40:40but a good-sized knob of butter.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47So start to colour the onions in the butter
0:40:47 > 0:40:50and then you can make this as hot and spicy as you want.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54I don't like things too hot, so it's only one red chilli,
0:40:54 > 0:40:56and a couple of cloves of garlic for me.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00The best way to do this is just get a touch of colour
0:41:00 > 0:41:04on the onions first and then, after they're coloured, add the garlic.
0:41:04 > 0:41:06If you add the garlic too early, it can burn,
0:41:06 > 0:41:09and once it burns, it goes bitter
0:41:09 > 0:41:11and you'll never get rid of that taste.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14Going to add a touch of spice.
0:41:14 > 0:41:18One of my favourite spices here in my kitchen is cumin.
0:41:19 > 0:41:25Then add the chilli and chop up three tomatoes.
0:41:25 > 0:41:26Now, I'm using fresh tomatoes.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29You can use tinned tomatoes for this, which'll do the job,
0:41:29 > 0:41:32but I've kind of got an abundance of tomatoes at the bottom
0:41:32 > 0:41:34of the garden, so it's a good way to use them up as well.
0:41:35 > 0:41:39When the tomatoes have softened, add 200ml of double cream.
0:41:41 > 0:41:43And grate in a couple of inches of ginger.
0:41:46 > 0:41:47Then give it a quick stir.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54But just to finally add a touch to this,
0:41:54 > 0:41:55I'm going to add some fresh coriander.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03Some black pepper, a good pinch of salt.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08Now you can prepare our marinated prawns for cooking.
0:42:08 > 0:42:12Make sure you skewer them in two spots so they don't fall off.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16Now, traditionally these would be cooked on a tandoor oven,
0:42:16 > 0:42:19which is a clay pit, very hot clay pit,
0:42:19 > 0:42:21but you can do this at home.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25You can use a barbecue but I love this fire pit.
0:42:25 > 0:42:29The flavour you get from it is fantastic.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31'These juicy prawns will cook in a few minutes,
0:42:31 > 0:42:34'but I'm not just relying on the fire pit to flavour them.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38'The herbs and spices have done all that hard work for me.
0:42:41 > 0:42:45'As tasty as they are, it'd be a bit greedy of me not to share them.'
0:42:45 > 0:42:46It's all right, isn't it?
0:42:46 > 0:42:48There's loads of flavour in there.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53You may only use a small amount of different spices
0:42:53 > 0:42:56but the flavour you get from the marinade is something else,
0:42:56 > 0:42:59and cooked like this, it's just off the scale.
0:43:01 > 0:43:05Getting the best out of the dishes you cook at home is far easier
0:43:05 > 0:43:07when you've got the right ingredients to hand.
0:43:10 > 0:43:13Whether you're looking to enhance the flavour, heat,
0:43:13 > 0:43:15or colour of what you're cooking,
0:43:15 > 0:43:19a few well-selected herbs and spices will always do the job.
0:43:22 > 0:43:27You can find all the recipes from the series on: