0:00:02 > 0:00:05'The heart of my home is the kitchen.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09'And it's here that I love to cook delicious meals
0:00:09 > 0:00:12'for my nearest and dearest.'
0:00:12 > 0:00:13LAUGHTER
0:00:16 > 0:00:20'There's no better way to celebrate everything good in life...
0:00:22 > 0:00:26'..than sharing some great food with the people you love.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29'These are the dishes that I cook
0:00:29 > 0:00:32'when I want to bring people together.'
0:00:32 > 0:00:34These are my home comforts.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48'The pace of modern life means that many of us work long hours.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50'And after a hard day, it's easy to settle for food
0:00:50 > 0:00:53'that feeds our bodies, but not our souls.'
0:00:55 > 0:00:58So I've got a load of recipes that are guaranteed to pick you up
0:00:58 > 0:01:00and put a smile on your face.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04These are the treats I always cook to boost my mood.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09Ohhhhh! Check this out!
0:01:12 > 0:01:17'I'll be baking the ultimate fast food for an instant hit of joy.'
0:01:17 > 0:01:19Mmmm!
0:01:19 > 0:01:23'And cooking an uplifting dish with my mate Michael Caines,
0:01:23 > 0:01:25'who can be a bit of a perfectionist.'
0:01:25 > 0:01:27Stop being cheffy, just get it on the plate!
0:01:35 > 0:01:38'The best things in life are worth waiting for.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41'And that's why I get so excited about game.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43'For me, a highlight of late summer
0:01:43 > 0:01:47'is that taste of the first grouse of the season.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50'So I'm going to roast a brace of them with a pear tarte tatin.'
0:01:52 > 0:01:55Now, as a cook, there are certain times of year
0:01:55 > 0:01:59that we look forward to, and August is one of them.
0:01:59 > 0:02:00Not because of the bank holidays
0:02:00 > 0:02:03and stuck in traffic behind caravans and stuff like that,
0:02:03 > 0:02:06not that I'm bothered about caravans, because I've got them at home,
0:02:06 > 0:02:07but it's this...
0:02:07 > 0:02:11The Glorious Twelfth. Grouse season.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15'You'll find grouse is often available in supermarkets,
0:02:15 > 0:02:18'or you can try to buy it at your local butcher.'
0:02:18 > 0:02:22So the first thing I'm going to do is make our pear tarte tatin.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25And for that, you need some decent-sized pears.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28Big, fat pears like these ones, really.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31'These are going to be poached in a good amount of water,
0:02:31 > 0:02:35'along with some lemon that will stop them turning brown.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37'Finally, add some sugar, throw in the pears whole
0:02:37 > 0:02:40'and leave to simmer for 15 minutes.'
0:02:41 > 0:02:43Now, while the pears are cooking,
0:02:43 > 0:02:46we can prepare the second part for our tarte tatin - the mould.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49Very, very simple. All you need for this
0:02:49 > 0:02:51is just a bit of caramelised sugar.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55And to do that, you can just use plain old caster sugar.
0:02:55 > 0:03:00You don't need to boil it up in any water or anything, just in a dry pan.
0:03:00 > 0:03:01And keep your eye on it.
0:03:01 > 0:03:06And this, in about three to four minutes, will turn into a caramel.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08'Occasionally shake the pan as it heats up
0:03:08 > 0:03:10'and the sugar will start to melt.'
0:03:12 > 0:03:17The common and simple mistake that people make with making a tarte tatin
0:03:17 > 0:03:19is forget to add this stuff - butter.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21Now, what this does is not just only add flavour,
0:03:21 > 0:03:24but it alters the texture of the caramel.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26You can imagine this is quite liquid when it gets hot
0:03:26 > 0:03:28but, as it cools down, it's quite solid.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30Now, to try and get these out of the moulds
0:03:30 > 0:03:33by just putting caramel in the bottom is really difficult,
0:03:33 > 0:03:37so what you have to do is almost slacken this down a bit
0:03:37 > 0:03:38with a little knob of butter.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43And whatever you do, don't let the caramel get too hot.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45Because if it gets too hot, it goes quite bitter.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49'As soon as the butter is melted,
0:03:49 > 0:03:52'pour around three millimetres of caramel into each mould,
0:03:52 > 0:03:56'then roll it around to coat the edges and leave to cool.'
0:03:57 > 0:03:59And now onto our grouse.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02Now, a lot of people will actually not use the legs
0:04:02 > 0:04:03and just use the crown of the grouse.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06But to me, really, you're throwing the best part of it away.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08It's so good to use the entire lot.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12'Start off by seasoning the birds
0:04:12 > 0:04:16'and then sear them in some butter to brown them off before roasting.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22'The smell alone has started to work its magic.'
0:04:24 > 0:04:26This, to me, is my perfect pick-me-up.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28If I ever see this on a restaurant menu,
0:04:28 > 0:04:31this is the dish that I'll choose - grouse.
0:04:31 > 0:04:32I absolutely love it!
0:04:34 > 0:04:35'Before placing them in the oven,
0:04:35 > 0:04:39'add some chunks of celeriac, along with fresh thyme.'
0:04:41 > 0:04:43Check that out.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47And that's just a wonderful dish on its own, just like that.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49Just a picture of that.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52Beauty in a pan, as chefs call it.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56Stick the whole lot in a really hot oven for about 15 minutes.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01'Now I can get back to finishing off those tartes tatins.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05'Cut the poached pear into thick slices
0:05:05 > 0:05:07'and place on top of the caramel.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10'Then, using ready-made puff pastry,
0:05:10 > 0:05:14'cut out some discs that are slightly bigger than the moulds.'
0:05:16 > 0:05:18Just dot the top with a fork.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21It's quite important when you're doing things like a tarte tatin,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24because you want the pastry to cook, as well.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26And to do that, you need to allow
0:05:26 > 0:05:29some of that steam that's created when the butter melts
0:05:29 > 0:05:31to come out of the pastry.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34And if you don't, if you imagine it like a lid on top of a pan,
0:05:34 > 0:05:36it gets trapped and can't come out.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39So that's when the base of the tarte tatin gets a little bit soggy.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41Now, what you need to do with this
0:05:41 > 0:05:44is just to carefully put the pastry in,
0:05:44 > 0:05:47but tuck it in between the pear...
0:05:49 > 0:05:53..and the edge...of the mould,
0:05:53 > 0:05:54like you're making a bed.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59And then these want to cook now for about ten minutes.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06'When the grouse are roasted, take them out and leave to rest.'
0:06:07 > 0:06:10What I like to do is, however long it's cooked in the oven,
0:06:10 > 0:06:12particularly this, about 15 minutes,
0:06:12 > 0:06:15that's how long you leave it out of the oven before you serve it.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19It's really, really important this is actually served at room temperature,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22so it keeps it nice and sort of tender.
0:06:22 > 0:06:23'Scoop out the roasted celeriac,
0:06:23 > 0:06:27'leaving behind all those lovely juices.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30'They make a brilliant base for the rich sauce.'
0:06:30 > 0:06:34Now, I'm going to deglaze this pan with a touch of port.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37You can use Madeira with this as well,
0:06:37 > 0:06:39but just put a little bit of port in the pan.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46'After the port has reduced, add some chicken stock.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48'Reduce some more and pass through a sieve.'
0:06:50 > 0:06:52So just to finish this off...
0:06:52 > 0:06:56We call this monter au beurre. It's to thicken a sauce.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58There's no gravy browning, there's no flour,
0:06:58 > 0:07:01there's none of that thickener in there, cornflour and stuff.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04We thicken it with butter.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Mm-mm-mm-mm-mm!
0:07:12 > 0:07:13Salt.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18As a cook, I get so excited about the new-season game.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21This is the very first time I've tasted grouse this year.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24So excuse me if I'm getting a bit excited.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28'When the tartes tatins are ready, leave them to cool slightly,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31'but don't let them go completely cold,
0:07:31 > 0:07:33'because they'll stick to the moulds.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38'The last thing to cook is the curly kale.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40'Chuck it in a pan with a little water and butter,
0:07:40 > 0:07:42'but only for a few minutes.'
0:07:45 > 0:07:47Now, you'll see straightaway in this pan...
0:07:50 > 0:07:52..beyond the steam,
0:07:52 > 0:07:54look at this beautiful colour.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58Now, this has taken time to grow in the garden.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00I'm not going to ruin it by overcooking it.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03That's it. Once it gets to that stage, take it off the heat.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07'All that's left to do is flip out the tartes tatins,
0:08:07 > 0:08:10'carve up the grouse and plate up.
0:08:10 > 0:08:11'And it's all finished off
0:08:11 > 0:08:14'with a drizzle of the deliciously rich sauce.'
0:08:15 > 0:08:18This is the exciting bit. It's that anticipation
0:08:18 > 0:08:22that you've waited six months for something to arrive...
0:08:24 > 0:08:26..and you get to taste it for the first time.
0:08:35 > 0:08:36That's my grouse dance.
0:08:40 > 0:08:41Mm!
0:08:41 > 0:08:45It really is...one of the tastiest meats.
0:08:49 > 0:08:50'It's well worth the wait.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54'And a recipe like this will really perk up your taste buds.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58'Packed with nutritious ingredients like kale,
0:08:58 > 0:09:00'it's bound to put a spring in your step.'
0:09:05 > 0:09:07'Here in the UK, we're very fortunate
0:09:07 > 0:09:10'to have an army of dedicated food producers
0:09:10 > 0:09:14'working tirelessly to bring us top-quality ingredients.'
0:09:17 > 0:09:21Producers like Selina and Andrew Cairns from Lanarkshire.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24They're second-generation farmers and cheese-makers.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29But these aren't run-of-the-mill Cheddars.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32And the milk they use doesn't come from cows.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34- Come on, boy! - BLEATING
0:09:34 > 0:09:37It comes from this rare breed of sheep.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40And, like Andrew, they're early risers.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44I milk them twice a day. At 5.00 in the morning,
0:09:44 > 0:09:46again at 4.00 in the afternoon.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48I do like getting up at this time of the morning.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51It certainly beats having to sit in your car for an hour and a half,
0:09:51 > 0:09:56drive somewhere to go and sit in an office, or work for somebody else.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58Shepherding a herd of dairy sheep
0:09:58 > 0:10:00is actually a very rare job in this country.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05In Scotland, certainly, there's only, I think, two people
0:10:05 > 0:10:07who are commercially milking sheep.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10Throughout Britain, there's only about 12,000 sheep being milked,
0:10:10 > 0:10:12which really is quite a small number.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14Sheep's milk is better for making cheese.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16It has higher levels of fat and protein in it,
0:10:16 > 0:10:19which means you get more cheese per litre of sheep's milk
0:10:19 > 0:10:22than you do for cow's milk by about double the amount.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27The parlour's kitted out to milk 32 sheep at a time.
0:10:27 > 0:10:2916 down each side.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34We're putting through about 200 sheep an hour.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37You always get the odd sheep that's a bit awkward.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41These sometimes temperamental animals were brought over to Scotland
0:10:41 > 0:10:44by Selina's father Humphrey in the 1980s,
0:10:44 > 0:10:48after being inspired by Scotland's long-lost cheese-making history.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55I came across some writing of Sir Walter Scott's
0:10:55 > 0:10:58describing blue sheep's cheese made in this area.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01And that really fired my imagination,
0:11:01 > 0:11:02because we love blue cheese.
0:11:04 > 0:11:05To turn his dream into reality,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08Humphrey wanted the French Lacaune breed,
0:11:08 > 0:11:11which is known for its high milk yields.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13But there was just one problem -
0:11:13 > 0:11:15nobody in France wanted to sell him any.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19I would write to the breeding stations in France
0:11:19 > 0:11:21and never got replies.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23And it seemed to be very difficult to make any progress.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26And then a vet I knew contacted me and said,
0:11:26 > 0:11:29"Humphrey, are you still interested in these Lacaune sheep?"
0:11:29 > 0:11:32And I said, "Very much so, but we can't get them."
0:11:32 > 0:11:34Humphrey's friendly vet was able to find
0:11:34 > 0:11:38some Lacaune crossbreeds in Denmark.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40The flock is now almost 400-strong
0:11:40 > 0:11:44and thriving in the stunning Scottish uplands.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49The climate and the soil, the way the soil is handled and so on
0:11:49 > 0:11:54affects the unique quality of the cheese made in that area.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58I think that applies more to cheese, in many ways, than it does to wine.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01Because you'll find the microflora,
0:12:01 > 0:12:02as it's called, of the milk,
0:12:02 > 0:12:06is unique to this particular bit of land.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12Microflora are harmless bacteria which affect the taste of the milk.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15They're killed during the pasteurisation process.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19But the family make their three cheeses with unpasteurised milk,
0:12:19 > 0:12:21allowing the flavour to shine through.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27But perhaps the most important ingredient
0:12:27 > 0:12:31for the continued success of the business is Selina.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36Luckily for me, Selina was willing to take it on.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38And she's done wonderfully well in carrying it on.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40I'm very proud of that.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44Recently, she's developed a brand-new cheese variety called Corra Linn,
0:12:44 > 0:12:46named after a local waterfall.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50It's like a Cheddar in the way we make it,
0:12:50 > 0:12:52but sheep's milk is a lot sweeter,
0:12:52 > 0:12:54and that comes through in the flavour.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57So it's more gentle on your palate than a Cheddar.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01I suppose some people compare it to Manchego or Pecorino.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06It's just as well Selina makes a lot of cheese,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10because she provides post-training meals for the local rugby team.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14There's always a bit of a scrum
0:13:14 > 0:13:17to get to the family's tasty and nutritious cheese.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22It's very tasty. It wasn't too strong. It's mild.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26Really nice, yeah. Really nice.
0:13:26 > 0:13:27It's got a good flavour.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30It gives a good flavour to the pasta, so it's nice, yeah.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Definitely eat it again.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37'Sheep's cheese is the key component in one of my all-time favourites.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41'This is a pick-me-up that's unbelievably quick to cook
0:13:41 > 0:13:43'and guaranteed to make you smile.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48'It's my delicious nduja and sheep cheese pizza.'
0:13:49 > 0:13:52I've been quite fortunate to travel in this job,
0:13:52 > 0:13:54and to the home of pizza, which is Naples.
0:13:54 > 0:13:59And I've seen the best pizza and tasted the best, I think, in the world.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03And it's all to do, I reckon, not just with the topping, but the base.
0:14:03 > 0:14:04And the base is this recipe.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07It's the best pizza dough recipe I know.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12'Start off by weighing 200 grams of semolina flour
0:14:12 > 0:14:14'and 800 grams of 00 flour.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18'Now, there's no point just guessing this,
0:14:18 > 0:14:21'you have to measure it exactly, otherwise it won't work.'
0:14:23 > 0:14:27In we go with the sugar. About a tablespoon of sugar.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30A good pinch of salt into the flour.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34'Add some warm water to seven grams of fresh yeast.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37'Mix it into a paste and pour in.
0:14:37 > 0:14:42'Finally, add another 650mls of warm water and get stuck in.'
0:14:43 > 0:14:46Now, for me, a dough like this, and including bread dough,
0:14:46 > 0:14:50is much easier and better to make by hand first of all.
0:14:50 > 0:14:51It's all about the texture, really.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54You don't want it too dry, you certainly don't want it too wet.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56But you've got to make sure there's moisture in it,
0:14:56 > 0:14:58otherwise, when it's cooked,
0:14:58 > 0:15:00it kind of tastes like a biscuit, really,
0:15:00 > 0:15:02when it comes out of the oven.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04We can start to bring all this lot together.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08And just, basically, put it onto your board and knead this.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11You can see the texture of it is quite sticky to my fingers.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13That's what we're looking for, really.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15It may appear too wet, but don't forget,
0:15:15 > 0:15:19all that flour is still soaking in all that liquid.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22'The dough's texture starts to change the more it's kneaded.'
0:15:23 > 0:15:27You'll get a natural resistance to it when it's ready.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Like that. When you press it, it should start to bounce back a bit,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34which that's doing now. That looks pretty good to me.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36I'm just going to pop it into a bowl.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41Leave it outside, or anywhere warm, really. Cover it over.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43And it just wants to slowly prove
0:15:43 > 0:15:45for about an hour, an hour and a half.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51'After that, divide the dough into portions
0:15:51 > 0:15:54'that will make a pizza base each and leave for another hour.'
0:15:58 > 0:16:00When these have proved a second time,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03we're then ready to make our wonderful pizza.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06And use a combination of the semolina flour
0:16:06 > 0:16:08and the 00 flour to roll it out.
0:16:10 > 0:16:11I am going to roll it out and pin it out.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14I'm not going to spin this around my head.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17'I'm rolling out the pizza bases really thin,
0:16:17 > 0:16:19'so they cook in no time at all.'
0:16:21 > 0:16:25I'm going to then just top this with a tomato sauce.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27What it is is just tinned San Marzano tomatoes,
0:16:27 > 0:16:30which are just blended up into a puree.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35There's no fancy tomatoes been cooked down or anything like that.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39Just out of a tin, in a blender, done.
0:16:39 > 0:16:40As easy as that.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43Now, I'm going to top it with this delicious sheep's cheese.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49It tastes fantastic. Slight taste of almost Pecorino.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55Now, another thing that I'm going to put on this pizza...is this stuff,
0:16:55 > 0:16:57which is nduja. It's from Calabria.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00It's a sort of spicy, soft salami.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02It's just delicious!
0:17:02 > 0:17:05And it melts wonderful over this pizza.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10'To finish, some fresh basil and olive oil.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13'And it's ready to go in the oven.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15'It's about 500 degrees in there,
0:17:15 > 0:17:17'so it's only going to take a minute to cook.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23'You can cook this at home on a pizza stone in your oven.'
0:17:25 > 0:17:27Already that cheese has started to melt.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29That lovely nduja, there's lots and lots of oil in that.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31It's starting to melt, too.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35And that oil is going to just mix in with that cheese and taste fantastic.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43Mmmm!
0:17:43 > 0:17:46I was always taught, too, never to eat anything that's bigger than your head.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56Now, I have to use this because my sister will be watching it.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00Thank you, sis, you bought me this for my birthday.
0:18:00 > 0:18:01It's just what I always wanted!
0:18:08 > 0:18:11This is definitely the ultimate pick-me-up.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13Far better than any of that stuff
0:18:13 > 0:18:15you'll find delivered on the back of a motorbike,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18sweating in a cardboard box for 15 minutes as he gets lost.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25To me, it's one of the best-tasting dishes ever.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27You can't beat pizza.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31'The soft nduja and melted sheep's cheese topping
0:18:31 > 0:18:34'is certainly oozing with a feel-good factor.'
0:18:36 > 0:18:39But when it comes to the ultimate pick-me-up,
0:18:39 > 0:18:42I'm going to plump for sweet rather than savoury.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44Chocolate, to be exact.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47I just couldn't be without my secret stash.
0:18:47 > 0:18:52But were our ancestors as mad about it as we are?
0:18:52 > 0:18:54Food historian Ivan Day has studied
0:18:54 > 0:18:57the origins of our national chocolate habit
0:18:57 > 0:19:01and discovered that it wasn't a case of love at first bite.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04When the Spanish first encountered chocolate
0:19:04 > 0:19:07in Central America in the 16th century,
0:19:07 > 0:19:10they absolutely hated it.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14It was so bitter that they thought it was only fit for the pigs.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19By the time it arrived in England in the mid-17th century,
0:19:19 > 0:19:24we had learned to sweeten it with sugar and even add milk
0:19:24 > 0:19:27and booze to it to make it more palatable.
0:19:28 > 0:19:34I'm going to make a really alcoholic chocolate drink from the 1690s
0:19:34 > 0:19:37that was called wine chocolate.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43Before brewing up this delicious-sounding drink,
0:19:43 > 0:19:45Ivan makes chocolate from scratch
0:19:45 > 0:19:51by grinding roasted and crushed cocoa beans, known as nibs.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54He then gets to grips with a pretty hefty piece of kit.
0:19:55 > 0:20:01I'm going to sprinkle some of my ground nibs onto this metate...
0:20:02 > 0:20:07..which is a great big, saddle-shaped slab of stone
0:20:07 > 0:20:10with a hot charcoal brazier underneath it.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13So this stone is pretty warm.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16If I start to roll this down across it,
0:20:16 > 0:20:18it's going to grind it up even further
0:20:18 > 0:20:21and produce that magical substance, chocolate.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31As chocolate wasn't an instant hit in Britain,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34traders tried to boost sales by claiming
0:20:34 > 0:20:36it could cure just about every known ailment.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44OK, so...that's chocolate.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47I'm ready now to make some hot chocolate drink.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51And before long, the chocolate sellers' tall tales
0:20:51 > 0:20:54were taken seriously by many.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57Even certain members of the medical profession.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00I'm going to make my drinking chocolate
0:21:00 > 0:21:03from a recipe from this book
0:21:03 > 0:21:06by a physician called William Salmon.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Salmon supported all of the claims
0:21:10 > 0:21:12that the early chocolate dealers made
0:21:12 > 0:21:15about its medicinal virtues
0:21:15 > 0:21:17and tells us about even more.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20"That it excites divinery
0:21:20 > 0:21:24"and procreation and helps conception."
0:21:24 > 0:21:28So he's advocating it as an aphrodisiac
0:21:28 > 0:21:29and a fertility medicine.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33To get this lovers' brew to first base,
0:21:33 > 0:21:37Ivan warms some water in a 17th-century chocolate pot.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41And then the most essential ingredient, of course,
0:21:41 > 0:21:42is the chocolate.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45Now, this is exactly the same as what I made on the metate,
0:21:45 > 0:21:49except I've grated it, so it will melt a little bit more quickly.
0:21:53 > 0:21:58Now, as well as the pot, we need another tool,
0:21:58 > 0:22:00which has its Spanish name.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02It's called the molinillo.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06Ivan uses the molinillo to help dissolve the chocolate.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11He then adds sugar and a good slug of port.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16Then a really important ingredient which Salmon tells us about,
0:22:16 > 0:22:20which is a very small quantity of starch.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23And this is the sort of starch they used to starch their ruffs.
0:22:23 > 0:22:29And what that does, it actually will stop the whole thing from curdling.
0:22:30 > 0:22:35Starch can be poisonous, but the type Ivan is using is safe.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38True believers in the supposed benefits of chocolate
0:22:38 > 0:22:41probably didn't care what was in it, though.
0:22:41 > 0:22:47One of the earliest advocates of chocolate was Lady Ann Fanshawe,
0:22:47 > 0:22:52who was the wife of the English ambassador to the Spanish court.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57She actually had 23 children.
0:22:57 > 0:23:02So I think Salmon's claims that it was good for fertility
0:23:02 > 0:23:04probably were true in her case.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09OK, so I think it's time
0:23:09 > 0:23:13to serve myself...some wine chocolate.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24It's amazingly rich and thick-looking.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31It just goes straight into the back of your throat
0:23:31 > 0:23:34and then right up into your brain.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37It really was the original pick-me-up.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44'I wouldn't have needed much persuasion to tuck into chocolate
0:23:44 > 0:23:46'when it first arrived on these shores.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49'These days, it's the essential ingredient
0:23:49 > 0:23:51'in so many great sweet treats,
0:23:51 > 0:23:56'including this undisputed classic, the chocolate eclair.'
0:23:56 > 0:23:58The combination of cream, fat, chocolate,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01altogether in a lovely pastry case
0:24:01 > 0:24:03is just my idea of food heaven.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08'I'm starting the choux pastry mix by putting exactly
0:24:08 > 0:24:11'200mls of water in a pan.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15'Along with a pinch of salt and some sugar.'
0:24:17 > 0:24:20I remember working in France aged 14, 15,
0:24:20 > 0:24:23where I actually mastered the art of choux pastry.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25Because I spent a lot of time on a pastry section
0:24:25 > 0:24:29just doing little, tiny chocolate eclairs.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31Ever so small. About this big.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34And I had to make about 300 every single day.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36So you really master the art of a good recipe.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39So the important thing I was told in France
0:24:39 > 0:24:40is to use diced butter.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43What you don't want to be doing is a big lump of butter in here.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46Because it's really important that the butter melts
0:24:46 > 0:24:48before the water boils.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51Because the water is really important in this recipe.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55It creates steam. That steam is what we need for the choux pastry to rise.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58So we must have as much water in the recipe as possible.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00And that's why, if you keep boiling this mixture now,
0:25:00 > 0:25:03you don't end up with 250mls of water,
0:25:03 > 0:25:05you'll end up with probably 200mls of water.
0:25:05 > 0:25:06So the recipe becomes unbalanced.
0:25:08 > 0:25:09'When the butter is melted,
0:25:09 > 0:25:13'add 150 grams of good-quality, strong, plain flour.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17'Keep it on the heat and mix.'
0:25:19 > 0:25:22The way to tell whether it's ready is actually not by looking at it,
0:25:22 > 0:25:24but by listening to it.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29And it almost sounds like fried bacon in a pan.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32You can hear it sizzling.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35At that point, we can take it off.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40'The choux pastry mix now has to cool down,
0:25:40 > 0:25:44'so spread it onto a tray and pop it in the fridge for five minutes.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49'After this, add the eggs, four of them in all.'
0:25:55 > 0:25:59The trick with this is to add each egg one at a time.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02One thing you don't want to be doing is throwing all the eggs in together,
0:26:02 > 0:26:04otherwise you'll just end up with a bowl of scrambled egg.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09And then, finally, just give it a blast
0:26:09 > 0:26:11on full power for about 30 seconds.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19'When the choux mix is rich and smooth, it's ready for piping.'
0:26:21 > 0:26:22I like to use quite a decent-sized nozzle.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25Round nozzle for our eclairs.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27These are serious chocolate eclairs, these ones,
0:26:27 > 0:26:29not the piddly ones I was used to in France,
0:26:29 > 0:26:31those are proper big ones.
0:26:31 > 0:26:32Fill your piping bag...
0:26:33 > 0:26:35..full of the choux.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42And then it comes to what many people find is the tricky bit.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46And the actual piping bag doesn't touch the metal tray.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48You're almost drawing the mixture on.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51Now, this hand is moving the speed of the bag,
0:26:51 > 0:26:53this hand is forcing the mixture through.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56And it's how quick or how slow you do each movement
0:26:56 > 0:27:00denotes how thin or thick you want the eclairs.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03You start at one end and work your way through it.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06Every single one the same.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08Every single one the same.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14If you think this is tricky, try doing this with a French chef
0:27:14 > 0:27:16and with a meat cleaver behind you.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19Shouting and screaming at you in a foreign language.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23And certainly a language that your French teacher didn't teach you.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28What you will end up with is little points on it.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32And what you can do is just use a little bit of water on your fingers
0:27:32 > 0:27:36and press the points down on the choux pastry.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39Otherwise, if you leave these little points on it,
0:27:39 > 0:27:41they'll kind of burn.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44But also, don't forget, we're going to coat this in a nice fondant icing.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48So you want the tops...as flat as possible.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52'Sprinkle some water over the tray.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57'In the oven, this will turn into steam and help the eclairs to rise.'
0:27:59 > 0:28:01And then you set the oven quite high.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03About 220 degrees, 450 Fahrenheit.
0:28:03 > 0:28:04Quite a hot oven.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07And these are going to bake now for about 25-30 minutes.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15'I can now start making the topping
0:28:15 > 0:28:18'with 100 grams of dark chocolate in a bain-marie.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23'When that's melted, add 150 grams of icing sugar,
0:28:23 > 0:28:26'along with four tablespoons of cocoa powder, and mix.'
0:28:29 > 0:28:32Now, immediately, it actually goes to this crumb.
0:28:33 > 0:28:38Now, if we use the leftover water that we've got in here and a spoon,
0:28:38 > 0:28:42especially when this is hot, it will bring it back.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47Get this to a paste, really.
0:28:47 > 0:28:49Don't add too much water in at the start,
0:28:49 > 0:28:54otherwise the fondant will end up going lumpy.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58'Add more water until you've got a wonderful, shiny, smooth glaze.'
0:28:58 > 0:29:00You don't want it too liquid,
0:29:00 > 0:29:03otherwise it's just going to fall over the top of your eclairs.
0:29:03 > 0:29:05And also, you don't want it too solid,
0:29:05 > 0:29:07otherwise you'll be spreading it on with a knife.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10Because you've got the chocolate in there, it's going to set.
0:29:10 > 0:29:14So what you need to do...is keep it warm.
0:29:15 > 0:29:20To do that, the leftover water over a pan is the perfect place for this.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23'When the eclairs are cooked,
0:29:23 > 0:29:26'take them out of the oven and let them cool down.'
0:29:28 > 0:29:32Now, I'm going to fill these just with plain whipped cream.
0:29:42 > 0:29:47The cream's nicely, softly whipped, which is exactly what we want.
0:29:47 > 0:29:48Just soft peaks like this.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53Makes it much easier to get inside the eclair.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56Now, there's one thing you need in an eclair,
0:29:56 > 0:29:58and that is cream, and plenty of it.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02Now, instead of cutting this, which a lot of people do,
0:30:02 > 0:30:06and filling it with cream, and when you bite into it,
0:30:06 > 0:30:09bang, the cream goes to your granny sat next to you,
0:30:09 > 0:30:11what you need to do is fill the tops.
0:30:11 > 0:30:13It's a great trick that I learned in France.
0:30:13 > 0:30:18So using an old pen, without the ink, otherwise we'll get letters,
0:30:18 > 0:30:21you put the pen into the top.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26One at each end...like that.
0:30:29 > 0:30:31And then what we do is get your cream.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33Now, you want to create just a small hole in the piping bag.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37Not too big. Just a little hole.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40Make sure you've got a steady stream of cream, like that.
0:30:41 > 0:30:46And then starting at one end, you put the cream inside that hole.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50And squeeze. And you'll see the eclair expand...
0:30:52 > 0:30:55..as it fills full of cream.
0:30:56 > 0:31:00'They look good already, but I'm going to turn them into something really special
0:31:00 > 0:31:03'by dipping them into the warm chocolate fondant,
0:31:03 > 0:31:06'sealing the holes on the top, as well.'
0:31:08 > 0:31:11Ohhhhhhh! Check this out!
0:31:11 > 0:31:14Mm-mm-mm!
0:31:17 > 0:31:19Little twist there.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25If that is not a thing of beauty...
0:31:27 > 0:31:29..I don't know what is.
0:31:29 > 0:31:34Now, normally, if this was a cooking exam at college,
0:31:34 > 0:31:37or with that French chef just behind me,
0:31:37 > 0:31:40I'd get big-time told off
0:31:40 > 0:31:44if any little bits of chocolate were dripping down the edge.
0:31:44 > 0:31:46But this is my house and he's not here.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59I mean, come on, it's a chocolate eclair!
0:31:59 > 0:32:01'That's right, no more words needed.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05'An eclair made well is paradise on a plate.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07'Naughty, but who cares?'
0:32:09 > 0:32:13Giving yourself a boost doesn't have to be so indulgent.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15Sometimes a simple drink will do.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19A steaming cup of tea or coffee
0:32:19 > 0:32:23is usually enough to revive our spirits when we're feeling low.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25But Bath-based couple Ash and Lottie
0:32:25 > 0:32:28have come up with a clever caffeine-free alternative
0:32:28 > 0:32:30that will still give you a lift.
0:32:30 > 0:32:36Chai is actually an Indian recipe that dates back about 5,000 years.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39It was originally used for medicinal properties,
0:32:39 > 0:32:42helps cool you down in the summer.
0:32:42 > 0:32:46The couple started the business when Lottie was diagnosed
0:32:46 > 0:32:48with a chronic digestive disorder.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50I had to drastically change my diet.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52And caffeine was one of the things
0:32:52 > 0:32:55that I had to completely get rid off.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58But obviously, there was a void to fill. I loved my cups of teas
0:32:58 > 0:33:00and I loved my coffee in the morning.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02Which is why we then started making chai.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08Which sounds simple enough, until you hear what goes into it.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11Ready for the ingredients? Take a deep breath.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14We use 100% whole spices in our chai.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17Ginger, cardamom, cinnamon,
0:33:17 > 0:33:19star anise, cloves,
0:33:19 > 0:33:22mixed spice, fennel, nutmeg,
0:33:22 > 0:33:24allspice and vanilla.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26- Nailed!- Yeah! - LOTTIE LAUGHS
0:33:28 > 0:33:33But it took a bit longer to nail the perfect blend of those ingredients.
0:33:33 > 0:33:37We did have an awful lot of terrible batches that we had to dispose of,
0:33:37 > 0:33:40but in the end, we found this recipe, it's a brilliant recipe.
0:33:43 > 0:33:44Initially, Ash's chai recipe
0:33:44 > 0:33:47was designed as a healthy caffeine-free pick-me-up,
0:33:47 > 0:33:50mixed with warm milk as a treat for Lottie.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55But everyone who tried the drink loved it so much that the couple
0:33:55 > 0:33:58decided to turn it into a business they could run from home.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02We couldn't think of a name when we started,
0:34:02 > 0:34:05so we thought we'd just name it after our kids, Henry and Joseph.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11Now they've got a recipe and a name for their chai,
0:34:11 > 0:34:14Lottie and Ash are keen to push it to the next level,
0:34:14 > 0:34:17spreading the word to reach new customers.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21The batch that we've done today is quite a big batch.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24It's for the Bath Boules festival that's coming up.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29And this is that festival. A massive social event,
0:34:29 > 0:34:33attracting hoards of hungry visitors and scores of stallholders.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39So we're here, we're set up, we're getting people involved,
0:34:39 > 0:34:42getting some samples out and getting people trying it.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46And it's being taken down really, really well. People are enjoying it.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49It's incredible. The chai spices are really nice mixed with milk.
0:34:49 > 0:34:51It's really good.
0:34:53 > 0:34:55We find a lot of people out there haven't tried chai, so...
0:34:55 > 0:34:57- Or don't even know what it is.- Yeah.
0:34:57 > 0:35:01So giving out free samples is a good way of getting people into it and...
0:35:01 > 0:35:02Raising the awareness.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06- One cold latte and one cold regular. - OK.
0:35:08 > 0:35:12It means a lot to us. Working as a couple, yeah, it's hard,
0:35:12 > 0:35:15but it's also very rewarding.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17- It's pretty much our life.- Yeah.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19Essentially, we're working together and living together.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23And it's a little reminder every day of the kids
0:35:23 > 0:35:26and just knowing that, at the end of the day,
0:35:26 > 0:35:27they're proud of us for doing it.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34'There's only one pick-me-up that's better than great food,
0:35:34 > 0:35:37'and that's sharing it with great company.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41'So today, I've asked over my good friend Michael Caines.
0:35:41 > 0:35:42'He's a Michelin-star chef,
0:35:42 > 0:35:45'but, like me, he loves cooking unfussy food at home.'
0:35:45 > 0:35:48- Hey!- How you doing, buddy? You're actually here!
0:35:48 > 0:35:52'And he's going to help me create the ultimate feel-good dish.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54'My perfect cottage pie.'
0:35:56 > 0:35:59- It's great.- Yeah.- It's one of the dishes I was brought up with.
0:35:59 > 0:36:01- I'm sure you had it at home.- Yeah.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04- We'll do that with just mashed potato and carrots.- Good.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07Properly-cooked carrots, as my mother called it. Not al-dente stuff.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11- No, these are proper cooked.- Got to be soft...soft carrots, as well.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14'I'm starting off by dicing up some celery.'
0:36:15 > 0:36:18So, what were you like as a kid, then, eating at home?
0:36:18 > 0:36:21Well, we always got around the table. We had a lovely garden.
0:36:21 > 0:36:25Helped Dad do the gardening. Mum cooked every day.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27And cooking dishes like this at home,
0:36:27 > 0:36:30it sort of takes me back to my childhood, which is great.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35'To start the cooking, brown off 600 grams of beef mince in some veg oil.'
0:36:37 > 0:36:40When was the moment...? Because when I was a young kid,
0:36:40 > 0:36:41I remember it was quite early on.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44Probably about seven or eight years old that I thought,
0:36:44 > 0:36:46"This is the job that I want to do".
0:36:46 > 0:36:49Mainly because I saw Keith Floyd once, who did a dinner,
0:36:49 > 0:36:52and I was only about eight and he stood up on a lectern and fell off.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54And I went, "That's what I want to be when I get older!"
0:36:54 > 0:36:57Because everybody applauded him. And I just thought, "That's me."
0:36:57 > 0:36:59- Showman.- I'll have a bit of that!
0:36:59 > 0:37:01There were no James Martin's on TV when we grew up.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04There was no Jamie Oliver, there was nothing to really inspire you.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07There was Keith, but nothing as a career.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09So I kind of didn't think of it as a career.
0:37:09 > 0:37:10I just thought of it as a hobby.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13But when I found out I could cook for a living, that was it.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16I was about 16 years old and I haven't looked back since.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19I went to catering college and I went on from there.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23'After finely chopping two onions, three cloves of garlic,
0:37:23 > 0:37:26'a celery stick and one carrot,
0:37:26 > 0:37:28'chuck it all in with the beef.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33'Then add Worcester sauce for some spice,
0:37:33 > 0:37:35'and two tablespoons of tomato puree.
0:37:37 > 0:37:39'Finally, a splash of red wine.'
0:37:41 > 0:37:43And just burn off the alcohol and reduce it down a little bit
0:37:43 > 0:37:47and then we've got this beautiful beef stock, which we're going to put in. Look at that!
0:37:47 > 0:37:49'This beef stock is nice and thick
0:37:49 > 0:37:52'because I've reduced it down a few times.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54'But some butchers can do this for you.'
0:37:54 > 0:37:57You can't make this with the powdered stock, really, I don't think.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59- No.- You want to invest in some good stock.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02I like to taste at this stage.
0:38:02 > 0:38:06Do you know what I'm going to do at this stage? Get the carrots on.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09My gran used to put carrots like this, even back then,
0:38:09 > 0:38:12bit of salt, some sugar
0:38:12 > 0:38:14and a nice nub of butter in it, as well.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16Carrots have got a natural sweetness.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19But they become something else when you cook them like this.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22- Obviously, butter.- This is where I blame my gran, you see?
0:38:22 > 0:38:25MICHAEL LAUGHS That's where it all started, with the carrots.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28- She's got a lot to answer for, clearly.- Tell me about it.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33'The carrots should be left to cook for at least half an hour
0:38:33 > 0:38:34'so they go really soft.
0:38:38 > 0:38:40'After the mince has simmered away for half an hour,
0:38:40 > 0:38:42'put it in the fridge to chill.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44'It's a nifty trick that will make
0:38:44 > 0:38:48'putting on the mashed potato topping much easier
0:38:48 > 0:38:50'because the mix will be firmer.'
0:38:53 > 0:38:55You know what, it looks delicious, doesn't it?
0:38:55 > 0:38:57It's no good me doing it, seeing as you're here.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59- Yeah, delicious.- Happy with that?
0:38:59 > 0:39:02- Really intense. Beautiful. - Doesn't need salt or pepper?
0:39:02 > 0:39:05Maybe just a...maybe just a little bit of salt.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07THEY LAUGH Go on, put a bit more in. I know you want to.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09No, no, no, no. It's rich
0:39:09 > 0:39:13and the stock's reduced and it's just intensified. Look at it!
0:39:13 > 0:39:16- A good cottage pie, that. - Proper, that. Proper.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19'For the mashed topping, we're using potatoes
0:39:19 > 0:39:22'that have been pierced with a fork, put on a bed of rock salt
0:39:22 > 0:39:25'and baked for about an hour, keeping the flesh nice and dry.
0:39:28 > 0:39:29'When they're cool enough to handle,
0:39:29 > 0:39:31'scoop them out and pass through a ricer.'
0:39:33 > 0:39:36So, are you the only chef in the family, then, or...?
0:39:36 > 0:39:38Yeah. No, I'm the only chef in the family.
0:39:38 > 0:39:42And there was no real history of anybody in the industry, as such.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46I was adopted at the age of six weeks, but I found my father
0:39:46 > 0:39:49and what I did find out is that, when he came over from Dominica,
0:39:49 > 0:39:51when he first came over, he was a cook.
0:39:51 > 0:39:52- Oh, was he?- Yeah, he was a cook.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55Isn't it amazing what you're nurtured and natured?
0:39:55 > 0:39:57But he died, unfortunately, a few years ago.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00And when I read his eulogy, they talked about his ability
0:40:00 > 0:40:05to cook food with a small amount, a limited amount of ingredients
0:40:05 > 0:40:07but yet it all tasted incredibly fantastic.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09- How weird is that?- It was mad.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11It was like reading a short story about myself.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14It was really, really quite incredible.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17In life, you don't know where you're going, unless you know where you're from.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20So in that regard, it was very worthwhile.
0:40:23 > 0:40:25'After ricing all the potatoes,
0:40:25 > 0:40:27'add 100 grams of butter and 150mls of milk.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34'Now, I think it should go in cold, but Michael has other ideas.'
0:40:36 > 0:40:38- You put warm milk on, do you? - Well, it just...
0:40:38 > 0:40:40- Oh, controversial!- Well, you see...
0:40:40 > 0:40:42- Oh!- You don't have to.
0:40:42 > 0:40:45No. I don't have to because it creates too much washing-up, but...
0:40:45 > 0:40:47Ah, see, that's a good point, actually. Go on, then.
0:40:47 > 0:40:49See, that's a cheffy... That's interesting...
0:40:49 > 0:40:53You're doing the cheffy thing. I'm cooking this for me at home
0:40:53 > 0:40:55and I'm thinking, "That's another pan to wash up."
0:40:55 > 0:40:58That's a massive point because I'm banned from cooking at home
0:40:58 > 0:41:01- because of the amount of pans... - Precisely.
0:41:01 > 0:41:03Warming up a bit of milk. Pointless!
0:41:03 > 0:41:05The reason why I'm warming it up is because, you know...
0:41:05 > 0:41:07No, you're not! THEY LAUGH
0:41:07 > 0:41:10It makes perfectly good mash without warming up. You know it does.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12Ah, brilliant!
0:41:12 > 0:41:13'After barely showing it the hob,
0:41:13 > 0:41:18'pour the milk on top of the potatoes, mix and season.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20'Now it's ready to go on top of the mince.'
0:41:22 > 0:41:26What I like to do is use this fork to create a little bit of, er...
0:41:26 > 0:41:30- Artistic pattern.- Yeah, but also, that will help with the glaze
0:41:30 > 0:41:31when you put it in the oven.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34- Butter on the top?- Oooh, a bit of butter, go on, then.
0:41:34 > 0:41:38Because that's nice for the glaze. Something as simple as that, really.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44And it is a very wholesome, hearty and simple dish.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46- Happy with that? - Yeah. It looks delicious.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50'The pie goes into the oven
0:41:50 > 0:41:53'set at 220-degrees centigrade for about 15 minutes.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57'By then, the carrots will be soft and ready to eat.'
0:41:59 > 0:42:01- I don't peel them. - No. A lot of people peel.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04And actually, carrots, I think, taste better
0:42:04 > 0:42:08for having the skin on, especially this size.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11- You're taking away the goodness, as well.- Absolutely.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14- Think there's enough there for me and you?- I think we're spoilt.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17- JAMES LAUGHS - I'm just going to reduce this glaze down and put it under...
0:42:17 > 0:42:20Stop being cheffy, just get it on the plate!
0:42:20 > 0:42:22Just going to reduce this down and add a little butter(!)
0:42:22 > 0:42:25- Get it on the plate! - Relax into this cooking.
0:42:25 > 0:42:26Just get over here!
0:42:26 > 0:42:27Cor blimey!
0:42:31 > 0:42:33This is the food that you want, innit, really?
0:42:33 > 0:42:36When you come back from a busy day at work,
0:42:36 > 0:42:37this is the kind of stuff that you want.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40- I like the carrots, too. - Tried my best.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46'Pick-me-up food is all about delicious recipes
0:42:46 > 0:42:48'that nourish the soul and put a smile on your face,
0:42:48 > 0:42:51'no matter what kind of day you've had.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54'Even if your mate deserts you when it's time to do the washing-up.'
0:42:58 > 0:43:02You can find all the recipes from the series on our website:
0:43:06 > 0:43:08See you, James!
0:43:11 > 0:43:12Unbelievable!