0:00:02 > 0:00:05We're the Hairy Bikers! We're on the road to find regional recipes.
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!- Wa-hey!
0:00:25 > 0:00:28We're here to find the true taste of Cheshire.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43We couldn't get the bikes up here, could we? Need a trailer!
0:00:43 > 0:00:44THEY LAUGH
0:00:44 > 0:00:46- This is Cheshire.- It is.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49We're looking over the edge of the Cheshire Plains.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53It's on the border with Wales, on the border with Lancashire.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57Apart from footballer's wives, posh houses and cheese, I don't know anything about it.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59It's a mystery, dude.
0:00:59 > 0:01:04Do you know what I think we might find? I think it might be an eclectic mix here. I think it might be.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07It might be fur coat and no knickers though.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09- Let's eat Cheshire.- Let's go.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14'On our quest to define the true flavours of Cheshire, we serve up
0:01:14 > 0:01:19'an ancient recipe for a hearty soup, using the county's favourite export.
0:01:19 > 0:01:26'It's dark and very, very smoky, when we learn the secrets of a traditional smoke house.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30'And down on the farm, Carol Bailey introduces us to a Si lookie-likie,
0:01:30 > 0:01:34'and a flavoursome alternative to lamb, which we think is a real winner.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37'And representing Cheshire in the cook off is David Mooney.
0:01:37 > 0:01:42'Will we be able to beat him using the county's finest ingredients?'
0:01:47 > 0:01:50'Chester is one of the UK's earliest towns.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52'The Romans settled here in 70AD
0:01:52 > 0:01:54'and you can still feel their presence today.'
0:01:54 > 0:01:58- Look, Si, the old Roman city walls. - They're lovely, aren't they?
0:01:58 > 0:01:59The whole city's living history.
0:01:59 > 0:02:04'We're here to find out what Cheshire has to offer us on a plate.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07'I can't wait to see what local food's up for grabs.'
0:02:07 > 0:02:12- Chester, the county town of Cheshire.- It's nice, isn't it?!
0:02:12 > 0:02:16- Shall we see if there's 'owt to eat? - Ooh!- I'm starving.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20- Chester cake.- Let's have some.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24That's lovely.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27It's a blend of what you might have left at the end of the day.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29Maybe a teacake, or some fruitcake.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31Nice and moist, isn't it?
0:02:32 > 0:02:35What's the essential ingredient of Cheshire food?
0:02:35 > 0:02:38- Pastry.- Pastry?- Pastry, I'd say.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41- Ah, really? - Or gravy. Pie and gravy.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43Pie and gravy, that's a good start.
0:02:43 > 0:02:44Pasties.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52- Hello, guys.- Ooh. - Our local tasting plate.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54The main event is this potted Cheshire cheese,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57with sherry, butter and spices. You've got a nice,
0:02:57 > 0:03:00simple, very local roast beef from a farm around the corner.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04Our sausage rolls are made with Chester sausage from a butcher next door but one.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08That's lovely!
0:03:08 > 0:03:10HE SPEAKS LATIN
0:03:10 > 0:03:14- That's a Roman. Are you not a bit cold, son?- Minus testicalus.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17What's the iconic dish of Cheshire?
0:03:17 > 0:03:21We found remains in the amphitheatre of barbecue beef ribs,
0:03:21 > 0:03:24which were eaten and dropped between the seats.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27A wonderful, old-fashioned sweet shop.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30- Let's get in there. Nice to see you. - Nice to see you, all right?
0:03:30 > 0:03:32- What a great shop. - A room full of memories.
0:03:32 > 0:03:37- Fabulous.- Is there a sweetie, though, that's pure Cheshire?
0:03:37 > 0:03:39- Cheshire mix.- Ooh!- Oh!
0:03:39 > 0:03:44You have Yorkshire mix, so we thought, we're in Cheshire, why not a Cheshire mix?
0:03:44 > 0:03:48So, it's the top ten boiled sweets that the people in Cheshire buy.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52This, to me, symbolises Cheshire, it's a mix!
0:03:52 > 0:03:55'So, we know what satisfies Cheshire's sweet tooth,
0:03:55 > 0:03:57'but that doesn't help us in our search for a traditional dish.
0:03:57 > 0:04:03'We still don't know what food represents Cheshire so we decided to ask the authorities.'
0:04:03 > 0:04:07- Officer.- Morning, officer. What's Cheshire famous for?
0:04:07 > 0:04:09- Cheshire cheese?- Cheshire cheese? - Yeah.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11- Madam.- Yes? - What's the iconic dish of Cheshire?
0:04:11 > 0:04:13I would have said cheese.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16I'd go for cheese really. Cheshire cheese.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20- How would you cook your cheese? - On toast.- Cheese on toast?- Yeah.
0:04:22 > 0:04:28- Now then, madness, it seems to me that the reoccurring theme is cheese.- Shall we go in? Should we?
0:04:28 > 0:04:31- Hello.- Oh, yes!- Hello.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33Cor! It smells fantastic.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35Smell? What smell?
0:04:35 > 0:04:39- I can't smell anything!- What is it about Cheshire cheese, Carol?
0:04:39 > 0:04:43It's the pastures the cows graze on, they're quite salty,
0:04:43 > 0:04:47the Cheshire Plains, so it makes it unique, and it's the oldest cheese on record.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51- The oldest cheese on record?- Yes, Cheshire cheese.- Oh, it's heaven.
0:04:51 > 0:04:58We've also got some cheeses made in Cheshire but to an Italian recipe.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00- Right.- That's the Federia.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04And you can taste it is similar to a Gruyere.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06Smell that!
0:05:07 > 0:05:09Have you got a smell of it?
0:05:09 > 0:05:11- Why not?! It's lovely. - Ooh, that's lovely.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15The Cheshire cheese is super in soup as well.
0:05:15 > 0:05:20- Really?- Yes. I used to have a restaurant and I used to do a leek and Cheshire cheese soup.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22- Nice. Sounds good, that.- It does.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25- So you'll have to make that. - Ooh, yeah.- That's an education.
0:05:25 > 0:05:30- Cheshire cheese, you just think, it's Cheshire.- There's a lot of big cheeses in Cheshire.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32- There is!- There are a lot of big cheeses!
0:05:32 > 0:05:34- I'm the big cheese! - You are! Hey!
0:05:34 > 0:05:36'So, what are we cooking with?
0:05:36 > 0:05:41'There's no choice - it has to be Cheshire cheese from the most famous salty Cheshire Plains,
0:05:41 > 0:05:43'and Carol's super duper soup sounds perfect.
0:05:43 > 0:05:49'That's got to be some seriously delicious grass, which helps make some seriously tasty produce.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55'We're going to Heler Cheese to meet Mike Heler.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58'They've been making the stuff here for over 50 years.'
0:05:58 > 0:06:00He sounds like another big cheese to me!
0:06:00 > 0:06:03Right, to get round the cheese dairy,
0:06:03 > 0:06:08we need to tog you up in all this gear, because if I don't, I'll get in trouble.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10You're not allowed to wear a watch.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12And I need you to put a white coat on,
0:06:12 > 0:06:16a snood on your beard, a hair net and a hat.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20And we've got to take your boots off as well.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26- Right. We're off.- Lead the way. - Onward.
0:06:26 > 0:06:33My father started making Cheshire cheese, cylindrical cheese, in 1957.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35Even though it's on a big scale now,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38- it's a single herd cheese you produce, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42The cheese is from our own cows, single herd.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46We've got full control, right from the cow to the product on the shelf.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49- It's like a premier cru wine. - Exactly.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52How well do you look after your cows?
0:06:52 > 0:06:53Our cows get spoilt.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55Look at that! Look at that!
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Look at that! Left a bit, left.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00- Oh.- Wouldn't it be lush to have one of those at home?
0:07:00 > 0:07:04I could soon fix one up for you.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06My God.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Will you stop doing that with your hips?!
0:07:09 > 0:07:12- Oh... - COW MOOS
0:07:12 > 0:07:14- Oh, what!- Wow!
0:07:14 > 0:07:16THEY LAUGH
0:07:16 > 0:07:19There's 4,000 litres of milk in this vat.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23You've got this lovely milk, what happens next, Mike?
0:07:23 > 0:07:26This morning, early on, we pasteurise the milk,
0:07:26 > 0:07:29and then we introduce the rennet.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32That coagulates the milk into a jelly.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35And it's set like a yogurt.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38We're cutting the coagulum,
0:07:38 > 0:07:44which is the curd, and the whey is the liquid that we end up with.
0:07:44 > 0:07:49And eventually, we will cut this and it will end up about the size of your little fingernail.
0:07:49 > 0:07:54In fact, you can have a small taste of it.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00It's very, very creamy. Not sour at all.
0:08:00 > 0:08:05From milk to the best eating quality of the cheese is 12 weeks.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07This will end up as a blue Cheshire.
0:08:07 > 0:08:12We'll now go into our Cheshire dairy, and you can see
0:08:12 > 0:08:16- it on a grand scale.- Wow, that's a lot of cheese, isn't it?
0:08:16 > 0:08:19- Do you want to taste that? - Yes, please.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23My granddad used to love it. He used to come in here and take mouthfuls.
0:08:23 > 0:08:24Lovely!
0:08:26 > 0:08:32In about 35 minutes, this will look like that.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35That's a lot of cheese you're producing.
0:08:35 > 0:08:40- We will make 29, 30 tonnes a day. - Wow!
0:08:41 > 0:08:46Right, well, here we've got the three different types of Cheshire cheese we make.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48We've got white Cheshire cheese,
0:08:48 > 0:08:51blue Cheshire, which is what we're making in the vat today,
0:08:51 > 0:08:55and then coloured Cheshire cheese, so we have red, white and blue.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57This is the white Cheshire cheese.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59Look at that, fantastic.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01Less crumbly.
0:09:01 > 0:09:02Thank you.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04Oh, superb.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07- You like that?- Yes.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11If we go into the coloured cheese...
0:09:11 > 0:09:15- How old's that one? - About 12, 14 weeks of age.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18And now, we will taste the blue Cheshire.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21- Oh...- A lot more creamy.- Mm.
0:09:21 > 0:09:26'We're going to make a Cheshire cheese soup with the blue and white Cheshires we've tried.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29'Do you think this will be enough?'
0:09:32 > 0:09:37'Our panniers are laden with Cheshire's finest ingredients,
0:09:37 > 0:09:38'and we'd better get a move on.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42'We're off to the local landmark, Chester Zoo.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46'It's home to elephants, monkeys, rhinos and a crowd of animal spotters,
0:09:46 > 0:09:50'who are awaiting a rare sighting of the hairiest bikerus.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54- 'What are they?- It's us. And it's feeding time, so we better get cracking.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58'We're cooking up a real taste of Cheshire, a blue and white Cheshire cheese soup,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01'with a fried Federia cheese sandwich on the side.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03'A truly formidable fromage feast.'
0:10:03 > 0:10:05It's Chester Zoo!
0:10:06 > 0:10:08It's one of the major zoos in the world
0:10:08 > 0:10:13- and it's right in the heart of Cheshire.- And where are we?
0:10:13 > 0:10:16It's the blinking Jaguar enclosure.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20We've managed to find an old recipe that goes back to 1800.
0:10:20 > 0:10:26It's made with Cheshire cheese, leaks, potatoes, carrots, oatmeal to thicken it and Cheshire cheese.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29We have a white Cheshire cheese.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31A blue Cheshire cheese.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34And this one is called a Federia, which tastes like Gruyere.
0:10:34 > 0:10:39First, take two pots of the finest fresh chicken stock.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Obviously, if you're a vegetarian, use vegetable stock.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45If you're a vegan, well, just don't bother, really.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48Just stick the carrots in water and suffer!
0:10:48 > 0:10:50Bring that to a boil. Potatoes.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54One, two, three.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56We've got some carrots.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00Madam, could you help me peel a potato so I get ahead of myself?
0:11:00 > 0:11:01There you go, chuck.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05Let the potatoes boil down with that.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10- We should give this lady a round of applause.- Should we?
0:11:10 > 0:11:11Well done, darling. Well done.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17And we're just going to finely chop two leeks.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20And we'll grate carrots into that soup.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22Where's the lady that does the jaguars?
0:11:22 > 0:11:26Come and say hello to our lovely peeps.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29- You're the reason we're here, aren't you?- Yes, I am.
0:11:29 > 0:11:30Tell us about jaguars.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33The jaguars here come from South America.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35They live in the rainforest or the savannah.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39What are they like with trimmings, vegetable trimmings?
0:11:39 > 0:11:42- Can we give them... - We could try, put them on a dish and see what they do.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45I'm just going to season the soup.
0:11:45 > 0:11:46While you're here...
0:11:46 > 0:11:51- Go on, chuck it in.- Joyce, when does the feeding happen?
0:11:51 > 0:11:55- We're just about to feed them. Do you want to have a look? - Yeah, the soup's boiling down.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59- Come with us to South America. - Come and see what you think.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Oh, yes!
0:12:01 > 0:12:06- Ooh. I wouldn't like to meet one of them on a dark night.- No.- No.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10- Oh, absolutely beautiful. - She's going for your vegetables after all.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12Yes! No, she's into it.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15What on earth is this?!
0:12:15 > 0:12:19'Ooh, er! Let's hope our soup goes down better with the locals.'
0:12:19 > 0:12:25The next step will be to check that the potatoes are cooked, yes.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28- Now, Mr Myers... - The blue cheese and white cheese.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31We'll start with that much.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36The Cheshire blue cheese is very, very special.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39I think it's got a little taste of Marmite.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41It's so creamy, isn't it?
0:12:41 > 0:12:44It's really, really good.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48I don't know about you but I think it's one of the finds of the trip.
0:12:48 > 0:12:54It is for sure. What we're going to do with the soup, I'm going to give that a nice mash down.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58That's the Cheshire blue cheese. It melts, it's really creamy.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02This, with regular Cheshire, is going to go great in the soup.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05Sling in a handful of oatmeal.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07That's the clever part of this.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09You use oatmeal to thicken it.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12Which is an old-fashioned way of doing it.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16If you sprinkle oatmeal on the top first, before you stir it in,
0:13:16 > 0:13:17it softens the oatmeal.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Be careful with the seasoning on this because the cheese is salty.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22Do it to taste, guys.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25There's no exact science.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27That's the white Cheshire.
0:13:27 > 0:13:33In that ancient recipe, it said you literally just chuck the cheese in and it melts and goes into the soup.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36- I've got me doubts.- So have I.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39I feel it could go into a stringy mess.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42But they reckon that the Cheshire cheese,
0:13:42 > 0:13:45because it melts down beautifully, as you found with your cheese on toast,
0:13:45 > 0:13:48it's going to be banging brilliant.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53Oh, it's taken it.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55Right, let's have a taste of that.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57More on the blue.
0:13:57 > 0:13:58This is lovely, isn't it?
0:13:58 > 0:14:04- That's great. More salt. - Lots more salt. Lots more cheese.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07Cheese! Do you want to finish this, mate, and I'll do the sandwich?
0:14:07 > 0:14:09Good idea.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11I'll stir in and crack on.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14- When we thought of doing this soup, we wanted an accompaniment.- We did.
0:14:14 > 0:14:19I remember something my mother used to make when I was a little boy.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21She used to make me fried cheese sandwiches.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25She was probably trying to kill me! We thought, to be super indulgent,
0:14:25 > 0:14:27we'd use the Federia, which is like Gruyere,
0:14:27 > 0:14:33and make fried Federia sandwiches to go with the Cheshire cheese soup.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36It's like if Elvis Presley had ever played Cheshire,
0:14:36 > 0:14:38this is what he would have eaten.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41"I'd like some of the Cheshire cheese soup,
0:14:41 > 0:14:43"I'd like 14,000 calories a bowl,
0:14:43 > 0:14:47"all surrounded by a fried cheese sandwich."
0:14:47 > 0:14:52Top tip, when you're frying bread or making croutons, if you're down south, put butter...
0:14:52 > 0:14:55LAUGHTER
0:14:55 > 0:14:59Put butter with your olive oil because the butter will make the bread go golden.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03- Take two slices of finest Cheshire bloomer.- Do you know something?
0:15:04 > 0:15:06That's ready.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08And I'm excited.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10Because I've tasted it and you haven't.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12Just make the cheese sandwiches.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15I'm going to cut the crusts off because it's Cheshire.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22I don't think I've stirred a soup for so long, ever.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28I don't want these beauties burnt.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36Yes, perfect.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38I thank you, Pierre.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47The cheese is starting to melt down!
0:15:47 > 0:15:50Some recipes we do and you know people are going to cook at home,
0:15:50 > 0:15:53I think people will cook the fried cheese sandwiches at home.
0:15:53 > 0:15:58If actually you were a paramedic, you'd be all right. You take the ambulance home now.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02You go have your tea, get the paddles on standby.
0:16:02 > 0:16:03It's all right, that.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07Do eat entirely at your own risk.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09Little rings of leek.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13- Nice little...watercress.- Lovely.
0:16:14 > 0:16:20And two jaunty cheese sandwiches, fried on the side. Look at that.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22Beautiful.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26Cheshire cheese soup and fried Cheshire cheese sandwiches.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29A taste of Cheshire.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34Top two for the top two jaguar keepers.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36- Thank you very much.- Thank you.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38Thank you for having us.
0:16:38 > 0:16:43You'll share? Have that one. I hope you enjoy it.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46The cheese has just gone a bit crispy. This is heaven.
0:16:46 > 0:16:47- What do you think?- Excellent.
0:16:47 > 0:16:52I wouldn't have thought of putting so much cheese into a soup.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55- It's worked really well. - You can taste the calories.- Yeah!
0:16:55 > 0:16:57It's nice.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59It's heaven as it goes down.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01- Feels like it's doing good. - Feel happy.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05It's really nice.
0:17:05 > 0:17:11'Our Cheshire cheese soup and fried cheese sandwiches went down a storm with our captive audience at the zoo.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14'But a bigger challenge is just around the corner.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17'As always we're taking on one of the county's top chefs in their restaurant,
0:17:17 > 0:17:22'using local ingredients to see who can best define the taste of the region.
0:17:22 > 0:17:28It will be up to local diners to decide whose dish best represents the true flavours of Cheshire.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30Our opponent today is David Mooney,
0:17:30 > 0:17:32head chef of the Belle Epoque in Knutsford.
0:17:32 > 0:17:37Loved by local residents and footballers alike, David prides himself on modern British cuisine,
0:17:37 > 0:17:40that never compromises on flavour.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44Our menu consists of things that, first and foremost, taste fantastic.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47Our clientele are all very knowledgeable about food.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49They know what's good and what's not good.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51That's what keeps us on our toes.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55I went off as a very young man to work for Raymond Blanc,
0:17:55 > 0:17:58which was an eye opener, to say the least.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00It was the hardest I've ever worked. Unbelievable.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04I was in France for two years and learned that passion just for food,
0:18:04 > 0:18:08whether it's a loaf of bread, an orange or a fantastic piece of game.
0:18:08 > 0:18:14When you've worked away, I think you realise how utterly brilliant your own neck of the woods is.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18Cheshire is just fantastic. We've got everything here.
0:18:18 > 0:18:19Pete Mosley should be...
0:18:19 > 0:18:23He better be digging potatoes for me now. He's two, two and a half miles.
0:18:23 > 0:18:28Our potatoes are out of the ground and in the kitchen within hours.
0:18:28 > 0:18:33A guy phoned me this morning, he had two wheelbarrows full of apples, could I use them? Could I ever.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37We all try to source as near to our back door as we possibly can.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40At the end of the day, it's all about good products.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42You can't make chicken soup out of chicken poop.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44To take on the bikers,
0:18:44 > 0:18:47my taste of Cheshire is wild boar,
0:18:47 > 0:18:50preserved plums and pommes dauphinoise.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52Just brilliant.
0:18:58 > 0:19:03We've heard what he's about, now it's time to meet the man for ourselves. This is Knutsford.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05We're looking for the beautiful era.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07La Belle Epoque!
0:19:07 > 0:19:10- Whay!- Ho-ho-ho! - No, Belle Epoque,
0:19:10 > 0:19:11not belly pork!
0:19:11 > 0:19:14- Looks like we're here. - Pretty fancy, eh?
0:19:14 > 0:19:17Yeah, but will his cooking be up to scratch?
0:19:17 > 0:19:20- So, David Mooney...- Sir.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22..what are you doing?
0:19:22 > 0:19:24Beautiful Arley wild boar,
0:19:24 > 0:19:26a little bit of wild boar liver,
0:19:26 > 0:19:30and then pommes dauphinoise organic spinach,
0:19:30 > 0:19:34with a red wine jus, with a little of those preserved plums in.
0:19:34 > 0:19:39- Shall we get cracking?- Go on, chef. - We have got this fantastic tenderloin of wild boar.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42- Absolutely horrible animal, fantastic meat.- Well hung.
0:19:42 > 0:19:48I'm going to take the sinew off here. Just a bit there.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50Trim that off and cut that in half.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52That is ready for the pan now.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55- Oh, wow. - Thinly slice... Are you listening?
0:19:55 > 0:19:56- BOTH: Yes! - You could learn here.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00I'm waiting for your fingers. If you had a food processor,
0:20:00 > 0:20:03put your potatoes there and woof, they're there. It's the way forward.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05It's the future.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08You know, everything modern isn't best, you know?
0:20:08 > 0:20:11We layer those round like that. Very important this.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Salt and pepper every layer
0:20:14 > 0:20:16and throw in some really finely chopped garlic,
0:20:16 > 0:20:20and then a bit of this strong mature Cheddar.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24Then start on the potatoes again, by hand.
0:20:24 > 0:20:29This way you can layer them nicely. If they're in the food processor, you dump straight in.
0:20:29 > 0:20:35I bought a mandolin and that night was sitting there covered in plasters and Steri-Strips.
0:20:35 > 0:20:36It really hurts.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Season that up as well.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42The important thing is to end up with a layer of cheese on top.
0:20:42 > 0:20:47We want it nice and gratinated on the top. The double cream goes on.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50That goes in till you can just about see it there.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52If you put too much, they come out sloppy and horrible.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56We want nice, tight layers. That's about perfect.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59- How long do you aim to cook that for?- Three to four hours.
0:20:59 > 0:21:04Till you can put in a knife in, it comes out really tender. That's why we cut them thinly.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07Tin foil on that, 150 degrees, three hours.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09I'm going to foil it up.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11It's thin, cheesy chips.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Cheesy chips and old pig.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15- Cracked it. - Let's get the sauce on the go.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17In here, a little tiny bit of oil.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Medium heat.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21Finely diced carrot.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23For you, boys, I cut them beautiful.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27I always cut them like that. A pinch of celery as well.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30It's a classic brunoise. An onion.
0:21:30 > 0:21:35Then the garlic left over from the dauphinoise. That's the bedrock of our sauce.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37I'm going to sweat those down for a few minutes.
0:21:37 > 0:21:42We need a bit of the liquor off these preserved plums. We get a glut of them in autumn.
0:21:42 > 0:21:43People bring them in.
0:21:43 > 0:21:50We preserve these, stock syrup, little bit of cinnamon, mixed spice, pop a star anise in the bottom.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54A lovely, lovely taste. We put a bit of kirsch in there as well.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56Ah, right, OK.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58A little bit of that in there.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01Then a bit of the old...
0:22:01 > 0:22:05- What's the adage? If you can't drink it, don't cook with it.- Absolutely.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09That will reduce to a syrup now. The flavours of the marinade in there.
0:22:09 > 0:22:14The sweetness and the boar will work off there.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17I'm going to do roast carrots just as a garnish.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20Smoking hot pan, sizzle, sizzle, sizzle, bang, bang, bang.
0:22:20 > 0:22:21You cannot fry carrots, you loony.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23You loony Mooney.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25The fans need cleaning.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28Don't come in here with your attitude, young man. S and P again.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31I'm going to finish these now.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34A bit of sugar in there. As that cooks it's going to caramelise.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37Nice and tasty, that.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41Sauce, back to the sauce, I made a wild boar stock.
0:22:41 > 0:22:46All I did was roast the bones off for about an hour, get them nice and golden, vegetables in there,
0:22:46 > 0:22:50all the trimmings off these things here, all went in with it.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Bit of bay, bit of garlic.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55Then we simmered it away for four hours.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57Such simple tastes in there.
0:22:57 > 0:23:02- The sugars bring out the savoury in meat.- It's all about balance.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05That's all we're trying to do.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09We need a smoking hot pan to seal the outsides.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12Get loads of colour on it. You don't want to put your hand there.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14We just put that in
0:23:14 > 0:23:18very quick. Just season it again.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20- You see that lovely colour on there. - Yeah. Brilliant.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24That's what we're after. Beautiful.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26That's just spot on.
0:23:26 > 0:23:32All that's going to happen to that is straight in the oven, eight to ten minutes, job done.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34I'm going to throw this in the oven.
0:23:34 > 0:23:39Sauce is just about, dare I say, perfect.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42Taste that, it needs a bit of seasoning.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44- Give us a taste.- No.
0:23:44 > 0:23:51I'm going to put it back on there, I'm going to sieve it out and get rid of the bits and bobs.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53Have you tasted these puppies here?
0:23:53 > 0:23:56- What do you think? - Dreadful.- Fabulous.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58- No, they're gorgeous.- They're good.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02I'm going to put two or three of those... You can chop them finer if you want.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05Now we sear that liver,
0:24:05 > 0:24:10one minute each side, a bit of salt and pepper both sides.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14There we go. Into a nice hot pan.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17Look at that, that is just...
0:24:17 > 0:24:19Oh, yes. Beautiful!
0:24:19 > 0:24:21We have the dauphinoise out of the oven.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25I'm going to leave that to cool, then cut out chefy rounds.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28These are the ones I made earlier.
0:24:28 > 0:24:29All we have to do now
0:24:29 > 0:24:33is roll the spinach round the pan in there. Some butter.
0:24:33 > 0:24:39Now, because this has been rinsed off, there should be enough moisture to cook this down.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42- Shall we plate up?- Yes! - Plate up the winning dish.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44LAUGHTER
0:24:44 > 0:24:47Very caramelised is the expression here.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50- Just call them Cajun. - I'd call them burnt.
0:24:50 > 0:24:55The meat's resting here. I'm going to slice it once longitudinally.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Oohhh! Look at that!
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Spinach is beautiful now.
0:25:01 > 0:25:07Sit nice and neatly. Then plop a bit of the wild boar on top there.
0:25:07 > 0:25:14- Yes.- We've got this beautiful nugget of the wild boar liver on the top there.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17Then we're going to sauce.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20# Oh, it's all gone quiet over there... #
0:25:21 > 0:25:28Here we have, Arley wild boar, organic spinach, roast carrots and pommes dauphinoise.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30I give you the winning dish.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38- The sauce is lovely.- Yeah, superb.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41- The liver's gorgeous. - That's very good.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45The dauphinoise have huge flavours.
0:25:45 > 0:25:51It's very generous, the flavours are big, and it's a good portion.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54It is good. That's lovely food. Yeah.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57Still going to beat him, though.
0:25:57 > 0:26:02But it's the locals who will decide whose dish is best in a blind tasting coming up.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04'David has raised the bar with his wild boar.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07'His flavours are big, but ours need to be bigger.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10'And we know exactly where to look.'
0:26:10 > 0:26:14Harold Bailey's farm is just down the road and specialises in
0:26:14 > 0:26:19well-reared rare breed livestock that claims fantastic flavour.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21But will it have the produce to give us the edge?
0:26:21 > 0:26:25- It looks promising. To take David on, we need a good meat.- That's right.
0:26:25 > 0:26:30It doesn't have to be organic, but it has to be good husbandry.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32It does, and we like to molly coddle our animals a little bit,
0:26:32 > 0:26:34because it gives a better flavour.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38The better you treat them, the better the flavour. There's nothing in the fields.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40- No.- They're all in the shed.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48- Whoa!- There you go!
0:26:48 > 0:26:54- Oh, yes!- Most of these are grey-faced Dartmoor, particularly
0:26:54 > 0:26:57this one here, she's like a pedigree one here.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59The grey nose is typical.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01And this big forelock.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04You can see...
0:27:04 > 0:27:06Big forelock!
0:27:06 > 0:27:09- It's all there!- It's very similar.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13They're a rare breed sheep. Then we're crossing some of our other
0:27:13 > 0:27:17sheep to them to try to improve them and get a nice cross-bred lamb.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19What's so good about Cheshire for sheep?
0:27:19 > 0:27:25It's to do with the Cheshire plains and the salt in the ground that makes the grass grow.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28You get a really good, lush,
0:27:28 > 0:27:33but meaty grass that feeds grass-fed animals perfectly.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36Carol, I don't see any lambs.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40There are one or two, they're our breeding lambs, so we don't eat those.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42What I have in mind for you are hogget lamb.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44What's a hogget?
0:27:44 > 0:27:50It's an older lamb anywhere from about nine months up to 15 months of age.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53The longer the meat grows the better the flavour.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57- It's not mutton though, is it? - No, mutton is an old breeding sheep.
0:27:57 > 0:28:03Some of these old girls here may only have one or two lots of lambs and then they become barren.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06Those would then go for mutton.
0:28:06 > 0:28:11- We do hogget, we can beat David Mooney?- Absolutely.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14- Ah!- Here we go.
0:28:14 > 0:28:15Hogget.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18Now, that is a hogget lamb.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20How long has that been hung for?
0:28:20 > 0:28:22About 14 days.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25- Right. Nice.- That's where your meat's coming from.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27Do you want the shoulder or the leg?
0:28:27 > 0:28:29A bit of both.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32- We've got to win this. - Let's get me leg off, and shoulder.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35Ready? There we go. That's your chops.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38- Chop City. Look at that. - Let's have the back end off.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40Yes? Look at that.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42You're a dab hand with a knife, you.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44Let's split it. There you go.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49And then that is your leg of lamb.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53Carol, show us on this, what's different for the hogget than the lamb?
0:28:53 > 0:28:57There's that little bit more fat cover on there.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00You have a bit more fat in the muscle itself.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02But it's that which gives you the flavour.
0:29:02 > 0:29:06So it's a bit older, it needs a bit more sympathy.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10Hogget is better for stews and casseroles and slow cooking?
0:29:10 > 0:29:16- Yes.- As do we all, a slow cooked, bit of sympathy. Absolutely!
0:29:16 > 0:29:21Now we know what we're cooking - spiced hogget with a swede and Cheshire cheese gateau.
0:29:24 > 0:29:29'To complement the full flavour of our hogget we need something equally as tasty.'
0:29:32 > 0:29:35Where better to head than the Cheshire smokehouse?
0:29:35 > 0:29:37They smoke anything, from pork to garlic.
0:29:37 > 0:29:39I can't wait for a nibble.
0:29:39 > 0:29:43- How long have you been smoking stuff here?- We've been here 15 years.
0:29:43 > 0:29:49But my great grandfather started smoking food in 1907, so I'm fourth generation.
0:29:49 > 0:29:55These are smoke kilns that we actually built to exactly the same design as my great grandfather.
0:29:55 > 0:30:00- Look at this.- In here we have bacon that's been smoking and garlic.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02Oh, what!
0:30:02 > 0:30:08This has been in here for 18 hours. This is coal smoking, getting the flavour in.
0:30:08 > 0:30:10But it does get in your eyes.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13# Smoke gets in your eyes... #
0:30:13 > 0:30:15That bacon is going to taste incredible.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17What are you smoking it in?
0:30:17 > 0:30:19This is a mixture of oak and beech chippings.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22That bacon's very dark, what's it cured in?
0:30:22 > 0:30:26It's been dry cured to start with, then it's soaked in molasses and honey.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29- We have won awards for that one. - I'm not surprised.
0:30:29 > 0:30:31I bet the rind on that's lovely.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37I'm going to show you the dry curing process for the bacon.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40This is a mixture of salt, sugar and saltpetre.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42This curing process, whether you're making
0:30:42 > 0:30:46smoky bacon or ordinary bacon, that turns the pork into bacon?
0:30:46 > 0:30:50Exactly, without this it would be a piece of smoked pork.
0:30:50 > 0:30:55You get it all over the meat, rub it in. And on the fat side as well.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57The fat will take the salt as well.
0:30:57 > 0:31:03What will start happening is this salt will start drawing the moisture out of the bacon.
0:31:03 > 0:31:07You'll lose say about a pound and a half, two pounds of moisture out of that.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11- When you cook it you're not going to get the goo running out. - How long do we leave that now?
0:31:11 > 0:31:15That'll be left for round about four or five days.
0:31:15 > 0:31:21After that we soak it in a marinade of molasses and honey, about another five days.
0:31:21 > 0:31:26Then it will be smoked for 18 to 20 hours, then we're ready to slice it and eat it.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29Got a bit of smoked chicken and duck, if you want a taste.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32- Oh, God, yes.- Are you mad?
0:31:32 > 0:31:34This was hot smoked. First of all, it has been cured,
0:31:34 > 0:31:38bit of garlic, honey, salt, and a tiny bit of brown sugar.
0:31:38 > 0:31:42There ain't no dried up chicken breast taste there, is there?
0:31:42 > 0:31:45Oh, hey. Stunning.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48Some of our duck breast.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52- Look at that.- Because you're in a smoky environment now,
0:31:52 > 0:31:55you're probably not getting the full flavour of that.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59- Get that home and it tastes completely different.- That's divine.
0:31:59 > 0:32:03What is the difference between hot and cold smoked?
0:32:03 > 0:32:07Hot smoked is cooking and smoking at the same time.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11Cold smoked is what you have as bacon, smoked salmon,
0:32:11 > 0:32:13you're not cooking it, you're just imparting the flavour.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15Perfect.
0:32:17 > 0:32:21We're in footballer country, is this where they come for their shopping?
0:32:21 > 0:32:23- We get a few.- Who?
0:32:23 > 0:32:26Bobby Charlton comes in quite a but.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30- Sir Bobby! - Loves his bacon, and Peter Crouch banged his head on that ham,
0:32:30 > 0:32:34I think, last time he was in.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37- I'm going to do a bit of shopping. - Help yourself.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41The molasses sweet-cured bacon, he's got streaky.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44That could be great, imagine haricot beans tossed in that.
0:32:44 > 0:32:49I think the pancetta's gonna be perfect, what do you reckon with the hogget?
0:32:49 > 0:32:52What about smoked garlic to go with the swede?
0:32:52 > 0:32:55Swede, yeah. Be lovely, wouldn't it?
0:32:58 > 0:33:01That should do us well. Look at that.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03- Thank you very much.- Thanks.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06- Great, we're off.- Yes!
0:33:06 > 0:33:09It's our turn now. We have a belter.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11It's a busy place so we better get on.
0:33:11 > 0:33:18Spiced hogget, swede and Cheshire cheese gateau, braised fennel, filled with haricot beans,
0:33:18 > 0:33:25tossed in that wonderful molasses bacon, then we're doing beetroot squares in a beetroot syrup.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27Get on with it.
0:33:27 > 0:33:32It will be up to local diners to decide whose dish best represents the true flavours of Cheshire.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36- Oil. Oil. Pan. - Oil. Pan. We're off to a good start.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39We're putting nice pancetta in there.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41- That's a lovely Cheshire delicacy that(!)- It is.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44The Cheshire smokehouse!
0:33:44 > 0:33:47THEY LAUGH
0:33:47 > 0:33:52Now we need to brown the hogget. Right now.
0:33:52 > 0:33:57I just know this has got "losing dish" written all over it.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01- You haven't seen what we're doing with this, though. - I don't need to, I know.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04- Garlic, old fruit? - Yes, please, mate.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07Time to get a bit of liquid into it - some good red wine.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11I've just cut meself again.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14You have not! You have not!
0:34:14 > 0:34:16Look at the state of me.
0:34:16 > 0:34:20It's like being on the set of Saving Private Ryan, this.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23Set of bloody Casualty.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26- Midsomer Murders.- That's fine red wine, Chilean merlot.
0:34:26 > 0:34:32- About half a pint.- Two great things with hogget, anchovies and capers.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36The zest of a lemon.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38I got my dry goods now.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40Stick of cinnamon.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43A teaspoonful of cumin,
0:34:43 > 0:34:47ground coriander, and half a teaspoon of ground ginger.
0:34:47 > 0:34:51So that's going to give you a nice bit of underlying heat.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53In fairness to you, you're showing promise here.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56Two bay leaves.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59To that, some lovely thyme.
0:34:59 > 0:35:01Strip the good bits off the stalk.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04Sage, now some traditional rosemary.
0:35:04 > 0:35:08Look at that. Lovely. OK. That's all the ingredients in now.
0:35:08 > 0:35:13We stick it in the oven for a couple of hours.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15You think I've got all day to hang round with you guys.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19Here's the thing, we've got one on the go already you see.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22Oh! Crafty bikers!
0:35:22 > 0:35:24Look at that.
0:35:24 > 0:35:26That's concentrated Cheshire.
0:35:26 > 0:35:32- Let's do the beets.- You may ask, why am I peeling the beetroot?
0:35:32 > 0:35:33Dave, why are you peeling the beetroot?
0:35:33 > 0:35:37I want the juices to leech out, because the beetroot juice, we're
0:35:37 > 0:35:43going to add sugar and some balsamic vinegar and make a beetroot syrup.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45- Lovely reduction, you see.- Oh.
0:35:45 > 0:35:53Right, now possibly the piece de resistance and your downfall is the swede and Cheshire cheese gateau.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55Down South they call them turnips.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58- That's wrong.- It's a swede.- It's a swede.- Can I barrow your mandolin?
0:35:58 > 0:36:00I've got one here.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04I fear we might need more plasters.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06No, I'm not touching it.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10Oh, dear me.
0:36:10 > 0:36:11I can't do
0:36:11 > 0:36:14this on a mandolin while slicing the...
0:36:14 > 0:36:16Meanwhile, I'll prepare the dressing.
0:36:16 > 0:36:21- I need two tablespoons of flour. - Is that plain flour?- Plain flour.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24This is ground coriander.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26One teaspoon.
0:36:26 > 0:36:31White pepper, magic with turnips and mashed potato. About a teaspoonful of sea salt.
0:36:31 > 0:36:36- You used to do this with chicken in the 1980s.- What's this? The dressing for...- I'll show you, love.
0:36:36 > 0:36:40One perfectly sliced piece of turnip, swede.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42I'll take this cutter,
0:36:42 > 0:36:44mind me hands!
0:36:44 > 0:36:45Just for once today.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48There you have it.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50A perfect rondelle.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54- A swede rondelle.- You could use the other bits for soup.
0:36:54 > 0:36:59Aye, you could. Go and make turnip crisps for your punters. Go on.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03Ray-Bans.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06I toss me swede rings in the seasoned flour.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09- This builds up the gateau.- I'm agog.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12You will be. So, I need to line the chef's ring.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14Just stop the cream going out.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16- Yeah.- Oh! Hey!
0:37:16 > 0:37:21I'll tell you what we need to do... You know our smoked garlic?
0:37:21 > 0:37:22Is it smoked seriously?
0:37:22 > 0:37:24Absolutely brilliant.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26Oh, yeah. Actually, that is lovely.
0:37:26 > 0:37:31Put some olive oil in there, stick it in the oven so all those cloves
0:37:31 > 0:37:34just pop out. Mash it with butter, Bob's your uncle.
0:37:34 > 0:37:36The ultimate garlic butter.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38The ultimate garlic butter.
0:37:38 > 0:37:43You take that wonderful smoked garlic butter, simply apply the brush
0:37:43 > 0:37:45to the inside of the foil thingy.
0:37:45 > 0:37:51While Dave's cracking on with that, this bacon, sweet black streaky bacon,
0:37:51 > 0:37:52it's in molasses and honey.
0:37:52 > 0:37:55Oh! That is absolutely sensational.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57It is sensational stuff.
0:37:57 > 0:38:02Remember this? This is my flour, put it in there. Shake. If it
0:38:02 > 0:38:06were Jamie Oliver, I'd sell this plastic bag for £13.50, wouldn't I?
0:38:06 > 0:38:08You'd be knocking them out,
0:38:08 > 0:38:13- stick it on the website.- Look at that ring of swede microscopically dusted with loveliness.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16Place that in the bottom of me ramekin.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18It's a tight fit, but it will shrink.
0:38:18 > 0:38:23To that we do a layer of the finest Cheshire cheese,
0:38:23 > 0:38:30then we do one of the swede rings, which has been garnished with a flour, then we stack them like that.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33Top that with cream.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37We have the best cream in Cheshire, without a doubt.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39Do you know how to make a fennel spoon?
0:38:39 > 0:38:43Oh, I see, it's like a Chinese spoon.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45That simply needs steaming.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47Can you smell burning beetroot?
0:38:47 > 0:38:50Yes!
0:38:50 > 0:38:52He's not wrong, actually.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54- What? (BLEEP)- Ah, you're joking.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56But...
0:38:56 > 0:38:59Oh, no! Oh, no!
0:38:59 > 0:39:01THEY LAUGH
0:39:01 > 0:39:03Here's one we did earlier!
0:39:03 > 0:39:06Kingy, we're going win.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09If we don't win, we've had a good time trying, you know.
0:39:09 > 0:39:13While you're doing that then, I'll get on with the beans.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16I'm going to fry this lovely bacon off like that.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21- Want a bit of red wine in there? - I think so.
0:39:21 > 0:39:27Some sugar, and some of Cheshire's finest balsamic vinegar.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29The smell off that bacon!
0:39:29 > 0:39:32I wish you could smell this at home.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35We've put the beans in that rendered fat.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39It's all leeched out of the fantastic bacon we bought from the smokehouse.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42It's going to be brilliant. I'm really looking forward to eating it.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46That's the beetroot syrup. Our entities are coming together, Mr King.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50- Happy?- Happy.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52Yabba dabba doo! We're ready to plate up.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54You get the gateau.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57I'll get this hogget.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01- Right, now there's the hogget. - Look at that!
0:40:01 > 0:40:03Oh, Mr Myers!
0:40:07 > 0:40:10I don't think they collected that much foil
0:40:10 > 0:40:12for the Blue Peter appeal, did they?
0:40:12 > 0:40:14They've got two guide dogs.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20Look at that, lovely and golden.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23To the side of that,
0:40:23 > 0:40:25jauntily place a fennel spoon.
0:40:25 > 0:40:26Oh.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30A little spoonful of beans in there.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33That's Cheshire on a plate. We have spiced hogget with
0:40:33 > 0:40:40a fennel spoon of haricot beans and molasses bacon, served with a swede and Cheshire cheese gateau.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43I've got to start with this.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46Much as it grieves me to tell you,
0:40:49 > 0:40:52it's very good. Swines!
0:40:52 > 0:40:54Just try the gateau.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58Look at that. In fairness, cut straight through it there like that.
0:41:00 > 0:41:05Tell us that didn't work. It works doesn't it? It's good, isn't it?
0:41:05 > 0:41:07On your bikes!
0:41:07 > 0:41:09I knew it! I knew it!
0:41:09 > 0:41:12Top drawer, boys, well done.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14Let's see what the punters say.
0:41:17 > 0:41:24First to be served up is David's dish of local wild boar with preserved winter plums and pommes dauphinoise.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27The diners don't know who cooked which dish.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30- Smells great.- Very tender.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33Quite a strong taste of garlic from something.
0:41:33 > 0:41:37- Love the spinach.- The boar cooked beautifully, all of it.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40Everything, melt in your mouth. A beautiful dish.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43I liked the taste of the plums with the boar.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45The sweetness with the meat was very good.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48Earthiness of the spinach went very well.
0:41:48 > 0:41:53The downside for me was the garlic, which I felt was in the potatoes.
0:41:53 > 0:41:57The boar was fabulous, the spinach was fabulous, I loved the way the plums worked.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00The garlic in the potatoes ruined it as well.
0:42:00 > 0:42:04I loved that we had a Cheshire dish in front of us and it tasted so good.
0:42:04 > 0:42:09They seemed to enjoy the wild boar, well, apart from the garlic.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12Will our spiced hogget be a success too?
0:42:12 > 0:42:16Delicious. Nice beetroot in season.
0:42:16 > 0:42:20My favourite. Mmm, lovely. I thought that was delicious.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23That was a plate that I wanted to clear.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26I felt that the chef had hit the nail on the head with this dish.
0:42:26 > 0:42:30They'd taken a lot of time in thinking how the flavours worked together.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34In terms of presentation, I found the beans on the fennel was a bit
0:42:34 > 0:42:38- bland, similar colours, they didn't stand out.- Not a meat I've had.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41It's something I'd like to try again.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44A lovely, rustic, wholesome dish which I thoroughly enjoyed.
0:42:44 > 0:42:45Hello.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54Well then, here we are.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56This is the moment of truth.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00Who preferred the wild boar?
0:43:00 > 0:43:03And for the hogget?
0:43:03 > 0:43:07The hogget was the Hairy's. That was us.
0:43:08 > 0:43:12David, it's been such a good laugh and such a good time with you.
0:43:12 > 0:43:16Guys, the pleasure's all mine. All I need is the keys to one bike and I'm a happy boy.
0:43:16 > 0:43:21'I can't believe it, Kingy, our hogget was a winner.'
0:43:21 > 0:43:26'David put up a good fight with his wild boar, mate, and he was a great laugh in the kitchen.'
0:43:26 > 0:43:28'We feasted on fantastic flavours on our journey round Cheshire.
0:43:28 > 0:43:31'We'll never forget the salty plains.
0:43:31 > 0:43:34'They're the real reason for the distinct flavours of the county.'
0:43:54 > 0:43:56Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd