0:00:20 > 0:00:22Today, our chefs are dusting down recipes
0:00:22 > 0:00:25that are the staples of the great British diet.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27These are dishes that seemed to have always been around
0:00:27 > 0:00:29and will always be around.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31They're comforting, they're traditional
0:00:31 > 0:00:33and they're old-school classics.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36And we start with one of Lorraine Pascale's favourites.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38It's chilli con carne.
0:00:41 > 0:00:46Back in the '70s, it sat happily on most menus alongside prawn cocktail
0:00:46 > 0:00:50and chicken chasseur, dishes that reflected our hunger for the exotic.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52As our tastes became more sophisticated,
0:00:52 > 0:00:56it meant goodbye, some might say good riddance, to old favourites.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59And yet this dish has retained its popularity.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01Which chillies do you use in your chilli con carne?
0:01:01 > 0:01:05- Usually I go for this one, because I like it mild.- Yeah?
0:01:05 > 0:01:09- So you don't use scotch bonnet then? - No, I go for the red chillies only. - SHE LAUGHS
0:01:09 > 0:01:12Chilli bubbles with our love of all things Americana
0:01:12 > 0:01:15and we've even started to hold countrywide chilli cook-ups,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18with rules specifying certain ingredients.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20I say rip up the rule book!
0:01:20 > 0:01:23- Thank you.- Thank you very much.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27Time to get cooking.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31Start off with an onion.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33Chop it up quite small.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39Then I'll let those sweat down.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42When the onions have sweated for a few minutes,
0:01:42 > 0:01:44add one chopped clove of garlic...
0:01:45 > 0:01:48..and a large bay leaf.
0:01:48 > 0:01:49Some rosemary...
0:01:50 > 0:01:53Such a great herb to grow, rosemary.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55I'm not green-fingered at all.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59But I can just about stretch to rosemary.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02Now, chilli... This is where it could all go wrong.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05So you get overzealous, put the whole chilli in
0:02:05 > 0:02:08and then when you get to taste your dish, it's way too spicy.
0:02:08 > 0:02:13So, the way around that is to taste the chilli before you put it in.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19Not very hot. So I'll put the whole lot in.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21Chillies are said to be an aphrodisiac.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24So put in as much as you think you like.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26I like my chilli spicy!
0:02:30 > 0:02:34Depending on HOW hot you like it, top it up with some chilli powder
0:02:34 > 0:02:36and then add about a teaspoon of ground cumin.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40Layering up that flavour.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Mm, the cumin smells beautiful.
0:02:43 > 0:02:44And of course, mince.
0:02:45 > 0:02:46Put the whole lot in.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53Browning the mince will give it a meatier flavour,
0:02:53 > 0:02:55but be careful you don't overcook it.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57Salt and pepper.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00Chilli con carne is a great dish to make in a slow cooker, too.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04You just pop it on before you go to work and come back,
0:03:04 > 0:03:09and there's a lovely cooked chilli con carne, piping hot.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11Now, I'm not going to add kidney beans,
0:03:11 > 0:03:14as I prefer my chilli to be closer to the original Texan recipe.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16However, I am putting in tomatoes,
0:03:16 > 0:03:20which to some hard-core chilli-cooking kings is a no-no.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23Now, I don't think tomatoes are as sweet as they could be.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26I remember my dad growing them in the greenhouse and they used
0:03:26 > 0:03:29to be so, so sweet.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33So, if you fancy it, a little squidge of honey,
0:03:33 > 0:03:35literally quarter of a teaspoon,
0:03:35 > 0:03:38just to give the tomatoes a helping hand.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41Finally, a good glug of red wine.
0:03:41 > 0:03:46And then let that bubble away, to get nice and rich.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50At its simplest, chilli con carne is an economic feast,
0:03:50 > 0:03:51great for families and students
0:03:51 > 0:03:54and indeed anyone watching their weekly food bill.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58What I do to make this dish even more cost-effective is always
0:03:58 > 0:03:59make more than I need.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03It actually tastes better after a few days in the fridge.
0:04:05 > 0:04:06The chilli is now ready
0:04:06 > 0:04:10and I'm going to dish it up with some fluffy white rice.
0:04:10 > 0:04:11Yummy.
0:04:12 > 0:04:13Look at that.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16Now, that's what you call a chilli.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18I'm going to top it with coriander.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21I know some people don't like coriander. I love it.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24'And in fact, most of you do.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27'It has recently overtaken parsley to become the nation's
0:04:27 > 0:04:31'favourite herb, selling over 13 million bunches a year.'
0:04:32 > 0:04:36And then I've got my salsa. I'll have a spoonful on the side, I think.
0:04:40 > 0:04:41Time to eat.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44I love the way we take a dish to our hearts,
0:04:44 > 0:04:46customise it by adding or taking away ingredients
0:04:46 > 0:04:49until we call the recipe our own.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53This is a nice, smooth, gentle chilli taste on the tongue.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Memories are made by family members or friends
0:04:56 > 0:04:58cooking dishes their own way.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00It's how culinary traditions evolve.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12Ah, thanks, Lorraine.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15And now we have a great culinary tradition that is always evolving.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17It's the Irish Stew.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20And a classic dish deserves a classic clip,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23so here's Keith Floyd getting to grips with one version
0:05:23 > 0:05:25during a television tour of the West of Ireland.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31I was relaxing with a glass of stout in the pub the other day
0:05:31 > 0:05:32after a very hard day's filming.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35We got to chatting and as usual, we started talking about food.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38Not food in general, but Irish Stew in particular.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40Do you know, in Ireland, it's difficult to find?
0:05:40 > 0:05:42Sometimes in pubs at midday, you can get it in England.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44It's often a disastrous mishmash of potatoes,
0:05:44 > 0:05:47lamb and onions, boiled to death, tastes absolutely awful,
0:05:47 > 0:05:49so I wanted to find out the secret of what I think to be
0:05:49 > 0:05:51one of the finest dishes on earth.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54So I came to my friend Myrtle Allen, who is indisputably
0:05:54 > 0:05:57the Queen of Irish cooking, famous here at Ballymaloe,
0:05:57 > 0:06:00famous in Beverly Hills, in Paris and throughout the land.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03It's true isn't it, Myrtle? She's absolutely brilliant.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05And she knows all about it.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08But before we go into all of that, Richard, the usual business.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10A spin around the ingredients.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12The most important thing is a splendid shoulder of lamb,
0:06:12 > 0:06:15traditionally butchered. More of that later.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18Spring onions, new potatoes, not the flowers, OK?
0:06:18 > 0:06:21Young baby carrots, a bit of fresh thyme, a bit of fresh, erm...
0:06:21 > 0:06:24- I've forgotten the name of that, Myrtle. What's that?- Marjoram.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26Marjoram, a bit of fresh marjoram.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29Then, I've butchered the chops over this way a bit, to take off all
0:06:29 > 0:06:32the fat, because we need those to cook the chops in later
0:06:32 > 0:06:34and that's where I cut my finger, ho, ho, ho!
0:06:34 > 0:06:37So we've got nice... Down here again, Richard, thank you. Don't smirk.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40We've got these nice cutlets to saute off later on,
0:06:40 > 0:06:42bit of parsley to garnish it off with.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44Over here, we're going to need some stock.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46We use this piece of bone... Stay there, Richard...
0:06:46 > 0:06:49..from the end of the lamb there... Pop that in.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52The tops of the spring onions, a bit of thyme, parsley stalks,
0:06:52 > 0:06:55economical use of parsley stalks, a few chopped carrots,
0:06:55 > 0:07:01cover it with water...like that, and that put on to simmer to make our stock.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03That's fine, there's another chop in the bottom.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05Chops in the bottom is the first thing, isn't it?
0:07:05 > 0:07:08As you can see, I've been frying them
0:07:08 > 0:07:11in the sweated-down lamb dripping, and I'd like to eat a little piece of that.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14- Myrtle, do you want a little bit? - Yes.- It's fabulous.- Thank you.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17- This will have the doctors up in arms, won't it?- Mmm. - Never mind about them.
0:07:17 > 0:07:22Right, now, next thing's what? The onions and the carrots in there.
0:07:22 > 0:07:23That's right.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26Just give them a quick turn.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31If it's a bit too slow, you may have to heat that fat again.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35- And then our thyme...- A little bit of thyme, that's enough.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38- And let's put in that marjoram. - Marjoram in there.- That's enough.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41My viewers have seen an Irish Stew made with whole potatoes.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44They would tend to think of it as being sliced in there.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46There are different ways of doing it.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48Some people slice them, they say the potato thickens the gravy.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52But I love them whole on top, they can brown, you know, in the oven.
0:07:52 > 0:07:53Now you want to get this...
0:07:53 > 0:07:55Have you got the lid, or something?
0:07:55 > 0:07:56You need to strain it.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59No, I'll do it... The trouble is, under pressure like this,
0:07:59 > 0:08:03I sometimes I have to improvise, because once this goes in, I've had it.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05So I'll strain it through like that.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14- Now, it doesn't have to cover the potatoes, does it? - No, no, it'll be fine.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17Because with the lid on, they're going to sort of steam and glaze as they cook.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20And by the way, you don't need to throw that away.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24You could wait for that to be cold, chop it up into little bits, you could toss it with
0:08:24 > 0:08:28- a bit of vinegar, or something, couldn't you?- Well, you could... - Or something.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32- You wouldn't necessarily throw that away. What would you do with that? - I'd give it to the dog, actually.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34SHE LAUGHS
0:08:34 > 0:08:36These people who live in castles!
0:08:36 > 0:08:38THEY LAUGH
0:08:38 > 0:08:41Anyway, that goes in the oven for, what? For how long now?
0:08:41 > 0:08:42That goes in the oven...
0:08:42 > 0:08:47At this time of the year when the lamb is young, I would say three-quarters to one hour.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50And we'll go and do something really amusing until that's ready to eat.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52- Fine.- So let's wander off...- Right.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56..and he'll think of something to make us look really interesting while we're gone...
0:08:56 > 0:09:00The Irish Stew - "in the name of the law". The producer made me say that -
0:09:00 > 0:09:02turned out to be superb. But after simmering for an hour or so,
0:09:02 > 0:09:05it's worth skimming the fat before serving.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08There's no hard and fast recipe for this classic dish,
0:09:08 > 0:09:11and Myrtle Allen sets greater store on the quality of ingredients,
0:09:11 > 0:09:13rather than the variety of them.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17If I had seen you a week ago, my butcher had brought me
0:09:17 > 0:09:23in a sward of grass from the pasture that he likes to fatten his beef on.
0:09:23 > 0:09:29And it contained so many little flowers, the clovers,
0:09:29 > 0:09:31the red and white.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33Many, many grasses and plants.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36He won't give his cattle, for instance, silage.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40He looks for a sweet hay with plenty of meadow grass in it,
0:09:40 > 0:09:45which of course, is very uneconomical for farmers to grow.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48So we still have these people in the country.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51And they need to be encouraged.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53Is there any other place in the world
0:09:53 > 0:09:55and you'd rather be than here in Ballymaloe?
0:09:55 > 0:09:59Well, I haven't had a chance to try. You see, I've been here a long time,
0:09:59 > 0:10:02since I was 19! And, um...
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Maybe there would be... You know, I wouldn't mind the Pacific,
0:10:05 > 0:10:08but I've a feeling it's not what it used to be.
0:10:08 > 0:10:09THEY LAUGH
0:10:10 > 0:10:12Next, we've got a recipe for meatloaf.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15It's called haslet in some parts of the country.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19It originated in Europe centuries ago and is very popular in America,
0:10:19 > 0:10:23which is why this version comes from Nancy, an American lady
0:10:23 > 0:10:28who moved here years ago and ended up cooking for the Hairy Bikers.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32- Nice to meet you. Welcome to the cottage.- Hello, love, how are you?
0:10:32 > 0:10:34- Nice to see you. - I'm fine, thank you.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38Nancy moved over from the US 16 years ago, after meeting husband Nick,
0:10:38 > 0:10:40who was there in the Navy.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43They now live just outside Hove, with their daughter Toni.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47Today, cousin Megan is also over for some good ole home cookin'.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51In America, like here, there is a deep root in homespun cooking
0:10:51 > 0:10:54- and home values, isn't there? - There very definitely is.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57I think it's like here, everybody got away from it
0:10:57 > 0:11:00and they went to junk food and they went to fast food,
0:11:00 > 0:11:04because we have more so we can drive through for dry cleaning, banking and food.
0:11:04 > 0:11:05Yeah.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08And it's very hard to tell people
0:11:08 > 0:11:11you can take that five minutes and make something really nice.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15- That homespun cooking, is that where your influence came from, or not? - Oh, definitely.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18Unfortunately for my mum, she, bless her heart,
0:11:18 > 0:11:19wasn't the world's best cook.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22- Wasn't she?- No, no. Bless her! Yeah.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24If it cooked, it bounced.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27THEY LAUGH
0:11:27 > 0:11:31So... Which is why the recipe for meatloaf is called
0:11:31 > 0:11:34- Mum's Hockey Puck.- Ah! - Just like a hockey puck?- Yeah.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38This is my mum's potato salad, which is what I'll do today, too,
0:11:38 > 0:11:40but there's a little bit of a twist on that one.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43- Oh, brilliant!- Well, I'm looking forward very much to this.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47- Yeah, so am I. Shall we...? Should we...?- Yes, we should. Of course we should.
0:11:47 > 0:11:52Here goes then! Nancy's Mum's Hockey Puck Meatloaf!
0:11:53 > 0:11:55We start with mince.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58And then to that, we're going to add one egg.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01And we add some Worcester sauce to it.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03Worcester sauce works great with mince, doesn't it?
0:12:03 > 0:12:06If you're making a cottage pie, a chilli or a meatloaf.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08- Yeah, it gives it that bit of zing to it.- Yes.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11And then what we're going to do is add some brown sauce.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15- Whoa, my girl! Brown sauce! - Yes.- I love brown sauce.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17And then we add some ketchup.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20- Good wodge of ketchup.- Yum.- Ohhh! - OK.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24And then we've got... Well, I've got fresh parsley and oregano.
0:12:24 > 0:12:25So it's just...
0:12:26 > 0:12:28Probably about a tablespoon of each.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32- Now, you say or-AY-ganno, we say orri-GAH-no...- I know.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34BOTH: Let's call the whole thing off!
0:12:34 > 0:12:36OK, now all we need to do is add some onion and breadcrumbs.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39So one of you's doing onion and one of you's doing breadcrumb.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43- Right, I'll do the onion.- And I'll do the breadcrumbs.- There you go.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Like many American recipes, this dish combines the convenience
0:12:46 > 0:12:49of ready-made condiments with fresh meat and herbs.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53So it's quick and easy, yet still satisfying.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56- Then what we'll do is add some Parmesan cheese.- Ahhh!
0:12:56 > 0:12:59- I know, it's a chocolate grater. - SHE LAUGHS
0:12:59 > 0:13:02- Aw!- But it gives... It's the little bits I want.- That dinky thing.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05That is the poorest excuse I have ever seen for a grater!
0:13:05 > 0:13:06NANCY LAUGHS
0:13:06 > 0:13:09- You can't do that!- It's got a big brother! It's in the cupboard.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13OK, so, usually, it's probably about a tablespoon to two tablespoons.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18And then what we'll do is mix it a little bit
0:13:18 > 0:13:22and then add the breadcrumb as we need it, because eventually,
0:13:22 > 0:13:26what it's got to do is just pull away from the bowl, so it's like one big meatball.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Meatloaf isn't what he used to be, is he?
0:13:28 > 0:13:30Oh, he's never been the same since he's been on the diet!
0:13:30 > 0:13:33You look at him now, he's like a deflated balloon.
0:13:33 > 0:13:34He used to be a man with presence.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37- I suppose you've got to be careful with salt on this...- Yeah.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41..because you've got ketchup and Parmesan. You've got to be careful. If you salt it now...
0:13:41 > 0:13:45- That's it. And you've got the Worcester sauce, so there's a lot of salt in there.- Yes.
0:13:45 > 0:13:46So I usually don't add any more to it.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49- Do you want the breadcrumbs in there now?- I want some breadcrumbs in.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52- Tell us when.- Yep, just pour a little bit in the centre.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55- Do you just do this by eye, Nancy? - Yeah. That's fine, honey.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Yeah, it's been... Well, I've been making it 30-some years, so after
0:13:58 > 0:14:00a while, I stopped with the measurements.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02And once it's away from the bowl,
0:14:02 > 0:14:06it goes in the pot and then in the oven, about 180, for about an hour.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08Right. Just punch it down.
0:14:08 > 0:14:09And that's us done.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16But it would be positively un-American to have meatloaf
0:14:16 > 0:14:18without potato salad.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22So, like a bat out of hell, I get on with the potatoes.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26Nancy prefers waxy red ones, as they hold their shape better.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29- He used to be a chiropodist, you know.- Ah! That's why.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31- Fabulous with corns.- Yeah...
0:14:31 > 0:14:34- And better with potatoes there. - Mm-hm.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36Excellent.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39Once the potatoes have boiled, they need to cool down a bit.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42That gives us time to get on with the dressing.
0:14:42 > 0:14:47So what we're going to do in here is put a teaspoon of sugar
0:14:47 > 0:14:49and then we put a little bit of vinegar...
0:14:49 > 0:14:51That's not fancy vinegar, just plain malt.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53Yep, it's just plain malt vinegar.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55And then, American mustard.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59Big squeeze of that...
0:14:59 > 0:15:01- Not as good as English mustard. - No, it is!
0:15:01 > 0:15:03It's my mustard.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07Then what we're going to do is take a little bit, oops, of milk
0:15:07 > 0:15:10and add that to it because what the milk will do is,
0:15:10 > 0:15:12it acts as a coating with it.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15- Is that all the milk you put in? - Just a little bit.- Oh, wow.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17It will loosen the mayonnaise, won't it?
0:15:17 > 0:15:19You can open the pickles for me, please.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24Come on, Muscles Malone!
0:15:24 > 0:15:29- There you go. - I need a lie down now.- OK.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33The what we're going to do is just a tiny little bit into here.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35So then you're going to mix this up
0:15:35 > 0:15:39and then you just pour it over the potatoes to coat them.
0:15:40 > 0:15:46- Oh, OK.- Then, if you want, you can coat the potatoes in it.- Yes.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48All you're going to do is just add mayonnaise
0:15:48 > 0:15:50and it's just basically how much you like mayonnaise.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53If you like a lot, do a lot. If you don't, don't.
0:15:53 > 0:16:00So, start out with about three big spoonfuls, then just stir it.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04- It's good recipe, this. Nice. - Then that should do it.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08It just goes in the fridge to set up and it's all done.
0:16:08 > 0:16:09The meatloaf's ready.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12Hopefully Nancy's won't bounce like her mum's.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15And served up with a potato salad and some dill pickles,
0:16:15 > 0:16:18we've got an all-American tea.
0:16:18 > 0:16:19Teatime, American-style.
0:16:24 > 0:16:29- It's a nice consistency, isn't it? - Yes.- It's lovely.- It hasn't bounced!
0:16:29 > 0:16:31It tastes nice and moist as well.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35- It's not all dry and doesn't clog your mouth up.- Oh, lovely.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38There's green salad if anybody wants any.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41No. That would be wrong!
0:16:44 > 0:16:47That's fab!
0:16:47 > 0:16:49I'm liking it!
0:16:49 > 0:16:52Megan, would you ever cook this, or would you learn to cook it?
0:16:52 > 0:16:53I would, yeah.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57It's really tasty, yummy. It's easy to cook for us lot as well.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59See, that's the nice thing.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01Recipes like this, they're going to carry on,
0:17:01 > 0:17:03they're going to go on down through the family.
0:17:06 > 0:17:07Thanks to Nancy for that.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11Now, how about this for getting back to basics? This is a bacon butty.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13Yes, I know, it's just a sandwich
0:17:13 > 0:17:16and even though you might think you don't need showing
0:17:16 > 0:17:17how to make this,
0:17:17 > 0:17:21let James Martin's enthusiasm persuade you otherwise.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26I can't wait to show you
0:17:26 > 0:17:30a bacon butty made exactly the same way my granny used to do them.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34Bread, bacon and tomatoes in perfect harmony.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36Nothing cheers me up quite like it.
0:17:36 > 0:17:41I can't quite believe this is the first time I've made it on telly.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44It's one of my favourite things to eat and it's so simple.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49Now, anybody that knows me knows that I like my butter.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53This is where it all began with a proper bacon sandwich.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56This was something that I used to have honestly
0:17:56 > 0:18:00when I used to go round to my Gran's and you used to have to order it
0:18:00 > 0:18:02because it used to take about 10 minutes to make
0:18:02 > 0:18:05and then halfway through making, you'd order another one
0:18:05 > 0:18:07because you'd eat that one straightaway.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11It used to taste amazing because she used to use proper bacon.
0:18:11 > 0:18:16What I mean by proper bacon is this stuff. It's dry cured back bacon.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19I pretty much dry fry the bacon for this
0:18:19 > 0:18:22so it gets all crispy with only a smear of butter.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27Not only was my grandma a brilliant cook,
0:18:27 > 0:18:31she used most of the stuff from my grandad's allotment.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34He always used to have brilliant tomatoes.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37And proper tomatoes like this before they were fancy.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40None of that grow on the vine sort of stuff.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42That's the reason why I actually built a greenhouse
0:18:42 > 0:18:43at the bottom of the garden
0:18:43 > 0:18:46because I want to replicate the smell of what it was like
0:18:46 > 0:18:51as a kid walking into the greenhouse with it literally full of tomatoes.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Fry the tomatoes in the same pan so the flavours of the bacon
0:18:54 > 0:18:56and tomato mix in together.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59Even when I was a young kid, I used to stand on the stool
0:18:59 > 0:19:03and watch my grandma put in the tomatoes.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05This is also the health kick part of this.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11Because the real hard-core stuff is in here.
0:19:11 > 0:19:16You take the softened butter like this and you butter the bread
0:19:16 > 0:19:21so much that it almost comes through to the other side.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26There are few things more enjoyable than a bacon sandwich.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32Too many chefs ponce around doing ciabattas and pugliese
0:19:32 > 0:19:36and all these different sorts of stuff. White sliced bread.
0:19:36 > 0:19:42When you eat this, you should feel as if you're about to go to heaven.
0:19:44 > 0:19:49A real good bacon sandwich should fill you up for the entire day
0:19:49 > 0:19:52and then this is what all bacon sandwiches need.
0:19:52 > 0:19:53It's the press.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06Mmm. Wait for it...
0:20:09 > 0:20:11That's what were talking about.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18You should actually feel as if you're getting better
0:20:18 > 0:20:20and more ill at the same time.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22It's a unique combination.
0:20:24 > 0:20:30No matter how many times I do this, I swear,
0:20:30 > 0:20:35I cannot get it as good as my granny used to do. I'll keep trying.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38Keep getting bigger as I'm trying but I'll keep trying.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43This bacon butty is like a time warp back to the '70s.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45I reckon you just can't beat a meal with a past.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50We end on a dessert and this is definitely
0:20:50 > 0:20:54one of the best dishes ever and totally British to boot.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57So, let's head to the Bake Off tent for Mary Berry's
0:20:57 > 0:21:01masterclass in how to make treacle tart.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03Oh, I can't wait!
0:21:06 > 0:21:09I chose treacle tart because it's pretty tricky to make
0:21:09 > 0:21:11but it's an absolute British classic.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16First off, put a heavy baking sheet in a preheated oven at 200 degrees.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18180 fan.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20When you come to bake the tart,
0:21:20 > 0:21:23this will bake the pastry base perfectly.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27With cake tins at home, you forget the exact size so I always,
0:21:27 > 0:21:31with a waterproof pen, write "seven inches, 18 centimetres"
0:21:31 > 0:21:35- and you know exactly where you are. - Is that seriously what you do?
0:21:35 > 0:21:37- You go around your whole kitchen? - All my cake tins.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40Next time I'm round at yours, I'm going to check all your tins
0:21:40 > 0:21:42to make sure you've got the numbers at the bottom.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45But it does help. So, there it is, ready for action.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50- We've got to make the pastry first. So, 250 grams of plain flour.- 250.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54130 grams of butter.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58Then just process that until it becomes like breadcrumbs.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05Then I'm going to add just over three tablespoonfuls of water.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09That, I find, is just about right. And off we go.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15That's it. I'm going to gather those bits up by hand.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17I like doing it by hand, the whole thing,
0:22:17 > 0:22:19because I feel more in control.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21I feel very in control of this
0:22:21 > 0:22:23and I can nip and do other things at the same time.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26I know by the sound when it's done.
0:22:26 > 0:22:27You're a professional baker
0:22:27 > 0:22:31and I'm a home cook so I'm just going to knead that first of all.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35Can I feel that? It's still quite short, isn't it?
0:22:35 > 0:22:36That's what I want.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39I want it short but I don't want it to all break apart
0:22:39 > 0:22:41when I roll it out.
0:22:42 > 0:22:44So that has come together very nicely
0:22:44 > 0:22:47and I'm just going to chill that. It'll be easier to handle.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes to relax the pastry.
0:22:50 > 0:22:57Now I'm going to take off 150g of that for the lattice.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01Put that to one side. Flour the board and then roll it out.
0:23:01 > 0:23:06And I want it to be nice and thin. We do not want a soggy bottom.
0:23:06 > 0:23:07No, absolutely not.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11So, the aim is to keep it fairly round and keep freeing it.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13Still, I want that thinner.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15There, so, I've got my tin here.
0:23:15 > 0:23:20Take that base and slip that underneath there
0:23:20 > 0:23:24to the middle and then fold the sides in, so all the way around
0:23:24 > 0:23:29and it's very easy to transport it into the middle here.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34Then just flick the sides over.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38I'm just going to push that in all the way around.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42First of all with my finger like that, pressing it in.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46Then take a little lump of pastry and you press that in.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48Keep flouring it like that all the way around
0:23:48 > 0:23:52so you get the indentations of the tin.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56That's it. I'm ready to roll out the lattice.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59Roll out the set-aside pastry for the lattice
0:23:59 > 0:24:02so that it is very thin and big enough to fit over the tart.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05Place on clingfilm and leave in the fridge to chill,
0:24:05 > 0:24:08which will make it easier to cut into strips later.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10Then we'll get on to the filling.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13It's about six slices here of white bread. It's a day old.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17You can always use the crusts to make breadcrumbs of them
0:24:17 > 0:24:21and use them perhaps for cauliflower cheese or something of that.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26- That's perfect.- Lovely and fine.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30If you use one or two-day old bread, you'll be able to get it fine.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34If you use really fresh bread, you can't really get it fine.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37For the filling, measure out 400g of golden syrup
0:24:37 > 0:24:40into a pan and put on a gentle heat.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44Add the zest and juice of two lemons and fully mix in your breadcrumbs.
0:24:46 > 0:24:47Prick the thin pastry base with a fork
0:24:47 > 0:24:49so that it doesn't rise during breaking
0:24:49 > 0:24:53and pour the smooth treacle filling into the lined pastry case.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56If the mixture looks runny, add a few more breadcrumbs
0:24:56 > 0:24:59until you have a thick, smooth mixture.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01To make the perfect lattice,
0:25:01 > 0:25:05remove the chilled rolled-out pastry from the fridge and egg wash.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08I'm going to glaze this now,
0:25:08 > 0:25:12rather than try to do it on the actual tart.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14That's a nice tip because it just stops it going
0:25:14 > 0:25:16- straight into the treacle, doesn't it?- It does.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19Then wet all the way round the edge there.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22That's really for the lattice to stick.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24I'm not letting it drip down the sides because I know
0:25:24 > 0:25:27there's a bit of pastry left that some little person
0:25:27 > 0:25:29will be making jam tarts.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33So, I'm going to cut those strips and you can make them
0:25:33 > 0:25:38as thin or as wide as you like, but I like them fairly thin.
0:25:38 > 0:25:44You need ten. Five across one way and five across the other way.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47Carefully line the vertical strips across the tart
0:25:47 > 0:25:49and weave the horizontal strips through them.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52I'm quite nervous with having you looking over the side of me.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56Make sure the strips are longer than the tart tin so that they hang
0:25:56 > 0:25:59over the edge, preventing any shrinkage during baking.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02We want these strips to stick to the pastry and I'm just going to
0:26:02 > 0:26:08press down gently and let the actual tart tin do the cutting.
0:26:08 > 0:26:13Just go round, pushing it down and I know that all those
0:26:13 > 0:26:19pieces of lattice are sticking to the actual pastry underneath,
0:26:19 > 0:26:22so you can gather all those together into a ball
0:26:22 > 0:26:24and use them later. There we are.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28Bake in the preheated oven on the hot baking tray for about 10 minutes
0:26:28 > 0:26:30until the pastry has started to colour.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34Then reduce the oven temperature to 180, 160 fan,
0:26:34 > 0:26:38until the pastry is golden and the filling is set.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44I think your lattice work was probably the neatest one I've seen,
0:26:44 > 0:26:46certainly out of all the bakers that did it.
0:26:46 > 0:26:47Do you think I might have won?
0:26:47 > 0:26:48Maybe through to the next round.
0:26:48 > 0:26:49- Number one?- Maybe.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53Your treacle tart is perfectly baked when it is a rich golden colour
0:26:53 > 0:26:56and the filling is set, not wobbling inside.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59Allow to cool a little so that the pastry edges shrink
0:26:59 > 0:27:03away from the sides so you can lift it out of its case cleanly.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06Slide the tart off the base of the tin on to your plate
0:27:06 > 0:27:09and serve warm with a little cream or custard.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Let's have a look at the bottom. How's that?
0:27:14 > 0:27:15No soggy bottom there, Mary.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19That's because we put it on a very, very hot baking sheet
0:27:19 > 0:27:24and we haven't baked it blind and it's got wafer-thin pastry.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26That's it.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30Now that, as you can see, looks lovely and soft in the middle.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35It looks so good. That pastry is wafer-thin.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42That's lovely. It's light. Beautiful lemons coming through.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44And the good thing about this treacle tart
0:27:44 > 0:27:46is that you can make it ahead.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49Just serve it warm and it will keep too,
0:27:49 > 0:27:52so you don't have to eat it all on one day.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56- Though, perhaps we might. - A true classic.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59Thanks to Mary, Paul and all our chefs
0:27:59 > 0:28:01because we've reached the end of today's show,
0:28:01 > 0:28:03but there's plenty more where they came from,
0:28:03 > 0:28:06so do join me again on the Best Dishes Ever.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08Bye-bye for now.