0:00:02 > 0:00:05The heart of my home is the kitchen.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09And it's here that I love to cook delicious meals
0:00:09 > 0:00:13for my closest friends and family.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Cheers, everybody.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20There's no better way to celebrate everything good in life...
0:00:21 > 0:00:23..than sharing some great food...
0:00:25 > 0:00:28..with the people you love.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32These are the dishes that I cook when I want to bring people together.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34These are my Home Comforts.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46For me, the best meals start with the best ingredients.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49So I'm lucky to have an outdoor larder filled with the freshest,
0:00:49 > 0:00:52tastiest produce right here at home.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57Now there's nothing I like more than growing herbs,
0:00:57 > 0:01:00fruit and veg at the bottom of my garden and I use all these
0:01:00 > 0:01:03amazing ingredients as the basis for so many great recipes.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10'So feast your eyes on this delicious fruit meringue.'
0:01:10 > 0:01:12How good does that look?
0:01:12 > 0:01:15'Be amazed by this crop of giant veg.'
0:01:16 > 0:01:19That is massive!
0:01:19 > 0:01:22- 'And my mate, presenter Kate Garraway...'- Good to see you!
0:01:22 > 0:01:26'..reveals how my moves inspired her to hit the Strictly dance floor.'
0:01:26 > 0:01:29I thought, "If that idiot can be that good,
0:01:29 > 0:01:30"clearly I'm going to be amazing!"
0:01:30 > 0:01:32And I was really rubbish.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40For my first recipe, I'm preparing a freshly picked
0:01:40 > 0:01:43and even fresher tasting salad in the heart of my garden.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49So I thought I'd do this wonderful little dish which is basically
0:01:49 > 0:01:52cooked beetroot - really simple - with a curd cheese,
0:01:52 > 0:01:54and I'm going to make my own curd cheese.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58Now it may appear very complicated, in fact, it's so, so easy.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00And that's the first thing I'm going to do.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02Now what you need is really good-quality milk.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05That's why it's really beneficial to use something like buffalo milk.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08You can buy it from the supermarket. It's really rich milk.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10It's like the best Jersey cow's milk.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14So don't start messing around using semi-skimmed rubbish.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16Proper full-fat milk is what you need for this.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18Now the key is just to get this warm and heat it up.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Now at the same time, we can cook our beetroot
0:02:21 > 0:02:23so I just want a bit of water.
0:02:23 > 0:02:24Every time I come in here,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27it just brings back the memories of my grandad.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31He's not buried in here or anything, it's just the smell of tomatoes.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Just get that amazing smell as soon as you walk into that greenhouse.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36I love it.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39And then to cook our beetroot is really simple.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42I like to use the leaves of the beetroot as well.
0:02:42 > 0:02:43Just chop it through.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Keep those leaves and then you don't peel them. Nothing.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48Just stick them in the water like that.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50A nice pinch of salt.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53Bring them to the boil and these are going to take about 30 minutes
0:02:53 > 0:02:56for a small beetroot like that and then just allow them to cool down.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00And then I'm going to add about the juice and a half of a lemon.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02So you squeeze in the lemon.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Now the minute you add the lemon, it starts to curdle
0:03:05 > 0:03:09and this is when you end up with this curd cheese.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13It's the lemon acid that makes the protein in the milk bond together,
0:03:13 > 0:03:16forming solid clumps or curds.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19Once the milk has separated, carefully pour the mixture
0:03:19 > 0:03:23through a sieve to extract this solid curd from the liquid whey.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27I'm going to leave that to just naturally sit in there.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29Just drains through ever so carefully.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32You can see the texture of it, look.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34It's just simple.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36And tastes fantastic as well, even fresh like that.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38I'm just going to drain off a bit of this.
0:03:42 > 0:03:43It's my garden.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Then heat some olive oil in a pan.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51Cut up some leftover bread and fry until golden brown.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53And while our croutons are frying away...
0:03:53 > 0:03:56I'm going to go get some herbs.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58You can use whatever you want, really, but this is amazing.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00This is pineapple sage. It's like...
0:04:02 > 0:04:04It's like chewing on a pineapple.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08It's wonderful stuff, but I love this. A bit of tarragon.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11And then we've got some oregano, which is also wonderful.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13A little marjoram.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16Parsley, which I've got in there, bit of rosemary's nice, maybe,
0:04:16 > 0:04:17a bit of this.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21Maybe a bit of thyme. That'll do.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26I'm using the thyme and rosemary to flavour my croutons
0:04:26 > 0:04:29and I'm saving the softer herbs for my salad.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33So you've got the crispy croutons. They're about ready.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36We can take the entire lot. We don't want to waste that oil as well.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39You always cook with things like hard herbs, things with rosemary
0:04:39 > 0:04:41and thyme to get the flavour out.
0:04:41 > 0:04:42You almost want to warm them up.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Soft herbs like I'm using here - tarragon, parsley,
0:04:45 > 0:04:49bit of chives, that kind of stuff - you can put in there at the end.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51Now, of course, we've got our beetroot
0:04:51 > 0:04:54and I'm going to use the stems and tops of the beetroot, which...
0:04:54 > 0:04:57I love these. I think they're brilliant.
0:04:57 > 0:04:58For that, just warm up some more olive oil.
0:04:58 > 0:05:03And the flavour into this, I'm just going to add a bit of cumin seed.
0:05:03 > 0:05:04Just a touch.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09Just warm the cumin seeds up and just throw in some of these stalks.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11They do taste fantastic.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15Once your beetroot is cooked, allow it to cool before peeling
0:05:15 > 0:05:17and cutting into chunks.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21Add these to the bowl and then you can start on your salad dressing.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24I've got some sherry vinegar,
0:05:24 > 0:05:25we've got the oil in there as well.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28We'll take the beetroot tops...
0:05:28 > 0:05:30that are warmed through with that cumin seed.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34And then just dress the salad with everything else.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37And then all we need to do now is just basically serve this.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40It's really simple. You've got this warm beetroot salad...
0:05:41 > 0:05:43..with the croutons.
0:05:43 > 0:05:44I love this type of food.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47It's simple and pure, exactly what food should be.
0:05:47 > 0:05:52And then, of course, you've got your home-made buffalo curd.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57Just place it on the top.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05Then we'll garnish that with a few herbs.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07I've got some of this stuff.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09This is actually oil seed rape, come off the fields.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11You can actually use the tops...
0:06:13 > 0:06:15..just to garnish this up as well.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20Simple and pure. Little drizzle of olive oil.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22And, of course, the best bit...
0:06:25 > 0:06:28This, to me, is absolute heaven.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31Mmm.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34That, ladies and gentlemen, is a cracking plate of food
0:06:34 > 0:06:35from my kitchen garden.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39This hearty salad really lets the freshness
0:06:39 > 0:06:41and flavour of the beetroot shine
0:06:41 > 0:06:45and the straightforward, creamy curd cheese is the perfect partner.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50It looks fantastic, but believe me, it tastes even better.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57As you can see, I'm a keen gardener, but my green-fingered efforts
0:06:57 > 0:07:01are pretty tame when compared with the antics of some home growers.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Like one enthusiast from Llanharry in Wales.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12Here, locals have noticed strange
0:07:12 > 0:07:16and unusual phenomena on a village allotment.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20They say it's shocking, monstrous and unnatural.
0:07:22 > 0:07:27But retired gardener Phillip Vowles uses much more soothing phrases.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Tucked in nice and warm. Nothing going to hurt you now.
0:07:30 > 0:07:31Just grow away.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34Phillip's top-secret crop
0:07:34 > 0:07:37is giant vegetables.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39I started off growing normal vegetables.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43Thoroughly enjoyed it and quite successful.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45But then I had the bug for the giant vegetables
0:07:45 > 0:07:49and thoroughly enjoyed the joy of seeing them growing so fast.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51And so big.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54And, boy, have they been big.
0:07:54 > 0:07:59In 30 years, Phillips has won countless awards for his giant veg.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01But size isn't everything.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03Lots of people ask me in the shows when I go round -
0:08:03 > 0:08:06"Do they taste the same as normal veg?"
0:08:06 > 0:08:07And they do.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09If not better, I would say.
0:08:11 > 0:08:16Phillip first saw super-size greens at a garden show 30 years ago.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20He was inspired and bought his own giant veg seeds.
0:08:20 > 0:08:26Within just a few short years, he was growing world record breakers.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30It was the heaviest cucumber. It was 18.5 lb in weight.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33It was lovely, really, to break a record.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37Yeah, erm...
0:08:37 > 0:08:38It was good.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41I'm just pleased to do it once.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45And I'm looking forward to doing it a second time with my marrow!
0:08:48 > 0:08:51This is the one that's got the potential to break a world record.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54Perhaps I'm being a little bit ambitious,
0:08:54 > 0:08:57but I don't think I've seen a longer marrow ever
0:08:57 > 0:09:00and I've been showing now for, what? 30 years.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02But it's got a long way to go yet.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05It's the best, I think, I've ever grown.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08The current world record for the heaviest marrow
0:09:08 > 0:09:11stands at a whopping 143 lb.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14That's heavier that a baby hippo.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18No wonder Phillip is giving this one some extra TLC.
0:09:18 > 0:09:23I like to cover my marrows with a blanket to keep him nice and cosy.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28Cos, of course, I like to talk to my vegetables.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31The wife can get a bit annoyed sometimes.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35She says I talk nicer to my vegetables than I do to her.
0:09:37 > 0:09:43Sometimes when I'm here all alone, I call myself the allotment widow.
0:09:43 > 0:09:48Thankfully for Phillip's wife Brenda, that allotment is only 50m away.
0:09:50 > 0:09:51And with just one ring of the bell,
0:09:51 > 0:09:56she gets fresh veg delivered straight to her door.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58Out of the beetroot, I'll make chutney.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02I'll make some coleslaw with the carrots and the cabbage.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04And it's not wasted.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08We've got a big family and they like to go and pick their own as well.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13Producing an abundance of fresh fruit and veg to share
0:10:13 > 0:10:16with his grandchildren gives Philip a great deal of pleasure,
0:10:16 > 0:10:21but in his youth, growing food was a necessity.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23We were a family of 15.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26Seven girls, six boys.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30My father always had a big garden to feed the family because we were
0:10:30 > 0:10:35rather poor, so my father went out shooting rabbits and ferreting.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37That was the meat and the veg came from the garden
0:10:37 > 0:10:40and that's how we survived.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43Those tough times are now well and truly in the past
0:10:43 > 0:10:46and Philip can concentrate on the future.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48A very big one.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51And in the mad world of giant veg,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54these little belters are only babies.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56This is my pumpkin patch.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00Just on the first week of growth
0:11:00 > 0:11:04and they will double their weight each week now I would have thought.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08Giant veg like these don't take any longer to grow from seeds
0:11:08 > 0:11:11than normal varieties.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15They just develop faster, so they need more fuel.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18Some people feed different things.
0:11:18 > 0:11:23I've used sugar in the past where I'll put a drip into a marrow,
0:11:23 > 0:11:24into the main stem.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26I thought that worked.
0:11:26 > 0:11:31I had good results, but, at the moment now, I'm trying molasses.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33Sugar-charged veg?!
0:11:33 > 0:11:35No wonder they put on the pounds,
0:11:35 > 0:11:39but not all of these giants are destined for competitions.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42This outsize cabbage is bound for a local pub,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45where Philip and his family plan to polish it off for lunch.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48Ray, Bunny, give me a hand, please.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52..but he'll need a little help from his archrivals to get it there.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54He's a little one, isn't he?
0:11:54 > 0:11:57Philip's brothers both grow giant veg too.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59They've competed against him in local shows,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02but so far they've never beaten him.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06- Is he going to fit in the back of there?- Right at the back, yeah.
0:12:06 > 0:12:07Whoa, whoa.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12We'll have to leave the doors open, I think.
0:12:17 > 0:12:18They've reached the pub,
0:12:18 > 0:12:23but getting it through all the doors is more of a squash than a cabbage.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Ready? Push!
0:12:25 > 0:12:26All right?
0:12:26 > 0:12:28That is huge.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31- I don't know what to say about it really.- It's massive.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33THEY LAUGH
0:12:33 > 0:12:35Just like chopping any other cabbage
0:12:35 > 0:12:37except there's a lot more of it to chop.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39After the slightly longer than usual prep,
0:12:39 > 0:12:43the cabbage is simply boiled to showcase its freshness.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Very nice. Beautiful.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49The cabbage is very green and tender.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52The cabbage is delicious.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56The giant veg have brought Philip local fame as well as accolades,
0:12:56 > 0:12:59but nothing beats the pleasure of sharing his garden
0:12:59 > 0:13:01with his grandkids.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03I'm a poor man but I feel like a millionaire
0:13:03 > 0:13:07because I've got this bit of land and I do what I want to do.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10I get a bit emotional sometimes
0:13:10 > 0:13:13just seeing them kids come to the gate.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19They enjoy it. They come and they pick their own veg.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22Who wants some rhubarb?
0:13:22 > 0:13:24Strawberries all over the face.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27Are you going to grow a big flower like that?
0:13:27 > 0:13:29Are you? When you're a big girl?
0:13:31 > 0:13:34That's what life is all about, I think.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47I might not be able to grow veg as big as Philip's,
0:13:47 > 0:13:51but never judge a man by the size of his marrow.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53In this next rich and creamy dish
0:13:53 > 0:13:58some small but perfectly formed veg from my patch steal the show.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02One of the delights I grow quite successfully in the garden
0:14:02 > 0:14:05when they're in season are these little artichokes.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07I think a lot of people are sceptical about
0:14:07 > 0:14:09what on earth you're going to do with them.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11That's why we don't sell as many in the UK,
0:14:11 > 0:14:13but when they are available and they are in season,
0:14:13 > 0:14:16this is one of the prize ingredients from my garden.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19Normally on a larger globe artichoke, you would just use the hearts,
0:14:19 > 0:14:24the centre, but this, you can actually eat the entire lot.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27To prepare them, cut-off the outer leaves
0:14:27 > 0:14:28and then, using a potato peeler,
0:14:28 > 0:14:31remove the harder skin from the stalks,
0:14:31 > 0:14:35then pull off the outer petals to reveal the younger edible leaves.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41And all we do, take a knife, cut it straight through the top like that.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44As soon as we cut it, it starts to go brown,
0:14:44 > 0:14:47so it's a good idea just to have some lemon handy.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50Just rub it over the pieces that you've cut and peeled.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52It's one of these things, when you learn how to make
0:14:52 > 0:14:56and prepare them, you'll actually use them more often.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58Prepare the rest of the artichokes before boiling them
0:14:58 > 0:15:02in water with a little oil added for roughly eight minutes.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06While they cook, you can start the risotto.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10Melt some butter in a pan and gently fry some chopped shallots and garlic.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16You cook that without colour, so we're just sweating that down
0:15:16 > 0:15:19and now, generally for risottos,
0:15:19 > 0:15:23roughly about 25g arborio rice per portion.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25Add a touch of white wine.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27Bring this to the boil.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30You're just going to reduce some of the alcohol away from the wine
0:15:30 > 0:15:31and then some chicken stock.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34Now, you can use veg stock for this but a little bit of chicken stock
0:15:34 > 0:15:37is great cos it increases the flavour, I think, of this risotto.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41So, once you add the stock, just give it a stir every now and then.
0:15:41 > 0:15:42Keep the risotto moving.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46For me, the most important rule is not to add all the stock in one go,
0:15:46 > 0:15:48cos if you do that, you just end up with boiled rice.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52You haven't got the same texture that you want in risotto,
0:15:52 > 0:15:57so gently add the stock as and when the rice absorbs all the liquid.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00Now, one thing you've got to bear in mind when you're cooking risotto,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03and I think it's probably the most important part,
0:16:03 > 0:16:05is the ingredients that you're going to add to this.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07This rice is going to take about 15 minutes
0:16:07 > 0:16:08so if it takes 15 minutes
0:16:08 > 0:16:11you know peas are going to take about five minutes to cook,
0:16:11 > 0:16:14then cook the rice for ten minutes before you actually add them.
0:16:14 > 0:16:16Keep adding the liquid a little at a time
0:16:16 > 0:16:19and, after five minutes, add your broad beans.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22Now check your artichokes.
0:16:22 > 0:16:27If they're tender remove them from the heat and set aside for later.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29While the risotto and beans are cooking,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32grate some Parmesan cheese and chop some fresh chives.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36If you want to start gardening for the very first time,
0:16:36 > 0:16:38you won't really go wrong if you start doing herbs.
0:16:38 > 0:16:43They can be grown in windowsills, plant pots, really anywhere
0:16:43 > 0:16:45and none more so than chives.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48In the winter you can cut the chives back and so often
0:16:48 > 0:16:51they'll produce back again the following year.
0:16:51 > 0:16:52A lot of herbs kind of die off
0:16:52 > 0:16:55and you've got to replant them every single year.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58Fresh chives out the garden, can't beat them.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00Right, we're nearly there now.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03You can see it's starting to absorb all that liquid.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05The beans are looking cooked.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08Then we can turn the heat off really for this one,
0:17:08 > 0:17:10so we're not cooking that rice even more.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12We're just leaving it to sit there.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16While the risotto rests, cut the cooked artichokes in half
0:17:16 > 0:17:20and add them to the pan along with your grated Parmesan,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23the chopped chives and a bit of lemon zest.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27I think the main mistake for me when people are making risotto at home,
0:17:27 > 0:17:30the minute they add the Parmesan cheese they think the job's done.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32Well, what you've got to do is really wait until you serve it
0:17:32 > 0:17:35cos the rice is continuing to cook.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38That Parmesan cheese is soaking up all the liquid as well.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41It must be served with a certain texture
0:17:41 > 0:17:43and that texture is almost liquid like porridge
0:17:43 > 0:17:47so what we have to do with this is slacken it back down again.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50To make sure it's runny, I'm going to use a mixture of double cream
0:17:50 > 0:17:53and chicken stock.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56A seasoning of salt and pepper, a final stir
0:17:56 > 0:17:58and this is ready to serve.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02Looks pretty good to me. Just delicious.
0:18:02 > 0:18:07Then finally, got a little bit of Parmesan cheese over the top
0:18:07 > 0:18:10and what I like to use from the garden are these.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13These are the flowers from chives.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17They taste lovely and strong, garlicky, oniony,
0:18:17 > 0:18:19that you can just sprinkle over the top.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23It's like my garden on a plate, really.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30The artichokes are lovely. Everything just works.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33Every time I taste risotto, you get better the more you cook it.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36The first efforts are pretty dodgy to be honest
0:18:36 > 0:18:39and then the more you get used to it and the more you understand
0:18:39 > 0:18:43what you're trying to achieve, the better you get at it.
0:18:43 > 0:18:48This luxurious and creamy risotto is bursting with garden-fresh flavours
0:18:48 > 0:18:52and it's a recipe you can adapt using other veg like peas,
0:18:52 > 0:18:54asparagus and courgettes.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58Whatever the season, this dish will become a family favourite.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06Growing artichokes may feel like a bit of a stretch
0:19:06 > 0:19:11for today's novice gardeners, but our Georgian ancestors were often far
0:19:11 > 0:19:16more adventurous, as food historian Dr Annie Gray has been discovering
0:19:16 > 0:19:19at Ickworth House in Suffolk.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23I'm going to cook two dishes from when this house was first built.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25They used vegetables that are quite rare now,
0:19:25 > 0:19:27in terms of eating them at least,
0:19:27 > 0:19:30but would have been quite common in the 18th century.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33One of them is made from tansy, the herb,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36and it's a bright green pudding.
0:19:36 > 0:19:41The other however, and the one I'm going to do first, uses cardoons.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45I have to say, if you saw these growing, I don't think
0:19:45 > 0:19:50your natural instinct would be to go, "I know, I'll try eating them."
0:19:50 > 0:19:53Cardoons are a type of thistle.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55Annie's making a stew with their stalks
0:19:55 > 0:19:58and that can be a thorny affair.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00The outsides of the stalks, just here,
0:20:00 > 0:20:05have some fairly vicious spikes on, so one of the things I'm doing
0:20:05 > 0:20:09is just making sure that my dinner isn't going to fight back.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15Once Annie's restrained the cardoons, she chops them into chunks
0:20:15 > 0:20:20then places them into a cooking liquor of white wine, butter, flour,
0:20:20 > 0:20:23bacon and an onion pierced with imported cloves.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28A lot of people think that houses like this were self-sufficient,
0:20:28 > 0:20:30but, of course, they weren't.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32Cloves like this or sugar, tea,
0:20:32 > 0:20:36many of the staples of 18th century life all came from abroad.
0:20:36 > 0:20:41There was something deeply exotic about being able to afford
0:20:41 > 0:20:45ingredients that had been on a ship for months and months and months,
0:20:45 > 0:20:48and it marked you out as being a member of the aristocracy.
0:20:50 > 0:20:5518th century chefs didn't cook cardoons once but twice.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58After stewing them in the white wine and bacon sauce,
0:20:58 > 0:21:02they were then cooked in a second sauce called a cullis,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05a gravy made from boiled stock.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10Right, they smell...
0:21:10 > 0:21:12pretty good.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16Cardoons might not be on the menu that often these days,
0:21:16 > 0:21:20but I take my hat off to those old-time cooks who had
0:21:20 > 0:21:24the patience and imagination to come up with a stew made from thistles.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28For my second Georgian kitchen garden dish,
0:21:28 > 0:21:31I'm going to be making a tansy.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33It takes its name from this herb, tansy,
0:21:33 > 0:21:37which grows in a lot of people's gardens and was very, very popular
0:21:37 > 0:21:39back in the 17th and 18th century,
0:21:39 > 0:21:41and it's what's known as a bitter herb.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45It really is quite acrid as a flavour.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50The tansy is basically a sort of bready, herby pudding.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54Annie starts off her kitchen garden pud by mixing pieces of bread
0:21:54 > 0:21:58with milk, cream, sugar and spices.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01I'm just going to throw in some almonds and some rose water
0:22:01 > 0:22:04and then I'm ready for the all-important tansy.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09The herb is ground with spinach leaves in a pestle and mortar to make
0:22:09 > 0:22:14a green paste, which will be used to colour and flavour the pudding.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18You find that tansy is used in tansies from the 17th century
0:22:18 > 0:22:22into the 18th century and then it stops being used in them.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25I think one of the reasons that it stopped being used is because,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28in large enough doses, it is rather toxic
0:22:28 > 0:22:32and there's no known cure for tansy poisoning,
0:22:32 > 0:22:36so I would say, best eaten in moderation.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40Clearly, this is not a plant to mess around with.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43Now that it's been ground into the spinach,
0:22:43 > 0:22:47Annie strains the lot through a muslin to get a green liquid.
0:22:48 > 0:22:53And that's what you call a truly natural food colouring.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56The green liquid is then combined with the bread mixture
0:22:56 > 0:23:00and whisked eggs are added to bind the whole lot.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03What I need to do now is just to give this a brief heat through
0:23:03 > 0:23:06on the stove to try and thicken it up.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10Like many garden herbs, tansy was not only used in food.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14It was a nifty insect repellent and much more besides.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17Its anti-bug effect also meant that it was
0:23:17 > 0:23:21used as a preservative for meat and, following on from that,
0:23:21 > 0:23:23as a preservative for bodies.
0:23:23 > 0:23:28Especially in America, it was used for funeral rituals and in 1667,
0:23:28 > 0:23:32Henry Dunster, who was the first president on Harvard University,
0:23:32 > 0:23:35was buried with a tansy wreath around his neck.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37About 150 years later he was exhumed
0:23:37 > 0:23:41and the tansy was found to still be fragrant.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45I suspect somewhat more fragrant than the body would have been.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50Hmm, that's an appetising thought(!)
0:23:51 > 0:23:55And there we go. Time to go and have a very 18th century gin.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07Annie's pudding has now been boiling in a muslin cloth
0:24:07 > 0:24:10for an hour and a half.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13She turns it out and cools it in a bowl to give it
0:24:13 > 0:24:15its familiar pudding shape.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19Then the final touches are added with some candied peel.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26Well, my two kitchen garden dishes are ready.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29I'm going to try the cardoons first.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32They're a bit like chicory.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35Sort of...quite a bitter taste.
0:24:35 > 0:24:36They're quite nice, though.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40The sauce is quite sweet and that bitterness really cuts through it.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44What a great use for a really beautiful plant.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46And now for the tansy.
0:24:46 > 0:24:47SHE SIGHS
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Better not eat all of it, just in case.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55That, to me, is just the flavour of the 18th century.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59I think it really does show how ingenious people in the past were.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03They could take something that's a fly repellent, that's toxic,
0:25:03 > 0:25:05and turn it into an amazing pudding,
0:25:05 > 0:25:09and then you take a thistle and you render it beautiful.
0:25:12 > 0:25:13I'll take your word for it, Annie,
0:25:13 > 0:25:18but I prefer my desserts with slightly less dangerous ingredients.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21Thanks to some fabulous sweet fruits from my garden,
0:25:21 > 0:25:25I'm going to make a dessert that's heaven on a plate.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27I'm going to create this amazing little gateau really
0:25:27 > 0:25:30and it's using meringues as the base.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32First off you take some silicon paper.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35Just cut this to size.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40Now we need to make a little template because the whole idea of this gateau
0:25:40 > 0:25:42is it's layered up, four discs of meringue,
0:25:42 > 0:25:44and it's a proper sized portion.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47Not that big. That big. Something like that.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50So what we use for this one is a metal ring and then,
0:25:50 > 0:25:55using a pencil, just go round the inside to create these discs.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58When you've marked out all four circles,
0:25:58 > 0:26:00you can begin making the meringues.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02Now, six good quality egg whites.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05A lot of chefs will tell you to use old egg whites.
0:26:05 > 0:26:06I actually disagree with that.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09I think it's much better with fresh egg whites.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12Keep the yolks cos we can use those for other stuff.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Once you've separated the eggs, whisk up the whites.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22Now I need to measure the sugar
0:26:22 > 0:26:26and for this it's always 50g of sugar per egg white.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29So I need 300g for this one.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32What you want to do really is make sure the egg whites are fully
0:26:32 > 0:26:33whipped first of all.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36It almost looks like really firm whipped cream
0:26:36 > 0:26:37before you add the sugar.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39Some people will tell you to add it third by third
0:26:39 > 0:26:42and then fold in the remaining third.
0:26:42 > 0:26:43I don't think you need to do that.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46I think if the egg whites are nice and firm, which they are,
0:26:46 > 0:26:49I basically just chuck all the sugar in.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51You can hear the machine starting to drop down
0:26:51 > 0:26:53as it starts to mix that sugar together.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56One thing you don't want to be doing at this stage is over whipping it,
0:26:56 > 0:26:58otherwise it will collapse.
0:26:58 > 0:27:03So when you get to that stage, you've got this beautiful, light meringue,
0:27:03 > 0:27:05which is perfect for what we want.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10Fit a piping bag with a plain nozzle,
0:27:10 > 0:27:13fill the bag with meringue mix and you're ready to pipe.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17So what you've got to do is stick the paper on to the tray.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19Press that down.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21Now you can see the little template there.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24What you do with this is start in the middle and work your way out
0:27:24 > 0:27:26and it's kind of a circular-shaped motion,
0:27:26 > 0:27:28like a little Catherine wheel.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32As long as you start in the middle,
0:27:32 > 0:27:37you know when you get to the end, it's all going to be all right.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41Repeat this process for another three discs
0:27:41 > 0:27:44and then flatten the meringues with a wet pallet knife.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47What you need to do now is set the oven quite low
0:27:47 > 0:27:49and just cook these for about two hours.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54While they bake, you could get out and enjoy your garden
0:27:54 > 0:27:58or earn some brownie points by doing the dishes.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04Once the meringues are cooked, remove them from the oven and allow to cool.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07Now I'm going to prepare the fruit.
0:28:07 > 0:28:08Stone and slice the plums,
0:28:08 > 0:28:10cut the figs into wedges,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13and hull and halve the strawberries.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16You can't have strawberries without a decent amount of cream.
0:28:16 > 0:28:21Now, this is a gateau, so I'm going to use quite a bit of cream,
0:28:21 > 0:28:22about a litre.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25I'm going to flavour the cream with some vanilla bean paste,
0:28:25 > 0:28:26which I absolutely love.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29You can get this from supermarkets now.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32Rather than using the vanilla pods, which are great, but this bean
0:28:32 > 0:28:36paste is really intense, almost like an essence, really strong.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40You only need a little bit in this cream.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44Whip the cream and vanilla until it forms soft peaks.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47Then, to assemble this up, first off you get one of the discs.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51Place it in the centre.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54Then a good dollop of cream.
0:28:57 > 0:29:01And now, strawberries, cream and meringue.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04Just one of the joys really of British summertime
0:29:04 > 0:29:09and then you've got the figs and, of course, the plums.
0:29:09 > 0:29:11You can put whatever fruit you want, really,
0:29:11 > 0:29:15but whatever you decide to put on it, it's GOT to be seasonal fruit.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17And then take another disc.
0:29:17 > 0:29:21You can see it's lovely and light as well.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24Place another one on the top.
0:29:25 > 0:29:30Repeat the layers of cream and fruit with each meringue disc.
0:29:30 > 0:29:34Now what you want, to top this, just put about five or six
0:29:34 > 0:29:37tablespoons of caster sugar in the pan.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42Heat this until it's all golden brown and liquefied.
0:29:43 > 0:29:48Now, use a combination of hot caramel and some toasted flaked almonds.
0:29:49 > 0:29:51Give this a little mix together
0:29:51 > 0:29:56and then you take the entire lot and just drizzle it over the top.
0:29:59 > 0:30:01I find it amazing what you can grow
0:30:01 > 0:30:04in your kitchen garden and if you've got the benefit of having one,
0:30:04 > 0:30:07then give it a go because it really is worthwhile
0:30:07 > 0:30:11because you can produce amazing dishes like this in no time at all.
0:30:11 > 0:30:13How good does that look?
0:30:14 > 0:30:18With crisp meringue, cool cream and ripe sweet fruit,
0:30:18 > 0:30:21this pudding is luxurious, but light as a feather...ish!
0:30:23 > 0:30:25Use up whatever fruit you have lying around
0:30:25 > 0:30:28and transform it into something wonderful.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34I love pottering around at the bottom of my garden
0:30:34 > 0:30:36and I'm very proud of my greenhouse.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38But I still get shed envy,
0:30:38 > 0:30:42especially when I see people like Vickie Christie.
0:30:42 > 0:30:46She's transformed her garden shed just down the road from me
0:30:46 > 0:30:48into the base for her booming food business.
0:30:50 > 0:30:54I live in Hampshire in a rural setting on the edge of a village
0:30:54 > 0:30:58with my partner and our three children and a dog and some hens.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02I make mainly sourdough loaves.
0:31:02 > 0:31:04Sourdough is special because each sourdough loaf is special,
0:31:04 > 0:31:09it's individual, literally each loaf will be different.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12Vicki's passion for baking began when she was given
0:31:12 > 0:31:16an 80-year-old sourdough culture on a family holiday in Italy.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19It had been looked after for years and generations by families.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22I brought it home, I fed it flour, I looked after it like it was
0:31:22 > 0:31:25a little baby squirrel that I was nurturing.
0:31:25 > 0:31:29And it's this very culture that Vickie has to thank
0:31:29 > 0:31:31for her unique bread.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35Sourdough culture is made from flour and water.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39It's a mass, a seething mass of bacteria and microbes
0:31:39 > 0:31:41instead of just one single strain,
0:31:41 > 0:31:44which is what you'd get in an ordinary supermarket loaf.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48Vickie began making loaves for friends and neighbours
0:31:48 > 0:31:50in a garden pizza oven.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53But when local businesses started placing orders,
0:31:53 > 0:31:55this proved too small to meet demand.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59Vickie moved operations to the newly converted garden shed,
0:31:59 > 0:32:02where she now spends most of her time.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04It's a long day, it's a hard day,
0:32:04 > 0:32:07it's a good day.
0:32:07 > 0:32:08I'm mixing dough.
0:32:08 > 0:32:13If you didn't do folding or kneading or stretching, it would
0:32:13 > 0:32:15just become a big floppy mess.
0:32:15 > 0:32:19And then proving the bread and then shaping it up.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22It's a good day cos I start off in the morning with a whole load
0:32:22 > 0:32:26of flour and water and I end up the next day with a lot of loaves.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34Vickie uses her ancient sourdough culture to produce
0:32:34 > 0:32:36many different types of bread.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38I'm making a focaccia here.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41This is made out of a quite olive oily dough.
0:32:41 > 0:32:46And I'm going to put some rosemary, some tomato, some basil oil,
0:32:46 > 0:32:48some sea salt crystals on it.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54As soon as a fresh batch comes out of the oven, Vickie delivers
0:32:54 > 0:32:58the loaves personally to shops and restaurants in her local area.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02- Good morning! - Vickie's sourdoughs are fantastic.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05It's very popular with all of our customers.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07- Hello, Steve.- Thanks very much.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10It's just so natural, has no additives, no preservatives
0:33:10 > 0:33:13and it's just made with wonderful passion.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15The handmade bread is so popular,
0:33:15 > 0:33:18the locals are literally flocking to her home.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20And it's not only for the loaves.
0:33:20 > 0:33:25This is a pizza dough for tonight.
0:33:25 > 0:33:30That is ready to roll into little pizza ball shapes.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36Tonight, family and friends are getting together to enjoy
0:33:36 > 0:33:38that home-made sourdough pizza,
0:33:38 > 0:33:42all baked in the pizza oven at the other end of the garden.
0:33:42 > 0:33:46This pizza oven started me making bread or being excited about bread.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49Now as a family we can sit around enjoying pizzas
0:33:49 > 0:33:51and eating loaves of bread from it, it's lovely.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53I can be part of my community with it.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56People come, people share it, people eat it, I sell it.
0:33:56 > 0:34:00It's part of my world and a very good part of my world.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03You're enjoying yours, aren't you?
0:34:05 > 0:34:07It's fantastic.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11We can use lots of ingredients that we've made at home ourselves.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14- Of course, that makes it taste even better.- Yeah!
0:34:14 > 0:34:18All the vegetables, all the toppings come from home, which is great.
0:34:18 > 0:34:19Even the dirt!
0:34:22 > 0:34:24I think bread is fundamentally important.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27It brings people together socially, it nourishes you,
0:34:27 > 0:34:29it feeds you, it's creative.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32It does all the things that I think are important in life.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35All my neighbours come, they eat, they share with me.
0:34:35 > 0:34:37Bread brings us together.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45Like Vickie, I love having friends and family around me,
0:34:45 > 0:34:49especially when that means cooking and eating alfresco.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52- Hello!- Good to see you! - Looking gorgeous.
0:34:52 > 0:34:54- Come on in.- Thank you.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57'So I'm delighted that my old mate, TV presenter and the city dweller
0:34:57 > 0:35:02'Kate Garraway, has popped in for a tour around my veg patch.'
0:35:02 > 0:35:04This is the stuff that you could easily grow in London.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06- What's that?- Courgette.- Courgette!
0:35:06 > 0:35:08I would've thought courgettes would have been tricky.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10One of the easiest things to grow.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13But don't you have to do something with, like, fertilizer or something?
0:35:13 > 0:35:16- Do what?- I thought you had to fertilize them!
0:35:16 > 0:35:19Don't you have to, like... I don't know!
0:35:19 > 0:35:22'I'm hoping I can inspire her with the produce from my garden'
0:35:22 > 0:35:25and show her a recipe that she can share with her own family.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30I think this dish will suit you, really. You've got two little ones.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33Yeah, and obviously as soon as you have children, I think you take food
0:35:33 > 0:35:36a bit more seriously. I put any old rubbish inside my body...
0:35:36 > 0:35:37as you will see!
0:35:37 > 0:35:40But when you have kids, you think oh, and then you start to think,
0:35:40 > 0:35:42"Actually, why am I doing that?
0:35:42 > 0:35:44"Let's think about food properly and do it better, yeah."
0:35:44 > 0:35:47So now we're going to do a lovely little dish that I think you can do
0:35:47 > 0:35:48- at home for them, all right?- OK.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51We're going to do a roasted tomato and basil salad with bread
0:35:51 > 0:35:54- and we're going to do radishes that are roasted.- How do you...
0:35:54 > 0:35:56Why would you ever think to roast a radish?
0:35:56 > 0:35:59When I was a kid, I wouldn't eat these because they're really,
0:35:59 > 0:36:02really peppery. But when you roast them, they're amazing.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05So we've got basil, we've got fresh thyme from the garden.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07Now, I want you to chop up the tomatoes.
0:36:07 > 0:36:12- Are you fussy about how they're chopped? Shall I watch?- Like that.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15- Like that.- Wow. Can you do that again? Because I'm not...
0:36:15 > 0:36:16I know what you're thinking!
0:36:16 > 0:36:20We did this programme together where all you did was ask questions
0:36:20 > 0:36:25- the entire way through.- I got away with it! Right, OK, take this off.
0:36:25 > 0:36:26I'm a bit scared of these guys.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29Because I do watch you on a morning when you get these chefs on your show
0:36:29 > 0:36:32and you do keep talking a lot and you don't actually cook anything.
0:36:32 > 0:36:34No, I do a lot of tasting, though.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36So what is it about the kitchen that puts you off?
0:36:36 > 0:36:39I think it's probably a fear of thinking I don't know
0:36:39 > 0:36:41how it's going to work out.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44So I kind of always feel like, if I chuck some alcohol in...
0:36:44 > 0:36:47And, you know, I can experiment with chocolate and strawberries
0:36:47 > 0:36:50because those are two things that are fundamentally delicious.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53- Keep going.- Right, OK.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55But then the idea of roasting a radish,
0:36:55 > 0:36:57that would never cross my mind.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00Chop the last of the tomatoes and sprinkle crushed garlic, thyme,
0:37:00 > 0:37:02and chunks of rustic bread.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05- You're not having the bread with it when it's finished?- No, no.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07That's going in?
0:37:07 > 0:37:08What happens is, as we slowly cooked this,
0:37:08 > 0:37:11the tomatoes, when they're this fresh, get lovely and soft.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13- Oh, my goodness! - They create, like, a sauce.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16So we're going to use some good quality olive oil over the top.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18I could eat that now!
0:37:18 > 0:37:20I was always taught when I was a young kid,
0:37:20 > 0:37:23if it's good enough at this stage, if it looks good at this stage,
0:37:23 > 0:37:25it'll look even better when it comes out of the oven.
0:37:25 > 0:37:29Now place the baking tray in the oven until the tomatoes are soft
0:37:29 > 0:37:31and the bread is charred around the edges.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34Now, what we're going to do is we're going to take the bones
0:37:34 > 0:37:36out of some fresh sardines.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38To be honest, there's not many people who trust me
0:37:38 > 0:37:41- with a knife, James, you're quite brave.- Without using a knife.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44- That seems magic. - Now, hold the sardine.- Right, OK.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47- Don't worry, it's dead. - Feels a bit weird!
0:37:47 > 0:37:49If I'm honest, it feels a little bit weird.
0:37:51 > 0:37:55Right, hold the fish and then you press down on the backbone. Look...
0:37:55 > 0:37:58- See that? Pressing down on the backbone.- Right, OK.
0:37:58 > 0:38:00- Yeah, now you flip it over.- Yes?
0:38:00 > 0:38:03- And then you gradually pull this rib cage out.- Wow!
0:38:05 > 0:38:07You see that? You're pulling this out.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11And then you've got a lovely fish with no bones in it.
0:38:11 > 0:38:12OK. So if I pop that there...
0:38:12 > 0:38:15And what you've done is have the unique ability to fillet it
0:38:15 > 0:38:18- at the same time, which I've never seen before!- Really? Is that good?
0:38:18 > 0:38:19Or is that just a bit of a mess?
0:38:19 > 0:38:22Was I supposed to not take the whole thing out?
0:38:22 > 0:38:24Well, it's supposed to make it look like a sardine at the end of it,
0:38:24 > 0:38:28- not look like it's been used as bait. - It looks like the cat got it!
0:38:28 > 0:38:32To be on the safe side, I'm gutting and filleting the mackerel,
0:38:32 > 0:38:35before laying all the fish out on an oiled baking tray
0:38:35 > 0:38:37along with some whole radishes.
0:38:37 > 0:38:42Kate might not know her fish, but she definitely knows her veg.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44My dad was a big gardener.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47At one point, he had two allotments and a garden.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50I remember as a child not remotely appreciating it
0:38:50 > 0:38:53because, when you're a kid, the seasons go on forever
0:38:53 > 0:38:56so it would be like, "Oh, not more purple sprouts, not more whatever,"
0:38:56 > 0:38:59cos you ate in season, which I realise was an incredible gift to
0:38:59 > 0:39:00eat that healthily in the seasons.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03But I've remember one Christmas Eve my mum was obviously very stressed
0:39:03 > 0:39:06and said, "You can have whatever you want to eat tonight"
0:39:06 > 0:39:08and my brother and I both said, "We want instant noodles."
0:39:08 > 0:39:11You know those, like, instant noodles you get in a pot,
0:39:11 > 0:39:12- you pour hot water on?- Yeah.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15Literally, I swear I heard my dad's heart break, it was so bad.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18Looking back, it was so bad, but of course, we were used to all this
0:39:18 > 0:39:21incredible fresh food and we'd seen it on the telly
0:39:21 > 0:39:24and wanted to try it. So, yeah, you can't ever talk about that now,
0:39:24 > 0:39:27that's a black day in the Garraway household.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30Well, this dish is almost as quick as instant noodles.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33Now sprinkle the fish and radishes with cumin seeds
0:39:33 > 0:39:35and a drizzle of honey.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37Is that a special honey or could it be anything?
0:39:37 > 0:39:40No, it's not that Manuka honey, that's way too expensive.
0:39:40 > 0:39:41I'm a Yorkshireman, remember,
0:39:41 > 0:39:44I ain't spending 15 quid on a jar of honey.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46Right, take the whole lot and put it in the oven.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52Yeah, straight in. It's quite hot. Put it right in.
0:39:52 > 0:39:53In the red-hot pizza oven,
0:39:53 > 0:39:57the fish and radishes will only take five minutes to cook, more than
0:39:57 > 0:40:01enough time to talk about our shared Strictly Come Dancing experience.
0:40:01 > 0:40:05- Because I saw you and you were really good.- I wasn't.- I thought,
0:40:05 > 0:40:09"If that idiot can be that good, clearly I'm going to be amazing."
0:40:09 > 0:40:10And I was really rubbish!
0:40:10 > 0:40:13- It was such a shock to me, James. - Thank you(!) Really?
0:40:13 > 0:40:15- I thought I was going to be brilliant.- You did?
0:40:15 > 0:40:17And then I started dancing and I realised that, actually...
0:40:17 > 0:40:21You know that thing where you think, "I go to weddings, I dance!
0:40:21 > 0:40:24"It's going to be great." You realise it's actually not that easy.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27- It's proper hard work. - You were brilliant.
0:40:27 > 0:40:29I wasn't, I wasn't brilliant. It was just...
0:40:29 > 0:40:31People don't realise how much work you put into it.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33- This is Ralph, by the way. - Oh, hello, Ralph!
0:40:33 > 0:40:37- He only comes around when there's food happening in the oven.- Oh!
0:40:37 > 0:40:40- Right, so these are ready. - Hello, lovely.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43- These are ready.- Right, excellent. - Fresh tomatoes out of the garden.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47- Yeah?- Little bit of basil and then what I want you to do now,
0:40:47 > 0:40:51you're just going to crush these with a fork, so where the tomatoes...
0:40:51 > 0:40:52Oh, that is great!
0:40:52 > 0:40:55Just crush them with a fork. I'll look after the fish.
0:40:58 > 0:41:00- Oh, my goodness, that was so quick! - They're ready.
0:41:00 > 0:41:02See, I reckon the kids would love this.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04I think they'd think that is amazing!
0:41:04 > 0:41:07Salt and pepper and then just take a little plate,
0:41:07 > 0:41:09fresh tomatoes like that...
0:41:09 > 0:41:12- So nice!- Easy, so, so simple.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14Then of course mackerel, which is cooked.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17And then you've got what ever remainder of sardine
0:41:17 > 0:41:18you've got really out of here.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20After I destroyed it.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23I think that looks fantastic, I don't know what you're laughing at.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26No, it's brilliant. I'll get you a knife and fork and you can dive in.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29- Tell me- what you think. OK.
0:41:29 > 0:41:30Go on.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35- Mmm!- With honey, it's delicious.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37See, that's still got loads of flavour.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39But it's taken, as you say,
0:41:39 > 0:41:42that really strong pepper taste away which kids won't eat.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48Oh! You just keep going while I just eat.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50I've talked my way through the actual cooking
0:41:50 > 0:41:53and now I'm quite happy to go quiet for the eating.
0:41:53 > 0:41:54It's like magic.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59This is a super fast and delicious fish supper
0:41:59 > 0:42:01that you and your family will love.
0:42:01 > 0:42:06Roasting the radishes also means that Kate's kids will definitely
0:42:06 > 0:42:07get their five a day.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10So I'm going to do this, I'm going to cook this. No, I will, honestly!
0:42:10 > 0:42:12You don't look like you believe me.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14There's not many people I give ingredients to out of this garden.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16- These greens are really special. - I know.
0:42:16 > 0:42:19So I'm going to send you away with a box of ingredients,
0:42:19 > 0:42:20but I'm expecting great things.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23- Cheers.- Cheers! Thanks, James. Amazing.
0:42:25 > 0:42:29There's only one thing better than growing your own fruit and veg
0:42:29 > 0:42:33and that's using them in delicious recipes like these.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36From the veg patch to the dinner plate, nothing tastes better.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42You can find all the recipes from the series at...
0:42:47 > 0:42:48OK, well, there you go.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52I've got you some apples, you've got runner beans, prickly cucumbers...
0:42:52 > 0:42:54- OK.- Brilliant for gin and tonic. - Like that.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56- That's a recipe I can pull off. - Exactly.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58You got some beetroot in there, curly kale...
0:42:58 > 0:43:01So this shouldn't be in the bottom of the fridge rotting then.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04- You actually want me to cook this? - Yeah.- All right.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07- Oh, it's so good to see you! Thank you so much.- Thank you!
0:43:07 > 0:43:10- I'll send you a picture. - You better do.
0:43:10 > 0:43:12- No, I will!- We'll wait and see.
0:43:12 > 0:43:13Yeah, right(!)