0:00:05 > 0:00:09My two passions are flying and food.
0:00:11 > 0:00:16It's from up here you really get to appreciate the unique landscape
0:00:16 > 0:00:20that produces the food that I love to cook.
0:00:37 > 0:00:42For its size, Scotland has some of the most varied natural landscape
0:00:42 > 0:00:45of any country on the planet.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57From the stunning coastlines...
0:01:00 > 0:01:02..majestic mountains...
0:01:04 > 0:01:06..and breath-taking lochs...
0:01:08 > 0:01:11..this diverse and wild landscape,
0:01:11 > 0:01:13although notoriously difficult to farm,
0:01:13 > 0:01:18produces some of the finest food in Britain.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21The clear-running streams
0:01:21 > 0:01:25are home to world-class wild Scottish salmon.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30The pure spring waters
0:01:30 > 0:01:33produce some of the world's finest whisky.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36And the heather-clad moors
0:01:36 > 0:01:41provide the best environment for wild game to thrive.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48Scotland is a true feast for aviators' eyes.
0:01:48 > 0:01:54This has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth, in my opinion.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56It's just spectacular.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00But this wild environment is home to one of my favourite foods.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03It's the Scottish langoustine.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08To find this amazing food, I'm heading north
0:02:08 > 0:02:10to one of Scotland's greatest jewels -
0:02:10 > 0:02:12Loch Fyne.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16The fresh tidal seawater
0:02:16 > 0:02:19and the shelter from the surrounding hillsides
0:02:19 > 0:02:23create nutrient-rich, calm, muddy loch beds,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26the ideal habitat for langoustine to thrive.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30Today, I'm going to use the whole langoustine.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34It really is far too good to waste.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36I'm doing two dishes -
0:02:36 > 0:02:39a twist on an old pub favourite, scampi,
0:02:39 > 0:02:42and a tasty langoustine soup.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50The first thing I'm going to do is take the meat out of the tail.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53It's actually quite straightforward. All you do is peel the tail off,
0:02:53 > 0:02:57crack the tail in half like that and then just peel it.
0:02:57 > 0:03:02Be really careful when you peel it because these edges are quite sharp.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04You really don't want to waste anything with this.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07We're going to utilise these shells, as well.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11Save the tail meat for the scampi,
0:03:11 > 0:03:15but you can use the rest of the langoustines for the soup.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19First you need to make the base, which consists of butter, shallots,
0:03:19 > 0:03:23some chopped garlic, tomato puree and carrots.
0:03:26 > 0:03:31After a couple of minutes' cooking, you can add the main ingredient.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34There's plenty of meat in these claws here,
0:03:34 > 0:03:38but really, the flavour is what's inside here.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40We can use all that to make this soup.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43You can make this with langoustine shells, lobster,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46so you don't waste anything.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49We're going to use a touch of brandy.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53I've got in here some fish stock, or you can use chicken stock.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56Cover the shells about halfway,
0:03:56 > 0:03:59add a little bit of double cream to this.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05That's it, really. You don't eat it, of course, like this,
0:04:05 > 0:04:06but that's the basis of this soup.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09It's really, really quick.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11While the soup simmers for three to four minutes,
0:04:11 > 0:04:15it's time to make a very special batter for the scampi.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17This batter is fantastic
0:04:17 > 0:04:19because this is a vodka-and-tonic batter.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23Start with the not-so-unusual plain flour, sugar,
0:04:23 > 0:04:26salt and then yeast.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28This is the real key to it. This is dried yeast.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32You can actually get fresh yeast nowadays.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35Give it a little whisk, before adding the special ingredients
0:04:35 > 0:04:39and the batter mix will take on a whole new form.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43We add some vodka.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47As soon as the vodka hits that deep-fryer,
0:04:47 > 0:04:52it just explodes and crisps up the batter. It's fantastic.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55We're going to use some tonic.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58It almost foams up and fizzes.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01If we mix it enough and leave it for a little bit,
0:05:01 > 0:05:06that yeast will start to warm up and create this lovely light batter.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09If we leave that to one side,
0:05:09 > 0:05:12we're then ready to finish off our soup.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15Pour the shells and the whole lot...
0:05:15 > 0:05:17into our blender.
0:05:17 > 0:05:22This is by far the quickest way to harness that delicate yet intense flavour
0:05:22 > 0:05:26that's hidden in the claws and the body of the shellfish.
0:05:28 > 0:05:29Put the lid on,
0:05:29 > 0:05:31turn it on.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36You can leave that blending now for about a minute.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39I'm just going to go and wash up this pan.
0:05:41 > 0:05:47Fresh langoustine has a sophisticated sweetness that is lost when frozen,
0:05:47 > 0:05:49but by plucking them straight from the loch today,
0:05:49 > 0:05:52my soup should have a real depth of flavour.
0:05:58 > 0:06:04Once blended, it will need sieving through a fine mesh to remove all traces of shells,
0:06:04 > 0:06:09leaving behind only the smooth, creamy pureed soup.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14Finally, what we're going to do to finish it off
0:06:14 > 0:06:16is put it back on the heat
0:06:16 > 0:06:19and then you can add some black pepper...
0:06:20 > 0:06:22..which I might as well do it from over here
0:06:22 > 0:06:25because the wind's blowing a hooley.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28Black pepper, a pinch of salt...
0:06:32 > 0:06:35See, people think this is quite glamorous.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37It is actually really hard work,
0:06:37 > 0:06:40so you better appreciate this and have a go at home.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46Different finger.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49And then look at this...
0:06:49 > 0:06:51We've got our...
0:06:52 > 0:06:54..bowl.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58We're then just going to garnish it, of course,
0:06:58 > 0:07:00with a little bit of spring onion...
0:07:02 > 0:07:04..and a crouton.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07Lovely! It's just what you need.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09Look at that. Delicious.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12And then we've got all of our tail meat, as well.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14We've got our lovely batter here.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17This scampi is super quick to cook,
0:07:17 > 0:07:21and it needs to be, otherwise my soup is going to get cold.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25What we need to do is deep-fry these lovely langoustine
0:07:25 > 0:07:28and, together with that, deep-fry these fantastic mussels,
0:07:28 > 0:07:33which just come from a little bit up the way in the loch there.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35So hot oil...
0:07:37 > 0:07:39..and we deep-fry the langoustines.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53As soon as they're golden and crispy, remove them from the oil.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57All that's left for me to make now is a simple dressing,
0:07:57 > 0:08:01which will really bring this dish to life.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04To make our little sauce to go with this,
0:08:04 > 0:08:08we've got a bit of mayonnaise, this sweet chilli jam,
0:08:08 > 0:08:11and this stuff I love!
0:08:11 > 0:08:13This is yuzu juice. You can buy it,
0:08:13 > 0:08:16as my mother calls it, off t'internet.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19It's a cross between a lime and a mandarin.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23It's a fantastic ingredient. It's brilliant.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26You just use a little bit of it.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30You could use a little bit of mandarin juice and lime
0:08:30 > 0:08:32if you can't get hold of it.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36And then I pop this lot on our board.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40Just drizzle the dressing over the top.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43And then we're just going to finish this off
0:08:43 > 0:08:47with some chopped red chilli...
0:08:47 > 0:08:50..a little bit of spring onion
0:08:50 > 0:08:52and then some coriander.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58And just sprinkle that over the top.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02A little reinvention of the classic '70s,
0:09:02 > 0:09:05where you've got scampi but in a vodka-and-tonic batter,
0:09:05 > 0:09:07and a simple soup.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09I'm going to call that a Scottish crouton.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15Cooking out in the elements that have produced this food
0:09:15 > 0:09:17really connects you with the environment.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20You can't get fresher than these langoustines,
0:09:20 > 0:09:23harvested from these clear waters.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29These dishes embody all the flavours
0:09:29 > 0:09:32of this pure and natural environment.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46As I leave behind the beautiful and rich waters of Loch Fyne,
0:09:46 > 0:09:48it's time to head into the rugged landscape
0:09:48 > 0:09:51of the Scottish mountains and glens.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58This environment isn't natural farming land
0:09:58 > 0:10:00and very little thrives here,
0:10:00 > 0:10:04but what does makes for some of the most delicious food available.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06The venison from these parts is mouth-watering,
0:10:06 > 0:10:09with a depth of flavour rivalled by none.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12But for the animal I'm here to see,
0:10:12 > 0:10:17the wild landscape of Glen Fyne is God's own country.
0:10:23 > 0:10:24If there's one animal
0:10:24 > 0:10:29that epitomises really what Scotland is all about,
0:10:29 > 0:10:32it's stood the test of time, and the meat that it produces
0:10:32 > 0:10:36is like nothing else you'll ever taste.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41And incredibly, for centuries, the hardy, hairy Highland cow
0:10:41 > 0:10:45has survived in the harsh conditions of this mountainous terrain,
0:10:45 > 0:10:50turning rough grassland into some of the most succulent meat on the market.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57Tuggy Delap, a local lass who was brought up in this fabulous landscape,
0:10:57 > 0:11:01fell in love with these wonderful beasts as a child.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06I've had Highland cows all my life.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08My father's idea of giving us all pocket money
0:11:08 > 0:11:10was to give us a Highland calf.
0:11:10 > 0:11:15- He looks a big fella. - This is the bull - Callum.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19- How old is Callum? - Callum is four this year.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22He seems to be following the ladies around in a happy fashion
0:11:22 > 0:11:25so I hope he's going to produce us 100 percent calving next year.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27And he's quite placid.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30As long as he's got something to be keeping him quiet,
0:11:30 > 0:11:33he's got no reason to argue with you, so he won't argue.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35He's much more interested in the girl than he is in you.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38Callum's getting a little bit too close for me
0:11:38 > 0:11:41so I'm going to disappear off over here!
0:11:42 > 0:11:45Chicken! THEY LAUGH
0:11:46 > 0:11:49In the relative safety away from the herd,
0:11:49 > 0:11:53I'm going to try this tasty, unique meat for myself.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56Its flavour embodies the essence of the Highlands,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59but I'm going to make something a little unexpected,
0:11:59 > 0:12:01a fresh and light barbecued beef salad
0:12:01 > 0:12:04with an Oriental twist.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11I'm going to use two cuts of meat from this wonderful Highland.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13I've got some sirloin here
0:12:13 > 0:12:17and a cut of meat that you don't really buy or use that much,
0:12:17 > 0:12:18but the T-bone is a fantastic cut
0:12:18 > 0:12:21because not only does it have this wonderful sirloin on the top,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24you've got a nice piece of fillet underneath.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28I'm going to barbecue it and serve it with a nice simple salad.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30So black pepper first of all.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34No salt when we put this on the barbecue. We season it afterwards.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37So plenty of black pepper on both sides.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Just a touch of oil.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45Just a little drizzle...
0:12:45 > 0:12:46over there.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50They never give me easy locations to cook at, you see,
0:12:50 > 0:12:54because I'm by a cliff and if I stand like that, look...
0:12:54 > 0:12:57See what I mean? But you get to enjoy the nice view.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00I'm perched on a cliff edge here.
0:13:00 > 0:13:06What we're going to do now is just cook our nice bit of steak onto our barbecue.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09This'll only take probably five minutes.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11Don't overcook it.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15Like that. Just five minutes,
0:13:15 > 0:13:18probably a couple of minutes each side.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21That'll be brought back washed up in a minute.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23So now we're going to make our dressing.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25For that, I need some garlic.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29This is sort of Oriental in sort of a dressing,
0:13:29 > 0:13:34but it goes brilliantly with beef...
0:13:34 > 0:13:38or chicken. It's a fantastic salad, this.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42But we just chop up some garlic first of all,
0:13:42 > 0:13:46put it into a little pestle and mortar with some chilli.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53I don't know why people take the seeds out of a chilli.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56Just chuck the seeds straight in.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59Now I'm going to use some palm sugar
0:13:59 > 0:14:02and put a little bit in there...
0:14:03 > 0:14:05..some salt...
0:14:07 > 0:14:08..and then grind this down,
0:14:08 > 0:14:11just for a couple of minutes.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16You get almost like a lovely paste out of it.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18Don't overcook the meat...
0:14:19 > 0:14:21..really with this.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23Turn that one over.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34Once you've ground that down a little bit, we can add some mint
0:14:34 > 0:14:36and coriander.
0:14:36 > 0:14:41We basically just rip this up and grind this down, as well.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44This meat, I'm going to take off now because that's ready.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51The crew did ask me how they could tell
0:14:51 > 0:14:54whether a steak's been cooked properly or not.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57The secret of it is, hold your finger and thumb together like that,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00press this part here, press the top of the meat,
0:15:00 > 0:15:03if it's the same texture, that's rare.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05Go to your next finger, medium rare.
0:15:05 > 0:15:10This one, medium. This one's knackered.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13Whilst the meat is resting, finish off the dressing
0:15:13 > 0:15:17by adding fish sauce, soy sauce, oil
0:15:17 > 0:15:19and the zest and juice of a lime
0:15:19 > 0:15:23to give the salad a real Thai flavour.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32Give this a quick mix...
0:15:32 > 0:15:34Mm!
0:15:34 > 0:15:38Delicious! And then in our salad,
0:15:38 > 0:15:40I've got a little bowl here,
0:15:40 > 0:15:42I'm going to use this.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46I kind of was out in the garden back home the other day
0:15:46 > 0:15:49and thought how fantastic butterhead lettuce is.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53People don't really use it nowadays but it tastes delicious.
0:15:53 > 0:15:58What we're going to do is just cut this into pieces,
0:15:58 > 0:16:01just decent-size chunks, like that.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04It is fabulous.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08A little bit of sugar snap peas
0:16:08 > 0:16:10we're going to put in, as well.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14A few bits... And then some radishes.
0:16:14 > 0:16:15I love radishes.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18If you grow these at home, they're so much better
0:16:18 > 0:16:20than the stuff you get in the supermarkets.
0:16:20 > 0:16:25They're full of pepper, full of moisture, as well, more than anything.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29A few bits more of this mint
0:16:29 > 0:16:31and coriander.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35One eye to make sure that bull's not around...
0:16:35 > 0:16:38Look at that. And then you've got this dressing.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Just pour this dressing over the top...
0:16:44 > 0:16:46..like that.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48And then you can grab your beef.
0:16:48 > 0:16:53This is your lovely sirloin.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57Nicely cooked.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01What we can do is just pop the beef...
0:17:01 > 0:17:03in and over the top.
0:17:05 > 0:17:10It's a lovely dish of a sirloin of Highland beef,
0:17:10 > 0:17:13the best beef in the world, in my opinion,
0:17:13 > 0:17:15with a lovely little Oriental salad.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18If you're wondering why I've cooked this, this is for me.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28This simple but delicious dish
0:17:28 > 0:17:31captures the flavours of this unique environment.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34The succulent meat oozes gamey flavour
0:17:34 > 0:17:36and it's set off brilliantly
0:17:36 > 0:17:40by the sharp and zesty freshness of the Thai salad.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48It's totally unique. There's nothing else like it.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51It sounds ridiculous, but it's quite chewy,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54but that's how it should be, it's flavour.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57It's not bred, like many things nowadays,
0:17:57 > 0:17:58to do the 100-metre hurdles.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01It's bred to live in this environment.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05And because of that, you get much better quality meat,
0:18:05 > 0:18:07much better taste.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12It is so good, I cannot tell you.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15I could eat the whole lot.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17How many calories in a T-bone steak?
0:18:20 > 0:18:22The produce found here in the west of Scotland
0:18:22 > 0:18:24is some of the best in Britain.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27The beef and the langoustine are so different in flavour,
0:18:27 > 0:18:32but both shout of the purity of this staggeringly rugged environment.
0:18:32 > 0:18:37The story of this region's food is a tale of how man has managed this wilderness
0:18:37 > 0:18:40to gather the bounty of its wild produce.