0:00:02 > 0:00:05We're on the road to find regional recipes to rev up your appetite.
0:00:05 > 0:00:10We're riding county to county to discover, cook and enjoy the best of British.
0:00:10 > 0:00:11- Come on!- Wahey!
0:00:25 > 0:00:28We're here to define the true taste of Argyll and Bute.
0:00:30 > 0:00:35# Oh, I am come to the low Countrie
0:00:35 > 0:00:41# Ochon, Ochon, Ochrie
0:00:41 > 0:00:44# Without a penny in my purse
0:00:44 > 0:00:47# To buy a meal to me... #
0:00:47 > 0:00:52Phwoar, look, Kingy! The islands within the county of Argyll and Bute.
0:00:52 > 0:00:58You know, if the Cotswolds are the nation's chocolate box, this must be the big tin of Scottish shortbread.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00It's absolutely beautiful.
0:01:00 > 0:01:06You know, Dave, the coastline here, if you added it all up together, is longer than the coastline of France.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09- And it's bigger than Belgium. - Most things are though.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Oh, aye. But it's diverse as well.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14- You've got Loch Lomond. - You've got Loch Fyne.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17You've got Gigha, there's Islay.
0:01:17 > 0:01:18And Bute and Mull.
0:01:18 > 0:01:23- You've got great grub. - The beef's got to be wonderful. - Every little corner of the county.
0:01:23 > 0:01:24It has the best whisky.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28- It's whisky galore. - You're not wrong. Galore is the right word, mate.- It is.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30Kingy, let's go on an island fling.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32Let's away, dude.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40On our quest to define the flavours of Argyll and Bute,
0:01:40 > 0:01:45we head to the fish market to resurrect a traditional way of serving local fish.
0:01:45 > 0:01:51We go in search of Scotland's most famous export, whisky, and try a few wee drams along the way.
0:01:51 > 0:01:52How many have we got to go?
0:01:52 > 0:01:58Big Hugh invites us to climb aboard to creel for the freshest shellfish possible.
0:01:58 > 0:02:03And representing Argyll and Bute in today's cook-off is Clare Johnson.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06Will we be able to beat her using the county's finest ingredients?
0:02:12 > 0:02:14Tarbert. It's a pretty spot.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17It's windswept and interesting.
0:02:17 > 0:02:22The wind comes in, you've got all the heat of the Gulf Stream - not.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25- Not!- There's exotic shellfish, lobsters, seafood...- Look at this.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29Pretty painted houses. We're here because Tarbert
0:02:29 > 0:02:34has the greatest concentration of award-winning restaurants per capita of any other place in Britain.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37So, we're on the hunt for Tarbert tucker.
0:02:37 > 0:02:38Bring it on!
0:02:39 > 0:02:41What's the best thing about the food?
0:02:41 > 0:02:43Prawns and the scallops, yeah.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46- Seafood.- And the kippers.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48- Whisky.- Whisky. There's a fella, now.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51What sort of recipes did your mam cook for you?
0:02:51 > 0:02:56- Fish cakes.- Fish cakes?- Fish cakes. - Kippers.- Scallops, prawns...
0:02:56 > 0:02:58White fish, haddock, whiting.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01- Do you ever get any herring these days?- Very rare.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Seafood is obviously the most important produce around here.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06I can't wait to get stuck in.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10- Fancy some fish and chips? - Yeah, let's have a go, eh?
0:03:10 > 0:03:14This restaurant even has its own boat to catch the freshest local fish possible.
0:03:14 > 0:03:20Chef Pascal is originally from France but has run a bistro in Tarbert for many years.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23- Our seafood platter.- This is everything from the local vicinity.
0:03:23 > 0:03:28- Yes.- Erm... You know what? I'm going to have this lango here.
0:03:28 > 0:03:29Pascal, what brought you here?
0:03:29 > 0:03:34When I first came here, when I saw all the variety of fish and shellfish you can have daily.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36- I come from Brittany. - You know your seafood.
0:03:36 > 0:03:42- Yes, I knew the stuff and I think it's better than Brittany, definitely.- What do we have here?
0:03:42 > 0:03:44What you have is a langoustine, medium-size.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46That's a medium-size?
0:03:46 > 0:03:49- Hee, hee, hee. - Whelks.- I'm going to have one.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52- Winkles. Same taste. - Sweeter, actually, a bit sweeter.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54Yes. Has to be cooked with plenty of pepper.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56- Oh, right.- Yeah. Squat lobster.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00- Yes.- Very sweet taste. I think much better than langoustine or prawn.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03Ideal to make a bisque.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07We can't get that on the east coast where my home port is in North Shields.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Brown crab from Loch Fyne.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12Ah, yes.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14Now, there is a delicate way to eat this.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16However, this is my approach.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21That's something I've never eaten before.
0:04:21 > 0:04:27- That is sea urchin. The best way is to cut in half.- And that's local as well, Pasqual?
0:04:27 > 0:04:31- Yes, it's local, yes. - Right, my first sea urchin.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36- That's divine, isn't it?- It is. - It almost tastes like a soft fruit.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40Yes, the same texture as scrambled egg.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49It's just wonderful. Well, Pascal, can I say for both of us, thank you so much.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52- No problem at all.- This is one of the best meals I've ever had.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55- Yeah, yeah. It's just brilliant. - Thank you.- Thank you.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58- And I've lost my urchin virginity. - You have.
0:04:58 > 0:05:05'To keep the catch alive, shellfish are stored in oxygenated salt-water tanks, before heading off to market.
0:05:05 > 0:05:10'Neil Prentice is an expert on this seafood treasure.' Good grief!
0:05:10 > 0:05:11Those scallops are enormous.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15What makes the seafood so special here?
0:05:15 > 0:05:16The water is very, very clear.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18No pollution. So they grow that size.
0:05:18 > 0:05:23Cold-water seafood, we think, is the best in the world.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26Because it works that much harder for its keep.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29Yeah, that's true. The water is seven degrees here just now.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33- The water. And it only gets to maybe 14 in the summer.- Right.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35Where does most of your produce go?
0:05:35 > 0:05:38- There's probably about 70% goes to Spain.- What?
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Yeah, I'm afraid to say, that's the way it is.
0:05:41 > 0:05:46We don't eat enough shellfish or fish in Britain compared to Spain and these other countries.
0:05:46 > 0:05:51It's changed days. It used to be herring and it used to be haddock and cod.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53- Now it's mostly shellfish here.- Aye.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57We've been exporting them to Spain for about 20 years now
0:05:57 > 0:06:01and Spanish trucks come into the village here every Sunday,
0:06:01 > 0:06:05load on a Monday and away to Spain 52 weeks of the year.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08We obviously can't ignore shellfish but what Argyll and Bute
0:06:08 > 0:06:11was traditionally known for was white fish and herring.
0:06:11 > 0:06:16- The old-fashioned way that a herring would be done in the oatmeal as opposed to frying it.- Right.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18That was the traditional way.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20You still do that now, then, or no?
0:06:20 > 0:06:24- No, it's like most things regards to herring. A lot of it's in the past. - That's a shame.- Yeah.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26That's something we should revive.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29There's a fishmonger's just around the corner.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32It's blowing a hoolie.
0:06:35 > 0:06:36We've got to cook for them.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38It's got to be fish, hasn't it?
0:06:38 > 0:06:40Look what I've found. What are they?
0:06:40 > 0:06:43They are called silver darlings. And that's the herring.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46Herring. Look at those. Aren't they beautiful?
0:06:46 > 0:06:51At one time, they say that the herrings were so thick in the sea, you could walk across it.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53We've got two, so we won't be treading...
0:06:53 > 0:06:58You know like the dead traditional way, to cook it in oatmeal? Let's do it with other fish.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00There's four hake.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02That's a proper west coast fish, a haddock.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05Bright eyes and gills. You know you can go out with her.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08- Gurnard?- No, that's naturally smoked haddock.- Aye.- Look.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10- Salmon.- Salmon there.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14- SCOTTISH ACCENT: - You can take away my freedom but you're nae taking away me seafood
0:07:14 > 0:07:17cooked in oatmeal with a wee tasty tartare sauce.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21We're going to cook the locals their real traditional dish,
0:07:21 > 0:07:25fish in oatmeal, served with a creamy tartare sauce for dipping.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29- And because it's blowing a hoolie, we're taking cover in Tarbert's fish market.- Yeah!
0:07:29 > 0:07:32It's pandemonium.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34But got to cook fish.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37- Fish!- We got some filleted already.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39This is the place to be.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41We're going to fillet that.
0:07:41 > 0:07:46- Gurnard. Lovely thing.- One of my favourites - nice fresh hake. - Look at the chompers on that.
0:07:48 > 0:07:53Now, these may not look important but they were, because these were the herring.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56- Does anybody have any memories about herring?- And the old fleets?
0:07:56 > 0:08:00- Yes, I do. I fished them. - How did you cook your herring?
0:08:00 > 0:08:02Well, we boiled them a lot.
0:08:02 > 0:08:03- Boiled?- Ah!- In the salt water.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06- And that was your tea? - Through the night.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08Did you ever have your herring in oatmeal?
0:08:08 > 0:08:11Well, sometimes. When you fried them in the house, you know.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14- We've got a lot of people to feed. - I'll get goujon... - I'll get filleting.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17The thing is just to let the knife do the work.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21- Fillet number one.- Perfect. - You work on the trawlers.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25- Aye.- So, when you're at sea, do you eat fish on the trawlers or...- Aye.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27Fish first thing in the morning.
0:08:27 > 0:08:28- Right.- It gives you brain power.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32You know, when you get haddock fresh, it's good as a sea bass, isn't it?
0:08:32 > 0:08:36Look at that. Falling away now.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38See if I can get this herring skin off.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43Great, I've managed to take the skin out of that.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46- Lovely.- Hake.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51Good lad! Give us that back. It's for the bisque.
0:08:51 > 0:08:52It's... Woo!
0:08:56 > 0:09:01- Angus, where are you, dude? - It's Si and Dave's seafood creche.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04Hello, mate! You don't have much to do in the night time.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06There's loads of kids up here, isn't there?
0:09:06 > 0:09:09It's the long, dark nights.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13That's brilliant, isn't it? That's what you call a fish platter.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16Before we fry, shall we make some tartare sauce?
0:09:16 > 0:09:22- Why not?- Take a big bowl of mayo, gherkins, or you can have the little cornichons, the little ones.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25And some capers. So I'll chop some of those and bung 'em in.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29And what I'm going to do is I'm going to chop some nice dill and some parsley, nice and fine.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31- Isn't it?- Eurgh!- Eurgh?
0:09:31 > 0:09:33What do you mean "eurgh"? Listen...
0:09:33 > 0:09:36- You're eating plants. - Yeah, you're eating plants.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38- The chip was a plant once. - Aye, yeah, it was.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40It was a potato. Yeah. See.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43The chopping of the gherkin.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46And if you go too far, you end up with little gherkin fingers.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48It's only a plant.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50It's not going to eat you. It's lovely.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53Isn't it? Smells a little aniseedy, doesn't it?
0:09:53 > 0:09:54- It smells of your feet.- Me feet?
0:09:54 > 0:09:57What sort of children...
0:09:57 > 0:10:00Now, you can put as much gherkin as you like in your tartare sauce.
0:10:00 > 0:10:05Now we've got capers going in. Now, capers are a little bit like salty peas.
0:10:05 > 0:10:10The capers go into the mayonnaise with the gherkins.
0:10:10 > 0:10:15And then what you do, herb it up, about two tablespoons of parsley.
0:10:15 > 0:10:16- Nice.- One tablespoon of dill.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20And then give it a mix, taste it and then if we fancy more dill, we can.
0:10:20 > 0:10:21Look at the colours.
0:10:24 > 0:10:29- We could do a bit of lemon juice. - And a bit of Tabasco, just give it a bit of zip.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33That looks great, doesn't it?
0:10:33 > 0:10:37- Should one dip one's finger in said mayonnaise?- No, use a spoon.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39- We're on the telly.- Oh, aye.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43- Mmm. That tastes all right, that. - Is that for breakfast?
0:10:43 > 0:10:45No, it's to dip your fish in.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Do you like fish?
0:10:47 > 0:10:51- It's porridge.- Porridge. - Just try this on your fish. It's like posh salad cream.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54And that's how to make tartare sauce under duress.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58Right, what we're going to do now is, we've got all the fish prepped,
0:10:58 > 0:11:02we got the tartare sauce made, so we need to take each piece of fish,
0:11:02 > 0:11:08squirt of lemon, salt and pepper, coat with egg, press it into oatmeal and then fry it.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11Rinding, squirting and washing. Oatmealing and stacking.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15Pinhead oatmeal, which is what your porridge comes from.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17Eurgh!
0:11:17 > 0:11:20- What's wrong with porridge?- Look, it's a national treasure, porridge.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23Oatmeal is in haggis and all manner of good things.
0:11:23 > 0:11:29So, you take a piece of fish, squirt of lemon, twist of pepper,
0:11:29 > 0:11:32pinch of salt, brush with egg
0:11:32 > 0:11:35and pass to the oats department.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38- Roll in oats. - Do you want a job? Come on.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41I'll put you on lemon.
0:11:43 > 0:11:44Not too much.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48Now, if you just put lemon on all those pieces of fish and then we'll crack on.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54Right, thank you. Yeah, mate, coming in.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01- Look at these.- Now, these are what you call fish fingers.
0:12:01 > 0:12:02Gareth, more lemon.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06- He's a class act, our Gareth, isn't he?- Oh, look at that.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10I have this feeling I'm going to end up running a chip shop somewhere.
0:12:10 > 0:12:16- Probably in the west coast of Scotland.- Well, it's good produce, isn't it?- Yep.
0:12:16 > 0:12:17Oat and lemon is delicious.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19It's easy for you to say, isn't it?
0:12:19 > 0:12:23- Right, now I have to put the lemons on a jaunty fashion.- Oh, boy.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26Always have odd numbers on your plate. It looks better.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28Shall we have little parsley sprinkles?
0:12:28 > 0:12:33- I have some dill here. - Dill sprinkles. - Set aside for this very occasion.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35You take a goujon...
0:12:35 > 0:12:37dip it into the tartare sauce.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46It doesn't get much better than that.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50Argyll and Bute on a plate, the wonderful surroundings of Tarbert.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53We've done the fish justice, a bit traditional.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55- We've got some herring. - Gurnard.
0:12:55 > 0:12:56- We've got hake.- We've got plaice.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00It's kind of like a fritto misto a la Rob Roy.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02It's also like Gordon Brown after he's had a shower.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Right.
0:13:04 > 0:13:09This is a fritto misto a bit like Gordon Brown after he's had a shower.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11And that's as it shall appear in the cook book.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14I don't think we've ever had a dish so local.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16Local people caught it, helped us cook it
0:13:16 > 0:13:21and now they're going to taste our oatmeal-fried fish and tartare sauce.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23- Ladies, it's your tea.- Hooray.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27- What do we reckon? - They go well together.- Don't they?
0:13:27 > 0:13:30- Yeah.- Do you remember, when you were younger, having oatmeal with fish?
0:13:30 > 0:13:33- Yes.- I don't think we had it with anything other than herring.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37Yeah? Now, chef superstar.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40- What do you think, mate? - It's quite delicious.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44It's a good idea to put the oatmeal. It's something I'll try.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46- It's like posh fish fingers. - You're not wrong.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48- It's so easy to do.- It's nice.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52- Can I get another bit?- Yes.- The oatmeal's really tasty, isn't it?
0:13:52 > 0:13:54You get this toasted flavour.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58Don't you think it's a shame, though, that so much of your wonderful fish goes abroad?
0:13:58 > 0:14:03- Why keep it all to yourself if it's that good, eh?- You're not wrong. You're not wrong, missus.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06You're not wrong. Want more?
0:14:06 > 0:14:08- What do you reckon? - It tastes like...
0:14:09 > 0:14:14- Hake, maybe?- Yes. It is. That's right.- Very nice, especially with your tartare sauce.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16It tastes like...
0:14:16 > 0:14:18- Hake. Is it hake?- Yes.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20Very nice. Very nice.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22It tastes like...
0:14:22 > 0:14:24fish.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27- LAUGHTER - Excellent!- That's a good lad.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29He got there in the end.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32Our white fish in oatmeal went down a storm...in a storm,
0:14:32 > 0:14:35but now we're facing our biggest challenge of the trip.
0:14:38 > 0:14:43As always, we're taking on one of the county's top chefs in their restaurant,
0:14:43 > 0:14:47using local ingredients, to see who can best define the taste of the region.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50It will be up to local diners to decide whose dish
0:14:50 > 0:14:54best represents the true flavours of Argyll and Bute.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56Our opponent is Clare Johnson,
0:14:56 > 0:14:58head chef and owner of the Kilberry Inn.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02Clare is completely self-taught but her skills in the kitchen
0:15:02 > 0:15:07have helped Kilberry to become Scotland's Restaurant of the Year 2009.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09I cooked because we couldn't afford a chef
0:15:09 > 0:15:12and my cooking must have been awful when I started.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16I couldn't boil an egg. People seemed to keep coming back so I stuck at it.
0:15:16 > 0:15:21There isn't much to Kilberry. It's quite small, there's about a dozen houses.
0:15:21 > 0:15:26We're on a single-track road so it's a 40 mile round trip for a pint of milk
0:15:26 > 0:15:29but we've got some really great local suppliers -
0:15:29 > 0:15:33Jim who comes with mackerel, Hector who brings mullet and pigs from Archie as well.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36I think when people come to Kilberry,
0:15:36 > 0:15:44they are looking for really good locally-sourced things that are fresh and tasty and not...
0:15:44 > 0:15:49..nothing frozen or ready-made or bought from a cash and carry.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51We have a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide
0:15:51 > 0:15:55which is pretty fantastic but this year we got nominated
0:15:55 > 0:16:02for the Scottish Restaurant Awards and not only did we win our little category, we won the whole thing.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05So now we're Scottish Restaurant of the Year.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10To take on the Bikers, my taste of Argyll and Bute
0:16:10 > 0:16:15is hand-dived king scallops, little pork sausage meatballs and lentils on the side with some salsa verde.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38Hello.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Hello. Nice to see you.
0:16:42 > 0:16:47- Scotland's Restaurant of the Year! Have you got the kettle on?- Come in.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50Good lass. I like her already, great!
0:16:51 > 0:16:56- Here we are and welcome to the Kilberry Inn. - It's dead cosy and lovely.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58It's the type of place that you want to stay for 15 weeks.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01- It's great.- What are you going to cook for us, Clare?
0:17:01 > 0:17:04- Scallops. - Could you outline your dish?
0:17:04 > 0:17:07- What is it?- It's local hand-dived king scallops
0:17:07 > 0:17:12and I'm making little spicy sausage meatballs and lentils and a bit of salsa verde.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14Lovely, so, crack on, Clare, crack on.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17OK. Well, I've got my lentils going here...
0:17:17 > 0:17:21- What have you got in your lentils? - I've got some bay leaves and some thyme and some garlic
0:17:21 > 0:17:24but I've got some vegetables chopped to...
0:17:24 > 0:17:27- And are they the posh lentils, puy lentils?- Puy lentils, yes.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30- Look at those!- Aren't they lovely?
0:17:30 > 0:17:32So what do you do with these?
0:17:34 > 0:17:37- You just get your knife in... - You've got to watch your hands, haven't you?- Yes.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41And then you just have to separate the...
0:17:42 > 0:17:46- Look at that.- Clare, are you a coral on or a coral off?
0:17:46 > 0:17:50We generally do them off. Not everybody likes them so...
0:17:50 > 0:17:52Look at all the meat on that.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56Look, I love this bit, fiddling with it.
0:17:56 > 0:18:01- We'll take all that off like that.- We're after that white nugget.
0:18:01 > 0:18:02There's one with the coral off.
0:18:02 > 0:18:07- I've got some vegetables chopped earlier.- Would that be a mirepoix?
0:18:07 > 0:18:10- He's off again! - I've learned so much.
0:18:10 > 0:18:15We've got the celery, onion and carrot finely diced.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17We're going to make salsa verde.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20We've just got some basil and some parsley.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22It's not maybe an accurate salsa verde.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26So I'm just going to put some olive oil in.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31I'll give it a little...pulse.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33I've got some mustard somewhere.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38Dijon mustard. And some capers.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42- They're dinky capers, aren't they? - Dinky ones.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45How much mustard are you putting in there?
0:18:45 > 0:18:47Just a teaspoon.
0:18:47 > 0:18:52So what brings you to this part of the world? You're not a Scot.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56No, I came up for six months and I didn't go home.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58That was about 12 years ago.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02- That's a long holiday. - Obviously, like the local products
0:19:02 > 0:19:06that you use, it is like a treasure trove of plenty, isn't it?
0:19:06 > 0:19:08Yes. There's always something new
0:19:08 > 0:19:11and every year, we've got the ladies that bring us rhubarb
0:19:11 > 0:19:14and John brings us honey and all sorts of stuff.
0:19:14 > 0:19:20So just to recap, the salsa verde - it's fine herbs, mustard,
0:19:20 > 0:19:23olive oil, chopped onion, lemon juice and capers.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26Yeah. Well, that's mine.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28Look at the colour of that.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30Beautiful, isn't it?
0:19:30 > 0:19:32That's that.
0:19:32 > 0:19:37- Can I put my my lentils back in there yet?- Do what you like. Have a look and see what you think.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40- I think that's great. - It's nice, isn't it?
0:19:42 > 0:19:45Then we need to make some little meatballs and cook those off.
0:19:45 > 0:19:50Because pork and scallops and pork products, they go great together, don't they?
0:19:50 > 0:19:55- Black pudding and scallops are fantastic.- Bacon and scallops. - Belly pork and scallops.
0:19:55 > 0:20:00Oh yeah. So I've just got some ground up fennel seeds, a bit of cayenne and some of Archie's lovely...
0:20:00 > 0:20:02Fennel's fantastic, isn't it?
0:20:02 > 0:20:05- I love fennel seeds. - I love fennel, too.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07That is what I love about it.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11It's not just a sausage or sausage meat. No, it's Archie's sausages.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16I'll put those at the back. They will probably be quite happy.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21It's getting very hot now so put a bit of seasoning on these.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23So you season it?
0:20:23 > 0:20:26- That's interesting.- Is it? Why?
0:20:26 > 0:20:28We would normally season them when they are in the pan.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36They're good.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38Where do you get your scallops from?
0:20:38 > 0:20:40They're hand-dived locally.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43We get them from a chap called Neil in Tarbert.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Do you find the hand-dived ones are less muddy than trawled ones?
0:20:46 > 0:20:53Yes, and they're always whole, you don't get bits. That's the best thing.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56You just cook them in olive oil with no butter.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02I usually put butter in, but because I am anxious, I haven't.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04Anxious?! It's only us!
0:21:04 > 0:21:06Go on, put some butter in, man.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09Oh, yes.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13- The butter helps them go golden, doesn't it?- It does.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15Anyway, I'll take these out.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19They must be done.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24Look at them. Just the job.
0:21:24 > 0:21:30OK, I'm just going to put some of these lentils in here and put a bit of dressing on them just to...
0:21:30 > 0:21:36- A bit of ooomf! - A bit of ooomf! And then I suppose we're kind of good to go.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40So in there we've got the mirepoix, we've got the mixed vegetables,
0:21:40 > 0:21:45some bay leafs, some thyme, some garlic and the puy lentils that have been cooked till they're tender.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50- See, I was paying attention. - I'm glad you were.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52Some of the salsa verde.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54I can see that now, that's going to go through.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58It's like basting with emeralds.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11- The scallops are massive, Clare. - We have got a spare.
0:22:11 > 0:22:12- Awww!- Oh dear!
0:22:12 > 0:22:15- I'm sad. Never mind. - Do you want that big one?
0:22:15 > 0:22:20- No. We couldn't possibly. - You have that little one.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22- Clare, they're perfect.- Oh, man!
0:22:28 > 0:22:31So, Clare, recap what your dish is for us.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35Well, it's hand-dived king scallops with sausage meatballs
0:22:35 > 0:22:39with a little bit of spice and some lentils and some salsa verde.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41Fantastic.
0:22:43 > 0:22:44It looks lovely, doesn't it?
0:22:44 > 0:22:46All flavours I want to eat.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50I like the spice, the fennel.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53- That goes well with the scallops. - Really good.
0:22:53 > 0:22:58Lentils, I wasn't sure at first with them, I know they work with salmon.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00- Works really well. - The salsa verde makes it though.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04- I think these sausage balls are brilliant.- They are, aren't they?
0:23:04 > 0:23:07It's interesting because Clare is not a classically-trained cook,
0:23:07 > 0:23:11you have a go and it's what ends up on the plate tastes great.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13It's intuitive.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17We'd better roll our sleeves up and get stuck in. What are we going to do?
0:23:17 > 0:23:19It's gotta be tasty.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22- It's got to be representative. - It's got to be good food.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25Right. We'd better get cracking.
0:23:25 > 0:23:30But it's the locals who will decide whose dish is best in a blind tasting coming up.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39Clare's got scallops covered
0:23:39 > 0:23:45so we're going for the other local shellfish speciality of Argyll and Bute - langoustines.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48Big Hugh has offered to take us to sea to get some fresh catch.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51You picked a lovely day for it.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55That's Spud, a sea dog.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58Come on, we'll get you out and doing something.
0:23:59 > 0:24:05- Button you up a bit. - I feel like a Fisherman's Friend.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07Have you seen what we're going to go for?
0:24:07 > 0:24:09Look at these.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11Aren't they beautiful?
0:24:11 > 0:24:15Langoustines. Aren't they canny?
0:24:15 > 0:24:17Keep your nice biker jacket clean.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19Beautiful.
0:24:19 > 0:24:20It's salt herring.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23We put this in the creel and it's got to be cut into three.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26I'll give you an empty bucket when that overflows.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30- Right, will we go to sea? - Yes, sir.- Right. Let's go.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43You don't get Rick Stein doing this, do you?
0:24:43 > 0:24:47- I wouldn't swap it though. - I wouldn't.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52The smell of the herring is making me feel a bit queasy.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58Rather than trawling, Hugh prefers to creel for langoustine.
0:24:58 > 0:25:05Creeling uses small baskets baited with fish and set in a line on the seabed by ropes attached to buoys.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07Look at this. Yes.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09Langos. Treasure.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15See that's too wee. We throw that away. That is next year's.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18What are you doing? Calling bingo?
0:25:18 > 0:25:23No, this is the method of keeping langoustines, or prawns as we call them, alive. This is the big ones.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26That is number ones. Number twos. Number threes.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28And the smallest - number four.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31This method, you couldn't get better.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34Anything we don't want gets returned to the sea right away.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38Each prawn get his own individual segment to keep them live.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40We've got to be careful. It's like orange gold.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42At market, they've got to be alive.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46- Look at that, that's a beauty. It's like a lobster.- That's a good one.
0:25:46 > 0:25:47That is one of the large ones.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49Imagine two or three of them on a plate.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51- Beautiful.- Suck the claws as well.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55- What is sad is all of these are going abroad.- Aye, aye they are.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58Why don't we eat them? It's magic.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01- It's a mystery.- How many fleets of creels do you have?
0:26:01 > 0:26:03- We have nine fleets.- What?!
0:26:03 > 0:26:05- That's like 1,000 pots.- Yes, aye.
0:26:07 > 0:26:12Pots are usually raised every other day to allow the catch to be collected and fresh bait set.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16What's so special about the west coast for langoustines?
0:26:16 > 0:26:20Good fresh water. We've got the Gulf Stream coming down from Mull,
0:26:20 > 0:26:23rugged shoreline, you just can't beat it.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26Langos, Dave! Look at him. Beautiful.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31But not everything that's caught goes to market.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33This is what goes back - a breeding female.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36That's all roe which is its eggs.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38That goes back so it sustains the fishery.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42- Correct.- On you go, me darling.
0:26:44 > 0:26:49Oh, what we're doing now, we're moving to a fresh bit of water.
0:26:49 > 0:26:54All the creels are baited and we're going to shoot the drift of creels.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58This is the dangerous bit, there's a chance you could go overboard.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00Right, fire away.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03Might give him a job.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10I like this bit. Watching Dave work, it's good.
0:27:10 > 0:27:15- They're not light, these, you know. - Go on. Go on. Oh!
0:27:15 > 0:27:19- Flick it. - Oops, that'll be me then, sacked.
0:27:19 > 0:27:24You've got to be careful the ropes don't catch around your feet, or else you go in with the pots.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28Kingy, it's your turn.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Oh, hey, I'm exhausted!
0:27:35 > 0:27:38He's only done 3. I did 77.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43That's it, we've done a whole drift.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Baited, shot, dinner.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49- She hasn't got a chance!- Got to find something to cook with.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51It's in the air, isn't it? Whisky.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55- Yes.- A langoustine with a wee dram.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58I tell you what, I'm getting more than a wee dram at the minute.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03Hugh's langoustines should give Clare's scallops a run for their money.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06Let's grill some with garlic and flame the rest in a whisky sauce.
0:28:06 > 0:28:11So if we're looking for whisky, we need to park the bikes and go on foot.
0:28:11 > 0:28:17Right, what we're looking for, hold on, distillery, should be about...
0:28:17 > 0:28:19Oh, haha, here!
0:28:19 > 0:28:24Springbank Distillery has been on the same site in Campbeltown since 1828.
0:28:24 > 0:28:29- We're being shown around by whisky veteran Frank McHardy. - Welcome to Springbank.
0:28:29 > 0:28:34We can't visit this part of the world without seeing a distillery and this is unique.
0:28:34 > 0:28:41The only distillery in Scotland that does 100% of the whole process to turn barley into bottles of whisky.
0:28:41 > 0:28:45- Hey!- Whisky is made from malted barley, yeast and water.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48Malted barley is ground into grist.
0:28:48 > 0:28:52We extract all the sugars from it, then we ferment the liquid.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55It's called wash, then we take our wash from there
0:28:55 > 0:29:00into these magnificent stills you see behind us.
0:29:00 > 0:29:06- Proper coppers, aren't they?- This is where the distillation process takes place, to turn wash into spirit.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08Spirit is then taken from this building,
0:29:08 > 0:29:12filled in to cask, the casks are then put away in the warehouse.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19Oh, this is fantastic, man.
0:29:19 > 0:29:23This is the final part of the process before we actually go to the bottling.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27You can't actually call the product whisky until it's spent at least three years
0:29:27 > 0:29:30in one of these oak casks in a warehouse in Scotland.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33This is where the maturing is taking place.
0:29:33 > 0:29:38A single malt whisky in different distilleries, different parts of Scotland, all taste different.
0:29:38 > 0:29:43- How can that be? - A lot of this is down to the actual region the distillery is based in.
0:29:43 > 0:29:47Campbeltown, where we are just now, can produce quite a salty whisky.
0:29:47 > 0:29:51It's more a maritime influence, you're beside the sea,
0:29:51 > 0:29:55so it's bringing on some of the flavours you have in the atmosphere from the seaside.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57Speyside is different.
0:29:57 > 0:30:02It's inland, so you've got much more lighter, more fruitier whisky coming from there.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05- It's almost like sourdough bread. - It's just remarkable.
0:30:05 > 0:30:06Picking up stuff in the air.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10Depending on the wood of the barrels you get a different flavour, don't you?
0:30:10 > 0:30:16Absolutely, 70% of the flavour in any whisky is going to come from the wood.
0:30:16 > 0:30:21- You've done that before, haven't you?- Yeah, well, quite a bit of practice over the years!
0:30:21 > 0:30:25Then we have this thing here, which is more or less a large pipette.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28Give the whisky a good stir up,
0:30:28 > 0:30:32so we take a little bit of this in here and we empty this out again.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36It's just to rinse the glass out, to clean the glass.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38Now we fill the glass up.
0:30:38 > 0:30:45- Here we are. Have you any ideas what the barrel may have contained before we filled it with spirit?- Rum.
0:30:45 > 0:30:49- You've been looking at my notes, haven't you?- No, you can taste it.
0:30:49 > 0:30:50- It really is spicy.- It is.
0:30:50 > 0:30:54- Give us a go.- Don't fight over it! I've told you before, there's plenty to go round.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57There's only one glass though.
0:30:57 > 0:31:03- Next one.- What's the best way to take your whisky - neat, with water, a bit of ice?
0:31:03 > 0:31:06If you try and put ice in it, I'll put you out of the door! Don't drink ice with malt whisky.
0:31:06 > 0:31:13It locks in the flavours. But a little water does help to release the flavouring oils which are in there.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16- A lot lighter, this one. - This is more a pale straw.
0:31:16 > 0:31:18- It is.- What sort of flavours are you getting?
0:31:18 > 0:31:20- Grass, that's what I've smelt.- Yeah.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23There's a citrus hint to it.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25Is it a sherry cask?
0:31:25 > 0:31:28I'm not going to tell you. You're going to guess.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32- Well, it's come from an island but it's not quite in Spain.- Madeira.
0:31:32 > 0:31:33- Madeira.- Got it right again.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35- That's 2-0 so far.- I know.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38This is a great game. How many have we got to go?
0:31:38 > 0:31:42- Another two.- Oh.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45Have you any hints to what kind of cask this is?
0:31:45 > 0:31:48- I've got it.- I've got it, too.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51- This is a sherry cask.- One to you. - This is my favourite one yet.
0:31:51 > 0:31:5418 years in this cask.
0:31:54 > 0:31:55Right.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58Oh, now that colour's telling!
0:31:58 > 0:32:00- It's peachy! - Yeah. That's a wine cask.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03- That is a wine cask.- That's peaty.
0:32:03 > 0:32:04That is peaty, very smoky as well.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06Would this be a red wine cask?
0:32:06 > 0:32:08This is cabernet cask, yes.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11What makes some whisky peaty and others not peaty?
0:32:11 > 0:32:17It depends on the kilning process, how much peat smoke you pass through the malted barley.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19That would go nicely with langoustines.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22Not that we'd dream of cooking with your whisky.
0:32:22 > 0:32:23Absolutely not. Good grief!
0:32:26 > 0:32:29Clare, we've scoured your manor. We've got the best!
0:32:29 > 0:32:34Look at this. Langoustines, in a whisky sauce and some grilled langoustines with garlic butter.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37A wonderful dill and citrus lemon potato cake.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41Surmounted by a quails' egg tempura. Quail's Scottish, a bit of game
0:32:41 > 0:32:43going in there, and a quenelle of spinach.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46Just for a bit of colour and a bit of greenery.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49It would be up to local diners to decide whose dish
0:32:49 > 0:32:52best represents the true flavours of Argyll and Bute.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55These have been blanched for one minute.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58All that does is it firms up the meat so we can get it out.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01I'm going to split them. Make the patient comfortable!
0:33:01 > 0:33:04Just put the knife there.
0:33:04 > 0:33:06Just split it down the centre.
0:33:06 > 0:33:12And from this point on the langoustine is known as Arthur!
0:33:12 > 0:33:15Now, this is how you peel a langoustine.
0:33:15 > 0:33:21Look, we just take the tail away from the head, just pull it nice and gently. Now, get a hold of it.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23- Oh!- Sorry, madam.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26Every time!
0:33:26 > 0:33:29Now, you just snap, pull there, like that,
0:33:29 > 0:33:35and then just pull that off like that and then you snap it again, like that.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38You see? You just pull off,
0:33:38 > 0:33:43pull out and one perfectly-formed nugget of genuine loveliness.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47Look at those, Si. All I want to do now is make some garlic butter
0:33:47 > 0:33:50and put a little nugget of garlic butter and parsley on each one.
0:33:50 > 0:33:55Garlic butter - soften butter, crush some garlic in it, salt and pepper and chopped parsley.
0:33:55 > 0:34:00- Over to you.- Now potatoes, we've blanched these with their skins on for five minutes
0:34:00 > 0:34:03and we're going to peel them and grate them.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10A little knob of butter on each of the little langoustines.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14- This is a quail's egg.- No!
0:34:14 > 0:34:19What we'll do is boil these, just so they're firm enough to peel, so they should be very liquid on the inside.
0:34:19 > 0:34:24I'm going to plunge the cooked eggs immediately into the iced water to stop them cooking.
0:34:24 > 0:34:29I've done great research on this and two minutes is what you need.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32You're only boiling an egg! It's like launching the space shuttle, that!
0:34:32 > 0:34:36Right, all I'm going to do is crack an egg in there like that.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38You wait until you taste these.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40I'm going to whisk it.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42How long are you going to whisk it for(?)
0:34:42 > 0:34:47- Until it's...- Done. - Now, what I'm going to do is grate some potato into there like that.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50It's a bit like a cross between a latke or a rosti,
0:34:50 > 0:34:52- isn't it, this.- Yeah. It is.
0:34:52 > 0:34:54This stops the cooking process.
0:34:54 > 0:35:00- Instantly.- Then I'm going to put half the zest of a lemon in there.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02Maybe about a dessertspoon of dill.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06- I love the smell of dill. - You want about a teaspoon in there.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09And then what we're going to do is put a little bit of olive oil in.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11That smells lovely already.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14It does, doesn't it, it's great. It's a lovely recipe.
0:35:14 > 0:35:21The most important thing, a bit of salt, a bit of pepper, and we're ready to rock 'n' roll.
0:35:21 > 0:35:26- Now the quails' eggs have to be peeled but they're very delicate. - Do you want us all to help?
0:35:26 > 0:35:28- See how soft that is.- Oh, yeah.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31You see, that's how it should be though.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33Can you see how that is?
0:35:33 > 0:35:36We're going to put four in here.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40You don't want the oil too hot, because you want it to cook all the way through.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44On to this side, some celery salt, lots of pepper.
0:35:44 > 0:35:46You can't have egg without salt and pepper.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49- No.- That's the potato cake mix finished with.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52Check them in five minutes and then we'll flip them over.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55I'm just rolling the eggs in the black pepper and celery salt,
0:35:55 > 0:35:58so they've got a crusty coating and the moisture...
0:35:58 > 0:36:01- Makes it stick. - Yeah. Don't want too much.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03I'm going to check these potato cakes.
0:36:03 > 0:36:04- Yeah.- Let's see what they are.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07- Oh, yes. - I think the word divine comes to...
0:36:07 > 0:36:09- Look at that. - Clare, are you worried?
0:36:09 > 0:36:11I'm more intrigued to try.
0:36:11 > 0:36:16What we've got to do is make the tempura batter for the quails' eggs.
0:36:16 > 0:36:22About 70 grams of plain flour, 60 grams of cornflour, one teaspoon of baking powder.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27One teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29An egg,
0:36:29 > 0:36:36gently beat the egg. Normally if I was making prawn tempura, I'd put some salt in that batter,
0:36:36 > 0:36:39but remember I've got salt and pepper on the eggs, so I'm going canny.
0:36:39 > 0:36:45To the egg, I'm adding 100mls of ice-cold sparkling mineral water,
0:36:45 > 0:36:47Scottish sparkling mineral water.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49Mix that to there.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53One of the tricks of tempura is don't worry about it being lumpy.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56The bits of flour explode and it's lovely.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59Mix that into your dried goods.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01Don't worry about the lumps.
0:37:01 > 0:37:06- What you want to do is a thin coating, look at that. - That's the one, dude.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09We've got to get ready for the final finish, the flourish.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12To do the spinach, a big knob of butter.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15You see everything is going to come together very, very quickly.
0:37:15 > 0:37:19- All at once.- Potato cake is doing well, spinach is doing well.- Yes.
0:37:19 > 0:37:21Langoustines under the grill.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23Aaaaaargh!
0:37:23 > 0:37:26Oh! Grasshopper.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31A big knob of butter, Kingy.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35Yes, please. I'm just taking the spinach off.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39It's not a beurre noisette, you know. If you choke... Let us get on.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41- Now listen to this. - SIZZLING
0:37:41 > 0:37:47Oh, look! We don't want to overload the pan too much. What we do...
0:37:49 > 0:37:51How about that? Lovely.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53- He's dying to do the flambe. - I cannot wait.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55If there's a flambe, that's it.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57If there's eggs to peel, no chance!
0:37:57 > 0:38:01You want to put some pepper...
0:38:02 > 0:38:05..two teaspoons of whisky.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08One, two.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11What we're going to do...
0:38:11 > 0:38:13Whoa, tequila!
0:38:13 > 0:38:17I've just got to burn that off, I'm going to stir through
0:38:17 > 0:38:20two dessertspoons of creme fraiche.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24It's good because you have the sweetness of the langoustines. It's sour.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27That's going to form a wonderful whisky sauce.
0:38:27 > 0:38:32I've watched the salt because I tasted one. Honest.
0:38:32 > 0:38:39We're just going to push through a load of freshly chopped parsley and then that's us. Brill.
0:38:39 > 0:38:43- Can we have a...- The tempura eggs, your hands are the best for this.
0:38:43 > 0:38:47- Roll it in there like that. - Just look at these potatoes.
0:38:47 > 0:38:48In there like that.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52They really don't take long.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55You mustn't have them done too much.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58There's the tempura quail's egg. Spinach off, eh, mate?
0:38:58 > 0:39:01Yeah. Spinach is off and ready.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03When they're done, this is it. Look at that.
0:39:03 > 0:39:07Still soft in the middle, you've got the tempura batter, the egg white.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09Have a taste of that, Clare.
0:39:11 > 0:39:15You want that to burst on to the dill potato cake.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17God, you can smell them from here.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20That's a very beautifully-formed quenelle, Mr King.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22You're on fire today, bud.
0:39:22 > 0:39:26- Could I just pinch a little bit of chervil?- It's Greek basil.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28Could I pinch a bit of your Greek basil?
0:39:28 > 0:39:34- Yes.- I think two either side because then the taster is going to get one each, you know what I mean?
0:39:34 > 0:39:39Now just some drizzlings of the whisky sauce. Wonderful, peaty...
0:39:41 > 0:39:44- Do you think that's enough? - Yeah.- Yeah.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46So there we have it, Argyll and Bute...
0:39:46 > 0:39:48- On a plate.- On a plate.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51Langoustines in a whisky sauce and some grilled langoustines
0:39:51 > 0:39:54with garlic butter, a quenelle of fresh spinach,
0:39:54 > 0:40:00a dill and citrus lemon potato cake with the most fantastically-delicate tempura-battered quails' eggs.
0:40:00 > 0:40:01Lovely.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05Come on then, Clare, dive in, let us know what you think.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08- Are the tempura eggs still runny? - Yeah.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10Yes. Brilliant.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15- Yeah?- Mm. It's yummy.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18I like the lemony-dillyness.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21You're the only woman that cuts a langoustine.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24- I'm trying to be dainty! - Look, like that.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27Mm, mm.
0:40:27 > 0:40:29- They're lovely, aren't they?- Mm-hm.
0:40:29 > 0:40:34I don't like whisky but that's gorgeous because there's that little smoky thing happening.
0:40:34 > 0:40:38I think I'd rather have the potato cake with the eggs separately
0:40:38 > 0:40:42and the prawns as two dishes rather than all together.
0:40:42 > 0:40:46- It's really nice.- That one's going off.- I'm going to have that.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52It's the moment of truth - the diners will taste both dishes
0:40:52 > 0:40:54but without any idea of who cooked which.
0:40:54 > 0:41:00First up are Clare's scallops and meatballs with puy lentils and salsa verde.
0:41:00 > 0:41:02It was lovely, beautifully presented.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05The pork was delicious. It had terrifically-strong flavours.
0:41:05 > 0:41:09I wouldn't have thought of putting pork and scallops together
0:41:09 > 0:41:11but it looked very good and tasted very good.
0:41:11 > 0:41:15The scallops were perfectly cooked. There was a nice lemony zing.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17Seared on the outside, still moist in the middle.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20I can't cook my scallops as well!
0:41:20 > 0:41:24I wasn't sure if I'd like the lentils, but I was very surprised how good they were.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27It was better than good. It was excellent
0:41:27 > 0:41:29The aniseed flavour that came through,
0:41:29 > 0:41:33the pork meatballs really balanced the whole dish together with the pesto.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35They liked that as much as we did.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37Now it's our turn.
0:41:37 > 0:41:43Let's hope our whisky flamed langoustine with potato rosti and tempura quails' eggs are as popular.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46It's all the things I like. There's nothing I don't think is great.
0:41:46 > 0:41:50The quail's egg was that well-cooked, I went through the tempura batter,
0:41:50 > 0:41:54it just exploded and it really was tasty.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57I thought there was too much garlic on the langoustines.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59I like garlic a lot but drowned it a little bit.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03The spinach I thought was cooked to perfection. I love spinach and that was perfect.
0:42:03 > 0:42:08For me it was a little bit too much on one plate together. There was too many flavours.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11The langoustines were delicious. I don't eat them very often
0:42:11 > 0:42:14but I'd have to say that they're some of the best I've had.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17I struggled to taste the whisky at first but in actual fact,
0:42:17 > 0:42:22when you stop to analyse the tastes in your mouth afterwards, then you got the whisky bite.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24Hello, how are you?
0:42:28 > 0:42:30We've had a ball today.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34Firstly can I thank everybody in this county for their hospitality
0:42:34 > 0:42:37because we've had a really, really good time.
0:42:37 > 0:42:41We've been drunk! That's what we've been, it's been great!
0:42:41 > 0:42:43We'll be back soon.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46Now this is the horrible bit.
0:42:46 > 0:42:50So, a very clear show of hands please for the scallop dish.
0:42:53 > 0:42:57One, two, three, four, five, six. And a show of hands for the langoustines.
0:42:57 > 0:42:59So that's six to three.
0:42:59 > 0:43:03- The scallop dish was our Clare's. - It was Clare's.
0:43:08 > 0:43:13- Deserved.- Well done.- It was fabulous. A great restaurant, a great kitchen, a very talented lady.
0:43:13 > 0:43:16All that remains is for us to go and have a drink in the kitchen
0:43:16 > 0:43:20and probably we'll have to do the washing up!
0:43:20 > 0:43:23- Thanks very much. - Thank you very much.
0:43:23 > 0:43:26Clare's local scallops proved too good to beat.
0:43:26 > 0:43:29Argyll and Bute has so much rich produce to offer,
0:43:29 > 0:43:35our panniers are laden with the best of their fine seafood and whisky for us to enjoy at home.
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