0:00:02 > 0:00:05'The heart of my home is the kitchen.
0:00:05 > 0:00:10'And it's here that I love to cook delicious meals for my nearest
0:00:10 > 0:00:12'and dearest.'
0:00:12 > 0:00:14- Cheers.- Cheers!
0:00:16 > 0:00:21'There's no better way to celebrate everything good in life
0:00:21 > 0:00:24'than sharing some great food with the people you love.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30'These are the dishes that I cook
0:00:30 > 0:00:32'when I want to bring people together.'
0:00:32 > 0:00:34These are my Home Comforts.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45'I absolutely love chilling at home and for me,
0:00:45 > 0:00:48'spending time in the kitchen is a great way to unwind.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53'But I'm not too interested in the latest foodie fads.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57'My favourite flavours come from way back.'
0:00:57 > 0:01:00My early childhood days were spent running around on a farm and
0:01:00 > 0:01:04those memories still influence the way that I think about food today.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07So I'm going to rustle up some very special dishes that for me
0:01:07 > 0:01:09really are the taste of home.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13'So today, I'll be rolling out a family favourite...'
0:01:13 > 0:01:16That is just delicious!
0:01:16 > 0:01:20'..rehabilitating a homemade dessert from my school days...'
0:01:20 > 0:01:23Blancmange can be really, really good!
0:01:23 > 0:01:26'..and cooking lunch for one of my all-time heroes,
0:01:26 > 0:01:30'motor racing legend Sir Stirling Moss.'
0:01:30 > 0:01:33- What hit that bit?- My head. - I bet you that hurt.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35I wasn't there at the time.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40But before meeting my boyhood idol,
0:01:40 > 0:01:44I'm picking an ingredient that brings me right back to those early days.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48I grow tomatoes in my garden just like my grandad did
0:01:48 > 0:01:51and this fabulous dish showcases them in all their glory.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57I always like to produce my own tomatoes. I've got about 16,
0:01:57 > 0:02:0018 different varieties at the bottom of the garden,
0:02:00 > 0:02:03so what I'm going to create is a really simple tomato consomme
0:02:03 > 0:02:06that once it's made, it tastes amazing.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09So I'm going to use a selection of different tomatoes.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12Now, the one thing you have to do is buy tomatoes that are bang
0:02:12 > 0:02:15in season because the key to this dish is the flavour from these.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Now, you don't get them
0:02:17 > 0:02:19if you buy the foreign tomatoes that are out of season.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21It's really, really simple, this.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24Grab your tomatoes. Plenty of tomatoes like this.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26Keep the seeds, keep the skin in there.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30You want all this for colour and you just place them in our blender.
0:02:30 > 0:02:35You need about two kilos of tomatoes, along with two chopped shallots,
0:02:35 > 0:02:38and a splash of both hot pepper and Worcestershire sauce
0:02:38 > 0:02:40to give it a spicy kick.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46That's really it, apart from just a few sprigs of basil.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51Lid on.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53And then you need to pulse this.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55Don't go mad with the pulsing.
0:02:55 > 0:03:00It's a rough mixture you're looking for, rather than a fine soup.
0:03:00 > 0:03:01That looks pretty good to me.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04If I lift this out, and then we can have a quick taste.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10Fresh tomatoes out of your garden, they really are so good.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12Black pepper.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15Put a little bit more salt in there.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17And pulse it again.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23That's perfect.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27Now, grab a colander, a bowl and some muslin for straining.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30Now, you can get away with a tea towel,
0:03:30 > 0:03:35make sure it's an old tea towel, otherwise you're going to need
0:03:35 > 0:03:38a new one because this is much easier, to be honest.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44Line the colander with the muslin and pour in the mixture.
0:03:44 > 0:03:49Straightaway, a clear liquid will start dripping down into the bowl.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52This is the intensely flavoured consomme.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55If you force it through, the mixture will go cloudy.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58What you must do is just basically just allow
0:03:58 > 0:04:03the weight of the tomatoes to push itself on to the muslin cloth.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06And then what I'm going to do is use these pegs. Proper wooden pegs.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08Now, don't start on me.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12I have this obsession with antique shops, wooden chopping boards,
0:04:13 > 0:04:15and pegs.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17It's a long story.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20Use whatever pegs you've got at home to seal
0:04:20 > 0:04:21the mixture inside the muslin.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23Then just leave it to do its thing.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29I've got one that's been in the fridge overnight.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31Wants to go in there for at least 12 hours really.
0:04:31 > 0:04:36If I lift this off, you've got this clear liquid.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39Now, also in here, what you have got... You've got this...
0:04:39 > 0:04:41Looks like beef mince, really.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43You can add a little bit of olive oil to this,
0:04:43 > 0:04:46cook it in a pan for about sort of 15 minutes,
0:04:46 > 0:04:50you end up with an amazing tomato sauce that you can use for pasta, so you don't want to waste this.
0:04:50 > 0:04:55We can keep that to one side. But what I'm interested in for this bit is what's in here.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01It's delicious. I don't like gazpacho soup,
0:05:01 > 0:05:05but this is just fantastic and whenever I taste this,
0:05:05 > 0:05:08it just reminds me of that smell of the garden,
0:05:08 > 0:05:10the bottom of the garden and that greenhouse.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14The minute you open the door, that smell of tomatoes...
0:05:14 > 0:05:16You just get that all in one bowl.
0:05:16 > 0:05:21For me, cold soups like this are best served really simply.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24So to go with it, I'm using some heritage tomatoes.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29Just get a mixture of each.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31And just a little slice of each one,
0:05:31 > 0:05:35so you just take a few slices for this.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38You don't want to serve a massive bowl of it.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40It's not like a winter warming soup.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42It's quite delicate.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46But you can see
0:05:46 > 0:05:49you get this wonderful colour from it.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53And then finally,
0:05:53 > 0:05:57you've got a few bits of basil.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01I like to use the top, really small leaves for this one.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04Just a few bits of basil in there and that's it.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07What I love about this dish is its simplicity.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10It uses tomatoes and basil just from the garden.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13It really is the taste of my home, all in one bowl.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15Delicious, that.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19The ingredients I grew up with are all around me,
0:06:19 > 0:06:24but, for some, the tastes and aromas of childhood are much further away.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Razan Alsous is originally from Syria,
0:06:30 > 0:06:34but she's brought a taste of her Middle Eastern homeland to Yorkshire.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38Halloumi cheese is a type of Mediterranean cheese,
0:06:38 > 0:06:40it's a fresh cheese, not aged.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43It reminds me of very, very nice memories in Syria.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48They eat it for lunch, for dinner,
0:06:48 > 0:06:50we can have it with the fruits,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53we have it sometimes with vegetables.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57For breakfast, especially halloumi with watermelons.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59Sometimes we do samosa.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02We do pastry with the halloumi as well.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05We use it in so many recipes.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07It's one of the main ingredients,
0:07:07 > 0:07:10very important ingredient in Syria.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15Razan's road from her home in Syria to Yorkshire was a rocky one.
0:07:15 > 0:07:20It began in Damascus where she had a promising career as a pharmacist.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25But in 2011, the country was gripped by fierce fighting.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29Because of the war, it's not safe any more.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32It was like whenever you go outside home,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35you don't know whether you will be back
0:07:35 > 0:07:36or you would be kidnapped,
0:07:36 > 0:07:40die maybe because of an explosion.
0:07:40 > 0:07:45So we thought we need to go to find another place for our kids to live,
0:07:45 > 0:07:47and to build a new future.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50So we came here to the UK in 2012,
0:07:50 > 0:07:53to survive
0:07:53 > 0:07:55and to have a new life for the kids.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01Razan and her husband Raheed arrived in the UK with nothing
0:08:01 > 0:08:02but a few belongings.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06They moved to Huddersfield to be near relatives,
0:08:06 > 0:08:10and Razan had to come up with a way to support her family.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15So let's think about what is available surrounding us?
0:08:16 > 0:08:21In Huddersfield, there's plenty of green, plenty of cows,
0:08:21 > 0:08:25and the milk was really creamy and rich in flavour.
0:08:25 > 0:08:31In 2013, UK was the largest consumer for halloumi in Europe.
0:08:31 > 0:08:36So at that point I thought, "Why not do halloumi in Yorkshire?"
0:08:36 > 0:08:39And having Yorkshire halloumi, that would be lovely idea.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44Traditionally, halloumi is made
0:08:44 > 0:08:47with milk from regions in the Mediterranean.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51But Razan discovered that Yorkshire milk was just as good for the job.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56The milk coming from British Friesian cows,
0:08:56 > 0:09:00it got high salt content
0:09:00 > 0:09:04and that makes the cheese more creamy and the flavour is stronger.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08Like most cheeses,
0:09:08 > 0:09:12halloumi is made by first adding an enzyme to warmed milk.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16The enzyme reacts with the milk to produce curds and whey.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19The soft white curds are then removed, drained and rested
0:09:19 > 0:09:23before being cut up into cubes ready to be boiled.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26In this stage, when we boil the cheese,
0:09:26 > 0:09:29this makes the halloumi halloumi actually,
0:09:29 > 0:09:32it's got squeaky feeling when you eat it.
0:09:32 > 0:09:37For me, some areas around the world, they got oil,
0:09:37 > 0:09:42some of them, they got minerals and, in Yorkshire, they got milk.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46And now they've also got Razan's halloumi,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49which takes about three to four days from start to finish
0:09:49 > 0:09:52before it hits the shelves in the local shops.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55Luckily Razan's family doesn't have to wait that long.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59Oh, hmm!
0:09:59 > 0:10:03- And one for me, baba? - No, just for Mummy!
0:10:03 > 0:10:08- It has exactly the same taste that we used to have...- Mmm.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10..over there in Damascus.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12And while the flavours of Syria live on in their food,
0:10:12 > 0:10:16the family are happily rebuilding their lives here in the UK.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21Because home is meaning safe,
0:10:21 > 0:10:24memories, building future.
0:10:24 > 0:10:29This is my dream, I hope the dream will become bigger and bigger
0:10:29 > 0:10:33and everyone eating Yorkshire halloumi.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40Memories of home-cooked dishes remain powerful as we get older.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42I was brought up on a pig farm,
0:10:42 > 0:10:44so even the smell of roast pork and crackling
0:10:44 > 0:10:46takes me right back to my childhood.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50This is my up-to-date version of a British classic,
0:10:50 > 0:10:52with an Italian twist.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57This is a version of Italian street food, I think, in Italy,
0:10:57 > 0:11:00where they serve it hot or cold sliced, it's delicious.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02But served hot with apple sauce,
0:11:02 > 0:11:04this takes it to a different level.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06It's just a wonderful little dish.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08Now I've got a loin of pork here
0:11:08 > 0:11:10which has got part of the belly attached.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13Now the loin is equivalent to sort of sirloin on beef,
0:11:13 > 0:11:16it's classed as a prime cut.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20However, the bit that's become more popular over recent years is this -
0:11:20 > 0:11:22the belly part.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25We're going to actually incorporate this into a nice roasting joint,
0:11:25 > 0:11:27and it is a serious roasting joint.
0:11:27 > 0:11:28Remember, we were farmers,
0:11:28 > 0:11:32so we didn't do little piddly bits of food, it was proper grub.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34So to do that, we need to open this out
0:11:34 > 0:11:37in a way that it all cooks nice and evenly.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41Now what we're going to do is we're going to cut this eye of the meat
0:11:41 > 0:11:43straight through like that. Straight through.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45About a third of the way up really.
0:11:45 > 0:11:51Now you can see, already, it's starting to get the same level.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55At that point, we can then lift the knife up a bit,
0:11:55 > 0:11:57and cut slightly further up,
0:11:57 > 0:11:59so you're constantly opening it up,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02so you've got this nice little parcel.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04Until you get to the end,
0:12:04 > 0:12:05which is probably there.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10You need to repeat this process with the pork belly.
0:12:11 > 0:12:16You can see now, this is almost, well, twice the size of what it was.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Now if you're unsure about doing this, you can, of course,
0:12:19 > 0:12:21get your butcher to do it,
0:12:21 > 0:12:23but it is actually pretty straightforward.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29After a quick wash of the hands, I can turn my attention to the filling.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31I start with some chopped onions...
0:12:32 > 0:12:37..sage leaves and sultanas, for a bit of sweetness.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41And then, finally, some British Bramley apples,
0:12:41 > 0:12:43and the reason why these are good,
0:12:43 > 0:12:45the acidity from the apple cuts down the fattiness of the pork
0:12:45 > 0:12:49and that's why it really is... it's a classic combination,
0:12:49 > 0:12:53it's like Tom and Jerry, it just works so well together.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56Roughly chop these up and add them to everything else.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58If it looks good at this stage,
0:12:58 > 0:13:02it's going to look good and going to taste good in the end.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05The last thing to do is add some butter, salt and pepper,
0:13:05 > 0:13:08along with the zest of two lemons.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11You're then, literally, ready to roll.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13What I like to do, really, when I roll this up
0:13:13 > 0:13:15is start off with the loin end
0:13:15 > 0:13:18because we want to protect that nice bit of meat in here.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20If we leave that on the outside,
0:13:20 > 0:13:22it's going to sort of dry out,
0:13:22 > 0:13:23so we want to make sure
0:13:23 > 0:13:26the outside of the pork is actually the belly part here.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28So start at the loin end
0:13:28 > 0:13:31and just roll it up, like that.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39And we end up with this, like that.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42What a fantastic piece.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45It's like a savoury Swiss roll.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48This won't hold its shape on its own,
0:13:48 > 0:13:50so you need to tie it up.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52Start by making a loop at one end of the string,
0:13:52 > 0:13:54and pull it underneath the pork.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57Then thread the loose end through the loop.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00Tie that nice and tight like that.
0:14:00 > 0:14:01Now once you get to that,
0:14:01 > 0:14:03keep the tension on this,
0:14:03 > 0:14:05hold the string directly forward,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08and then wrap it round
0:14:08 > 0:14:10and underneath the loin again.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13Then repeat this all the way along the pork.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18I was never very good at wrapping presents as a kid,
0:14:18 > 0:14:20I was much better at unwrapping them.
0:14:21 > 0:14:22At this point,
0:14:22 > 0:14:25we can then double tie this, just underneath.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30Then before putting it onto an oven tray,
0:14:30 > 0:14:34make a trivet out of onions, carrots, garlic and lemon.
0:14:36 > 0:14:37And then just finally,
0:14:37 > 0:14:39what I'm going to do with this -
0:14:39 > 0:14:41now you could use oil,
0:14:41 > 0:14:43but I'm going to use butter.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45This is where you're going to end up
0:14:45 > 0:14:47with that nice crispy crackling that we want.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50And you get that by, to be honest, using good quality pork.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52A good pinch of salt.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58Now just take the pork and just stick it on your trivet.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02To stop this drying out as well while it's roasting,
0:15:02 > 0:15:04I'm going to take a bottle of wine.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09A bottle of wine.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13You can always top this up with water as well...while it's cooking.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17Now it's ready to stick in the oven,
0:15:17 > 0:15:20starting at 220 degrees centigrade for 30 minutes.
0:15:22 > 0:15:27After that, turn the heat down to 150 degrees for a further three hours.
0:15:29 > 0:15:34You can't have roast pork without apple sauce.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37So for that, you just need some sugar, a little bit of butter
0:15:37 > 0:15:39and some of these amazing Bramley apples.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43And this is where you kind of walk around the supermarkets now
0:15:43 > 0:15:48and see stuff like apple sauce already in jars, already made.
0:15:48 > 0:15:49I can't understand why
0:15:49 > 0:15:53when, just round the corner, you've got fresh Bramley apples like this
0:15:53 > 0:15:58and it takes such little time to make your own apple sauce.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00And the taste is far, far better.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03So you're just going to peel... about three apples will be enough.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06But, mmm, these apples are just delicious.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09What we're going to do now is just chop these up.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13And apple sauce, I find, shouldn't be smooth as well,
0:16:13 > 0:16:18it should be, well, what people seem to call me quite a lot - chunky -
0:16:18 > 0:16:20which is nice.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25Put some water in a pan and chuck all the apples in.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28Then add two to four tablespoons of caster sugar.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30You don't want too much really.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32You can use brown sugar for this,
0:16:32 > 0:16:35but it changes the colour of the apple sauce.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Then add some lemon juice to stop it going brown,
0:16:39 > 0:16:41along with a bit of butter.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46And then we cook this for about ten minutes, and you've got apple sauce.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48How easy is that?
0:16:50 > 0:16:52When the sauce is cooked, set aside to cool down.
0:16:57 > 0:17:02After about three-and-a-half hours, the porchetta will be ready.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06Now the great thing about this, of course, you can have it hot or cold.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10And then if you are going to do it hot, you've got this amazing gravy.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21It's really good.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24Sometimes, it's slightly bitter, which that is.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29You can compensate for that by adding just a touch of sugar.
0:17:29 > 0:17:30And I mean a touch.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33And that means when you taste it,
0:17:33 > 0:17:36you don't want it to be sweet, obviously,
0:17:36 > 0:17:38but it takes away that bitterness.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45You can just pour this in your jug.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49The gravy is ready, and so is the apple sauce.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52Time to dive in.
0:17:52 > 0:17:53CRACKLING CRUNCHES
0:17:53 > 0:17:57Listen to that. And proper apple sauce.
0:17:58 > 0:17:59Dunk it in.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06You see, this is the moment in time
0:18:06 > 0:18:09I'm supposed to tell you how good it is, but you can hear it.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Roast pork with crackling and apple sauce.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18That is just delicious.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20If I don't live past tomorrow,
0:18:20 > 0:18:21I'd be a happy man right now.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27To be honest, I've run out of things to say about this superb dish,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30it's simply left me lost for words...
0:18:31 > 0:18:34..unlike the man that food historian Dr Annie Grey
0:18:34 > 0:18:35is going to tell us about.
0:18:35 > 0:18:41He was a Georgian vicar and one of the world's first food bloggers.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44James Woodforde was a parson for most of his life in Norfolk
0:18:44 > 0:18:46in the late 18th century.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48He would be completely unremarkable
0:18:48 > 0:18:51were it not for the fact that he kept a very detailed diary.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55His focus is on the minutiae of everyday life -
0:18:55 > 0:19:00where he went, who he visited and most importantly, what he ate.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04I'm going to cook 18th-century recipes which would be typical
0:19:04 > 0:19:08of the kind of things that Parson Woodforde would have eaten at home.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11I'm going to cook some fritters made with clary sage.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15But, first, salt cod accompanied with a rich egg sauce.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18It would have arrived looking something like this,
0:19:18 > 0:19:21and sounding something like this.
0:19:21 > 0:19:22HOLLOW KNOCKING
0:19:22 > 0:19:25A piece of fish this size would be soaked for about a week
0:19:25 > 0:19:27with regular water changes,
0:19:27 > 0:19:30before being cut into strips and coated in flour.
0:19:30 > 0:19:31Pretty good food.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35But that was to be expected in the Georgian vicarage.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38Despite the fact that James Woodforde was a parson,
0:19:38 > 0:19:40he was above all else a member of his class,
0:19:40 > 0:19:43a member of the gentry, a wealthy man.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45He enjoyed going out for dinner,
0:19:45 > 0:19:46he enjoyed music,
0:19:46 > 0:19:48he enjoyed socialising.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51So his diaries give us a really vivid picture
0:19:51 > 0:19:55of how the rural gentry ate in the late 18th century.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58And those posh Georgian foodies loved their rich dishes.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03The fish was fried in a pan swimming with butter.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08And while it drained, they made an egg sauce to go with it.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11I think I was born in the wrong century.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14There's no doubt that Parson Woodforde's rich diet
0:20:14 > 0:20:16did take its toll on his health.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19He records various ailments in the diary,
0:20:19 > 0:20:21but none affects him quite so much
0:20:21 > 0:20:25as that typical 18th-century illness - gout.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29His gout was not only caused by the rich food that he ate,
0:20:29 > 0:20:32but also because he liked to drink.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36He recorded in 1790, for example,
0:20:36 > 0:20:38"I used myself before and all of last winter
0:20:38 > 0:20:40"to a pint of port every evening."
0:20:40 > 0:20:46I think if I drank a pint of port, I'd be on the floor every evening.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50OK, that much port might be pushing it, but the egg sauce?
0:20:50 > 0:20:52Sounds fine to me.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56Annie makes it by adding milk to a roux made from butter and flour.
0:20:56 > 0:21:01When it's thickened, she throws in some chopped hard-boiled eggs.
0:21:01 > 0:21:02There we are - egg sauce.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04There's one final touch, though.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08I don't think there's been enough butter in this dish so far.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11So let's fry some parsley in more butter.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15This meal just gets better and better.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19Now, as well as loving his food, Parson Woodforde enjoyed company -
0:21:19 > 0:21:22like many of the members of the Georgian gentry,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25he loved nothing more than throwing a dinner party.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28It would have been quite likely that his dinner guests would have
0:21:28 > 0:21:31gone for a walk in the vegetable garden or indeed the fruit orchard,
0:21:31 > 0:21:34and possibly even admired Parson Woodforde's hens
0:21:34 > 0:21:35on the way back for dinner.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38So this really would have been a true taste of home.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44Excellent. A lovely dish
0:21:44 > 0:21:48to put in front of Parson Woodforde's group of lovely friends.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55And now I'm going to do one of my favourite 18th-century recipes,
0:21:55 > 0:21:57which is clary sage fritters.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01Clary sage is a leafy herb
0:22:01 > 0:22:05which was much more popular in Parson Woodforde's time than it is now.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09It doesn't taste like the kind of sage
0:22:09 > 0:22:11that we're used to using as a savoury herb today,
0:22:11 > 0:22:15it's a sort of almost overpoweringly sickly smell.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19The leaves don't taste quite as strange as the flowers smell,
0:22:19 > 0:22:22they just tasted of green,
0:22:22 > 0:22:25but they are absolutely brilliant as battered fritters.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30Annie de-veins the leaves and cuts them into strips.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32Now to make my batter.
0:22:37 > 0:22:43This is a lovely rich batter, full of sugar and cream. And brandy.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46So it is particularly bad, I suspect, if you've got gout
0:22:46 > 0:22:48as Parson Woodforde did.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54After dipping the leaves in the boozy batter, it's time to fry.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59It's a really good way of taking something green and healthy,
0:22:59 > 0:23:01and making it really lovely.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06I look at this and I think,
0:23:06 > 0:23:09"There's no doubt that Parson Woodforde was a foodie."
0:23:09 > 0:23:14However, we should regard him really as a diarist, a writer,
0:23:14 > 0:23:17a chronicler of everyday life.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19He's a brilliant, brilliant bloke.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23Anyone who liked battered herbs fried in butter sounds good to me.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26The fritters just took a couple of minutes to cook
0:23:26 > 0:23:28before they were served
0:23:28 > 0:23:32with a decoration of candied borage and clary flowers.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36This is a meal that I think Parson Woodforde would have been proud of.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39Lots of things from his own garden,
0:23:39 > 0:23:42so this really would have been a taste of home.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49I also love looking at old recipes -
0:23:49 > 0:23:52they remind me of important places and people.
0:23:53 > 0:23:58This one in particular stands out for me because my granny used to make it.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00It's raspberry blancmange.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04Before you all switch over,
0:24:04 > 0:24:06blancmange can be really, really good.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09A lot of people have been scarred for life
0:24:09 > 0:24:13with blancmange they had as a kid cos you used to bounce it off the walls,
0:24:13 > 0:24:14but it can be made really nice.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18Blancmange is basically a set custard.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20But before I get on with making that,
0:24:20 > 0:24:24I put 600 grams of fresh raspberries in a blender with a little water.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28Once pureed, I'm going to use them to flavour the dessert.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36And now I can sweeten this up a touch.
0:24:36 > 0:24:37I like to use icing sugar really
0:24:37 > 0:24:39because you can't taste the grains in it.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42So a nice little bit of icing sugar.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45That's probably enough.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52Now carry on blitzing until the mixture becomes a puree.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55Then pass it through a sieve to take out all the seeds.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58So many people, when they're making a sauce like this,
0:24:58 > 0:25:00be it out of raspberries or strawberries,
0:25:00 > 0:25:02will actually cook the berries.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04It's not the same as this.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07You get a delicious flavour of just the fresh fruit,
0:25:07 > 0:25:10and that's exactly what we want for this.
0:25:10 > 0:25:15Once that's done, set it aside and start on the blancmange itself.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17The first ingredient for this is gelatine.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19This is what you've got to be careful about with this,
0:25:19 > 0:25:21especially with old-fashioned cookbooks,
0:25:21 > 0:25:24because they tell you to use one or two or three leaves of gelatine.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27Well, gelatine has shrunk over the years,
0:25:27 > 0:25:31it used to be about this sort of length, now it's less than half that,
0:25:31 > 0:25:32so sometimes the recipe won't work.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34So you've almost got to compensate for it
0:25:34 > 0:25:36by adding a little bit more gelatine.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39For this, about five leaves,
0:25:39 > 0:25:41which we need to soak in cold water.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46While that softens, make the blancmange custard
0:25:46 > 0:25:50by mixing a tablespoon of cornflour with two tablespoons of icing sugar.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56Then pour in 250ml of milk, starting with a small amount.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00Keep stirring until you get a paste,
0:26:00 > 0:26:02then add the rest of the milk,
0:26:02 > 0:26:03pop the whole lot into a pan
0:26:03 > 0:26:06and then add a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10I like to use extract rather than essence
0:26:10 > 0:26:13because essence, I find, is a chemical, this is natural.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15Put it on the heat,
0:26:15 > 0:26:17and just gently warm this through.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19Now, you need a whisk for this.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23Because you've got the cornflour in there, it's going to thicken,
0:26:23 > 0:26:26so this is where you've got to stand by your stove
0:26:26 > 0:26:28and keep your eye on it.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31It's thought that,
0:26:31 > 0:26:35way back in the Middle Ages when blancmange used to be a savoury dish,
0:26:35 > 0:26:38one that was done with chicken or quail set with almond milk
0:26:38 > 0:26:42and stuff like that, it was fed to the sick.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46Let's face it, if you're going to put chicken and quail in this,
0:26:46 > 0:26:48this is one dish to really get you out of bed
0:26:48 > 0:26:51because you don't want a second portion.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54Right, this is starting to thicken now,
0:26:54 > 0:26:58you can really concentrate on this as it starts to thicken up.
0:26:58 > 0:26:59You see you get this paste.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05Now you can add the soft gelatine to the mixture, dissolving it in.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09Now, at this point, we can then pour in the cream.
0:27:09 > 0:27:14The cream can be cold - this is double cream - and keep whisking.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16And then this is where you can flavour it
0:27:16 > 0:27:21with whatever you want really - chicken, quail, ground almonds...
0:27:23 > 0:27:26Quail blancmange isn't exactly the taste of home for me,
0:27:26 > 0:27:29so I'm whisking in raspberry puree instead.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33Look at that!
0:27:33 > 0:27:35See, now it looks like blancmange.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37And now it's ready to go into the moulds.
0:27:37 > 0:27:42I've got a couple of fantastic rabbit-shaped ones. Proper 1970s.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47And then you take your rabbit blancmanges
0:27:47 > 0:27:49and stick them in the fridge.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52They want about a couple of hours to set.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54These are going to be delicious.
0:27:57 > 0:27:58When those couple of hours are up,
0:27:58 > 0:28:00you can turn them out.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03Dip the moulds into some hot water to loosen them up,
0:28:03 > 0:28:06then gently tease out the blancmange.
0:28:09 > 0:28:10You could just leave them like this,
0:28:10 > 0:28:12but where's the fun in that?
0:28:20 > 0:28:23Granny never did that bit, but it makes it shiny.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27And then, just to garnish it with...
0:28:27 > 0:28:31you can grab some of this lovely raspberry sauce.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38And then, grab loads and loads of raspberries.
0:28:44 > 0:28:49And also another herb which is really good is this - lemon verbena.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51Now, I grow loads of it in my garden.
0:28:51 > 0:28:56I remember... this is again a childhood smell.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59They used to make soap out of this stuff.
0:28:59 > 0:29:01It tastes amazing,
0:29:01 > 0:29:04whether you just put warm water in it and have it as tea.
0:29:05 > 0:29:07I like to put it in desserts.
0:29:12 > 0:29:13Look at that.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16And there you have it - blancmange in the shape of a rabbit.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23Those raspberries are just delicious.
0:29:23 > 0:29:25It takes blancmange to a different level.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30It is very kitsch, it is 1970s, but I'm a 1970s' kid.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35And for me, nothing brings back childhood memories quite like
0:29:35 > 0:29:38the sweet, wobbly desserts my granny used to make.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43Well, nothing apart from a good old Sunday roast.
0:29:45 > 0:29:47Down in Suffolk, sisters Lucy and Emily McVeigh
0:29:47 > 0:29:50are fighting to keep that Great British tradition going
0:29:50 > 0:29:54by saving our oldest cattle breed from extinction.
0:29:54 > 0:29:58I'm primarily in charge of the production of our longhorn cattle,
0:29:58 > 0:30:02and that includes feeding, looking after the calves, pregnancy testing.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09My role on the farm is really on the beef production side and sales.
0:30:09 > 0:30:14So I spend time in the butchery and also in our farm shop selling our meat directly to our customers.
0:30:15 > 0:30:19The farm is very much a real family affair.
0:30:19 > 0:30:23Dad David, Mum Sharon, and younger brother Tom also share the work.
0:30:25 > 0:30:30'So we have been farming as a family since 1640 which makes us the 12th generation.'
0:30:30 > 0:30:35Lucy and Tom and Emily seem to be following me into it which I am very pleased about.
0:30:35 > 0:30:39It is just absolutely wonderful to see them taking an interest for themselves
0:30:39 > 0:30:41and take on that responsibility.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44What they are responsible for is helping to save these -
0:30:44 > 0:30:47English longhorn cattle.
0:30:47 > 0:30:52This traditional pure breed was once a familiar sight in the British countryside.
0:30:52 > 0:30:57But by the 19th century, other more specialised breeds became popular
0:30:57 > 0:30:59and the Longhorn's sad decline began.
0:30:59 > 0:31:03At one stage they were almost as rare as giant pandas.
0:31:03 > 0:31:07We are lucky enough now to be one of the few farmers in the east to be
0:31:07 > 0:31:13able to rear and look after longhorn cattle. And we started with just six so we are now up to mid-50s
0:31:13 > 0:31:18and it's something I would really like to expand on and try and grow the herd.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20The breed are very even-tempered
0:31:20 > 0:31:24and once pulled peasant farmers' carts and ploughs.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27As valuable hard-working animals, they were kept to make cheese
0:31:27 > 0:31:32and butter from their milk, but nowadays the meat is more appreciated.
0:31:32 > 0:31:37Longhorn cattle are a wonderful breed of cattle in their own right.
0:31:37 > 0:31:41I chose them primarily because of the reputation of the meat
0:31:41 > 0:31:44and the meat is absolutely superb.
0:31:44 > 0:31:49I hadn't realised at the time of buying them we are going to get lovely docile cattle.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51They are very, very easy to calve.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54Very seldom do we ever have to help them.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57English longhorns may be an easy-going breed,
0:31:57 > 0:32:02but down on the paddock a little one isn't thriving.
0:32:02 > 0:32:07So we've got a little calf called Peter who was born a few days ago. He's struggling to suckle.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11The mum's teats are quite large. So at the moment we are bottle-feeding him
0:32:11 > 0:32:14every four hours which can be difficult but it's definitely
0:32:14 > 0:32:18worthwhile doing when you've got a lovely bold bullock at the end of it.
0:32:20 > 0:32:28He is up and he's just had a good feed. Mum will come over and see him now, check he's OK.
0:32:28 > 0:32:32Little Peter will soon be joining the older cows who get to graze
0:32:32 > 0:32:35on lush glass for much longer than most other cattle.
0:32:36 > 0:32:41We rear our animals to 30 months of age, unlike commercial cattle which are mostly
0:32:41 > 0:32:45raised to about 18 months of age. This means that the animal is matured for longer
0:32:45 > 0:32:48and this really comes out in the flavour of the beef.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52The cattle are dispatched by a local abattoir.
0:32:52 > 0:32:56But immediately come back to the farm's own on-site butchery
0:32:56 > 0:33:01because Emily believes their longhorn beef deserves special care.
0:33:01 > 0:33:06Our cattle here are grass fed which means that when you see the fat coverage on the meat
0:33:06 > 0:33:11it's a lovely yellow colour, and also it's fantastic marbling throughout the meat, which you can
0:33:11 > 0:33:15see here, which enhances the flavour when the meat is being cooked.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21The McVeighs have organised a farm to plate Sunday lunch
0:33:21 > 0:33:26to showcase the longhorn beef for customers, family and friends.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29In the kitchen, chef Peter knows that keeping it simple will
0:33:29 > 0:33:32highlight the fantastic taste of the beef.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34We are going to be roasting it in the oven.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37We're going to serve it as a traditional Sunday lunch with
0:33:37 > 0:33:41Yorkshire pudding, home-grown vegetables from the garden. Fantastic.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55Well, the setting is idyllic for a Sunday roast. But how's the taste?
0:33:57 > 0:34:01- The beef is delicious. Beautiful. - Absolutely delicious.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03Wonderful experience.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05It's been a really great success today.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08We've had a fantastic lunch and it's great to see people
0:34:08 > 0:34:12tucking into their delicious roast beef and enjoying the food.
0:34:12 > 0:34:14It really makes the whole process worthwhile.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18A traditional breed and an old-fashioned roast.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20Now that really is a taste of home.
0:34:23 > 0:34:28'A good Sunday roast really reminds me of growing up but these days I'm just
0:34:28 > 0:34:32'as happy to sit down to a big plate of steak and chips when I get home.
0:34:32 > 0:34:36'Today I'm cooking just that for arguably the greatest
0:34:36 > 0:34:41'all-round racing driver ever. Sir Stirling Moss OBE.
0:34:41 > 0:34:45'In his heyday he won 16 F1 Grand Prix.
0:34:45 > 0:34:50'A near fatal accident at Goodwood in 1962 ended his career
0:34:50 > 0:34:53'but it hasn't dented his sense of humour.'
0:34:53 > 0:34:57This is the steering wheel. Not meant to be that shape.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00- This is...- When is this from then?
0:35:00 > 0:35:03It's from Goodwood, my crash, the last crash I had.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07- What hit that bit down here? - My head.- I bet you that hurt.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09I wasn't there at the time!
0:35:11 > 0:35:13Will we have steak and chips?
0:35:13 > 0:35:16'Ordinary steak and chips won't do for one of my all-time heroes
0:35:16 > 0:35:20'so I'm making a delicious cote de boeuf bearnaise.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23'Here's hoping Sir Stirling is impressed.'
0:35:23 > 0:35:27Now somebody told me one of your favourite things was steak and chips when you were out and about.
0:35:27 > 0:35:32- Yes.- Because you travelled all over the place, didn't you, when you were racing?- Yes.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35- America, all over the place.- Yeah. Literally.
0:35:35 > 0:35:37Steak and chips, wonderful.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41- I've got here for you your favourite, I believe.- Oh, beautiful.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44- Look at that.- A rib or cote de boeuf.- Yes. Beautiful.
0:35:44 > 0:35:46You're not going to cover it in garlic, are you?
0:35:46 > 0:35:48No, I'm not, cos you don't like garlic, do you?
0:35:48 > 0:35:51Garlic is where you cover up a mess,
0:35:51 > 0:35:54- as far as I'm concerned. I don't like garlic.- All right.
0:35:54 > 0:35:56There's no garlic, all right? So what we're going to do,
0:35:56 > 0:35:58we're going to take our steak and put it on our tray.
0:35:58 > 0:36:03- Now how do you like your steak cooked?- Medium, please.- Medium.- Yes. - OK.- English medium.- English medium,
0:36:03 > 0:36:07- what does that mean?- English medium to me is normal medium.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10- French medium is less cooked than I'd like.- Right.
0:36:10 > 0:36:15- American is probably more cooked than I'd like. - So English medium?- Yes.
0:36:15 > 0:36:16I've got a big pressure here, you see.
0:36:16 > 0:36:20I thought I was going to be... This is my domain here. You're stressing me out now!
0:36:20 > 0:36:23'To avoid an American medium, I'm putting
0:36:23 > 0:36:27'it into the oven at 160 degrees centigrade for half an hour.
0:36:27 > 0:36:31'While that's cooking I can make the bearnaise sauce to go with it.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34'Don't worry, Stirling, there's no garlic.'
0:36:34 > 0:36:38I can't believe I've got you opposite me learning how to cook.
0:36:38 > 0:36:42- I'll do you deal. If this steak turns out all right, can you teach me how to drive?- I'll have a go.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45Bearnaise is always done with butter, lots of it.
0:36:45 > 0:36:49Which would kind of ruin a current racing driver's diet, wouldn't it?
0:36:49 > 0:36:52- Yes, it would, wouldn't it? - Nowadays you have food coaches, anything else?
0:36:52 > 0:36:55- Nobody taught you that?- No. I couldn't afford all that.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58That's why at the end of a race I'd always
0:36:58 > 0:37:01go round waving at the crowd so that the organiser would think,
0:37:01 > 0:37:04"Well, he's really popular, we must have him back next year."
0:37:04 > 0:37:08- So that's the key, you just go round waving at everybody?- Exactly.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10Now what you do with the butter is what we call "clarify" it.
0:37:10 > 0:37:15- We bring it to the boil and we just leave that to simmer for about two minutes. All right.- Right.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18'I'm using 300g of butter.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22'Clarifying it means the heated milk solids will separate out
0:37:22 > 0:37:26'leaving behind a clear golden liquid that I'll use later.
0:37:26 > 0:37:31'Then I put some chopped shallots into a pan with white peppercorns and some tarragon vinegar,
0:37:31 > 0:37:35'although white wine vinegar will work just as well.'
0:37:37 > 0:37:40And we're going to throw in some tarragon now. Smell that.
0:37:42 > 0:37:46- Yeah.- It goes really well with chicken, but it goes REALLY well with steak.
0:37:46 > 0:37:50'Once tarragon leaves are added to the vinegar mixture the whole lot
0:37:50 > 0:37:52'is boiled for a couple of minutes.'
0:37:52 > 0:37:54So what was the defining moment for you, then,
0:37:54 > 0:37:58when you were growing up and said, "I'm going to be a racing driver?"
0:37:58 > 0:38:02I started just sprints and stuff when I was 17.
0:38:02 > 0:38:06Then John Heath, a chap called John Heath, ran a team
0:38:06 > 0:38:10and he said, "I'm going to race in Europe, would you like to join me?"
0:38:10 > 0:38:14But every week we'd go somewhere new. Incredible life.
0:38:14 > 0:38:19'It was definitely the kind of job I dreamed of when I was a nipper.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22'But back to real life and bearnaise sauce.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25'My next job is to whisk up two egg yolks in a bowl,
0:38:25 > 0:38:29'then skim the foam off the top of the clarified butter
0:38:29 > 0:38:32'and slowly add on to the egg yolks.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36'But be careful not to tip the milk solids from the bottom of the pan.'
0:38:36 > 0:38:41- Do you always do that by hand? You wouldn't use an electric one?- No.
0:38:41 > 0:38:45- You can see it better.- It's much more entertaining like that.
0:38:45 > 0:38:46It is much more entertaining. Thanks.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51'When the egg yolks and clarified butter have thickened just
0:38:51 > 0:38:55'stir in the vinegar reduction and add some extra chopped tarragon.'
0:38:57 > 0:39:02Now the 1950s, particularly 1955, was a famous year for you.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06- And particularly one race, the Mille Miglia.- Yeah, the Mille Miglia.- This is a thousand mile road race
0:39:06 > 0:39:10- through Italy.- Yeah.- What on earth do you eat in 1,000 miles?
0:39:10 > 0:39:14- I ate a banana.- The entire way? - Just one banana.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16Yeah. I wanted an orange as well
0:39:16 > 0:39:19but by the time we peeled the orange, it was black.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22- This was Jenkinson?- Yes. - Who was your co-driver?
0:39:22 > 0:39:24Who was three times world champion in the sidecar.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27I take it that was the brake dust and everything else off the road?
0:39:27 > 0:39:29Yes, the inboard brakes.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32I wasn't going to eat that so I threw that out and all
0:39:32 > 0:39:34he had left then was a banana.
0:39:34 > 0:39:38'Thankfully, there's more than a banana on the menu today.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41'And as far as I'm concerned nothing goes better with steak than
0:39:41 > 0:39:43'crispy chips.'
0:39:43 > 0:39:48I presume you like medium size chips, not skinny ones.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50Yeah, no, whichever way.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52- A chip is a chip.- A chip is a chip.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55I'm more stressing about the beef in there. You've got me worried about this beef.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00'For me, the secret of good chips is to cook them
0:40:00 > 0:40:03'in a mixture of beef dripping and vegetable oil.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07'To make them extra crispy, I blanch them first.'
0:40:09 > 0:40:12- Blanching means to cook without colour.- Ah.
0:40:12 > 0:40:17Basically the oil is quite low. It's about 140 degrees centigrade.
0:40:18 > 0:40:22'The chips will need to be blanched for about four to five minutes.
0:40:22 > 0:40:27'Then I take them out and turn the heat up to 190 degrees Celsius.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30'While the fat is warming up I can check the steak.'
0:40:30 > 0:40:33That's about medium. It's not far off.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36We'll just leave that in the oven for about another five minutes.
0:40:36 > 0:40:38So that's going to go in there.
0:40:38 > 0:40:42And then all we've got to do now is just finish off our chips.
0:40:42 > 0:40:45'These just take three to four minutes to crisp up nicely in hot oil.
0:40:46 > 0:40:51'Then it's time to seal the steak in a generous amount of butter.'
0:40:54 > 0:40:58Now at this moment in time we can start to season this with some salt...
0:40:58 > 0:41:03- Right.- ..black pepper.- You're not cooking it actually for very long, are you?
0:41:03 > 0:41:07No, literally in, nice bit of colour on it, and out.
0:41:07 > 0:41:12- And that's sufficiently cooked now, is it?- Well, hopefully it is.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15I do feel under pressure, mind,
0:41:15 > 0:41:19whether it's an English medium or an American medium, whatever you
0:41:19 > 0:41:22decide to call it. A bit of watercress to go with it.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24That's just decoration, though, isn't it?
0:41:24 > 0:41:26- The watercress?- Just decoration.
0:41:26 > 0:41:30- You can eat it if you want.- Yeah. - Do you want it on there or not?- No, no, no. I don't mind.
0:41:30 > 0:41:34I would push it to the side. Make more room for the meat.
0:41:37 > 0:41:41- And then we'll slice this, shall we, see what it's like.- Fingers crossed.
0:41:41 > 0:41:42Fingers crossed.
0:41:45 > 0:41:49- Beautiful.- Yes. You see.- Beautiful, yes. Am I going to get to eat a bit of that?
0:41:49 > 0:41:53- Yeah, it's coming. It's coming, it's coming, it's coming.- I'm not hurrying...
0:41:53 > 0:41:56- It's coming, it's coming.- ..just making sure you've got enough.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59'All that's left to do now is serve up the bearnaise sauce
0:41:59 > 0:42:01'and pile up the chips on the side.'
0:42:03 > 0:42:07- There you go. It's not really a plate, it's a board of food.- Yes. Fit for a king.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09Fit for a king, I reckon fit for a legend.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12Legend is often overused in this world
0:42:12 > 0:42:15- but they don't get any bigger than you, do they, really?- Well, thank you very much.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18- They don't get any bigger than this steak and chips.- No.
0:42:18 > 0:42:22- Thank you.- I'll cut you a piece of steak so you can have a taste of this.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24It looks lovely.
0:42:28 > 0:42:29Mm.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35- Super.- Nice, though, isn't it? - Mm. Beautiful bearnaise.
0:42:37 > 0:42:38'Sir Stirling's right.
0:42:38 > 0:42:42'Who needs garlic and watercress when you have got delicious steak
0:42:42 > 0:42:43'and chips in front of you?
0:42:43 > 0:42:47'It just goes to show that nothing beats simply prepared dishes
0:42:47 > 0:42:51'that are jam-packed with hearty old-fashioned flavours.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53'How's that for a taste of home?
0:42:56 > 0:43:01'You can find all the recipes for the series at...'
0:43:03 > 0:43:05- Happy with that?- Mm. - It's not bad, is it?- No.
0:43:05 > 0:43:09If ever you're in town and you want to cook some, let me know. You can borrow my kitchen.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12- Oh, right! I'll come round to your house and cook for you!- Yeah. - All right. OK.