0:00:02 > 0:00:05- We're the Hairy Bikers.- On the road to find recipes to rip up your appetite.
0:00:05 > 0:00:11We're riding coast to coast to discover, cook and enjoy the best of British. Come on!
0:00:24 > 0:00:28Today, we're in search of the real taste of Leicestershire.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41Here we are, dude, look at it. Leicestershire!
0:00:41 > 0:00:42Leicestershire.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46Slap bang in the middle of Britain's diverse manufacturing heartlands.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50And you know what, I bet they manufacture some good food here, too.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53You know, there's lots of famous people come from Leicestershire.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55- King Richard III.- He got the hump.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57- Lady Jane Grey.- She lost her head.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01I tell you, there's one man who definitely did eat all the pies and that's Daniel Lambert.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03He's Britain's fattest man.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07He was born in 1770 and he weighed in excess of 52 stone.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11He had a nine foot four inch waist!
0:01:11 > 0:01:14Daniel Lambert's long gone but I bet his dinners are still around.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16Dude, do you know what, we're off to a flyer.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18- Yes.- Come on!
0:01:28 > 0:01:31On our quest to define the true flavours of Leicestershire,
0:01:31 > 0:01:32we cook up a local favourite
0:01:32 > 0:01:36that's become one of the county's best-loved exports.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40We meet the supermodels of the cow world and taste some cracking beef.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44- You are going to leave some for lunch, aren't you? - I wouldn't bank on it!
0:01:44 > 0:01:49We learn the secret of how blue veins get into the king of cheeses - Stilton.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52And representing Leicestershire in the cook-off later is Sean Hope.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56Will we be able to beat him in a blind tasting judged by local diners?
0:01:58 > 0:02:02First stop in our food trip around Leicestershire is Melton Mowbray.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06Around these parts, Melton is hailed as the rural capital of food.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11Melton has been a market town for over a thousand years.
0:02:11 > 0:02:12With that sort of heritage,
0:02:12 > 0:02:16it's a great place to discover the county's favourite dishes.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18Si, look, it's the farmers market.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20There's going to be good food here.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29- There's a lot going on here. - It's a proper market.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32What, to you, is Leicestershire on a plate?
0:02:32 > 0:02:34I'd say Stilton cheese, first of all.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37- Right.- And of course, pork pies.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40Red Leicester cheese.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42- Yes.- When I think of Melton, I think pork pie.- Yeah.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44- Absolutely.- Stilton cheese.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47What would be the iconic product of the county?
0:02:47 > 0:02:51- Goes well with me oatcakes, it's got to be Red Leicester cheese.- Yeah.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55Dude, bacon, they go great with bacon.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59Could you put a rasher of bacon in there? Go on. Go on.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01- Thank you. - Thank you very much. Look at that.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Oh, look.
0:03:04 > 0:03:09Mmmm! Cor, the pork's good. What's Leicestershire famous for in food?
0:03:09 > 0:03:12Pork pies. Stilton.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14- Right.- Red Leicester.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16That's the three national products, isn't it?
0:03:16 > 0:03:19- The Red Leicester. - The Red Leicester.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23- It's so versatile, but I love Stilton, as well, in cooking.- Yeah.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26Well, that's something that everybody's heard of,
0:03:26 > 0:03:28- Red Leicester cheese. - Would you like to try some?
0:03:28 > 0:03:32Traditionally oats cheese. Quite dry, hard texture to it.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34You get caramelly, toffee oats.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37Oh, that's gorgeous.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39- It's made just four miles up the road.- Wonderful. Spectacular.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45To you, what are the iconic products that Leicestershire produces?
0:03:45 > 0:03:51- What is it?- Well, I've lived in the Melton Mowbray for a long time so it would be pork pies.- OK.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53Pork pie.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Pork pie.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58- Pork pie.- Pickles. Stilton.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01That sounds lovely. Making me hungry.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04This town is full of foody gems and the cheese is great,
0:04:04 > 0:04:07but nothing gets a Hairy Biker's mouth watering like a good pork pie
0:04:07 > 0:04:11and it's so obviously Leicestershire's signature dish
0:04:11 > 0:04:15we need to get some advice from expert pie maker, Steven Hallam.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17- Steven.- Nice to see you. - Hiya.- Hello, mate.
0:04:17 > 0:04:22You've got a lovely uncured natural pork, a rich crunchy pastry.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25Lovely pepperiness will come through when you try it.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29- How long have people here been making pork pies?- About a couple of hundred years.- Right.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33It's a by-product of the Stilton cheese industry, to begin with.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37- Right.- The whey, the by-products are fed to pigs, lots of pork.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40the grocer and the baker got together, started using it in pies.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42Well, these pies are superb.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45- They are superb, mate. - Very more-ish, that pastry.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49It eats like it's a digestive biscuit, doesn't it?
0:04:49 > 0:04:51Rich, sort of melts in the mouth.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54- Any top tips? - Don't use too much flour.
0:04:54 > 0:04:59- If you get too much flour on the outside of the pastry, you'll get blisters.- Right.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03When you get a blister, it burns on the outside, it's raw on the inside.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05- It's like the cut of the pork, you know?- Yes.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07You can use any cut you wish.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10- We use shoulders and belly. - Shoulders and belly. Yeah.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12We've got that. That's what we pinch.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14Well, we've got that in abundance.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17- Thanks very much. Thanks, Steven. Thank you.- Cheers, Steve. Bye.
0:05:17 > 0:05:22Armed with the knowledge of how to make the best pie possible, it's time to get the all-important pork.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25What do we need to make a pork pie?
0:05:25 > 0:05:28He asked me if I was being sarcastic.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32We need belly pork, shoulder of pork and nice streaky bacon.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35- Will this shoulder do?- What a man.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38- A nice shoulder for you.- Put that in the bag for us. We're off.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40There we are. Thank you very much.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42There we go, the three ingredients.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46The deconstructed pork pie waiting for reconstruction.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48Ave Maria!
0:05:52 > 0:05:55We're off to the city of Leicester to get cooking.
0:05:55 > 0:06:00Leicester's a wonderfully kind of eclectic cosmopolitan city, isn't it?
0:06:00 > 0:06:03We're going to cook our pies in the city's market,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06the largest covered market anywhere in Europe.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10The Market Tavern, must be getting close.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13The market has been on the current site for over 700 years.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17There's a hungry crowd waiting and we'll be cooking a traditional
0:06:17 > 0:06:23Melton Mowbray-style raised pork pie, full of succulent pork with a crunchy pastry.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27- Welcome to Leicester Market.- Yes. It's rocking here, isn't it? Good.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30People have been coming here for 700 years to buy their pegs,
0:06:30 > 0:06:34plastic buckets and all sorts of vegetables, fruit and lovely things.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36We want to do a pork pie.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39- To start with a pie, you've got to make the pastry.- Oh, yeah.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42And this is a good old fashioned crust.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45Take hunks of lard.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47This pastry has quite a high fat content,
0:06:47 > 0:06:51being composed chiefly of lard.
0:06:51 > 0:06:52Are you ready?
0:06:52 > 0:06:56- What?- Go on! I don't want to wait for you. Ready?
0:06:56 > 0:06:59Come on. Ah-one, ah-two, ah-one-two-three. Lard!
0:06:59 > 0:07:03CHEERING
0:07:03 > 0:07:07Now, the lard has nearly melted and into this I've got to mix some water and some milk.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11Now, obviously, be careful at home.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14You are putting liquid into fat.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Now, it's not boiling fat but it may spit at the camera.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20Put the water in.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22Continue to heat.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24And the milk.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26Oh, that's a good idea.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28Whisk until it's emulsified.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30That means it's all combined.
0:07:30 > 0:07:35To this, I've got flour. So we mix that in with that to form a paste.
0:07:35 > 0:07:36This could be messy.
0:07:39 > 0:07:40- Oh, dude.- Kingy.- Watch that now.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44Could you do some salt and pepper in this, as well?
0:07:44 > 0:07:46Salt.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49Now, my main thought,
0:07:49 > 0:07:51cos it was like boiling lard,
0:07:51 > 0:07:54it's really hot to work with your hands.
0:07:54 > 0:07:59But look at that. That, ladies and gentlemen,
0:07:59 > 0:08:02is a traditional hot water pastry
0:08:02 > 0:08:05which is the right stuff for pork pies.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07So what you do is leave this to cool,
0:08:07 > 0:08:09then put it in your fridge overnight.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13A pork pie is near nothing without said filling.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17What we do is we put the belly pork in and this is the minced shoulder.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21Put that in there like that. Dave needs to chop said bacon.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23There's no mystery meat in these.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25You mash it like this.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28It gets all the fat particles activating
0:08:28 > 0:08:30to make sure that it all sticks together.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32- Kingy?- Hello!
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Can I add this bacon to your pig fest?
0:08:35 > 0:08:37Please.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40Now, pork and sage, a marriage made in heaven,
0:08:40 > 0:08:42so about a teaspoon of dried sage,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45a quarter teaspoon of allspice.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Do you use that instead of salt and pepper?
0:08:48 > 0:08:54- Oh, no, as well as!- So allspice and sage and lots and lots of pepper.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57Salt.
0:08:57 > 0:09:03So that's the filling. The pastry has only another 23½ hours to rest before we can use it.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05Thankfully, here's one we did earlier.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08And we've just made it into like little lumps.
0:09:08 > 0:09:14Take your piece of hot water pastry which now looks like something you stick windows in with.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17But you've got to warm it enough in your hands for the lard to get soft.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20Place that onto the board.
0:09:20 > 0:09:25This is a dolly. You get these in various sizes and this is what you use to form your pie on.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32You put your dolly right in the middle and press it.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34Check it's loose.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39Now you start to raise your pie.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43- It's not easy.- And raising it, you just kind of cloy it up like that.
0:09:43 > 0:09:48And raise it up your dolly. And as you flour the dolly, in theory it shouldn't stick.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52Now, you want this to go up nearly to the shoulders of your dolly.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55And this is called hand raising.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59And you can use the shape of the dolly to raise your crust.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02Very carefully, work your thumbs down there.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Gently ease your pastry off your dolly.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08And it will look like a pastry bucket.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11Now we need to fill it and that's not by any means easy.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14We need to get like a cricket ball size piece of the filling.
0:10:14 > 0:10:21You need to get this into there without leaving any air so you throw it in.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23This requires confidence
0:10:23 > 0:10:25because you might actually destroy everything
0:10:25 > 0:10:26you've done so far.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33- I'm only joking!- Right.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36CHEERING
0:10:37 > 0:10:42Don't worry about filling the edges because you want to leave something for the jelly.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44At this point, we need to wash our dick-dandies.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49Right. Clean hands, happy heart.
0:10:49 > 0:10:50We need some eggy wash.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55In the world of a pork pie, egg is glue and glaze.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01And then you sit the lid kind of inside it...
0:11:02 > 0:11:04..and just nip it.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08The traditional Melton Mowbray way is north, south, east and west.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10So you seal that and you go...
0:11:10 > 0:11:12north...
0:11:12 > 0:11:13south...
0:11:13 > 0:11:16east...
0:11:16 > 0:11:18west.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21And then you do the ones in between, like that.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25And you get that lovely, hand-raised, butcherific pie look.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28- Look at those beauties. - There we are.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32Give 'em a wash of egg.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35Now, you might have noticed, we haven't put a hole in.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39This pastry's strong enough to take it. We want all the meat flavour
0:11:39 > 0:11:42to stay into the pie.
0:11:42 > 0:11:47Put that in to the oven now, about 160 degrees, for a good hour-and-a-half.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52We're going to make a proper old fashioned pig's trotter jelly.
0:11:52 > 0:11:53Get a pan...
0:11:53 > 0:11:55water,
0:11:55 > 0:11:57and pigs' trotters.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00All we've done with these is split them in half
0:12:00 > 0:12:03and just pop the pigs' trotters in the water,
0:12:03 > 0:12:04bit of seasoning.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09As they cook down,
0:12:09 > 0:12:11you get the most wonderful jelly.
0:12:12 > 0:12:17And that's because the trotters are full of collagen and sinew.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19One stick of celery cutt'n off.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22And then we're going to put a whole carrot in,
0:12:22 > 0:12:23half an onion.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Give it a stir.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Leave it for 3½ days. No, it's four hours!
0:12:29 > 0:12:30And then you strain it.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34And that's the jelly that you're after.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37How do we get that jelly into the pork pie?
0:12:37 > 0:12:40Duh-duh-duh-duuuuh!
0:12:42 > 0:12:47These are two pork pies that we made earlier.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49Now, they've been left to cool.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52You drill a hole in the top.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55Piping bag. Oh, look at that!
0:12:57 > 0:13:00You need to slit the top off.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02Oh! Wahey!
0:13:02 > 0:13:08Put that over the hole and start to squirt. Right. That's it.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14All we have to do now is wait for that to go cold and set to jelly.
0:13:14 > 0:13:19And that only takes 2½ hours.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23And then, finally, you are blessed, blessed,
0:13:23 > 0:13:29with a pair of stunning Leicester Market Hairy Biker pork pies.
0:13:31 > 0:13:32CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:13:32 > 0:13:34But what's going on inside?
0:13:36 > 0:13:38Oh!
0:13:39 > 0:13:40Look at that.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42Beautiful.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49Now it's the moment of truth.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53What will the locals make of our take of their signature dish, pork pie?
0:13:53 > 0:13:54Take a slice.
0:13:56 > 0:14:01- Do you want some pie?- This is beautiful. The pastry's beautiful.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03Tastes like it used to, years ago.
0:14:03 > 0:14:08- Exactly.- Brilliant.- So does it taste of Leicestershire?- Certainly.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11I don't normally eat pork pies. I don't like the meat in them but this is gorgeous.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14- Absolutely fantastic.- Beautiful.
0:14:14 > 0:14:15Go on, have another.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17You're a growing lad!
0:14:17 > 0:14:19- Great. Lovely.- Good.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21- Real Leicestershire. - Good Leicestershire taste?- Yeah.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24I think it's really well seasoned.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27- Yeah.- And it tastes a bit spicy. - Oh, geez, it's made my day.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30Good. That's a proper old fashioned pork pie.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33The bigger the dolly, the bigger the pie.
0:14:33 > 0:14:34I'm a big dolly!
0:14:34 > 0:14:38Well, the pork pie connoisseurs of Leicester
0:14:38 > 0:14:40gave our efforts a big thumbs up.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Next though, an even bigger challenge is round the corner.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46As always, we're taking on one of the county's top chefs
0:14:46 > 0:14:49in their restaurant, using local ingredients to see
0:14:49 > 0:14:51who can best define the taste of the region.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54It will be up to local diners in a blind tasting
0:14:54 > 0:14:59to decide whose dish best represents the true flavours of Leicestershire.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01Our opponent today is...
0:15:01 > 0:15:05Sean Hope, the chef and owner of The Red Lion in Stathern.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08As well as being named AA Pub of the Year,
0:15:08 > 0:15:10The Red Lion won Best Local Produce Menu
0:15:10 > 0:15:13at the Leicestershire and Rutland Restaurant Awards.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15Being here in Leicestershire,
0:15:15 > 0:15:18we are blessed with amazing producers.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20Debbie Green's got beautiful pork, local beef,
0:15:20 > 0:15:22which we get from Northville Farm.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25We've got Stilton houses. The list is just endless.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29And I'm still discovering new and fantastic producers and suppliers
0:15:29 > 0:15:34who are passionate about growing as we are about providing good food.
0:15:34 > 0:15:39We have our own little allotment down the bottom, producing as much fresh produce as we can.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42Previously, I worked in London, but there's nothing better than being close to nature.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45It really helps with inspiration on the menu.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49Presentation's important because yes, we do eat with our eyes, but it can look as pretty
0:15:49 > 0:15:53as a doll's face but if it tastes rubbish, you're not going to eat it.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56I don't think I could ever do a nine-to-five job.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59Every day's not the same and that's what makes it such a challenge.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03To take on the bikers, my taste of Leicestershire is...
0:16:03 > 0:16:07pork faggots with sage and onion rosti, pickled white cabbage,
0:16:07 > 0:16:11steeped in Thirsty Farmers Cider, from Little Dalby.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20- That's it. The Red Lion.- Excellent.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23- That's nice, isn't it? - Aye, it's proper.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28- Hello. How are you? - Welcome to Stathern.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31- Thank you very much.- Thank you.
0:16:31 > 0:16:32Come in.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37- Outline your dish for us, dude. - We have got pork faggots and we're
0:16:37 > 0:16:42going to do it with some pickled cabbage, steep it in some cider. I've got pork mince which we use.
0:16:42 > 0:16:47We're also using the other parts of the animal that probably people don't, and throw away.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51We've got the liver and the heart in there. That's all minced through.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55We've got some diced carrot, shallot and leak, garlic and we're going to finish with parsley.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58Sweat this down 'till it gets nice and soft.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01I've just got a little treat for you, as well. Thirsty Farmer.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03- Thirsty Farmer. - Thirsty Farmer's giggling juice.
0:17:03 > 0:17:067.2% It'll do more than make you giggle.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08Not really looking to get any colour out of that.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10A little sherry vinegar.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14Put a splash in there and when we've got to that stage, we get our Thirsty Farmer.
0:17:14 > 0:17:15That's cloudy, isn't it?
0:17:15 > 0:17:19- The tasting panel might be a bit tiddly!- He's worrying me! He is!
0:17:19 > 0:17:22What we do is reduce all that cider right down
0:17:22 > 0:17:23so there's no excess moisture.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27As you saw earlier on, we minced in there the heart and the liver,
0:17:27 > 0:17:31combined with some of the local breadcrumbs, this'll help to absorb the moisture a little bit.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35Pop in our vegetables. You can see it's just reduced quite nicely now.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38And then we just mix the vegetables through the meat.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42Does Leicestershire give you a big, you know, a really good county larder, Sean, to work with?
0:17:42 > 0:17:45It's a Mecca. As you guys probably know,
0:17:45 > 0:17:49- Melton Mowbray's been depicted as the food capital of the British Isles.- Yeah.
0:17:49 > 0:17:50It's a great place to be.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53So there we are. That's our base for our pork faggots.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55Pop a bit of salt and pepper in there, then.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58We're going to bind it but we're using crepinette.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02- Pig cling-film, isn't it? - It is. It's edible pig cling-film.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04You can use just some nice streaky bacon
0:18:04 > 0:18:06but I tend to find it's a bit too bacony for the job.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09- That's a good size. - That's a good faggot, that.
0:18:09 > 0:18:10Two faggots a portion, I think.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14So I'm just going to wrap it nice and gently.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16- Would you like to roll a faggot? - Yes.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18There you go.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20Then roll it over so it's nice and sealed.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23That's it.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26It's tidy. I think you'll find mine is the symmetrical one.
0:18:26 > 0:18:31Very good. I think you'll find mine is the one with the CND sign on it.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34The rebel faggot.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36So, we're going to need a frying pan.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38Welland Valley rapeseed oil.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40It's a great alternative to olive oil.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42And it'll take the temperature.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44A knob of butter starts to foam.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48- A good indication that the pan's hot enough.- Right.- Faggot's going in.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50I'll just pop them in like that.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52We can start adding them all. Another little tip -
0:18:52 > 0:18:57start at twelve o'clock and then go round and use it like a clock face
0:18:57 > 0:19:01so you don't forget which one you need to flip first.
0:19:01 > 0:19:06Then start turning them round. We're looking to get them golden brown.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08They should just stay quite nicely like that.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10- We're going to bake them in the oven.- Yeah.
0:19:10 > 0:19:15Somewhere about 190, for about 35, 40 minutes.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19Not too long, just so they're just hot in the middle and let them rest a little bit.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22- We're going to put them on a trivet. - Right. Yes.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26- So you get the heat top and bottom. - To that, I've got a good old classic cooking apple.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Nice and chunky.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33And I'm just going to put it in the pan, support the faggots on to it.
0:19:33 > 0:19:37Say you were doing a pork loin, could you make a trivet of baking apples for that?
0:19:37 > 0:19:41Absolutely. Right, guys, we're going to put this in the oven to grill.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44The main garnish we'll be using is a sage and onion rosti.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48And we're going to be doing this pickled cabbage, white cabbage, and steep it with cider.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51Cider's in. White wine vinegar in there.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54- Could you use cider vinegar? - Yeah. You could.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56I've got in here a little bit of stock, as well.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00- Again, this is pork stock. Or if you haven't got it, chicken stock.- Yeah.
0:20:00 > 0:20:01But we're using pork stock, anyway.
0:20:01 > 0:20:07- Right, now, this is going to go on the stove, right, and we're going to bring it up to the boil.- Right.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10- OK, chef.- Cooking that alcohol out a little bit.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14Not too much cos you want it to steep and flavour the cabbage.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16Do you want to just scrape this for me?
0:20:18 > 0:20:21What we're going to do then is put all our ingredients in...
0:20:21 > 0:20:24our cabbage, our sliced onion and apple.
0:20:24 > 0:20:29Then, I think, a great ingredient with pork and apple is cinnamon,
0:20:29 > 0:20:32- so we've got a little bit of flax there.- Yes.- Pop that in.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35We'll add a bit of honey, chopped thyme.
0:20:35 > 0:20:36It's about a sprig's worth.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Back on steam. Bit of a stir. OK.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43So next thing we'll be going on to is the sage and onion rosti potato.
0:20:43 > 0:20:44We're using Maris Piper.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46I need that mandolin.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51BIKERS: Whoa!
0:20:51 > 0:20:54We need enough for six portions, don't we?
0:20:54 > 0:20:56So, nice and quickly.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01We do this other one which went really well, with salmon.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03We did a cheese and onion rosti.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05Now, we're going to slice the onion.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09So just using, probably about a fifth of onion to potato.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12If I use too much onion, it doesn't crisp up as much as you like,
0:21:12 > 0:21:16and I'm going to put some sage in there, sage leaves. Very quickly, chop through that.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19- Every supermarket you can buy fresh sage.- Yes.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21- Absolutely.- It used to be a rarity.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24Mix it together like that.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28We're going to get our frying pan on the go. Can we have a drizzle in that pan there?
0:21:28 > 0:21:31- Yes, sir.- You've got the pickled cabbage that we've done.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35It's just come up to the boil so I'm now just going to give that a stir,
0:21:35 > 0:21:38all we need to do is grab some cling-film.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42Again, this is something that can be done in advance and it's brilliant cold, as well.
0:21:42 > 0:21:48This crispy bacon, crumble it in so you get that real crispy...
0:21:48 > 0:21:51you know, like frazzle flavour? So, there you go. Keep that now.
0:21:51 > 0:21:52It's just going to permeate through.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56Brilliant. None of the flavours evaporate into the atmosphere.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59Potato, sage and onion, in we go.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02Sizzle. Sizzle. Sizzle.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04It needs to make that noise...
0:22:04 > 0:22:10- Yeah.- Cos otherwise you end up with a boiled piece of potato and it's not going to have that desired effect.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14- You want it nice and crispy and golden brown on the outside.- Cor!
0:22:14 > 0:22:17- And lovely and soft in the middle, bit like an armadillo.- Yeah.
0:22:17 > 0:22:18That's a big rosti.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22That's my type of rosti, that, dude. It's a big'un.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26So, just compacting it down a little bit and just waiting
0:22:26 > 0:22:29for it to golden brown in about two or three minutes.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33- It's important that you have enough oil for it to fry evenly.- Yes.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36Otherwise, it could catch. We're going to caramelise some apples.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39We are going to be using a Brava.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41We're going to give it a nice covering of sugar.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44This will help it to caramelise nicely.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46Straight back on the gas.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51So I've got asparagus, beautiful little baby turnips, as well.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54We've blanched them, what we call blanch and refresh.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57We've cooked them perfectly. All we need to do is reheat. Gravy.
0:22:57 > 0:23:02This is made from pork stock with a little bit of cider and Madeira reduction and white wine.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04OK. So we're going to warm that up.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07OK. Rosti is about ready now, guys, so we just flip that.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10- Look at that.- That's perfect.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12That's nearly done. These are our
0:23:12 > 0:23:16caramelised apples. Probably a bit of sherry vinegar would be good.
0:23:16 > 0:23:17Yeah.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20Gonna need that tray there. Let's see how our pork faggots are doing.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22Oh, yes.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24In the middle.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28They do look great.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34- Oh, that's a crunch!- Yeah.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37Bit of apple on there.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40A little jus.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Crispy bacon, and these little bad boys.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44Yes!
0:23:44 > 0:23:49- You might say.- Oh! Yeah! - Are you nicking it?!
0:23:49 > 0:23:53This is Red Lion's interpretation of Leicestershire on a plate.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55Pork faggots, pickled white cabbage,
0:23:55 > 0:23:58local cider, and sage and onion rosti.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01Get stuck into the faggot.
0:24:03 > 0:24:09Oh, yeah. I think what's great about it, the balance of meat to offal.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11- What Sean's put in's perfect.- Yeah.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14- They're really tasty. - Texture's great.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17- It's got the regionality of it perfect, hasn't it?- Yeah.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19Try some of the apple with it.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21It's just perfectly executed.
0:24:21 > 0:24:22Yeah. It's lovely.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28- Lovely.- That's a good plate of food.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31Let's not try and get too fancy?
0:24:31 > 0:24:35No. No. It's got to be real food, you know.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38- Beautiful.- Yeah. Top.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41It's all very well what we think but the real judges are the locals
0:24:41 > 0:24:45who will decide whose dish is best in a blind tasting coming up.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49Sean's faggots were a great use of the county's produce.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52We'll need some superb ingredients to compete
0:24:52 > 0:24:55but I think we might just have the answer.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00We're off to visit Pat Stanley and her award-winning longhorn cattle.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02Longhorn beef is prized around the world
0:25:02 > 0:25:07but the breed's origins lie right here in Leicestershire.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10- Wow.- You can't keep a longhorn in here.- No.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12- It'll trample your rhododendrons. - You'd never get your roses up.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14- Good girl.- There she is.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16- Pat!- Can we come in?
0:25:16 > 0:25:18Up there. There's cows with handle bars.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20- It's good, isn't it?- Aye.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23- Hello. I'm Dave.- Hi. I'm Pat.
0:25:23 > 0:25:24Hello, Pat. Very nice to meet you.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28This is Natasha, the Claudia Schiffer of the cow world.
0:25:28 > 0:25:34She was breed champion of the longhorns at the Royal Show in 2004.
0:25:34 > 0:25:35Wow!
0:25:36 > 0:25:38Natasha.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41It's not the first supermodel that's walked out on me, you know.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43Are they traditional to Leicestershire?
0:25:43 > 0:25:47They are indeed and they were made very famous here in the 18th century
0:25:47 > 0:25:50by a man called Robert Bakewell, who was the first person
0:25:50 > 0:25:53to ever breed them just specifically for meat.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57- Right.- Really.- Yeah. They were the first beef breed.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59Right. In the country?
0:25:59 > 0:26:02- In the country. In the world, in fact.- In the world?
0:26:02 > 0:26:07In the world. The meat is incredibly flavoursome and tender.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09You don't need to chew it.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13You just push it to the top of your mouth and it just melts in the mouth. It's beautiful.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16- Which cuts are the best? - The ones at the back.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19They are kind of back end heavy, aren't they, the longhorns?
0:26:19 > 0:26:22Absolutely. And that's what Robert Bakewell did.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25He moved the meat from the front end of the animal and he changed
0:26:25 > 0:26:28- all that flesh to the back end where all the good bits are.- Yes.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31All the roasting joints and the steaks,
0:26:31 > 0:26:35instead of at the front where it's all stew and mince.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37So, really, it's one of the first attempts to turn the cow
0:26:37 > 0:26:41into a product for eating, rather than a tool, you know, for the farm.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44- Absolutely. - You know, Si, it's wonderful.
0:26:44 > 0:26:49I think here, we've established the longhorn, it's kind of at the roots of British beef eating
0:26:49 > 0:26:52and also, that's in Leicestershire, in the heart of England.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55And maybe Pat can advise us how to cook it, as well.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58- Walk this way, boys.- Oh, not half. - I like her, she's good, in't she?
0:27:00 > 0:27:02Oh, let's taste it, then.
0:27:02 > 0:27:03Oh, Lord!
0:27:03 > 0:27:06Scary moment cooking for cooks.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08No!
0:27:08 > 0:27:12- Lovely.- There we go, boys. Try that. - That smells fantastic.
0:27:12 > 0:27:13Me first longhorn.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19- That's wonderful.- It's fabulous.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22You are going to leave some for lunch, aren't you?
0:27:22 > 0:27:24I wouldn't bank on it. What cut is this, Pat?
0:27:24 > 0:27:26Braising steak. It's amazing, isn't it?
0:27:26 > 0:27:30- It's just falling apart. It's just melting.- It is absolutely great.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33The grain of the meat, as well, is wonderful, isn't it?
0:27:33 > 0:27:36The flavour's fantastic. Are they all for the longhorns?
0:27:36 > 0:27:39They're all for the longhorns and they are last season's haul.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41- That's one season?!- One season.
0:27:41 > 0:27:45And I have to say that a lot of those cups have gone back already.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47I see why you call them supermodels.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50Is there any chance we can buy some of your supermodel?
0:27:50 > 0:27:52Just step outside and go and see our butcher.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55Brilliant. Thank you.
0:27:55 > 0:27:56- Away, Mr King.- Supermodel stew.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00- It's like a sweetie shop, this. - It is.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04- What can we do for you, gents? - Let's do what Pat did.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06That was fabulous. It's gotta be.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10So Rich, are you a fan of the longhorn?
0:28:10 > 0:28:12Yeah. Very much so, actually.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14It's a superb soft texture with it.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16That's just what you want.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18- Thanks, Rich.- All the very best.
0:28:18 > 0:28:23To take on Sean, we'll make a longhorn beef pie with our own puff pastry.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26We'll serve it with a celeriac mash and honey roasted beetroot.
0:28:28 > 0:28:33But the dish wouldn't be complete without another famous taste of Leicestershire - Stilton.
0:28:41 > 0:28:43Stilton and Leicester cheese.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45The king meets the king of cheese.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49Alan Whiston has been making cheese here for over 25 years.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51What this man doesn't know about Stilton isn't worth knowing.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53Ena Sharples.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55- Welcome to the store.- Crikey.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57What a smell.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59- Ammonia.- You'll get ammonia in here.
0:28:59 > 0:29:01How long have you been making cheese here, Alan?
0:29:01 > 0:29:04There's been cheese on the premises since 1780
0:29:04 > 0:29:07but the fundamentals are the same as they were donkey years ago.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11What has changed is the modern controls. The controller with the ingredients...
0:29:11 > 0:29:13- And hygiene, which is why we're like this.- Absolutely.
0:29:13 > 0:29:18There's only six dairies left making Stilton, across Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22The birth of a Stilton is like many other cheeses.
0:29:22 > 0:29:26After rennet has been added to milk, the whey is removed and the curds are packed into moulds.
0:29:26 > 0:29:31After five or six days, the coat of each cheese is smoothed to prevent any air entering.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34But as the crust begins to form, its time to add the famous blue veins
0:29:34 > 0:29:37that turn an ordinary cheese into the king of cheeses.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40So, Alan, how do you get the blue bits in the Stilton?
0:29:40 > 0:29:42Well, actually, we call the process piercing.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45- Follow me and I'll show you where it happens.- Oh, brill.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49There's no blue in these at the moment. Put it on this machine here.
0:29:49 > 0:29:51- It's simply called a piercing machine.- Yeah.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53Place the cheese on the rotating wheel.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55Close the safety hood.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59WHIRRING AND BANGING
0:29:59 > 0:30:02You can see the needles have actually come through
0:30:02 > 0:30:05into the centre of the cheese to allow the oxygen in there.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08Right. So where the oxygen goes in, the seed grows and you get
0:30:08 > 0:30:11the blue veins running along the lines of the needles.
0:30:11 > 0:30:16- Absolutely. We'll go and have a look at some maturing cheese, eh? - Yes. That'd be great.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19Now, just to give you an idea of the maturing process
0:30:19 > 0:30:22from a young cheese right the way through to the real McCoy,
0:30:22 > 0:30:23as we might say,
0:30:23 > 0:30:26this is what we call a cheese iron,
0:30:26 > 0:30:27so the grader will come along
0:30:27 > 0:30:31and actually do a grade on the cheese.
0:30:31 > 0:30:36- And, of course, this is much too young, at the moment, to select for any customers.- Yeah, it is.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39- You can see that it's young.- Yeah. - It's very pleasant, though.
0:30:39 > 0:30:43We'll now look at another cheese which is now six to seven weeks.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45You'll see a lot more bluey.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47The blue that is there becomes a little bit more defined.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49So I'll put that back in.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52I love that. I think that's great. What happens next?
0:30:52 > 0:30:54The only thing that makes good Stilton is age.
0:30:54 > 0:30:58So we now move to something around eight to nine weeks of age.
0:30:58 > 0:31:00We're looking for nice open texture,
0:31:00 > 0:31:02blue two thirds of the way up the iron.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05Lovely, nice and creamy on the back of the iron.
0:31:05 > 0:31:06That's blue, too, isn't it?
0:31:06 > 0:31:10A lot happening between six weeks and ten weeks.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12That's when it really all happens.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14That's lovely, isn't it, Dave?
0:31:14 > 0:31:19If we move on again, to something that's around about ten to eleven weeks of age...
0:31:19 > 0:31:21- Do you want to have a go, Si?- Yeah.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23- That'd be great.- There you go. - This is a privilege.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25- You can join the club then.- Right.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27Oh, that's a lovely feeling.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31You are now a Stilton iron thruster.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34The blue bits are now really quite...
0:31:34 > 0:31:35Speckly.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39That's perfect for cooking.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42Yeah. It is perfect. I reckon the king's met the king.
0:31:42 > 0:31:46- I like the idea of this cos you can snaffle.- Is that the one you'd like to take away with you then?
0:31:46 > 0:31:49- This is the king.- Is it heavy?
0:31:49 > 0:31:52It is. Thanks ever so much, Alan.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55I think we've found the one. It's time to go home.
0:31:55 > 0:31:57This is the boy-o, dude!
0:31:57 > 0:32:02- Come on while it's still daylight. - Do you want a blanket before we go outside in the cold?
0:32:04 > 0:32:05- Sean.- Yes.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07We've done our homework.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11- Have you?- We're doing longhorn beef and Stilton pie.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14Served with local celeriac and potato mash.
0:32:14 > 0:32:16And honey roasted beetroot balls.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19With a butternut squash puree with a little bit of nutmeg.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21But, will local diners think our dish is good enough
0:32:21 > 0:32:25to beat Sean in the blind tasting?
0:32:25 > 0:32:27Look at this. It's an ugly looking beast, isn't it, celeriac?
0:32:27 > 0:32:31But, basically, what I've done is, I've just cut them even sizes.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34- Potatoes in one pan. Keep the flavour in one pan.- Right.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36Celeriac in the other.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38- I'm going to stick them on the stove.- OK.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41It's going to be like an open-top kind of bistro pie.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44I'm going to make some puff pastry. I am a great fan of frozen puff pastry.
0:32:44 > 0:32:49However, cos I'm a mad man, we try and make our own puff pastry.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52- I've got flour, some salt.- Yeah.
0:32:52 > 0:32:56And I want my buttery chunks. The butter's chilled. It's cold.
0:32:56 > 0:32:58I do great pastry at home.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00I've got Carrara marble-tops.
0:33:00 > 0:33:04Oh, you had to say that, don't you? You're such a tart.
0:33:04 > 0:33:05So, I'll just break this up.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08Now, I'm not going for crumbs cos I want bits of butter
0:33:08 > 0:33:12cos the butter's going to make it puff up and it's going to make it super rich.
0:33:12 > 0:33:16I'm going to do the butternut squash puree. I'm going to start with this.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19All you do is cut it in half.
0:33:19 > 0:33:21Get those seeds out.
0:33:21 > 0:33:25I've got big lumps of butter in there. I've got lots of air in.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27To that, add some iced water.
0:33:29 > 0:33:31I'm going to smear some butter on them.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34- So now, I just need to wrap that in cling-film.- Right. OK.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37Put it in the fridge. Leave it to stand.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39We're going to add salt and pepper.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41- There you go then, man. - Thanks, dude.
0:33:41 > 0:33:46And face down and they go in to a hot oven for about 35 minutes.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48- Right.- I'll get on with my puff.
0:33:48 > 0:33:52There's such a lot of butter in it. Should hold together nicely.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55So roll that out.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58Look at that. The colour of it's fabulous, isn't it?
0:33:58 > 0:34:02This is the second stage in making puff pastry.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04You fold it into three.
0:34:04 > 0:34:06One...
0:34:06 > 0:34:08two...three...like so.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11It's the layers that are going to give you the flake.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15So now, we roll it out again.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18One. Three.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20We put that back like that.
0:34:20 > 0:34:25Now, that goes in to the fridge for half an hour. There we go.
0:34:25 > 0:34:30- I'm going to get on with the filling for our longhorn beef and Stilton pie.- This is the longhorn.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32Yeah. Now, this is braising steak.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34Before we make the pie, it has to marinade.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37- Put the meat in to the bowl. - What's the marinade?
0:34:37 > 0:34:40Some garlic. And we just chop that.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42Two peppercorns.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46Just keep them whole cos they'll start to release the flavour
0:34:46 > 0:34:50as they expand and we're going to put some nice sprigs of thyme in.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54Pour the brew in. And we want about 400 mils of this in here.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56Give that a stir like that.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00Put clingfilm over it and it sits in its own loveliness for two-and-a-half hours.
0:35:00 > 0:35:04- Shall I put this out the way? - We haven't got two-and-a-half hours to wait.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06Here's one we've done earlier.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09Yeah. This has been sat now for about three hours.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12Now, look how the colour of the meat's changed.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16- It's started to absorb nicely.- It has. I'm going to take the meat out.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18Strain off the marinade.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22That's that. We'll keep that cos that's going to be part of our gravy.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24This is some seasoned flour.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29Pat this dry. The important thing is to do it in batches, really,
0:35:29 > 0:35:33because the last thing that you want to do is stew the meat.
0:35:33 > 0:35:38Pastry's ready now. This has chilled out and we've got to do the next double turn.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41Roll this out. One.
0:35:41 > 0:35:42Two. Three.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44Quarter turn.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47I always think a rough puff pastry is plywood.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50You've got one grain one way, one grain the other.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52Turn it.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54And roll it.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57- Can you pass us that oval cutter, Kingy?- Yes, mate.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01This is the chef ring we're using for packing the beef.
0:36:01 > 0:36:05- Right. OK.- So the logic is that it should sit.- OK.
0:36:05 > 0:36:11One. Two. I always do spares because I'm an insecure person.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13LAUGHTER
0:36:15 > 0:36:18- Put them in the fridge now till we're ready.- Shall I take them?- Thank you.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20Brown this off now.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25There's going to be a celeriac and potato mustard mash.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27So it can all go back in the same pan.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30What I'll do now is I'll put that back on the stove
0:36:30 > 0:36:33to dry it, cos when it's mashed, it'll be super fluffy.
0:36:33 > 0:36:36What we've got in the pan is a little bit of colour.
0:36:36 > 0:36:40And just continue like that until all the meat's browned.
0:36:40 > 0:36:46- Sean.- Yes.- Could you get me those kind of puff-pastry tops out the fridge?- Course I can.- Brill.
0:36:47 > 0:36:51What we're going to do now is give it a little bit of kind of bistro chic.
0:36:51 > 0:36:53We're going to slash the tops.
0:36:53 > 0:36:57Then egg and bake them and they'll come out like an armadillo's back.
0:36:57 > 0:37:02- Pop that into an oven, preheated, about 180 degrees.- OK.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05About 15 minutes till it's light and fluffy and barking at the moon.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08- Nought like a bark at the moon, dude, is there?- Ooh!
0:37:08 > 0:37:11To this pan we're going to add some shallots, halved.
0:37:11 > 0:37:17If you want super-fine mash, you need one of these.
0:37:17 > 0:37:23- And the answer is, "No, I don't know what I'm doing."- I'm going to add the mushrooms to these shallots.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26There's no lumps in that.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30Some cream. Some butter. I mean, you can't go wrong with butter.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34I really want to beat that. We don't want lumps. White pepper for this, not black.
0:37:34 > 0:37:39- Salt.- I've browned off the mushrooms. I've browned off the shallots.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42And we're going to add that to the browned beef.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45Mustard, the final ingredient.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47I think about...that much.
0:37:47 > 0:37:53I've deglazed the pan with some of that lovely local beer. Half a litre of beef stock.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56The marinade, just added a sprig of thyme there.
0:37:56 > 0:38:01Transfer this to the hob. Now, we can cook this in the oven, 160 degrees,
0:38:01 > 0:38:04for about an hour-and-a-half to two hours.
0:38:04 > 0:38:09That'll start to thicken up and it'll end up looking like that.
0:38:09 > 0:38:14Honey beetroot balls. Now, this beetroot has been blanched for about half an hour till it's soft.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17You plunge your baller into the centre
0:38:17 > 0:38:21- and out pops the beetroot ball. - Mega. Mega.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23What about using baby beetroot?
0:38:23 > 0:38:26- All right! - LAUGHTER
0:38:26 > 0:38:27Shut up, you.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30Put some thyme on there. Oil.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32A splash of balsamic vinegar.
0:38:33 > 0:38:34And some honey.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36Now, we need to roast that
0:38:36 > 0:38:38for about 15 minutes.
0:38:38 > 0:38:40- That's all right. - That is good timing.
0:38:42 > 0:38:43Aggh!
0:38:43 > 0:38:47Kind of hot, like. It's so roasted.
0:38:47 > 0:38:53- It's almost gone like mashed potato inside, anyway.- Lovely, isn't it? - Yeah.- Give it a blitz.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58I'll start chopping up the Stilton for the sauce.
0:38:58 > 0:39:02I'm going to put this in a pan to get any of the excess moisture out of it, OK?
0:39:02 > 0:39:05The honey beetroot balls are coming along terrifically.
0:39:05 > 0:39:09Sean, three of your finest dinner plates, sir.
0:39:09 > 0:39:10Coming up.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17The longhorn beef's done. That needs the Stilton putting in and stirring.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20- That's just gently melting through?- Yeah.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22It'll still be quite predominant?
0:39:22 > 0:39:27And... The rough buttered puff-pastry tops are done, so we'll put those up there.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31I'll fill my piping bag with the potatoes. Can you roll my beetroots, Kingy?
0:39:31 > 0:39:35- Yeah. No worries, dude.- This is a very hot world that Sean exists in.
0:39:35 > 0:39:40Sean used to be 23 stone up until two years ago but he turned the extractors off.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44- Shall I do the beef, Kingy? - Yes, please. Yeah.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49We top that with our little beauties.
0:39:52 > 0:39:56Look at that. Just like Mr Whippy.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01- Nice, dude. Nice. - Oh, you beauty, Kingy.
0:40:01 > 0:40:02Honey-roasted beetroot balls.
0:40:02 > 0:40:07- With a little nutmeg. - That's fantastic. You've done Leicestershire proud.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10Well, there we have it. Leicestershire on a plate.
0:40:10 > 0:40:12There we go, chef.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15We've made a longhorn beef and Stilton pie.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19- Served with potato and celeriac mash.- With honey-roasted beetroot balls.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22And butternut squash, puree it with nutmeg.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24He's gone for the beetroot balls, Kingy.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26He's gone for them, dude.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30They are a little bit sweet, man, those beetroot.
0:40:30 > 0:40:35The beef, it just has absorbed that ale really well, so the marinade,
0:40:35 > 0:40:38as you say, just takes it on really well.
0:40:38 > 0:40:43The beef and Stilton is superb. Just got that masked overtone of it now.
0:40:43 > 0:40:44And I like the rough...
0:40:44 > 0:40:46The rough folk love it. Thanks!
0:40:46 > 0:40:49That's fantastic. Thanks, guys.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51Leicestershire will be proud of you two.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53- Thank you very much.- Thank you very much.
0:40:53 > 0:40:59It's crunch time. The diners here will taste both dishes without any idea who cooked which.
0:40:59 > 0:41:04First is Sean's pork faggots with pickled cabbage in cider and a sage-and-onion rosti.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08The faggots were presented nicely.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10It looked meaty and hearty,
0:41:10 > 0:41:15but at the same time, having the fresh vegetables gave it a kind of counterbalance.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18I love the mixture of the pork and the apple and the sage.
0:41:18 > 0:41:23I was surprised how moist it was, how rich it was, how sweet it was.
0:41:23 > 0:41:27- The little baby turnip went so well with it.- Delicious. Loved it all.
0:41:27 > 0:41:32The softness of the meat of the faggots and the crispness of the rosti, in particular,
0:41:32 > 0:41:33worked well together.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36I actually think it represented the county very well.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39We have a predominance of local meats here,
0:41:39 > 0:41:42so, all in all, I would say that is a good Leicestershire dish.
0:41:44 > 0:41:48That seemed to go down very well. How will our dish fare? Well, fingers crossed.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51The beef was fab. Beautifully tender.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54Subtle Stilton coming through.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57It was fun and colourful and represented the whole of Leicestershire.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59I thought it was really rustic.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03It reminded me of home cooking, something I could have done myself.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06Whilst the pastry was nice at the beginning, it was quite crispy,
0:42:06 > 0:42:08towards the middle it felt a bit heavy.
0:42:08 > 0:42:16The flavour of the celeriac and mustard mash was too strong in comparison with the meat dish.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18Immediately drawn to the beef.
0:42:18 > 0:42:22- It looked tender and succulent and juicy.- Beautiful Stilton.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26Wonderful beef. I would put that down as Leicestershire.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28Hello! How are you?
0:42:30 > 0:42:34Well, thank you very much for coming today.
0:42:34 > 0:42:35We've had a great time.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38It's been fabulous, cooking with Sean.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41It's been great. We've had a great time in Leicestershire.
0:42:41 > 0:42:45We've got to get down to the nitty-gritty of it.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47You must vote for one or the other.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50OK? You can't vote for two.
0:42:50 > 0:42:55All right. For the faggots, please, could I have a clear show of hands?
0:42:55 > 0:42:58One. Two. Three. Four. Five. OK.
0:42:58 > 0:43:03And for the beef and Stilton pie, please.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06One. Two. Three.
0:43:06 > 0:43:08Four.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10That was just...!
0:43:10 > 0:43:11OK. The faggots...
0:43:14 > 0:43:17- ..were Sean.- Well done.
0:43:17 > 0:43:20- Thank you.- Fabulous.
0:43:20 > 0:43:24Obviously, the beef and Stilton pie we got from Marks'!
0:43:24 > 0:43:29'Well, Sean is a talented chef and those faggots are some of the tastiest we've ever eaten.
0:43:29 > 0:43:33'Leicestershire is a county with real food traditions that are loved around the world.'
0:43:54 > 0:43:56Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd