0:00:02 > 0:00:05Raymond Blanc is opening the doors of his kitchen for a journey of discovery.
0:00:05 > 0:00:11Cooking is about curiosity. And if I can inspire you to be curious, I'll be a very happy man.
0:00:11 > 0:00:16- Divulging the secrets of his simplest...- Perfectly cooked.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18..and most dazzling dishes.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20- Glorious food. - Be inspired by his passion.
0:00:20 > 0:00:25Food is so much more than cooking and eating. It's about living life!
0:00:25 > 0:00:28Share the secrets of his success.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32The wonderful thing having cooking secrets is the ability to share them with you.
0:00:35 > 0:00:40Tonight on Kitchen Secrets, Raymond takes inspiration from his kitchen garden,
0:00:40 > 0:00:45with flavour-packed dishes that celebrate the freshest summer greens.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50From a simple, yet vibrant vegetable soup, bursting with basil...
0:00:50 > 0:00:53The pistou is one of the greatest soups you can make at home.
0:00:53 > 0:00:58To a crisp chicory and walnut salad, tossed in tangy Roquefort dressing.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01It's got serious character!
0:01:01 > 0:01:05An impressive dinner party dish of salmon is given a classical twist,
0:01:05 > 0:01:08with wilted sorrel and a zesty lemon sauce.
0:01:08 > 0:01:09This salmon is going to love it.
0:01:09 > 0:01:15And to finish, a stunning spinach ravioli, encasing a rich egg centre.
0:01:22 > 0:01:27In his Oxfordshire kitchen, Raymond and his team are preparing for the day.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29Here you are, Chef.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33Oh, that's fantastic. Look at that. Absolutely fabulous.
0:01:33 > 0:01:38All these recipes that I'm going to show you are very much inspired by the garden.
0:01:38 > 0:01:43And it's these wonderful ingredients which will show you how simple it is to make a great dish.
0:01:43 > 0:01:48- There is something missing here. - Chef?- I can give you a clue, Adam.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51- Yeah?- It's very French.
0:01:51 > 0:01:52- The garlic?- Absolument.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55And I know you have a little bit of a problem with France,
0:01:55 > 0:01:59the republican values of France and the gastronomy of France.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01So why did you forget the garlic, Adam?
0:02:04 > 0:02:06Lovely. Vive la France!
0:02:06 > 0:02:09Not yet. Not yet.
0:02:16 > 0:02:21Basil is the star of Raymond's first recipe. Pistou soup.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24Lightly cooked garden vegetables,
0:02:24 > 0:02:26drenched with an aromatic basil sauce,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29topped with melting Parmesan and croutons.
0:02:29 > 0:02:34Pistou soup is a big controversy still today after 700 years,
0:02:34 > 0:02:37because Italians are claiming it for themselves
0:02:37 > 0:02:40and the French are claiming it as well for themselves.
0:02:40 > 0:02:45And after 700 years they still fighting it out - where does it come from?
0:02:45 > 0:02:46I don't care, really.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50Pistou is one of the greatest soups we can make at home.
0:02:50 > 0:02:55My maman would go in the garden, and whenever it would be in the garden she would do a soup with it.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58So you can put whatever you want to.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02To begin, Raymond chops onions and fennel.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07Quite chunky as well, so I love the textures of that soup.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09Followed by runner beans.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13They're just packed with flavours. They are absolutely wonderful.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15Courgettes and carrots.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20The chopped vegetables are added to hot olive oil.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23So we are going to sweeten them for a few minutes.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26A pinch of salt, very little.
0:03:26 > 0:03:32A dash of black pepper. What we are doing here, right, is sweetening, which is a wonderful English word,
0:03:32 > 0:03:37which means converting effectively the starch into sugar, into flavour.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41So that stage is very important, because it will give more flavour to your soup.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44In the French language we don't have such a lovely word.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48It doesn't exist. Sweetening your onions, sweetening your vegetables. I think it's beautiful.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54When Raymond's vegetables are sweetened, he adds liquid.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57You pour in the boiling water.
0:03:57 > 0:04:03To give the soup a clean, natural flavour, he uses water instead of stock.
0:04:03 > 0:04:09My kitchen, to do soups, and a lot of the preparation actually, I use water, just plain water, OK,
0:04:09 > 0:04:13because all the flavours are packed in my vegetable.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16And a fast boil, galloping boil, OK,
0:04:16 > 0:04:19for about four to five minutes maximum, so you keep
0:04:19 > 0:04:23all these wonderful flavours, colours, textures and nutrients.
0:04:23 > 0:04:29Next, Raymond makes a nut-free pesto, starting with a generous handful of basil.
0:04:29 > 0:04:35A little secret, OK? More often when you are being given a recipe with pesto, it's always raw basilic.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38But when you puree it, it oxidises very quickly and discolours.
0:04:38 > 0:04:43So in order to fixate the colour, I blanch it in plenty of boiling water.
0:04:43 > 0:04:44Voila.
0:04:44 > 0:04:49The basil is plunged into boiling water for just five seconds before being refreshed.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53That will stop the cooking completely.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56See, you get that wonderful colour.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00This way or that way?
0:05:00 > 0:05:03I'm not very technical, OK? It shows again.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08So in that pesto you have the basilic, the garlic,
0:05:08 > 0:05:12loads of Parmesan as well, and olive oil. Your bowl of health.
0:05:12 > 0:05:17To the basil and garlic, Raymond adds 100ml of extra virgin olive oil.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23- Adam, could I have the Parmesan, please?- Oui, Chef!
0:05:23 > 0:05:25And 30g of Parmesan.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30You will not need the pepper, because the garlic is here.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Just a bit of salt. So now our pesto is ready.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39So I've got my beautiful, plump tomato. It's a Marmande, very nice.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42We're going to keep everything.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44All the pips, all the juices, everything.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46Mmm!
0:05:48 > 0:05:52At the last moment, Raymond adds the tomatoes to the pan.
0:05:55 > 0:05:56That cooks for one minute.
0:05:56 > 0:06:01Enough time to heat through without losing their clean, fresh flavour.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06Then of course now you add your pesto.
0:06:12 > 0:06:13And you stir that.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35We have a real cook here. A serious cook.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39Today, Emma Thompson is in the kitchen for a cooking lesson.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41Just in time for a taste!
0:06:41 > 0:06:44Mmm.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46It is so fresh and so clean.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50- It's so good, that.- That's as good as any three-star Michelin meal.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54- So beautiful.- You've got the beauty of the garden, the purities, the nobility of the flavours,
0:06:54 > 0:06:58colours and nutrients.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01- Don't you feel it? - You kind of eat it and you feel...
0:07:01 > 0:07:05Not only are you enjoying it, but you're also feeling better immediately.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08As though you're sort of "I'm really hungry."
0:07:08 > 0:07:10Shall we say "vive la France"?
0:07:10 > 0:07:15- Or l'Italie? - Vive la France! Vive la France, yeah!
0:07:15 > 0:07:16Adam is not here. Good.
0:07:22 > 0:07:27Finding the best ingredients to enhance his fresh produce is one of Raymond's passions.
0:07:31 > 0:07:36Today he's in Worcestershire, on the hunt for a new oil to use in dressings.
0:07:36 > 0:07:41Charlie Beldam and Lawrence Millett-Satow created Cotswold Gold rape seed oil a year ago,
0:07:41 > 0:07:43recently winning a Great Taste Award.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46So this is the jet black seed. All very small.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50- Yeah.- And this is what we crush to get the beautiful golden oil.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55It's really amazing, the richness of these little seeds, you know, how beautiful they are
0:07:55 > 0:07:57and what wonderful flavour they have,
0:07:57 > 0:08:00and we grow them in our country.
0:08:00 > 0:08:06The crop is transformed into golden oil when the seeds are crushed, using a method called cold pressing.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09The rape seed that we have seen,
0:08:09 > 0:08:11the black jet seed, comes down into this hopper,
0:08:11 > 0:08:15and then screwed through so that the oil is then pressed against a metal plate.
0:08:15 > 0:08:20We have the oil that is then crushed and filtered out into this line.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24Very simple, like any olive oil press or linseed oil.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27The same process you would use in olive oil or other oils.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30The waste comes out here in the form of a pellet.
0:08:32 > 0:08:33Beautiful colour.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36That's yellow inside the seed and that's where the oil comes from.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40Although ordinary rape seed oil is commonly used for cooking,
0:08:40 > 0:08:45cold-pressed virgin oil has only recently become widely available.
0:08:45 > 0:08:50To put their oil to the test, the boys are making two mayonnaises for Raymond.
0:08:50 > 0:08:55One with rape seed and one with the more traditional olive oil.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58Too often, what's happening in the olive oil,
0:08:58 > 0:09:02the acidity of the oil is not allowing the emulsion.
0:09:02 > 0:09:08And the more extra virgin the oil is, the more difficult it is to create an emulsion.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11Because rape seed oil is less acidic, it emulsifies more easily.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14Look what's happening! It's amazing!
0:09:14 > 0:09:16It's much firmer than the olive oil.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18Much firmer!
0:09:18 > 0:09:20That's very kind of you, Raymond.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25- What do you think?- The olive oil hangs around your palate. You can feel the oil.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27Of course, because it's got that very specific flavour.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30- And the rape seed oil? - The rape seed oil,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33it doesn't hang around. It disappears off the palate very quickly.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37You get that slightly nutty undertone that comes through in the end.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40Personally, I love my olive oil, OK?
0:09:40 > 0:09:43But I've done all the tests to find the best oil for mayonnaise
0:09:43 > 0:09:46and I found rape seed oil, for me, is the best.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48It's got a lovely little flavour.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50To me it's great local story.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54- Thank you very much. - Merci, Charlie. Merci, Lawrence.
0:10:01 > 0:10:06Raymond's next dish calls for some late season leaves, which Jo is gathering from the garden.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16Wow! That is serious salad, OK?
0:10:16 > 0:10:19I feel absolutely dwarfed by this big salad.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21I feel like a very small Frenchman.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33In this elegant salad, Raymond celebrates an unsung hero of the garden.
0:10:33 > 0:10:38Crunchy chicory is partnered with fresh pears, walnuts and croutons,
0:10:38 > 0:10:43all coated with a rich velvety Roquefort dressing.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45It's actually an incredible flavour.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49Very acidic. Salty, acid, sour, creamy.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53It's got serious character!
0:10:53 > 0:10:58So, what you need to do, keep a little bit of the cheese.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01Adam, please! Can you put that in the fridge, please?
0:11:01 > 0:11:06- Actually, put it in the deep freeze, OK, so it's a bit more...- Oui, Chef. - It will not freeze, it will harden.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10And you can crumble it more easily, especially when you have warm hands.
0:11:10 > 0:11:11It's a secret.
0:11:12 > 0:11:17Then what we do is to cream a bit more cheese, because with this I want to do a dressing.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20Tres bien.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23I'm going to put a bit of warm water, OK?
0:11:23 > 0:11:29Warm water helps loosen the Roquefort and gives the dressing a silky consistency.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31And a dash of vinegar.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35Raymond adds extra virgin olive oil to the vinegar,
0:11:35 > 0:11:39which is emulsified, making the mixture creamy.
0:11:39 > 0:11:40Rape seed oil would work too.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42It would give the dressing a nutty flavour.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46No salt whatsoever, because we've got plenty in the cheese itself.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51Now, we're going to prepare the fruit.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54It's not over-ripe either.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57The pears are cored and sliced.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00Tres bien. That's plenty, actually.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02I'll eat the other piece.
0:12:02 > 0:12:03Next, chicory.
0:12:03 > 0:12:09What I love about this, its bitterness, crunchiness, and that amazing texture.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11Soft salad will wilt very easily with the vinegar.
0:12:11 > 0:12:16So they're hardy. We can prepare them in advance as well.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20Then you take some other nice variety. Adds a bit of colour.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24The chicory leaves are layered on top of the Roquefort dressing.
0:12:24 > 0:12:25We are going to add our pears.
0:12:27 > 0:12:34When you buy walnuts, break them between your hand and smell it.
0:12:34 > 0:12:39The old walnuts, or the ones badly kept, will have a rancid flavour, smell.
0:12:39 > 0:12:44That one has, of course, a very fresh, walnutty, beautiful flavour.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49A bit of celery.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52That's plenty.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55And just stir.
0:12:55 > 0:12:56Voila, everything.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59To finish, a grind of black pepper...
0:13:02 > 0:13:04A few chopped chives as well.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07A handful of warm croutons.
0:13:07 > 0:13:08Adam, please!
0:13:08 > 0:13:13- Bring me the Roquefort, please? - Sorry?- Roquefort.- Yes, Chef.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16So you won't need all that.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18And a sprinkling of Roquefort.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Just crumble it here.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Oh, let's do it all. Let's be generous.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28I think of this dish, the image that I think, piggy as well.
0:13:28 > 0:13:33So wonderful with bacon. Or also I think of prunes, I don't know why.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36But, some lovely Agen dried prune.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39I think... I think too much.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43A simple but richly satisfying salad.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47That's for you, Jo.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55The chicory has a lovely crunch to it, and the celery.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58So, out of ten, how much would you give it?
0:13:58 > 0:14:02- It really is... - You don't like numbers.- ..top marks.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05- Fantastic. - You're a very generous girl.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11Out in the garden, Raymond's fiancee, Natalia, has come for a visit.
0:14:11 > 0:14:17A qualified doctor and nutritionist, Natalia hasn't done much gardening since leaving her native Russia.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21- Do I have to dig it? - Yes, I think probably.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24- Yes, you've got some nice boots here which will be...- Thank you!
0:14:24 > 0:14:27So, first you press...
0:14:27 > 0:14:30My new gardener, Natalia.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33Voila. No, no, shake them first.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35Look at that beautiful earth, OK?
0:14:35 > 0:14:38But don't beat them up either, OK? Voila.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44I think probably, that's the first time she sees vegetables.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47Don't forget I spent my teenage years on the collective farming,
0:14:47 > 0:14:52helping the country pick up the turnips.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56- Also, you have to peel them afterwards.- Really?
0:14:56 > 0:15:01Of course, and slice them and chop them, wash them first, of course.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11- Adam!- Oui, Chef?- Can you help me with the salmon, please?
0:15:11 > 0:15:12Salmon, yeah.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19The bright lemon notes of the herb sorrel
0:15:19 > 0:15:21bring Raymond's next recipe to life,
0:15:21 > 0:15:25an elegant pairing of poached salmon served on a bed of sorrel
0:15:25 > 0:15:27with a zesty lemon sabayon.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34So, that is the sorrel. It is obviously extremely acidic.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38If you eat it like that, and I'm going to do it now...
0:15:38 > 0:15:43Woah! You feel a little kick. You really...ooh!
0:15:43 > 0:15:47It goes right through your nose, your eyes, everywhere, your hairs are standing up.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49Mmm, very sharp.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53The sorrel will be cooked at the very last moment.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57- First, Raymond prepares the salmon steaks.- And look at the colour.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59It's beautifully pink. It's not deep.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01There is no food colouring into it.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03It's really beautifully moist.
0:16:03 > 0:16:08Nice layers of fat here inside the salmon. Just perfect.
0:16:08 > 0:16:09I know I'm going to do a great dish.
0:16:09 > 0:16:15To poach the salmon, Raymond is using a classic French vegetable stock, court bouillon.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18So, court bouillon is a very French technique.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22It's a flavouring stock, OK? We're going to give flavour to that fish.
0:16:22 > 0:16:28Finely sliced leeks, onions, celery and carrot will flavour the stock.
0:16:28 > 0:16:33I'm going to use these vegetables to eat as well, it's not just for garnish.
0:16:33 > 0:16:40Of all these vegetables, we're going to impart their whole flavour and character in that salmon.
0:16:42 > 0:16:47A bouquet garni of bay leaf, thyme and parsley stalks will give the stock another layer of flavour.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51- Adam, could I have a nice bunch of parsley, please?- Yes, Chef!
0:16:51 > 0:16:54For acidity, some lemon.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57Raymond takes care to slice it finely.
0:16:57 > 0:17:03If you put big slices, it will make that stock very bitter and too lemony.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07Next, a few whole peppercorns.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11Now we're going to place it into a sauteuse.
0:17:12 > 0:17:17I will put my lemon as well, in here.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21The vegetables are covered with water and 100ml of white wine.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25It's the first time, actually, you don't need to boil the wine,
0:17:25 > 0:17:28because what you want is a bit of acidity.
0:17:28 > 0:17:29Voila.
0:17:30 > 0:17:35A pinch of salt, and the stock is brought to a simmer.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38That's lovely.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43Next, Raymond moves on to the lemon sabayon,
0:17:43 > 0:17:46a light alternative to a rich hollandaise.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49He adds water to three egg yolks.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53This is about 50-60 grams of water and that's so important.
0:17:53 > 0:17:58By adding the water, it's a two-step thing. It's really exciting.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05Look, it's happening already! Wow, it's foaming!
0:18:05 > 0:18:07OK. Already it's doubled its volume!
0:18:07 > 0:18:10I find that completely exciting.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14Raymond continues whisking the egg yolks over a pan of simmering water
0:18:14 > 0:18:17to reduce the chance of the sauce splitting.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20What I'm doing is getting billions of bubbles of air
0:18:20 > 0:18:24into this partly cooked egg yolk, creating a wonderful foam.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26And the more I whisk, the more bubbles of air,
0:18:26 > 0:18:30the lighter the sauce will be, the more melting it will be.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38Adam, can you please give me the lemon juice? Adam, please?
0:18:38 > 0:18:42It's ready when it reaches the consistency of lightly whipped cream.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44So we've got our sabayon ready.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47Look, that's lovely. Voila. That one will do.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50- Ah! - HE LAUGHS
0:18:52 > 0:18:56OK, c'est la vie. OK, so pour your butter, melted butter -
0:18:56 > 0:19:00not hot, not brown, not foaming, just melted.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03Voila. And that's all that I need.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05And, believe me, you wait!
0:19:05 > 0:19:08And look how light it is.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11So I'm removing my blob!
0:19:13 > 0:19:15Tres bien. Go away.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19To brighten the flavour, a squeeze of lemon and a dash of cayenne pepper.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22When you use cayenne pepper, don't do that,
0:19:22 > 0:19:26because that will clump. So do...
0:19:26 > 0:19:28voila, from the top.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31And not too much. You can always add, you cannot take away.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33I know it sounds silly.
0:19:33 > 0:19:34Voila.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42That is lovely. It is airy.
0:19:42 > 0:19:47And that beautiful, noble salmon is going to love that sauce.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51The sabayon is kept warm on a pan of hot water.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54Next, the salmon.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57Raymond places it in the simmering stock for four minutes,
0:19:57 > 0:20:02removes the pan from the heat and lets it stand for a further four minutes.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05So I've turned off the heat, and that is very important.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08You must first never boil any fish.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12It must be staying at a temperature about 80 degrees maximum.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16Let the heat come in very, very, very slowly at the heart of it.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18And that will take only four minutes.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21While the salmon poaches, Raymond moves onto the sorrel.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23So, sorrel. We've talked about it. It's acidic,
0:20:23 > 0:20:28it's sharp, it's unfriendly to eat raw, that's why we cook it, OK?
0:20:28 > 0:20:31So, we're going to put a bit of butter, OK?
0:20:31 > 0:20:36You're going to have a dramatic change of colour here, because the chlorophyll
0:20:36 > 0:20:39will be destroyed by its own acidity, OK,
0:20:39 > 0:20:44and it will go a dull green. But we don't mind about that, because we're thinking about flavour.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49Now, Raymond can bring the dish together.
0:20:49 > 0:20:54He serves the tender salmon on a bed of wilted sorrel.
0:20:54 > 0:20:55The top.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01With softened vegetables...
0:21:05 > 0:21:08..and a generous dollop of sabayon.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10And your dish is ready.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12Bon appetit.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21Do you want to eat? Take that. Help yourself.
0:21:23 > 0:21:29- Mmm. I like the way you can taste the flavours of the vegetables in the fish.- Mm-hm.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32- And I like the textures of the vegetables.- That's it?
0:21:32 > 0:21:35- Well, I want to eat some more! - OK, go for it!
0:21:35 > 0:21:38The sorrel is made for the salmon.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40It is classically beautiful.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42That mean it defies time, it defies trend.
0:21:42 > 0:21:48That relationship between that salmon and that sorrel still lives on. It's lovely.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51- So, long live sorrel? - Long live sorrel.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54- Vive la France? Maybe not. Maybe not.- Oui.- Yes. All right!
0:22:06 > 0:22:10Specialist grower Richard Vine has been cultivating micro herbs for 20 years.
0:22:10 > 0:22:15They can be found in farm shops and online, and Raymond loves to use them in his dishes.
0:22:15 > 0:22:20All these micros are standard things grown very, very small,
0:22:20 > 0:22:23- when the flavour is so fresh. - What do we have here?
0:22:23 > 0:22:25This is baby coriander.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30- Goodness me!- Mmm.- One shoot. Wah!
0:22:30 > 0:22:34What I love about these, it's a micro world of micro herbs.
0:22:34 > 0:22:39They are absolutely delicious. I'm going to use that one definitely, sage.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43Even micro, they still have... They are packed with power.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47This is winter savory and it is explosive.
0:22:48 > 0:22:49It's absolutely gorgeous.
0:22:49 > 0:22:54Very much a flavour like thyme and, like Richard says, really packed with flavour.
0:22:54 > 0:22:55Oh, look at that!
0:22:55 > 0:22:59One of my favourites - little baby cucumbers.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01Imagine on a little dish.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04I'm going to cry. I get very emotional.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08I think most women are going to get very emotional when they see your micro cucumbers.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11- This is true.- Yeah, they're lovely.
0:23:17 > 0:23:22Richard's micro herbs will add the finishing touches to Raymond's final dish.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25A beautiful quail's egg ravioli.
0:23:25 > 0:23:30A single poached egg encased in spinach and Parmesan wrapped in silky pasta.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32The dish is drizzled with beurre blanc,
0:23:32 > 0:23:36topped with wild mushrooms, deep fried sage leaves and micro herbs.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40I've done my pasta. 250g of very strong flour,
0:23:40 > 0:23:44two whole eggs, one egg yolk, a pinch of salt,
0:23:44 > 0:23:49one tablespoon of water to give the stretch to the pasta.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52It's been rested half an hour in the fridge,
0:23:52 > 0:23:54or up to two hours if you want to.
0:23:54 > 0:23:59Then... Oh, my God, that's the small, horrible one you've given me again.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03Raymond rolls the pasta until it becomes almost transparent.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07- You notice the pasta... - CLINKING
0:24:07 > 0:24:09It's a good design, isn't it?
0:24:09 > 0:24:11It's like an old, battered car.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16Adam, please could I have a tray, please?
0:24:19 > 0:24:23As you can see, already you can see my hands behind.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25I can see it from here anyway.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28The pasta is covered and chilled.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30Merci, Adam. In the fridge.
0:24:30 > 0:24:35Tres bien. So, now we're going to prepare the filling for the ravioli.
0:24:35 > 0:24:41To finely chopped cooked spinach, Raymond adds 20 grams of grated Parmesan.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47He fills moulds with the spinach and Parmesan mixture.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52What I'm going to do now is little nests.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56I'm going to press right inside, create a hollow,
0:24:56 > 0:24:59which is going to hold the quail egg later.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02Tres bien. So, you've got your little nest here.
0:25:02 > 0:25:07While the spinach mix chills, Raymond prepares his star ingredient.
0:25:07 > 0:25:13We are going to fill in the middle of the ravioli a beautiful quail egg,
0:25:13 > 0:25:16and, if you wish, a hen's egg. You decide.
0:25:16 > 0:25:22The eggs go into gently boiling water and a dash of vinegar.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26You need that vinegar to firm up the egg white around the yolk
0:25:26 > 0:25:28so it's tight together,
0:25:28 > 0:25:31unless your egg white has just been come out from the hen.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34And it's pretty rare to get them like that.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38The hens' eggs are poached for one and a half minutes.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40The quails' eggs take 30 seconds.
0:25:41 > 0:25:47So, we're going to place delicately...
0:25:47 > 0:25:48our eggs.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51Put them in the little moulds, the little nests voila.
0:25:56 > 0:26:02Raymond tops the egg and spinach parcels with freshly shaved Parmesan.
0:26:02 > 0:26:03Or black truffle.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05If you're lucky to have a nice truffle at home.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10Next, Raymond moves on to the ravioli.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Like that. Tres bien.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16You can stretch it a little bit.
0:26:16 > 0:26:22But no holes, because the water will log itself inside and your ravioli will be completely ruined.
0:26:22 > 0:26:27He presses the pasta together without using egg or water to bind.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30You just... And you push.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33You're sticking the two ravioli sheets together.
0:26:33 > 0:26:38Make sure you push the air out. You don't want any air here.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40Then use an appropriate cutter.
0:26:44 > 0:26:50With the ravioli assembled, Raymond moves on to make a light sauce, a beurre blanc.
0:26:50 > 0:26:56To a hot pan of shallots and reduced vinegar he adds water, cold butter...
0:26:56 > 0:26:58By putting in cold butter you can create an emulsion.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01..and chopped tomato.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05So, my water is boiling.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07Raymond drops the ravioli into boiling water.
0:27:07 > 0:27:12Four to five minutes depending on their size will cook the eggs perfectly.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14Oeuf de poule five minutes.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17The quail eggs, oeuf de caille, four minutes.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20C'est tellement facile. It's much easier.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23I think everyone should speak French. That would be much easier!
0:27:30 > 0:27:32Tres bien, the quail eggs are ready here.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39To serve, Raymond drizzles the buerre blanc around the ravioli,
0:27:39 > 0:27:43adds chicken jus and a scattering of sauteed wild mushrooms.
0:27:43 > 0:27:48Crushed hazelnuts add another layer of taste and texture.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51And the finishing touch... some deep-fried sage leaves.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54They're very mild now, very crusty.
0:27:54 > 0:27:55Really delicious.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58And the micro herbs.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11- Richard, you're going to be my judge now, OK?- Well, OK.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13Look.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16- Oh, my word.- Look at that.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25- I will add a bit more Parmesan. - Mmm.
0:28:25 > 0:28:26A bit more hoomph. Do you agree?
0:28:26 > 0:28:29- Yeah, but you still taste it coming through.- Yeah. Mm-hm.
0:28:29 > 0:28:34You taste the egg, spinach, just little bounces of flavour right the way through.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37Really, really lovely.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40- One out of 10, how much?- 11.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44Best score I've ever had, 11 out of ten.