0:00:05 > 0:00:08My two passions are flying and food.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15And it's from up here you really get to appreciate
0:00:15 > 0:00:19the unique landscape that produces the food that I love to cook.
0:00:30 > 0:00:31So I'm taking to the skies
0:00:31 > 0:00:35to show you how this land has influenced our larders.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43On my journey around the UK,
0:00:43 > 0:00:46I'm going to meeting the people who work this ever-changing landscape.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50Revealing how this terrain has served up
0:00:50 > 0:00:53some of the country's best regional ingredients.
0:00:54 > 0:00:55They taste so good.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59And also, I'll be sharing some great recipes
0:00:59 > 0:01:01that showcase this amazing land
0:01:01 > 0:01:05that puts such great food on our tables.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12Today I'm heading to the South East.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23This is an area defined by a dramatic coastline...
0:01:26 > 0:01:28..expansive estuaries...
0:01:31 > 0:01:33..and almost endless farmland,
0:01:33 > 0:01:37each of which, produce their own special ingredients.
0:01:42 > 0:01:47The rolling chalk hills of the South Downs harbour row upon row of vines,
0:01:47 > 0:01:50used to make Britain's answer to champagne.
0:01:55 > 0:02:00The tidal waters of the English Channel offer winkles, cockles
0:02:00 > 0:02:02and the wonderful Kentish small brown shrimp.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07And the sparsely populated Romney Marshes,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10blanketed with coastal vegetation,
0:02:10 > 0:02:13is home to the deliciously unique saltmarsh lamb.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22This is one of the warmest and driest corners of the UK
0:02:22 > 0:02:28and first today, I'm heading to the ancient fishing town of Hastings, in East Sussex.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46One of the fascinating things about Hastings, and you can see that from up above,
0:02:46 > 0:02:48is that it's quite open to the elements.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51There was a huge storm here hundreds of years ago,
0:02:51 > 0:02:52which demolished the harbour
0:02:52 > 0:02:56and really changed the landscape to what we see now.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59The fishing boats are dragged up onto the shingle beach.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05The warm shallow waters here have made this bit of the coast
0:03:05 > 0:03:09a favourite fishing spot for what's thought to be around 1,000 years.
0:03:09 > 0:03:14And one place renowned for making the most of the wide range of fish brought ashore
0:03:14 > 0:03:17is Tush and Pat's place on the beach.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23- How are you doing, Pat? Good to meet you.- And you.- Tush.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26- Hello, James. How are you? - Frying fish already. Look at that.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30- Well...- Proper stuff.- Real fish, eh? - What have we got here, then?
0:03:30 > 0:03:33- James, we cook whatever there is. - Right.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36I mean, it could be whiting, dabs, plaice, gurnets,
0:03:36 > 0:03:38whatever they bring in is what we cook.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41- So you take the smaller ones, do you?- Yeah, yeah.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45A certain size, like. Normally, the smaller ones go to France,
0:03:45 > 0:03:50but we take that size of them, whatever they are.
0:03:50 > 0:03:55Fish regularly caught here include mackerel, herring, plaice, cod,
0:03:55 > 0:03:59bass, flounder, dabs, lemon sole - the list goes on.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03These are the lemons today. I've been filleting these today.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05And whiting, which is...
0:04:05 > 0:04:09Quite unusual to see whiting in that condition
0:04:09 > 0:04:11this time of the year, you know?
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Whiting's one of these fish that we don't use so much.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16- People say they're full of bones. - Yeah.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19If you know how to fillet them, they're not full of bones
0:04:19 > 0:04:22- and if you get a bone, I'll give you a fiver.- Really?
0:04:22 > 0:04:24- Oh, that's... - That's how confident I am.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28Now, whiting, we don't see as much of this, I don't think, in the UK,
0:04:28 > 0:04:31- but if you can get a hold of it, it really is fantastic.- Beautiful.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33- Are you going to try one, James? - I'd better.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35So you've just cooked it in a little bit of olive oil.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Olive oil, a little bit of pepper.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39What you're going to taste is the fish, nothing else.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42- Do I need anything else? - Well, you've got lemon or...
0:04:42 > 0:04:44I don't want any of that brown sauce stuff.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47- What are you doing? What's this? - That's for children.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51- Children. Be careful, it's very hot. - Right.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54- How about this? So if I find a bone, I get a fiver?- You get a fiver.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56Bring it back.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00And if you're the first one in 12 years to find a bone...
0:05:01 > 0:05:03Be careful, they're hot, James.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14I don't mean to sound insulting, but I used to love fish finger sandwiches when I was a kid.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16Oh, right, yeah.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19That's about the best fish finger sandwich you're ever going to eat.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26- That is delicious, I have to say. - Good.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29Well, for a chef to tell us that, that's got to be good, hasn't it?
0:05:29 > 0:05:32I'm still trying to find a bone, though.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37But there's one fish Tush isn't cooking for me today
0:05:37 > 0:05:40that Hastings is famous for - Dover sole.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49This is one of the best places for Dover soles, along the Channel,
0:05:49 > 0:05:51around the whole country.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55It's renowned for it, all over the country, all over Europe, I presume.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58Mark Woodley has been going out at night
0:05:58 > 0:06:01fishing for these bottom-dwelling flatfish at Hastings
0:06:01 > 0:06:04for over 35 years.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09It makes good money in a restaurant, doesn't it?
0:06:09 > 0:06:13Some of those bigger soles, I'm not exaggerating, probably would be 26, 30 quid.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17And we probably get a fiver for it, five, six quid.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21The shallow sea off the coast here
0:06:21 > 0:06:24means that only small boats can work these waters,
0:06:24 > 0:06:28so fishing here has been done essentially the same way for a very long time.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32What a way of life, isn't it? Look at it.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35It's... How can you better this?
0:06:35 > 0:06:37It's just something else, isn't it, really?
0:06:40 > 0:06:43Dover sole is a favourite among top chefs
0:06:43 > 0:06:45because of its sweet flesh.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47But before I cook any, I want to hear a bit more
0:06:47 > 0:06:50from one of Hastings' longest-serving fishermen.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55- Are you there, Mark?- Hello. - Good to see you.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00- Come on down.- How are we doing? - I'm very good, thank you. Yourself?
0:07:00 > 0:07:04- Very well.- Good.- Good to see you? - How are you doing?- Yeah, very well.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07Tell us about this place. Where does your fishing rights cover?
0:07:07 > 0:07:11- Well, personally, we fish from sort of Bexhill...- Yeah.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14- ..down to sort of this side of Rye. - Yeah.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17And probably out to five or six miles.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19We don't really go that far.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24The reason Mark can haul bumper catches of Dover sole
0:07:24 > 0:07:28is that the waters along this bit of coast are perfect for them.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32As with most other flatfish, Dover sole live and feed
0:07:32 > 0:07:34on a sandy or silty sea floor.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40The gradual erosion of the chalk and sandstone cliffs here provide
0:07:40 > 0:07:41exactly that,
0:07:41 > 0:07:44which, combined with the warm, shallow water,
0:07:44 > 0:07:46creates a perfect habitat for them,
0:07:46 > 0:07:49all within easy reach of the small fishing boats
0:07:49 > 0:07:51huddled along the beach at Hastings.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55Now, it seems to me that's it's kind of like a...
0:07:55 > 0:07:58Whereas pig farming's one thing - you know what you're producing -
0:07:58 > 0:08:01- here, it's kind of a lottery, isn't it?- It is a lottery.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04You're going out after one particular thing
0:08:04 > 0:08:06- but you could end up with anything. - Yeah. Yeah, that's very true.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09I mean, it's very much a mixed fishery here anyway,
0:08:09 > 0:08:11so, I mean, the other day there,
0:08:11 > 0:08:14we caught a lot of plaice, which we don't really want to catch.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17Tell me about Dover sole. Are you a fan of it?
0:08:17 > 0:08:20Yeah, I like Dover sole. I do like Dover sole.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22- Because chefs really prize Dover sole.- Yeah, they do.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24That must keep you happy.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27We probably don't appreciate it, really, because we have so many of them.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29And cooking it, what do you do with it, then?
0:08:29 > 0:08:32- I... I grill the sole.- You grill the sole? Right.- I grill the sole.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36I don't put anything... I don't like anything... I just like fish.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38- And a few chips. - You don't need anything else.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40No. What else do you want?
0:08:42 > 0:08:45So many fishermen like their catch simply cooked
0:08:45 > 0:08:47that they can't all be wrong.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51But you don't need me to show you how to grill or fry a bit of fish
0:08:51 > 0:08:54in a bit of butter and stick it between two slices of fresh bread,
0:08:54 > 0:08:58so I'm going to try something a little bit more ambitious.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03Now, it's unbelievable to think that these Dover soles are caught,
0:09:03 > 0:09:07some are caught, just literally over that harbour wall there.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10But they catch other things here, too, and I've got a selection.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13The king of all flatfish, really, for me, Dover sole.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16I actually love this. It's my ultimate, ultimate flatfish.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19But you've got plaice and lemon sole,
0:09:19 > 0:09:22all of which are caught just off the headland there.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Now, what I'm going to do is like a classic meuniere sort of style,
0:09:25 > 0:09:26which is a brown butter, really,
0:09:26 > 0:09:30but with the addition of capers, parsley and lemon in there as well.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33What I did find, when I was wandering over there, from a little shop,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36I found these little fellas here, these little brown shrimps.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39Now, I love these. They're often found in Morecambe.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43But they're delicious and are going to go fantastically well with this.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48My plan is that the bitterness of the lemon and the punch of the capers
0:09:48 > 0:09:51will make the natural sweetness of my brown shrimps
0:09:51 > 0:09:55and that prize Dover sole really complement each other.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58First of all, you need to take the skin off.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00Now, what you need is a pair of scissors
0:10:00 > 0:10:03and trim off the fins.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07This would have to be my last supper, really,
0:10:07 > 0:10:10cos a Dover sole tastes fantastic.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13Last time I had this was over in France,
0:10:13 > 0:10:16literally, 70-odd miles in that direction.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20This was 100 euros, this dish,
0:10:20 > 0:10:24but, let's face it, what better place to have it than here?
0:10:24 > 0:10:25And cheaper.
0:10:25 > 0:10:30The bones in Dover sole aren't very difficult to deal with when you're eating it,
0:10:30 > 0:10:32so I'm going to leave them in,
0:10:32 > 0:10:36which means all I have to do is take off the fins, tail, head and skin.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38This takes a bit of practice to do neatly
0:10:38 > 0:10:40but your fishmonger will have loads of that,
0:10:40 > 0:10:43so you could get him to do it for you.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45I'm going to cook it the traditional way,
0:10:45 > 0:10:50which is just a little bit of flour, first of all, and plenty of oil.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52So I've got some plain flour here.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54Season this up.
0:10:56 > 0:10:57Salt and pepper.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02And then coat our fish in the flour.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06Just get rid of the excess flour.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12And cook it in olive oil, this one. So plenty of oil.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15We don't want to cook it in butter because butter will burn.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19We use that for the sauce. This is purely to cook the fish.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22So straight in hot oil.
0:11:22 > 0:11:27And we cook this gently now for about three minutes on each side.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43And now for the sauce for this.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46So while that's cooking, we're going to make our brown butter.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49So I want a little bit of shallot, just a small bit.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51I'm going to finish this off with a lemon flower
0:11:51 > 0:11:56and that's little Sammy over there. She's peeling a lemon with a spoon.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59It's always better to get somebody else to do that, really.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02It's far too fussy but the secret of it is,
0:12:02 > 0:12:05we just want all the rind and the pith removed from the lemon,
0:12:05 > 0:12:08so you end up just with a nice-shaped lemon.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10Now, I'm going to make a nice little sauce with this.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12You need some butter here.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Into a really hot pan. You can see that - hot.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18Just a small amount of butter.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21It is me cooking it, of course.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23Throw the shallots in now.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27If you throw the shallots in too early, they're going to burn.
0:12:27 > 0:12:32So the butter just starts to colour, just ever so slightly.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35This is what the French call beurre noisette.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37It means nut-brown butter.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40And when you create this, it just adds a lovely little flavour to it
0:12:40 > 0:12:43and almost like a bitterness to the sauce.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46And then what we can do is add our lemon.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48Now, you need to be careful when you do this at home.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50Keep this well away from your net curtains
0:12:50 > 0:12:54because this will go everywhere, so while it's still on the heat...
0:12:54 > 0:12:57lemon, straight in.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59Swirl that around now in our pan.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05And take a little bit of muslin...
0:13:08 > 0:13:11..and pass this through.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13We don't really want any of the shallots.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18You can see the colour of the butter, what's happening there now.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20And all those little bits.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22You can see the butter's changed colour in here as well.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26And then we can impart the fundamental part of this dish - the flavour.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31So into the butter sauce goes a handful of capers,
0:13:31 > 0:13:32parsley...
0:13:34 > 0:13:35..and the shrimps.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41Along with a grind of pepper and a pinch of salt.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47Mix that together and then spoon it onto the delicious Dover sole
0:13:47 > 0:13:50that's been so patiently waiting.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55And then we've got our lemon flowers.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59Which I've got over here.
0:14:00 > 0:14:05When we cut the lemon, we've got this lovely flower-shaped pattern.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07Then simply lay the lemon flowers
0:14:07 > 0:14:11onto that superb piece of local Dover sole.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15And then that's it. You've got a simple little dish
0:14:15 > 0:14:18based on a classic meuniere sort of sauce,
0:14:18 > 0:14:23which is this nut-brown butter that you can pour over the top.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26You can almost eat this just as it is,
0:14:26 > 0:14:30but you don't really want anything else.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32It's got to be the ultimate flatfish
0:14:32 > 0:14:35and it's right on your doorstep, just out there.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44This lovely fish and the small boats that work the shallow waters here
0:14:44 > 0:14:47are a good example of how we should all make the most
0:14:47 > 0:14:50of the bountiful supply of great food in this country.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55But I am leaving Hastings now and the county of East Sussex
0:14:55 > 0:14:57to cross into Kent.
0:15:01 > 0:15:06The Kentish coastline stretches right around the bottom right-hand foot of Britain,
0:15:06 > 0:15:10past the iconic White Cliffs and then northwards.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13Here, seafood continues to thrive
0:15:13 > 0:15:18and places like Whitstable have long been famed for their world-class oysters.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26But heading inland, this area offers much, much more.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33And you really can see below me
0:15:33 > 0:15:35the different varieties of stuff being produced down there.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39There's arable farming, sheep and cattle grazing further along
0:15:39 > 0:15:42and then also, directly below us, there's vegetable production.
0:15:42 > 0:15:47However, what Kent is probably best-known for is its orchards.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57Traditional orchards are a key part of the beauty of the Kent Downs.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03The Tudors grew plums, pears and apples in Kent
0:16:03 > 0:16:05some 400 years ago,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08but it's thought they may have been found here long before that.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14But what I've come here for are the jewels in Kent's culinary crown.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Absolute beautiful, glistening cherries on a tree like this,
0:16:24 > 0:16:27picked straight off and straight out into the shop or the farm shop.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30I mean, you just can't beat this time of year, can you?
0:16:30 > 0:16:33For James Dallaway, cherries are in the blood.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35His father planted this orchard
0:16:35 > 0:16:38and now he aims to pass his passion on to others
0:16:38 > 0:16:42by throwing open the gates and allowing the public to adopt a tree.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44The taste is absolutely amazing
0:16:44 > 0:16:46and it's such a lovely thing for families.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48They can come down. We have a Blossom Weekend,
0:16:48 > 0:16:50kids see the tree in bloom
0:16:50 > 0:16:53and then they come back and, wow, there's cherries - amazing.
0:16:53 > 0:16:58The cherry season in this country only lasts five or six weeks a year
0:16:58 > 0:17:00and it really signals summer's here.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05The first farmer's market of every venue of every season that you go to,
0:17:05 > 0:17:08the clamour and the queue for the cherries is incredible.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11It's just, "Oh, wow, we've been waiting 46 weeks for this."
0:17:11 > 0:17:14And with it being the height of the picking season now,
0:17:14 > 0:17:17if James thinks his vast swathes of bird netting
0:17:17 > 0:17:20will keep me from his superb cherries, he's wrong.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24Now, I used to love pick-your-own farms when I was a young kid
0:17:24 > 0:17:27and apparently, I've got to wear this thing
0:17:27 > 0:17:28and I know what you're thinking.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Just don't ask.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36Michael, good to see you. I feel like I'm dressed the part, anyway.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40- Is that the correct...? - That's the kit for picking. - That's the correct gear.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44- These look fantastic. So how old are these?- These are about 25 years old,
0:17:44 > 0:17:47some of the original planting that my dad planted in the '80s.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50- I assume there's hundreds of types? - There is.
0:17:50 > 0:17:51We grow about 30 or so.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55This variety is called Merchant. It's the first of the English season.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57And what are we looking to pick, then? What are we after?
0:17:57 > 0:18:00- The deep red ones? - Yeah, that colour's great
0:18:00 > 0:18:04and with the stalks it's perfect cos they keep their freshness.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07Why this area of England, then? Why is that so good for cherries?
0:18:07 > 0:18:11It's traditionally known as the Garden of England.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15Well, we can argue all day long - the Garden of England has got to be Yorkshire.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18- My mum would agree because that's where she comes from.- You see!
0:18:18 > 0:18:22- But she's also wrong, unfortunately. - No, your mother's always right!
0:18:22 > 0:18:24- You should listen to that, you see. - I know, I know.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Garden of England or not, one thing IS for sure -
0:18:31 > 0:18:34most of the UK's wet weather is brought in from the Atlantic
0:18:34 > 0:18:36on our prevailing westerly winds,
0:18:36 > 0:18:39but by the time that the wind has brought rain to Wales,
0:18:39 > 0:18:41Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and so on,
0:18:41 > 0:18:45there's little left in the air to drop onto the South East.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48In fact, Kent has just about the lowest rainfall in Britain.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52- So you don't get masses of rain here?- We don't, we don't.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55We get enough to grow them and to keep the trees watered
0:18:55 > 0:18:59but, you know, generally, we miss a lot of the summer rains
0:18:59 > 0:19:01which cause crop devastation in cherries
0:19:01 > 0:19:03because the rain splits the cherries.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06Another thing appreciated by Michael's cherries is
0:19:06 > 0:19:08the make up of the ground.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11The tree roots spread through the free-draining chalky topsoil,
0:19:11 > 0:19:16which balances acidity to the nutrient-rich clay loam below.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18It's paradise for these trees.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22Now, I remember when you used to go to pick-your-own farms,
0:19:22 > 0:19:23you used to do a bit of...
0:19:23 > 0:19:26- One for me, one for the bucket. - Yeah.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29- Are you not bored of them? - No. I don't know how many I eat,
0:19:29 > 0:19:31but probably kilos a day, I would think.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35Especially when you're in the orchard all day, sorting cherries,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38supervising the pickers - always got a hand in the tray.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41They are something that you're not going to get bored of it.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44A bit like strawberries and raspberries - you can sort of...
0:19:44 > 0:19:47- It's the whole beauty... - ..you can have too many of them.
0:19:47 > 0:19:52- But these...- You just keep going. It is the whole beauty of seasonal fruit, isn't it?
0:19:52 > 0:19:53That's the whole point.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56Why do you want cherries in January from Chile?
0:19:56 > 0:20:01Wait for the season and have them for the six weeks that they're available
0:20:01 > 0:20:03when they're at their best.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05I need a few more than this. I'd better keep going.
0:20:05 > 0:20:06We'll be here all day, I think.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09You would be! Look at the amount you've got in there.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11I'm keeping my eye on the novice.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13Good job you're not getting paid by the pound.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18All the cherries are picked by hand here to avoid damaging them,
0:20:18 > 0:20:22but as Michael's proving, it's slow work.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26In fact, it takes so long, I made the mistake
0:20:26 > 0:20:29of asking some of the film crew to go and get me some lunch
0:20:29 > 0:20:30before I tackled my first recipe.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33This, they expect me to eat.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35I actually don't know what it is
0:20:35 > 0:20:39and I've been involved in food for 40 of the 41 years of my life,
0:20:39 > 0:20:42but they assure me this is a burger in a pasty.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46So I thought I'd cook myself something for lunch.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51And it's the healthy option today - trifle.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Now, there are basically two types of cherry,
0:20:56 > 0:20:59the acid cherries are the ones usually used in cooking,
0:20:59 > 0:21:01but we've been picking a sweet variety
0:21:01 > 0:21:03and that's what I'm going to use in this.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07And I'm going to stew these straight away.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10So we've basically just picked these. Into a hot pan.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15I'm going to use some of this lovely cherry brandy.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21You could use a little bit of kirsch in there as well if you wanted
0:21:21 > 0:21:23but this cherry brandy is fantastic.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26And I'm just going to sweeten it slightly with some sugar.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30Only about a couple of tablespoons.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32What this is going to do is not just sweeten them,
0:21:32 > 0:21:35but it's going to thicken up the liquid, ready for my trifle.
0:21:35 > 0:21:40What we need to do is cook this for about, I'd say, ten minutes, really,
0:21:40 > 0:21:42with the lid off - let them stew down.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45What we end up with is what we've got over here.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47So I'm just going to lose this to one side.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50Get that down, cooking over there.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52And we've got some of this cherry liquor,
0:21:52 > 0:21:56which you can see, the juice has become nice and thick, like that.
0:21:57 > 0:21:58And it's delicious. These...
0:22:00 > 0:22:02..are really good now.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05Great off the tree, but perfect for our trifle.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09Now this is kind of like a... I'd call this a cheat's trifle, really.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13It kind of cheats because it uses this stuff.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16Now, this is ready-made custard
0:22:16 > 0:22:18and chefs will be going, "Why didn't you make it yourself?"
0:22:18 > 0:22:24But this is out of a packet. It's not the bright yellow stuff.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26It's ready-made custard.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30What I'm going to do is create what the French call a creme legere,
0:22:30 > 0:22:32or what we call custard and cream.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36It's often what's found in choux pastry and chocolate eclairs.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42So for your cheat's creme legere, gently mix in
0:22:42 > 0:22:46about as much lightly whipped double cream as there is custard.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51And it tastes...
0:22:51 > 0:22:55This is just...delicious.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57You see, not everything has to be made from scratch
0:22:57 > 0:23:00and really, once you crown all this with your cherries,
0:23:00 > 0:23:06no-one's going to fuss about whether or not you've separated your own eggs.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09And then I'm going to cheat again with this.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12And what I'm going to do is use some of this Madeira cake,
0:23:12 > 0:23:16which we've basically bought from a shop just down the road, there.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19And just dice this up, really.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22Because this is what my granny used to make a trifle,
0:23:22 > 0:23:26and if it's good enough for my gran,
0:23:26 > 0:23:27it's kind of good enough for me, really.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31So I thought I'd use a little bit of this
0:23:31 > 0:23:34and then I've made a little bit of stock syrup, here,
0:23:34 > 0:23:37which is basically sugar and water brought to the boil.
0:23:37 > 0:23:42And we're going to use some of this cherry brandy there.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46Over the top.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50Now, it wasn't until I was about 14,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53when I actually found my grandmother's recipe for her sherry trifle,
0:23:53 > 0:23:55and sadly, it was when she'd passed away.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59Now I've realised why my auntie and my granddad fell asleep
0:23:59 > 0:24:01during the Queen's Speech,
0:24:01 > 0:24:04because the amount of alcohol she used to have in this was unbelievable.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10But you just take the cherries like that, over the top.
0:24:11 > 0:24:12And just let them soak in.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18So we just allow this to infuse and then you use some of this,
0:24:18 > 0:24:23this custard mixture, over the top.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26And you basically build up layers.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29I didn't really know what to do, to be honest.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32I was on my way here, thinking, "What am I going to do with cherries,
0:24:32 > 0:24:34"rather than just sort of pick them off a tree?"
0:24:34 > 0:24:37But you can't beat a trifle, can you, really?
0:24:41 > 0:24:44Before we top this with the cream,
0:24:44 > 0:24:46I'm just going to make some caramel in here
0:24:46 > 0:24:48and dip some cherries in a caramel.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52So just plain caster sugar in a hot pan - nothing else.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55I'm just going to instantly make a caramel.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59And then for our whipped cream - no need to put any custard in this one -
0:24:59 > 0:25:01I'm just going to whip it up.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08You see, if this was a normal cookery show,
0:25:08 > 0:25:09we'd have this done.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13It's only because our director wants me to feel the sort of nature
0:25:13 > 0:25:14and the outdoor space
0:25:14 > 0:25:17and life, living it outdoors,
0:25:17 > 0:25:19that we've got to cook without electric.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28This is ridiculous. Is this single cream?
0:25:31 > 0:25:33I'm going to be two more minutes. Off you go.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42Right, well, we're nearly there.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46Look at that.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Peaks of cream.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50Now get yourself a piping bag.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57Almost any plastic bag will do, as long as it's clean
0:25:57 > 0:25:58and not full of holes.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00Fill it up and nip off the corner
0:26:00 > 0:26:02before squeezing out a pretty pattern
0:26:02 > 0:26:04on the top of your trifle.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08Now, the key to this is make it look like it's nice.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10So think ahead, you know?
0:26:10 > 0:26:11Just...
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Like that. Think ahead.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22You see, with cooking, chefs tell you less is more,
0:26:22 > 0:26:26but with trifle, more is more.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28Look at that!
0:26:28 > 0:26:32I'm going to finish this off with some chocolate shavings, as well.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38And then all we need to finish this off
0:26:38 > 0:26:40is our cherries,
0:26:40 > 0:26:43which we can dip into this liquid caramel.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46Now, you could, of course, dip them in chocolate if you wanted to, but I like them in this.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49It just creates a lovely glaze over the top.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59These are the cherry equivalents to toffee apples.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04And if you think I'm being very restrained not eating them here and now,
0:27:04 > 0:27:08you're wrong - it's just that the caramel is far too hot.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15So you really want to allow these to cool down
0:27:15 > 0:27:18and then all we do is just lift each one off...
0:27:20 > 0:27:21..to decorate our trifle.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27Pop the last one on.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32A cherry trifle.
0:27:32 > 0:27:33Easy as that.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35But remember, this is for me.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39That's what the crew's going to be left to eat.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49Burger in a pasty or a cheat's trifle?
0:27:51 > 0:27:54With Kentish cherries in season from June through July,
0:27:54 > 0:27:57I know which one I prefer.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02In fact, given the choice between fresh, locally grown,
0:28:02 > 0:28:04regional specialities
0:28:04 > 0:28:07or their anonymous and often tasteless imported cousins,
0:28:07 > 0:28:10I'll always go British.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14Join me next time to see in what other ways
0:28:14 > 0:28:16our varied landscape and the way we work it
0:28:16 > 0:28:19combine to give us the food we love.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd