0:00:02 > 0:00:04Love food?
0:00:04 > 0:00:05Love cooking?
0:00:05 > 0:00:10This series will show you how anyone can make fantastic food,
0:00:10 > 0:00:14and introduce to you some new and exciting ingredients.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17I'm Simon Hopkinson and cooking means the world to me.
0:00:17 > 0:00:18I love cooking.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21It's my life, it's my passion.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27As a child and teenager, eating was always an adventure.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29I opened my first restaurant
0:00:29 > 0:00:32aged 20 and have been in a kitchen ever since.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36But now I'm better known for writing cookery books.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38For me, nothing beats cooking at home.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42It's my real inspiration and I want to share my love of it with you.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45That is just how it should be.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51Tonight, I'm going to show you five dishes any chef would be proud of,
0:00:51 > 0:00:54and that you can cook in your own kitchen.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58Great home-made food that will impress your friends.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02Follow my lead and you'll be able to cook some exceptionally good food.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04I just love it.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23Peppers. This dish has been with me for a very long time.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27It is very simple. It relies on very good olive oil.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30Everybody loves it. It is fantastically tasty.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33This recipe just oozes sunshine.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37All the ingredients, bathed in luscious olive oil, just sing out hot summer days.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45Now, I'll leave the stalks on for this.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47It's a decorative thing.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51You don't have to, but it sort of holds the pepper together while it's roasting.
0:01:51 > 0:01:57So I'm going to cut right through the stalk so it comes into two halves.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00Once you've done that, just go right through the pepper.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04There we are.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07Cut through the, um, just under the stalk,
0:02:07 > 0:02:12through the tough bit and remove the membranes and seeds.
0:02:12 > 0:02:13Just tap them out.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20It's worth making the effort to peel the tomatoes,
0:02:20 > 0:02:22getting rid of that irritating skin,
0:02:22 > 0:02:26helping to create some of the best roasted peppers you will ever eat.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30This is the way I always cook them and have done forever.
0:02:31 > 0:02:36Cover in boiling water and the skins will crack, making them easier to peel.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41Just move these around a bit until you see the skins splitting.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45And slide them off. Dead easy.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51I've never made them with tomatoes left with skin on because...
0:02:51 > 0:02:56it just wrinkles up to a crisp and, er, it is worth doing for this.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01That's done, and now to some garlic.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07Pop them in, willy-nilly.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09I like it quite garlicky, I must say.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11So, a little salt, not too much.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15Black pepper. Quite like peppery peppers. Let's put the tomatoes in.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Squash them right into the bottom.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22They're going to end up pretty squashed when they're cooked anyway. More pepper.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28And just the weensiest...
0:03:28 > 0:03:30bit of crunchy salt on top.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35The lovely olive oil.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38Let it go right inside.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40Gorgeous oil.
0:03:40 > 0:03:41Be generous.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48Looks pretty good uncooked, in fact.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52Everything in this recipe is affordable,
0:03:52 > 0:03:56but it is worth spending a little more on good-quality olive oil
0:03:56 > 0:03:58to achieve rich and rewarding juices.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00It really makes a difference.
0:04:01 > 0:04:07Provence in southern France produces one of my favourite of all olive oils.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11There are good olive oils and there are fantastic olive oils.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14It's a combination of nature and know-how
0:04:14 > 0:04:17that makes all the difference.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21All olives are green to begin with and have a fresh, sharp taste.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25As they ripen, they turned black and develop a rounder flavour,
0:04:25 > 0:04:27producing deeply fragrant oil.
0:04:27 > 0:04:32It's this combination of ripe and unripe that gives the perfect balance.
0:04:34 > 0:04:39They are harvested between October and December.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43It seems almost everyone in this region has an olive tree to offload.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Local mills are happy to accept them from anyone.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53The best-quality oil is produced by crushing the olives as soon as they arrive.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57This is the traditional cold pressing technique,
0:04:57 > 0:05:00used to create all grades of olive oil,
0:05:00 > 0:05:02from the everyday to the very special.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09Extra virgin oil, made from the first pressing of the olives, is the finest.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12I love it so much that I'll fried with it,
0:05:12 > 0:05:16use it instead of butter in mashed potatoes
0:05:16 > 0:05:20and, of course, it's perfect on salads and beautiful bread.
0:05:20 > 0:05:25My peppers have always loved their extra virgin lotion.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29And don't they look just fabulous?
0:05:29 > 0:05:32I can get quite rapturous about this dish.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36To make this dish really stand out, add a criss-cross of anchovies.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40Their saltiness marries perfectly with sweet tomatoes and red peppers.
0:05:42 > 0:05:47The warmth of the peppers whilst they're still hot from the oven
0:05:47 > 0:05:51will just let them melt and give their flavour to the pepper.
0:05:52 > 0:05:57If you like, finish off with some aromatic basil leaves.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00Just feeling a bit decorative.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05Which one?
0:06:10 > 0:06:13I often mess a shirt eating these, I tell you.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22Great taste. Sweet, salty, oily.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28One of the truly great vegetable dishes.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32These peppers make a lovely light lunch.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36Serve with some crusty bread to soak up those gorgeous oily juices.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50Hi. Some steak, please. A nice bit of marbled sirloin.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52Nice bit of sirloin? Beautiful.
0:06:52 > 0:06:53Something like so? Lovely.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55Super. Thanks very much. No problem.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Great steak like that.
0:06:57 > 0:07:03Really thick, pale fat on the outside and marbling through it.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07A little marbling of fat makes it tender, makes it juicy, makes it a great steak.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11Thanks very much. Thank you, Simon. Have a good day. Take care. You too.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14So many of us order steak in a restaurant.
0:07:14 > 0:07:20Maybe because we are too scared to cook it at home, and if we do, is it ever as good?
0:07:20 > 0:07:22But if you follow my simple rules,
0:07:22 > 0:07:26then you, too, can master the art of the perfectly-cooked steak.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28For me, it has to be with chips.
0:07:28 > 0:07:33I like mine not to chunky, not too thin.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37My old dad had a fantastic little, erm...
0:07:37 > 0:07:42It was like a... It had a handle and a mesh at the end and you put a potato in there.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45You lifted up this handle, put the potato in then pulled it back
0:07:45 > 0:07:49and out shot the chips and that was terrific. We loved playing with that.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53For perfectly crisp chips, wash out all the starch
0:07:53 > 0:07:55and do this until the water runs clear.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58These are ready to drain.
0:08:01 > 0:08:06So just get a tea towel out, spread them out and then just give them a pat.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13The best chips need to be fried twice.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19The most important point is they don't colour at all.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22They do fry, but they also cook right through.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25So the ideal chip is one that is really soft and fluffy on the inside,
0:08:25 > 0:08:29and then really crisp and golden on the outside.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32I mean, we all know that, but this way gets them really good.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38I made my first chip with my brother when I was very small
0:08:38 > 0:08:41and we had a chip pan. I could never understand why these chips wouldn't work.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45I didn't know anything about doing this twice-cooked thing
0:08:45 > 0:08:48until I went to work in my first restaurant.
0:08:48 > 0:08:53They were always hard in the middle, and even then I thought, "These aren't like chips from the chip shop.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56"I want mine to be like those.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58"These aren't good enough for me.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01"I want to learn how to make these better."
0:09:01 > 0:09:06The initial fry cooks the chip right through, and this has to be done at a gentle temperature.
0:09:06 > 0:09:11So, to the steak. I'm going to trim it up a little bit. Just the corner there.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13I like making it look neat.
0:09:13 > 0:09:14It's just my way.
0:09:14 > 0:09:19And you need to just cut through the sinew underneath,
0:09:19 > 0:09:21cos it can buckle the steak, if you like.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24It'll do that while it's on the grill,
0:09:24 > 0:09:28and we want it to stay as flat as possible. A little oil. Pepper.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34Add fine salt here, as it sticks to the meat better than coarse salt.
0:09:34 > 0:09:39Pay attention, as these are the secrets to cooking a perfect steak.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43You need a really hot griddle, or hot heavy pan,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46and always start the steak fat side down.
0:09:46 > 0:09:51We want the molten fat to run out of the side of the steak.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54It'll run down these grooves and lubricate the grill
0:09:54 > 0:09:57with its own fat, which is... Can only be a good thing.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06Once the fat is seeping out, then lay the steak flat.
0:10:08 > 0:10:13Give it a little turn there, so you get the nice, classic diamond-shaped criss-crosses on the meat.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22Everyone likes their steak cooked differently and every steak can be different.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25I happen to like mine rare.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29A thick steak like this needs a couple of minutes on each side.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31For medium cooked, say three minutes.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35For well done, about four.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39But remember, the thinner the steak, the less the cooking time.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41Now, that, to me, is just about perfect.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44The final - and essential - thing for me
0:10:44 > 0:10:48is to rest the steak for a few minutes before eating,
0:10:48 > 0:10:51giving the meat a chance to relax and become even more tender.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56Now, fry the chips for the second time.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59Turn the fryer to its highest temperature.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02They'll need no more than a couple of minutes and you want them really golden.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07We get a much more instant frazzling this time round.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10This is what gives you that fantastic crunchy chip.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16Good old shake. Chips aren't chips without a sprinkle of salt.
0:11:18 > 0:11:24We all have our favourite bit on the side with our steak, and mine is Dijon mustard.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Nice and rare.
0:11:27 > 0:11:28Nice and tender.
0:11:31 > 0:11:32That, for me, is perfect.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35It's rare but it's not medium rare and, actually,
0:11:35 > 0:11:38that's how I like it. It's just spot on.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40Golden.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43Soft in the middle.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45A good chip.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48So, you can now enjoy a really fantastic steak,
0:11:48 > 0:11:50cooked by you at home.
0:11:50 > 0:11:56Let's face it - the more you practise cooking steak and chips, the easier it will become.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03Some people say that buying the finest ingredients means you can't go wrong.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Not necessarily.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09I will shop anywhere, from my local supermarket to my local farmers' market.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13If what I need looks good, I'll buy it.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16You know, these days, supermarkets offer really good ingredients.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20But good ingredients don't always necessarily mean you'll get a good dish.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23More often than not, it's the cooking that counts.
0:12:23 > 0:12:28It's what you do to your ingredients in the kitchen that can make them taste amazing.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32A simple aubergine, for example, can become a star.
0:12:32 > 0:12:37Sometimes you're given a recipe which you wish you'd known about for years.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41This one was given to me by my friend Lyndsey, coming back from a sunny Greek holiday,
0:12:41 > 0:12:44and it's now become one of my most favourite things to make.
0:12:44 > 0:12:50This really special dish is pretty straightforward and yet so tasty.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53Perfect for a nice little lunch or supper.
0:12:53 > 0:12:58This Greek way with aubergines is astonishingly good.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00I've only known about it for just under a year
0:13:00 > 0:13:03and it makes me sad that I haven't been able to eat it for longer.
0:13:03 > 0:13:08The first thing I'll do, which is very important for when you peel the aubergine,
0:13:08 > 0:13:11is to give it a little cut around the top.
0:13:11 > 0:13:16Just under the stalk, which is going to stay on, and then straight down four times.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20This simply facilitates the peeling.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22And just a trickle of olive oil.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26I believe that this helps it to blister under the grill a little.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31Grill them for 20 minutes or so under a high heat.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35You need to turn them every five minutes so that they cook evenly,
0:13:35 > 0:13:38but also to char the skin, ready for peeling.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Now, make a simple dressing of chopped garlic and parsley.
0:13:46 > 0:13:51There is something magical that happens when you chop these two together and it's intoxicating.
0:13:51 > 0:13:56The juices from both mingle and just produce this extraordinary odour.
0:13:56 > 0:14:01And it's good. You can, if you wanted to, use a little mini food processor
0:14:01 > 0:14:07and put the garlic and parsley in there and whizz them a bit together, but I like chopping.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Olive oil. It needs to be an oily dish
0:14:17 > 0:14:22and you need to use good oil. If you like Greek olive oil, obviously that would be the one.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25Ooh, yes!
0:14:29 > 0:14:34I love doing this. It's a very pleasant occupation.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37Although I cook aubergines in many ways,
0:14:37 > 0:14:39I don't want the skin in this recipe.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41If you look at that and look at what we'll eat,
0:14:41 > 0:14:44would you want to put that in your mouth? You wouldn't.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51It's beautiful.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55Sort of heart-shaped, almost.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57It's soft, yielding.
0:14:57 > 0:15:02A tiny bit of salt now, and pepper.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04I'm using black on this one.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09I like this dish to be quite oily, as you can see.
0:15:09 > 0:15:15Oily, parsley, garlic - yum-yum.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18It just brings out the best in me, this sort of cooking.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22The wonderfully cool and salty feta cheese
0:15:22 > 0:15:25marries so well with the warm flesh of the aubergine.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28I'd love a glass of ouzo with this.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30And a bit of sunshine and a bit of sand around my feet.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32That would be very nice.
0:15:36 > 0:15:37Squeeze it over.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46It's a great joy to eat. Fantastically creamy and juicy.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50I love the hot and cold contrast of the feta and the aubergine.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52It's exciting to discover something new,
0:15:52 > 0:15:55but something that gives such pleasure at the same time.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59It's like a big birthday present.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02Cook this once and you'll cook it again and again.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04Just fabulous.
0:16:17 > 0:16:22I love stalls like this - really proper fishmonger stalls.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27What you're looking for in fresh fish is dark gills just behind the eye.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30That's a very good sign of fresh fish.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Also, a sweet smell.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36Fresh fish should smell of the sea, not of fish.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40It's a weird thing, but that's a good key.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43Morning. Good morning, sir. How are you? Very well, sir.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46Good. Coming for some smoked haddock.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49Undyed. Natural smoked? Yeah, natural smoked.
0:16:49 > 0:16:54I think that's a little bit big. That's a beauty.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58Natural-smoked haddock, which I'm going to make a delicious pilaf with.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02I'm going to put the pieces in the rice, cook them gently.
0:17:02 > 0:17:07They'll flake, then mix it all up. And that's the perfect fish for it.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09Lovely. Thanks ever so much. Great.
0:17:09 > 0:17:14If you follow my tips in this recipe, a simple plate of rice and fish
0:17:14 > 0:17:18can become an absolute revelation.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24To begin, preheat the oven to 180 degrees
0:17:24 > 0:17:27and melt about 40 grams of butter in a lidded pan.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33This is not a curry powder, but it is a spice mix.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37The heat is going to come from some green chillies.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41Garam masala is a different mix of spices, but very fragrant. Garam masala.
0:17:46 > 0:17:51Always try and find the best-quality basmati rice.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56It is quite an exact science, making a perfect pilaf.
0:17:56 > 0:18:02It's one-and-a-half times the weight of liquid to the amount of rice.
0:18:02 > 0:18:07I've come across recipes where it will say double the amount of water,
0:18:07 > 0:18:11and I really do think that's far too much. Straight in.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15And we need the butter to coat the rice.
0:18:15 > 0:18:20Eggs and smoked haddock have always been perfect partners.
0:18:20 > 0:18:25The eggs are going to be boiled for about eight minutes, then peeled.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28Fresh ginger gives aromatic warmth.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33The juicier, the better.
0:18:33 > 0:18:38Use a fine grater, so that it blends easily into the rice. Give it a tap.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42Now, I change my mind about chillies all the time,
0:18:42 > 0:18:45whether to make the dish quite hot
0:18:45 > 0:18:49or just the flavour of the chilli itself.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53You can always tell by just rubbing your finger along the chilli
0:18:53 > 0:18:56and testing it in your mouth.
0:18:56 > 0:19:01That's actually... Oh. No, it's a little bit hot.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03So, I'll tell you what I'm going to do.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07I'm going to take the seeds from one chilli
0:19:07 > 0:19:10and leave them in the other.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13I like a good chop - it's quite therapeutic.
0:19:16 > 0:19:21So, one of my lovely vicar's bay leaves, as usual.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25And the ginger and chillies. A little pinch of salt.
0:19:27 > 0:19:32Now the most important thing - a lovely piece of undyed, smoked haddock.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34Cut that in equal portions.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37Let's go about there.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40I'm going to leave the skin on because it's quite nice.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43It keeps the fish moist while it's cooking
0:19:43 > 0:19:45and it's just going to be steaming in the rice.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47So, in with the stock.
0:19:48 > 0:19:53Remember, use one-and-a-half times the liquid to the weight of rice.
0:19:53 > 0:19:58As you can see, it doesn't look... You say, "Oh, is there enough stock in there?" There is.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00So, just lay the fish on top.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Lid on.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08And into the oven - 15 to 20 minutes. Check it after 15.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13You need to grate the hard-boiled eggs
0:20:13 > 0:20:15so that they mix easily into the pilaf.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19And, anyway, grating eggs is so much easier than chopping them.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21Chopped spring onions and fragrant coriander
0:20:21 > 0:20:24add more flavour and more texture.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27OK, time's up.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31But, very importantly, do not take off the lid.
0:20:31 > 0:20:36Leave it there for five minutes and allow the rice to finish cooking.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38So...
0:20:38 > 0:20:42'And when the five minutes is up, carefully remove the skin.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45'It's done its job, and kept the fish moist.'
0:20:45 > 0:20:46I love this dish.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51A bit fiddly, but I think it's worth it.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53Lovely. That's it. Right.
0:20:53 > 0:20:58Now, my favourite, favourite part is doing the stirring.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04Lovely, fluffy rice,
0:21:04 > 0:21:06and once you've got the fish a little bit broken up,
0:21:06 > 0:21:08straight in with the egg.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13Now tumble in those spring onions and coriander.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15Whoosh! Lovely!
0:21:15 > 0:21:17Clean tea towel.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27And what this does, in effect, is remove the excess steam
0:21:27 > 0:21:31and makes it even fluffier and more delicious and fabulous.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35So, leave that for five minutes.
0:21:35 > 0:21:36I can't wait.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42Waiting for a dish to be perfect is always worthwhile.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46This is what makes something quite simple
0:21:46 > 0:21:47into something extra special.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51Right, that's had its five minutes.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01And we give it one more mix.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09Lovely, separate grains of rice.
0:22:14 > 0:22:20Lovely, flaky, fishy, spicy, ricey. Everything you want.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23And finally, a squeeze of lemon juice.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28Little forkful for the cook.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38The smoky taste of the haddock comes through.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40Blends so nicely with the spices.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43Yeah.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49And the second chilli, with the seeds in,
0:22:49 > 0:22:53coming through quite strong now. Lovely dish, really nice.
0:22:54 > 0:22:59Smoky fish, fluffy rice, a little herb, a little spice.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02Here is an unusually tasty supper for all the family.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05'Really very nice indeed.'
0:23:11 > 0:23:14On a lazy Sunday when I may have friends coming for lunch,
0:23:14 > 0:23:17I love making a pudding that I know will go down a treat,
0:23:17 > 0:23:19and is quick and easy to make.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23Thick Guernsey cream, wonderful pink rhubarb,
0:23:23 > 0:23:26combined to make a crumble to be proud of.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30Use a nice Pyrex dish - the sort of dish my mother used to use.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35And then, just slice the rhubarb into short lengths.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41It's such an easy thing to make, crumble. It really, really is.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48Because it is possible to make a crumble mixture in a food processor,
0:23:48 > 0:23:52but the texture, made by hand, is far superior, always.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55Start by cutting some butter into chunks.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59Plain flour, golden caster sugar.
0:24:06 > 0:24:13I have not much time for additions such as nuts, chopped up, or oats.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17My idea of a perfect crumble, which DOES crumble,
0:24:17 > 0:24:20which does get crunchy, is butter, flour, sugar.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23A pinch of salt. End of story.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28What happens here when you're making a crumble is that
0:24:28 > 0:24:33you can feel when it's right with your fingers. You don't want the mixture too fine.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37That's the death of a crumble, because it ends up like sweet breadcrumbs,
0:24:37 > 0:24:40and you want little lumps of butter remaining in the mixture.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42It's still a very nice feeling.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48For the lightest crumble mixture, you need to get some air into it.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55Before adding the topping, sprinkle some sugar over the rhubarb,
0:24:55 > 0:24:57otherwise it will be too sour.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00To make the ultimate crumble, a few tips...
0:25:00 > 0:25:03A squeeze of lemon juice intensifies the rhubarb.
0:25:03 > 0:25:08Also, a few extra lumps of butter to make it sumptuous and rich.
0:25:08 > 0:25:14This should be done in little... Shall we call them "heaplets"?
0:25:15 > 0:25:18The last thing you want to do is pat it down,
0:25:18 > 0:25:22because, as the rhubarb is cooking underneath and it bubbles up,
0:25:22 > 0:25:24the crumble topping sinks down a bit.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28It's when you get this lovely balance between the two.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32I know it's only a crumble, but this is going to be the best crumble.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35We're going to be very careful.
0:25:36 > 0:25:37Extra crunch.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42Bake for 35 to 40 minutes,
0:25:42 > 0:25:46until it's golden on top and bubbling underneath.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48So, to the lovely cream.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58Golden top. Gorgeous, golden Guernsey cream.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00I love opening these.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03We used to get cream, when I was a boy, from the farm up the road.
0:26:03 > 0:26:08In those days, it wasn't plastic - it was a nice little waxed cardboard carton.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12And it was so thick, you could do that with it.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15It's very clever, that cow from Guernsey,
0:26:15 > 0:26:18to produce something so utterly gorgeous.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30The Channel Islands' greatest ambassador has a big taste for grass.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35The Guernsey cow is very special.
0:26:35 > 0:26:41Its milk has more protein, vitamins and more calcium than any other dairy cow.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44All very healthy, but it's the cream that I'm after.
0:26:44 > 0:26:51And the reason why this cow makes the best is the high content of butterfat in its milk.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55This is what makes the cream so uniquely thick and luscious.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00At the dairy, the milk and cream are separated.'
0:27:00 > 0:27:05These thick, golden folds are, for me, so special.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08It really is the only cream for MY rhubarb crumble.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12For the beauty of the thing,
0:27:12 > 0:27:16I'm going to serve it in a beautiful little glass bowl.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19Am I going to do what I normally do? I think I am.
0:27:19 > 0:27:20Mmm!
0:27:22 > 0:27:26Ooh, gosh! That is very nice indeed.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31It smells wonderful, by the way.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35That's just perfect.
0:27:35 > 0:27:40It really is a very nice crumble - nice, pink juices.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44My little hillocks become soft sand dunes.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48I think that is a good crumble sound.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51That is just how it should be.
0:28:00 > 0:28:05Same cream spoon to eat with. Don't waste any of that.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11This is a very fine crumble.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15It's very British, and it's very delicious.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19Sometimes words fail me when it's just right. And this is just right.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21So, a classic pudding for a Sunday lunch.
0:28:21 > 0:28:26To taste it at its best, serve warm, and make plenty,
0:28:26 > 0:28:28so there is enough for seconds.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32Next time, I'll be showing you five more super recipes,
0:28:32 > 0:28:35all of them special, all of them easily made
0:28:35 > 0:28:37in the comfort of your own kitchen.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40Restaurant quality, but made by you.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:57 > 0:29:00E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk