0:00:04 > 0:00:10I'm Nigel Slater. Cooking for pleasure is my favourite pastime.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12I like to cook simple food.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15Tasty, exciting but easy to make.
0:00:15 > 0:00:22I like to think I'm pretty adventurous but sometimes we're all guilty of getting in a food rut.
0:00:22 > 0:00:27Just as we often like to go to the same places for our holidays,
0:00:27 > 0:00:31we also tend to cook the same meals over and over again.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33But it's also good to break out.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35To have a sense of adventure about what we eat.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39So it's time to try something different.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43I'm cooking a week's worth of simple, tasty recipes, but instead
0:00:43 > 0:00:47of my tried and tested favourites, I'm going to try something new.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50So do you think you're going to be growing more nettles in your garden?
0:00:50 > 0:00:55I certainly will! After all - variety is the spice of life.
0:00:55 > 0:01:01Different recipes, different approaches can add a great deal to our cooking.
0:01:38 > 0:01:45With our climate, I like to grab any opportunity I can to cook and eat outdoors.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49But I quickly get bored of sausages and burgers on the barbeque.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52It's nice to have a change.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55There are some things that we now think of as actually being quite
0:01:55 > 0:01:59adventurous and yet at one time they were everyday. Like rabbit.
0:01:59 > 0:02:04It was one of those things that was absolutely everywhere, they were a menace, we had to get rid of them,
0:02:04 > 0:02:07and yet now when you see somebody cooking with rabbit
0:02:07 > 0:02:09it's considered quite unusual, almost daring.
0:02:09 > 0:02:16I'm going to dare to be different and cook barbeque rabbit in an orange and juniper marinade.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21Rabbit has a mild flavour and I don't want to overpower it.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27So pop in a few peppercorns and a couple of cloves of garlic.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32And then,
0:02:32 > 0:02:33a bit of orange peel.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35Could use lemon, but I think orange
0:02:35 > 0:02:38just really works with rabbit.
0:02:38 > 0:02:43I'm going to put a few herbs in here, so I'm going to put a little bit of rosemary.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48All of the flavourings that work with chicken also work with rabbit.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52So a couple of bay leaves too.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59Juniper berries will give this a real taste of summer.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03They've got the same flavour as a gin and tonic.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06In fact, if you crush them
0:03:06 > 0:03:08and sniff,
0:03:08 > 0:03:10it's like someone pouring you a drink.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17These will just give a really subtle flavour.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21To keep the rabbit moist, trickle in some balsamic vinegar
0:03:23 > 0:03:25and a good glug of olive oil.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30So these really only need to be in overnight.
0:03:30 > 0:03:36To give time for the orange and the garlic, the rosemary and the bay, that little bit of balsamic vinegar
0:03:36 > 0:03:39and the juniper all to get to know one another.
0:03:44 > 0:03:50If you can't bear to wait, just leave them in the marinade as long as you can.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52In my case, a few hours.
0:03:55 > 0:04:01And remember, put your rabbit on the grill only when the coals have turned grey.
0:04:04 > 0:04:10Don't complicate the flavour, just a few orange wedges will bring out those seasonings beautifully.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15So that's only been in the marinade for a few hours.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18With just a few very basic flavourings and yet the smell is amazing.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22I can't wait to tuck in to that.
0:04:22 > 0:04:27Rabbit is really simple to cook and well worth taking a chance on, it's delicious!
0:04:27 > 0:04:33Treat it like chicken - simple flavours and don't overcook it - you can't go far wrong.
0:04:40 > 0:04:45I do go out with a shopping list, but sometimes I'm tempted to pick up something more adventurous.
0:04:45 > 0:04:52Occasionally I ask the shopkeepers for ideas, but sometimes it's good just to have a go.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57Sometimes I look at the fishmonger's slab
0:04:57 > 0:05:01and there's things I don't know what they are and I'm dying to know.
0:05:01 > 0:05:07Some of them are quite friendly and approachable and others are positively scary, like squid.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11Adventurous doesn't have to mean complicated.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14This grilled squid supper takes literally minutes.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18If I'm going to cook something that I don't know - a new fish or
0:05:18 > 0:05:21something I've never met before - I want to know what it's about.
0:05:21 > 0:05:27So I don't want to mess around with it. I'm serving this with a simple citrus and herb butter.
0:05:27 > 0:05:32I've got a nice yellow lime which is really ripe, then it means that it's going to have masses of juice.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34I want that freshness.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38I want that kind of citrus zip that really brings out the flavour of fish.
0:05:43 > 0:05:48Into that really bright juice and zest I want to add the brightest tasting herbs.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51So maybe some basil or some mint.
0:05:53 > 0:05:58I know mint sounds a little bit strange with fish, but if you think about something that's going to be
0:05:58 > 0:06:02grilled and you've got those dark smoky notes and then you've got the brightness of the mint,
0:06:04 > 0:06:07it suddenly starts to make sense.
0:06:07 > 0:06:14A few slivers of garlic will work perfectly with a peppery basil, zingy mint and grilled squid.
0:06:16 > 0:06:22Add a good wedge of butter, a grinding of salt and pepper and get stuck in.
0:06:22 > 0:06:27That will live very happily in the fridge for a couple of days.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33You slice it off as you need it.
0:06:33 > 0:06:34It would go on steak as well.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40You know when you see squid on the fishmonger's slab it's pretty gruesome.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43It's full of black ink.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45And if you take it home like that
0:06:45 > 0:06:50you'll get it everywhere -it'll be all over the sink, all over the kitchen, all over you.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53But your fishmonger's a fishmonger because he wants to be,
0:06:53 > 0:06:57so use him and say, look, can you prepare it for me?
0:06:57 > 0:07:02And what you'll come home with is something that actually looks much friendlier.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06It isn't scary and it isn't messy - it's just a lovely piece of lean fish.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10It's so easy to cook.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14Just flatten it out and lightly score the flesh to keep it tender.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18Trickle with some olive and pop it in a piping hot pan or griddle.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26Now I've got to put the tentacles on.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28I really love these little chaps.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35It moves on the grill as though it's alive.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38It's funny, how something that we know so well, from our Greek
0:07:38 > 0:07:44holidays - sliced and fried in batter - suddenly looks so different when you see the raw thing.
0:07:48 > 0:07:54People who cook squid regularly will all have an answer as to how to make it not curl up on the grill.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57I love it curling on the grill, it looks beautiful when it curls on the grill.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01All these amazing shapes, you never quite know what's going to happen.
0:08:06 > 0:08:07Squid cooks fast.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11When it's no longer see-through, whip it off the heat.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15Looks so scary on the fishmonger's slab.
0:08:15 > 0:08:16Nothing scary about it now.
0:08:26 > 0:08:33Just tastes of the sea and smoke from the grill and then that hit of mint, lime and basil.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35That's luscious.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42If you've never tried squid before, now there's no excuse.
0:08:42 > 0:08:49Just ask the fishmonger to do the hard work so you can enjoy it at its simple, delicious best.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00It's so tempting to buy the same things every time I go shopping.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03I know what I want and I know where it is.
0:09:03 > 0:09:08But if I start to look around a little bit, there's ingredients maybe I've never used.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10Maybe never even seen before.
0:09:10 > 0:09:15One ingredient has particularly caught my eye recently - and that's water buffalo.
0:09:15 > 0:09:20It's new, different and I for one can't wait to explore it a bit more.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26The meat is very similar to beef.
0:09:26 > 0:09:33It's significantly lower in fat, lower in cholesterol and it is a beautiful meat to cook with.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36It's a versatile meat and it's very tasty.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40Dagan James has been providing the local Hampshire community
0:09:40 > 0:09:44with this exotic alternative to beef for nearly 10 years.
0:09:46 > 0:09:53His secret to producing top quality meat is letting his buffalo roam all over his 500 acre estate.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57An animal that's designed to eat grass should be able to eat grass
0:09:57 > 0:10:03and should live a natural, an outdoor life which is obviously going to make
0:10:03 > 0:10:08it more expensive, but then perhaps if we eat a little bit less of it, it would be a good thing.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12Which is funny to hear a livestock farmer say that, but there's truth
0:10:12 > 0:10:16in it, we've got to go steady with all this meat we're eating.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20It's all in the cooking as well, you know, if you treat it well it's going to make beautiful food.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24And at Dagan's local market, it's certainly going down a storm.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30Water buffalo meat is really tasty.
0:10:30 > 0:10:35It's very different, it's got quite a gamey flavour. I wouldn't eat another type of burger.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39There's a lot less fat in it I think and what's on the plate you can eat,
0:10:39 > 0:10:42there's no cutting bits out and leaving them on the side.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45I prefer it to beef. It's a much more mellow flavour.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47And of course less cholesterol.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50Thank you, bye.
0:10:52 > 0:10:58I've never cooked with buffalo before, so my buffalo burgers are going to be a real experiment.
0:10:58 > 0:11:04I don't know this meat, so, normally I'd be tempted to season something
0:11:04 > 0:11:10quite generously, or quite adventurously but I'm not going to with this, because
0:11:10 > 0:11:12I want to know what it's like.
0:11:12 > 0:11:18I want to know its heart and soul, so it's going to get very little seasoning.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22And when I think of meat that doesn't have a lot of seasoning, I think burger.
0:11:22 > 0:11:28That whole thing of a really good hamburger is just ground beef.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32Little bit of salt, little bit of pepper - nothing else.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35So we'll see.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38It does look good. It's got a great colour.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43So this is just going to get a simple pinch of salt and pepper.
0:11:43 > 0:11:48I'm not using anything to bind this meat, just hope they keep their shape.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51Always trying to get with a burger is a slightly
0:11:51 > 0:11:57crisp, almost charred outside and the inside just a little bit pink.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59Just going to pop it on the griddle.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05See what happens. If I'm honest, I'm expecting these
0:12:05 > 0:12:09to be a little bit dry, because they've got very little fat in them.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11But I don't know anything else about them
0:12:11 > 0:12:14other than the fact it looks like beef.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20I want to serve these with a generous slice of buffalo mozzarella
0:12:20 > 0:12:24and the juiciest tomato I can find.
0:12:26 > 0:12:31Slice the cheese as thin as you dare so it goes gooey on the hot burger.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35I sometimes think in the middle of summer I could live on mozzarella salad.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38It's so cool and milky.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45OK, this smells very good, but it has formed a really
0:12:45 > 0:12:51interesting looking crust and it's actually quite juicy, as well.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55And who knows, this might be considered quite usual in a few years' time.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59I remember the first avocado I ate, years and years ago and it was really kind of a wacky
0:12:59 > 0:13:06thing to do at the time was to eat avocado and same with a mango and now they're everywhere. We almost
0:13:06 > 0:13:09take them for granted. I'm not a big fan of burger buns, so I'm
0:13:09 > 0:13:14using lightly toasted ciabatta - it feels right with the Italian theme.
0:13:18 > 0:13:23I thought this would be dry. I really thought this would be a dry meat and it's not.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27All the meat juices are mixing with the mozzarella and tomato
0:13:27 > 0:13:30and soaking into the bread and hopefully taking a bit of basil
0:13:30 > 0:13:34along with them as well, I mean, it looks like it might be very good.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49Slightly what I thought it would taste like. It's like very good beef.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51It's not at all greasy.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53And it does work with the mozzarella.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56And the basil's just sheer genius.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02Next time I do this a little bit more salt
0:14:02 > 0:14:06and maybe just a little bit of thyme, some rosemary, nothing much.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09The flavour's so good I wouldn't want to confuse it.
0:14:09 > 0:14:15It's my first, but it's not going to be my last. It's good.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19Now I've got a brand new ingredient to add to my recipe collection.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23And best of all, the less you do to it the better it seems to taste.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38Every spring I go through the seed catalogues
0:14:38 > 0:14:41and I always seem to pick out the things that I know will succeed.
0:14:41 > 0:14:46When in fact what I should be looking at are all the new things.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49The exciting salad leaves and the vegetables that I really don't know about.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53New tastes, new flavours and new ideas.
0:14:53 > 0:14:59Stephen, Dawn and daughter Liane have a back garden full of surprises.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02They have a real sense of adventure when it comes to growing their own.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05I love your garden. I really, really love it.
0:15:05 > 0:15:10And I think it's partly because I can see meals appearing.
0:15:10 > 0:15:15There's something very...there's something very handmade about this.
0:15:15 > 0:15:22I love the randomness of this garden - it's just oozing with food and personality.
0:15:22 > 0:15:29- Is this more of your handiwork? - Yeah, another product of - a left over, in this case, from the shed.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32- Can I stick my hand in there? - Yeah, do.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36- Is it quite reliable? - The smallest one, she actually lays the biggest eggs.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38But it's kind of weird.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41Sometimes you get two, and then you get one the next day and then other day's three.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45- At the end of the day they're all eggs, but they're ornamental. - Oh, no, they're not all eggs.
0:15:45 > 0:15:50The idea of just coming down here and just being able to pick an egg out of the straw like that.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52What a delight.
0:15:52 > 0:15:58I'm determined to experiment today and try the things I know can be cooked, but I tend not to use.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02And since I've been growing stuff for myself,
0:16:02 > 0:16:05I've discovered bits of the plants that you don't see in the shops.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07The chive flowers.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09We sprinkle those in the salad.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13- Yeah, yeah.- They're lovely. Slightly oniony. They're really nice.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15- Can we cook with some of those? - Absolutely, yeah.
0:16:15 > 0:16:21I may have used pea shoots before, but I'm sticking my neck out trying some kohlrabi leaves
0:16:21 > 0:16:26and instead of cooking the root, I'm keen to give the leaves a go.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30We eat turnip leaves, we eat beetroot leaves, why not kohlrabi leaves? Same thing, same family.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34I don't know, I mean we might be chomping away for hours.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36- Have you got nettles?- Nettles.
0:16:36 > 0:16:41There's always nettles around, so we've kind of laid this area for soups and nettle beer.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44Because to eat, a nettle is very, very similar to spinach.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47- Yeah, absolutely, yeah. - I'd love to put some of those in.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50- That would be something new for us, yeah.- Be new for me. Have you got any gloves?
0:16:50 > 0:16:53I certainly have, yeah.
0:16:53 > 0:16:58If you're new to nibbling on weird and wonderful things, it's always best to check.
0:16:58 > 0:17:03So I'm only putting things I recognise into my fresh herb pancake.
0:17:03 > 0:17:08Very keen to use the little things we picked and I just was thinking of sort of
0:17:08 > 0:17:10..a sort of pancake type thing.
0:17:10 > 0:17:17I'm starting out with a standard batter of eggs, milk and flour, before we start experimenting.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21- These nettles aren't going to sting me, are they?- No. I'm sure they won't at this point.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24They've been washed to make sure all the insects have gone.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28It's own to the small hairs on them. So the bigger they get, the more they're going to sting you.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32What we use and what we don't, the idea that these are everywhere.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36- They're so prolific, so cheap and we don't use them.- Yeah.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40I'm going to put these little flowers in, only because I can't resist them, they're so beautiful.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43I'm looking forward to seeing how it's going to taste.
0:17:43 > 0:17:44- Yeah, so am I.- It looks gorgeous.
0:17:44 > 0:17:49So these little kohlrabi leaves, heaven knows, I don't know.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55Oh, well done.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01You could stick a bit of cream cheese inside them and roll them up.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04- Now how hot is he? - I wouldn't like to say.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09Oh...chive flowers.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Tingle under your tongue when you eat it, it's lovely.
0:18:12 > 0:18:13Unless it's the sting.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15I love your nettles.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17You're getting like a bit of mustardy and then a bit
0:18:17 > 0:18:21of more sort of like the cabbagey which I suppose must be the...
0:18:21 > 0:18:23- The kohlrabi.- Kohlrabi.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26That idea of using something
0:18:26 > 0:18:29as old as a pancake batter,
0:18:29 > 0:18:32you know, but with exciting new things.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34Like nettles.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37So do you think you'll be growing more nettles in your garden?
0:18:37 > 0:18:39I certainly will. I certainly will.
0:18:44 > 0:18:49If you've got the grow-your-own bug, or you just fancy having a go, then why not check out my exclusive
0:18:49 > 0:18:55recipes and hints at bbc.co.uk/digin.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08It's funny how we get into the habit of using
0:19:08 > 0:19:12specific fruits for certain recipes and eating them in a certain way.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14It's like apples.
0:19:14 > 0:19:19They're there for eating in the hand, but also for cooking with - for tarts and crumbles and
0:19:19 > 0:19:22pies and all sorts of things, even apple cake.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25But the pear is different story all together.
0:19:25 > 0:19:26It's kind of stuck in the fruit bowl
0:19:26 > 0:19:29and there's so much more that you can do with it.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33In celebration of this often overlooked fruit,
0:19:33 > 0:19:38I'm trying a dessert of caramelised pears with blue cheese and walnuts.
0:19:38 > 0:19:43I think we probably don't cook with pears, because they are a more difficult fruit.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45It takes
0:19:45 > 0:19:48a little bit of experience to know when a pear is perfect
0:19:48 > 0:19:50and even then you can get it wrong.
0:19:50 > 0:19:57But it's a shame, because when a pear's cooked, when the sugar's caramelised and
0:19:57 > 0:20:04the flavour really comes to the fore it's sweet and honeyed and yet it's also refreshing at the same time.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07As a kid I never ate fresh pears.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10I remember they used to come
0:20:10 > 0:20:13in the bowl, with their syrup
0:20:13 > 0:20:17and then we used to pour tinned cream or evaporated milk
0:20:17 > 0:20:21or something in them and there's that gorgeous thing of
0:20:21 > 0:20:23pears and dairy produce.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27Works beautifully.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30Pears love butter.
0:20:30 > 0:20:35They're at their best cooked slowly over a low heat.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44Fennel's got that aniseedy note.
0:20:44 > 0:20:49I'm just thinking that it would be so good with pears.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51Like pear drops and aniseed balls.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53I just feel it's going to work.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57And I want the pears to cook in the butter, but also to soften in their own steam.
0:20:57 > 0:21:03So I'm going to put quite a bit of lemon juice in and then put the lid on.
0:21:05 > 0:21:10After around 15 minutes, the pears should have softened slightly and be ready to turn.
0:21:14 > 0:21:20It's rather lovely, because they softening, but they're also caramelised on their cut sides.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24So you have a lot of sweetness there.
0:21:26 > 0:21:31To contrast the sweet, juicy pears, I'm trying a lovely strong gorgonzola cheese.
0:21:31 > 0:21:38Thinking about it, this is really like the pears and tinned cream that I had as a kid,
0:21:38 > 0:21:40but a slightly more adventurous version of it.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50Add a crunchy texture by throwing in some walnuts to toast for just a few seconds.
0:21:59 > 0:22:04It's familiar ingredients just rearranged and used in a slightly different way.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07Maybe it's even a little bit daring.
0:22:15 > 0:22:21What's so good about that is that the cheese is really quite punchy, almost salty.
0:22:21 > 0:22:26And then with the refreshing pear, the contrast between the two is delightful.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28It's actually
0:22:28 > 0:22:32the same as a cheese board, except all the ingredients are warm.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34It's just delightful.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41The secret to this sweet and savoury pud
0:22:41 > 0:22:48is to let the pears simmer gently so that they caramelise and take on a gorgeous toffee apple flavour.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57Like most gardeners, I creature of habit.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01I love all the familiar rituals that come with planting and sowing.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04I do like the excitement that comes with experimenting though.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07Dabbling with new varieties of fruit and veg.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10I mean, what's the worst that can happen?
0:23:10 > 0:23:14Every year I like to plant at least one thing I've never grown before.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17It's that thing of planting just to see if it'll happen.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20I found some purple podded peas.
0:23:20 > 0:23:25I'm not expecting anything of it, I'm not exactly planning a menu around it.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27There's a certain sense of adventure.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30I don't think I've ever even eaten a purple pea.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34I find it quite exciting, all the different varieties that you can just stick in the ground.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37It shakes up your gardening and shakes up your cooking.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40It'll be a while until I can experiment with these,
0:23:40 > 0:23:45but the watching and waiting is all part of the adventure for me.
0:23:55 > 0:24:00I like to think I'm quite an intrepid cook and that I'll take risks and cook new things,
0:24:00 > 0:24:05but in fact very often I don't, I cook the same things over and over again and I suspect we all do.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08But I also have a spirit of adventure and sometimes I want to
0:24:08 > 0:24:12cook something I know well in a different way.
0:24:12 > 0:24:18So tonight I'm going to take a chance on roasted new potatoes served with herb goat's curd.
0:24:18 > 0:24:24How many times have I seen new potatoes in the shop,
0:24:24 > 0:24:27or at the market and come home with them
0:24:27 > 0:24:31and without another thought, I've put them in the steamer.
0:24:31 > 0:24:36Yes, it's lovely but I do it without thinking and yet there are so many other things to do.
0:24:36 > 0:24:43So for a change I'll roast these new potatoes with a dribble of olive oil and some garlic.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46Keep the cloves whole for a subtle flavour.
0:24:46 > 0:24:51Some thyme and a sprinkle of sea salt will help crisp the skins.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55You don't think of new potatoes having crisp skins, but they're lovely!
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Pop into a very hot oven for about 45 minutes.
0:25:03 > 0:25:08This isn't a side dish - I want to take it centre stage.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11So I'm going with an ingredient I rarely use.
0:25:14 > 0:25:21If you walk down the aisles of the shops, you'll very often find in the chiller cabinet there's
0:25:21 > 0:25:24what used to be just goat's milk, but it's now a whole little section.
0:25:24 > 0:25:29This is very soft goat's sort of cream cheese, it's called goat's curd.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31It's got a slight sharpness to it.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35It's lighter on the palate and I think it's more interesting.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40I want to mix this goat's curd with some fresh herbs
0:25:40 > 0:25:44and in the spirit of adventure I'm trying a new combination.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47I want something familiar, like chives.
0:25:47 > 0:25:53Something very unfamiliar, like marigold petals, or some borage.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59And then mint, which I know is going to work with my new potatoes.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06I used to think you're never going to get me putting petals in my food
0:26:06 > 0:26:11and then you start thinking, why are there some things that I would eat and some things I wouldn't?
0:26:11 > 0:26:14How is it we ended up eating one bit of a plant, but not the other?
0:26:16 > 0:26:20Borage is wonderful with cucumber.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24You look at a lot of old recipes, you've got borage and cucumber salads.
0:26:24 > 0:26:29And I'm thinking cucumber, cream cheese, I know that works - so why wouldn't the borage work?
0:26:29 > 0:26:33It sort of makes sense that it would.
0:26:33 > 0:26:39That's what I love about cooking - it's the feel of something I know well and then
0:26:39 > 0:26:41marrying it up with something I don't/
0:26:41 > 0:26:46It's like the best parties are always those ones where you know somebody, nothing worse than walking
0:26:46 > 0:26:51into a room full of strangers, but then you meet somebody you've never met before and
0:26:51 > 0:26:54that's when parties are exciting and I think food gets exciting as well.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00A smattering of parsley will bring this all down to earth a bit.
0:27:02 > 0:27:07And this isn't just about ingredients I know, that I'm using differently.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11I'm cooking it in a different way, but it's also about the fact that
0:27:11 > 0:27:13these aren't going to be on the side.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16These are going to be the stars of my meal.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28It's a completely different texture to a steamed new potato.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32It's fudgy. And then this, this cream cheese that isn't like
0:27:32 > 0:27:35cream cheese, because it's sharper and it's got a bit of a bite to it.
0:27:37 > 0:27:43That's something I know so well, but it's very different. It's gorgeous.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45This is such an easy adventure!
0:27:45 > 0:27:50One familiar ingredient cooked a bit differently and one unfamiliar ingredient explored.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53Who'd have thought potatoes could taste so good?
0:27:59 > 0:28:04I've taken a few chances this week with the suppers I've cooked, but they've all remained simple.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08I've changed a few ingredients and even tried things I've never used before.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11Just be brave and give it a go.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21Next time I'll be sharing my secrets as to how a bit of forward planning
0:28:21 > 0:28:24can save a lot of stress in the kitchen.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30It's the same dish but it's a completely different dish.
0:28:30 > 0:28:31That's delicious.
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