0:00:02 > 0:00:04Across the country, lots of us are working out what to cook tonight
0:00:04 > 0:00:07from the ingredients in our cupboards.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10To inspire you, we're throwing away the cookbooks
0:00:10 > 0:00:12and going back to basics.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17We're pitting three resourceful and creative home cooks
0:00:17 > 0:00:20against one another to see what they can come up with.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28Whoever does it best will be our cook of the day.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36Ready to show they can think on their feet are today's three cooks.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42Sam, a supply chain worker from London,
0:00:42 > 0:00:44loves showing off his skills in the kitchen.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48One of my favourites things to make is pasta.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51Making it from scratch is like being a child again
0:00:51 > 0:00:52and getting to play with Play Doh.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Beyron, a student from Bristol,
0:00:58 > 0:01:00likes minimal fuss when he's cooking.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02Yeah, one of my main goals
0:01:02 > 0:01:05when I cook is just to use as few pots and pans as possible,
0:01:05 > 0:01:09because then I don't have to do any of the washing up.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12And Helen, a blogger from Sidcup,
0:01:12 > 0:01:14likes the sweeter things in life.
0:01:16 > 0:01:17I do love desserts.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19If I go out for something to eat,
0:01:19 > 0:01:22I feel like I haven't really gone out to eat unless I have a dessert.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25I've got to have something sweet or I may as well have stayed at home.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Their first test will be to cook for today's guest...
0:01:29 > 0:01:31former Strictly Come Dancing pro
0:01:31 > 0:01:33Vincent Simone.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40- Vincent...- Hello, sir. - ..welcome to The Box.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42- Thank you very much.- Very elaborate entrance there as well.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45Well, I could have done better but, you know, I'm in disguise.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47Anyway, so inside this box, can we have a look?
0:01:47 > 0:01:49Let's have a look, yes.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52Argentine tango is my speciality,
0:01:52 > 0:01:55so I brought a nice Argentine steak
0:01:55 > 0:01:56cos I love beef.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58- I see you've got coffee in here? - Yes,
0:01:58 > 0:02:00I love everything about coffee.
0:02:00 > 0:02:01It's a bit like me.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04I love everything about me, I love everything about coffee.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06So, every morning, the day doesn't start
0:02:06 > 0:02:08if I don't have a little espresso.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10What are these fellas then?
0:02:10 > 0:02:13These are the amaretti biscuits from Italia.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17Hopefully, a little dessert with amaretti and coffee together -
0:02:17 > 0:02:18that would be brilliant.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20That's exactly what you want? OK.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23Hopefully I can guarantee you three nice plates of food in 50 minutes.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25- Oh, brilliant. - So, we'll see you in a bit.
0:02:25 > 0:02:26- Thank you ever so much.- All right.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29Now, I have got a great selection of ingredients in here,
0:02:29 > 0:02:30albeit just a small selection.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32But, as for a dessert?
0:02:32 > 0:02:34That's going to be a bit tricky.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44Well, ladies and gents, welcome to The Box.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46Now, you're all here cos apparently
0:02:46 > 0:02:49you're all amazingly creative in the kitchen.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51In front of you, you've got a box of ingredients
0:02:51 > 0:02:54that's been hand-selected by our special guest.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56Now, you've really got to impress him in this round
0:02:56 > 0:02:59by creating one dish in 50 minutes.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01It could be sweet, it could be savoury.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03You've got a big larder behind you.
0:03:03 > 0:03:04You might need it.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07Open your box, let's get cooking. Good luck.
0:03:11 > 0:03:16Today, in my box, I've got chorizo sausage,
0:03:16 > 0:03:17spinach,
0:03:17 > 0:03:19cinnamon,
0:03:19 > 0:03:21coffee
0:03:21 > 0:03:23and amaretti biscuits.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27Orecchiette pasta is a typical pasta from my region,
0:03:27 > 0:03:28which is Puglia.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31It's down at the bottom on the hill,
0:03:31 > 0:03:33which I call The Stiletto, because it sounds sexy.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38Well, my steak has to be medium rare -
0:03:38 > 0:03:39a bit like me,
0:03:39 > 0:03:43hard on the outside but soft on the inside.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46Well, artichoke, I remember my mamma used to make
0:03:46 > 0:03:51the most beautiful result with artichokes.
0:03:51 > 0:03:52Basil...
0:03:52 > 0:03:54and cayenne pepper.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57It's very good to have a bit of spice in your dish
0:03:57 > 0:03:59because you spice up your life.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06Now, our guest's selection of ingredients really are fantastic.
0:04:06 > 0:04:07You've got a few curveballs,
0:04:07 > 0:04:09like the chorizo and the beef.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11I wouldn't necessarily put those two together, really.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16Now, the artichokes, you can go two ways - you can either cook them -
0:04:16 > 0:04:18alternatively, they're great raw in a salad.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21And if you did a wonderful salad with that and the basil
0:04:21 > 0:04:23and made a nice little dressing with the steak,
0:04:23 > 0:04:25it could be delicious as a simple carpaccio.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34So, where does the love of food come from, for you, then?
0:04:34 > 0:04:37- I used to love baking when I was little, with my gran...- Yep.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40..making jammy buns and things like that.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44I think Helen is going to do something sweet for me.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46So, you're going to do a pudding, by the looks of things?
0:04:46 > 0:04:49I'm doing a pudding. Still not entirely sure what it is
0:04:49 > 0:04:51but we've started off with an amaretto biscuit base.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54Please, please, use the coffee.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56What is it - like a cheesecakey sort of thing, or not?
0:04:56 > 0:04:58We've got cream, we've got coffee,
0:04:58 > 0:05:00- so I'm going to do something to combine the two.- OK.
0:05:00 > 0:05:05Hopefully it'll chill enough to hold some sort of shape in there.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07It's quite difficult to get the measurements right.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09You know, enough sugar, enough cream,
0:05:09 > 0:05:12so everything combines
0:05:12 > 0:05:14together beautifully.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17Now, somebody tells me that you're into tenpin bowling. Is that right?
0:05:17 > 0:05:19I am, yes.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22I represented Northern Ireland in the World Cup in 2007.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24So what's the technique?
0:05:24 > 0:05:26Knock over as many pins as possible.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28Well, I guessed that's the idea.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Imagine there's ten pins over there in that box.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37I saw you did that leg movement. You were like that...
0:05:37 > 0:05:40- Kind of.- A little slow-mo. - Yeah.- Shall I have a go?
0:05:41 > 0:05:43- Ow!- Oh.
0:05:46 > 0:05:47Helen's doing a dessert.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50She's using those amaretti biscuits, mixed together with butter,
0:05:50 > 0:05:52to create a base for her cheesecake.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Now, she's got to be really careful how she combines the cream and
0:05:55 > 0:05:57the coffee together to add enough sweetness.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59But you've got to have a little bit of acidity there.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01Where she gets that from, I don't know yet.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08Beyrom has chosen to cook with the fillet steak,
0:06:08 > 0:06:12but he's having a problem with one of the other ingredients.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14- Have I messed this up?- Um...
0:06:16 > 0:06:17Technically, yeah.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19Most of the flavour's on the board.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22However, if you speak to Helen nicely...
0:06:22 > 0:06:24Will she give me a new one?
0:06:24 > 0:06:26Just look stupid.
0:06:30 > 0:06:31Yeah, go for it.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37Now, what you do with the baby ones is peel them like this.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39You basically just take this off.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43So you remove the top part of the leaves - the outer part,
0:06:43 > 0:06:45then you've got the lovely choke in the middle,
0:06:45 > 0:06:48but with the baby artichokes like these, you can eat the entire lot.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50Beautiful.
0:06:50 > 0:06:51Beautiful artichoke.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54- So, what's the plan, then? The pasta's going to cook...- Yep.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56..this is the sauce which is...
0:06:56 > 0:06:57What have you got in this pan here?
0:06:57 > 0:06:59So, onions, chorizo,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01- a bit of sugar and red wine.- OK.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05I think, if I can mask everything else with a really powerful sauce...
0:07:05 > 0:07:09- Right.- ..then it doesn't matter what the rest of it tastes like.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11- JAMES SCOFFS - I'm not sure about the coffee.
0:07:11 > 0:07:12I thought I'd try and be controversial
0:07:12 > 0:07:14and bang that in somewhere.
0:07:14 > 0:07:15Is he going to put the coffee...
0:07:15 > 0:07:17in the dish? No!
0:07:17 > 0:07:19I'm going to walk away soon.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21- You're going to put the coffee in here?- Well..
0:07:21 > 0:07:23I mean, I was going to put everything in.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25Open the door. I'll walk.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27I might stay.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34Sam is also going to use the beef,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36pairing it with artichokes and spinach.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41Right, Sam, what are you creating, then?
0:07:41 > 0:07:45I'm going to cook the fillet of beef - just sear it
0:07:45 > 0:07:48and serve it pretty rare, but then with a, kind of,
0:07:48 > 0:07:49spicy chorizo sauce.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51This is Argentinian fillet.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54- It looks fantastic and... - This is absolutely delicious.
0:07:54 > 0:07:55It's highly prized,
0:07:55 > 0:07:58so you've just got to be careful when you pan-fry it as well.
0:07:58 > 0:07:59Keep it nice and rare in the middle.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02So, you're a big fan of dinner parties as well, is that right?
0:08:02 > 0:08:03Yeah, really like them.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05I started having a few and, yeah, it's a lot of fun.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08Right, so who's the best cook in the household, then?
0:08:08 > 0:08:09Cos the key is not to make it too good,
0:08:09 > 0:08:12- otherwise you'll just keep doing it all the time, isn't it?- Yeah...
0:08:12 > 0:08:14That's kind of how it's happened now.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16THEY LAUGH
0:08:17 > 0:08:19We've got two people using the beef.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22The main thing is, because it's got enough fat in there, it's very lean.
0:08:22 > 0:08:23Certainly don't overcook it,
0:08:23 > 0:08:25otherwise you're wasting the flavour.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27That, pan-fried with those artichokes,
0:08:27 > 0:08:29could be a great combination.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34OK. Ten minutes left, guys.
0:08:34 > 0:08:35Ten minutes.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39With time running out, Helen's decided to add
0:08:39 > 0:08:44a salted caramel sauce to go with her tiramisu cheesecake.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46But Beyron has thrown out his sauce
0:08:46 > 0:08:47and he's going back to basics.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51Erm, just ditched everything.
0:08:51 > 0:08:52You've ditched everything?!
0:08:52 > 0:08:55Yeah, but beef, pasta,
0:08:55 > 0:08:58warm artichokey salad, spinach.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01A bit of basil? Could do a little pesto as well.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03- HE GROANS - Could've.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05What do you mean, you could've? You still could do it, you know.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08Little bit of basil...
0:09:08 > 0:09:09olive oil...
0:09:12 > 0:09:13He's not paying any attention.
0:09:17 > 0:09:18Look at that. Pesto!
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Five minutes to go and I'm concerned about Sam's beef.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30- Is this it? That's all you're cooking it?- Yep.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32It's too rare, isn't it?
0:09:32 > 0:09:33Ooh, gosh.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35Am I supposed to eat that?
0:09:35 > 0:09:38That's still got feelings, has that piece of beef.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41- I do like it particularly blue but I'm guessing...- Blue?!
0:09:41 > 0:09:43..as I'm cooking it for someone else...
0:09:43 > 0:09:45..you've just taken the hooves off.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50One minute left, guys. One minute.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56- Have you just put lemon in that? - And a pit.
0:10:03 > 0:10:04OK, that's it, stop cooking.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06Well done.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10OK, guys. Great effort.
0:10:10 > 0:10:1350 minutes, we've got three plates of food.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15But you're probably wondering who went shopping
0:10:15 > 0:10:16for that selection of ingredients.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18Now, there was influences throughout that box
0:10:18 > 0:10:21from all different corners of the globe.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23There was a bit of Argentinian beef
0:10:23 > 0:10:25but, more importantly,
0:10:25 > 0:10:26a little bit of Italian.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29This man is more known for his
0:10:29 > 0:10:31prowess on the dance floor
0:10:31 > 0:10:33than he is in the kitchen.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35If you watch Strictly,
0:10:35 > 0:10:37this is one of the best Latin dancers in the business.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40It's Vincent Simone.
0:10:40 > 0:10:41Hello.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47- Vincent, welcome back.- Hello.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49- Hello, bella. How are you doing?- Hi.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51So, how was that for you - watching it all...?
0:10:51 > 0:10:54Oh, fascinating, just to see what
0:10:54 > 0:10:56- you would come up with, and... - Helen, what did you come up with?
0:10:56 > 0:10:58You decided to go down the dessert route.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01Yeah, so it's, kind of, a tiramisu
0:11:01 > 0:11:02with a salt caramel sauce.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05This is exciting.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07It's nerve-racking.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10Mmm, bella.
0:11:10 > 0:11:11It's lovely!
0:11:13 > 0:11:14I love the cream.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18- I can't actually taste the coffee. - OK, maybe more coffee.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20Bit more coffee next time.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22I love the biscuits, obviously.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24They're my favourite.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27And the caramel sauce - it's amazing.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29- Well done.- Thank you. - Congratulazioni.- Thanks.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33My turn.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35The cream, it's basically just whipped cream -
0:11:35 > 0:11:37that's all I can taste.
0:11:37 > 0:11:38I can't really taste coffee.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41It does need plenty, plenty more.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44The salted caramel, though, is really nice.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46It goes brilliantly with the biscuits.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49- Good effort, well done.- Thank you. - Thank you, bella. Thank you for that.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56- Sam, meet Vincent.- Hello, Sam. - Lovely to meet you.
0:11:56 > 0:11:57Right, what did you make?
0:11:57 > 0:11:59So, we've got a fillet of beef
0:11:59 > 0:12:01with spicy chorizo sauce,
0:12:01 > 0:12:04served with some artichokes and spinach.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06I love beef.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14JAMES EXHALES
0:12:14 > 0:12:16Spicy.
0:12:16 > 0:12:17Whoa.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21We need some water.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23I think milk might help.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27The steak looks a bit undone,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30but I don't mind it.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32- It's actually quite nice, quite soft.- Yep.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36- The sauce is very spicy.- Yep.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38I don't mind a bit of spice every now and then but...
0:12:38 > 0:12:40But, goodness, that's...
0:12:40 > 0:12:43- That kills everything in you.- Yep.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47I mean, there are good points and bad points, I'll be honest with you.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49The artichokes needed about another couple more minutes -
0:12:49 > 0:12:51they're not quite cooked.
0:12:52 > 0:12:53The beef is perfect.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56When it wandered back into that pan the second time...
0:12:56 > 0:12:58- It's absolutely perfect.- Yep.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02The thing that just overpowers EVERYTHING is that sauce.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05I mean, that is like rocket fuel -
0:13:05 > 0:13:08- but good effort, well done.- Cheers.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17- OK, Beyron, meet Vincent. - Hello, Beyron, nice to meet you.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Now, you were originally going to throw everything all in together?
0:13:20 > 0:13:22- Yes.- I don't see coffee in there.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25- No.- OK. Do I see amaretti biscuits? - No.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27Good. Right, what do we see, then?
0:13:27 > 0:13:29So, it's a cumin, pan-seared fillet of beef
0:13:29 > 0:13:32with a warm artichoke pasta spinach salad
0:13:32 > 0:13:35and a pesto dressing.
0:13:35 > 0:13:36I'll try the artichoke.
0:13:38 > 0:13:39Mmm, nice.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49Did you have any salt when you cooked?
0:13:49 > 0:13:50I did.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52- I didn't find the salt.- No.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54The steak is lovely.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59- The pasta is a bit too hard for me. - Yeah.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03They're called orecchiette, little ears - very hard.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05Little ears, a bit like mine.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09Overall, I'd just like a bit more seasoning.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14Well, I for one think the artichokes are nicely cooked.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16The beef is nicely cooked - nicely charred on the top.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19It's when you get underneath it that problems lie -
0:14:19 > 0:14:23and that's the pasta. It's still quite raw when you chew it.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26That said, the spinach is cooked and the pesto was really nice
0:14:26 > 0:14:28until you put lemon in it.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30But, on the whole, really good effort.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40So, what did you think about the standard overall?
0:14:40 > 0:14:43- Very good, actually. - Now, you've got to pick a dish.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45Which dish do you like the most?
0:14:51 > 0:14:53It's kind of hard for me. I love you all.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59But I think I'm going to go with Sam's dish.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01Sam, well done.
0:15:01 > 0:15:02APPLAUSE
0:15:02 > 0:15:06That was a lovely round of applause from your fellow contestants there.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09I loved the steak, I loved the spinach,
0:15:09 > 0:15:13and it was too much but I loved that spicy sauce.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19OK. Second round.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22This is quite simple, you've got to impress me this time
0:15:22 > 0:15:24cos I've gone out shopping and
0:15:24 > 0:15:26I've bought the ingredients for three boxes.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29We've got a basic box...
0:15:29 > 0:15:32a shellfish box...
0:15:32 > 0:15:34and a bird box.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Now, Sam, because you cooked Vincent's favourite dish,
0:15:37 > 0:15:41you get to choose not only which box you would like to cook with,
0:15:41 > 0:15:42but most importantly,
0:15:42 > 0:15:45which box you would like your fellow contestants to cook with.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51Which box would you like Helen to cook with?
0:16:01 > 0:16:03The basic box.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09I don't know. Maybe would have preferred the bird, but basic's OK.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11Which leaves two boxes left,
0:16:11 > 0:16:13shellfish and a bird box -
0:16:13 > 0:16:15and Beyron there.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24He can have shellfish.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26Thank you.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28- You happy with that?- Yep.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30That leaves you the bird box.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33All three of you, 50 minutes to create a dish
0:16:33 > 0:16:36to impress me this time.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38Collect your boxes and let's get cooking.
0:16:45 > 0:16:46Sam gave Beyron my shellfish box,
0:16:46 > 0:16:50which contains razor clams,
0:16:50 > 0:16:51mussels,
0:16:51 > 0:16:53fennel,
0:16:53 > 0:16:54pasta flour,
0:16:54 > 0:16:55vermouth,
0:16:55 > 0:16:57chilli,
0:16:57 > 0:16:58dill
0:16:58 > 0:16:59and fresh chervil.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05- I love mussels.- Right.- Shellfish is one of my favourites.- OK.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07The one thing you don't want to be doing, though,
0:17:07 > 0:17:11with razor clams is overcook them because they're very, very tough.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17- Hello, sir.- How's it going? - So, what are you doing?
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Having never cooked razor clams before,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22I might do a little mussel broth -
0:17:22 > 0:17:27and then I'm going to make some flatbreads, cos I can't make pasta.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29So, a flatbread with a soup - is that what we're after?
0:17:29 > 0:17:31A broth. A hot broth.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34These razor clams, are you going to use these?
0:17:34 > 0:17:35I would like to.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38- Do you want me to show you how to cook them?- If you're willing.
0:17:38 > 0:17:39Right, I'll just step over there.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41They're actually really simple, OK?
0:17:41 > 0:17:43So, frying pan...
0:17:43 > 0:17:45You want a little bit of white wine.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48Now, if you take your razor clams...
0:17:48 > 0:17:49Cos they've already been washed.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51..throw those in the pan.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Together with the mussels.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55Straight in.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57Take some tinfoil,
0:17:57 > 0:17:59place that over the top,
0:17:59 > 0:18:02and what you're going to do is cook these for about...
0:18:02 > 0:18:04three to four minutes.
0:18:05 > 0:18:06So, what's in our pot, here?
0:18:06 > 0:18:07Fish stock, fennel,
0:18:07 > 0:18:10some cardamom, some garlic, some black peppercorns,
0:18:10 > 0:18:12some caraway seeds.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15- So, that's going to be the base of the broth...- OK.
0:18:15 > 0:18:16..hopefully.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21Now, Beyron got the shellfish box.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23Now, what he's planning to do is an alternative...
0:18:23 > 0:18:26I call it a soup, he calls it a broth -
0:18:26 > 0:18:27that's the North/South divide.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30But in the pressure cooker went some fennel, cardamom -
0:18:30 > 0:18:33lots and lots of flavour in there to get a nice bit of stock going,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36and, hopefully, he's going to use some of that wonderful juice
0:18:36 > 0:18:38from the clams and the mussels
0:18:38 > 0:18:39to add back into the mixture,
0:18:39 > 0:18:42and then maybe, hopefully, put a little bit of cream in there
0:18:42 > 0:18:44to stabilise everything.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46I don't know about making flatbread with pasta flour
0:18:46 > 0:18:49but he's pushing the boat out with this. He's under pressure.
0:18:54 > 0:18:55Helen got my basic box.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59In it, I've put some lamb neck,
0:18:59 > 0:19:00red lentils,
0:19:00 > 0:19:02a potato
0:19:02 > 0:19:03and green cabbage.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05These are great ingredients
0:19:05 > 0:19:07that should cost just over...
0:19:07 > 0:19:08£8.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10Particularly when lamb's in season,
0:19:10 > 0:19:13this is probably one of the cheapest cuts you'll get from it, really.
0:19:13 > 0:19:14But it's knowing what to do with it
0:19:14 > 0:19:17because it does require long, slow cooking.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19Then the lentils - cumin and lentils
0:19:19 > 0:19:22go brilliantly well together, and particularly with the lamb.
0:19:26 > 0:19:27Right, Helen.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29How's things going?
0:19:29 > 0:19:32- I think I've got a vague idea of what I'm doing.- A vague idea?
0:19:32 > 0:19:35I'm thinking about doing a, kind of, stew - flavoured with
0:19:35 > 0:19:38a, kind of, vague Indian twist thing. I'm making it up.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40I've got an idea in my head, we'll see what comes out at the end.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44Now, are you used to making things up on the hoof like this?
0:19:44 > 0:19:46Yeah, and they're normally weird and wonderful -
0:19:46 > 0:19:47maybe not certainly looking great,
0:19:47 > 0:19:49but I think they're normally quite tasty.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53If you want spice into this, if you keep the skin on the ginger,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56- you get the heat, but without the chilli.- All right, OK.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58- It's fantastic.- That's a good tip.
0:20:01 > 0:20:02Well, Helen got the basic box.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04What she's doing is, sort of, a stew, really,
0:20:04 > 0:20:06but everything's put in one pot.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10Now, I'm a bit sceptical of putting the cabbage in there, all in one go,
0:20:10 > 0:20:12cos I'm not a great lover of overcooked cabbage -
0:20:12 > 0:20:14but if everything's cooked in the right order,
0:20:14 > 0:20:16it could taste really nice, this dish.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25Sam chose the bird box for himself,
0:20:25 > 0:20:27which contains chicken livers,
0:20:27 > 0:20:28bacon,
0:20:28 > 0:20:30mushrooms,
0:20:30 > 0:20:31a red onion,
0:20:31 > 0:20:32red cabbage,
0:20:32 > 0:20:34sourdough,
0:20:34 > 0:20:35pistachio nuts,
0:20:35 > 0:20:37some port
0:20:37 > 0:20:38and fresh sage.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41The dish that I was thinking about
0:20:41 > 0:20:43when I put all these ingredients together,
0:20:43 > 0:20:44was simply just toasted sourdough
0:20:44 > 0:20:48with a lovely sauce made out of that port, the wild mushrooms,
0:20:48 > 0:20:49a little bit of herbs,
0:20:49 > 0:20:51maybe a touch of cream in there, just over the top,
0:20:51 > 0:20:53with some sauteed livers.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55That, and something like the crispy bacon to go on top,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58but it's a fantastic box of ingredients, this.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07- So, Sam, you got the bird box.- Yep.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Are you quite pleased with what's in there, given what everyone else got?
0:21:10 > 0:21:12First impressions, I was like, "What have I done?"
0:21:12 > 0:21:14But now I can kind of see
0:21:14 > 0:21:16the different parts of the dish coming together.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18We've got the pasta machine out and,
0:21:18 > 0:21:20unfortunately, I haven't got his flour,
0:21:20 > 0:21:22- but plain flour will have to do.- OK.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24I've done it before and it's not that bad.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27- So, you're making your own pasta? - Yep.- Oh, hello.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29So, we'll stuff that with...
0:21:29 > 0:21:32almost like a chicken liver pate.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35And then serve it with a, kind of, bacon and mushroom sauce -
0:21:35 > 0:21:37so a bit of a twist on livers and bacon.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39I presume this is the kind of stuff
0:21:39 > 0:21:40that you do for these dinner parties, is it?
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Yeah, we do pasta a lot,
0:21:42 > 0:21:44just cos it's one to show off with -
0:21:44 > 0:21:46and that normally goes down pretty well,
0:21:46 > 0:21:48so hopefully it'll do the same again today.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53Well, Sam's obviously practised making pasta before, because
0:21:53 > 0:21:56it's quite a tall order to make your own pasta in here.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59And then he's planning to make a sauce out of those wild mushrooms.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02Now, I'm hoping that he does more of a cream sauce
0:22:02 > 0:22:04rather than red wine sauce,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07because cream and mushrooms work brilliantly together.
0:22:11 > 0:22:12With 15 minutes to go,
0:22:12 > 0:22:15Helen has decided to make a ginger and garlic toast
0:22:15 > 0:22:17to accompany her stew.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22And I'm going to see how Beyrom is progressing with his shellfish.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25Really, with your razor clams, they're so easy to prepare.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27You've got the centre part here,
0:22:27 > 0:22:29which you can basically just trim off,
0:22:29 > 0:22:31throw that back into the pot
0:22:31 > 0:22:34and then you've got this piece.
0:22:34 > 0:22:35Try that.
0:22:37 > 0:22:38Mm.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41- Like them?- Really good.- Taste like scallops, don't they?- Yeah.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45Now, the whole point about this meat is you don't overcook it,
0:22:45 > 0:22:47so you put this in right at the last minute,
0:22:47 > 0:22:49together with the mussel meat.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54- Smelling good?- Mmm, amazing.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56It almost smells as I do.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59Amazing. JAMES LAUGHS
0:23:03 > 0:23:05Just minutes to go and Sam's sauce has split.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11- Didn't realise that hob was still on.- What have you put in it?
0:23:11 > 0:23:13Just cream, butter, bacon.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15Back on the stove.
0:23:17 > 0:23:18If you want to bring a sauce back,
0:23:18 > 0:23:20bring it to the boil and that'll be ready.
0:23:22 > 0:23:23Ten seconds.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39That's it, stop cooking.
0:23:39 > 0:23:40Well done.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47First up, it's Helen - who was given my basic box to cook from.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52It's kind of a lentil Irish stew,
0:23:52 > 0:23:55so a little bit of an Indian-Irish fusion.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57With a ginger and garlic toast on the side.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11I love everything about you, but this - I like it very much.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16First of all with the lamb,
0:24:16 > 0:24:20it's kind of halfway there.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22- Needs a little bit more cooking. - Yep.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25Having said that, it tastes really good.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27- The bread is a bit weird.- OK.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30Ginger and garlic bread? I'm not quite sure.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32The lentils, for me, are the best part of it.
0:24:32 > 0:24:33You've cooked them nicely.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36There's lots of flavour in there and it's well seasoned,
0:24:36 > 0:24:39so you should be very happy with that.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46Sam chose my bird box.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50The idea was to, kind of, try and make a chicken and liver parfait
0:24:50 > 0:24:52to go as the ravioli filling -
0:24:52 > 0:24:54and then with a bacon and mushroom cream sauce
0:24:54 > 0:24:56served with garlic bread.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59Is there mushrooms in it, or...?
0:24:59 > 0:25:01They were definitely in the pan,
0:25:01 > 0:25:03- they've not quite transferred to the plate as I'd hoped.- Right.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14The pasta seems nice and soft.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18- If I was in a restaurant, I would buy it.- Thank you.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20Well, what you have done, really,
0:25:20 > 0:25:22and what you have done really well is make pasta.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24You've done that really nicely with the ravioli.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26And I actually quite like the sauce.
0:25:26 > 0:25:27I like the crispy bacon in it -
0:25:27 > 0:25:31shame about my mushrooms that have disappeared.
0:25:31 > 0:25:32It's just a shame about the liver,
0:25:32 > 0:25:34it's slightly overcooked.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37But on the whole, a pretty good effort, so well done.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44And lastly, Beyrom got my shellfish box.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49So, it's a mussel and razor clam
0:25:49 > 0:25:51broth with chilli tomato,
0:25:51 > 0:25:52some aromatic spices
0:25:52 > 0:25:54and some bread thrown in as well.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59I'm looking for my razor clams, where are they?
0:26:09 > 0:26:12I think, overall, it's nice.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14I would prefer it to have more fish in it.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20- It's quite close to being actually quite nice...- OK.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22..because you've got the right amount of spice in there.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24I like the caraway, I like the cardamom,
0:26:24 > 0:26:27I like the way you used the pressure cooker to cook the fennel in there.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29The actual base ingredients are really nice.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31Now, to make that even better
0:26:31 > 0:26:35would be to reduce that flavour down a little bit more.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37- Having said that, it's a great effort...- Thank you.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39..cos you had a lot of things to do in there,
0:26:39 > 0:26:41you had a lot of things to prep.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48- Did you enjoy that?- Loved it.
0:26:48 > 0:26:49Yeah? Do you fancy having a go?
0:26:49 > 0:26:54I would love to do what these guys have done today.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56But it's up to me to decide who is today's cook of the day,
0:26:56 > 0:26:58based on those three dishes.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01You've all upped your game, I have to say.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04- Don't you think?- Yes, definitely.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07But the cook of the day today, and well deserved...
0:27:15 > 0:27:17..is you, Sam.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20- Thank you very much.- Well done.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22How do you feel after that?
0:27:22 > 0:27:24Yeah, it feels like it was all worth it.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26Getting there and getting something
0:27:26 > 0:27:29on the plate that you enjoyed to eat is an amazing feeling.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32I mean, a great-tasting plate of food, I have to say,
0:27:32 > 0:27:34but the reason why I've got to give it to you,
0:27:34 > 0:27:35the credit for making that pasta -
0:27:35 > 0:27:38it's lovely and cooked and the sauce is fantastic to go with it,
0:27:38 > 0:27:40- so congratulations. - Thank you very much.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43This can sit pride of place for your next dinner party, you see.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46- Have you enjoyed the experience? - Yeah, it's been a fantastic day.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49- Well done. Thank you for joining us, Vincent, as well.- My pleasure.
0:27:49 > 0:27:50Come on over, guys.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53Commiserations, you were so close.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55Well done. All right, dancing straight away.
0:27:55 > 0:27:56That's the end of the series.
0:27:56 > 0:27:57That's all we've got time for.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59Thank you so much for watching.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01Hopefully see you again soon.
0:28:01 > 0:28:02Bye for now.