0:00:02 > 0:00:04If you master the basic cooking techniques
0:00:04 > 0:00:07you can build your confidence, cooking skills and repertoire.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10Cooking is so easy once you understand the basics.
0:00:10 > 0:00:11And there's no better teacher
0:00:11 > 0:00:15than legendary Michelin-starred chef Raymond Blanc.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17I feel like Picasso! Not quite.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21He wants to share what he's learnt in his professional kitchen...
0:00:21 > 0:00:22What is the Maillard reaction?
0:00:22 > 0:00:25Gives flavour, colour and taste to the food.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28..to help you achieve incredible results at home.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31That's the kind of dish you will remember all of your life.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34Raymond will reveal the secrets behind the simple techniques
0:00:34 > 0:00:36at the heart of every dish.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38If you go too high, you burn it.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41If you go too slow, nothing happens, it goes beige.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43Like English cuisine 40 years ago.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46From baking to roasting,
0:00:46 > 0:00:48poaching to frying,
0:00:48 > 0:00:50barbecuing and slow cooking.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52Oh, la, la. Oh, la, la! And I mean, oh, la, la!
0:00:52 > 0:00:55And all in his own unique way.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58# De dormir avec toi... #
0:00:58 > 0:01:00Raymond Blanc taught himself to cook.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02Now he will teach you.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06What I promise to give you is a deep understanding
0:01:06 > 0:01:09of what's happening in your saucepan, in your oven,
0:01:09 > 0:01:13and these techniques will help you become a better cook.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22I think slow cooking is such an important technique,
0:01:22 > 0:01:24because what it does is make
0:01:24 > 0:01:28very tough working muscles and fibrous ingredients
0:01:28 > 0:01:30completely meltingly delicious.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39Slow cooking is a simple culinary method from humble roots,
0:01:39 > 0:01:43but when mastered, it has miraculous results
0:01:43 > 0:01:46on a range of ingredients, from garden crops to meat
0:01:46 > 0:01:48and even seafood.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50It works beautifully with vegetables,
0:01:50 > 0:01:52especially chewy, woody ones,
0:01:52 > 0:01:55and they're a great place to start getting to grips
0:01:55 > 0:01:58with this versatile technique.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00You can take any vegetables you want to,
0:02:00 > 0:02:02whether it is carrots, parsnips, turnips, onions, garlic.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04Caramelise them, brown them,
0:02:04 > 0:02:08and slow cook them at 120-degree temperature.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13Today I have artichoke. What I'm going to do is just take the heart.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17All I'm interested in is just the heart, that's what I'm interested in.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19Voila. Bit of lemon juice.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22A squeeze of lemon stops the artichoke discolouring.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26Next, chop red onion, fennel and chicory.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28OK, and I've got my garlic
0:02:28 > 0:02:31that Adam has very kindly peeled for me this morning.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34God, I love him. I love the man.
0:02:36 > 0:02:41Years ago, that garlic was despised, was feared.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43"Oh, my God, I don't want to taste of garlic."
0:02:43 > 0:02:45Now everyone tastes of garlic.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47Before they're slow cooked,
0:02:47 > 0:02:50the garlic and vegetables are browned
0:02:50 > 0:02:53to extract the sugars and intensify the flavours.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55Temperature is everything.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57If you go too high, you burn it.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01If you go too slow, it's just...
0:03:01 > 0:03:06Just nothing happens. It goes beige, like English cuisine 40 years ago.
0:03:08 > 0:03:09That's better.
0:03:11 > 0:03:16Voila. And already it is a beautiful browning process going on
0:03:16 > 0:03:18cos there's so much sugar in garlic.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20Nobody knows that, but there's so much sugar.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23That's why it caramelises and browns very, very fast.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25OK, I put my vegetables.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31Now the herbs. Rosemary, bay leaf, sage.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33A little bit of thyme - not too much, huh, be careful.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37You'd be surprised how this little fellow here
0:03:37 > 0:03:41can completely overtake the other flavours, so it's balance, remember.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43Taste it, smell it.
0:03:43 > 0:03:48Break it between your hands, all the essential oils are oozing out.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51And then you understand, "Oh, my God, that little fellow has character!"
0:03:51 > 0:03:53A lot of character. Let's be careful.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57A splash of balsamic vinegar, then adding water
0:03:57 > 0:04:00will create a braising stock to steam the vegetables
0:04:00 > 0:04:03and keep them moist while they're slow cooking in the oven.
0:04:03 > 0:04:08And make sure you place the pan on the lower shelf,
0:04:08 > 0:04:10cos if you put it on the very top
0:04:10 > 0:04:14the heat will reflect off the vegetables
0:04:14 > 0:04:16and burn them and overcook them. Good tip.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23An hour and a half of slow cooking at 120 degrees
0:04:23 > 0:04:24will evaporate the water,
0:04:24 > 0:04:28leaving the vegetables coated in a rich, silky glaze.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34Lovely, beautiful colours.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37Very rich, very simple.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40So taste, of course, your bit of garlic...
0:04:41 > 0:04:43Vive la France! Oh!
0:04:49 > 0:04:52Little bit of jabugo ham. Delicious.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56Tiny bit of olive oil, little balsamic vinegar.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58Bit of seeds and my sage deep fried.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01Here just to finish - Parmesan.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06Voila. Beautiful.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14This same slow-cooking technique used for vegetables
0:05:14 > 0:05:18can be surprisingly effective for ingredients usually cooked quickly.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20It's still one-pot cooking,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23but not one-step cooking,
0:05:23 > 0:05:27and it's vital to get each stage right for a good result.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31This next recipe reveals how to slow cook perfectly tender squid
0:05:31 > 0:05:35with smoky chorizo and a hearty tomato stew.
0:05:39 > 0:05:44The best way to cook a squid is either one minute or one hour -
0:05:44 > 0:05:48nothing in between. Otherwise it will be completely inedible.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51The squid has got a very big flavour
0:05:51 > 0:05:54that you actually don't see when you flash-fry it.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58You only see it and taste it when you slow cook it.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01But it's not just the flavour that's enhanced.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04Slow cooking also improves the texture of the squid.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07The tough collagen in the muscle fibres are broken down,
0:06:07 > 0:06:10leaving the cooked flesh succulent and buttery.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13OK, so, first, what we're going to do is to pull the skin off.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15Put a bit of salt in your hands, that does help,
0:06:15 > 0:06:18so you can grab the skin better.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21Tres bien. Going to open it up.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25It has this spine. Look at that.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28It's a beautiful plume. I think I'll keep it.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30Who is the chief here?
0:06:30 > 0:06:32You know who it is, OK?
0:06:32 > 0:06:35So, I'm going to score it now.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38The whole idea is for the marinade to permeate beautifully
0:06:38 > 0:06:40right through the flesh,
0:06:40 > 0:06:42and also tenderising it as well.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46First, make the tomato stew the squid will slow cook in.
0:06:46 > 0:06:51Chop garlic and onion and fry off in extra-virgin olive oil.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54Add thyme and a couple of bay leaves.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58Then we're going to put a nice smoked paprika to give a lovely smoky flavour.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05Oh, that looks so lovely. OK. So, now I've got my tomatoes.
0:07:05 > 0:07:10Just slice it in big chunks. I can smell my onions, OK?
0:07:10 > 0:07:13I can hear it as well, what's happening behind.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16That takes a bit of experience - 40 actually.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20No, not that long, is it? How time passed away.
0:07:20 > 0:07:25Voila. So now I'm going to add my tomato puree.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28Tres bien. So, my tomatoes in.
0:07:28 > 0:07:33It's so simple. Anyone can do it in their home.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35I'm going to bring you a bit of acidity.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38Of course you think about lemon juice but mostly wine is the best.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41Boil off some of the alcohol to get rid of the harshness.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45If you don't boil it down, you will spoil your dish.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48Of course, taste, taste, taste.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50That one now is perfect.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56Voila. Tres bien.
0:07:58 > 0:07:59My chorizo.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02That lovely smoky flavour, which will go so well with that squid,
0:08:02 > 0:08:05and you'll see the miracle of the slow cooking.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09I make those two totally strange flavours come together
0:08:09 > 0:08:12and love each other completely.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14With my potatoes here.
0:08:16 > 0:08:17And then the squid.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23You just simply mix all the amazing flavours.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27This slow cooking not only allows the flavours to come through,
0:08:27 > 0:08:32it invites them, it helps them to penetrate each other.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34To give to each other, to create something extraordinary,
0:08:34 > 0:08:37both in terms of taste and textures.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39So, no boiling,
0:08:39 > 0:08:42just one gentle little bubble maybe in one corner, c'est tout.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45Not two - you would spoil it. Just one.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Barely pop, pop.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52One hour. Not one minute more - one hour.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57To add a contrasting texture,
0:08:57 > 0:08:59flash-frying scored squid for one minute
0:08:59 > 0:09:02gives this dish the very best of two techniques -
0:09:02 > 0:09:05frying and slow cooking.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14That's it, OK? That's about one minute maximum.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18Look how beautiful it is. Barely cooked, transparent.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20But very little flavour.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23The flavour will be in the slow-cooked dish.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25After an hour on the stove,
0:09:25 > 0:09:29the slow-cooked squid in the stew will be beautifully tender.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33Plate it very nicely, with lots of love.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36The rest for the cook, always.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40Voila.
0:09:42 > 0:09:43Mmm.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47The heat has broken down all the collagens, the textures,
0:09:47 > 0:09:52into soft, gentle, tasty, delicious flavours.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55The chorizo has taken the squid flavour a little bit,
0:09:55 > 0:09:57the tomatoes have taken both flavours.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01The potato has decided to remain potato. Completely.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03Why? I don't know.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07LAUGHTER I don't know everything!
0:10:13 > 0:10:17Raymond relies on great ingredients for his kitchen at Le Manoir,
0:10:17 > 0:10:21but best doesn't have to mean the most expensive.
0:10:21 > 0:10:22He's travelling to London
0:10:22 > 0:10:25to find out about little-known and cheaper cuts of meat,
0:10:25 > 0:10:27which are perfect for slow cooking.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36Nathan Mills is a third-generation butcher.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40Meat has been in his family for over 100 years.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42Not very sexy, is it, these things?
0:10:42 > 0:10:46- You want me to straighten your collar up?- Yeah, absolutely. What a mess here.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50Most butchers will buy and sell only prime cuts of meat,
0:10:50 > 0:10:54but Nathan is passionate about making use of the whole animal.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56He only buys pedigree rare breeds.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59Am I going to die here?
0:10:59 > 0:11:02It depends if we get out before dark or not!
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Wow! God, that's a pretty good stock you have.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12The cold room holds up to 20 carcasses,
0:11:12 > 0:11:15which can hang there for up to 60 days.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19I'm the only butcher that does whole carcass butchery in London that I know of.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21Hanging and ageing meat tenderises it,
0:11:21 > 0:11:24so the tougher cuts, normally discarded,
0:11:24 > 0:11:26become succulent when slow cooked.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28So, this here is our forequarter,
0:11:28 > 0:11:30so this is the front shoulders of the animal.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33- I will do a shin, just slow cooked. - A whole shin?- Yeah, a whole one.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35Very good.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38So, let's get an aged one out, put it on the block
0:11:38 > 0:11:39and do some butchery.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42- That's a lovely piece. - I've brought out a little Dexter.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46- Small beef, huh?- It is, it's very small. Yeah. Dexters...
0:11:46 > 0:11:48- It's not much bigger than me. - No, it's not!
0:11:50 > 0:11:53This Dexter cow is the smallest breed native to the UK.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57Its compact size gives intensity to the meat's flavour.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59I'm going to show you
0:11:59 > 0:12:02what I think is quite a cheeky little cut for myself.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05- Cheeky? Hmm.- Cheeky butchers' cuts.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08You should come more often, you can hold all my meat.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12- I've never seen it cut that way. Not across like that.- We can see now.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16- Beautiful.- You can see that marbling through there -
0:12:16 > 0:12:19that's just going to melt down as we slow cook it.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23- So, I'll keep it for me, later. - I just called them beef ribs.- OK.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28Nathan's nose-to-tail ethos means that nothing goes to waste.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32The Dexter cow's forequarter gives him a third more cuts of meat
0:12:32 > 0:12:34than the average high-street butcher.
0:12:36 > 0:12:37Chin of beef is a great cut.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41People rave on about veal osso buco and everything like that.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45If we cut this through as the same sort of section, it's amazing.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48Meat is muscle, and the harder the animal works it,
0:12:48 > 0:12:50the tougher it becomes,
0:12:50 > 0:12:54and the longer it needs to be cooked to become perfectly tender.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56- We could cook this for six hours. - Go to the pub.
0:12:56 > 0:13:01- Go to the pub, have some wine, sit down, read your Sunday paper. - Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03So, let's take this little muscle out.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07Doesn't look like much at the moment, but when we clean that up,
0:13:07 > 0:13:10you can see, we've got all of those connective tissues.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12Look at that, look at that.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15Many butchers don't know this bolar muscle exists.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19Look, all this is the connective tissues will turn to gelatine later.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22You cook it long and slow and it would be to the point
0:13:22 > 0:13:24that you would just shred it apart with your fork.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26- Can I have half of it? - You can have half of it, yeah.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33So, we've taken the humerus bone out.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35I mean, the marrow fat itself out of the middle
0:13:35 > 0:13:37people are mixing in to their burgers.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41- Look how beautiful it is. - So we're just going to remove this scapula bone here.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44This is good for spanking Frenchmen's bums.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47Frenchmen have got some response. OK? Here we are.
0:13:49 > 0:13:54Let's take this off and we can expose just a little bit more.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57We've got this tiny little fillet of meat that runs through here,
0:13:57 > 0:14:00which is... The scientific name is the teres major.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03- But can you find it in a retailer?- No. No.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06Not unless anyone's doing what I'm doing
0:14:06 > 0:14:10and using the whole carcass and breaking it down from scratch.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13Today I'm very happy because actually
0:14:13 > 0:14:15I have learned how to cook three pieces of meat
0:14:15 > 0:14:17which I didn't even know existed.
0:14:17 > 0:14:22So, thank you very much. We'll have a little beer now. We deserve it, eh?
0:14:22 > 0:14:25- Yeah, we do.- We deserve it, OK. - Yeah, you've done a lot of work.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28Absolutely, yes! I feel exhausted - seeing you working!
0:14:31 > 0:14:34- Why have I got a small one and you've got a big one?- I'm Australian.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38You're French, I'm Australian. That's the way it's meant to be.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40It's all going wrong here. Eh! Come on, mate!
0:14:45 > 0:14:48The cheap and tough cuts of meat Nathan has shown Raymond
0:14:48 > 0:14:49can be tricky to cook well.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53This next recipe perfectly demonstrates how mastering
0:14:53 > 0:14:56the art of slow cooking can elevate a less popular cut
0:14:56 > 0:14:59into one of the most impressive meat dishes around -
0:14:59 > 0:15:03Asian-flavoured beef shin, served with papaya salad.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09That is the toughest piece of meat you can find.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13It's full of connective tissues, of collagens, of sinews.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16You can see that, look. Look. Look at that. These tough things, OK.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20And the slow cooking will not only tenderise that piece,
0:15:20 > 0:15:24but make it a lovely, beautiful eating experience.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27A bit of oil, I'm going to do a little bit of a massage.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29Just rub it nicely.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31I feel like a Japanese geisha!
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Fry the oiled shin for four minutes on each side to brown it.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44- This will add flavour before slow cooking.- Voila, tres bien.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46Next, the braising stock.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50White onions, ginger, red chilli, garlic,
0:15:50 > 0:15:54miso paste and a sprinkle of five-spice.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01Sometimes the cook has got to wait.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04The best way to wait is with a nice glass of pinot noir, OK,
0:16:04 > 0:16:06from Burgundy, of course.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09But not today!
0:16:16 > 0:16:18Actually, it looks like an onion soup,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21you could do a fantastic onion soup here.
0:16:21 > 0:16:22All these ingredients here,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25you can see they've caramelised beautifully.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27OK, so we're going to add sweet and acidity.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30Add honey for sweetness,
0:16:30 > 0:16:32soy sauce for salt
0:16:32 > 0:16:35and a splash of rice wine for extra bite.
0:16:35 > 0:16:36And a lot of water.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38500 grams.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41OK. That's it.
0:16:45 > 0:16:46Look at that.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53The beef will be half covered, OK, with the braising stock,
0:16:53 > 0:16:57so there will be moisture within the pot. The pot will also be covered,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00yet it will lose half of its liquid.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03It will take four and a half hours to cook.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07But I found that 150 degrees is really the perfect temperature
0:17:07 > 0:17:10to cook these very, very hard muscles.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14To complement the Asian flavours, the shin is served
0:17:14 > 0:17:20with a spicy Thai green papaya salad, mixed with a zesty dressing.
0:17:20 > 0:17:21Just toast them very nicely.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24Toss, yes. Toss them nicely, not toast them! Toss them.
0:17:24 > 0:17:25Big difference!
0:17:28 > 0:17:30Now I'm ready to serve.
0:17:33 > 0:17:34Oh, mon dieu!
0:17:36 > 0:17:38Look at that, sumptuous...
0:17:38 > 0:17:40breaking away.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42But what is interesting, look...
0:17:42 > 0:17:46No pressure, it just sinks into the meat.
0:17:46 > 0:17:47I'm a very happy cook.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50Completely...melted.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53You just move the bone, as simply as that.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56Don't give it to your dog, it will be frustrated.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58So the braising stock has become the sauce,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01and the onions have melted down, caramelised beautifully.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03Maybe a bit of coriander on the top.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09Tasting, at the end of the day, is everything.
0:18:12 > 0:18:13It's lovely.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16All the freshness of flavours, are there.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20Here you've got the robustness, the rustic-ness of a big dish,
0:18:20 > 0:18:22big flavours, perfect.
0:18:22 > 0:18:23Bon appetit!
0:18:28 > 0:18:31If you're feeling confident about slow cooking,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34duck leg confit is a French classic.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37It's a challenging recipe but well worth the effort.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41Confit is an ingredient cooked slowly and gently in fat,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44so its consistency becomes rich and succulent.
0:18:44 > 0:18:49A prime example of this technique is duck leg submerged in duck fat,
0:18:49 > 0:18:51served with a white bean stew.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56I am going to do a recipe which comes from the south-west of France.
0:18:56 > 0:19:01And this dish will go a long way to explain the mystery of slow cooking.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04Because here, we are going to slow cook in fat, in duck fat.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06I'm going to show you three techniques.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09Curing, slow cooking in duck fat,
0:19:09 > 0:19:15then the pan frying to give a lovely, brown, crispy skin to that duck.
0:19:15 > 0:19:20The first stage is to lightly cure the duck leg with salt.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24The salt will penetrate the flesh, will dehydrate it,
0:19:24 > 0:19:28suck out the moisture, OK, change completely the texture,
0:19:28 > 0:19:30change the flavour completely.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34Then add pepper, garlic, thyme and bay leaves.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38Cover to prevent oxidation and leave in the fridge for 12 hours.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42I want the minimum of air here, I want to prevent oxidation.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44Oxidation is discolouration as well.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47After the duck legs have been cured, time for stage two -
0:19:47 > 0:19:50gently cooking them in duck fat at 85 degrees.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52That looks horrible!
0:19:52 > 0:19:54And some of you might say, "Oh, my God, what is he doing?!
0:19:54 > 0:19:57"Is he going to kill us?" Oh, no, I'm not.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01I mean, duck fat is probably one of the very best fats.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05Duck fat is packed with monounsaturated fat, so a good fat.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09So I remove most of the herbs and so on here,
0:20:09 > 0:20:12because we don't need them any more, they have done their job.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16Then... So just... Voila.
0:20:16 > 0:20:17Voila, tres bien.
0:20:19 > 0:20:24And of course, the secret is to cook them slowly, slowly, slowly.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27It will take about one hour, one hour and a half.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30Sometimes they are very big, it may take two hours.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32But what's most important is the temperature.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36The temperature is here 115.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38You put all that cold mass,
0:20:38 > 0:20:41so the temperature will come down to about 85 degrees.
0:20:41 > 0:20:46While the duck leg slow cooks submerged in the melted fat,
0:20:46 > 0:20:48prepare the cocoa bean stew.
0:20:48 > 0:20:53Roughly chop garlic, add onions, olive oil and cloves.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57Just two cloves maximum. Two little bay leaves, plenty, or a large one.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00One sprig of thyme. I'll take the most beautiful one.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05Put the beans...
0:21:05 > 0:21:08Then I cover just with water, barely cover. Voila, parfait.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12- To add a smoky note to the stew... - A little bit of piggy!
0:21:12 > 0:21:15This nice little belly here.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18Beautiful little dices. Ohh!
0:21:18 > 0:21:24If you want to, you can also put a few black pepper.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27You can see, there's one little bubble, very slow cooking.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30Gently, gently let that heat come through, then the exchange
0:21:30 > 0:21:33of herbs, flavours comes through. It will be perfect, trust me.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37With the bean stew simmering for 50 minutes,
0:21:37 > 0:21:41two techniques are again combined, as the slow-cooked duck legs
0:21:41 > 0:21:44are pan-fried to give a crisp, caramelised coating.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46At this point, on the skin side,
0:21:46 > 0:21:51that's when you're going to give some lovely colours and fantastic texture.
0:21:52 > 0:21:57My beans are also perfectly cooked. I can see it. May I tell you why?
0:21:57 > 0:22:01The skin, look. The skin is literally bursting out of the bean.
0:22:01 > 0:22:02Now the very best moment.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04Tres bien.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07I've got my beautiful beans here...
0:22:09 > 0:22:13A little bit of jus, that jus is absolutely delicious.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17Full of the smoky flavours of bacon, the beautiful beans and the herbs.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21That's chive and parsley. Just sprinkle them with a bit of colour.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26So, then, my gorgeous duck is here.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31That is lovely.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33OK. Let's taste.
0:22:36 > 0:22:37Oh, the crisp...
0:22:39 > 0:22:43Oh-ho! Oh-ho-ho-ho!
0:22:49 > 0:22:51Beauty.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55It's slow cooked, it's absolutely beautifully crunchy outside,
0:22:55 > 0:22:59completely melting inside, those flavours, so moist as well.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01That's with the perfect slow cooking...
0:23:01 > 0:23:03Sorry, I'm eating, too much food!
0:23:10 > 0:23:15The technique of slow cooking is not only reserved for savoury dishes.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18It can make a show-stopping finale to a meal, too.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23It is an innovative approach for cooking fruit.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26But it is exceptionally effective for varieties of apple
0:23:26 > 0:23:30like the Braeburn or Cox, which will lose their tartness
0:23:30 > 0:23:32and become deliciously sweet.
0:23:33 > 0:23:34How to do it is shown in this
0:23:34 > 0:23:38deceptively simple cooked apple dessert.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43Now that we actually know about slow cooking,
0:23:43 > 0:23:46we're going to do something slightly different, delicious,
0:23:46 > 0:23:49showing you, really, all the mysteries, of slow cooking
0:23:49 > 0:23:53and how slow cooking can do all sorts of little miracles.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55The dish I'm going to do is a compresse of apple.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59It's simply just apple slices which are cooked for three hours.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01Of course, food, we all know too well,
0:24:01 > 0:24:03is about complicated simplicity.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Picking the right apple for this technique is vital.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10They must be firm. A floury apple will break down into a mush.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14Varieties like the Cox and Braeburn are low in sugar
0:24:14 > 0:24:17and high in the natural gelling agent pectin, making them
0:24:17 > 0:24:19the perfect choice for a terrine.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22I want eight or ten apples, according to size, OK.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26But do you know, we laugh, but I always think, an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31But it's very important to get the right thickness.
0:24:31 > 0:24:36That is the right thickness. It's about one millimetre, 1.5 maybe.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39But not too thin because it will puree.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43And not too thick because it will not stick together.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45Voila.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49I cut a bit of greaseproof paper, the size of my terrine.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52Plain melted butter, dash of Calvados.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Don't put too much, you don't want something too alcoholic.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59Just a little dash to lift the flavour.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06That goes into my terrine very nicely, bit of butter, Calvados.
0:25:08 > 0:25:09So, then, sideways.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13It's like a builder's job, really, it's very simple.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17You're just building a simple terrine with layers of apples.
0:25:17 > 0:25:22So what is fantastic about it, no sugar but the apples,
0:25:22 > 0:25:24their own fructose, OK.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28The natural pectin in the apples is a jellifying agent. Very, very simple.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31When you make jam, that's what you're doing. You add pectin
0:25:31 > 0:25:34to strengthen the thickness of the fruit.
0:25:34 > 0:25:39After slow cooking, the pectin will set the terrine as it cools.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41So, two-step cooking,
0:25:41 > 0:25:46where the first step will be to cook the terrine
0:25:46 > 0:25:48and to lose minimum juice as possible.
0:25:49 > 0:25:50Tres bien.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54Double-wrapping the terrine will stop the juice evaporating.
0:25:54 > 0:25:55It's all-important
0:25:55 > 0:25:58as it will caramelise the apples as they slow cook.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02That's the process of slow cooking,
0:26:02 > 0:26:05which is going to break down the fibres of the apple.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07The juices are going to come out.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11Of course, the pectin is also going to break down as well, OK?
0:26:11 > 0:26:14So, you place your terrine on a tray
0:26:14 > 0:26:16in the middle of the oven,
0:26:16 > 0:26:19pre-heated at 180 degrees centigrade.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22It will take one hour and a half for the first cooking,
0:26:22 > 0:26:24then you move your terrine out,
0:26:24 > 0:26:27remove the paper and let the steam go away.
0:26:40 > 0:26:45Look, the terrine has already lost about one quarter of its volume.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48The apples are collapsing. And they are also browning.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51I'm going to put it back in the oven for another one hour and a half
0:26:51 > 0:26:55to finish the cooking, but mostly, to let the steam escape,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58so the apple experience is even stronger.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05For a professional decoration to accompany the terrine,
0:27:05 > 0:27:09- a perfect apple crisp.- I'm becoming a champion at apple-slicing, look!
0:27:09 > 0:27:13Make syrup from 100 grams of water, 50 grams of sugar
0:27:13 > 0:27:17and a dash of lemon juice. Pour it over the apples.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19The syrup will part-cook them.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22Drain, then bake them flat in the oven for 45 minutes,
0:27:22 > 0:27:25for a restaurant-style trimming.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27After its three hours in the oven,
0:27:27 > 0:27:29the terrine needs to be left to cool,
0:27:29 > 0:27:32allowing the apples to compress further and the pectin to set.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34That's really wonderful, what I see here.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37Really look how compressed the apples have been.
0:27:39 > 0:27:40Then, very gently...
0:27:44 > 0:27:47Place your little cake board right in the middle here.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50And then, turn it around, voila.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53Look at how gorgeous it is, already.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59The slow cooking has melded the individual apple slices
0:27:59 > 0:28:02into a stunning terrine, bursting with flavour.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05And for a crisp base,
0:28:05 > 0:28:09puff pastry cooked between two baking sheets to stop it rising.
0:28:10 > 0:28:15What you have here is really melting, beautifully scented apples,
0:28:15 > 0:28:20OK, over this very beautifully textured pastry.
0:28:20 > 0:28:21Just...
0:28:22 > 0:28:24..close.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38Bit of caramel sauce. Just water and sugar.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45Vanilla ice cream, home-made.
0:28:45 > 0:28:46And then...
0:28:47 > 0:28:49..voila.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd