0:00:07 > 0:00:09I'm Nigel Slater.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13For me, being able to rustle up delicious, simple food
0:00:13 > 0:00:14is what life is all about.
0:00:14 > 0:00:19Often I fancy a bit of indulgence, but I do also try to be good.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21Well, sometimes anyway!
0:00:21 > 0:00:24I like to make everything I eat feel like a treat -
0:00:24 > 0:00:26even the healthy stuff.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28If I'm going to spend time cooking it,
0:00:28 > 0:00:32I want to feel excited about eating it, not guilty!
0:00:32 > 0:00:35I do like eating healthily, and I do care about what I eat,
0:00:35 > 0:00:38but I also like the naughty stuff.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41What annoys me is when the naughty stuff gets a very bad name.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45It's all about balance.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50So this week I'll be creating a five heavenly dishes -
0:00:50 > 0:00:54balancing the very, very good with the very, very naughty.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58Fabulous meals to make you feel great about yourself,
0:00:58 > 0:01:02as well as a couple of my all-time, off-the-scale treats.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05I'll also be meeting a family passionate about growing their own,
0:01:05 > 0:01:08and transforming their healthy pickings into something more daring.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11I've got a thing about blackcurrants, I used to pick them as a kid.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14How much do we need to pay you to pick them?
0:01:14 > 0:01:16Maybe you could step back in time!
0:01:16 > 0:01:18Every time I have something that I know is good for me,
0:01:18 > 0:01:23it gives me a licence to have something naughty, something sinful.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26I think we all need a little bit more sin.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03If I'm going to eat a cake, or a biscuit,
0:02:03 > 0:02:05it's going to be a fabulous one,
0:02:05 > 0:02:08and if it's a biscuit I'll probably call it a cookie,
0:02:08 > 0:02:11cos it sounds much more delicious.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14So I'm going to start the week with a real treat -
0:02:14 > 0:02:19some divine chocolate cookies with crunchy hazelnuts.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22These are the perfect way to beat those Monday blues!
0:02:22 > 0:02:24I'd much rather have one,
0:02:24 > 0:02:28delicious crumbly chocolatey cookie
0:02:28 > 0:02:30made with butter, made with chocolate,
0:02:30 > 0:02:32than I'd have three
0:02:32 > 0:02:36that are supposedly better for me because they're low fat.
0:02:36 > 0:02:41My cookies start off by gently melting 200 grams of chocolate
0:02:41 > 0:02:43over a pan of simmering water.
0:02:45 > 0:02:4975 grams of butter will add to its silkiness.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53We're talking about treats, we're talking about pleasure,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56and if it's going to bring real pleasure,
0:02:56 > 0:02:57it's got to hit those buttons.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01225 grams of sumptuous muscovado sugar
0:03:01 > 0:03:04adds a wonderful deep butterscotch flavour.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07And that only looks like a bit of butter
0:03:07 > 0:03:10and a lot of sugar, but it'll work.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15A couple of eggs will bring my butter and sugar together.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19And a few drops of vanilla extract will complement the chocolate perfectly.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24Finally, two tablespoons of self-raising flour -
0:03:24 > 0:03:28don't even think about the calories.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31Now if this is a treat with chocolate,
0:03:31 > 0:03:35then there is a huge temptation for me to involve nuts.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40Hazelnuts and chocolate for me, is just... It's the best of the lot.
0:03:41 > 0:03:47I skin my hazelnuts - you can buy them already done, but I think they keep better with their skins on.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52It's easy - just toast and flake off the skins by rolling in a tea towel.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58So about three-quarters of these nuts I'm going to grind to a powder.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06The last quarter, I just roughly chop to add a bit of crunch.
0:04:06 > 0:04:11Then the whole lot goes in with the flour and creamed butter and sugar.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22Then, it's time to add the melted chocolate.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25As soon as it's all liquid,
0:04:25 > 0:04:27then I turn off the heat.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31If it gets too hot, then we'll be in trouble.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34There's nothing worse than grainy, burnt chocolate!
0:04:38 > 0:04:41I want my cookies to be moist and gooey in the centre,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44so they'll just get around 10 minutes in a warm oven.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51There's something that sends tingles down my spine when I put
0:04:51 > 0:04:54a plate of warm biscuits,
0:04:54 > 0:04:58cookies, call them what you will, on the table and everybody tucks in.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00There is just something.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02Perhaps it's the reason I cook, I don't know.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05It's about sharing something that you've made
0:05:05 > 0:05:09with other people while it's still warm from the oven.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20You wouldn't think those biscuits were cooked when you take them out of the oven,
0:05:20 > 0:05:22but they're as cooked as I want them to be.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25There's no packet of biscuits in the world...
0:05:26 > 0:05:30..that would have the same effect on me as these are right now.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32To go with the warm chocolate,
0:05:32 > 0:05:34some ripe cherries,
0:05:34 > 0:05:38a few...very ripe berries.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48So they're lightly crisp
0:05:48 > 0:05:50on the outside.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52And then inside,
0:05:52 > 0:05:55they're moist and gooey.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00You could keep these in a tin for a couple of days.
0:06:01 > 0:06:02But I'm not going to!
0:06:08 > 0:06:12The trick is to go for the best chocolate you can with this recipe.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14It is a treat, after all.
0:06:27 > 0:06:32If I do over-indulge, I often then crave something healthy.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35It's like my body telling me off, but a few aromatic herbs
0:06:35 > 0:06:40in a cup of hot water soon redresses the balance.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44That feeling when I've had a little bit too much cake,
0:06:44 > 0:06:46a little bit too many good things.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48There's something very purifying
0:06:48 > 0:06:51about a glass of warm water...
0:06:51 > 0:06:53and some green aromatic herbs.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56The garden sometimes has a healthy answer,
0:06:56 > 0:06:59I reckon that's why I love growing my own so much.
0:06:59 > 0:07:05Anywhere you look in the garden, you'll find something to inspire a saintly supper.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12If you find something that's just a picture of health, it looks so good.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15Just want to celebrate it for what it is -
0:07:15 > 0:07:17lovely healthy ingredient.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20And that's how I feel about these tomatoes.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23I mean, just sniffing them makes me feel good.
0:07:24 > 0:07:30For Tuesday's supper, these juicy tomatoes are going to take centre stage in a beautiful basil dressing.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32This one is pure goodness.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36What I'm going to do with these is roast them with...
0:07:36 > 0:07:38some of their...
0:07:38 > 0:07:43best friends, things that work so beautifully with them - garlic.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46Put in as much fresh garlic as you dare.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51Not going to chop this finely - I'm just going to cut it into...
0:07:53 > 0:07:57two or maybe three and tuck it into the tomato,
0:07:57 > 0:08:00and what happens is it that it just gently scents it.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04Thyme is another of the tomato's closest friends.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08They really bring out the best in each other.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10You know, you look at herbs in a pot, or in a shop
0:08:10 > 0:08:12and they're just another green thing.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16It's when you crush them between your fingers as you pick them,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19just makes you feel...
0:08:19 > 0:08:22so good, you can almost feel them doing you good.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29A few coarsely ground black peppercorns will add nuggets of warmth.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32Lastly, a good glug of olive oil.
0:08:32 > 0:08:37I want these to take on a chargrilled flavour, so they'll go into a really hot oven.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41It'd be really good to have something that
0:08:41 > 0:08:48really flatters the tomatoes rather than smothers them or hides them, a mixture of really green herbs.
0:08:48 > 0:08:54Flat leaf parsley, basil and the rest of my thyme is the ultimate fresh combination.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57And I want to brighten the flavour of this whole thing.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00A few capers will also add a bracing sharpness.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04Then it's just a case of whizzing everything together,
0:09:04 > 0:09:07with a good glug of fruity olive oil
0:09:07 > 0:09:09and a squeeze of lemon.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15I'm after a sauce or a dressing that I can pour easily.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19It's as simple as that.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23It's like the kitchen has suddenly been transported to Provence
0:09:23 > 0:09:26with that smell of tomatoes and thyme and garlic.
0:09:32 > 0:09:37And as the sauce hits the warm tomatoes, there's an amazing smell coming up.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40All lush and green and healthy.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47It seems only fitting
0:09:47 > 0:09:51to finish this meal where it started, or where most of it started.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03It's like the very essence of the garden and all that's good in it.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06It's just so green and fresh.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09Power of herbs, it's extraordinary.
0:10:13 > 0:10:19It's very straightforward, and for a healthy dish, remarkably satisfying.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32As much as I love my town garden,
0:10:32 > 0:10:35I sometimes dream of really living the good life.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39I spend an awful lot of time just sitting down with a cup of tea
0:10:39 > 0:10:42and just imagining what it would be like to live somewhere
0:10:42 > 0:10:46where the pace is slower, and where I've got much more space.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49In particular, space to grow things.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54Cat and Tom escaped the city life three years ago
0:10:54 > 0:10:57with their children Fergus and Amelie.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01Not surprisingly, they're loving every bit of their inherited veg patch
0:11:01 > 0:11:03in this stunning part of Devon.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13There's something lovely about watching fruit grow and ripen and go through the whole process.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17It's amazing that they turn from little flowers into apples.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21- I just think it's incredible. - It's a wonderful obsession, but it does get you -
0:11:21 > 0:11:25there is that thing where I wake up first thing in the morning, go round the garden,
0:11:25 > 0:11:29and it's almost like I can't wait to see what's happened to things.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33The real star of the Raymond's family garden is this bountiful fruit cage.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37- Now, great raspberries. - We've been picking these for...
0:11:37 > 0:11:42- Three weeks. - And you've got masses more to come! - They are really nice at the moment.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46They are looking good, I wouldn't mind a bit later, maybe picking some of those.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49Go and have a little look, and look at your blackcurrants.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52They're quite sharp. I think that one's a bit...
0:11:52 > 0:11:54With a spoonful of sugar.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58It's like a sort of fruit espresso, it's kind of...this jolt.
0:11:58 > 0:12:03I've got a thing about blackcurrants because I used to pick them when I was a kid,
0:12:03 > 0:12:04for pocket money,
0:12:04 > 0:12:08and when I prune them now, when I smell... The blackcurrant
0:12:08 > 0:12:11was a distinctive smell, and it's just like being 13 again.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14How much do we need to pay you to pick them? Maybe you could step back in time!
0:12:14 > 0:12:17I seem to remember it was a couple of quid a day!
0:12:17 > 0:12:22- That's what I was thinking. - That sounds about right. - That's fine, we can do that!
0:12:22 > 0:12:24OK. I think I can remember how to do this!
0:12:24 > 0:12:28But don't think I'm going to waste my efforts on some healthy fruit dish.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32No - I'm in the mood to whip up something a little wicked!
0:12:33 > 0:12:36Just rinse these fruits, to be honest.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40What do you do with all your blackcurrants?
0:12:40 > 0:12:42Make them into coulis, jam... Don't eat most of it.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44Difficult stuff to know what to do with.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47All the sour fruits are, because the ones that you can just pick
0:12:47 > 0:12:52and eat and the kids can just pick and eat, vanish. They do need a little bit of effort.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56- They do.- Quite a bit of sugar, to be honest -
0:12:56 > 0:12:59these have had weeks of sun, but they're still really sharp.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01And I just leave those
0:13:01 > 0:13:05till the fruits burst, I mean you know that, until the...
0:13:05 > 0:13:06the skins pop,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10and then you just get this amazing dark juice and fruit.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13While that simmers away, I've got some lovely local double cream.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17This will really help take the edge off those sharp berries.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21Such a cool colour that double cream, it's much more yellow than the...
0:13:21 > 0:13:23- It's beautiful. - It's a lovely colour.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27I'm going to put some yoghurt in, and I'm going to put it in because
0:13:27 > 0:13:30I just like that sort of hint of sharpness -
0:13:30 > 0:13:33not much, but just a little bit.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36And then it's so beautiful, it's worth every second of...
0:13:36 > 0:13:40pruning and getting prickled and getting scratched.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50I try not to stir mine too much, my fools.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53Looks delicious.
0:13:53 > 0:13:58- Mm.- Complete difference, this, from very, very thick warming cream,
0:13:58 > 0:14:00and then very sharp coming through.
0:14:00 > 0:14:05And I quite like the yoghurt, it adds a certain sourness in a funny kind of way, I don't know.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08- It freshens it somehow. - It freshens it.- It's nice.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10Did you like yours?
0:14:10 > 0:14:12- I did! - SHE LAUGHS
0:14:12 > 0:14:17I couldn't breathe it in quickly enough, that's my only complaint, but other than that, it was good!
0:14:17 > 0:14:20If all this has inspired you to grow your own,
0:14:20 > 0:14:25or you'd like some exciting recipe ideas for your fruit and veg,
0:14:25 > 0:14:26check out:
0:14:35 > 0:14:40Sometimes I want something to eat that just makes me feel good.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Really quite healthy.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46Something fresh, and crisp,
0:14:46 > 0:14:51but also something that has a touch of luxury about it.
0:14:55 > 0:15:01So I usually go for a pure, saintly salad, served alongside a sinful, sensational dressing...
0:15:02 > 0:15:07..that starts off with two or three balls of gorgeous, creamy mozzarella.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11Now I could...
0:15:11 > 0:15:13put an olive oil dressing on this.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16It would be very classical...
0:15:18 > 0:15:22..but I want something that's going to emphasise the coolness of it.
0:15:25 > 0:15:30By using yoghurt, I'm introducing some acidity, so a bit of bite.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34Now to that, I want something bright and fresh and invigorating.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40Lovely sprigs of bright-tasting mint,
0:15:40 > 0:15:42and some basil, too.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47And one sprig of parsley.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51I don't really believe in the notion of food
0:15:51 > 0:15:54that's bad for you and food that's good for you.
0:15:54 > 0:15:59It's about creating a mixture of food that is all about pleasure.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04With food that makes you feel good in other ways, cos it's just so healthy and fresh.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13All my creamy dressing needs now is a bit of a kick...
0:16:13 > 0:16:15so a little chilli.
0:16:18 > 0:16:23If you want this to really tingle the taste buds, keep the seeds in.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26Then some orange zest.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30It sounds strange with chilli, but it works beautifully.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36Gently mix those together and leave them for a while,
0:16:36 > 0:16:40and then the mozzarella will slowly take up the flavours.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47There's quite a lot going on in this dressing, so I'm going to keep
0:16:47 > 0:16:51my salad very simple by using just a couple of root vegetables.
0:16:51 > 0:16:57My heart sinks when people talk about grated carrot salad, it's like something left over from the '60s.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01And yet it can be so good,
0:17:01 > 0:17:05just a little bit of lemon juice, maybe some mint, something to really give some life to it.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13A squeeze of lemon stops my grated carrots going brown.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16Beetroot is going in, too.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20Just think, all that wonderful red goodness.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25Beetroots don't only come...
0:17:25 > 0:17:29in red, you can quite often find the golden ones. Look at the colour.
0:17:29 > 0:17:34It makes you feel good just to see it, it's like the sun shining in the kitchen.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38A good trickle of healthy olive oil will bring the grated veg together.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45I've got the earthy sweetness of those root vegetables.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49Then this soft, melting...
0:17:50 > 0:17:54..very creamy cheese, the sort of food that makes me feel...
0:17:55 > 0:17:57..good just by looking at it.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05It's lemony and it's minty,
0:18:05 > 0:18:09and you've got the crunch of the carrots
0:18:09 > 0:18:13and this extraordinary exchange of textures.
0:18:13 > 0:18:18There's something very exciting about it in the mouth from all the herbs and crunchy roots.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22And then suddenly you get this hit of chilli - it's very dazzling,
0:18:22 > 0:18:25it's a completely dazzling mouthful is what it is.
0:18:25 > 0:18:26Made me feel good anyway.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32I love the good and bad in this dish.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35The veg couldn't get more saintly, and then that sublime
0:18:35 > 0:18:39mozzarella dressing makes me feel like I'm not completely missing out!
0:18:49 > 0:18:53One ingredient that splits people down the middle is honey.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57Is it good for you, or is it just basically sugar?
0:18:58 > 0:19:01No matter what you think, there's definitely something magical
0:19:01 > 0:19:05about how the flavour of honey can change,
0:19:05 > 0:19:08depending on a simple bee, and its choice of flower.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13On one estate by a deep sea creek in Cornwall,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16the bees have very rich pickings.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19Tregothnan has been in the same family since 1335,
0:19:19 > 0:19:24and they've had a passion for collecting trees and shrubs from all over the world.
0:19:24 > 0:19:30For bees that's really interesting, cos they get to eat things that they wouldn't normally get to see,
0:19:30 > 0:19:33and it's created a really... Well, I suppose, a paradise for bees.
0:19:36 > 0:19:41Jonathon Jones has been garden director at this estate for 14 years.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45It's his and his team's job to make sure the bees that live here
0:19:45 > 0:19:50keep busy, so they produce lots of different flavours of honey.
0:19:50 > 0:19:55There's huge diversity of honeys in this country that we don't even think about, even just in colour,
0:19:55 > 0:19:59that tells you a bit about the flora the bees have been feeding on.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05This very pale honey would actually be an early season,
0:20:05 > 0:20:09flora probably with a little bit of rapeseed in it, possibly.
0:20:09 > 0:20:15The spring flowering ones often aren't as strong-flavoured, so you can just eat it by the spoonful. Mmm!
0:20:15 > 0:20:19At the other end of the scale you've got things like this one,
0:20:19 > 0:20:23which might have a bit of heather in, and even possibly a little bit of ivy
0:20:23 > 0:20:26at the end of the season and that's great flavour, strong,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29more for the connoisseur.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33People in this country don't tend to cook or think of it much as an ingredient,
0:20:33 > 0:20:38and I don't why I could eat all of this myself, but... In fact I nearly have!
0:20:39 > 0:20:43People say, "I don't like honey", but they need to try some of the mild honeys,
0:20:43 > 0:20:49and then you gradually get sort of sucked into it. Try it on cereal, that's a good start.
0:20:49 > 0:20:54And then you end up thinking, "Actually, that's really nice", and you try it on something else...
0:20:54 > 0:20:56A good cook can do amazing things with honey.
0:20:56 > 0:21:02If there's one ingredient I think works particularly well with honey, it's duck.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06This is no saint, but then neither am I!
0:21:06 > 0:21:10Perhaps the most controversial ingredient of all is fat.
0:21:10 > 0:21:11I love it.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15Fat on a pork chop, fat on a piece of lamb.
0:21:15 > 0:21:20But the best one for me is duck fat, it's such a flavoursome fat.
0:21:23 > 0:21:28Place a couple of duck legs onto a fairly high heat, to give them a bit of colour.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34I'm going to roast these in a really simple sauce,
0:21:34 > 0:21:38with refreshing orange and lemon zest and a little ginger.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41What I'm getting here are...
0:21:41 > 0:21:44really bright, vivid, hot, sharp flavours
0:21:44 > 0:21:48that just balance the richness of the duck.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53I have a sort of personal philosophy about fat -
0:21:53 > 0:21:56I don't worry about the fat I can see,
0:21:56 > 0:22:00that wonderful white rim of fat on a piece of Parma ham,
0:22:00 > 0:22:03or the crackling on roast pork, I don't mind that.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07It's the hidden fat that I'm... Beware of.
0:22:07 > 0:22:12The stuff that you have to read the side of a packet to work out how much you're eating.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16To that I'm going to add some honey.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22Hopefully what we'll get is something quite crisp
0:22:22 > 0:22:27and slightly hot and citrus before we get in to the juicy meat below.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34A sprinkling of salt will help the skin to crisp.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38They'll sit in a really hot oven for about half an hour.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42There's no way I'm going to waste my duck fat -
0:22:42 > 0:22:45this will come out next time I'm roasting potatoes.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51About half way through cooking, when the honey's thickened,
0:22:51 > 0:22:55add a good squeeze of juice, just to freshen the rich duck meat.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01And I want something that is going to soak up all that flavour.
0:23:01 > 0:23:02I'm going to put some figs in.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06Figs are like little sponges, so you end up with...
0:23:06 > 0:23:09something very soft and silky.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13Pop back into the oven for 10 minutes, to let all the flavours come together.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24It has a festive smell.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26It's all the citrus and the sweet things.
0:23:39 > 0:23:40It's truly, truly wonderful.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43It's citrusy
0:23:43 > 0:23:47and there's a tiny little peck of heat from the ginger.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51But it's sumptuous as well, from the honey AND from the duck fat.
0:23:51 > 0:23:56Everything comes together. Gorgeous, they're really gorgeous.
0:24:00 > 0:24:05There's something quite medieval about this juicy, firm meat
0:24:05 > 0:24:07and its sticky honey glaze.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10And don't be shy to pick it up with your fingers either!
0:24:20 > 0:24:25Sometimes, when I can't decide if I want to be healthy or indulgent,
0:24:25 > 0:24:29I dream up a way of getting both onto the same plate.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32It all depends how good or bad I've been during the week.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35Tonight is one of those suppers.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39A big plateful of saintly lush, crisp greens,
0:24:39 > 0:24:41served with a silky cream sauce.
0:24:42 > 0:24:48Sometimes I open the fridge and it's like looking into a greenhouse, it's just full of stuff.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52All of which I've bought because it's so lush and verdant.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55Peas are always favourite.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58The pods are really waxy, it's brilliant green.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01There truly isn't anything wrong with frozen peas,
0:25:01 > 0:25:03I just like fresh ones.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06The fact that I can pop them!
0:25:06 > 0:25:10Cooking isn't just about the end product, it's about getting there,
0:25:10 > 0:25:13and it's about the little pleasures
0:25:13 > 0:25:15of cooking, and podding peas is one of them.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21I've also got some crunchy French beans,
0:25:21 > 0:25:25which will get a quick dunk with my peas in plenty of boiling water.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30When I was a kid, I never liked broad beans.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33I used to push them to the side of my plate,
0:25:33 > 0:25:38and then I found that what I really didn't like about them was the papery skin on the outside.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42The vivid green bean inside I loved.
0:25:43 > 0:25:48I love all the flavours of these veg, they just ooze goodness.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56If you're going to skin your beans, now's the time to do it.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00Just split the skin and press, out they come.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04Baby spinach finishes this off beautifully. This is good.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07But it's also incredibly healthy,
0:26:07 > 0:26:11it's almost puritanical, it's so healthy.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15I want to dress it with something that's really quite creamy,
0:26:15 > 0:26:17quite luxurious.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20And I know just the dressing -
0:26:20 > 0:26:23with mild mustard, sharp lemon juice,
0:26:23 > 0:26:24a pinch of salt,
0:26:24 > 0:26:28a trickle of olive oil and parsley.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Just a few of those leaves, absolutely no stems,
0:26:32 > 0:26:35chopped quite roughly.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41Then, a rebellious and indulgent helping of naughty cream.
0:26:41 > 0:26:46But I just want a contrasting texture to the crisp veggies.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49Mustard and cream works a treat.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54Parsley and cream like each other in parsley sauce.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01This to me is the best of both worlds.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05It's my incredibly healthy portion of five a day,
0:27:05 > 0:27:09but it's also got a touch of luxury.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26It's a very saintly meal...
0:27:26 > 0:27:30of crisp greens, very freshly cooked, very vivid,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33and then, that naughty double cream.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35Slightly sinful...
0:27:36 > 0:27:38..but, oh, so gorgeous.
0:27:41 > 0:27:45I'd be tempted to serve this with a tasty bit of ham.
0:27:45 > 0:27:50It's sublime, sexy and virtuous all at the same time.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52The perfect combination!
0:28:00 > 0:28:04I don't really cook to be healthy. I cook for pleasure.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06All of these dishes tick both boxes for me -
0:28:06 > 0:28:10saint and sinner in varying degrees,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13and each one proof that a little bit of what you fancy
0:28:13 > 0:28:16certainly does you a lot of good!
0:28:18 > 0:28:19Next time,
0:28:19 > 0:28:23I'll be helping to bring a bit of daring into your cooking...
0:28:23 > 0:28:28with a week of supper ideas that all have a definite sense of adventure.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:52 > 0:28:55E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk