0:00:04 > 0:00:06I'm Nigel Slater.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09I love simple cooking
0:00:09 > 0:00:13and my favourite dishes are often based on the simplest combinations.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15And that's what I'll be looking at this series.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18From soft and crisp, and surf and turf
0:00:18 > 0:00:20to something spicy with something cool.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23All those elements that make something quite exciting to eat.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26It's acidic and hot and sweet and sour
0:00:26 > 0:00:28and it's all mixed up.
0:00:28 > 0:00:34I'll look at classic combinations and some surprising new twists.
0:00:34 > 0:00:35Wow!
0:00:35 > 0:00:38I want to show you why they work so well
0:00:38 > 0:00:43so you'll feel confident to produce food marriages made in heaven.
0:00:43 > 0:00:44Oh, that smells amazing!
0:00:46 > 0:00:50I'm starting with an all-time favourite, sweet and sour.
0:00:50 > 0:00:56My love of sweet and sour started with Mum's pancakes with lemon and sugar.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00And now it's little meringues and lemon curd.
0:01:00 > 0:01:05From light suppers and tasty snacks to a heavenly dessert.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09This is going to be a wonderful treat for the taste buds.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12A cook never stops learning, I'm no exception.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15So as well as creating my favourite sweet and sour dishes,
0:01:15 > 0:01:19I'll be meeting two friends to see how they cook theirs.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Just amazing. Thank you very much.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36The combination of sweet and sour is the secret behind
0:01:36 > 0:01:41so many of our meals, including one of my all-time favourites.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45I do love the Sunday roast, that big family sized piece of meat
0:01:45 > 0:01:48and all those luscious little accompaniments.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50But until recently I hadn't worked out
0:01:50 > 0:01:54what it really is that I so love about it.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57What I realised is that it's the marriage
0:01:57 > 0:02:01of a very sweet meat, quite rich and fatty...
0:02:03 > 0:02:06..with that knife-sharp sauce that cuts through it
0:02:06 > 0:02:10and my favourite of all, roast pork and apple sauce.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12Of course it's not a weekday thing.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14I want something quicker and cheaper.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16So I cook a chop, a big pork chop.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22People are often surprised to think of meat as sweet.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24But it is, especially pork.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27So to bring out that sweetness,
0:02:27 > 0:02:30I'm going to simply pair my chop with some sharp gooseberries,
0:02:30 > 0:02:32though a tart apple or pear would do.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38I love a chop. Especially a big one with a bone in it.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41And a lovely rim of fat to go with it.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48Add nothing more than a sprinkling of salt and pepper,
0:02:48 > 0:02:51before popping into the pan with a little butter and oil.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57When the surface of the meat and the fat hits the hot pan,
0:02:57 > 0:02:59the sugars in it start to caramelise
0:02:59 > 0:03:04and you get this sweet, sticky goo forming on the bottom of the pan.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06Once I put my sour fruit in there,
0:03:06 > 0:03:10then the two come together to form the sweet and the sour.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13It's a wonderful mixture.
0:03:13 > 0:03:19There's always that temptation to move the chop around the pan.
0:03:19 > 0:03:24But I don't want to. I want to leave it be to form a crust underneath.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26So, a little bit of pepper.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30I fancy a few herbs in there, too.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33A few sprigs of thyme always works beautifully with pork.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42I need a little bit of liquid in there.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45And it's pork, so cider would work, white wine would work,
0:03:45 > 0:03:48I'm going to use a bit of white vermouth.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57This will sizzle and spit a bit.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06Just about a wine glass full.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10What's happening is that the liquid that I've poured in
0:04:10 > 0:04:14is going to dissolve all the gooey sweetness stuck to the bottom of the pan.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17And it will also help to soften my gooseberries,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20which will only take a matter of minutes.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30The only way to really tell, of course, is to taste.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39There's a lovely sourness there.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41But this is the point when I work out
0:04:41 > 0:04:44whether I'm going to put a little bit more sugar in
0:04:44 > 0:04:48or whether it needs more sourness, squirt of lemon juice.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50Maybe a bit of cider vinegar.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54I think that needs a tiny little bit of sugar, not much.
0:04:54 > 0:04:59This is where it gets interesting and we can make the dish our own.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05When the gooseberries are like a rough puree,
0:05:05 > 0:05:07they are ready to serve up.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12Don't forget the juices in the pan.
0:05:13 > 0:05:18Because that's where the sweetness of the meat juices
0:05:18 > 0:05:20and the sourness of the fruit get together,
0:05:20 > 0:05:24and that's where the real magic is.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26So...
0:05:37 > 0:05:40It's got that sourness I was after and the sweetness from the meat.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43You don't really think of meat being sweet,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46but it actually is because the sugars caramelise
0:05:46 > 0:05:49and then they nick all the sourness from the fruit,
0:05:49 > 0:05:53and that's exactly what I'm after, that sweet and sour kick.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56This is such an easy and tasty recipe
0:05:56 > 0:05:59to show how sour and sweet works in the kitchen.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01Pork and gooseberry is my favourite,
0:06:01 > 0:06:05but you could use apple, or any sharp fruit you have around.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08Just don't forget to let your meat caramelise in the pan,
0:06:08 > 0:06:10for the most delicious results.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17I'm a big believer that a cook should never stop learning.
0:06:17 > 0:06:22Shopping is great for inspiration. Particularly the bakers.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26There seems to be a new flavour of loaf each time I go.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30Rye bread is a favourite, a classic sourdough loaf.
0:06:30 > 0:06:36I've never really experimented with its bitter quality, though, other than in a safe sandwich.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39But that's exactly what I want to try and do now,
0:06:39 > 0:06:42and I have the perfect sweet partner in mind.
0:06:50 > 0:06:56It occurred to me that I haven't yet used a sweet veg
0:06:56 > 0:06:58for my sweet and sour.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01I've gone for the sweetest of all, beetroot.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05My first experience of it was pickled beetroot,
0:07:05 > 0:07:09which I hated when I was a kid, and now I love.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12I want another way to introduce sourness to it.
0:07:12 > 0:07:17And because it works so well with goats' cheeses,
0:07:17 > 0:07:20it occurred to me that I can play with that somehow.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23So it's a bit of an experiment, this dish.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25I'll mix the beetroot with the goats' cheese
0:07:25 > 0:07:27and see if I can use my loaf, too.
0:07:27 > 0:07:33It's just a chance to explore the sweet and the sour relationship, really, and see what we get.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36I've decided to roast the beets
0:07:36 > 0:07:39with a little oil and simple seasoning.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41I could boil them.
0:07:41 > 0:07:46But when you roast beetroot, the sweetness intensifies.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50And I really want to push the sweetness out.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53A splash of water will help keep them moist.
0:07:58 > 0:08:04I just wrap it up loosely and then bake it for
0:08:04 > 0:08:07probably about 40 minutes,
0:08:07 > 0:08:10until it's just tender to the point of a knife.
0:08:12 > 0:08:17Those beautiful beetroot leaves are too tasty for the compost
0:08:17 > 0:08:21so they just get a quick rinse and a steam, a two-minute job.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34This is where the fun starts.
0:08:34 > 0:08:35Now my beetroot is cooked,
0:08:35 > 0:08:40I can start introducing some other flavours.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42I'm just going to put a little bit of Vinegar in.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44You could use red wine vinegar,
0:08:44 > 0:08:49but I'm thinking I want something sweeter...and fruitier.
0:08:49 > 0:08:54So this is a bit of raspberry vinegar.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56I want something really sharp with this.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00And I know that goats' cheese works very well with beetroot.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03It's the only cheese that does.
0:09:03 > 0:09:08The reason it works is that it's got that little piquancy,
0:09:08 > 0:09:13that little spritz of sourness to it.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16To push this sourness as far as I can
0:09:16 > 0:09:20I'm adding some goats' yogurt to the cheese.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24A little bit of seasoning, some salty gherkins
0:09:24 > 0:09:28and a few chives will finish off my sour cheese mix.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35Now for that juicy beetroot, with its raspberry vinegar dressing.
0:09:35 > 0:09:40Those crunchy beetroot leaves and, lastly, my fresh sour bread.
0:09:50 > 0:09:51So.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58I've taken the sweetest veg, and made the sourest dressing.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01So many things I make, I know exactly what it's going to be like.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04And sometimes, it comes as a surprise.
0:10:09 > 0:10:15I knew that the beetroot would be sweet and a little bit earthy
0:10:15 > 0:10:18and I knew that the goats' cheese would be a little bit sour,
0:10:18 > 0:10:21but by putting in the yoghurt and raspberry vinegar,
0:10:21 > 0:10:23I've heightened the whole thing,
0:10:23 > 0:10:27and it's absolutely delicious and it's very sweet and sour.
0:10:28 > 0:10:33It just goes to show what you can do with one simple principle.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53I've always been fascinated with food from other cultures.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56And when it comes to sweet and sour,
0:10:56 > 0:10:59the countries of Southeast Asia take some beating.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02I grew up in a family and there was always a lot of cooking,
0:11:02 > 0:11:05and we'd make meals two or three times a day,
0:11:05 > 0:11:11and there was always anniversaries and big gatherings on Sundays.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14How can I help you, please? Chicken, yeah?
0:11:14 > 0:11:16I think food is something very personal,
0:11:16 > 0:11:19it's the best way to express yourself.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23People eat and people can tell how much love you put into it.
0:11:23 > 0:11:28Anh and Van are best friends who share a passion for Vietnamese cuisine.
0:11:28 > 0:11:33Down at their local market, they've developed quite a following
0:11:33 > 0:11:36for their traditional sweet and sour street food.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40I'd love to find out how these girls became such great cooks.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44So they're rustling up one of their specials for me.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46A sea bass summer roll with pineapple dip.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50It all starts with a special marinade for the fish.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53So, how come you're cooking? Who taught you to cook?
0:11:53 > 0:11:57I have a lot of influence from my mother but then I observed a lot
0:11:57 > 0:12:00when I came to this country, which was about ten years ago.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03And I realised, oh, my God, the food is totally different.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06And then you miss all the home-cooked meals.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09And then I started to remember how my mother did it
0:12:09 > 0:12:12and then I try to replicate it.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15So, ginger, garlic, chilli, dill,
0:12:15 > 0:12:17- water and a little bit of sugar. - Yeah.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22Maybe about four of lemon.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26We usually put the fish sauce last.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28Everything else you can kind of adjust,
0:12:28 > 0:12:31but the fish sauce is very powerful and is very hard to sort of fix it,
0:12:31 > 0:12:35so usually we add it last and we add it little by little.
0:12:35 > 0:12:41Anh is using one of my favourite ingredients to flavour the fish - lemongrass.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47So, we'll split the skin horizontally, maybe three times.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50Simply so that the marinade gets right down?
0:12:50 > 0:12:53- So that the marinade gets in. - All the way in.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57It is one of those dishes that is really, really easy to make.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00You don't need a lot of crazy ingredients,
0:13:00 > 0:13:02cos it's all, yeah, available.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07While that cooks, the girls want to show me how they make
0:13:07 > 0:13:12their sweet and sour dipping sauce, using a base of crushed pineapple.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16This is the heavy one we have.
0:13:16 > 0:13:21- This is the world's heaviest pestle and mortar. Shall I take that?- Yeah.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25OK, we start adding a bit of fish sauce in here.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29- And the amount depends on the sweetness of the pineapple?- Exactly.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33Now, because I could say the pineapple's a bit sweet,
0:13:33 > 0:13:37so I add a bit of lemon so that it's got that sourness.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Now, I think, just add a bit of chilli.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47Have a taste of that, and see how...
0:13:55 > 0:13:59- It's delicious! - It's very simple. There's not...
0:13:59 > 0:14:02- Three ingredients!- Yes! The three ingredients.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05That is the fish done now. The fish is off now.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07- Magnificent looking fish. - There we go.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09I'd normally just tuck right into that fish,
0:14:09 > 0:14:14but there's one last thing to do before the roll is ready to eat.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18This is the rice paper. I normally use the thin one.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22Then you just add a bit of water, so to wet it.
0:14:22 > 0:14:27Ah! I've been soaking that. That's where I've been going wrong.
0:14:27 > 0:14:32Because, when you're soaking them, it becomes much too soft.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34- Very fragile?- Yes.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39So, not too much noodles because you want to taste everything else.
0:14:39 > 0:14:45- Like that, and then I would take the fish. Just take the fish out.- OK.
0:14:47 > 0:14:53I roll this first. And then, you now, you can add cucumber.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57- Courgette.- Courgette. Or something.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01- The temptation is always to add lots of things and make them very big. - Then you roll it.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03So, now, you just roll it, slowly.
0:15:03 > 0:15:09- Then you fold it over. Then we roll a bit more.- And that's it.
0:15:09 > 0:15:14- You probably want to put it in a plate.- Yep.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16- Isn't that gorgeous?- Yeah.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21So, that eats so good.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24And you know what I love about it, more than anything else?
0:15:24 > 0:15:27It's when you get a bit of the fish skin. The grilled fish skin.
0:15:27 > 0:15:32With the pineapple. And with all the crunchiness. Just amazing.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37- Thank you very much. So good. - I'm glad you enjoyed it.- I do.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39Now I can sleep!
0:15:39 > 0:15:42What a treat for the taste buds.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45I'll certainly be giving that one a go.
0:15:55 > 0:16:00There's usually some sweet and sour in almost everyone's kitchen.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03That jar of chutney, either commercial stuff
0:16:03 > 0:16:07or something that has been given as a gift.
0:16:07 > 0:16:13Those wonderful people who make chutney themselves and give it away as presents.
0:16:13 > 0:16:14It's so useful.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17And for far more than just sticking with your ploughman's.
0:16:17 > 0:16:22You can have it with roast beef, or maybe a bit of salmon.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25I like to call this my quick and easy oven chutney.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27It really couldn't be simpler
0:16:27 > 0:16:32and will be the perfect partner to some oily salmon I've got tucked in the fridge.
0:16:32 > 0:16:37I'm using sweet shallots, but you could use small onions.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40I boil them for 10 to 15 minutes to soften them.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43It also makes the skins easier to get off.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47So, I start my a chutney recipe with some lovely, soft brown sugar.
0:16:49 > 0:16:50Like muscovado,
0:16:50 > 0:16:53but you can use a dark one if you like a really rich chutney.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56You need a good four tablespoons.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00The sugar gives it a deep, rich bass note,
0:17:00 > 0:17:03but that's not the only sweetness I'm going to use.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Stick some dried fruit in it.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09I've got raisins, I've got golden sultanas.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12You could use almost any dried fruit,
0:17:12 > 0:17:16like dried cranberries or even dried cherries.
0:17:16 > 0:17:22A few spices will balance the sweetness of the sugar and dried fruit.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24Allspice berries will give warmth
0:17:24 > 0:17:29and a sprinkling of mustard seeds will give a lovely crunch.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32So, that's the sweetness and the spice.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34I need a little bit of acidity in there.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38And for that, I'm using quite a bit of cider vinegar.
0:17:40 > 0:17:45Fruit vinegars tend to be quite mellow, so be generous.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51This chutney needs some extra savour,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54so a good handful of thyme is going in.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04Give it a generous seasoning before the onions go in.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13This needs a... Squeeze them out of their skins.
0:18:17 > 0:18:22I want a hint of garlic, too. So some whole cloves.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27Lastly, some cooking liquid from the onion water
0:18:27 > 0:18:32and some silky rapeseed oil. Olive oil would be just as lovely.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34Beautiful colour.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39I put in three tablespoonfuls of this. A good stir.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48That will need around an hour in a moderate oven.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54This is my kind of chutney making!
0:19:00 > 0:19:04Just have a quick look at it. Just to see how it's coming along.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09Just a little taste.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16There's plenty of sweetness there and a little bit of spice
0:19:16 > 0:19:19but it needs a little bit more punch.
0:19:19 > 0:19:25So, I'm just going to put in a wee bit more vinegar.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31This is the bit I really like, when you actually make a recipe your own.
0:19:31 > 0:19:36And you think it needs a little bit more spice, a little bit more salt,
0:19:36 > 0:19:39and a little bit more sweetening.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42And it's when you put your fingerprint on it.
0:19:45 > 0:19:50I reckon the sour fruit and vinegars will be perfect with this oily salmon.
0:19:50 > 0:19:55All it needs is a little seasoning and a trickle of oil.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03That should only need another ten minutes before it's ready to eat.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21Smells very good.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24Little bit sharp, a bit fruity, I'd be happy to eat it like that,
0:20:24 > 0:20:26but I always like a bit of green on the plate,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29so I'm tempted to put a little bit of watercress on there, too.
0:20:37 > 0:20:38I worried for a minute
0:20:38 > 0:20:42that the salmon wouldn't stand up to the pickle, but it so does.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46In fact, it's sensational. It really, really works.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49And a much better use for chutney than a ploughman's!
0:20:49 > 0:20:52It's a lovely little dish.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56It's the combination of the sweet dried fruits, silky onions
0:20:56 > 0:21:00and sour vinegar that makes this simple chutney work.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Put in with some juicy salmon or cold meat
0:21:02 > 0:21:06and I promise, you've got a truly divine supper.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19Best friends Anh and Van have inspired me with their Vietnamese stall food.
0:21:19 > 0:21:25I love how they use the freshest sweet and sour ingredients to make a delicious takeaway.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28I want to cook them something just as simple and tasty.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31It's my take on a fish-finger sandwich,
0:21:31 > 0:21:34using my favourite - monkfish.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38This is almost so simple, it's barely a recipe.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41I think, you know, food is the best when it's very simple.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44It's slightly fashionable in Britain
0:21:44 > 0:21:47to throw as many ingredients as you can at something
0:21:47 > 0:21:49and I'm fighting against it.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53I like to take things away rather than add them, most of the time.
0:21:53 > 0:21:59- Now, I've got some limes here. I know you used lemons.- Yeah, yeah.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09I think of the spring onion as the sweetest of the onions,
0:22:09 > 0:22:15and what I'm hoping is that the sweetness of the onion
0:22:15 > 0:22:17and then the sour of the limes,
0:22:17 > 0:22:19and then just the natural sweetness of the fish
0:22:19 > 0:22:21will work together in a very simple way.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23- Yeah.- I want to roll it up.
0:22:23 > 0:22:29- I'm going to put a little bit of water in there.- Yeah.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33- And hopefully will create its own steam.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36- And put that on...- Yeah.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39..the heat. Let's see.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42It's a bit of an experiment, this, I have to be honest with you.
0:22:42 > 0:22:43So we'll see.
0:22:43 > 0:22:48These lovely crisp chicory leaves are going to be the bread in my sandwich.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51Well, something's happening!
0:22:51 > 0:22:56Its bubbling, and I think there's juice that's seeping out.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58It smells really, really good.
0:22:59 > 0:23:04Oh, look! Oh, fantastic! Look at that.
0:23:04 > 0:23:09It smells really, really nice. It almost smells like the sea, to me.
0:23:09 > 0:23:10Cos you've got the sea salt
0:23:10 > 0:23:13and then you've got the sweetness of the fish
0:23:13 > 0:23:15and then the fish and the sea salt.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18And the lime, the lime also rises, doesn't it?
0:23:18 > 0:23:19That's lovely to hear.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24- Mind you don't dribble that juice down you.- Mmm!
0:23:28 > 0:23:30OK, thank you so much.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33Mmm! It's really good.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35What I'd really like to know...
0:23:35 > 0:23:40is that, exactly as it is... You know that marinade you made?
0:23:40 > 0:23:45- Mmm.- Yeah.- Just a little bit of that marinade!- Mm-hm!
0:23:45 > 0:23:46That's what I'd like.
0:23:46 > 0:23:51Simple recipes like this are definitely the best way to taste the different flavours.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54It really is worth experimenting, though,
0:23:54 > 0:23:58so check out the website for lots of sweet and sour inspiration.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11You know, I think my love of sweet and sour goes right back to when I was a kid
0:24:11 > 0:24:15and I found the sourest thing you could possibly find,
0:24:15 > 0:24:18which was a cooking apple, or a stick of rhubarb.
0:24:18 > 0:24:23And I used to cut it into chunks and dip it into the sugar bag.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26It drove my mother mad, but I loved doing it.
0:24:26 > 0:24:31What I loved about it was that intense sweetness
0:24:31 > 0:24:35followed by a real punch in the face from the rhubarb.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37That real sourness.
0:24:37 > 0:24:43My grown-up version is a quick dish of rhubarb and caramel sauce.
0:24:43 > 0:24:44Real comfort food,
0:24:44 > 0:24:49but still gives me that sour hit with a wonderfully sugary sauce.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53Just throw a few sticks of chopped rhubarb into a pan with some sugar,
0:24:53 > 0:24:57just to take the sour edge off it.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01And the amount of sugar really depends on the rhubarb itself.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05So, in the spring, when the rhubarb is actually quite sweet
0:25:05 > 0:25:09and very delicately flavoured, it doesn't need that much sugar at all.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12And as the year progresses, I put a little bit more in.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16A drop of water will help soften the rhubarb.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Just enough to poach it. And to end up with a syrup.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28Cover that with a lid, and just leave it to stew for a few minutes.
0:25:29 > 0:25:35Once the rhubarb is tender enough to take the point of a knife easily, it's ready.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37I'm just going to lift the rhubarb out.
0:25:37 > 0:25:43It's rather important that it's really soft and silky.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47Undercooked rhubarb is no fun at all.
0:25:47 > 0:25:52And what's left in the pan is really the very essence of the rhubarb.
0:25:54 > 0:25:55So, to that, we add some sugar.
0:25:59 > 0:26:06I'm using light muscovado sugar to give my sauce an almost butterscotch flavour.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11Just let that melt into the rhubarb juices.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18Add to that, a little bit of cream.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22Cream works beautifully with any sour fruit.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27About 125ml.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33Just stir that into the sugar and rhubarb juice.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36It's almost like making rhubarb and custard,
0:26:36 > 0:26:39except without the faff of making custard.
0:26:39 > 0:26:44Finally, a few drops of vanilla extract for extra sweetness.
0:26:45 > 0:26:46So...
0:26:48 > 0:26:51The poached rhubarb, the rhubarb juice
0:26:51 > 0:26:55and then this butterscotch-sweet sauce.
0:26:59 > 0:27:00It tastes of sugar...
0:27:02 > 0:27:06and it tastes of vanilla, but at its heart,
0:27:06 > 0:27:10is the very essence of the rhubarb. So it's a mixture of sweet and sour.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22It's so lovely.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25It's got the intense butterscotch sweetness
0:27:25 > 0:27:30and then a hit of true sourness.
0:27:30 > 0:27:37It's almost like a grown-up version of sticking my rhubarb into the sugar bag.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43Considering it was so little trouble, that's a real sweet treat.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47This twist on the classic rhubarb and custard
0:27:47 > 0:27:51marries the sweetest and the sourest to perfection.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54Just make sure your rhubarb is really soft.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01I've made some very different dishes here,
0:28:01 > 0:28:04but all share one thing in common.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07They taste great because of the marriage of two flavours.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10In this case, the sweet with the sour.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15Next time, I'll be exploring a very different pairing in the kitchen...
0:28:15 > 0:28:19surf and turf.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21I'll be rustling up some of my favourites
0:28:21 > 0:28:25and heading out to find out how other people do it, too.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30It's absolutely gorgeous!
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