0:00:02 > 0:00:03For me, when the new year kicks in,
0:00:03 > 0:00:05everything starts to feel fresh and alive
0:00:05 > 0:00:09and as the calorie fest of Christmas comes to an end,
0:00:09 > 0:00:12I'm always thinking how to keep my suppers exciting
0:00:12 > 0:00:16until the first spring salads and early summer veg arrive.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20As much as I like all the gentle, fragile flavours of summer,
0:00:20 > 0:00:22those early peas and the first carrots,
0:00:22 > 0:00:26just as useful are the strong flavours you get in winter.
0:00:26 > 0:00:31They are the things that really bolster you on a cold day in a great big soup or stew.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35I want to get you thinking differently about these flavours
0:00:35 > 0:00:41because now is the perfect time to really shake up your cooking habits.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45I want you to try things you've never done before, adapt things you have.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47Just be a bit adventurous.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51This will wake up your taste buds like never before.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55This is big-flavoured, cold weather cooking.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59The sort of food that makes you glad to be alive.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26New Year's Day and I fancy something that is really going to wake me up.
0:01:26 > 0:01:32This early in the year, I really don't want to do too much cooking and yet I want to eat very well
0:01:32 > 0:01:34so something really straightforward and simple.
0:01:36 > 0:01:41And I'm not particularly superstitious, but I do have be a few little rituals.
0:01:41 > 0:01:46One of them is, at the beginning of the year, to eat lentils.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49They're supposed to bring good luck or at least wealth.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53So, for my first supper of the year, I'm in the mood for a lentil and beef salad
0:01:53 > 0:01:57with an unusual ingredient that I promise will blow away the hangover.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02Put some lentils on to boil.
0:02:02 > 0:02:07I always pop in some aromatics like garlic, onion and bay leaves
0:02:07 > 0:02:10just to give the lentils a bit more flavour.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14Next it's time to make a tangy dressing to go with the lentils.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18Whenever I make a salad dressing,
0:02:18 > 0:02:20I have an unusual habit.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24I put the salt into the vinegar and dissolve it...
0:02:26 > 0:02:28..before anything else.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32I do that just to mellow the vinegar.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35It just takes that really sharp bite off it.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40I'm going to put a little bit of mustard in this.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Grainy or smooth, whatever you have will do.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47Add some pepper and a good glug of olive oil.
0:02:47 > 0:02:52Now for that secret ingredient, fresh horseradish.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55There is something about the fresh stuff.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59It has a real zip to it. It's really quite hot.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02Wonderful in a Bloody Mary in the morning.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06It really makes your eyes shine and is dead easy to grow.
0:03:06 > 0:03:11Just pop a root cutting in the garden but be warned, it can take over.
0:03:11 > 0:03:16It's not a fiery heat, it's a fresh clean heat
0:03:16 > 0:03:20and it's really good with earthy food like lentils.
0:03:20 > 0:03:25We've always kept it for beef and yet it has so many other uses.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29Smoked fish really appreciates horseradish.
0:03:29 > 0:03:35If you are using ready-made horseradish, two or three teaspoons will be fine,
0:03:35 > 0:03:40but once you have tasted the clean heat of the fresh stuff, you will never go back.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45I reckon lentils are done when they are still a bit nutty.
0:03:49 > 0:03:57While the lentils are still warm, pour in your mustard dressing so all those lovely flavours soak in.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03I want something really fresh and green in there.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09But this is a day I don't want to do much.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11A little bit of parsley, that's all that going in there.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13The warmth...
0:04:15 > 0:04:17..that the lentils have given to the dressing has released
0:04:17 > 0:04:21all the oils in the horseradish and I can feel it coming up.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26Good for clearing the sinuses if you have a cold.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28Certainly good for a hangover.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32This is such a brilliant dish to kick off the new year with.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36It's great for using up any bits of meat in the fridge too.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39I'm going to use the cold roast beef from yesterday.
0:04:41 > 0:04:47Whenever I use cold meat or fish in a salad, I keep the pieces fairly small
0:04:47 > 0:04:50because this is the sort of food and want to eat with just a fork.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00There's no ceremony to serving this one.
0:05:00 > 0:05:07Just dish up the lentils, tuck in the juicy meat and brace yourself for that horseradish hit.
0:05:07 > 0:05:12Then some grains of sea salt, the really course stuff.
0:05:12 > 0:05:18I love that moment of crunching through brilliant white salt on cold roast meat.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34It's got an earthiness to it and a freshness,
0:05:34 > 0:05:39but then slowly that gorgeous heat coming through from the horseradish.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42It's a really good way to start the year.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45Do try this with fresh horseradish if you can.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48If you don't fancy growing it,
0:05:48 > 0:05:52your local grocer should have some going cheap.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54There's really no excuse.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12I reckon I take on too many calories over the new year,
0:06:12 > 0:06:18so I always try and squeeze in a good walk and after all the rich food,
0:06:18 > 0:06:24there's something quite comforting about packing a flask of really healthy soup.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31Just simmer any veg,
0:06:31 > 0:06:34whiz up with some stock,
0:06:34 > 0:06:38throw in a handful of fresh herbs and you've got the
0:06:38 > 0:06:42ultimate fast food that you can take wherever you fancy.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44Perfect for a chilly day.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57I really can't be bothered with doing the sales.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59I'd much rather come out for a walk.
0:06:59 > 0:07:04It doesn't matter where and even better if it's snowy or cold.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09I'm feeling very lucky actually.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13Very lucky to find somewhere...
0:07:15 > 0:07:19..away from everybody where it's very quiet,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22where it's just all about me and a bowl of soup.
0:07:40 > 0:07:45One winter veg I have a real soft spot for are Jerusalem artichokes.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47I think they're a bit of an unknown,
0:07:47 > 0:07:49probably because as they can be a bit pricey,
0:07:49 > 0:07:52but they're so easy to grow.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54They grow like weeds.
0:07:54 > 0:07:55I didn't even plant these.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59They're left over from another year and have seeded themselves.
0:07:59 > 0:08:05I love them in soup and salads and I love to roast them, but they do make you windy.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08Their reputation is well deserved.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10I think you've just got to go with it.
0:08:10 > 0:08:16So, even though I may regret it, for their first kitchen appearance of this new year,
0:08:16 > 0:08:22I'm going to roast some artichokes with a few potatoes for a warming, juicy main-course dish.
0:08:22 > 0:08:27These are the sort of vegetables that, like potatoes, you can roast just as they come,
0:08:27 > 0:08:31but I prefer to give them a steam or boil first
0:08:31 > 0:08:35and that way they go really fudgey inside when they are cooked.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39Don't worry about peeling your potatoes and artichokes.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43I give them a good scrub and steam them for about 10 minutes.
0:08:43 > 0:08:49There are so many different steamers on the market - some very expensive and beautiful.
0:08:49 > 0:08:56But I just improvise with a saucepan, a colander or sieve and a lid.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05I'm going to roast them in some really fruity olive oil.
0:09:11 > 0:09:16Give your veg a really good toss in the oil and season with salt and pepper.
0:09:21 > 0:09:27Because their flavour is so earthy, I want something bright to lift that.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30So, I'm roasting with lots of lemon juice.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Squeeze it in and then tuck the shells in
0:09:37 > 0:09:39amongst the artichokes.
0:09:41 > 0:09:47They go into a good, hot oven for about 35 to 45 minutes.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51I'd love to serve some greens with my veg.
0:09:51 > 0:09:56But I'm feeling lazy, so it I'm just chucking some fresh parsley in.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07These work for me,
0:10:07 > 0:10:09just as they are.
0:10:11 > 0:10:16But, they also make a really delicious accompaniment.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20You could have them with roast beef, you could have them with some mackerel.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22They're great with bacon.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29A wee bit of parsley.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Lots of fresh lemon juice.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Then just because I feel like it,
0:10:38 > 0:10:41a little bit of Parmesan cheese.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44So you've got the real savour of the Parmesan cheese
0:10:44 > 0:10:46and then the earthy softness of the artichokes.
0:10:46 > 0:10:52Just a few little parings of cheese.
0:10:52 > 0:10:53Just over the top.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01Artichokes are not velvety and soft in soup.
0:11:01 > 0:11:08They're at their best when really they're roasted and chewy and all the edges catch on the pan
0:11:08 > 0:11:11and they're really golden and sticky and almost toffee like.
0:11:11 > 0:11:18I know they look a bit weird and knobbly, but they're honestly some of my very favourite vegetables.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25And they're just so soft and smooth.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30And surprisingly sweet.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39If this one doesn't want to make you plant some artichokes this year, nothing will.
0:11:51 > 0:11:57Once the festive mayhem starts to die down, I can't wait to get back into the garden again.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01Today's job is a bit of an early spring-clean.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04There isn't much to do in the garden at this time of year.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08The sort of thing to do at the same time as cleaning out the larder
0:12:08 > 0:12:11and getting rid of anything past its sell-by date,
0:12:11 > 0:12:15is get out and clean the tools.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19I really enjoy looking after them.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21It's also very soothing.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28To be honest, most of the work is done inside.
0:12:28 > 0:12:33Preferably curled up with a piece of warm, home-made cake.
0:12:33 > 0:12:38Just as some people flip through holiday catalogues,
0:12:38 > 0:12:39I like seed lists.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43They do exactly the same, they transport you,
0:12:43 > 0:12:47they take you to the middle of summer, with all the tomatoes and the beans.
0:12:47 > 0:12:52I just look through and I can imagine myself gardening and picking things.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54Taking them into the kitchen.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58Look at a tomato list and suddenly you've got the sun on your back.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00You're thinking about making a salad.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04I just love going through all the catalogues, I get completely carried away.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08One of the best bits is planning what I'm going to grow
0:13:08 > 0:13:11by drawing little diagrams in my notebook.
0:13:11 > 0:13:16It's a mixture of things that I've grown before and have worked, and then there's always something
0:13:16 > 0:13:19a bit weird and wonderful that I can't buy in the shops.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22Just the names of some of them are just so amazing.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26You've got to grow a squash called Amish Pie.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32That's a lovely thing about having a little vegetable patch,
0:13:32 > 0:13:36is you can stick in the things that there's no other way you'd be able to taste them.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Kale is always on my list of things to grow,
0:13:40 > 0:13:44because it's one of those ingredients I can chuck into anything,
0:13:44 > 0:13:48stews, stir-fries, warm salads.
0:13:48 > 0:13:54For my Monday night supper, I'm in the mood to have it with some delicious spicy sausage.
0:13:54 > 0:13:59First, give the leaves a really good rinse, to get rid of any remnants of the garden.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02Like all members of the cabbage family,
0:14:02 > 0:14:05they're never happier than when they're in the company of pork.
0:14:05 > 0:14:10Maybe bacon or salami or spicy Spanish chorizo.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14They just love being together.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17These sausages are really useful to have around.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20You can add them to soups and to stews.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23You can cook them slowly in stock
0:14:23 > 0:14:25or you can add them to a quick stir-fry.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36If you keep the heat quite low at first,
0:14:36 > 0:14:40the fat in the sausages will slowly soak out.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42You won't have to add any to the pan.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51You can just hear that fat slowly coming out and starting to sizzle.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59Put some almonds in here.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03They come from the same part of the world as the sausage.
0:15:03 > 0:15:04So they should be happy together.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14When the edges are slightly golden,
0:15:16 > 0:15:18I whip this out
0:15:18 > 0:15:20and put in the almonds.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25Whether you're grilling almonds or frying them in the pan,
0:15:25 > 0:15:27don't take your eyes off them for a minute.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30One minute they're golden, the next minute, they're black.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32As soon as they start to brown,
0:15:34 > 0:15:36whip those out...
0:15:36 > 0:15:41Chuck in some roughly crushed garlic with a little extra oil.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44As that garlic starts to sizzle
0:15:44 > 0:15:46and the smell rises up,
0:15:46 > 0:15:49then in goes my kale
0:15:53 > 0:15:57You don't want them to brown, you just want them to relax.
0:16:02 > 0:16:09Let your kale darken and soften a bit before throwing in your sausage and nuts.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13This is big flavoured, cold weather cooking.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16Strong flavours,
0:16:16 > 0:16:23vibrant greens, sizzling spicy sausages and then crunchy almonds.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27The sort of food that makes you glad to be alive.
0:16:29 > 0:16:34This is the perfect one-pan supper to brighten a dark January evening.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38Try it with any combination of cabbage and pork.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40It'll be a winner every time.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52I always make new year's resolutions.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55It's as much a part of the season as eating mince pies.
0:16:55 > 0:17:01Sometimes they're very specific and foody, such as eating healthily,
0:17:01 > 0:17:04growing more of my own food
0:17:04 > 0:17:09and other times they're more general, like being organised and never being late.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12I always promise myself I'm going to find time
0:17:12 > 0:17:16to do a bit more of the kind of cooking I really love.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19The kind that involves a little bit of weighing and measuring.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22Like cakes, biscuits and bread.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24Making a loaf is so easy.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27I don't know why we don't all do it more often.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31And this is the perfect time of year to give it a go.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39I think people would appreciate bread more if they made bread more.
0:17:39 > 0:17:45You can't better that wonderful thing of this wonderful loaf coming out of the oven,
0:17:45 > 0:17:47you smelling it, you seeing it,
0:17:47 > 0:17:50you hearing it, and then everybody, the whole family enjoys eating it.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52So really, what could be better?
0:17:52 > 0:17:57Elizabeth and Rachel make bread in their Sussex bakery as it has been done for centuries,
0:17:57 > 0:18:02by mixing flour, yeast and water and then they add whatever they fancy.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04It is quite a satisfying thing.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08It's something you make yourself, you know where all the ingredients come from,
0:18:08 > 0:18:12there's a creative element to it, there's a physical element to it.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14You get to eat it in the end.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17What's wrong with that? Nothing bad about it, everything good.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21Here's some of our morning's production.
0:18:21 > 0:18:27We have a rye sour dough, a pane Pugliese, which is a lovely white Italian bread.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31We have a brioche there.
0:18:31 > 0:18:36We have the classic British bloomer, sesame seeded one.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40This is a pain au Levain, which is a sour dough.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42- This is a little farmhouse.- Oh, yes.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44This is my all-time favourite.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48Everything sounds savoury, but this can be, sort of sweet.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52- That is very true. - This is chocolate bread, it's actually an Italian recipe.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55The dough is chocolate with cocoa powder and chocolate chips.
0:18:55 > 0:19:01But it's not too sweet. You can go the red wine and mascarpone cheese route or you can go peanut butter.
0:19:01 > 0:19:07It's good with a cup of coffee and it's good with a glass of Chianti.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09I prefer the Chianti,
0:19:09 > 0:19:11but each to their own.
0:19:11 > 0:19:18The secret to making tasty bread like this is giving the dough time to ferment.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22This bit is usually rushed in the mass-produced bread we buy.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26But leaving it a while lets the bread's flavour really come through.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29If you don't have quite so much time,
0:19:29 > 0:19:34I make an old fashioned loaf that is done and dusted within the hour.
0:19:35 > 0:19:41And when it's fresh out of the oven, I've got the perfect filling in mind.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45To start with, mix 225 grams of plain flour
0:19:45 > 0:19:50and the same again of wholemeal, to add some texture.
0:19:50 > 0:19:55There is this idea that baking bread is complicated,
0:19:55 > 0:19:59that it involves so many processes.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02Yet it is very different to everyday cooking.
0:20:02 > 0:20:07Partly because you're weighing things, partly because there's a bit of chemistry involved
0:20:07 > 0:20:10and sometimes a wee bit of magic.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12But it's a question of getting in there and having a go.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17I know it doesn't always work.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20My first loaf ended up on the lawn for the birds.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23My father just chucked it out the window.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25But then it got better and better.
0:20:25 > 0:20:30Easier. Add a teaspoon of salt and sugar and here's the bit that makes this lazy -
0:20:30 > 0:20:36I'm using bicarbonate of soda instead of yeast to make my loaf rise,
0:20:36 > 0:20:39which means I don't have to leave it for hours before cooking it.
0:20:39 > 0:20:44It's the sort of ingredient that just sits there on the shelf, but watch the sell-by date.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47It's actually quite short on bicarbonate of soda.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50If it has passed its sell-by date, put it in a little dish,
0:20:50 > 0:20:53in the fridge, it'll make the fridge smell lovely and fresh.
0:20:53 > 0:20:58Every loaf needs some liquid and the usual thing is warm water.
0:20:58 > 0:21:04But I like my loaves to have a little bit of flavour, something slightly sharp in the background.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06So, I tend to use buttermilk.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09Sometimes, yoghurt.
0:21:09 > 0:21:15You need to use natural yoghurt here, without any flavourings or sugar.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17About 300 millilitres will do.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Make sure it's live yoghurt.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22That's what's going to help to make it work.
0:21:22 > 0:21:27A dribble of milk will make the yoghurt a bit more pourable.
0:21:30 > 0:21:36I simply pour that into the flour, the salt and the sugar and the bicarb.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38Then you bring all the ingredients together.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43A bread dough should be quite soft.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50You should get the feeling that there's something happening inside.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54That doesn't make sense until you actually start to do it and you get your hands in there.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58You'll feel that there's kind of something going on.
0:21:58 > 0:22:03I always like to think I can feel its heart beating.
0:22:03 > 0:22:08Because I'm not using any yeast, I can stick my loaf straight in the oven.
0:22:08 > 0:22:13I've already preheated a pot just to help to create a crackling crust.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17Dust the pot with flour to stop the dough sticking.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19Pop it in there.
0:22:19 > 0:22:26Just to make it easier to break open, just put a little cross on the top.
0:22:26 > 0:22:31The you just pop it in the oven for about half an hour, 25 minutes or so.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35While that's doing its thing, here's a quick recap...
0:22:39 > 0:22:46Don't forget, you can download full details of all my recipes on:
0:22:52 > 0:22:57Dive into your loaf when it's fresh out of the oven if you can.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01This is when I usually dabble with an assortment of fillings,
0:23:01 > 0:23:04depending on what's in the fridge.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10Today, I've got some bacon crisping under the grill.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16A good dollop of chutney will give a sweet and fiery kick.
0:23:16 > 0:23:24Then a crisp, cool lettuce leaf and finally, silky smoked salmon adds a bit of luxury.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26That's it.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29My salmon, bacon and chutney sandwich.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33Yes, it is an unusual combination.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Soft, silky salmon, hot, crisp bacon.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38But it works.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47It so works.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58It's around this time that I try and squeeze in one last treat
0:23:58 > 0:24:02before the decorations come down and everything gets back to normal.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04Generally, the less faff the better.
0:24:06 > 0:24:12I'm always after a supper that's cheap and cheerful, particularly so at this time of year.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14But I don't just want them to be cheap.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17I want them to have a special feel about them.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19Even if they don't cost much.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22One of my favourite ingredients for that are mussels.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24They're not expensive...
0:24:25 > 0:24:29..they look great and eating them is actually good fun.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32That whole thing of getting a big bowl of
0:24:32 > 0:24:37gaping mussels in their shells and just sharing them with somebody.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40I'm cooking a lovely, simple dish of mussels with cider.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43If you've never cooked mussels, give it a go.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47As long as you remember a few tips, you honestly can't go wrong.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Just need a big pan.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54A tiny little drop of oil, maybe some butter.
0:24:54 > 0:25:00Just a bit. Some onions. Maybe some bay leaves.
0:25:03 > 0:25:08And whenever I cook with mussels, I always like to include some garlic.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12They're very, very happy in each other's company.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15I don't want the garlic to overwhelm the dish,
0:25:15 > 0:25:19so I'm just going to crush the cloves and stick them in whole.
0:25:19 > 0:25:25Let the onions soften, whilst you get cracking washing the mussels.
0:25:29 > 0:25:34You need to give them a really good rinse in lots of very cold, running water.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Any that seem very light or have broken shells
0:25:37 > 0:25:41or any of them very, very heavy and consequently full of mud,
0:25:41 > 0:25:43throw them out.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45Any that are open
0:25:45 > 0:25:49and don't close when you tap them, they've got to go too.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04As mussels cook, they produce a lot of their own liquid
0:26:04 > 0:26:06and that's where most of the flavour is.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10But that flavour works best with a very mild alcohol, like white wine,
0:26:10 > 0:26:12or as I'm going to use, some cider.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21What happens is
0:26:21 > 0:26:24all the wonderful fishy juices
0:26:26 > 0:26:30mix with the cider and you get the most fabulous tasting broth.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39Now, we want these to cook really, really quickly
0:26:39 > 0:26:41because that's when they're at their best, really juicy.
0:26:41 > 0:26:47In order to do that, I'm going to put a tight lid on so they steam and they cook in that.
0:26:49 > 0:26:54This is the point where you call everybody to the table, because once your mussels are cooked,
0:26:54 > 0:26:58it isn't long before they turn a little bit rubbery and you want them to be really juicy.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02It's literally minutes.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06The mussels are done, as soon as they're open.
0:27:10 > 0:27:15You get two bites of this dish, the mussels themselves
0:27:15 > 0:27:20and then you get this gorgeous, cidery, fishy, herby broth.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23Sometimes I eat it with a spoon beforehand.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25Sometimes I save it till last.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27Either way, it smells like the seaside.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33If you've got any bread knocking around,
0:27:33 > 0:27:35this is a great time to use it.
0:27:35 > 0:27:40Just that heavenly broth, cidery, fishy and herby.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58Good.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01This is a really fun, midweek treat.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04It won't take you any longer than 15 minutes.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08That's what I call a quick supper.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12I've created five exciting, tasty supper ideas,
0:28:12 > 0:28:16that I promise will put a spring in your step as you start the new year.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20Simple dishes that you can easily experiment and add your own spin too,
0:28:20 > 0:28:24depending on your mood or what's in the cupboard or fridge.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26So what are you waiting for?