0:00:02 > 0:00:05The heart of my home is the kitchen.
0:00:06 > 0:00:10And it's here that I love to cook delicious meals
0:00:10 > 0:00:13for my nearest and dearest.
0:00:13 > 0:00:14- ALL:- Cheers.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20There's no better way to celebrate everything good in life...
0:00:21 > 0:00:24..than sharing some great food...
0:00:24 > 0:00:25with the people you love.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29These are the dishes that I cook
0:00:29 > 0:00:32when I want to bring people together.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34These are my Home Comforts.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48I always wanted to be a chef, and from the age of eight,
0:00:48 > 0:00:50my goal has remained the same -
0:00:50 > 0:00:53I want to cook simple food really well.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57So forget about complicated cooking because going back to basics
0:00:57 > 0:01:01will deliver delicious, reliable recipes time and time again.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04So often the best recipes aren't taught,
0:01:04 > 0:01:06you kind of just pick them up along the way.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10And using those simple recipes can so often give you the best results.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14So today, I'm cooking some of the classics,
0:01:14 > 0:01:16like this ultimate fish sandwich,
0:01:16 > 0:01:19using the freshest of British seafood.
0:01:19 > 0:01:20How good does that look?!
0:01:20 > 0:01:23Oh-ho-ho-hooo! Yes!
0:01:23 > 0:01:27I'll share my twist on a deliciously indulgent cake.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30They don't get any more simple than a classic sponge.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33Not only does it look good, it tastes fantastic.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37And I stroll down memory lane with my mate and mentor,
0:01:37 > 0:01:38Brian Turner.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41See, what you want to do, Brian, you get a bit of this...
0:01:41 > 0:01:44It takes you back to the days of dripping and bread.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47- It wasn't quite like this, lad, was it, eh? In Yorkshire.- Yes, Dad.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53But first, I'm preparing a much-loved Italian staple -
0:01:53 > 0:01:57a rich, smoky beef ragu with my home-made linguini.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01With smoky bacon and a touch of red wine,
0:02:01 > 0:02:04it's more than just a beefed up bolognese.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08Now, you don't get any more basic than pasta with a tomato sauce,
0:02:08 > 0:02:12but I'm going to do a classic ragu for this. Now, it uses tomatoes
0:02:12 > 0:02:15as a base. In particular, tinned tomatoes.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Now, these are San Marzano tomatoes.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20These are lovely, beautiful, rich flavoured tomatoes.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23Nice and sweet, less seeds - perfect for sauces.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26The sauce that I'm going to do is like a little ragu.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29To do that, we use a combination of two different types of meat, really.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31We've got mince beef and we've got a little bit of bacon here,
0:02:31 > 0:02:32some smoked bacon.
0:02:34 > 0:02:41Start the ragu by sweating down onions, garlic, carrot and celery.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45The trick is to cut them all into roughly the same size
0:02:45 > 0:02:48and heat them gently so they don't burn.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51This is a great base for any savoury sauce.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54It's important, really, not to cook that garlic, or burn the garlic.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56Otherwise, it can go quite bitter.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58So, just keep your eye on it.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01And now we can turn our attention to the bacon.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06Chop this into fine lardons and then add them to the pan
0:03:06 > 0:03:07with the other ingredients.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10This will give it a rich, smoky flavour.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14We can then add our beef mince.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Now, I've had this quite a lot in Italy with mince veal, to be honest.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19Mince veal is quite difficult to get hold of,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22but good quality beef mince is perfect for this.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26Once the meat has started to cook through,
0:03:26 > 0:03:28it's time for the first taste of tomato.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31It's quite bitter, is tomato puree, so the best way to do this is
0:03:31 > 0:03:34actually to cook it on the stove first of all,
0:03:34 > 0:03:36before you add anything else,
0:03:36 > 0:03:38like the liquid ingredients.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42Then add the second tomato-y hit - a tin of San Marzanos.
0:03:42 > 0:03:47Now, you can see the mixture is slightly on the dry side,
0:03:47 > 0:03:51so what I'm going to use is just a touch of Italian red wine,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54leaving a little bit for me for later.
0:03:54 > 0:03:59And then all that we need to do now is just grab some fresh basil.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03And I like to put some in at the start and then some in at the end.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07I think my first experience of Italian food was when my mother
0:04:07 > 0:04:09used to cook spag bol at home,
0:04:09 > 0:04:13and it was a bowl of spaghetti with a little bit of meat, cos my dad
0:04:13 > 0:04:16used to get the most and we just had what was left over
0:04:16 > 0:04:20on the top. But it was a great sort of first taster to Italian food.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24But then when you visit Italy, you know that the pasta is always rolled
0:04:24 > 0:04:27through the sauce. There's none of that dollop of meat on the top
0:04:27 > 0:04:28and you get this dry pasta around it.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31Not that that was ever a problem, Mother, if you're watching this.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36The pasta I'm making is linguini.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39So while this gently simmers for 25 to 30 minutes,
0:04:39 > 0:04:42I've got time to prepare it.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44I've gone out and invested in a little pasta machine.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47I'm going to show you how linguini is made.
0:04:47 > 0:04:52I love this machine. And although it makes enough pasta to feed an army,
0:04:52 > 0:04:56I'm going to use the same basic ingredients that you would at home -
0:04:56 > 0:04:5800 flour and eggs -
0:04:58 > 0:05:00just in much larger quantities.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12Now, unlike conventional pasta, when you're making it in a pasta machine,
0:05:12 > 0:05:14it looks like sort of pastry. This, what you're looking for
0:05:14 > 0:05:16is like a breadcrumb texture.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19As it's forced through this mould, what they call a die,
0:05:19 > 0:05:22into different sort of shapes, it's there it gives it its unique
0:05:22 > 0:05:26sort of texture and outer casing, which really coats the sauce.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30But this is how all commercial pasta is made,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32just on a much bigger machine.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36If you can't make your own pasta, and let's face it - my mum
0:05:36 > 0:05:38never had a machine like mine -
0:05:38 > 0:05:41just use a good quality fresh or dried version.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44This machine does make quite a bit.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47You get this amazing - look at it - linguini.
0:05:47 > 0:05:52Every time I use this machine, I just love it. It's just great, isn't it?
0:05:52 > 0:05:55I think the neighbours like it more than me, really.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57It's a lot of free food.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00Add the fresh linguini to salted boiling water and cook it
0:06:00 > 0:06:03for around 30 seconds.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05When your linguini rises to the top,
0:06:05 > 0:06:08finish off your ragu with more fresh basil,
0:06:08 > 0:06:10then add your pasta to the sauce
0:06:10 > 0:06:12and season it with salt and pepper.
0:06:15 > 0:06:20It's all nicely coated. Each taste that you have, each spoonful
0:06:20 > 0:06:23that you have of the pasta tastes of flavour.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27Look at that, you've got this wonderful ragu.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Really the essence of Italian cooking -
0:06:30 > 0:06:32simplicity all the way.
0:06:32 > 0:06:37And of course, we've got to finish this off with some Parmesan cheese.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39Just grate it over the top.
0:06:39 > 0:06:44Now, if you want to get back to basics in terms of cookery,
0:06:44 > 0:06:46this is where we should all start.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57There's not a lot I can say, it's just great tasting food.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59You don't have to do anything with it.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Poncey it up... Nothing.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07Simple, satisfying and bursting with flavour.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11Serve this classic dish to your dinner guests and I guarantee
0:07:11 > 0:07:13the plate will come black clean.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18As well as being the perfect partner for beef,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21linguini goes great with all kinds of seafood.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24And since the UK has an abundance of it,
0:07:24 > 0:07:26there's no excuse not to give it a try.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30Ben George is a Cornish fisherman
0:07:30 > 0:07:33who believes that the best British fish
0:07:33 > 0:07:35is caught the slow, sustainable way.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40But if he wants a good catch, he's got to get up early.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42Very early.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44I've just left Sunny Cove Harbour,
0:07:44 > 0:07:48it's four o'clock in the morning, we've come away nice and early.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51Often we have our best fishing in what we call the golden hour,
0:07:51 > 0:07:53which is the first hour of light.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57It's generally the best time because fish often feed at that time.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59Because once the sun comes up, they go a bit dormant.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05Ben bags a spot two and a half miles out at sea to catch pollock,
0:08:05 > 0:08:09one of the top five selling fish in the UK.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11The trick to catching pollock is to present a bait
0:08:11 > 0:08:12in the most natural possible way.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15So obviously, we want our baits to look like a fish,
0:08:15 > 0:08:17swim like a fish,
0:08:17 > 0:08:20and you end up actually thinking like a fish to outwit them.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26That's a nice pollock there. I'm quite happy with that.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31Pollock is from the same family as cod and haddock, which have
0:08:31 > 0:08:35both been massively overfished by fleets of net-drawing trawlers.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38Ben's approach to pollock is much more sustainable.
0:08:41 > 0:08:42That's quite a small pollock.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44That's what we call a juvenile pollock there.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47So we can put that back now and it'll swim off to fight another day.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49And that's the beauty of handline fishing - whatever you catch,
0:08:49 > 0:08:52if it's too small, it can go straight back, totally unharmed.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00But they're not always easy to land.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03As dawn breaks, Ben has to change tactics.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08So as the sun comes up, the fish are going down -
0:09:08 > 0:09:11they'll go down in the kelp and they'll have their cover.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13And so we're letting out a bit more line
0:09:13 > 0:09:15to get the lead in the bait down near the bottom.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19I can't really remember a time when I wasn't into fishing.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21I spent all my childhood messing around in rock pools,
0:09:21 > 0:09:25catching small fish, and in little boats with my brother.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29I actually started commercially fishing in 2004,
0:09:29 > 0:09:31so we're looking at 11 years ago.
0:09:31 > 0:09:32On a day like this,
0:09:32 > 0:09:35it's the best job in the world, I'm 100% sure of that,
0:09:35 > 0:09:38but when it's blowing a north-easterly five or six,
0:09:38 > 0:09:40and there's a bit of swell running and you're not catching much,
0:09:40 > 0:09:42it's not quite so pleasant.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Working alone against the elements makes for a hard life,
0:09:47 > 0:09:51but for Ben, moments like this make it all worthwhile.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54That's a cracker. It's like a bar of gold.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59Having landed his catch, Ben heads to the shore.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02A good morning's fishing, I've got about 80 kilo of pollock here.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06The seagulls are happy now. I think they've been waiting for their...
0:10:06 > 0:10:07for their brunch all morning.
0:10:09 > 0:10:10Think they're hungry?
0:10:10 > 0:10:13Wait till you see the gang of famished fishermen
0:10:13 > 0:10:14waiting on the quayside.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17Here we are, dinner is served.
0:10:19 > 0:10:20With fish this fresh,
0:10:20 > 0:10:25all you need to do is cook it simply to enjoy it at its best.
0:10:25 > 0:10:26I'm very hungry, yeah.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29I had a banana first thing and a couple of sandwiches, so
0:10:29 > 0:10:32it's smelling good, it's looking good
0:10:32 > 0:10:34and ready to be dished up soon, I hope.
0:10:34 > 0:10:35Here we go.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39Thankfully, this fish just takes a few minutes to cook.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44- It's good, isn't it?- It's beautiful. - Yeah, it's really nice.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47I say, old shipmate, that's a handsome bit of cooking.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49You could go a long way.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52It could be the start of something new, I think.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55Now, that's what I call a catch of the day.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01Fresh, simply-cooked seafood is a passion of mine,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04and I'm always looking for new ways to enjoy it.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07Now, I could do so many different types of fancy food using
0:11:07 > 0:11:10that lovely pollock, but just like the end bit there,
0:11:10 > 0:11:13it's just got to be served nice and simple.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16And you don't get much more simple than this -
0:11:16 > 0:11:21my battered pollock baguette with home-made mushy peas and lemon mayo.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25There's a seaside fish supper in every single bite.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Now, first thing we're going to do is do our batter.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30Now, there are so many different types you can use for this,
0:11:30 > 0:11:35but this is my sort of tried and tested, proven one, really,
0:11:35 > 0:11:38cos I think the best fish and chips come from
0:11:38 > 0:11:42a little bit north of the border, and that's up in Yorkshire, of course.
0:11:42 > 0:11:47To make the batter, add yeast, sugar and salt to plain flour.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51A dash of cider vinegar and a great ingredient - beer.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53Of course, Yorkshire beer.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57But many beer batters, when you start off by making them,
0:11:57 > 0:11:59they can be quite heavy and stodgy.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02This, I find, a much lighter version.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05You just mix this together.
0:12:05 > 0:12:06And what you're looking for is,
0:12:06 > 0:12:10I suppose, the consistency of school custard.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Now, it depends where you went to school, but it shouldn't have any
0:12:13 > 0:12:19lumps in it, but it should resemble sort of that texture, really.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21That's certainly how the custard looked when I was at school.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25To give the batter a light and airy consistency,
0:12:25 > 0:12:27leave it to ferment for a few minutes,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30which will give you just enough time to make mayonnaise,
0:12:30 > 0:12:34which isn't as difficult as you might think.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37I'm actually allergic to shop-bought mayonnaise,
0:12:37 > 0:12:40but it is actually really simple to make.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44All you need to start off with is a couple of egg yolks.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48Now, if you do it in a machine, it's much quicker and much simpler.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52All you need is a touch of mustard and rapeseed oil.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55Add the oil slowly so that it doesn't curdle.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02After a couple of minutes, you'll see there's this lovely thick texture.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06Now, I'm going to flavour this with the juice and zest of a lemon,
0:13:06 > 0:13:08cos mayonnaise always needs a little bit of acidity.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12Next, add the juice of one lemon and season with salt and pepper.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18And then just blitz it again.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24And what we end up with is this delicious mayonnaise.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26And once you really learn the art of this,
0:13:26 > 0:13:30you can transform this into so many different types of sauces.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33A little bit of tartare sauce is exactly what I've done here
0:13:33 > 0:13:36with the addition of chopped capers, gherkins and herbs.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38Now, if you wanted to make your own salad cream,
0:13:38 > 0:13:41it's done exactly the same way, but using hardboiled egg yolks.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44And then just the final bit, you fold in a touch of whipped cream,
0:13:44 > 0:13:46and you've made your own salad cream like that.
0:13:46 > 0:13:51But this is perfect, nice and thick, exactly what we need for our fish.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56Pollock is the ideal fish for this recipe because it's
0:13:56 > 0:13:58so easy to cut up into chunks.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03Now, this idea of this recipe comes from actually Hastings,
0:14:03 > 0:14:05which is famous for Dover sole.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08And when I was walking around, I just visited a little stall,
0:14:08 > 0:14:10and they used these little slip soles,
0:14:10 > 0:14:13which are the smaller soles that they can't sell along the markets.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16They would just fillet them - nice and simple, just fillets -
0:14:16 > 0:14:19just fry them off in a little bit of flour, just with some butter,
0:14:19 > 0:14:22and then put them in a bread bun, just with some lemon mayonnaise.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25And you'd grab them and walk around, dodging the seagulls attacking you.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29But it was just fantastic and tasted superb.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32Now the batter has puffed up, add a little more beer before
0:14:32 > 0:14:34dunking in your fish fillets,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37and then deep fry in oil and dripping -
0:14:37 > 0:14:41the perfect combination to get the best colour and flavour.
0:14:41 > 0:14:46Now, you cannot have fish and chips without scraps,
0:14:46 > 0:14:50and we just take a little bit of the batter and drizzle this over the top.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53The best fish and chips, I have to say,
0:14:53 > 0:14:56definitely come from Yorkshire, in particular Whitby.
0:14:56 > 0:15:01It's kind of like the South of France, without the weather.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04And I judged the Fish and Chip Shop of the Year once.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07They gave it to a guy in Bournemouth. LAUGHTER
0:15:07 > 0:15:10Whether you prefer your fish and chips from Bournemouth or
0:15:10 > 0:15:15Whitby, you can't have proper fried fish without proper mushy peas.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17It's so easy to make your own mushy peas - you can buy them
0:15:17 > 0:15:20in a tin if you want - but these are just marrowfat peas.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23These are really easy to prepare. You get these generally in a packet -
0:15:23 > 0:15:25they contain a little tablet of bicarb soda.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28You put the bicarb and these and water together,
0:15:28 > 0:15:30just leave it overnight, and just boil them, really.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36Once the batter is golden brown, take the fish out of the fryer
0:15:36 > 0:15:37and set aside.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41Now it's time to assemble the best fish sandwich you're ever
0:15:41 > 0:15:42likely to eat.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48A sprinkling of salt over the top.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50A nice squeeze of lemon.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53How good does that look?
0:15:53 > 0:15:56All I need now is just a freezing cold, minus-six gale blasting
0:15:56 > 0:15:58through the door, and I'll feel at home.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02Slice the baguette in half and smother it in salted butter.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06Dollop on the mushy peas.
0:16:10 > 0:16:11Put the fish on top.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17Dowse the fillet in the delicious lemon mayonnaise.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20And sprinkle on the gold dust.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22That's scraps to you and me.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24And listen.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27CRUNCHING
0:16:27 > 0:16:29Mmmm, mmm-mmm, mmm!
0:16:35 > 0:16:38Oh-ho-ho-hooo! Yes!
0:16:40 > 0:16:41It's a thing of beauty.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48I haven't got a clue how you eat it, but it's a thing of beauty.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51Remember the scraps.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55This chunky sandwich is a true taste of the seaside
0:16:55 > 0:16:58and is perfect for sharing.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01Except in Whitby, where it would be a portion for one.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10As you'll have gathered by now, I'm passionate about unfussy dishes
0:17:10 > 0:17:12cooked really well.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15And I'm in good company because Queen Victoria liked
0:17:15 > 0:17:17the simpler approach to life too.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23Food historian Dr Annie Gray is at Her Majesty's holiday home,
0:17:23 > 0:17:25Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29Victorian Prince Albert built
0:17:29 > 0:17:32an Alpine Swiss cottage in the grounds here
0:17:32 > 0:17:37so the Royal children could learn the importance of getting back to basics.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40The lesson started in the very simple kitchen.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43The children learnt to cook here.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45And we know that they absolutely loved it.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48This is a really unusual thing.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51This is the Royal Family of Great Britain.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55How many parents at that point can you imagine taking the time
0:17:55 > 0:17:57to teach their children to cook?
0:17:57 > 0:18:01It's no wonder that Queen Victoria was really seen as someone
0:18:01 > 0:18:04to look up to, a kind of icon of family life.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09And it's here, in this kitchen, which has not been cooked in
0:18:09 > 0:18:11since probably around the 1890s,
0:18:11 > 0:18:15that I'm going to cook two of the recipes that we know
0:18:15 > 0:18:18the Royal children actually cooked in this very space.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21One of them is schneemilch, a German recipe.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24And the other one is pancakes.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26But this is posh pancakes -
0:18:26 > 0:18:28pancakes a la Celestine.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32And these royal pancakes are the kind of easy-to-make treat
0:18:32 > 0:18:33that any kid would love,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36mainly because they've got crushed almond biscuits in them.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40But these are going to act a bit like breadcrumbs,
0:18:40 > 0:18:42to thicken the batter.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46And they'll also give it a really nice almondy flavour.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48Seriously, one day I'm going to write a book called
0:18:48 > 0:18:49The Kitchenmaid's Workout.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54After battling with the biscuits, Annie mixes them with flour,
0:18:54 > 0:18:56sugar and eggs,
0:18:56 > 0:18:59a straightforward recipe for little cooks.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02The next thing is a bit of orange flower water.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Very, very popular as a perfume in the Victorian period.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08Apparently, dancing girls used to put it behind their ears
0:19:08 > 0:19:10so they'd smell delightful for their male friends.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16The final ingredient in this pancake mix is a generous dollop of cream.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20This looks smooth yet unctuous.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23I would say...we're ready to fry.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31We do know that Queen Victoria and Prince Albert would come down here
0:19:31 > 0:19:33and eat the things the children had cooked.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36And that was a really big occasion for them,
0:19:36 > 0:19:38something that the children really wouldn't have missed.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43This is my last pancake, all ready to go.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46So what I'm going to do is put them onto this plate
0:19:46 > 0:19:49and then cover them with a little bit of apricot jam
0:19:49 > 0:19:52and roll them up. And then I'm going to stack them into a little pyramid.
0:19:57 > 0:19:58There we go.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01A dish that I think, were I one of Queen Victoria's children,
0:20:01 > 0:20:04I'd be quite proud to put in front of my mum.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10Swiss cottage was probably Prince Albert's idea.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13We know that he had something like it growing up
0:20:13 > 0:20:14in what would become Germany.
0:20:14 > 0:20:15So for my second dish,
0:20:15 > 0:20:18I'm going to be making something called schneemilch,
0:20:18 > 0:20:21which is an Austrian or a German dish.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25The schneemilch is just a simple set custard with egg white added.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29And like the pancakes, it is a very child-friendly dish.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35Annie starts off by whisking the egg whites in a Victorian copper bowl.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41Copper bowls are invaluable in the Victorian kitchen.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43The protein in the egg whites reacts with the copper
0:20:43 > 0:20:47so you get an incredibly stiff, incredibly quick foam.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51Once she's whisked the eggs to soft peaks,
0:20:51 > 0:20:54Annie adds sugar, milk and cream.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57Finally, to give the schneemilch a citrusy kick,
0:20:57 > 0:21:01she flavours it with that Victorian favourite - orange flower water -
0:21:01 > 0:21:03and a grating of lemon zest.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08So in my pan, I've got some water at boiling point
0:21:08 > 0:21:11and my copper bowl isn't quite in contact
0:21:11 > 0:21:12with the surface of the water.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15That means I'm going to get the right balance of heat
0:21:15 > 0:21:19to heat up my custard but hopefully not to overkill it.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21Now, I can see that this is really thickening up,
0:21:21 > 0:21:23which is what it's supposed to do.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26What I need to do now, and before I curdle it,
0:21:26 > 0:21:28is to pour it onto this sheet
0:21:28 > 0:21:31and then put it aside to cool properly and set.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36When the schneemilch is cooled and set,
0:21:36 > 0:21:38it's time for Annie to decorate it.
0:21:42 > 0:21:43Annie cuts up the schneemilch,
0:21:43 > 0:21:47transfers it to a bowl and then decorates it with raspberries
0:21:47 > 0:21:49from the Swiss cottage garden.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Just like the young Royals might have done.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55She then tops it off with a final Alpine touch.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00This is maidenhair fern, one of the most popular decorations
0:22:00 > 0:22:02in Victorian England.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05Frankly, I think it looks delightful.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14The Victorians gave us many straightforward, tasty recipes
0:22:14 > 0:22:16that we've adapted over the years.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20The Queen herself also gave us the name of one of my favourite
0:22:20 > 0:22:22sweet treats - the Victoria sponge.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25I've been making it for years,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28and I'm going to bring it bang up-to-date by adding
0:22:28 > 0:22:32a home-made fruit compote, lashings of fresh cream and mixed berries.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36Now, as recipes go, they don't get any more simple than a classic
0:22:36 > 0:22:40sponge, and I'm going start off by measuring out the ingredients.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42Now, it's so easy to remember -
0:22:42 > 0:22:45it's equal quantities of everything, it's as simple as that.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47200g of each.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51So 200g of sugar, 200g of flour,
0:22:51 > 0:22:53200g of butter,
0:22:53 > 0:22:57four eggs, which adds up, funnily enough, to 200g.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00I just need to add the butter and the sugar together first.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03Now, you want soft butter for this, not melted
0:23:03 > 0:23:05but certainly butter at room temperature,
0:23:05 > 0:23:08it just mixes in with the sugar nice and easily.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11Now actually, there are very, very few things left
0:23:11 > 0:23:14named after Queen Victoria, apart from the sponge,
0:23:14 > 0:23:15but she definitely had a sweet tooth -
0:23:15 > 0:23:18not in her childhood but certainly made up for it later on in life
0:23:18 > 0:23:21where she used to love afternoon teacakes and everything
0:23:21 > 0:23:23delivered to the palace.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26And this recipe has stood the test of time.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29So what I'm going to do is mix the butter and the sugar together.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32Now, there's different methods of making a sponge,
0:23:32 > 0:23:34in particular this type of sponge.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37There's what they call an all-in-one method where you throw in all
0:23:37 > 0:23:40the ingredients together, or what I'm doing now, which is
0:23:40 > 0:23:41called the creaming method.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45Both methods will work, but I think this works the best.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48You see it's starting to come together now,
0:23:48 > 0:23:50and you get this thick paste.
0:23:50 > 0:23:55Creaming complete, it's time to add those four eggs, one at a time.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03Now we can turn our attention to the mould tray.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05Prepare the moulds by greasing with butter.
0:24:05 > 0:24:10Now, I like to do this by hand, really, rather than a pastry bush,
0:24:10 > 0:24:12cos you can get right into the corners.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15And then dust them with flour.
0:24:17 > 0:24:18So just mould this around.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26Now, it's quite important to tap off the excess, really,
0:24:26 > 0:24:29cos that's going to stick to the cake if we're not careful.
0:24:29 > 0:24:30I don't line them with paper
0:24:30 > 0:24:35because you get little crease marks in the outside of the sponge.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39Weigh out 200g of self-raising flour, and for a richer flavour,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42add a generous dollop of vanilla bean paste.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47This is why I think this method makes it much lighter,
0:24:47 > 0:24:50because we always mix the flour in by hand,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53never with the machine, really, for a small quantity like this
0:24:53 > 0:24:56cos it overworks the flour and toughens up the cake.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00And this is your basic sponge cake, really,
0:25:00 > 0:25:02and it's used for so many different things.
0:25:02 > 0:25:03Those lovely little iced buns,
0:25:03 > 0:25:05the butterfly buns that you used to make as a kid...
0:25:05 > 0:25:06And it's one of the...
0:25:06 > 0:25:09I suppose, the first ever recipes that a lot of people make.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13Divide the mixture evenly between the two moulds.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15Make sure the tops are flat and even,
0:25:15 > 0:25:20and put the sponges in the oven at Gas Mark 5 or 190 degrees Celsius,
0:25:20 > 0:25:23and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25Now classically,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28this would be filled with a jam - strawberry or raspberry jam.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32But over the years, people have started to put in things like cream,
0:25:32 > 0:25:35which I think really benefits from this.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37And the way that I'm going to make it is actually speed it up.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40And by doing that, we add sugar and water together,
0:25:40 > 0:25:44in equal quantities, to create a nice stock syrup.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48So just bring this to the boil, it takes about five minutes.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50Meanwhile, we can prepare the rest of our fruit.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52So we've got blackberries, I've got raspberries,
0:25:52 > 0:25:55I've got redcurrants and I've got strawberries.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58Now, this is where I've got a bit of a chequered history with this cake.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01I entered it into a WI competition
0:26:01 > 0:26:07and went to see whether I'd won first, second or third.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10And there wasn't a certificate there, there was a list...
0:26:10 > 0:26:12of where I'd gone wrong.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14And it was quite a long list.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17So if you're entering a WI competition,
0:26:17 > 0:26:18don't use this recipe.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24So once you get the sugar and the water boiling like this,
0:26:24 > 0:26:26to a syrup, and then we can add our fruit.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32Keep the pan on the heat, keep it boiling.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34Now, this isn't a classic way to make jam.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38If you were doing this normally, you'd have to use some jam sugar.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40But I think it just speeds up the process.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44Boil down the fruit for five to six minutes to make a compote
0:26:44 > 0:26:45fit for a queen,
0:26:45 > 0:26:47if not the WI.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51Now, one tip that I did pick up from the WI was this.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53You got your standard cooling rack,
0:26:53 > 0:26:55you take the tea towel and you place it
0:26:55 > 0:26:57over the top of the cooling rack,
0:26:57 > 0:27:01so when you cool down your sponges, you don't end up with any lines
0:27:01 > 0:27:04from the cooling rack indented into your sponge.
0:27:04 > 0:27:05Smart, that.
0:27:06 > 0:27:07To check the sponges are ready,
0:27:07 > 0:27:09press your finger in the middle.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11They should spring back.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14If they do, take them out of their moulds.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18Now, all we need to do now is just leave that to cool
0:27:18 > 0:27:20for about five to ten minutes.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30And what I'm going to do is take just some of this compote first of all...
0:27:30 > 0:27:34And it is a compote, it's not really a jam, you can see the texture.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36It's not a jam that you can keep for any length of time
0:27:36 > 0:27:40and certainly not a jam you go entering competitions with.
0:27:41 > 0:27:46When Queen Victoria was around, she would have just had jam.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49But I like it with lightly whipped double cream.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54For a richer fruit hit,
0:27:54 > 0:27:58spoon on another layer of compote before adding the second sponge.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04Dust with icing sugar, then finish with mixed berries.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10Not only does it look good, it tastes fantastic.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14Now, I know what'll be happening, there'll be certain members
0:28:14 > 0:28:16of the WI shouting at the TV now.
0:28:19 > 0:28:20I'm sorry.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26A classic sponge like this can taste spectacular with the right filling.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29And if it was good enough for Queen Victoria,
0:28:29 > 0:28:31it's good enough for me.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35The kind of food we choose to cook and eat changes all the time,
0:28:35 > 0:28:39and it's easy to lose touch with the early dishes we grew up with.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42Nick Vadasz lives with his family in East London.
0:28:42 > 0:28:47He spent 16 years working as a chef and selling Mexican street food,
0:28:47 > 0:28:51but then returned to his Hungarian roots to revive a forgotten gem
0:28:51 > 0:28:52from his past.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55We started our little business selling quesadillas
0:28:55 > 0:28:57and pickles and sauerkraut as garnishes.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00I'd make spicy sauerkrauts, smoked chilli sauerkrauts
0:29:00 > 0:29:02and all sorts of interesting things,
0:29:02 > 0:29:03just experimenting, really.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06And customers went mad for the sauerkrauts.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09So I ditched the hot food and just focused on the pickle
0:29:09 > 0:29:11and sauerkraut production.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14Oh, my God, it's like my mum makes it!
0:29:14 > 0:29:17Traditional home-made sauerkraut is raw shredded cabbage preserved
0:29:17 > 0:29:19through natural fermentation,
0:29:19 > 0:29:23unlike most shop-bought versions, which are pickled in vinegar.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26Sauerkraut is called sauerkraut because it's sour.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29And the word sauer in German means sour.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32And kraut refers to cabbage.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35Nick's interest in sauerkraut
0:29:35 > 0:29:38and all things pickled can be traced back to his grandmother,
0:29:38 > 0:29:43who fled to the UK after the Russian invasion of Hungary in 1956.
0:29:43 > 0:29:45They had to leave in a hurry,
0:29:45 > 0:29:49so they just grabbed a few important things -
0:29:49 > 0:29:53some old photographs, a suitcase full of clothes
0:29:53 > 0:29:56and a big jar of pickles.
0:29:56 > 0:30:01Granny said that pickles were a good idea because, you know,
0:30:01 > 0:30:03it was something they could eat
0:30:03 > 0:30:04on the way to sustain themselves.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09We grew up eating pickles almost with every meal.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11And we always cook with sauerkraut.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14Even when you approach the front door,
0:30:14 > 0:30:16you could smell that coming out the door.
0:30:16 > 0:30:20Nick also loved his grandmother's simple approach to making sauerkraut,
0:30:20 > 0:30:23and he stays true to her original recipe.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28First, core the cabbage, chop it up.
0:30:28 > 0:30:29And then shred it.
0:30:31 > 0:30:35We need salt and perhaps some flavours, like spices.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38I use black peppercorns, juniper berries
0:30:38 > 0:30:40and caraway seeds.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43You don't have to. You can just use salt.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46But these are the flavours that I associated with sauerkraut
0:30:46 > 0:30:48growing up as a child eating sauerkraut.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51There's no sugar, there's no vinegar.
0:30:51 > 0:30:53It's all traditional fermentation methods.
0:30:53 > 0:30:57So what happens is that the salt draws the liquid out of the cabbage,
0:30:57 > 0:30:58and that's created the brine.
0:30:58 > 0:31:02And within that brine, lactic acid, bacteria, starts to form.
0:31:02 > 0:31:04And that acts as a preservative.
0:31:04 > 0:31:08And it also creates the sourness that we associate with sauerkraut.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11It takes about three to four weeks for the flavours to mature
0:31:11 > 0:31:13and the sauerkraut to be ready.
0:31:13 > 0:31:18And it's packed with vitamin C and contains more probiotic bacteria
0:31:18 > 0:31:22than live yogurt, so it's great for a healthy body and mind.
0:31:22 > 0:31:26Granny lived to 93, and I think one of the reasons she lived to 93
0:31:26 > 0:31:29was her diet. It was really good for her. She knew it was good for her.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33With a fresh batch now ready for the market,
0:31:33 > 0:31:36what would the local London foodies make of it?
0:31:36 > 0:31:40You don't like eating some sauerkraut? Anybody need sauerkraut?
0:31:40 > 0:31:43Come have a taste. We've got three types of sauerkraut there -
0:31:43 > 0:31:45traditional, garlic and dill and a beetroot and fennel.
0:31:45 > 0:31:47- That is good.- Does it taste good?
0:31:47 > 0:31:49- Yeah.- Good.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51Oh, my God, it's like...
0:31:51 > 0:31:53- Don't steal the whole thing. - It feels like home.
0:31:53 > 0:31:54Fantastic sauerkraut.
0:31:54 > 0:31:58When we tried it, it just reminded me of the summers when I was going
0:31:58 > 0:32:00to my grandma in a countryside in Poland.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03And it's just absolutely wonderful.
0:32:03 > 0:32:04Grab a stick and have a stab.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07That was quite tasty.
0:32:07 > 0:32:08It's got a nice texture to it.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10I'd buy it to put on a hot dog.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13People often ask me, "Yeah, I like the taste of that sauerkraut,
0:32:13 > 0:32:15"but what am I going to do with it?"
0:32:15 > 0:32:17Forget sausages all the time and potatoes
0:32:17 > 0:32:21and the stereotypical things you do with sauerkraut.
0:32:21 > 0:32:23You can just use your imagination.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25I'm going to make a lovely salad,
0:32:25 > 0:32:29a fennel and sauerkraut salad with apples and celery.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33We have it with barbecued food, grilled food.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36With fish, it's amazing. It's lovely cos it seasons the fish in terms
0:32:36 > 0:32:39of the salt content and the acidity you need with fish.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43Oh, wow, that looks lovely.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46But like the fermentation process, a love for this traditional
0:32:46 > 0:32:51European food can sometimes take a little bit of time to develop.
0:32:51 > 0:32:53- Ew... - THEY LAUGH
0:32:53 > 0:32:57- Does it smell nice?- Smell?- Ew!
0:32:57 > 0:33:02I think Zach's going to be the best salesman that we've ever had.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08Well, you know what they say, everyone's a critic.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11One of my harshest critics in the kitchen and on the golf course
0:33:11 > 0:33:15is fellow Yorkshireman and my mentor - Brian Turner.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20Some say he was cooking before Queen Victoria
0:33:20 > 0:33:22had her first slice of sponge.
0:33:22 > 0:33:24Not me, though, I wouldn't dare.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27Hello, mate. You brought the weather with you, didn't you?
0:33:27 > 0:33:32- Yeah, at least I'm sober today. Not like last time!- Come on in.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35Brian's bossed me around kitchens many a time,
0:33:35 > 0:33:39but today we're in mine, so I'm choosing the dish.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44Perfect rump steak with creamy brioche leeks.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48Now, Brian, I thought what we'd do is griddle the rump steaks,
0:33:48 > 0:33:49- I know you like that.- I do.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52Cos it is one of the basic cuts, really, I think.
0:33:52 > 0:33:54A lot of people go for sirloin nowadays, fillet.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56I think this is a cracking cut of meat.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58I think that's a lovely piece of meat there.
0:33:58 > 0:34:00This is a leek dish to go with it.
0:34:00 > 0:34:04Now, I like this cos it uses a combination of cream, leeks,
0:34:04 > 0:34:07potatoes, everything all in one dish,
0:34:07 > 0:34:09cos I like the simple sort of stuff with steak.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11Right, can you half fill that full of water for me, please?
0:34:11 > 0:34:13- Yes, Chef.- Thank you very much.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15It's the first time you've ever called me chef.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17While Brian adds water to the pan,
0:34:17 > 0:34:21I've got time to cube the potato for the creamy leeks.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24It's been a while, really, since we've known each other.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26I'd say I was eight years old when we first met.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29Yeah, I don't know if you remember the whole...the whole experience.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31We used to go up to a hotel,
0:34:31 > 0:34:35and your father used to come with the wines
0:34:35 > 0:34:36and used to speak there.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39- You used to go up there and do these gourmet dinners, right?- Yeah.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42There was a little commis chef with a necktie, a big tall chef's hat.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44That was me, I was probably about this high.
0:34:44 > 0:34:45- Yeah.- Fully, with a chef's hat on.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47Your hat was a big as your ego is today.
0:34:47 > 0:34:51- Get out!- The next time we met was when you were at college,
0:34:51 > 0:34:55and we were judging your...your end of term, end of course examination.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58- You judged my end of year exam, you did.- I did, yes, yeah.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00I got it wrong.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02I thought you were good in those days.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05These are lovely, these induction tops, aren't they?
0:35:05 > 0:35:06Do you like them?
0:35:06 > 0:35:08But you've got to be in control, I can feel the power here.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10It's the modern way of cooking, you see, Bri.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12- Yeah.- We've moved on from coal.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15Have they? I wish they'd told me.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18Whatever you're cooking on, heat a pan
0:35:18 > 0:35:23and fry a finely chopped shallot and a garlic clove in butter.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25I'm going to cut these leeks, and you're going wash them for me,
0:35:25 > 0:35:29all right? The easiest way to do it is cut the leek all the way through
0:35:29 > 0:35:32like that, from top to tail, leaving the root on the top,
0:35:32 > 0:35:36attached. And then if you wash it with the water going down this way,
0:35:36 > 0:35:39none of the soil gets stuck inside the leek.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42If you wash it this way, the soil in this bit gets stuck in here.
0:35:42 > 0:35:46- Anyway...- 70 years of age, and I've just learnt something.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49Get out of here, we've always washed them like this, lad.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51Get it washed. Right?
0:35:51 > 0:35:54Chop the EXPERTLY washed leeks finely.
0:35:54 > 0:35:56Add to the pan with a drop of white wine.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02And drain the potatoes.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06We couldn't afford potato when I was a lad.
0:36:06 > 0:36:07- Oh, right, go on. - Right, go on, then.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09Now, a little bit fresh thyme.
0:36:09 > 0:36:10Yeah, lovely.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13I'm going to chop that up, sprinkle that in there.
0:36:13 > 0:36:15I'll put this in your pocket cos you'll only mither
0:36:15 > 0:36:17- if I put it in the bin. - You got a stock pot?
0:36:17 > 0:36:21Right, a little bit of that, and then we take some double cream.
0:36:21 > 0:36:22Ah, there's my lad.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25Right? So we're going to bring this to the boil...
0:36:25 > 0:36:29- Right.- And give it a quick season, salt and pepper.
0:36:29 > 0:36:30Go on, then.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33I know you want to do it, I know you're itching to season it.
0:36:33 > 0:36:34I am, I am.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36I do think in this modern day, we have to be careful of salt
0:36:36 > 0:36:38- and sugar.- Here we go, "When I was a lad,
0:36:38 > 0:36:42- "we used to rub two twigs together and..."- No, shut it.- Go on.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44We have to be careful with salt and sugar that you add,
0:36:44 > 0:36:47but you have to add it to get flavour from it,
0:36:47 > 0:36:50at some stage, not always right at the beginning.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53Are you a pepper man? It's lovely, isn't it?
0:36:53 > 0:36:55So did you always want to be a chef, then?
0:36:55 > 0:36:58- Yes.- A little birdie told me you wanted to be in a brass band,
0:36:58 > 0:36:59was your big thing.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01I've always been a brass band man.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04I love brass bands today, but I would never be good enough to play.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06My dad had a transport cafe. When he came back from the last
0:37:06 > 0:37:10World War, and I, from the age of, actually I was probably about eight
0:37:10 > 0:37:13when I used to go down to his cafe, cos we had four kids
0:37:13 > 0:37:14in five years in our house.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18So to give me mother a bit of rest, he took me down to his cafe,
0:37:18 > 0:37:20and I'd make bacon and sausage sandwiches
0:37:20 > 0:37:21on a Saturday morning with him.
0:37:21 > 0:37:25- Right.- And dip the top of the Yorkshire teacake
0:37:25 > 0:37:28in the bacon fat to get fried bread. And I tell you what,
0:37:28 > 0:37:30I'm salivating just thinking about it.
0:37:30 > 0:37:31It was really good stuff.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34And so I never really wanted to be anything else.
0:37:34 > 0:37:36Right. Are you going to toast off the breadcrumbs?
0:37:36 > 0:37:37I am, yes, yes, yes.
0:37:37 > 0:37:39There's a spoon in the pot if you want one.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42And then what we're going do is we're going to take this cream
0:37:42 > 0:37:45and brioche mixture, which I think is great with fish,
0:37:45 > 0:37:48it's great with beef, chicken, anything. It's just brilliant.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50Right, do I want to use up all these three?
0:37:50 > 0:37:52Just a little bit, go on.
0:37:52 > 0:37:55- Cos I know you don't want to waste anything.- Not at all, lad.
0:37:55 > 0:37:59And of course, it's got texture as well, so... The topping.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03Fill individual ovenproof dishes with two layers of creamy leeks
0:38:03 > 0:38:05and toasted brioche.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10Then top with grated Gruyere cheese and pop them in the oven
0:38:10 > 0:38:11until golden brown.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17- Now, you don't get any more basic than cooking steak.- No.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20So we've got a basic chef here, who's now going to teach us
0:38:20 > 0:38:21how to do it.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24So what I'm going to do first is just congratulate you
0:38:24 > 0:38:26- and say that that's good... - Congratulate me?- Yes,
0:38:26 > 0:38:28because it's not been in the fridge.
0:38:28 > 0:38:31Too many people take a steak from the fridge to cook it.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34So, I'm going to use a bit of rapeseed oil,
0:38:34 > 0:38:37cos I think it's got a lovely colour and it tastes good,
0:38:37 > 0:38:38and it's British.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42And just put a little bit of oil in there so it doesn't stick.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44- Then you need to know how much... - It doesn't stick,
0:38:44 > 0:38:46but you've just ruined my pastry brush.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49It's not mine, it's OK. I'm not here tomorrow.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51Right, fine, so that goes on there.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56And when he's not wrecking my utensils, Brian keeps
0:38:56 > 0:39:00an eye on his steak but doesn't move it until one side is done.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03And controversially, he doesn't season it
0:39:03 > 0:39:04until halfway through the cooking.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07Now pay attention, here comes the science bit.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10Don't rush it.
0:39:10 > 0:39:14But remember that when you take it off, it will continue to cook,
0:39:14 > 0:39:17so you want to give it chance to repose.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20- So it's a bit like...- Repose? - Repose, yes.- You've changed.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22R-E-P-O-S-E when you look it up.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24- That means rest, doesn't it? - It does, yes.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27- I want to season this now. - Now you put salt and pepper on it?
0:39:27 > 0:39:29Now I want to put salt and pepper on it.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32So, medium rare, yeah?
0:39:32 > 0:39:35Yeah. How can you tell when it's medium rare, then?
0:39:35 > 0:39:37I've just touched it.
0:39:39 > 0:39:40It's a good question,
0:39:40 > 0:39:44but the answer, as far as I'm concerned, is it's all by feel.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46While Brian butters his rump...
0:39:46 > 0:39:49it's time to take my brioche leeks out of the oven.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53Check that out.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55I think that's a lovely dish, lad.
0:39:55 > 0:39:56But what I do need to do...
0:39:56 > 0:40:01Look, don't waste those juices, whatever you do.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08See, what you want to do, Brian, get a bit of this... Go on, then.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13It takes you back to the days of dripping and bread.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15It wasn't quite like this, lad, was it, eh?
0:40:15 > 0:40:16- In Yorkshire.- Yes, Dad.
0:40:18 > 0:40:19Shall we try this?
0:40:19 > 0:40:22- Yeah.- What do you want it, medium rare?- Yeah.- OK.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26I tell you what, that's pretty good.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29- Don't sound so surprised, Mr Martin. - You surprise me.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31Right, a little bit of this.
0:40:34 > 0:40:39Can I tell you, whoever seasoned that is a genius.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41Do you know what? I'm happy with that.
0:40:41 > 0:40:45- Oh, me too, the simplicity... - Yeah.- ..and basics, very tasty,
0:40:45 > 0:40:48and that couldn't be easier.
0:40:48 > 0:40:53So back then, when you gave me my little tick on my exam...
0:40:53 > 0:40:57- Yeah.- Think it paid off? - Well, you've never paid me.
0:40:57 > 0:40:59I'll buy you a golf ball later.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02All right? It's just you end up losing quite a lot.
0:41:02 > 0:41:03Is that right?
0:41:03 > 0:41:06You see, Brian gets worn out after about sort of nine holes of golf,
0:41:06 > 0:41:08that's cos I keep telling him he walks 18.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10- Yeah.- Cos to play golf, you're supposed to play in a straight line,
0:41:10 > 0:41:13- whereas Brian goes like that. - I'm a Yorkshireman,
0:41:13 > 0:41:16whatever I pay to play golf, I get my money's worth,
0:41:16 > 0:41:18cos I hit it twice as much as you hit it.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21I see some of the sights that you've never seen on a golf course.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23I know, you're like Attenborough, you're always in the woods.
0:41:23 > 0:41:25- What are you doing?- Right, anyway,
0:41:25 > 0:41:28just buzz off now, I'm going to finish this steak off.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31Right, Mr Turner, it's time to put your golf ball where your mouth is.
0:41:31 > 0:41:36Two men, one hole to play for, and a buggy with very little suspension.
0:41:38 > 0:41:40- Oh!- Mind that bunker.
0:41:48 > 0:41:52If this goes into the water, I'll never hear the end of it.
0:41:52 > 0:41:53Mind the water, James!
0:41:59 > 0:42:03Look at that for a shot, yes!
0:42:06 > 0:42:09Any time you like, James. Any time you like, I'm here.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12And here we are now at the National Golf Club...
0:42:12 > 0:42:13Brian, do be quiet!
0:42:16 > 0:42:19And it's coming... Oh, yes, it's not even a gimme. Go on, then.
0:42:23 > 0:42:27Go on, get in, get in. Yes! That's a boy.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31- I'm driving.- What you saying now?
0:42:31 > 0:42:32I'm driving.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37So it looks like I'm going to have to go back to basics
0:42:37 > 0:42:39on the golf course as well as in the kitchen.
0:42:39 > 0:42:43But at least with classic recipes like these, I've got tasty treats
0:42:43 > 0:42:48to take my mind off the humiliation, food that tastes anything but basic.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51I'm never going to stop hearing about this.
0:42:51 > 0:42:52Nee-nee-nee... It's going to be like...
0:42:53 > 0:42:56- Have you got a scorecard? - Here we go, just get in. Just get in!
0:43:03 > 0:43:05Next time, Turner, next time.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11You can find all the recipes from the series at...