0:00:02 > 0:00:05Good morning, I'm Matt Tebbutt, and I've got a mouthwatering menu of fabulous food for you over
0:00:05 > 0:00:10the next 90 minutes, so please sit back and enjoy today's line-up of brilliant Best Bites.
0:00:31 > 0:00:32Welcome to the show.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35It's time for another serving of fantastic chefs,
0:00:35 > 0:00:39inspired food, with a spoonful of celebrities to shake things up.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41What more could you want? Coming up today,
0:00:41 > 0:00:46James Martin whips up some delicious fishcakes for the lovely Lisa Faulkner.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49Yummy Brummie Glynn Purnell serves up one of my favourite cuts,
0:00:49 > 0:00:51a roast loin of venison.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54He keeps it seasonal with curly kale, juniper berries and pear,
0:00:54 > 0:00:58rounding it all off with some tasty sweet-and-sour parsnips.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01Plus the Italian stallion himself, Gennaro Contaldo, shows us how to make
0:01:01 > 0:01:03a lasagne with a twist.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06There's not an ounce of bechamel in sight, as he layers it
0:01:06 > 0:01:10up with ricotta, mozzarella, boiled eggs and meatballs.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12Turns out I've been making it wrong all this time.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16There's a mighty battle between Michel Roux and Brian Turner
0:01:16 > 0:01:18in today's omelette challenge.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21Then it's over to James Tanner, who's serving up a tasty fish.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24He's cooking salt-crusted whole sea bass with orange and fennel
0:01:24 > 0:01:27salad and a garlic mash. I'll look forward to that one.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30And finally, the hilarious Micky Flanagan faces his
0:01:30 > 0:01:32food heaven or food hell.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34Did he get his food heaven, spiced roasted shoulder of lamb with
0:01:34 > 0:01:37red lentil dhal? Or did he end up facing his food hell,
0:01:37 > 0:01:41beetroot mozzarella salad with beetroot meringues?
0:01:41 > 0:01:44You can find out what he got at the end of the show.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47First up, it's time to get all Christmassy with Theo Randall,
0:01:47 > 0:01:50as he serves up a roasted pheasant with pomegranate and chestnuts.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53Let's get cooking. To start us off is the brilliant Mr Theo Randall.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55And we've got pheasant on the menu, very,
0:01:55 > 0:01:58very seasonal at this time of year. But not really a salad.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01It's a sort of warm salad. Pheasant is one of those things that people just...
0:02:01 > 0:02:03They are really cheap to buy.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06- Yeah.- And it's just a kind of Christmassy starter.
0:02:06 > 0:02:07If you're not doing, say, turkey,
0:02:07 > 0:02:09this is a perfect sort of Christmas starter.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12Sounds pretty good to me. And we're going to do this with chestnuts.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16- You want me to get these... - I want some fresh chestnuts, yes. So if you just cut them in half.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18Which is not the easiest thing in the world to do.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20You need a very sharp knife to do those. OK.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24- And then just whack it a bit. - So, first of all, I've got my pheasant.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27I'm just going to give it a bit of seasoning. Put some oil in the pan.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29And I've got some pancetta here.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32And we're going to stuff the pheasant with some thyme, fresh thyme.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35And we're going to wrap it in the pancetta.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37It almost slightly steams this, it's not really like
0:02:37 > 0:02:40roasting it, because there's so much natural fat on a pheasant.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42We're just going to pop this pancetta on top.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45And pancetta is obviously a cured product,
0:02:45 > 0:02:47so it's going to season it really nicely.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49And just make sure it's really moulded on top.
0:02:49 > 0:02:50You don't really have to tie it up.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53- Yeah.- And then we're just going to pop that into a hot pan.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55And just seal that around so it goes nice and hot.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58And then I'll pop that in the oven for about 45 minutes to an hour,
0:02:58 > 0:03:01- at about 160 degrees. Cook it quite slowly.- Right.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Because you want all that fat to render down.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06And I'm going to add a little bit of Marsala to this,
0:03:06 > 0:03:08just to give it a kind of sweetness as it roasts.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10So all that lovely juice...
0:03:10 > 0:03:12So you don't have to sear it on the bacon, just leave it like that?
0:03:12 > 0:03:15No, because the bacon... The oven is warm enough to sort of melt
0:03:15 > 0:03:17the fat, and it will just start to cook it off nicely.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19So, that's going to go in the oven.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22So, how long would you cook that for? Because that takes...
0:03:22 > 0:03:26- I would say an hour at about 160. - So, longer than normal?
0:03:26 > 0:03:28Because for pheasant, you normally cook it for a lot less.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32The thing is, I want to cook it slowly so you've got that lovely... The leg cooks through.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35And the breast stays nice and juicy because you've got that pancetta on top.
0:03:35 > 0:03:40OK, so we've got our pheasant here. Going to take the bit off.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43Got some pancetta. Take the pancetta off. We're going to take it off the bone.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47In this pan is the kind of roasting juices from the pheasant, and
0:03:47 > 0:03:50some Marsala. And then we're just going to take this off.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53What's nice, it's been cooking slowly. So the leg is really juicy.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56- OK.- And all that fat has rendered down,
0:03:56 > 0:03:59you've got these beautiful sort of tender legs.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01The problem with pheasant, people roast them too fast, so you
0:04:01 > 0:04:04end up with a perfectly cooked breast and a completely raw leg.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07- Yeah. So that's the idea of turning the oven down...- Exactly.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10- Yes, slower for longer.- Slower for longer.- What about pheasant?
0:04:10 > 0:04:13- Have you ever tried cooking it at home, or not?- No, never.- Never?
0:04:13 > 0:04:16- Never, no.- Just frightened you off a bit?- Oh, yeah.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18The key to it is, literally, like you say,
0:04:18 > 0:04:21it will just fall off all the way through. Or you cook it quite quickly,
0:04:21 > 0:04:23that's the other secret to it as well.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26Yes, you would take the legs off and cook the legs separately,
0:04:26 > 0:04:30that's another way of doing it. OK, so you've got the two breasts there. We will take the skin off.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33- And can you do a pomegranate for me? - Well...
0:04:33 > 0:04:35I can do, but I think the best person to give it to is Yotam
0:04:35 > 0:04:38over there. Because I messed it up big time in rehearsal.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41- I think you need me, right? - Well, yeah, you can do it, because I messed it up in rehearsal.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44I normally do it where I whack it and get the seeds out.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47- I'll whack it. - No, no, you were breaking it apart,
0:04:47 > 0:04:50- weren't you?- Do it the other way.- I will do it the other way. OK.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53So this is slightly less dangerous, although previously...
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Not on your lime-coloured shirt, it's not.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59- I ruined mine this morning. - So you just want it basically...
0:04:59 > 0:05:04If you want to keep all the juice inside your seeds,
0:05:04 > 0:05:07- you just kind of break it gently, like that.- Right, I'm on it.- You're on it?
0:05:07 > 0:05:10- Yeah, I'm on it now. Thank you very much.- I'll leave you on your own.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12Yeah, there's a cloth for you. Thank you very much.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14Right, so what else have we got, then?
0:05:14 > 0:05:16So, chop the pheasant up so it's nice and juicy.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20- Yeah.- And then I'm just going to sort of throw it into the roasting
0:05:20 > 0:05:25- juices with the Marsala.- Yeah.- And the roasting juices from the pheasant.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27And I'm going to do the legs as well.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29So just use the thigh, basically.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31So what would be classed as a traditional
0:05:31 > 0:05:33Italian Christmas, then? What would you normally serve?
0:05:33 > 0:05:35Well, traditionally they have things like bollito misto,
0:05:35 > 0:05:39where they boil lots of different... like capon and they do tongue and beef.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43But, you know, they will have a big sort of pasta,
0:05:43 > 0:05:45- baked pasta would be a sort of starter.- Yeah.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48But this kind of thing...
0:05:48 > 0:05:52I actually had this dish in... a similar dish to this,
0:05:52 > 0:05:53in Piedmont.
0:05:53 > 0:05:58And it's got a lovely kind of... I think it was a partridge,
0:05:58 > 0:06:00and they used all these different bitter leaves.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04And they covered it in white truffle, which was very delicious.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07- Can't afford that on this show.- I know.- That's for sure. What is it now?
0:06:07 > 0:06:10- £3,500 a kilo, something like that? - Something crazy like that.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12It's cheaper this year, it's been a very good year for truffles.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16- We're voting for truffle. - You're voting for truffle?
0:06:16 > 0:06:20- OK, so I've got my pheasant off. - You could use all those carcasses as well, of course, for stock.
0:06:20 > 0:06:21You can make a stock with this carcass.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24- A nice soup with it as well. - Would make a delicious risotto.
0:06:24 > 0:06:29Make a lovely stock. OK, we've got our pancetta in the bowl.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31- Yeah.- We've got our pheasant,
0:06:31 > 0:06:34which has got a nice amount of juice in there from the seasoning.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38A little bit of olive oil. And a little bit of balsamic vinegar and some seasoning.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40It's a good way of doing this. Normally when you
0:06:40 > 0:06:42whack them, all the juice comes out, it keeps all the juice in there.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46The house gets covered in bits of pomegranate juice.
0:06:46 > 0:06:52- And your shirts.- And your shirts. OK, so that's our sort of hot salad dressing.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55And then we've got our salad leaves. So now we've got these beautiful things.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58This is called Treviso tardivo, which is a type of radicchio.
0:06:58 > 0:06:59- Treviso tardivo.- Tardivo.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02- Where can you buy that from? - Well, you can buy it...
0:07:02 > 0:07:05Funnily enough, you can get it from some supermarkets now.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08And you can get it online from various places.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10But it's a delicious ingredient.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13Is the key to this to use bitter leaves, is that what you're looking for?
0:07:13 > 0:07:17The thing is, you've got the sweetness from the chestnut, the sweetness from the pomegranate.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20Something bitter will give it a lovely kind of contrast of flavours.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22If it was all sweet, it wouldn't taste nice.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25- And what have you got in there, then?- This is dandelion,
0:07:25 > 0:07:28Treviso tardivo, and I've got this thing here called castelfranco. And I hear you...
0:07:28 > 0:07:31Now, I tried to grow this in my garden and - disaster.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35- What happened?- Well, it was just a disaster.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38I think the dog ate the tops of it, and the slugs ate the rest of it.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40It just never seemed to grow, to me.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43It's got to be pure sunshine that it needs more than anything else.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46It's like an escarole, but it's got this lovely sort of little...
0:07:46 > 0:07:48It's like someone throw some red paint all over it.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51- It is fantastic, great flavour as well.- Chop up a bit of mint for me.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53- Chop a bit of mint, I can do that.- Thank you.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55Now, tell us about the balsamic vinegar you've got in here.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59I was wandering around the shops the other day, I saw some balsamic vinegar in there.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01You wouldn't believe it. Well, you probably would.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04- I probably would believe it. - But it was £2,500 for a bottle.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06And it was this big.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09Yeah, that must be like a 100-year-old balsamic vinegar. It reduces.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12And the thing about balsamic vinegar, the more expensive
0:08:12 > 0:08:14it is, the stronger the flavour, so the less you need.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17But that's ridiculous. I mean, you would never want to use it, would you?
0:08:17 > 0:08:21That with the truffle would be a seriously expensive meal, right?
0:08:21 > 0:08:24- It would be pretty serious, yeah. - OK, so we've got everything we need, really.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27We've got our pheasant, we've got the pancetta in there.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29We've got the roasting juices from the pheasant,
0:08:29 > 0:08:31a bit of balsamic vinegar. We've got our salad. Get your sieve.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34- Do you want these chestnuts or not? - Yes, please.- I'm all prepared in advance.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37Well, we've got some here, we could use these ones.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40So, you're just boiling these until they're nice and soft in the centre?
0:08:40 > 0:08:42They don't take as long as people think.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44Chestnuts actually boil really nice.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47I think a lot of people get obsessed about roasting chestnuts,
0:08:47 > 0:08:50but actually, boiling them and then throwing them into a pan
0:08:50 > 0:08:54- to roast is a nicer way of doing it. - And that's what we've got there, that's what you want
0:08:54 > 0:08:57me to do. So you just cut them in half and then boil them.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00- Just taste it, just taste it, taste it, it's delicious.- Yeah, they're lovely.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04Well, often you get them in vacuum-packed bags now, chestnuts.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06Which are really good. But if you're buying the puree,
0:09:06 > 0:09:08particularly at this time of year, you've got to watch out
0:09:08 > 0:09:11because there are two types of puree in the tins in the shop,
0:09:11 > 0:09:14- one of which is sweet, one of which is savoury.- Yes, of course.- So make sure you buy the right one.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18- With your stuffing, it's not really good with the sweet one. - We've got our lovely salad leaves.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22Really colourful, crisp salad leaves, with that mint in there.
0:09:22 > 0:09:27- Yeah.- And then we've got our delicious pheasant, which is really nicely
0:09:27 > 0:09:30seasoned, with all that pancetta and the roasting juices and that Marsala.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33- These chestnuts are delicious. - They're good, aren't they?- Lovely.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36- And that's just boiling. Just water, no salt, nothing?- Just cut them in half,
0:09:36 > 0:09:40we can just scoop them out with a teaspoon, like you're doing now. It's the easiest way of doing it.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42Takes about ten minutes, that's enough.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Especially if somebody else is doing it.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46- HE LAUGHS - Yeah, come on, move on.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48- It's really nice. - We need more of those.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50- Are you going to get me again to come...?- No, you're all right.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54We're fine, we're fine. So then a few of the lovely pomegranates.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57- Yeah.- Which are so pretty, and very Christmassy.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02- So the idea is to serve this warm, is it?- Serve it warm.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04Have the pheasant in the pan.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06Serve it warm, because it just tastes so much nicer.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08Because you've got these quite sort of robust leaves.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10If they're warm, then it sort of stays nice and crispy.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13- I'll let you finish that off. - And then chestnuts all on top.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16Plenty of them.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18And then just finish off with a little bit of mint.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21While you sprinkle the mint over, give us the name of this dish, then.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24This dish is called My Roasted Pheasant Salad, wrapped in
0:10:24 > 0:10:27pancetta, with Italian winter leaves, fresh chestnuts,
0:10:27 > 0:10:29pomegranate, and a little bit of mint.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Smells delicious.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38Dish number one. That comes over.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40You've got enough, do you think, Ronnie?
0:10:40 > 0:10:42- THEO LAUGHS - That will do for now.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45- It's for shares.- YOTAM:- Oh, my God, look at that one.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49- It is great with this, you just mix it all together.- It is so simple.
0:10:49 > 0:10:50Dive in, yeah, absolutely, dive in.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52So that's... The pheasant is just slowly cooked.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54The Marsala, really, is the key to that.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57The Marsala's there because it gives it a sort of caramelise in the pan,
0:10:57 > 0:11:00and that juice of the pheasant with the pancetta.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04So it's that kind of typical thing of sweet and hearty meat that
0:11:04 > 0:11:06works so well together with the Marsala and the balsamic vinegar.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09- And the bitter leaves, you need the bitter leaves.- Fan of Italian food?
0:11:09 > 0:11:13- What do you reckon?- Beautiful. - It's lovely.- It's gorgeous. Nice.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20Well, that would make a great starter for Christmas dinner,
0:11:20 > 0:11:22a real seasonal showstopper. Thanks, Theo.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Coming up, James treats Lisa Faulkner to his
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Arbroath smokie fishcakes with a chive sauce.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30But before that, it's over to Rick Stein, who's in Sri Lanka to
0:11:30 > 0:11:32learn a thing or two about cinnamon.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47I had been told that some of the fishing scenes in Sri Lanka
0:11:47 > 0:11:51would be some of the most visual I was likely to see anywhere,
0:11:51 > 0:11:54but I must say, it's exceeded all my expectations.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58I mean, it's like central casting fishing-wise.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01I mean, when I first saw it, I just thought of Newlyn,
0:12:01 > 0:12:06of those Newlyn School of painters, people like Stanhope Forbes,
0:12:06 > 0:12:09from the last century, from Victorian times,
0:12:09 > 0:12:12because all those boats are still powered only by sail.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14These ones here, which are motorised,
0:12:14 > 0:12:19just bring the fish into the shore from the bigger boats.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22But to me, it's just like I can hardly believe I'm here.
0:12:24 > 0:12:29This teardrop-shaped island was all about fish and coconut...
0:12:29 > 0:12:31and cinnamon.
0:12:31 > 0:12:32This was a first for me.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37It's a spice so associated with Christmas and one I've used
0:12:37 > 0:12:39all the time I've been cooking,
0:12:39 > 0:12:42but I've never seen it in its raw state before.
0:12:42 > 0:12:47Today, Sri Lanka is still the leading source of this fragrant bark.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55I imagine that's incredibly difficult to do, I could never master it.
0:12:55 > 0:13:01He's trying to get them off in one long roll. This is wonderful.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04I mean, as a cook, I've been using cinnamon for about 40
0:13:04 > 0:13:07years, I suppose, just taking it out of a jar and snipping a bit off.
0:13:07 > 0:13:12I never realised there was so much skill going into packing
0:13:12 > 0:13:15these lengths of cinnamon,
0:13:15 > 0:13:19apparently 3.5ft long, as tightly as possible.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24The other really important product from this island was the coconut,
0:13:24 > 0:13:28and particularly the oil that was extracted from it.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30Once they'd been smashed open,
0:13:30 > 0:13:34they were dried over husks of other coconuts that had gone before them.
0:13:34 > 0:13:39It's this process of drying the flesh of the nut, I suspect,
0:13:39 > 0:13:42that will make you either love coconut oil or hate it.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48All this machinery would have been here when Ceylon was painted pink
0:13:48 > 0:13:52on the world atlas. That's if you're of a certain age.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56Here they were squeezing the flesh to extract that essential oil.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59It was by far the most common cooking medium on the island,
0:13:59 > 0:14:04that smoky coconut taste and aroma that was all-pervading in
0:14:04 > 0:14:06most dishes, and in the air.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12I visited an old friend called Geoffrey Dobbs, who owns
0:14:12 > 0:14:15a very nice house on the island of Taprobane.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21Well, I think it's the first time I've had to wade to somebody's house.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24GEOFFREY LAUGHS
0:14:24 > 0:14:28- Most fabulous.- This house was built in the 1920s by
0:14:28 > 0:14:32a person called Count de Mauny. He came here with Sir Thomas Lipton,
0:14:32 > 0:14:36sort of built this rather fantastical house here.
0:14:36 > 0:14:37Unbelievable.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40- And what does it feel like to have your own island?- Well,
0:14:40 > 0:14:45sometimes I can't really believe it. Sometimes I pinch myself.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49But when I wake up every morning and I look out to the South Pole...
0:14:49 > 0:14:52- Nothing in between.- There's nothing between here and the South Pole.
0:14:52 > 0:14:57I was intrigued to know how he survived on that Boxing Day in 2004
0:14:57 > 0:14:59when the tragedy happened.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02I was swimming in the sea just on the other side of the island
0:15:02 > 0:15:05and I experienced a very strong current,
0:15:05 > 0:15:08then I looked at the island and I was about 18 foot higher,
0:15:08 > 0:15:12so I thought, "Well, there's something very wrong at the moment,"
0:15:12 > 0:15:17and then I was taken across the island and I landed up over there
0:15:17 > 0:15:20between a palm tree and the top of that house.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22I was lucky to be left alive.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26Well, all I can say is, I admire your British understatement,
0:15:26 > 0:15:28saying you were lucky, you know!
0:15:30 > 0:15:34That particular Christmas time certainly changed a few lives there,
0:15:34 > 0:15:38and nothing was ever going to be the same again,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41especially for a bunch of kids further inland.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43This hostel at Savan Sarana
0:15:43 > 0:15:48is run by Carla Browne to help disadvantaged children.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51On the day we visited, there was to be a feast and a blessing
0:15:51 > 0:15:53by the local Buddhist monks
0:15:53 > 0:15:55for a new, long-sought-after dormitory.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59They're very good indeed. Very nice.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01Um...
0:16:01 > 0:16:05He's just frying outside, which seems like a good idea to me,
0:16:05 > 0:16:09so you don't get all that oily smell in the house,
0:16:09 > 0:16:10not that it matters too much.
0:16:10 > 0:16:17But he's frying some river prawns with flour, egg, salt,
0:16:17 > 0:16:21a little bit of coriander leaf and some turmeric.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23And they're jolly good.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27It was the tsunami and the desperate need of these children
0:16:27 > 0:16:29that made Sri Lanka Carla's home.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31- They're the forgotten children. - Yeah.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34- And in Sri Lanka, it's a stigma.- Yeah.
0:16:34 > 0:16:39And the families are very, very poor, so here...
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Probably their lives here are better than at home.
0:16:42 > 0:16:43I mean, but they're lovely kids.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46You'll see them, they're beautiful kids, and lost.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49So, it's that building at the back that is being officially blessed?
0:16:49 > 0:16:51It is today.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53An almsgiving is when the monks come and chant
0:16:53 > 0:16:55and we prepare the food.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58We give them food. The children will have a wonderful meal today.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01- Not every day do the children have food.- Really?
0:17:01 > 0:17:04Because there's not much funding for this hostel,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07so sometimes they think that food is going to be given by the people,
0:17:07 > 0:17:09and it doesn't turn up.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12HE CHANTS
0:17:12 > 0:17:15So the monks were there to bless this new building.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19Alms, in this case food, were given to them.
0:17:19 > 0:17:20From what I could see,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23there were about ten different curries on the table,
0:17:23 > 0:17:28from fish to cashew nut, all served with the local red rice.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30It was considered a privilege to serve the monks,
0:17:30 > 0:17:35and I was happy to join in and be included in the ceremony.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37Also, I was interested to notice
0:17:37 > 0:17:40that they ranged from older, more experienced ones
0:17:40 > 0:17:42right down to youngsters.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45As I understood it, the boys had their horoscopes looked at
0:17:45 > 0:17:47by their local village wise man
0:17:47 > 0:17:51and he decided if they should continue to be monks or not.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Apparently, it doesn't suit them all.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00This dish stood out that day. The cashew nuts were so satisfying.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03It's made with lemon grass, garlic and chilli,
0:18:03 > 0:18:06fried onions, turmeric,
0:18:06 > 0:18:10the essential Sri Lankan roasted curry powder, pandanus leaves
0:18:10 > 0:18:14and, of course, a generous dollop of coconut milk.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17And then a handful of fresh curry leaves
0:18:17 > 0:18:19and some green beans for that bit of crunch.
0:18:21 > 0:18:22Now cashews.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25I couldn't get fresh ones, so I bought salted ones
0:18:25 > 0:18:28and let them soak in water - they were lovely.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31To finish off, add some lime juice.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36A bowl of this curry is amazingly tasty and satisfying.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40I'd really love this during the Christmas break.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47The best day I think I had on my trip to the Far East was this.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52I was privileged to go out with some local fishermen
0:18:52 > 0:18:56in one of their oruwas, a traditional Sri Lankan outrigger,
0:18:56 > 0:18:58and what great fun it turned out to be.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02So, the reason they keep jumping into the sea
0:19:02 > 0:19:04is to scare the fish into the back of the net.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06This is the open end of the net.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08So they're making as much splash
0:19:08 > 0:19:10and as much movement with their hands
0:19:10 > 0:19:13so the fish will all swim down that end.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15Must be a great job, that.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17I feel like jumping in, myself, actually.
0:19:18 > 0:19:19Go on, then.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23HE YELLS
0:19:31 > 0:19:32But the catch was good,
0:19:32 > 0:19:35and they took a couple of those handsome paraawaa fish
0:19:35 > 0:19:38back to cook the local way in a fish stew.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40One of the fishermen's wives
0:19:40 > 0:19:42made a sort of ratatouille of vegetables.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45There was tomato, chilli, garlic and onion,
0:19:45 > 0:19:47curry leaves and ginger.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50Then the fish stew and vegetables were put in layers
0:19:50 > 0:19:52onto a single plate.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54It was delicious.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56Catching the fish and eating it.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58I'll never forget that wonderful day.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05What a delicious-looking curry, and as Rick said,
0:20:05 > 0:20:08it would be a tasty alternative to the rich Christmas food
0:20:08 > 0:20:10that we're having over the next couple of weeks.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12I've got something a little bit different for Christmas.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14I'd be having a lot of these, to be honest, cos I think these...
0:20:14 > 0:20:17If this was one of my food heavens, this would be it.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19Arbroath smokies. I absolutely love them,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22whether they're in pate or whatever they are.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24Arbroath smokies are... In actual fact, they're not herring.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27That's different, all right? They're kippers.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30This is actual haddock, and what they do is cure it
0:20:30 > 0:20:31and then they hot-smoke it.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34What we are going to do is do a little...
0:20:34 > 0:20:36fishcake using the Arbroath smokies.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38They have to come from Arbroath up in Scotland.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41They are brilliant, and the flesh is absolutely incredible.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45If you're ever up in Arbroath and you're at one of these markets,
0:20:45 > 0:20:47they do an amazing sort of thing at the markets
0:20:47 > 0:20:50where you can actually taste the hot ones that come out of the smokery
0:20:50 > 0:20:53and just have them in newspaper with lashings of butter.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56And when I was up there last time, this poor old lady was complaining
0:20:56 > 0:20:58cos she'd set up her underwear stall
0:20:58 > 0:21:02right next to the smokehouse, and the wind changed!
0:21:02 > 0:21:04- She wasn't very happy, really.- No.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06What we're going to do is, we've just got some potatoes in there,
0:21:06 > 0:21:08and flake them into the potatoes.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11Bit of lemon, bit of chives. That's kind of it, really, in here.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13But you've just got to pick through and mind the bones.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15But you'll be quite good at this,
0:21:15 > 0:21:17doing what you've been doing recently,
0:21:17 > 0:21:19- cooking in all these Michelin-star restaurants.- Yeah.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21- You've had practice doing all this sort of stuff.- Yeah.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24But firstly, I mean, you got spotted as a model first, didn't you?
0:21:24 > 0:21:27I did. When I was about... I think I was 16,
0:21:27 > 0:21:31and I was on a Tube station, and I got asked if I wanted to be a model.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34- And I said, "No."- Right.
0:21:34 > 0:21:35- And then...- But, yeah,
0:21:35 > 0:21:38then ended up giving the modelling agency lady my number,
0:21:38 > 0:21:41because it was all in the time of just home phones, no mobiles,
0:21:41 > 0:21:43and she just kept phoning,
0:21:43 > 0:21:45and in the end, I said, "All right, might as well give it a go."
0:21:45 > 0:21:47- In the end, you gave it a go.- I did.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50Was it that that opened the door to the acting sort of thing?
0:21:50 > 0:21:51Well, what I thought...
0:21:51 > 0:21:55I saw it as a way of getting money to put myself through drama school,
0:21:55 > 0:21:58that's what I thought, it would be a great way to earn some cash, really.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01But is that what you wanted to do as a kid, drama?
0:22:01 > 0:22:04- That's what you wanted to do?- Yeah. Yeah, wanted to be an actress. So...
0:22:04 > 0:22:05And it, you know, worked out
0:22:05 > 0:22:08that I didn't actually have to go to drama school till later.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11I went later. But I got a film and started from there, really.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14You got a film. Wasn't that with that French director...
0:22:14 > 0:22:16- Yeah, Jean-Jacques Annaud. - ..that spotted you?- Yeah.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18It was film that really started it?
0:22:18 > 0:22:21A lot of people go from, obviously, television the other way.
0:22:21 > 0:22:22Yeah, and it was film, and we went over...
0:22:22 > 0:22:24It was a film called The Lover,
0:22:24 > 0:22:26which sounds much more dodgy than it was.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30And it was a great film set in Paris and Vietnam.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33We went over to Vietnam to film it. But I was told...
0:22:33 > 0:22:37They had beautiful French caterers on this show
0:22:37 > 0:22:39and gorgeous cakes and amazing food,
0:22:39 > 0:22:41and they told me I wasn't allowed to eat it,
0:22:41 > 0:22:43and I had to have Vietnamese green beans
0:22:43 > 0:22:46cos they didn't want me to put on any weight!
0:22:46 > 0:22:50Then, of course, from doing, obviously, that film,
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Dangerfield was the one that really...
0:22:52 > 0:22:55Would you say that kind of launched you to the British public?
0:22:55 > 0:22:57Yeah, I think... You know, it was...
0:22:57 > 0:23:01It was a massive drama over here, and it was great fun to film.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03And I met my friend Amanda Redman,
0:23:03 > 0:23:07- who I then went and studied feature and drama with, actually.- Yeah.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09So it opened a lot of doors and it was fantastic.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11- It went on to be a huge success, Dangerfield.- Yeah, yeah.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14And then, of course, there, the soap...
0:23:14 > 0:23:18- Brookside.- Brookside, yeah. - And then from there...
0:23:18 > 0:23:20You've done all kinds of manner of stuff since then.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23- I have.- All connected with food, I have to say. Holby City...
0:23:23 > 0:23:26Knives were involved. Didn't you get stabbed or something?
0:23:26 > 0:23:29There we go, food connections - stabbed with a knife.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32I like the best one, Spooks, where you got deep-fried, didn't you?
0:23:32 > 0:23:35Yeah, I can see one over there. Slightly bigger than that.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38I mean, that was quite controversial at the time.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40Although we didn't see it, it was very controversial.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44Yes. It got the most complaints ever, I think.
0:23:44 > 0:23:45Which was strange.
0:23:45 > 0:23:50Very nice that people were so upset about my death. Some people.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52- Just the way that it was.- Yeah.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55- And then, of course, obviously we can talk about MasterChef.- Yes.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59I mean, a hugely popular programme now, incredibly popular.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Did you realise when you were going to be doing that you'd stand a chance?
0:24:02 > 0:24:04No. No, I love the show.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06I mean, you know, I just wanted to go on.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08When they asked me, I thought, "I'll go, I'll have a nice day's cooking
0:24:08 > 0:24:10"and that will be it,"
0:24:10 > 0:24:13and I had no idea I'd stay... you know, stay the course, really.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16I just had no idea. And it was brilliant
0:24:16 > 0:24:19and the most amazing thing I've done, really.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21It is kind of thrown in the deep end, though, really,
0:24:21 > 0:24:23cos they take people who don't...
0:24:23 > 0:24:24It's fair you've cooked at home,
0:24:24 > 0:24:27but it's very, very different to be cooking at home
0:24:27 > 0:24:29- and cooking in a restaurant. - Absolutely.
0:24:29 > 0:24:30Yeah, and they throw you in,
0:24:30 > 0:24:33and they literally don't say, "Right, you can do this,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36- "and once the cameras have stopped, then we'll carry on for you."- Yeah.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40You know, you do everything, and I learned very fast, you know.
0:24:40 > 0:24:41But I loved every minute of it,
0:24:41 > 0:24:43and I think it was such a great opportunity.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45And now I just want to do loads more cooking.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48You should have said that. You could have had a go with this.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50These are the little fishcake-y sort of things.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52You just roll them up into little balls, really.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54That's the lemon and everything else,
0:24:54 > 0:24:56and we're going to deep-fat-fry that.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59And I kind of put... I think the secret of fishcakes,
0:24:59 > 0:25:01and I don't know whether Nathan's over there, the king of fish,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04but I put more fish than I do potato,
0:25:04 > 0:25:06cos I think a lot of fishcakes, there's not enough fish in there,
0:25:06 > 0:25:10- and it can be quite... almost like hunting for it.- Yeah.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13You almost put two-thirds fish to one-third potato.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15And how long do they take in the fryer?
0:25:15 > 0:25:17They're going to take about two minutes.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19I'm a bit scared of the fryers.
0:25:19 > 0:25:23- I'm not surprised, really, yeah! Not surprised.- Well, yeah.
0:25:23 > 0:25:24But, you know, I always think...
0:25:24 > 0:25:26How do you know when it's cooked in there?
0:25:26 > 0:25:29- Apart from it just turns a different colour.- Yeah, that's it.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31- And then it's done?- Yeah, there's no rocket science behind it.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33- When it's changed colour, it's ready.- OK.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36So, I'm just going to put a little bit of white wine in there.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38We're going to do a nice little lime beurre blanc.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40White wine, some chicken stock.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42Although this is fish, we do it with a bit of chicken stock.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45I'm going to saute off a little bit of spinach in there as well.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48And we reduce that down with some double cream.
0:25:48 > 0:25:49Quite quick, this sauce.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52And then I'm going to add some lime juice and some butter.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55- Oh, lovely.- So, MasterChef, are we going to see you do
0:25:55 > 0:25:56a cookbook or anything with that?
0:25:56 > 0:25:59- I'd love to. - Didn't Matt Dawson do one as well?
0:25:59 > 0:26:01I think he might have done. I'd love to.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03You know, we'll see what happens, really. I'm so...
0:26:03 > 0:26:07I just feel like I've just started on this big road of food,
0:26:07 > 0:26:09and I just want to learn so much more
0:26:09 > 0:26:11and maybe get back into some restaurants
0:26:11 > 0:26:13and do a bit of cooking there as well.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15- Really like to.- Free staff, Nath.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17You're more than welcome to come down.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19- Are you looking to learn about sashimi?- I'd love to.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22- I thought girls couldn't... - You creep!- No, but I thought...
0:26:22 > 0:26:25Is it true that girls can't be sushi chefs?
0:26:25 > 0:26:28Traditionally, yes, cos the hands are too warm.
0:26:28 > 0:26:29- Oh, really?- Traditionally, yes.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32- Oh, my hands are freezing. I'd be great.- Perfect.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34You warm the rice up too much and you warm the fish up.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37Oh, I see. I thought it was... I thought it was some sort of...
0:26:37 > 0:26:40It's cos your hands are warm, there you go.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42Now, tell us about the new thing that you're doing at the moment.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44- Murdoch Mysteries?- Yes. - Tell us about that.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47I've got a new drama coming out called Murdoch Mysteries,
0:26:47 > 0:26:50which is a Canadian TV detective drama, set in Victorian times.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53- Has this already been out in Canada? - Yes, been out in Canada.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57- It's the second series now... over here...- Right.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00..that I've done. I think there's about four series.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04It's done really, really well, and it's a great detective show.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07- So I got to go out to Toronto for the summer...- Right.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10- ..and shoot out there. - What's it about, then?
0:27:10 > 0:27:12Well, he's a...
0:27:12 > 0:27:15Yannick Bisson is in it, he's a detective
0:27:15 > 0:27:18and always solving all these things that go wrong,
0:27:18 > 0:27:20and my character's come back.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24I went and did it last year, and I've come back this year,
0:27:24 > 0:27:28and she's come back because she's lost her fiance,
0:27:28 > 0:27:29and he has to find him.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33- Da-da-daa!- Da-da-daa!
0:27:33 > 0:27:36Right, just quickly run through...
0:27:36 > 0:27:38Ooh, that's good. Fishcakes are in.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42I've just wilted a bit of watercress. Lime juice.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46To get more juice out of a lime, you whack it in a microwave...
0:27:46 > 0:27:48- Really?- ..for eight seconds.
0:27:48 > 0:27:5018 seconds, you'll end up with a walnut.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52But eight seconds, you'll end up...
0:27:54 > 0:27:56That's great. Little bit of that.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59And then what we do with that is we just take this
0:27:59 > 0:28:01and we just spoon this...
0:28:01 > 0:28:03- This is the watercress. And instead of using spinach...- Yeah!
0:28:03 > 0:28:05..just wilt some watercress down.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08- I love the idea of the watercress. - It's just very different.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11And then you've got your little fishcakes, which are great.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15You can prepare these in advance. These come out, look...
0:28:15 > 0:28:18- Mm!- And then you take your little fishcake,
0:28:18 > 0:28:21sit that on there, and you've got lime butter.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24- Can I...?- Don't eat anything else with it. Really simple.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28- I want to come and just eat all the food every week.- You can do.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30In fact, I've just noticed,
0:28:30 > 0:28:32you can come and decorate our Christmas tree, cos look.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36This is what I love. The BBC have got cutbacks, but look at this.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39- Oh!- It's only half-finished. Look at it.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41I love it. It's brilliant.
0:28:41 > 0:28:42What do you reckon?
0:28:44 > 0:28:47- Mm!- Those Arbroath smokies are amazing.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50- The smokies are fantastic. - They're brilliant, aren't they?- Mm.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57I love an Arbroath smokie, and that's a great way of using them.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00I think Lisa would agree, too. Thanks, James.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03Today, we're taking a look back at some of the tastiest recipes
0:29:03 > 0:29:05from the Saturday Kitchen archives.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08There's still so much more to come, so don't go anywhere.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11Up next, Glynn Purnell is cooking a roast loin of venison
0:29:11 > 0:29:13with some really interesting flavours, and bang in season.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15Over to you, Glynn.
0:29:15 > 0:29:16Right, cooking first is a man
0:29:16 > 0:29:19who's helped put Birmingham on the culinary map.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21His food has won him countless awards,
0:29:21 > 0:29:23including a fantastic, well-deserved,
0:29:23 > 0:29:24coveted Michelin star.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27Making his welcome return to the Saturday Kitchen hobs,
0:29:27 > 0:29:29it's none other than Mr Glynn Purnell.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31- Hello, James. How are you? - Welcome to the show again.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33- What are we cooking, Glynn? - Before we start...
0:29:33 > 0:29:35Because, obviously, as you know, it's Christmas,
0:29:35 > 0:29:37I've got my Christmas jumper on, so what I've done is
0:29:37 > 0:29:39I've brought you a gift here. Sorry.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41I didn't know about this.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44- No, this is for you.- Right. - And, basically, it's tradition that,
0:29:44 > 0:29:46obviously, if someone buys you a gift,
0:29:46 > 0:29:49it's upsetting if they don't wear it, or whatever,
0:29:49 > 0:29:54Christmas morning, down the pub... Stick it on, Chef.
0:29:54 > 0:29:55And look at that.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57Look at that.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59- Glynn...- Does it...?
0:29:59 > 0:30:02It's just what I always wanted.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04Look, it's got snowflakes on.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07- Turn it. Look, snowflakes on... - You can unzip it as well.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10You can use it as a cardigan, you can have it over the shoulder,
0:30:10 > 0:30:14- you can wear it open. - It is a bit big.- The thing is...
0:30:14 > 0:30:16XXXL?!
0:30:16 > 0:30:18- No...- Go on, then.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21Basically, I thought it was a bit rude last week,
0:30:21 > 0:30:22what Matt Dawson said about you.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24I just thought maybe it will either shrink in the wash
0:30:24 > 0:30:26or you could grow into it, Chef.
0:30:26 > 0:30:28- That's all I thought. - Thank you very much.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31- What did you think about that? - I feel like a young Val Doonican.
0:30:31 > 0:30:35I know you're a man of great fashion. What do you reckon to that?
0:30:35 > 0:30:37It's massive, look at it!
0:30:37 > 0:30:40You'll grow into it, Chef, or you can wear a couple of layers.
0:30:40 > 0:30:41Look at the size of this!
0:30:41 > 0:30:44- Right, what are we cooking? - Anyway, we'll get on with it.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46We are going to do venison, which is going to be rolled in
0:30:46 > 0:30:49a bit of black pepper and some juniper berries.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51- We're going to slow-cook it at 65 degrees...- Yes.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54..in clingfilm, in water, and then we're going to caramelise it
0:30:54 > 0:30:55with a little bit of butter,
0:30:55 > 0:30:57and I'll serve that with sweet-and-sour parsnips,
0:30:57 > 0:31:00which you're going to crack on with for now, which are
0:31:00 > 0:31:03going to be cooked in vinegar, equal quantities of vinegar and sugar.
0:31:03 > 0:31:04Right, OK.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07- Right, so if you peel them for me... - OK. Peel these, OK.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10- I'll put some juniper berries in here.- There you go.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12We're going to serve it with curly kale,
0:31:12 > 0:31:15but we're going to cook the kale in chicken stock and butter.
0:31:15 > 0:31:16I'm not being funny,
0:31:16 > 0:31:19but it does really bring the colour out in your eyes.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21LAUGHTER
0:31:21 > 0:31:24You can't hit me now, because we're on national television.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26This is your first and last time, Glynn.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29- Cheers.- There you go. Right, fire away.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32OK, right, if we peel them now and shred them on the mandolin for me.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35- OK.- I'm going to put the vinegar into the pan.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37So, we're going to make like a...
0:31:37 > 0:31:39SIZZLING
0:31:39 > 0:31:41You're going to make a quick reduction.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44Maybe not as hot as that! And we'll put the sugar in.
0:31:44 > 0:31:45It should slow down.
0:31:45 > 0:31:47It's not flammable, this thing, by any chance?
0:31:47 > 0:31:50- What is that you're making? - This is a gastrique, Rick.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52In the old days, you used to put it in tomato soup.
0:31:52 > 0:31:53I'm saying old days...
0:31:53 > 0:31:56You know that very famous brand of tomato soup,
0:31:56 > 0:31:59which I can't mention, because I'm on the BBC,
0:31:59 > 0:32:01but I reckon that gastrique is the heart of that soup.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04- It makes the soup, doesn't it? - Yeah. I reckon.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06Explain to us what a gastrique is, then.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08You take equal quantities of...
0:32:08 > 0:32:12I'm using malt vinegar, and sugar, like a sweet and sour.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15You cook the parsnips in it to bring out the sweetness of the parsnips,
0:32:15 > 0:32:18but also to cut it, because of the richness of the game.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20Have you had a gastrique before, Len?
0:32:20 > 0:32:24No, I haven't, I don't think, no. I don't think I want one, either.
0:32:24 > 0:32:26Don't worry, Len. Trust me.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29I heard you didn't like root vegetables as well.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32Hardcore, my grandad used to call them.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34James, can you turn that pan up for me?
0:32:34 > 0:32:36- Which one is it? Is it this one?- It's that one.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38The French hate parsnips, actually.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41They probably think they're like bits of wood, don't they?
0:32:41 > 0:32:44- They just give them to the pigs. - Yeah.
0:32:44 > 0:32:46Do you like your jumper, then, or not?
0:32:46 > 0:32:48- I think it's amazing.- Thank you.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51If I went in the shop, it's just what I would buy...
0:32:51 > 0:32:53- That's what I thought.- ..my grandad.
0:32:53 > 0:32:54Go on, then.
0:32:54 > 0:32:59Right, OK, so basically, I'm rolling the venison in a bit of clingfilm.
0:32:59 > 0:33:01That's a loin of venison. It's all been trimmed.
0:33:01 > 0:33:02The fat's trimmed off it.
0:33:02 > 0:33:06Obviously, this time of year, it's in season. Game's in season.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10So it's an alternative to beef, and I think it's better for you than...
0:33:10 > 0:33:14- It's pretty lean. There's no fat on this whatsoever.- No.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17So, we're going to poach it... or part-poach it.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20We call it sous-vide cooking, so about 65 degrees.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23Tell us this way of cooking, because this is relatively new,
0:33:23 > 0:33:26but people can have a go at it at home.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28Normally, we use things like a vac-pack machine,
0:33:28 > 0:33:31and we'll have water baths all running at different temperatures.
0:33:31 > 0:33:35Normally I cook between 58 and about 65.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38This one, I've just upped the temperature a little bit, to 65,
0:33:38 > 0:33:41so for people at home who haven't got a thermometer,
0:33:41 > 0:33:44the best thing to do is to boil the kettle, pour it in,
0:33:44 > 0:33:46half-fill the kettle with cold water, pour it in.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49Hold your finger there, count to about six, seven,
0:33:49 > 0:33:52and then you take it out, and that's around about 65 degrees.
0:33:52 > 0:33:54Yeah.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56It's probably better to use a thermometer. I think so, yeah.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58I think so.
0:33:58 > 0:34:00"Sous-vide" meaning "under vacuum".
0:34:00 > 0:34:02Yes. It's vacuum-packed, it's in the bag.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04Basically it's slow-cooking, part poaching.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07- I will wash my hands.- OK.- How are you getting on with the parsnips?
0:34:07 > 0:34:10It's good if you are in a busy kitchen with not a lot of chefs,
0:34:10 > 0:34:12cos you can do it all beforehand
0:34:12 > 0:34:14and then you just finish it off.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17If you do leave it in the water a couple of minutes over,
0:34:17 > 0:34:18it's not going to really overcook it,
0:34:18 > 0:34:21so if you're a busy kitchen and haven't got the staff to man
0:34:21 > 0:34:23all the stoves,
0:34:23 > 0:34:26it's a convenient way so, now, if you had a dinner party,
0:34:26 > 0:34:29you could drop the venison in, you can do your bits and pieces
0:34:29 > 0:34:32and not have to worry that the meat is going to shrink and overcook
0:34:32 > 0:34:36- in the oven.- And great for slow cook... Lesser cuts. Tougher cuts.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39It works well with meat, though, doesn't it? Not with fish.
0:34:39 > 0:34:41No, it's terrible with fish.
0:34:41 > 0:34:43Fish cooks really quickly.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47I wouldn't say terrible, but it loses that fresh immediacy.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50Fish is nice in a hot pan - tssch! - and caramelise it up.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53- So in go the parsnips. - We need them to tick over.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56Right, and they've gone into the gastrique there.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58Can I lift this one out for you?
0:34:58 > 0:35:00You want to seal that one.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02Yeah, we're going to seal that one.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05So, literally, you cook it with the clingfilm on?
0:35:05 > 0:35:07Yeah.
0:35:07 > 0:35:08And what we'll do is...
0:35:08 > 0:35:11Yeah, we don't cook it with the clingfilm on, Valerie.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13THEY LAUGH
0:35:13 > 0:35:16- I know a song about you! - There you go.- What about giblets...?
0:35:16 > 0:35:18THEY LAUGH
0:35:18 > 0:35:20- So, we'll dry that off. - That goes...
0:35:20 > 0:35:22I'll cool this pan down a bit.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24This goes in a hot pan.
0:35:24 > 0:35:26The secret of this is, I mean, great for dinner parties,
0:35:26 > 0:35:29but what you do need to do, whether it's venison or beef,
0:35:29 > 0:35:31you need to seal it, don't you?
0:35:31 > 0:35:34You want to seal the outside to make sure there's no...
0:35:34 > 0:35:36all the bacteria and stuff that meat has.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40So, basically, the parsnips are on there. We're going to do the kale.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43- A bit of oil.- Yeah. Do you want me to cook the kale?
0:35:43 > 0:35:44Yeah, if you want to.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47We're going to cook the kale in just pure chicken stock and butter.
0:35:47 > 0:35:48Yeah.
0:35:48 > 0:35:52I like to cook vegetables in either fruit juices, stocks or sugars,
0:35:52 > 0:35:54so you get the best of the vegetable.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57I think water just sort of dilutes it, and people tend to overcook it.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01A great way of cooking cabbage this Christmas. No need to boil it.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04- Season it up for me. - So, we've got some butter in here.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07Just a little bit of butter(!) There we go. Plenty of butter.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10Season it up. Because you can cook this in just...
0:36:10 > 0:36:13We've cooked it before on the show with water and butter,
0:36:13 > 0:36:16but it's that emulsification of liquid and butter and stock.
0:36:16 > 0:36:17It glazes it all.
0:36:17 > 0:36:19If you're a vegetarian you can use vegetable stock,
0:36:19 > 0:36:22but then you wouldn't be cooking venison, so...
0:36:22 > 0:36:24- No, probably not.- OK.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27I say... People say about vegetarians...
0:36:27 > 0:36:31I mean, at the end of the day, the venison doesn't eat meat,
0:36:31 > 0:36:33so, to me, it's a vegetarian.
0:36:33 > 0:36:34It's as simple as that.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36So, our parsnips are cooking down.
0:36:36 > 0:36:40A little bit of red wine sauce or a little bit of game stock.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43- I'll warm that up for you. OK. - I'll dry the meat off.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46Realistically, we'd have had a bit more time to rest the meat,
0:36:46 > 0:36:49so it relaxes and the juices stay in,
0:36:49 > 0:36:51so it doesn't sort of bleed.
0:36:51 > 0:36:53Len said he didn't like blood on the plate,
0:36:53 > 0:36:56but mainly it's because it's not been rested, really.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58I forgot how long that went in there for.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00- About 15 minutes?- 15, 20 minutes.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03- If it goes over a couple of minutes, it's not a big deal.- OK.
0:37:03 > 0:37:05As long as it stays under 20 minutes, about 65 degrees,
0:37:05 > 0:37:07- it should be fine.- OK.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09- There's your kale. It's as easy as that.- Seasoned up, James?
0:37:09 > 0:37:12- I've seasoned it.- Parsnips?
0:37:12 > 0:37:15So they've become like a translucent...
0:37:15 > 0:37:17If you cook them for a little bit longer...
0:37:17 > 0:37:19They normally take about five to ten minutes.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22- If you just keep stirring them... You can smell the...- I'll do that.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24I'll slice the venison.
0:37:24 > 0:37:28I think this might change your mind, Len, about root veg,
0:37:28 > 0:37:30cos this does taste fantastic. There you go.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34And the secret of cooking it like this, it keeps it nice and pink.
0:37:34 > 0:37:36And also, it doesn't shrink.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38You don't look convinced, Len.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40Well, I'm... I'm...
0:37:40 > 0:37:45- I'm willing to try anything, but not a large portion.- All right.
0:37:45 > 0:37:46THEY LAUGH
0:37:46 > 0:37:49- What would you like?- Right, then, we'll start dressing it.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52- Do you want to slice some pear for me, James?- I can do that.
0:37:52 > 0:37:53We're just going to serve some pear.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56This could do with resting, really, a little bit longer.
0:37:56 > 0:37:58- VALERIE:- How long would you rest that for?
0:37:58 > 0:38:01About the same amount of time that you've cooked it for.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03If you cook a joint and you take it out of the oven,
0:38:03 > 0:38:05you need a good 20 minutes, half an hour.
0:38:05 > 0:38:06With a small piece like this,
0:38:06 > 0:38:09you're talking a good ten minutes just left on the side, really.
0:38:09 > 0:38:10- LEN:- Doesn't it go cold, though?
0:38:10 > 0:38:13It does, but what you normally do, once you've dressed it,
0:38:13 > 0:38:15if you put it back in the oven for a couple of minutes
0:38:15 > 0:38:18to come back up to temperature and then it won't bleed.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20Cover it in a bit of foil, or something,
0:38:20 > 0:38:22- warm place.- Right. OK.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26- Just slice them thinly.- There you go. There's your pear.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28Venison on there.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30- VALERIE:- I always leave it resting.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34- A few bits of that, so that you can sit that on there.- Thank you.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37And then parsnips on there.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41I like the way you haven't cooked anything with water, though.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43It's quite...
0:38:43 > 0:38:47People always pay attention to the main event.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50Obviously, you're the main event today, Rick, alongside Len.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52I'm just filling the gaps here.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55- Aw...- I think the jumper's slowly taking over, mate,
0:38:55 > 0:38:59- as the main event.- Don't get me offended. You know I box.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01Don't start offending me, James.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04And you won your last two fights, didn't you?
0:39:04 > 0:39:08- Yeah. The last fight was really good. It was like a game of chess, with gloves on.- A game of chess?!
0:39:08 > 0:39:10We had to find the movement, and the kid I boxed
0:39:10 > 0:39:13was a really good boxer, so credit to him as well.
0:39:13 > 0:39:15I only just nicked it.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18- Did you knock each other out? - No, we don't...
0:39:18 > 0:39:20Well, we do try, but...
0:39:21 > 0:39:23I save that for the kitchen.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26- So, anyway, we've got... - The kale on there.- Yeah.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28We've got the pear on.
0:39:30 > 0:39:32There we go. Little piles.
0:39:32 > 0:39:33Piles there.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36Serve this with a nice big bowl of potatoes
0:39:36 > 0:39:37or some slow-cooked lentils.
0:39:37 > 0:39:39The sauce is ready.
0:39:39 > 0:39:41Remind us what this is again.
0:39:41 > 0:39:43So, this is slow-cooked venison
0:39:43 > 0:39:45with juniper berries,
0:39:45 > 0:39:47sweet-and-sour parsnips, kale and pear.
0:39:47 > 0:39:51And a jumper for Christmas. Just what I always wanted(!)
0:39:57 > 0:39:59There you go. Right, over here...
0:39:59 > 0:40:02It looks fantastic. Now, dive into that.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05- Len, tell us what you think of that. - It does look nice, I must say.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07No blood oozing out.
0:40:07 > 0:40:12- It's the first time I have had any of these ingredients.- Really?
0:40:12 > 0:40:13Oh, yeah.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15Venison is like a stag, isn't it?
0:40:15 > 0:40:18- Is it...? - Not really, no.- What is it, then?
0:40:18 > 0:40:22- It's a deer.- It's a little deer. - Bambi.- Bambi.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24I'm eating Bambi.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26It's a bit bigger.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30- The actual meat is gorgeous. - Do you like that?- Yeah, I do.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34- Now this.- What about the parsnips, Len?- This is it now.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36Sorry, I won't rush you.
0:40:36 > 0:40:38- Taste a bit of that bit. Taste that. - It's such...
0:40:38 > 0:40:41Other veg you could do that... You could do carrots like that.
0:40:41 > 0:40:45Carrots, swede, any sort of root vegetable, really. Give it a go.
0:40:45 > 0:40:49- Turnips would be great.- It's all right, yeah.- It's all right?!
0:40:53 > 0:40:56Well done, Glynn, and I love the Christmas jumper, James.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58Fits you perfectly.
0:40:58 > 0:41:00Now, it's the time of the show I really look forward to,
0:41:00 > 0:41:03so sit back and relax and enjoy some vintage Floyd.
0:41:18 > 0:41:22Dear Hector, there is a saying in these parts that those who
0:41:22 > 0:41:24walk upon the seabed and push heavy nets
0:41:24 > 0:41:26to catch the humble prawn
0:41:26 > 0:41:28shall find a sense of wellbeing and accomplishment when
0:41:28 > 0:41:32the sun begins to warm their backs, and their fish buckets become full.
0:41:32 > 0:41:33Actually, I'd go along with that.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36If I were designing the flag for south-west Malaysia,
0:41:36 > 0:41:39then the prawn would be my symbol, and my favourite dish
0:41:39 > 0:41:43uniting sea and land would be prawn and pineapple. Quite delicious.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54THEY SING
0:42:01 > 0:42:03This is a Malaysian wedding,
0:42:03 > 0:42:06and over here they take their weddings very seriously indeed.
0:42:06 > 0:42:10But I'm not an anthropologist, I'm just a cook, and, for me,
0:42:10 > 0:42:14this is a wonderful opportunity to dig behind the scenes.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16Now, all the uncles, aunts,
0:42:16 > 0:42:20brothers and sisters come here to prepare the wedding feast,
0:42:20 > 0:42:24with dishes like these brilliant sambals made with fresh pineapple,
0:42:24 > 0:42:27oranges, chillies, shallots, garlic,
0:42:27 > 0:42:31peanuts and sugar - a wonderful accompaniment to any curry.
0:42:36 > 0:42:40And these are for the top table only - fresh swimmer crabs.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45Carnation milk, a leftover from the Brits,
0:42:45 > 0:42:47is used to thicken a tomato sauce.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50And these things, fermented rice wrapped in leaves.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53Now, I know Muslims as a rule do not drink alcohol,
0:42:53 > 0:42:57but I must admit, after a couple of these, I felt distinctly woozy.
0:42:57 > 0:42:59I must make sure I get the recipe for those.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02Anyway, the cooking goes on all day.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05Here, these ladies are making a sort of Turkish delight,
0:43:05 > 0:43:07whilst around the smoking cauldrons,
0:43:07 > 0:43:09whole families are united with their allotted tasks.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12This man is putting the finishing touches to
0:43:12 > 0:43:15a cauldron of fragrant rice, with just a hint of fag ash.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18Actually, this trip is mind expanding for a cook.
0:43:18 > 0:43:21From now on, whilst I'm in Malaysia,
0:43:21 > 0:43:23it's fruit juice all the way for me.
0:43:23 > 0:43:26A clear head is needed to come to grips with the cuisine that I
0:43:26 > 0:43:28realised I knew very little about,
0:43:28 > 0:43:32food which has been formed by the tides of conquest, commerce
0:43:32 > 0:43:36and religion over the past 600 years, and very tasty it is, too.
0:43:36 > 0:43:39Anyway, what better way to come to terms with the new way of
0:43:39 > 0:43:43cooking than to go to the countryside, where the food is grown
0:43:43 > 0:43:47in the lush pastures surrounding the ancient town of Malacca?
0:43:49 > 0:43:53Here, they're cooking rice in bamboo tubes set over a wood fire.
0:43:53 > 0:43:56What a delightful setting for a cooking sketch.
0:43:56 > 0:43:58This is the compound of the kampong.
0:43:58 > 0:44:00This is the village square,
0:44:00 > 0:44:03"kampong" being Malaysian for "village".
0:44:03 > 0:44:05It's where they set fires up, it's where they cook muli,
0:44:05 > 0:44:08where they have festivals, small ones, admittedly,
0:44:08 > 0:44:11where they talk, play cards together and all the things that they do
0:44:11 > 0:44:13on rest days and feast days.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16Anyway, you can't see what I'm doing over there from over there,
0:44:16 > 0:44:18so, Paul, come up and let's have a look at the ingredients, please.
0:44:18 > 0:44:20Thank you.
0:44:20 > 0:44:23Very simply down here, then, Paul, some splendid fresh prawns,
0:44:23 > 0:44:25cut down the back and the vein taken out
0:44:25 > 0:44:27so they butterfly out when they're fried.
0:44:27 > 0:44:31Behind that, we've got some chopped shallots and chopped garlic.
0:44:31 > 0:44:34Over here, to your right, we've got some bean sprouts,
0:44:34 > 0:44:37some shredded cabbage and some bitter Chinese leaves.
0:44:37 > 0:44:39Back up for me, just for a second.
0:44:39 > 0:44:42They could be turnip tops or spinach, broccoli tops,
0:44:42 > 0:44:44just the leaves, not the floret bits, anything that's bitter,
0:44:44 > 0:44:46full of iron, very good for the blood.
0:44:46 > 0:44:50Then, over here, we have some first class egg yellow noodles,
0:44:50 > 0:44:51freshly made.
0:44:51 > 0:44:54Some fried bean curd. By the way, to your right,
0:44:54 > 0:44:56that's what the bean curd looks like in its raw state.
0:44:56 > 0:44:59Some chopped-up tomato, and then later, for the sauce,
0:44:59 > 0:45:04finely sliced shallots, very, very hot chillies and soy sauce, OK?
0:45:04 > 0:45:09Put the wok on there. It'll take two seconds for it to warm through.
0:45:09 > 0:45:10SIZZLING
0:45:10 > 0:45:12There we are, onions go in first of all.
0:45:14 > 0:45:16Sweat those down a little bit.
0:45:20 > 0:45:22Once they've taken some of the oil, pop the garlic in.
0:45:22 > 0:45:24None of this must get burnt, by the way.
0:45:24 > 0:45:29It must just get to a nice golden colour.
0:45:29 > 0:45:32Then next, in go the prawns.
0:45:34 > 0:45:38A couple at a time so that they don't take all the heat away
0:45:38 > 0:45:40from the cold prawns going in.
0:45:41 > 0:45:44I think six prawns will be quite enough.
0:45:47 > 0:45:48Two seconds on there.
0:45:50 > 0:45:51I mean every word I say.
0:45:51 > 0:45:56I mean, the great joy of being in this country, Muslim that it is,
0:45:56 > 0:45:59alcohol is so difficult to find, you don't drink it, you don't miss it,
0:45:59 > 0:46:00you have all these invigorating health drinks.
0:46:00 > 0:46:03Look at me - a picture of health that you've never seen...
0:46:03 > 0:46:05Well, you have seen occasionally, but not very often.
0:46:05 > 0:46:08Anyway, into the prawns we add some water.
0:46:08 > 0:46:11Now, I've heated this water to give me a bit of a flying start
0:46:11 > 0:46:12on the whole thing.
0:46:14 > 0:46:15SIZZLING
0:46:22 > 0:46:25That will take a couple of minutes to warm through.
0:46:25 > 0:46:26It must be on the boil.
0:46:26 > 0:46:30Let's see how the rice in the bamboo tubes is getting on.
0:46:32 > 0:46:35In fact, rice and coconut cream cooked in bamboo tubes
0:46:35 > 0:46:38lined with a banana leaf, which not only imparts
0:46:38 > 0:46:42a fruity flavour but stops the rice from sticking to the wood.
0:46:42 > 0:46:44After baking for a couple of hours,
0:46:44 > 0:46:46the rice has absorbed all of the fresh coconut cream
0:46:46 > 0:46:49and has become sticky, glutinous and sweet -
0:46:49 > 0:46:51a perfect accompaniment to a dish
0:46:51 > 0:46:53that takes hours to prepare and cook,
0:46:53 > 0:46:56which during the cooking process, gossip passes from house to house,
0:46:56 > 0:46:58kampong to kampong.
0:46:58 > 0:47:01A beef rendang, a sort of a hot, spicy curry,
0:47:01 > 0:47:04in my book, one of the most flavoursome dishes
0:47:04 > 0:47:05in the whole world.
0:47:08 > 0:47:09Now that's beautifully boiling,
0:47:09 > 0:47:12so I'll take the prawns out at this stage so they don't get overcooked.
0:47:12 > 0:47:15I'll reintroduce them a little bit later.
0:47:15 > 0:47:20Right, next thing into the boiling water are a few bean sprouts.
0:47:20 > 0:47:23I think that'll probably be enough.
0:47:23 > 0:47:26Just a second to regather its temperature again.
0:47:26 > 0:47:32We'll drop in some cabbage leaves, finely sliced.
0:47:33 > 0:47:37Then the dark green leaves.
0:47:37 > 0:47:40I think at this stage we should pause for a little bit of pepper.
0:47:44 > 0:47:46And a pinch of salt.
0:47:46 > 0:47:51Right, so bean sprouts, cabbage, dark green leaves, water,
0:47:51 > 0:47:53onions, garlic, all there beautifully.
0:47:53 > 0:47:56Then the next thing, in with our noodles.
0:47:56 > 0:47:59This is the base of the dish, of course - noodle soup,
0:47:59 > 0:48:03mee soup, "mee" being Malaysian for noodles.
0:48:05 > 0:48:06They go in like so.
0:48:08 > 0:48:10Bean curd goes in, the fried bean curd.
0:48:11 > 0:48:15For a bit of colour and a bit of sweetness, some tomatoes.
0:48:17 > 0:48:18Pop the prawns back in now.
0:48:21 > 0:48:26There, except for the sauce, you have it - a mee soup.
0:48:26 > 0:48:28OK, lovely big, fat close-up on that.
0:48:29 > 0:48:33So there a perfectly simple soup - no heavy spices, no heavy herbs,
0:48:33 > 0:48:37just noodles, fresh vegetables, water, onions and garlic,
0:48:37 > 0:48:39all things that are really good for you. It looks good.
0:48:42 > 0:48:44Ah. My goodness, it tastes good.
0:48:44 > 0:48:48I'll tell you what There's no more curried eggs for me, I tell you.
0:48:49 > 0:48:51As you've probably gathered by now,
0:48:51 > 0:48:54I hate these bits when the director insists I serve my food up
0:48:54 > 0:48:56to some hapless villagers,
0:48:56 > 0:49:00but joy of joys, my soup made a wonderful appetiser
0:49:00 > 0:49:02to their beef rendang and sticky rice.
0:49:02 > 0:49:05They really loved it and devoured the whole lot.
0:49:05 > 0:49:09This little boy had three helpings. He really did.
0:49:09 > 0:49:13I think I'm beginning to get the hang of this Malaysian cuisine.
0:49:13 > 0:49:17Now, Malacca really is a complicated place.
0:49:17 > 0:49:20To do it justice, it needs a little explaining,
0:49:20 > 0:49:23because the key to understanding the food and recipes
0:49:23 > 0:49:25is to take notice of history.
0:49:25 > 0:49:28One of my passions, as you know, is architecture,
0:49:28 > 0:49:30a subject intertwined with food.
0:49:30 > 0:49:32This, I think, is Portuguese.
0:49:32 > 0:49:37They came in here in 1511 with Alfonso Albuquerque,
0:49:37 > 0:49:39not because they wanted to spread Christianity around the world
0:49:39 > 0:49:43so much but because rich pickings were there to be had.
0:49:43 > 0:49:46It's funny, really, that most of history is written by clerics,
0:49:46 > 0:49:49who really did believe that any conquest that was on the side of God
0:49:49 > 0:49:53and righteousness was for the good, conveniently forgetting, of course,
0:49:53 > 0:49:56that the state would become amazingly rich,
0:49:56 > 0:49:59taking over the very heart of the spice trade.
0:49:59 > 0:50:02Ships from Portugal came here to trade with the rest of the world,
0:50:02 > 0:50:03and it wasn't just spices.
0:50:03 > 0:50:05Malacca was famous for its silks and gold,
0:50:05 > 0:50:09and it wasn't long before the world looked on enviously.
0:50:12 > 0:50:14God, it ain't half hot, Mum.
0:50:15 > 0:50:18This is another classic piece of Portuguese architecture,
0:50:18 > 0:50:21which I'm pleased to say houses a restaurant
0:50:21 > 0:50:25that specialises in dishes the sailors introduced to the region
0:50:25 > 0:50:26nearly 500 years ago.
0:50:26 > 0:50:29This Portuguese chicken stew looks very European
0:50:29 > 0:50:32with potatoes and carrots, but it's hot and spicy.
0:50:32 > 0:50:34In fact, the whole thing has a wonderfully pungent aroma
0:50:34 > 0:50:35of star anise and ginger.
0:50:37 > 0:50:41This is possibly the most famous dish from Portugal in these parts,
0:50:41 > 0:50:44devilled chicken - fiendishly spicy -
0:50:44 > 0:50:46which found its way here from Southern India.
0:50:46 > 0:50:49Basically, it's a vindaloo, and quite fabulous.
0:50:52 > 0:50:55JAUNTY TUNE PLAYS
0:50:55 > 0:50:57It's easy to understand this place if you think of it
0:50:57 > 0:51:01as an old junk shop, having bits and pieces of different cultures,
0:51:01 > 0:51:03and because I really love the past,
0:51:03 > 0:51:06here's a short Floyd history lesson, OK?
0:51:06 > 0:51:08Because they were brilliant navigators,
0:51:08 > 0:51:10the buccaneering Portuguese came here
0:51:10 > 0:51:12and knocked the living daylights out of the local sultan.
0:51:12 > 0:51:15Then the stolid and commercially minded Dutch came,
0:51:15 > 0:51:18who, no doubt, made a few guilders.
0:51:18 > 0:51:19Then, after a trade war,
0:51:19 > 0:51:22Malacca was handed over to the Brits in 1818,
0:51:22 > 0:51:24and it was only when we preferred Singapore
0:51:24 > 0:51:27that the city's fortunes started to fade.
0:51:27 > 0:51:31Actually, it was a thriving place before any European set foot here,
0:51:31 > 0:51:33and because of its proximity, the food of Southern India
0:51:33 > 0:51:36has always been popular, and the cheapest in town.
0:51:36 > 0:51:39For a few pence, you can buy a wonderful doughy thosai,
0:51:39 > 0:51:43a sort of a pancake, to soak up a spicy vegetable curry
0:51:43 > 0:51:47made with okra, beans, potatoes, garlic and coriander.
0:51:47 > 0:51:49Incidentally, I didn't see any rice here,
0:51:49 > 0:51:51and the dough for the thosai is put on a hot griddle
0:51:51 > 0:51:53for less than a minute.
0:51:53 > 0:51:54Provided you don't mind sharing a table
0:51:54 > 0:51:56and eating with your right hand -
0:51:56 > 0:51:59very important, that, otherwise you get some pretty filthy looks -
0:51:59 > 0:52:01you can eat like a lord for a few pence.
0:52:04 > 0:52:08Curiously enough, it reminded me of the Cafe du Commerce in Provence,
0:52:08 > 0:52:11where the mayor, lawyers and dustbin men eat together at lunchtime,
0:52:11 > 0:52:13and banana leaves save on the washing-up.
0:52:21 > 0:52:24Because the commercial opportunities here were terrific,
0:52:24 > 0:52:27the Chinese came in their thousands to find work.
0:52:27 > 0:52:28Many of them married local women,
0:52:28 > 0:52:32and they gave birth to a new race, Nyonya and Baba,
0:52:32 > 0:52:37Straits-born Chinese, and a new style of cooking, Peranakan,
0:52:37 > 0:52:39using the spices and ingredients of Malaysia
0:52:39 > 0:52:42with the many cooking styles of China. It's well worth trying.
0:52:42 > 0:52:45It's sort of Indian-Chinese cooking.
0:52:45 > 0:52:47Anyway, here endeth the history lesson.
0:52:52 > 0:52:55Keith just gets better and better every time you watch him.
0:52:55 > 0:52:57As ever on Best Bites, we're looking back
0:52:57 > 0:52:59at some of the most memorable recipes
0:52:59 > 0:53:01from the Saturday Kitchen archives.
0:53:01 > 0:53:04Still to come on today's show, culinary kings Michel Roux
0:53:04 > 0:53:07and Brian Turner go head-to-head in the omelette challenge,
0:53:07 > 0:53:09but who will come out on top?
0:53:09 > 0:53:12James Tanner makes a fresh and tasty fish dish.
0:53:12 > 0:53:13He makes a salt-crusted,
0:53:13 > 0:53:17whole-roasted sea bass with fennel and rocket salad with garlic mash.
0:53:17 > 0:53:18It sounds great.
0:53:18 > 0:53:22The very witty Micky Flanagan faces his food heaven or food hell.
0:53:22 > 0:53:23Did he get his food heaven,
0:53:23 > 0:53:27spice-roasted shoulder of lamb with red lentil dhal?
0:53:27 > 0:53:28Or did he end up with his food hell,
0:53:28 > 0:53:32beetroot with a mozzarella salad and beetroot meringues?
0:53:32 > 0:53:35You can find out what he got at the end of the show.
0:53:35 > 0:53:37Now time for the legend that is Gennaro Contaldo.
0:53:37 > 0:53:41He's making a well-known Italian staple, but not as we know it.
0:53:41 > 0:53:44He's cooking la gran lasagne with ricotta, mozzarella,
0:53:44 > 0:53:45boiled eggs and meatballs.
0:53:45 > 0:53:48According to Gennaro, it's the perfect dish for
0:53:48 > 0:53:51a special occasion like Christmas, so listen up.
0:53:51 > 0:53:53- Good to have you on the show. - Thank you very much.
0:53:53 > 0:53:56Good to have you on the show. Explain to us what we're doing.
0:53:56 > 0:53:59Right, what we're going to do, we're going to do a dish
0:53:59 > 0:54:01which is called a lasagne,
0:54:01 > 0:54:05but the way I cook, it'll be a festive lasagne.
0:54:05 > 0:54:08A lasagne which is only for a special occasion. Christmas.
0:54:08 > 0:54:12- Christmas.- Why not?! Have a turkey? Away.
0:54:12 > 0:54:15The other one, away, just cook a lasagne.
0:54:15 > 0:54:19Cook a lasagne your way. This is... Meatballs in it?
0:54:19 > 0:54:20You have to speak proper English with me.
0:54:20 > 0:54:24Because of your strong northern accent, I don't understand a word.
0:54:24 > 0:54:26- Yeah, you're quite right. - That's right.- Can't get a word.
0:54:26 > 0:54:28James, I think you speak very well.
0:54:28 > 0:54:30"BU-tter", not "buh-tter".
0:54:30 > 0:54:31OK, what have we got here?
0:54:31 > 0:54:35Minced pork - perfect. Minced beef - perfect.
0:54:35 > 0:54:41We have garlic, egg, parsley, onions, flour, olive oil,
0:54:41 > 0:54:45beautiful tomato, mozzarella, Parmesan cheese,
0:54:45 > 0:54:49ricotta, some eggs, and...
0:54:49 > 0:54:52Oh, yes, don't forget. What's it called? This is...
0:54:52 > 0:54:56- We have beautiful lasagne. - Yeah. There you go.
0:54:57 > 0:55:00Now, what I want you to do - you have to listen to me...
0:55:00 > 0:55:04- How do you...? Lasagne sheets, yeah?- Yeah, course. It is lasagne.
0:55:04 > 0:55:06What do you say, lasagne?
0:55:06 > 0:55:07OK, sheet.
0:55:07 > 0:55:13- I'll tell you, lasagne sheet. - There you go, right. Moving on.
0:55:13 > 0:55:15I want you to... Can you do me a favour?
0:55:15 > 0:55:18- Can you put this inside a bowl here and mix it.- You did it anyway. OK.
0:55:18 > 0:55:21- Mix it.- You want me to make the meatballs, yeah?
0:55:21 > 0:55:24- Make meatballs. Can you chop very fine, the garlic?- Garlic.
0:55:24 > 0:55:26And parsley while I make a lovely tomato sauce.
0:55:26 > 0:55:27I'll do that. No problem.
0:55:28 > 0:55:30No trouble at all.
0:55:30 > 0:55:34- Is this traditional around Italy at this time of year?- It is indeed.
0:55:34 > 0:55:37Oh, my God. Can you imagine Italy without the lasagne?
0:55:37 > 0:55:39- No, I can't.- No, he can't, he can't.
0:55:39 > 0:55:41But this is no bechamel sauce as well...
0:55:41 > 0:55:44It is not indeed.
0:55:44 > 0:55:47Bechamel sauce in lasagne? So heavy! Ooh.
0:55:47 > 0:55:50At the end of the day, you put the milk, you put onions, you put...
0:55:50 > 0:55:52- No, it's so simple. - It's too heavy.- It's too heavy.
0:55:52 > 0:55:55What you do, you have some nice olive oil...
0:55:55 > 0:55:56You're making the sauce.
0:55:56 > 0:55:59Yes, I'm going to make the sauce, you're going to make the filling.
0:55:59 > 0:56:03See? I feel at home already. My spirit is lifting.
0:56:03 > 0:56:06- This is real heaven.- Ah-ha-ha!
0:56:06 > 0:56:08Go, Gennaro! Go, Gennaro!
0:56:08 > 0:56:11- Thank you, thank you.- Yay!
0:56:11 > 0:56:13The Italians are taking over the world, aren't they?
0:56:13 > 0:56:18You see, there is nothing better. Look, all fresh, look at this.
0:56:18 > 0:56:20- Oh, it's fantastic. - My Yorkshire pork was fresh.
0:56:20 > 0:56:23Well, no, you prepared it earlier.
0:56:23 > 0:56:27- You had half of London doing it, you know?- My mussels were fresh.
0:56:27 > 0:56:30- Yeah, but it's not quite the same. - Not quite the same.
0:56:30 > 0:56:34- I fully agree with you.- No garlic. - No garlic.- What did he do?
0:56:34 > 0:56:36Olive oil, garlic - straightaway, we're at home.
0:56:36 > 0:56:39We are in the race, Gennaro.
0:56:39 > 0:56:44I know. Listen, I love you for that. You have no chance to win anything.
0:56:44 > 0:56:48- No, have you done the garlic inside there?- I did the garlic, yeah.
0:56:48 > 0:56:51OK, mix in salt and pepper, mix properly.
0:56:51 > 0:56:55In the same time, I sweated an onion, you can see.
0:56:55 > 0:56:57Sweat it in small pieces.
0:56:57 > 0:57:02Then I am going to have some tomato sauce inside. A simple dish.
0:57:02 > 0:57:06You can see everything. It's crystal clear. Do you know what?
0:57:06 > 0:57:10I'm going to put in three tins, four tins of tomato.
0:57:10 > 0:57:14Then don't do anything. Look, basil - don't have to chop it.
0:57:14 > 0:57:16Just goes inside here.
0:57:16 > 0:57:20- Look at that!- Just a little bit more olive oil, just on top.
0:57:20 > 0:57:24- Now, last night... - Yeah?- You were made a grandad.
0:57:24 > 0:57:27Yes, it's the right word.
0:57:27 > 0:57:30Dominic! Bless you. Yes.
0:57:30 > 0:57:33- What time last night? - It was about 2.30 in the afternoon.
0:57:33 > 0:57:35LAUGHTER
0:57:37 > 0:57:39You forgot to put your clock back.
0:57:39 > 0:57:42She had a lovely baby boy. I'm so pleased. Bless you.
0:57:42 > 0:57:45Daddy loves you very much. Aw, sweet.
0:57:45 > 0:57:48Yeah, I don't want to forget to say hello to Chloe and Olivia,
0:57:48 > 0:57:50- cos they're watching as well. - You've said hello to everybody.
0:57:50 > 0:57:52How many tomatoes have you got in there?
0:57:52 > 0:57:5414oz of tomato, then you cook them slowly, slowly,
0:57:54 > 0:57:58slowly until you make a beautiful sauce. Bless that lovely sauce.
0:57:58 > 0:58:00Like this one.
0:58:00 > 0:58:02The secret is that you cook it for a long time, don't you?
0:58:02 > 0:58:03Yeah, cook for a long time.
0:58:03 > 0:58:05Most people think you make tomato sauce and it's quick.
0:58:05 > 0:58:08You need to cook it for a long period of time, don't you?
0:58:08 > 0:58:13Usually to cook tomato sauce, I usually take about...
0:58:13 > 0:58:15Half an hour to do a quick one, which it's not.
0:58:15 > 0:58:18About three quarters of an hour to nearly two hours to make
0:58:18 > 0:58:20a fantastic tomato sauce.
0:58:20 > 0:58:21Really, really good.
0:58:21 > 0:58:24In here, I've got garlic, I've got the minced pork,
0:58:24 > 0:58:28the minced beef, the onion - sorry, the parsley.
0:58:28 > 0:58:29Salt and pepper and an egg yolk.
0:58:29 > 0:58:32An egg yolk, which you mix and you sweat nicely,
0:58:32 > 0:58:36if I can get this gas going. Fantastic.
0:58:36 > 0:58:39Now, in the same time, I have this beautiful lasagne dish,
0:58:39 > 0:58:43which I will put the sauce on top here, then...
0:58:43 > 0:58:46Look at the way I'm running after you. Just put them inside.
0:58:46 > 0:58:49- Don't worry, Chef, I'm going as quick as I can.- OK.
0:58:49 > 0:58:52Then I will put some sauce under it, crystal clear,
0:58:52 > 0:58:58everybody can see what I'm doing. Then I will put some pasta...
0:58:58 > 0:59:02- What do you call them?- Lasagne.
0:59:02 > 0:59:04Lasagne, just inside. Fantastic.
0:59:04 > 0:59:06- Like that.- Yeah.
0:59:06 > 0:59:11Then I put, again, a little bit more sauce on top.
0:59:11 > 0:59:13Nice grating of Parmesan.
0:59:13 > 0:59:18Gennaro, you don't pre-scald the lasagne, you put them in dry?
0:59:18 > 0:59:21- Do you know what?- My grandmother used to put them in the...
0:59:21 > 0:59:23You know, just put them in the water first before...
0:59:23 > 0:59:25It is indeed.
0:59:25 > 0:59:29But I find if you put enough sauce inside your dish, it will cook,
0:59:29 > 0:59:31- will absorb it nicely.- OK.
0:59:31 > 0:59:34It all depends on how much sauce you actually add to it.
0:59:34 > 0:59:38So if you have a kind of a very rich...a lot of water in the sauce,
0:59:38 > 0:59:41- you don't need to actually pre-boil them?- No.
0:59:41 > 0:59:43If you do, yes, it is...
0:59:43 > 0:59:46If you put bechamel in, you don't need to bother.
0:59:46 > 0:59:49No, bech... Come on, come on. Come on.
0:59:49 > 0:59:51Excuse me, make up your mind!
0:59:51 > 0:59:52LAUGHTER
0:59:52 > 0:59:54I listen to you, Gennaro, anyway.
0:59:54 > 0:59:55Thank you very much, Bruno.
0:59:55 > 0:59:57Tell us about the cheese you're putting on.
0:59:57 > 1:00:00I just put some nice, lovely ricotta cheese.
1:00:00 > 1:00:01Ricotta cheese stays all together.
1:00:01 > 1:00:03The mozzarella will melt.
1:00:03 > 1:00:05So we give a lovely flavour.
1:00:05 > 1:00:07This is easy-peasy.
1:00:07 > 1:00:09It doesn't take very long.
1:00:09 > 1:00:11Ricotta is from what animal?
1:00:11 > 1:00:14What do you mean, ricotta from animal? Moo!
1:00:14 > 1:00:15All right, OK.
1:00:15 > 1:00:18- Or baa!- Oh, all right.
1:00:18 > 1:00:19You can do 'owt.
1:00:19 > 1:00:23Then why not use some beautiful eggs inside, richer the dish.
1:00:23 > 1:00:27You have some nice, small eggs everywhere you can put it.
1:00:27 > 1:00:30That's good, carry on cooking.
1:00:30 > 1:00:32On top, and then again, season.
1:00:32 > 1:00:34A little bit more, just in case.
1:00:37 > 1:00:38You put another one.
1:00:38 > 1:00:41- Yeah.- Then you put this one, sorry.
1:00:41 > 1:00:43I have to do this.
1:00:43 > 1:00:46This one and this one and again.
1:00:46 > 1:00:47Just a little bit more sauce.
1:00:47 > 1:00:49Can you understand me when I talk?
1:00:49 > 1:00:50Yeah, I can understand you.
1:00:50 > 1:00:52Bruno, can you understand me? I'm sure you can.
1:00:52 > 1:00:55CONVERSE IN ITALIAN
1:00:55 > 1:00:56E questo lasagne fatte...
1:00:56 > 1:00:58I'm sorry. Have you...?
1:00:59 > 1:01:02E questo lasagne fatte...
1:01:02 > 1:01:04No, is this home-made lasagne?
1:01:04 > 1:01:06Yes, no.
1:01:06 > 1:01:08We bought this lasagne?
1:01:08 > 1:01:10- What do you call this one? - Fresh lasagne.
1:01:10 > 1:01:12What do you call this one?
1:01:12 > 1:01:13- Cheats.- Cheats.
1:01:13 > 1:01:15Now, you can buy, you can make.
1:01:15 > 1:01:17Easy, one egg, 100g of flour.
1:01:17 > 1:01:20You mix together and you make a beautiful...
1:01:20 > 1:01:23Roll it up, you make a beautiful lasagne sheet.
1:01:23 > 1:01:25THEY LAUGH
1:01:25 > 1:01:28Eggs inside and then the ricotta.
1:01:29 > 1:01:32Then again, just a little ricotta.
1:01:32 > 1:01:33A little mozzarella.
1:01:33 > 1:01:36That's good. You know how to do, I show you before.
1:01:36 > 1:01:37That's fantastic, indeed.
1:01:37 > 1:01:40Then again, you cover again.
1:01:40 > 1:01:41Put another one.
1:01:41 > 1:01:42One final layer.
1:01:42 > 1:01:45One final layer and then...
1:01:45 > 1:01:48You put just again, plenty, plenty.
1:01:48 > 1:01:51You have to have plenty of tomato sauce on top.
1:01:51 > 1:01:54- How beautifully choreographed. - Do you think?
1:01:55 > 1:01:57There you go.
1:01:57 > 1:01:59It's a long dish, put them all on top.
1:01:59 > 1:02:01Don't forget...
1:02:01 > 1:02:02Oh, whoa!
1:02:02 > 1:02:04It's good.
1:02:04 > 1:02:07- A little bit more mozzarella. - So apart from making lasagne,
1:02:07 > 1:02:09- what are you doing for Christmas? - What for Christmas?
1:02:09 > 1:02:11What are you doing for Christmas?
1:02:11 > 1:02:14For Christmas we're having a family lunch, which is fantastic,
1:02:14 > 1:02:17and I'm going to go away for a few days.
1:02:17 > 1:02:20- A few days? - A few days, not very much.
1:02:20 > 1:02:23One point deducted, you dropped your thingy.
1:02:23 > 1:02:26Right, there you go, a bit of Parmesan cheese.
1:02:26 > 1:02:29Now, the great thing about this, you bake it in the oven.
1:02:29 > 1:02:31Don't forget the eggs! Come on. Just in half.
1:02:31 > 1:02:34That is good. Just a little like that.
1:02:34 > 1:02:36Just a little bit of olive oil. No, no, come on.
1:02:36 > 1:02:37Just bake it in the oven.
1:02:37 > 1:02:40- The olive oil! - Just bake it in the oven.
1:02:40 > 1:02:42Right, there you go.
1:02:42 > 1:02:45Get it on the plate. You've got a plate here.
1:02:45 > 1:02:46Oh, that plate.
1:02:46 > 1:02:49Can I plate it? Leave me, I'm going to plate it.
1:02:49 > 1:02:52I'm going to plate and bless the lovely dish.
1:02:52 > 1:02:54Oh, my goodness me.
1:02:54 > 1:02:56Thank you.
1:02:56 > 1:02:58Don't worry, I'll take it over after.
1:02:58 > 1:02:59One...
1:03:00 > 1:03:03Yeah, I think you should have let me do it.
1:03:03 > 1:03:05- No, that is nice. - That's all right.- Come on, come on.
1:03:05 > 1:03:08He's happy with that. So remind us what that dish is again, please.
1:03:08 > 1:03:10Gran lasagne, festive lasagne,
1:03:10 > 1:03:14with minced meat inside... Well, minced meat, it's mince,
1:03:14 > 1:03:16- and then it's mozz... - It's as easy as that.
1:03:16 > 1:03:18Gran lasagne will do.
1:03:23 > 1:03:25Right, let's have a dive into this and taste it.
1:03:25 > 1:03:28Right, now, come on over here.
1:03:28 > 1:03:31- Now, we miss you and go straight over here.- No!
1:03:31 > 1:03:34- No, not that!- Dive into that.
1:03:34 > 1:03:35Oh, look at this.
1:03:35 > 1:03:37Yummy.
1:03:37 > 1:03:40- Can I have it all? I'll bring it to the studio.- Yeah, yeah.- Thank you.
1:03:40 > 1:03:41I can feed all the judges.
1:03:41 > 1:03:44- The crew will nick that afterwards. Dive in.- This is fantastic.
1:03:46 > 1:03:48It'll be hot.
1:03:48 > 1:03:51That mixture of pork and beef...
1:03:51 > 1:03:52Pork and beef. I... I just...
1:03:52 > 1:03:54Don't go away, don't go away.
1:03:54 > 1:03:56My Parmesan.
1:03:56 > 1:03:58My Parmesan. Come on.
1:03:58 > 1:04:00That's it.
1:04:00 > 1:04:03- That, that, that... - What are you doing?!
1:04:03 > 1:04:04Pass it down.
1:04:04 > 1:04:06Excuse me, you're teasing me! I can't get anything!
1:04:06 > 1:04:08Dive into that, tell us what you think.
1:04:08 > 1:04:11- I can't.- It's good.- It is good.
1:04:11 > 1:04:13That's why I want some more. I'm sorry, I'm greedy.
1:04:13 > 1:04:16That mixture of pork and beef is really important.
1:04:16 > 1:04:18It is important, you know.
1:04:18 > 1:04:20Pork has got a nice flavour, you know,
1:04:20 > 1:04:22and also a little bit of fat in there as well.
1:04:22 > 1:04:24The mince, which is very nice as well.
1:04:24 > 1:04:26The two together combine well
1:04:26 > 1:04:28- with the pasta and garlic.- Exactly.
1:04:28 > 1:04:31The two combine together really well, and I'm stuck in-between two Italians.
1:04:35 > 1:04:38So there you go. If you want to make a traditional lasagne,
1:04:38 > 1:04:40it's all about the hard boiled eggs.
1:04:40 > 1:04:42Now it's omelette challenge time.
1:04:42 > 1:04:45Today, the fantastic Brian Turner takes on the formidable Michel Roux.
1:04:45 > 1:04:48Two culinary heavyweights, but who will come out on top?
1:04:48 > 1:04:50Let's have a look.
1:04:50 > 1:04:51Right, let's get down to business.
1:04:51 > 1:04:54All the chefs that come on the show battle against the clock
1:04:54 > 1:04:56and test how fast they can make a simple three-egg omelette.
1:04:56 > 1:04:58Now, Brian, 28 seconds.
1:04:58 > 1:05:00Pretty good time over there.
1:05:00 > 1:05:03But ahead of you is Michel Roux.
1:05:03 > 1:05:0523.92 seconds.
1:05:05 > 1:05:07He's had more experience than I've had.
1:05:07 > 1:05:10- More experience, was that...?- It was not very good, my son complained.
1:05:10 > 1:05:12All right, well, the usual rules apply, guys.
1:05:12 > 1:05:14A three-egg omelette as fast as you can. Clocks on the screens.
1:05:14 > 1:05:15Are you ready?
1:05:15 > 1:05:17Three, two, one, go!
1:05:21 > 1:05:23No shell, Chef.
1:05:23 > 1:05:24No pressure.
1:05:24 > 1:05:25No pressure.
1:05:38 > 1:05:39It's the concentration.
1:05:39 > 1:05:40Whatever age they are,
1:05:40 > 1:05:43there's just concentration on their faces.
1:05:43 > 1:05:44Oh, he's...
1:05:44 > 1:05:45Oh, oh, oh...
1:05:45 > 1:05:47GONG CRASHES
1:05:47 > 1:05:49APPLAUSE
1:05:52 > 1:05:56Do not applaud, otherwise I'll give you some of it to eat.
1:05:56 > 1:05:57But there you go.
1:05:57 > 1:05:58There you go.
1:05:58 > 1:06:00He's got truffle in his.
1:06:00 > 1:06:02No...
1:06:02 > 1:06:03GROANS
1:06:03 > 1:06:05You see? I told you.
1:06:05 > 1:06:08I'll tell you, it's a wonder I aren't ill on this show.
1:06:08 > 1:06:10- PANEL MEMBER:- Oh, dear.
1:06:10 > 1:06:13- That's cooked perfectly, Chef. - Thank you.
1:06:13 > 1:06:15I couldn't have seasoned it any better myself.
1:06:15 > 1:06:17It's been seasoned, too.
1:06:17 > 1:06:19- Look at that.- This one...- Slimy.
1:06:20 > 1:06:23Excuse me, he's struggling to find uncooked bits.
1:06:24 > 1:06:25A piece of shell?
1:06:25 > 1:06:28- Yes.- No, that's not shell there at all.
1:06:29 > 1:06:31I took it out.
1:06:31 > 1:06:32Right...
1:06:32 > 1:06:33PANEL LAUGHS
1:06:34 > 1:06:36Michel Roux...
1:06:40 > 1:06:41Do you think you were quicker?
1:06:41 > 1:06:44- No.- No, you weren't. - I've lost by a tooth again.
1:06:44 > 1:06:45You were a long way off, Chef.
1:06:45 > 1:06:4729.44 seconds.
1:06:47 > 1:06:51- So there you go, that goes back, put it on the fridge.- Good.
1:06:51 > 1:06:53- He's got a whole stack of them there.- Exactly, yeah.
1:06:53 > 1:06:55- Very good, eh?- Brian...
1:06:57 > 1:06:59Do you think you were quicker?
1:06:59 > 1:07:01- 28 seconds to beat. - Probably not, no.
1:07:01 > 1:07:02About the same, I would think.
1:07:02 > 1:07:04Do you know what, though? You weren't far off.
1:07:04 > 1:07:07You just did it in 28.68 seconds,
1:07:07 > 1:07:09so consistency is the best thing.
1:07:09 > 1:07:10Exactly right, Chef.
1:07:10 > 1:07:12Just needs a bit more seasoning next time.
1:07:18 > 1:07:21No change on the board, then, but an excellent battle nonetheless.
1:07:21 > 1:07:25Now for a fresh and tasty take on one of my favourite fish.
1:07:25 > 1:07:28James Tanner is cooking a whole sea bass in a salt crust,
1:07:28 > 1:07:30which stops it drying out.
1:07:30 > 1:07:31Over to you, James.
1:07:31 > 1:07:33It's great to have him back on Saturday Kitchen.
1:07:33 > 1:07:35- It's Mr Tanner. How are you doing, James?- I'm good, you?
1:07:35 > 1:07:37Good to see you, good to see you.
1:07:37 > 1:07:39- You've brought this bass along from Plymouth?- I did.
1:07:39 > 1:07:41- I packed it on the train, brought it up.- Have you?
1:07:41 > 1:07:43- It's still quite fresh.- It's nice, actually.- Check that out.
1:07:43 > 1:07:45What are we going to do with this?
1:07:45 > 1:07:48Salt-crust sea bass, a lovely, light orange and fennel salad
1:07:48 > 1:07:50and some garlic mashed potato.
1:07:50 > 1:07:53- Perfect for your New Year's Eve chow down, James.- OK, OK.
1:07:53 > 1:07:56- OK, sea bass. This one, line-caught sea bass.- Yeah.- OK.
1:07:56 > 1:07:59Smaller ones, as I'm sure you're aware, they're going to be farmed.
1:07:59 > 1:08:02If they are smaller, obviously, cooking times vary.
1:08:02 > 1:08:04What we need to do is prepare our bass.
1:08:04 > 1:08:06- Yeah.- Here we have the dorsal fin,
1:08:06 > 1:08:10which could be very dangerous, very sharp, so please watch your fingers,
1:08:10 > 1:08:12and the pectoral fins are at the bottom.
1:08:12 > 1:08:14- OK, so what I'm going to do is... - What's this fin called?
1:08:14 > 1:08:17That one is the lower back, sticky out fin.
1:08:17 > 1:08:20- And here, James... - You stopped reading that book.
1:08:20 > 1:08:22And here is the lower sticky out pointy fin.
1:08:22 > 1:08:25- The page was missing on that one, wasn't it?- Something like that.
1:08:25 > 1:08:28- So we remove those, then?- Right, OK, basically, all you do is, James...
1:08:28 > 1:08:29You mentioned the farmed ones.
1:08:29 > 1:08:31They're generally about a pound in weight.
1:08:31 > 1:08:33- They're more or less like a portion size.- Exactly.
1:08:33 > 1:08:35- You can still do this dish? - Yeah, yeah, definitely.
1:08:35 > 1:08:37It's the cooking times, that's all.
1:08:37 > 1:08:38And the amount of egg white and salt,
1:08:38 > 1:08:41which I'll get to in a minute. I'll run through the ingredients.
1:08:41 > 1:08:43- After I've taken these off...- Yeah.
1:08:43 > 1:08:44I'll just get that last one there.
1:08:44 > 1:08:46I'm just going to take the end of the tail off,
1:08:46 > 1:08:49- not the flesh part, just the very end bit. OK?- Yeah.
1:08:49 > 1:08:51Then, basically, the fish is ready to go.
1:08:51 > 1:08:54Now for the ingredients for everything, the whole dish.
1:08:54 > 1:08:56Obviously, our prepared sea bass, which has been scaled,
1:08:56 > 1:08:58fins removed.
1:08:58 > 1:09:00Quite a bit of Maldon sea salt.
1:09:00 > 1:09:01All shall be explained.
1:09:01 > 1:09:03Some egg whites, some lemon, some thyme.
1:09:03 > 1:09:07For the salad, fennel, dill, orange, rocket,
1:09:07 > 1:09:09and then for the filling,
1:09:09 > 1:09:11or for the filling for the potato, I should say, rather,
1:09:11 > 1:09:13some butter, some garlic and some cream.
1:09:13 > 1:09:16First of all, I'm going to get this on, because I want to reduce it.
1:09:16 > 1:09:18It adds lovely richness to it.
1:09:18 > 1:09:19If you can whack that in half.
1:09:19 > 1:09:22In with the garlic, into the pan, James. That's brilliant.
1:09:22 > 1:09:24I've got that. There you go.
1:09:24 > 1:09:26We're going to whack the garlic into the pan,
1:09:26 > 1:09:29a tiny...tiniest bit of salt and a pinch of pepper.
1:09:29 > 1:09:30That's for your mash, yeah?
1:09:30 > 1:09:33That's for the mash, we're going to reduce that down, lovely and rich.
1:09:33 > 1:09:35Now, regarding the fish.
1:09:35 > 1:09:37Little points to look out for when you are using fresh fish.
1:09:37 > 1:09:40Eyes - the eyes should point out like this,
1:09:40 > 1:09:43have a lovely glow to them, be vibrant, not be sunken at all.
1:09:43 > 1:09:45Not how you looked this morning when you walked in the studio at 5am.
1:09:45 > 1:09:48- Well, you know.- Not red... - After a cup of tea I was all right.
1:09:48 > 1:09:51- Go on.- Now, with the flesh...
1:09:51 > 1:09:53It should spring back like this. Very important.
1:09:53 > 1:09:55If it doesn't, you know the fish is getting on a bit.
1:09:55 > 1:09:58So it's starting to decompose. It should spring back on you.
1:09:58 > 1:10:01And also, this hasn't got them, but gills should be bright red.
1:10:01 > 1:10:03- OK?- Shouldn't smell either, should it, really?
1:10:03 > 1:10:04It should smell of the sea.
1:10:04 > 1:10:06- Smell of the sea.- Smell that.
1:10:06 > 1:10:07Where are you going with my fish?
1:10:07 > 1:10:09Smell that, Jude.
1:10:09 > 1:10:11Lovely.
1:10:11 > 1:10:13You've had it now, you can't wash your hands!
1:10:13 > 1:10:15Nice and sticky.
1:10:15 > 1:10:17- Right.- It shouldn't smell at all.
1:10:17 > 1:10:19Now, with the rest of the fish, obviously,
1:10:19 > 1:10:21- we're going to cook this in a salt crust, as I said.- Yeah.
1:10:21 > 1:10:25- Would you be as kind as to crack two more egg whites?- I can do that.
1:10:25 > 1:10:27That goes straight into the bowl, OK?
1:10:27 > 1:10:30And to that we're going to add some salt.
1:10:30 > 1:10:33So, electric hand whisk over there, and all you do is light peaks.
1:10:33 > 1:10:36It doesn't have to be really, really full-on. Just light, fluffy peaks.
1:10:36 > 1:10:38- If you give that a little shake around.- Light, fluffy peaks.
1:10:38 > 1:10:40In the meantime, James, while you're doing that,
1:10:40 > 1:10:43here I've got some potatoes, salted water,
1:10:43 > 1:10:46cooked out till soft, I want to drain them.
1:10:46 > 1:10:48This is the idea. I'm just going to drain these off.
1:10:49 > 1:10:51And you only want to get that moisture out.
1:10:51 > 1:10:53I'm going to re-use this pan.
1:10:53 > 1:10:54Put this pan back onto the heat
1:10:54 > 1:10:57and we'll finish our mashed potatoes in that in a moment.
1:10:57 > 1:10:59Now, this salt crust recipe,
1:10:59 > 1:11:02it's a very, very traditional way of cooking large, whole fish
1:11:02 > 1:11:04- in Italy, isn't it?- It is.
1:11:04 > 1:11:07I mean, this one is from when I worked in America.
1:11:07 > 1:11:08- It's a bit of an adaptation on that. - Yeah.
1:11:08 > 1:11:11It has got Italian roots to it, definitely.
1:11:11 > 1:11:14And, obviously, the culture mix over there, that's how it all came about.
1:11:14 > 1:11:16To add more flavour to it, no salt,
1:11:16 > 1:11:18obviously, or seasoning, or anything,
1:11:18 > 1:11:22but this pungent, woody herb - fresh thyme.
1:11:22 > 1:11:25All I'm going to do is give it a little twist, really,
1:11:25 > 1:11:28just to bruise it and get that flavour out a bit more.
1:11:28 > 1:11:30Then into the cavity of the fish
1:11:30 > 1:11:32and, look, it's half a bunch.
1:11:32 > 1:11:34Whack it right in there, OK?
1:11:34 > 1:11:35Now, here's the egg whites.
1:11:35 > 1:11:38Now, this is the bit that's going to freak you out a bit, James,
1:11:38 > 1:11:41- but let's not worry. I'm going to grab myself a spoon.- Yeah.
1:11:41 > 1:11:42And then watch this.
1:11:42 > 1:11:45Now, this is quite a big fish, it's going to feed around six people.
1:11:45 > 1:11:48There's so much of this!
1:11:48 > 1:11:49Right, OK.
1:11:49 > 1:11:52Now, the idea is, we're using sea salt flakes, OK?
1:11:52 > 1:11:54This works as a wonderful crust.
1:11:54 > 1:11:56It holds together, the crystals hold it.
1:11:56 > 1:11:58Just a wonderful flavour as well.
1:11:58 > 1:12:01As a cooking method, it holds in the moisture, which is quite important.
1:12:01 > 1:12:04It's also one of the oldest ways of preserving food, isn't it, really?
1:12:04 > 1:12:08It's a very old way of preserving food. You could cook this way with clay.
1:12:08 > 1:12:10You could wrap that in leaves and put some clay around it. Lovely.
1:12:10 > 1:12:11Yeah, definitely, yeah.
1:12:11 > 1:12:13If you didn't want to get salt from the supermarket,
1:12:13 > 1:12:15go out and get some clay.
1:12:15 > 1:12:19Also, with Maldon, this particular salt we're using,
1:12:19 > 1:12:21it works because, like I said before, about the crystals,
1:12:21 > 1:12:23it holds the egg white better,
1:12:23 > 1:12:25and also, it's lower in sodium
1:12:25 > 1:12:28than regular mineral salts, so like table salt.
1:12:28 > 1:12:30People think of table salt, which is the finer grains.
1:12:30 > 1:12:33Yeah. Now, all I'm doing is a little bit on the bottom.
1:12:33 > 1:12:34OK? Lined baking tray.
1:12:34 > 1:12:36If you want a bit of theatre in your kitchen,
1:12:36 > 1:12:40why not do this on an oven to table dish, and then,
1:12:40 > 1:12:41wow, there you go, guys.
1:12:41 > 1:12:43Bam, and you've got a wonderful sea bass dish
1:12:43 > 1:12:45that you can just do at home.
1:12:45 > 1:12:46Now, all I'm doing is,
1:12:46 > 1:12:48I'm not going to cover the head or the tail.
1:12:48 > 1:12:50I'm just going to make sure I cover the fish
1:12:50 > 1:12:53and create a sill. Basically, I'm going to drag this down.
1:12:53 > 1:12:56Try and get it so it's about the same thickness.
1:12:56 > 1:12:58We're just going to...
1:12:58 > 1:13:00Right, I've seen you do something similar to this
1:13:00 > 1:13:03on one of your shows, wasn't it, with leaves and that sort of stuff?
1:13:03 > 1:13:05Yeah, you can do all of those things.
1:13:05 > 1:13:07I think I'd stuff that with rock samphire.
1:13:07 > 1:13:09- I think that would give it a really nice flavour.- Yeah, nice.
1:13:09 > 1:13:12It's sea asparagus, if people don't know what that is, the finer stuff.
1:13:12 > 1:13:14I love this thyme because it's so pungent.
1:13:14 > 1:13:16Right, James, could you put that in the oven for me?
1:13:16 > 1:13:19That'd be wonderful. It's going to take half an hour at 200 degrees.
1:13:19 > 1:13:20Why don't you cover the head?
1:13:20 > 1:13:22You just don't need to, we're not going to eat that
1:13:22 > 1:13:25- and, obviously, you know... - It's another kilo of salt.
1:13:25 > 1:13:28- LAUGHTER - He's a funny guy, isn't he?
1:13:28 > 1:13:30- Right, OK.- There you go.
1:13:30 > 1:13:32You need to be quick out in the shops today,
1:13:32 > 1:13:34otherwise all your salt's going to disappear.
1:13:34 > 1:13:36Now, I've just washed my hands.
1:13:36 > 1:13:38The mash is reducing down.
1:13:38 > 1:13:40We've got a potato ricer.
1:13:40 > 1:13:43What I'm going to do is, I'm going to rice some potato.
1:13:43 > 1:13:47Now, obviously, yes, you can use a masher for when you're at home.
1:13:47 > 1:13:48I have washed my hands,
1:13:48 > 1:13:51so I'm going to use them to chuck into this ricer.
1:13:51 > 1:13:53Nice, light, fluffy potato.
1:13:53 > 1:13:56In the meantime, James, would you be so kind as to slice me thinly
1:13:56 > 1:13:59some of that fennel, which you've got right in front of you?
1:13:59 > 1:14:02OK, as you can see, look at this, lovely, fluffy.
1:14:02 > 1:14:05King Edward potatoes I think are good for this.
1:14:05 > 1:14:08They always give a really great mash and it's a good all-round spud.
1:14:08 > 1:14:10I'm just going to do a little bit more,
1:14:10 > 1:14:11cos I'm just going to do enough for one portion.
1:14:11 > 1:14:13If there are any keen cooks out there
1:14:13 > 1:14:15still looking for stuff to buy,
1:14:15 > 1:14:17using their vouchers they've got left over from Christmas,
1:14:17 > 1:14:19the ricer is a really good one to buy, isn't it, really?
1:14:19 > 1:14:22- Definitely.- They're not expensive, are they?- No.
1:14:22 > 1:14:2312 quid. If that.
1:14:23 > 1:14:25Right, now, in the meantime, we've got the cream.
1:14:25 > 1:14:28It's reduced by half. It's been perfumed with the garlic.
1:14:28 > 1:14:29A touch of salt, touch of pepper in there.
1:14:29 > 1:14:31I'm just going to add some of this...
1:14:31 > 1:14:34- Thinly slicing these?- Nice and thinly, James. That'd be great.
1:14:34 > 1:14:38And then in with the cream, with our light, fluffy mash.
1:14:38 > 1:14:41A knob of butter goes in as well, just to add richness.
1:14:41 > 1:14:43You don't have to add it, but I really think
1:14:43 > 1:14:44the richness comes through.
1:14:44 > 1:14:46Then I'm just going to stir this quite vigorously,
1:14:46 > 1:14:48whip it up, so it goes nice and light and fluffy
1:14:48 > 1:14:50and we can present our fish on it.
1:14:50 > 1:14:53As you can see, lovely, creamy, and the idea is, with a ricer,
1:14:53 > 1:14:56if I just do this with the mash, you can see it's not lumpy at all.
1:14:56 > 1:14:57It's nice and light.
1:14:57 > 1:15:00So, just make sure that the butter is incorporated well.
1:15:00 > 1:15:03Right, we've got some dill, we've got some rocket,
1:15:03 > 1:15:06next up, get myself a knife, a bit of orange.
1:15:06 > 1:15:10- Yeah.- Can you pass me the olive oil, just quickly? Sorry.- Yeah.- Cheers.
1:15:10 > 1:15:13Right. So, in with the juice of half an orange.
1:15:13 > 1:15:15Look at this, like a big meringue.
1:15:15 > 1:15:17A drizzle of oil.
1:15:17 > 1:15:18Look at that.
1:15:18 > 1:15:20OK, right. Here we have it.
1:15:20 > 1:15:22So, yes, it does look like a meringue,
1:15:22 > 1:15:23and it is meant to.
1:15:23 > 1:15:27The idea is that it's lovely and moist. OK, so here we go.
1:15:27 > 1:15:29Imagine, you can put this on your tabletop,
1:15:29 > 1:15:31break the top off, but all I'm going to do is...
1:15:31 > 1:15:34Just peel back, and as you can see, it's lovely -
1:15:34 > 1:15:36it's not dry, it's nice and moist.
1:15:36 > 1:15:38Scrape off any excess,
1:15:38 > 1:15:40cos you don't actually eat the crust, as such.
1:15:40 > 1:15:41Clean off the knife.
1:15:41 > 1:15:45I'm just going to do a little incision at the side, here,
1:15:45 > 1:15:47all the way through,
1:15:47 > 1:15:51and then just try to work round the backbone and cut around.
1:15:51 > 1:15:53I'm just going to do one for one portion, obviously,
1:15:53 > 1:15:54and then just...
1:15:54 > 1:15:55Pardon the fingers.
1:15:55 > 1:15:57That's the thing about this - you don't need to be...
1:15:57 > 1:15:59Leave it nice and sort of broken...
1:15:59 > 1:16:01Well, the thing is, you'd use a spoon.
1:16:01 > 1:16:03It's the flavour that's more important.
1:16:03 > 1:16:06My hands are clean. Just going to pile up a bit more of that flesh.
1:16:06 > 1:16:08There is no bones, cos we're leaving the bones on the inside.
1:16:08 > 1:16:11Then all you do is peel that away. And then to finish off...
1:16:11 > 1:16:14- Mr Tanner, you are a star. - Just the tiniest drizzle,
1:16:14 > 1:16:16because you've already got your orange juice in there,
1:16:16 > 1:16:18of your lemon over the top.
1:16:18 > 1:16:20And there you have it. A great one for New Year's Eve.
1:16:20 > 1:16:21Remind us what that is again.
1:16:21 > 1:16:24Salt-crusted sea bass, orange and fennel salad
1:16:24 > 1:16:25and garlic whipped potato.
1:16:25 > 1:16:26Brilliant.
1:16:31 > 1:16:34Ooh...let's have a look at this. There you go.
1:16:34 > 1:16:35Smells fantastic.
1:16:35 > 1:16:38Smells great. Over here, Mr Tanner. Dive into that.
1:16:38 > 1:16:41Going to try a bit of this. That's all right, isn't it?
1:16:41 > 1:16:43I'm at the wrong end of the table!
1:16:43 > 1:16:45Exactly! By the time it gets down to your end...
1:16:45 > 1:16:48- Dive in.- You can stay down there for not using English lamb.
1:16:48 > 1:16:51Now, let's try a bit of this salad to start with.
1:16:51 > 1:16:52You're keen on your salads, aren't you?
1:16:52 > 1:16:54Simple, simple food.
1:16:54 > 1:16:56Orange and fennel, it's really well matched.
1:16:56 > 1:16:59Really, really nice. The orange on it is lovely.
1:16:59 > 1:17:02Try the fish, try the fish. Very moist.
1:17:02 > 1:17:06Fennel is in good nick this time of year as well.
1:17:06 > 1:17:09It keeps so much of the flavour in, I think, cooking with salt.
1:17:09 > 1:17:11It's interesting you cut the spines off,
1:17:11 > 1:17:13cos I would have thought the salt might penetrate
1:17:13 > 1:17:15into the flesh that way.
1:17:15 > 1:17:17Well, it's only the top, along the backbone,
1:17:17 > 1:17:19so the skin is still right...
1:17:19 > 1:17:20It's firm still, right around it.
1:17:20 > 1:17:23So you're still actually covering it.
1:17:23 > 1:17:25That's the best sea bass I've tasted.
1:17:25 > 1:17:27- You like that, Ray? - Really, really good.
1:17:27 > 1:17:29- Best sea bass ever. - Best sea bass ever. Check that out!
1:17:29 > 1:17:31Best sea bass he's ever tasted. Do you like that?
1:17:31 > 1:17:34Ray, I would say you need to get out more, but you go out enough!
1:17:34 > 1:17:35- Very good.- Like that?
1:17:35 > 1:17:38That's lovely. They're loving it.
1:17:38 > 1:17:40LAUGHTER
1:17:40 > 1:17:42Still yet to taste any! Great stuff.
1:17:46 > 1:17:49The best sea bass Ray Mears has ever tasted, apparently!
1:17:49 > 1:17:51High praise, indeed. Well done, James.
1:17:51 > 1:17:54When comedian Micky Flannigan came to the studio
1:17:54 > 1:17:55to face his food heaven or food hell,
1:17:55 > 1:17:57he was loving lentils,
1:17:57 > 1:17:59but would he end up in a bad mood over beetroot?
1:17:59 > 1:18:00Let's have a look.
1:18:00 > 1:18:03It's that time of the show to find out whether Micky will be facing
1:18:03 > 1:18:04food heaven or food hell.
1:18:04 > 1:18:08Food heaven would be, of course, this...slow-roast shoulder of lamb,
1:18:08 > 1:18:11- Indian sort of spices, as well, to go with it.- Yeah, yeah.
1:18:11 > 1:18:13Alternatively, we've got a pile of beetroot over there.
1:18:13 > 1:18:15Is that liquid beetroot in that glass?
1:18:15 > 1:18:17- It is liquid beetroot.- Ugh...
1:18:17 > 1:18:19- LAUGHTER - Who drinks that?
1:18:19 > 1:18:22- You would be, in a minute! - A maniac.
1:18:22 > 1:18:24Yeah, so this could be thickened with xanthan gum,
1:18:24 > 1:18:26- turned into a gel.- OK.
1:18:26 > 1:18:29So we've got a gel, as well as beetroot meringue.
1:18:29 > 1:18:31- You're going to make it into a gel? - Yes.- Does this get any worse?
1:18:31 > 1:18:33I don't know, but you could be getting this.
1:18:33 > 1:18:35It was up to these guys to decide.
1:18:35 > 1:18:36Yeah, they're great guys.
1:18:36 > 1:18:38They are, and they chose lamb as well.
1:18:38 > 1:18:41- They've been nice to you as well. - Yeah.- Wonderful human beings.
1:18:41 > 1:18:43We lose this, out of the way. Beetroot is gone for another day.
1:18:43 > 1:18:44So, we've got our lamb here.
1:18:44 > 1:18:48I'm going to make a nice little sort of topping for this lamb, really.
1:18:48 > 1:18:49We've got different spices.
1:18:49 > 1:18:51We've got garam masala, we've got cumin,
1:18:51 > 1:18:54we've got ground coriander in there as well,
1:18:54 > 1:18:58together with some chopped garlic, some grated ginger.
1:18:58 > 1:19:00Meanwhile, the guys are going to make these flatbreads
1:19:00 > 1:19:02to go with it as well.
1:19:02 > 1:19:03You said, halfway through the show,
1:19:03 > 1:19:05you were going to have a quiet year next year.
1:19:05 > 1:19:07- Yeah.- It's not going to be that quiet for you, is it?
1:19:07 > 1:19:11Well, any time I'm not touring, I call that being quiet, you know?
1:19:11 > 1:19:13Cos we're going to be writing a sitcom,
1:19:13 > 1:19:16first episode of that, a pilot.
1:19:16 > 1:19:19That... That's got to be fun, hasn't it?
1:19:19 > 1:19:22I'm hoping it's going to be me, more or less...
1:19:22 > 1:19:24Everything I do on stage, put into a sitcom.
1:19:24 > 1:19:27- Right.- You know, and... Yeah, we'll see how it goes.
1:19:27 > 1:19:30- I've sort of got lots written down already.- Yeah.
1:19:30 > 1:19:31So we'll get that pilot made,
1:19:31 > 1:19:33and then we're going to do another series
1:19:33 > 1:19:35of Was It Something I Said?
1:19:35 > 1:19:36with David Mitchell and Richard Ayoade.
1:19:36 > 1:19:39- That's like a panel show, isn't it? - A panel show, yeah.
1:19:39 > 1:19:42We look at quotes and work out who said them.
1:19:42 > 1:19:44So it's not that quiet, then.
1:19:44 > 1:19:46It's not that quiet. No. I mean, I sort of...
1:19:46 > 1:19:49- I'm a big fan of not doing anything. - Yeah.
1:19:49 > 1:19:51Because I believe...
1:19:51 > 1:19:54You know that position you get into on the settee
1:19:54 > 1:19:56when nothing is happening?
1:19:56 > 1:19:57That leads to something.
1:19:57 > 1:19:59- It can take months...- Lead to what?
1:19:59 > 1:20:01Uh...an idea.
1:20:01 > 1:20:03Nobody does nothing any more, do they?
1:20:03 > 1:20:06Everyone fills all the time with things,
1:20:06 > 1:20:08and I'm a firm believer,
1:20:08 > 1:20:10if you just do nothing for a little while,
1:20:10 > 1:20:12a few years...
1:20:12 > 1:20:13LAUGHTER
1:20:13 > 1:20:16..you will have a great idea and it'll be worthwhile.
1:20:16 > 1:20:18But it's taken you two years.
1:20:18 > 1:20:20LAUGHTER
1:20:20 > 1:20:22Yeah, but...
1:20:22 > 1:20:24- I like to cogitate.- Right.
1:20:24 > 1:20:28I like to cogitate and think about things and then, you know,
1:20:28 > 1:20:30when it gets wound up, and when we go, we go.
1:20:30 > 1:20:32That's it. When it happens, it happens.
1:20:32 > 1:20:35When it goes, it goes. But in the meantime, I'm not unhappy
1:20:35 > 1:20:38with the sofa and the telly.
1:20:38 > 1:20:40They really go well together. Have you tried it?
1:20:40 > 1:20:42No, I haven't really tried it that much.
1:20:42 > 1:20:44The telly is there, right? The settee is here.
1:20:44 > 1:20:46- Yeah.- And you stay on the settee.
1:20:46 > 1:20:48- Right.- Just watching the telly.
1:20:48 > 1:20:49- That's it.- Don't cook anything.
1:20:49 > 1:20:52You can think about it. You can think about cooking something.
1:20:52 > 1:20:55- You can sit there with a pan, maybe.- OK.
1:20:56 > 1:20:57Or a grater.
1:20:58 > 1:20:59Maybe not a grater.
1:20:59 > 1:21:01You can use this, it's good for your hard feet,
1:21:01 > 1:21:03hard skin on your feet as well.
1:21:03 > 1:21:05Actually, my wife is always complaining of that,
1:21:05 > 1:21:07the hard skin on my feet!
1:21:07 > 1:21:09Imagine if I sat there and we were watching Downton Abbey,
1:21:09 > 1:21:11and I was like, "This is really good, yeah."
1:21:11 > 1:21:13Put her right off it!
1:21:13 > 1:21:15We're going to make this sort of paste to go with it, really.
1:21:15 > 1:21:16All these sort of spices.
1:21:16 > 1:21:18We're going to use the same spices in the dhal,
1:21:18 > 1:21:21but we've got the yoghurt going on the top here - full fat yoghurt.
1:21:21 > 1:21:24It would be a great wine glass, that, wouldn't it?
1:21:24 > 1:21:27You can pour it straight in.
1:21:27 > 1:21:30Full fat yoghurt. I've grated the ginger over the top as well.
1:21:30 > 1:21:34The key to this, really, is that you leave it in the marinade, this one.
1:21:34 > 1:21:36You leave it for at least 24 hours.
1:21:36 > 1:21:38This is a shoulder of lamb, of course.
1:21:38 > 1:21:39That's the big lamb, isn't it?
1:21:39 > 1:21:41It is decent-sized lamb, but you know,
1:21:41 > 1:21:44literally, when lamb gets...
1:21:44 > 1:21:47Before it becomes mutton, it becomes hogget.
1:21:47 > 1:21:48Right, OK.
1:21:48 > 1:21:52So, basically, a hogget is a year-old lamb, that's...
1:21:52 > 1:21:55Two incisors, I believe, on the teeth.
1:21:55 > 1:21:57That's the definition between hogget...
1:21:57 > 1:21:59What, so it could attack you? Like...
1:21:59 > 1:22:01It could attack you. Not this one!
1:22:01 > 1:22:04So at that point, they have to go.
1:22:04 > 1:22:05Yeah, that's why they are...
1:22:05 > 1:22:07That's why they are what they are now.
1:22:07 > 1:22:08That's a hogget.
1:22:08 > 1:22:11And then, basically, you marinate this overnight, idea.
1:22:11 > 1:22:13- Is that a marinade? - It is a marinade.
1:22:13 > 1:22:17I always assumed marinade would be...in it.
1:22:17 > 1:22:21No, cos you need a big bowl, and I haven't got a big bowl.
1:22:21 > 1:22:23- OK.- You don't have to. - I could have brought one with me.
1:22:23 > 1:22:26- I'm always... - You can take this and...
1:22:26 > 1:22:29- A bucket. - You could do it in a bucket, yes.
1:22:29 > 1:22:31Then the idea is, you put this in the oven.
1:22:31 > 1:22:34Really slow cooking, that's the key to this.
1:22:34 > 1:22:35How slow are we talking?
1:22:35 > 1:22:37Well, 300 degrees.
1:22:37 > 1:22:39That's Fahrenheit - don't get it wrong, Micky,
1:22:39 > 1:22:41and put it centigrade, otherwise it'll burn.
1:22:41 > 1:22:44Right, OK. That bit, I reckon I could get together, just about.
1:22:44 > 1:22:48That's Fahrenheit. Centigrade - it's got a C, there, as well.
1:22:48 > 1:22:52We've got smoke alarms, so it's not really a problem, to be honest.
1:22:52 > 1:22:56And then, 150, 160, and then this goes in the oven, all right?
1:22:56 > 1:22:59For a good sort of four to five hours.
1:22:59 > 1:23:01- Four to five hours?! - Yeah, literally.
1:23:01 > 1:23:04Can you imagine how drunk I'd be by the time that came out?
1:23:04 > 1:23:06LAUGHTER
1:23:06 > 1:23:07Four to five hours.
1:23:07 > 1:23:10Five hours, waiting around for some lamb.
1:23:10 > 1:23:11I'd be remarried.
1:23:13 > 1:23:16You could go down the pub, you see. You can go out now.
1:23:16 > 1:23:18- I'd have gotten another meal! - You can go out...
1:23:18 > 1:23:19Five hours?!
1:23:21 > 1:23:22Right, and then...
1:23:22 > 1:23:25So, the whole idea of these lentils, right, we take our...
1:23:25 > 1:23:26These are the lentils.
1:23:26 > 1:23:29We take the same spices. We've got...
1:23:29 > 1:23:31We've got the same spices,
1:23:31 > 1:23:34but what we've got is, we've got a little bit of turmeric.
1:23:34 > 1:23:37If you could chop me the ginger and garlic, please.
1:23:37 > 1:23:38- Yes, sir.- Thank you very much.
1:23:38 > 1:23:40I thought you were saying that to me, then!
1:23:40 > 1:23:42I was going, "Oh, no!"
1:23:42 > 1:23:44- You want to try? - No, no, you're all right. I'm...
1:23:44 > 1:23:47I'm an artist.
1:23:47 > 1:23:48We just cook this.
1:23:48 > 1:23:52Now, David is doing some flatbreads, all right?
1:23:52 > 1:23:56Yeah, no, that's sort of like poppadom...?
1:23:56 > 1:23:58No, no, I'm getting too technical.
1:23:58 > 1:23:59Poppadoms are deep fat fried.
1:23:59 > 1:24:02- Chapatti.- Paratha?- Chapatti?
1:24:02 > 1:24:04No, I stay in most nights.
1:24:04 > 1:24:05LAUGHTER
1:24:05 > 1:24:07Is it like a chapatti?
1:24:07 > 1:24:09Similar, yeah. Yeah.
1:24:09 > 1:24:10Where are you on restaurant names?
1:24:10 > 1:24:14There's an Indian restaurant in Brick Lane called Le Taj.
1:24:14 > 1:24:17- Yeah.- Yeah, you work it out. A French Indian.
1:24:17 > 1:24:21- Good?- I don't know, I refused to go in there.
1:24:21 > 1:24:24It's like...you're either an Indian or a French restaurant.
1:24:24 > 1:24:28You can't be Le Taj.
1:24:28 > 1:24:29So do you go and eat out much?
1:24:29 > 1:24:32I know your wife likes to go out, to eat out in restaurants.
1:24:32 > 1:24:35Yeah, yeah, we do. Yeah, it's getting ridiculous now.
1:24:35 > 1:24:37Is it?
1:24:37 > 1:24:39Yeah, twice in 13 years.
1:24:39 > 1:24:41- LAUGHTER - It's maddening.
1:24:41 > 1:24:46No, we do... She does like a restaurant, as you know.
1:24:46 > 1:24:49Yeah, she loves them, and I just...
1:24:49 > 1:24:51I get some sandwiches and I sit out by the cloakroom.
1:24:51 > 1:24:55- LAUGHTER - It cuts the cost right down.
1:24:55 > 1:24:57Right, we've got some...
1:24:57 > 1:24:59- This is ghee.- Is it?
1:24:59 > 1:25:01This is clarified butter. All right?
1:25:01 > 1:25:04- Gee...- You can buy it from the supermarket, all right?
1:25:04 > 1:25:06So, we've got the caramelised onions,
1:25:06 > 1:25:08you need to get colour on the onions.
1:25:08 > 1:25:10- Then we put the ginger and garlic in, otherwise it burns.- Yeah.
1:25:10 > 1:25:12Then we're going to put in the tomatoes.
1:25:12 > 1:25:15So this is the lentil sort of dhal bit.
1:25:15 > 1:25:20In we go with the tomatoes. Start frying that away, like that.
1:25:20 > 1:25:22And then we've got our cooked lentils,
1:25:22 > 1:25:24which are in here.
1:25:24 > 1:25:27Is that a bit like...? My mum used to do us pease pudding.
1:25:29 > 1:25:32Kind of. It could be, yeah. It's not far off.
1:25:32 > 1:25:35It used to take her three or four days to get that.
1:25:35 > 1:25:38She used to soak these split peas.
1:25:38 > 1:25:42These have been done in about sort of 15 minutes.
1:25:42 > 1:25:44So we've got to mix all this lot together.
1:25:44 > 1:25:47So it's like a little dhal, really, all right?
1:25:47 > 1:25:48It all starts to come together.
1:25:48 > 1:25:50# Oh, my little DAALING... #
1:25:50 > 1:25:52- Plenty of salt.- Sorry, I'm just...
1:25:52 > 1:25:53Take a pinch of salt.
1:25:53 > 1:25:55That Asti has gone right to my head. What?
1:25:55 > 1:25:56- A pinch of salt.- Your pinch of salt?
1:25:56 > 1:25:59- Yeah.- Give me a spoon, then.
1:25:59 > 1:26:00Here you are, look...
1:26:03 > 1:26:06I did that with a bit of attitude. I went all Jamie Oliver there.
1:26:06 > 1:26:09"You just whack it in there. Whack it in there.
1:26:09 > 1:26:13"Spin round, whack it in there."
1:26:13 > 1:26:17- Are you all right there? - It's the heat. Isn't it hot in here?
1:26:17 > 1:26:21- It is.- It's like a kitchen. I can't stand the heat.
1:26:21 > 1:26:24Do you want to taste this? See whether it's all right?
1:26:24 > 1:26:26I might have to get out of the kitchen.
1:26:26 > 1:26:30- Eh?- I do want to taste it, yeah. - I'll have a taste.
1:26:30 > 1:26:33- I wasn't going to use that spoon. - It needs a bit more salt.
1:26:33 > 1:26:35I thought you were a bit light on the salt.
1:26:35 > 1:26:39Where's our little pot here?
1:26:39 > 1:26:40Now, if you can bring over the lamb, Francesco.
1:26:40 > 1:26:43- Yes, I will. - I'll stick it over here.
1:26:43 > 1:26:46- And then we've got our... - Has it been in for five hours?
1:26:46 > 1:26:47- It has.- Even longer.
1:26:47 > 1:26:49Cos it'll be terrible...
1:26:49 > 1:26:53If it's been in for four and three-quarters, it'll be ruined.
1:26:53 > 1:26:55And then what we do is, we take this
1:26:55 > 1:26:57and you take the fat off here as well.
1:26:58 > 1:26:59Put that over the top.
1:26:59 > 1:27:03I thought you were going to drink that, then. I thought...
1:27:05 > 1:27:07There you go. There is actually a chef
1:27:07 > 1:27:11who makes a cocktail with lamb fat in Birmingham.
1:27:11 > 1:27:12No! How old is he?
1:27:12 > 1:27:13How old is he?
1:27:14 > 1:27:16There you go, put that on there.
1:27:16 > 1:27:20Lose that out of the way. You've got your nice flatbread to go with it.
1:27:20 > 1:27:22Knives and forks, guys, over here.
1:27:22 > 1:27:26There you have your curry with flatbreads and roast lamb.
1:27:26 > 1:27:29The idea is, you just rip into it like that.
1:27:29 > 1:27:33- Oh...- Is that like when you had the duck thing?
1:27:33 > 1:27:36Kind of, yeah, the duck pancakes. Dive in.
1:27:36 > 1:27:40- That looks absolutely superb. - There you go.
1:27:43 > 1:27:44What do you reckon?
1:27:44 > 1:27:46- Very good.- Yeah?
1:27:48 > 1:27:50How many hours do you get to eat it?
1:27:50 > 1:27:52LAUGHTER
1:27:52 > 1:27:55Not very long. Have you seen the crew?
1:27:55 > 1:27:57- What do you reckon?- Mmm!
1:27:57 > 1:27:59- Is that all right?- That is...
1:27:59 > 1:28:02- Do you want that or not? - ..drop-down dead...
1:28:02 > 1:28:04I don't drink straight from the bottle in the morning.
1:28:04 > 1:28:06There you go.
1:28:06 > 1:28:08Right, that's all from us on Saturday Kitchen Live.
1:28:08 > 1:28:10Thanks to Francesco, David,
1:28:10 > 1:28:13and Susy Atkins for the brilliant choices today.
1:28:13 > 1:28:16This is also really, really special. A big thanks, of course, to Micky Flanagan,
1:28:16 > 1:28:19whose DVD is out now, of course.
1:28:19 > 1:28:21Congratulations on that one. It's going to be...
1:28:21 > 1:28:23When is it out? The 18th?
1:28:23 > 1:28:25It's out now in all good shops, apparently.
1:28:25 > 1:28:29- Is that what they said?- That's what they tell me to say at the end.
1:28:29 > 1:28:31Not the chemist, they're not stocking it.
1:28:31 > 1:28:34The chemist is not stocking that.
1:28:34 > 1:28:37- This is absolutely superb. - Happy with that?
1:28:41 > 1:28:42That lamb looks so good
1:28:42 > 1:28:45and it still didn't manage to keep Micky quiet, though,
1:28:45 > 1:28:47even with all that food in front of him.
1:28:47 > 1:28:49I'm afraid that's it for this week.
1:28:49 > 1:28:51Hope you've enjoyed taking a look back with me
1:28:51 > 1:28:52at some of the sensational food
1:28:52 > 1:28:55hand-picked from Saturday Kitchen's store cupboard.
1:28:55 > 1:28:57I'll see you back here next week. Thanks for watching.