0:00:02 > 0:00:03Christmas. We love this time of year.
0:00:03 > 0:00:06Yeah, wrapping presents, decorating the tree,
0:00:06 > 0:00:07and generally making merry.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12And nothing beats a bit of Christmas home cooking,
0:00:12 > 0:00:15shared with family and friends.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17Delicious festive food for all occasions,
0:00:17 > 0:00:19packed with flavour and full of love.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21Ding dong merrily on high!
0:00:21 > 0:00:23And we'll be joined by some familiar faces
0:00:23 > 0:00:25to get us all into the festive spirit.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27Oh, my goodness!
0:00:27 > 0:00:29That is preposterously wonderful.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31- Merry Christmas!- Merry Christmas.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34We'll also find out how to make someone's day
0:00:34 > 0:00:37with delicious home-made foodie gifts.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43So hang up your stockings, tweak your tinsel,
0:00:43 > 0:00:46turn on your fairy lights and relax.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48- BOTH:- We're home for Christmas!
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Even when it's cold outside and there's snow on the ground,
0:01:06 > 0:01:09you can still bring a little bit of sunshine into Christmas.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12Our recipes'll warm your cockles.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21We've got sunny Moroccan spices in a delicious lamb shank tagine.
0:01:31 > 0:01:32And Christmas Madeira cake,
0:01:32 > 0:01:35served with a ginger, orange and chocolate fondue.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43To help us get into the festive spirit,
0:01:43 > 0:01:45we'll be joined by Nicki Chapman...
0:01:45 > 0:01:47Forks away!
0:01:47 > 0:01:49Thumbs up?
0:01:50 > 0:01:52Gorgeous, boys. Gorgeous.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55Merry, prosperous, lovely Christmas.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57Thank you! Well, cheers to you as well.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59- Cheers!- Merry Christmas. - Merry Christmas!- Merry Christmas!
0:02:02 > 0:02:07But first, a jambalaya that will bring warmth and sunshine
0:02:07 > 0:02:09to your leftover Christmas turkey.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11Oh, he's not joking - there's more warmth in this,
0:02:11 > 0:02:14it would melt your snowman's socks.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18- It would!- But, you know, first we start off with our Cajun spices.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Now, you can go and buy a pot of it from the supermarket,
0:02:21 > 0:02:23but it won't be as good as this.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27We've got salt, onion powder, garlic powder,
0:02:27 > 0:02:30thyme, oregano, basil,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33cayenne pepper, cumin and sweet paprika.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35Now, while Dave's mixing the spice,
0:02:35 > 0:02:39I'm just going to add about a dessert spoon of oil
0:02:39 > 0:02:41to our leftover turkey,
0:02:41 > 0:02:43- and then...- Smell that.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Oh, wow. That takes you back to Louisiana!
0:02:46 > 0:02:48It does, doesn't it?
0:02:48 > 0:02:51The reason that we've put the oil on the turkey is very simple.
0:02:51 > 0:02:57It's to make this wonderful Cajun spice stick.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00The other thing that we're going to do while we're here is take some
0:03:00 > 0:03:02more Cajun spice and just toss the prawns in it,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05because a jambalaya wouldn't be jambalaya without prawns.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08And it wouldn't be a jambalaya without a tasty sausage.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10We're using chorizo sausages.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12You could use fancy ones, or a bit of boudin,
0:03:12 > 0:03:13but you could also use
0:03:13 > 0:03:16the chipolatas that are left over from your turkey dinner -
0:03:16 > 0:03:20but to be fair, there are never any leftover chipolatas in our house.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22No, no, same. Leftover sausages?
0:03:22 > 0:03:23It's wrong!
0:03:23 > 0:03:25If you were a nut, what would you be?
0:03:25 > 0:03:27- Walnut.- Walnut?
0:03:27 > 0:03:30Yeah. It's, like, slightly old and knobbly.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32- Oh, aye.- What would you be?
0:03:32 > 0:03:33- Oh, a brazil.- Why?
0:03:33 > 0:03:35Tough and moreish.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39THEY LAUGH
0:03:39 > 0:03:40Oh, cashew!
0:03:44 > 0:03:47I think one of the best things about turkey is the leftovers, you know?
0:03:47 > 0:03:48Oh, absolutely, I love it.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52You know, because it's minimal effort for maximum satisfaction.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54Already, as it gets warm, the fat -
0:03:54 > 0:03:57that lovely red smoky fat's coming out into the pan -
0:03:57 > 0:04:00that'll end up in the rice, the chicken and the prawns,
0:04:00 > 0:04:01and all the veggies.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03And it's such a great flavour.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05Oh, aye. And we'll just set that aside.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08Oh, it smells great, doesn't it?
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Fry the celery, onion and green pepper
0:04:11 > 0:04:13in the oil from the cooked chorizo.
0:04:13 > 0:04:14It's like, you know,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17when you start making your sofrito for your risotto,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20it's almost nice to change the aroma of your house, isn't it?
0:04:20 > 0:04:22- It's great.- You know, you've had your cinnamon,
0:04:22 > 0:04:26your scented candle's going, then all of a sudden - boom!
0:04:26 > 0:04:29I love a scented candle at Christmas, do you?
0:04:29 > 0:04:31Yeah, I'm quite partial, yes.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33Good, because that's what I bought you last year.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35Thanks. I haven't got it yet, though.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39The best present you ever bought me was that bottle of cognac.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41Oh, 80 years old, wasn't it?
0:04:41 > 0:04:44Oh, yes. It didn't last 80 more years, I tell you.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46- Oh, no.- It was fabulous.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48Fabulous.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50Garlic goes in now.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53I remember on Christmas Eve as a boy, and I'd got -
0:04:53 > 0:04:58it was a typically kind of children's fairy tale silver bicycle
0:04:58 > 0:04:59with stabilisers,
0:04:59 > 0:05:03and it was only about three days till I got my stabilisers taken off,
0:05:03 > 0:05:05and I was up and down the back street like a good 'un.
0:05:05 > 0:05:10It was red, shiny, chrome mudguards - perfect.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12You never forget your first pedally bike, do you?
0:05:12 > 0:05:13- No.- Mine was a chopper.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16It was a yellow one. I could not believe it.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20We had great hills where I lived,
0:05:20 > 0:05:22and you just used to fly down them at high speed.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Oh, it was brilliant.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26Right, mate, I think we're there.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29Right, and now some tomatoes.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31And now we'll return that wonderful...
0:05:31 > 0:05:34Go on, have a bit. I know you're dying.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37We'll return that wonderful chorizo to the pan.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39Oh, great, that. That's so good!
0:05:39 > 0:05:41Sprinkle the rice over the top...
0:05:41 > 0:05:42Look at the colours in that.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44Says sunshine, doesn't it?
0:05:44 > 0:05:47- Oh, aye.- It says, "Wake me up before you go-go."
0:05:47 > 0:05:48- Look at that.- Oh, aye.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50Then we put the stock in.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54It was about a litre of turkey stock.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56Yes, you've guessed it.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59Do not waste anything from that humble bird!
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Now, that needs to cook for about 15 minutes,
0:06:02 > 0:06:05until the rice is just cooked through -
0:06:05 > 0:06:08which gives us time to make our sweet potato fritters.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11- Oh, yeah.- Uh-uh!- Mm-hm.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13- Mm-hm.- Right.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32Now, the main ingredient for sweet potato fritters is...
0:06:32 > 0:06:34sweet potato!
0:06:34 > 0:06:37Peel and grate the sweet potato.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39Sweat down chopped onions and garlic.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44Do you know somebody has actually worked out
0:06:44 > 0:06:46the speed of Santa's sleigh,
0:06:46 > 0:06:51that it would have to go at to go round every house on the planet?
0:06:51 > 0:06:52How much... What is it?
0:06:52 > 0:06:55It's something like 2 million miles an hour.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Wow.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01But that's not accounting for the magic of Christmas.
0:07:01 > 0:07:02No.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04Whoosh!
0:07:04 > 0:07:06So we'll just leave that to cool.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Meanwhile, I'll get on with me batter.
0:07:09 > 0:07:15Into the bowl, I want some flour, some baking powder, one egg -
0:07:15 > 0:07:16will be un-oeuf!
0:07:16 > 0:07:21A teaspoon of our Cajun seasoning, the zest of a lemon,
0:07:21 > 0:07:23and now some cream.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26It's no semi-skimmed milk in this, it's cream.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31I remember one year we had indoor firework Christmas crackers.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33Like miniature fireworks of volcanoes.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35You put these fireworks on a dinner plate, light them.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37They just go...
0:07:37 > 0:07:39But it's like, eeeeh!
0:07:39 > 0:07:42I'd had me turkey, now I had me own firework display!
0:07:42 > 0:07:44It was tiny, but it was mine!
0:07:44 > 0:07:47I bet the local Fire Service loved your house!
0:07:47 > 0:07:50The worst thing was when your batteries went down in your toys.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53My father said to me, "If you put the batteries warm,
0:07:53 > 0:07:55"then you'll get a bit more power out of them."
0:07:55 > 0:07:59So I put the batteries in the oven, with the turkey.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02You've heard of battery chicken - well, they blew up.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05Never put a battery in the oven.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08Now, into the batter we put the onions.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11Along with the onions, add the grated sweet potato,
0:08:11 > 0:08:14chopped parsley and a pinch of salt.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18Now I'm going to pop this in the fridge, just to chill down a bit.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21Like all good batters, it needs to rest.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35- Now, at this point, we're going to stir the turkey in...- Lovely.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37..and then put the prawns in.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45Now for my fritters,
0:08:45 > 0:08:48I just take a spoonful of mix, and fry it.
0:08:50 > 0:08:51I don't want them to cook too fast,
0:08:51 > 0:08:54because they need to cook through the potatoes,
0:08:54 > 0:08:55because it's raw sweet potato.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57Let's see how we're doing here.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00Oh, he's beautiful - look at that.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03- Nice. - What's your favourite pantomime?
0:09:03 > 0:09:06Oh, Captain Hook. It's great.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08I think mine was Jack And The Beanstalk.
0:09:08 > 0:09:14Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman!
0:09:14 > 0:09:21Be he alive or be he dead, I'll grind his bones to make my bread!
0:09:21 > 0:09:24Oh, he'd be brilliant in pantomime, don't you think?
0:09:24 > 0:09:26- No, I don't want to. - Rub his belly and get three wishes.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29Oh, now that - I'll do that! HE CHUCKLES
0:09:29 > 0:09:31God knows what your wishes would be. Never mind.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34- Should we?- Yeah, let's have a look.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Oh, look at that! That's fabulous!
0:09:37 > 0:09:39It is beautiful, isn't it?
0:09:39 > 0:09:41- Yeah.- It's moist, it's juicy.
0:09:41 > 0:09:46Now, what I'm going to do is finish that with the celery tops,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49the parsley and lemon zest.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51- Parsley first. - Oh, give us a bit of green.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53Celery tops.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55Lemon zest.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57And then...
0:09:57 > 0:09:59- Oh!- We just push that through.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03There we go. Sweet potato fritters.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06Yes! Beautiful.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10And you can't have that without some hot sauce!
0:10:10 > 0:10:11Oh, man.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15Make sure you get plenty of prawns, plenty of turkey.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17Don't you worry!
0:10:17 > 0:10:19Plenty of sausage in there as well.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21All the flavours, beautiful.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23I think for three.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26- Yeah!- One for me, one for you, and one for Rudolph.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28- Let's have a taste.- Oh, hot.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31- Those fritters are epic. - They are, aren't they?
0:10:31 > 0:10:33What's the turkey like?
0:10:33 > 0:10:34- Lovely, Dave.- And, you know,
0:10:34 > 0:10:36there's something that's nice to eat about this -
0:10:36 > 0:10:38it's a simple dish to eat, isn't it?
0:10:38 > 0:10:39Mm-hmm.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42This meal is absolutely perfect a couple of days after Christmas.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45This would wake up the most jaded palate.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49And enough to bring sunshine into anybody's dining room.
0:10:49 > 0:10:50It certainly is.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52Oh, will we have seconds?
0:10:52 > 0:10:53Yeah.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57Jambalaya!
0:10:57 > 0:11:02Christmas turkey leftovers turned into the perfect winter warmer.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07Christmas isn't just about cooking fabulous food.
0:11:07 > 0:11:12We all love a good pressie too, and even better if you can eat it.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14Home-cook Christian Bigland
0:11:14 > 0:11:17has mustered up some winter sunshine in a jar.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22If there's one thing for me that smacks of Christmas,
0:11:22 > 0:11:26one thing that looks like Christmas in a jar,
0:11:26 > 0:11:28that's crab apple jelly.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31When I give crab apple jelly as a Christmas gift,
0:11:31 > 0:11:36it's hopefully going to be cracked open on Christmas Day,
0:11:36 > 0:11:39especially if we're having a lovely roast meat.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44Crab apples are abundant.
0:11:44 > 0:11:49If your neighbour hasn't got a tree, and there isn't one down the lane,
0:11:49 > 0:11:53you'll know someone who's got access to crab apples.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56I think I've got a kilo and a half
0:11:56 > 0:11:59to two kilos to use.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02Quite a nice little bounty.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05They're looking beautiful in this pan.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Once they split in half, it's time to strain them.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19They look really good.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21Really good. Smell delicious.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30I love this part because it...
0:12:30 > 0:12:33it says to me something is happening.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38You can make it quickly by squeezing it,
0:12:38 > 0:12:40but it will make it slightly cloudy,
0:12:40 > 0:12:43so if you want the nice, clear stuff, overnight.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45Hang it overnight.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50So wake up in the morning, down to the kitchen,
0:12:50 > 0:12:54and there's your bowl of crab apple juice.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57Crab apples do require a higher amount of sugar,
0:12:57 > 0:13:00because they're so tart.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03I've used golden caster sugar.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09We have struck crab apple gold.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17And I'm going to add a nice sprig of rosemary to make it even more
0:13:17 > 0:13:20relevant to Christmas as a gift, and as a flavour.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30One of my favourites, crab apple jelly,
0:13:30 > 0:13:34taking those small little red jewels
0:13:34 > 0:13:40and turning them into that beautiful, beautiful jelly
0:13:40 > 0:13:41is a wonder.
0:13:46 > 0:13:47You know today's all about
0:13:47 > 0:13:49bringing a bit of sunshine into our Christmas food.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52Well, somebody who brings sunshine
0:13:52 > 0:13:56into all our lives on a regular basis - Nicki Chapman!
0:13:56 > 0:13:59- Merry Christmas, Nicki!- Merry Christmas, guys!- Merry Christmas.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01Thank you for sharing a bit of Christmas with us.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05- It's lovely.- And you've got your red dress on, you're looking fab.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07- Festive.- You are.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09- Definitely. - And a belt that can loosen,
0:14:09 > 0:14:11because I know I'm in for great things today!
0:14:11 > 0:14:14- Well, we've got some good treats here today.- Good.
0:14:14 > 0:14:15We have, we have.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18But strange to find you in the country at Christmas.
0:14:18 > 0:14:19Yes, often I'm abroad.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21And I choose sometimes to be abroad as well,
0:14:21 > 0:14:23with work and things like that,
0:14:23 > 0:14:26but I don't think you can beat being at home.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28But when you are away, it gives it a different feel.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30It's nice to try different things, isn't it?
0:14:30 > 0:14:33- Well, you know what we're going to do for you...- Go on.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37We're going to do some lamb shanks with some figs,
0:14:37 > 0:14:40and it's full of spice and flavour.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42Sunshine on your plate on a grey day.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46You see, we thought lamb shanks, it's so typically British, isn't it?
0:14:46 > 0:14:47- Good old lamb shank.- Lamb shanks.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51But we're making it as a tagine, full of Moroccan flavours
0:14:51 > 0:14:54- to bring the sunshine of North Africa into that.- That's it.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56This is for the Thursday after the day before that was Monday
0:14:56 > 0:14:59- that was Christmas Day. - This is true!
0:14:59 > 0:15:02Now then, what we're going to do first of all,
0:15:02 > 0:15:04we need to colour these...
0:15:04 > 0:15:05Look at those, beautiful, beautiful.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07We need to colour these lamb shanks.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09Get as much colour on them as you can.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11What I love about lamb shank is,
0:15:11 > 0:15:14it's a little bit having your own personal joint on a plate.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16Yes, it's nice, that.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20But the meat needs to be completely dropping off the bones.
0:15:20 > 0:15:21And that's the aim.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25Nicki, what is it that you love about Christmas?
0:15:25 > 0:15:27The best part of the day, when it comes to the food -
0:15:27 > 0:15:30is from breakfast onwards, literally.
0:15:30 > 0:15:31I love eating.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33I absolutely love eating.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36I'm mesmerised watching you two, because I'm not a great chef.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40I'm a good sous-chef although I can't cut onions like that.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43- Smells good already.- Yeah.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46How adventurous do you think we are at Christmas with our food?
0:15:46 > 0:15:47I'm not sure, actually.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50Well, you're changing that, are you changing that?
0:15:50 > 0:15:51No, I don't think...
0:15:51 > 0:15:54I think the traditions of Christmas need to be upheld,
0:15:54 > 0:15:57because it's the one time in the year that everybody gets together
0:15:57 > 0:16:01and those traditional family values and those traditional family nuances
0:16:01 > 0:16:05are all in one day at one place, and everybody celebrates them,
0:16:05 > 0:16:06and I think that's dead important.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09I think we take some of those traditions for granted.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13I mean, things like cranberry sauce, with the fruit with the meat again,
0:16:13 > 0:16:14it's quite adventurous.
0:16:14 > 0:16:16Bread sauce as well.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20Almost now, the inevitable turkey curry with the leftovers,
0:16:20 > 0:16:22that's almost a bit of a tradition.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24- It is.- I think we're better than we think, really.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26So, look, it's going to take about five,
0:16:26 > 0:16:29a good five minutes to get some colour on these shanks,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32so just be patient, because you want a deep colour on them, OK.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34Look, nice bit of colour.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38So, Nicki, what is the traditional breakfast at Christmas in your household?
0:16:38 > 0:16:40- What do you do?- Bucks fizz.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42Oh, perfect.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44Yes. Scrambled eggs.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47- Any smoked salmon? - Smoked, always smoked salmon.
0:16:47 > 0:16:48Plenty of toast.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51If anyone wants a little bit of a fry up, they're allowed it.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53I would say no, because that's a lot of washing up,
0:16:53 > 0:16:54but my husband allows it.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57- Sounds like our houses, doesn't it? - It does. Very much.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00Very similar. Now, I don't know if I should be sharing this, but,
0:17:00 > 0:17:02are we still in our pyjamas for breakfast,
0:17:02 > 0:17:04or have we got all togged up and dressed up?
0:17:04 > 0:17:06- Jammies.- Jammies.
0:17:06 > 0:17:07Do you dress up for Christmas, you two?
0:17:07 > 0:17:10- Oh, Christmas dinner, yes. - You've got to.- Yes.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14I did one year where we all got in tuxes, and I had to sit,
0:17:14 > 0:17:16it was flipping murder.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18- So I think there's a limit, isn't there?- Yeah.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21- I'll never do it again! - I've got some spices here,
0:17:21 > 0:17:25and five of these start with C as well, a bit like Christmas.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28I've got cumin, cardamom, cinnamon,
0:17:28 > 0:17:30coriander and cayenne pepper
0:17:30 > 0:17:33with a bit of ground ginger thrown in for good measure.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36These are like your classic Moroccan/Middle Eastern spices.
0:17:36 > 0:17:37The dried spices.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39Dried spices you cook into the dish
0:17:39 > 0:17:42to bring out as much flavour as possible.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45- Just bung them in.- Now, Nicki,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48you're going to start to be able to smell it any minute.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51- Am I going to be feeling I'm in Marrakech?- You are.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54Funnily enough, these are the spices of Christmas, aren't they?
0:17:54 > 0:17:56- The ginger, the cinnamon.- Warm.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59Yes, we would put these in an apple pie, you know?
0:17:59 > 0:18:01- Yes.- So, we're going to put the shanks back in,
0:18:01 > 0:18:04all coloured up and lovely.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08And what we do is, we just keep recycling flavours,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11because everything goes into the one pot.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14I'm also loving the fact that you do everything in one pot,
0:18:14 > 0:18:17because remember, I'm the washer-upper.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20I bet you've got a machine in your house.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22You so have! It's called Nicki!
0:18:22 > 0:18:25THEY LAUGH
0:18:25 > 0:18:29Now, if you have a fancy tagine pot, use it, it's great.
0:18:29 > 0:18:30But really, a tagine is just a stew.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32So the pot doesn't matter.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35We're calling it tagine because of what's in it,
0:18:35 > 0:18:37all those wonderful spices and saffron.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39Look. Stock.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43Beautiful.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45I love saffron.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47Now, that's the colour of Christmas, isn't it?
0:18:47 > 0:18:50Look at that. Have a smell, Nicki.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52It's very subtle. I can't get much out of that.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54- Oh, you will. - You're having a laugh, aren't you?
0:18:54 > 0:18:56What should it smell like?
0:18:56 > 0:18:59- Saffron?- Yeah, hold on, I'll give it a stir.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03That's better. Smells quite nice.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06It has its place and this is absolutely in its place,
0:19:06 > 0:19:13in our lovely ethereal lamb shank brothy loveliness.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15- It's warm, isn't it, Dave? - Yeah.- And there's a depth to it.
0:19:15 > 0:19:20The colour of the sauce is going to be a beautiful rich sunshine colour.
0:19:20 > 0:19:25Put this into a preheated oven, about 180 Celsius for two hours.
0:19:25 > 0:19:26And then we come back to it.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31I tell you what, it's a heavy pot, that, dude!
0:19:32 > 0:19:34I've just put me back out!
0:19:37 > 0:19:39Do you know what I think?
0:19:39 > 0:19:41- Go on.- In this two hours...
0:19:41 > 0:19:42let's have a cup of tea and a chat.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44- That sounds good.- Should we? - Yeah, come on.
0:19:50 > 0:19:51Nicki, welcome.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53- Thank you.- It's lovely to see you.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56- Merry Christmas.- Merry Christmas. Look at us with our tea.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59- Let's cheers.- Cheers. - There's a time at Christmas for tea.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03Nicki, tell us a little bit about Christmas when you were growing up.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05What were your favourite things?
0:20:05 > 0:20:07- Presents. - THEY LAUGH
0:20:07 > 0:20:11I should say being with the family, getting together.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13- No, it's not, though. It is presents.- It was presents.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15- Great.- My family used to come down
0:20:15 > 0:20:18from, originally from London, before I was born
0:20:18 > 0:20:21and they got into the tradition of opening the presents
0:20:21 > 0:20:24after you've had your dinner, your Christmas dinner.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27- You can't have Christmas lunch, can you? It's always dinner.- Dinner.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29Christmas dinner. But to keep the children happy, the children were
0:20:29 > 0:20:32allowed to have their main present with their stocking
0:20:32 > 0:20:33first thing in the morning.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36So, when I was born, that tradition carried on. So I'd wake up,
0:20:36 > 0:20:38- I'd have a stocking at the end of the bed...- Yes, same.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40..and I'd have my main present there.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42And I'll let you into a little secret.
0:20:42 > 0:20:43I still have a stocking to this day.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Wherever I am, and sometimes I'm abroad,
0:20:46 > 0:20:48my mother will do me this incredible stocking.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50Do you carry it with you?
0:20:50 > 0:20:52- My husband has to put it in his case.- Right.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54He moans the whole time because he says,
0:20:54 > 0:20:57"How much cotton wool and make-up remover can one have?"
0:20:57 > 0:20:59And then I open it up.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02Well, to keep with your family tradition,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05- we've got you a little stocking. - How lovely.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07Oh, how kind.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10- You're very, very welcome. Happy Christmas.- Happy Christmas.
0:21:10 > 0:21:11Am I allowed to open it now?
0:21:11 > 0:21:14- Yes.- Am I?- Yeah, because we want to see your face.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17That's what all adults say at Christmas to their kids, isn't it?
0:21:17 > 0:21:19"I can't wait to see his face when he opens it."
0:21:19 > 0:21:21OK, which one wrapped it?
0:21:22 > 0:21:24- Dave.- I'm not very good at wrapping.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26Not bad. Oh...
0:21:26 > 0:21:29Oh, what's this?
0:21:29 > 0:21:31Now, taste them.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33- We heard...- Can I?- Yeah.
0:21:33 > 0:21:38..that you have a penchant for the wonderful taste combination
0:21:38 > 0:21:40that is chocolate and orange.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Every year in my stocking, it is the tradition that I would have
0:21:43 > 0:21:46a chocolate and orange combination, shall we say,
0:21:46 > 0:21:49right at the bottom of the stocking, so it always reminds me.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53And although I love it, if I eat chocolate and orange together,
0:21:53 > 0:21:56it reminds me of Christmas and my stocking.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58Whatever season, whatever month.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02I think that feeling in your heart is the magic of Christmas.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05I think we need to find out what the magic is in the oven, Si.
0:22:05 > 0:22:06Yeah, it's starting to sniff.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Everything smells good in here.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22It's hot and heavy, a bit like yourself.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24HE GROANS
0:22:24 > 0:22:26- Are you ready?- Yeah, go on.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28# Hark the Herald Angels sing
0:22:28 > 0:22:32# Look at our shanks, the lovely things! #
0:22:32 > 0:22:34Oh, I think that's there.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37Right, Dave, would you mind chopping me a preserved lemon?
0:22:37 > 0:22:40This really is sunshine in a lemon.
0:22:40 > 0:22:41It's lemons preserved in salt
0:22:41 > 0:22:45and Christmas isn't Christmas without a dried fig.
0:22:45 > 0:22:46So we've got about 12.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49Why 12 figs? The 12 days of Christmas?
0:22:49 > 0:22:51Yes, exactly that.
0:22:51 > 0:22:52We thought of that, didn't we?
0:22:52 > 0:22:55- Yeah, definitely...- Not. - Well done, mate.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58Write that down, guys, write that down.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00So the figs just go in whole.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04- And give it a stir. - Your very thoughts, Mr King.
0:23:04 > 0:23:05Be quite careful at this point
0:23:05 > 0:23:08because the meat will start to move away from the bone
0:23:08 > 0:23:12and what we want to do is try and keep the integrity of those shanks
0:23:12 > 0:23:14so we can serve them in a beautifully provocative way.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18Right, we pop this back into the oven for half an hour.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26What is the worst present you've ever had, Nicki?
0:23:26 > 0:23:29The worst present would be from my sister.
0:23:29 > 0:23:30HE GASPS
0:23:30 > 0:23:32And she is a brilliant present-buyer
0:23:32 > 0:23:34but we're talking many years ago and I was really naughty.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36I did what you're not allowed to do.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39I went under the tree and I opened the present
0:23:39 > 0:23:41- about a week before Christmas. - You rebel.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43- I know.- That spoils it.
0:23:43 > 0:23:48And it was probably like the late '70s, some woven bag.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51And I looked at it, I was so excited cos she kept saying,
0:23:51 > 0:23:53"I've got the best present, I've got the best present."
0:23:53 > 0:23:56And then I had to reseal it and put it under the tree and over the next
0:23:56 > 0:23:59seven days I had to keep a straight face until Christmas Day
0:23:59 > 0:24:01and open the present that I knew I didn't like.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03It served me right, really, didn't it?
0:24:03 > 0:24:05- It did serve you right. - To go with the tagine,
0:24:05 > 0:24:07we're going to do a couscous.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09Sometimes in winter you feel you need your greens,
0:24:09 > 0:24:12you need some vegetables, you need a few vitamins,
0:24:12 > 0:24:13something from the sun,
0:24:13 > 0:24:15so we are going to make a rainbow couscous.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17THEY CHEER
0:24:17 > 0:24:19Back to the '60s!
0:24:19 > 0:24:20THEY HUM A TUNE
0:24:20 > 0:24:23You know that trend for doing, like, cauliflower rice,
0:24:23 > 0:24:24we're ricing - as it were -
0:24:24 > 0:24:28cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, peppers, cabbage and sweetcorn
0:24:28 > 0:24:31and finishing it with a warm dressing.
0:24:31 > 0:24:32This is like 15-a-day.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36Blend the vegetables individually and make sure not to over-process.
0:24:36 > 0:24:41You're looking for the consistency of breadcrumbs, not mushy peas.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43Add them all to a large pan
0:24:43 > 0:24:46with 100ml of steaming water
0:24:46 > 0:24:47and stir.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53It takes about five minutes to steam and then it's ready.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55So, Nicki, is Christmas just Christmas Eve,
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Christmas Day and Boxing Day or does it go on a bit?
0:24:58 > 0:25:00We have quite a few Christmases in our house.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04My parents have remarried and my husband's parents have as well,
0:25:04 > 0:25:06so we get to do it four times.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08That's four Christmas dinners, Nicki.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10- Tell me.- How do you look like that?
0:25:10 > 0:25:12- That's lots of washing up for me. - That's not fair!
0:25:12 > 0:25:14What is your worst pressie?
0:25:14 > 0:25:15What have I given to someone?
0:25:15 > 0:25:19I have given somebody something - I haven't had it back from them
0:25:19 > 0:25:21but I know they've re-gifted it to somebody else.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23Have you ever done that?
0:25:23 > 0:25:26I do know people who when they're given perfume as a present,
0:25:26 > 0:25:28they will have a squirt,
0:25:28 > 0:25:31decide they don't like it and just give it to somebody else.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33- That is naughty.- It is. Yes.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36- Ingenious but naughty.- I know.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39So, we're going to take the juice of a whole orange,
0:25:39 > 0:25:42about a tablespoon of olive oil,
0:25:42 > 0:25:43some cardamom,
0:25:43 > 0:25:46the zest of half a lemon.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48If you like a lot of zest and you like a lot of lemon,
0:25:48 > 0:25:49put a bit more in.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53So, Nicki, for you, in your time, your music career was huge
0:25:53 > 0:25:56and some of the acts that you used to manage and work with -
0:25:56 > 0:25:59from David Bowie to the Spice Girls -
0:25:59 > 0:26:00it's incredible.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04The only one that ever demanded certain foods was Prince.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07We used to have to get trestle tables full of food for him.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10He had his own private chef and I don't think he ate anything,
0:26:10 > 0:26:12but he wanted to make sure that if he was hungry,
0:26:12 > 0:26:14he had the right food close to him.
0:26:14 > 0:26:15Wow.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17Another great tip with this is
0:26:17 > 0:26:18if you leave this to go cold,
0:26:18 > 0:26:21leave the dressing to go cold and treat it as a salad,
0:26:21 > 0:26:24it is the most wonderful, colourful, tasty side salad.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31It smells fresh. Should I get the beef out of the oven?
0:26:31 > 0:26:32You should.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Here we go. Da-daddle-a-da-da-da!
0:26:39 > 0:26:43Look at that. Look at the figs, they're plumper than Santa's cheeks.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Now, to finish...
0:26:47 > 0:26:49..we're going to add some honey.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53What do you think of the smell, Nicki?
0:26:53 > 0:26:55Gorgeous. And I love honey.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58But we're going to counter it with some lemon zest
0:26:58 > 0:27:02and the juice of half a lemon.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04And to finally finish,
0:27:04 > 0:27:07we've got some mint and we've got some parsley.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09There we go.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11It is fresher than a newborn reindeer.
0:27:11 > 0:27:12Indeed.
0:27:12 > 0:27:13THEY LAUGH
0:27:13 > 0:27:16- Oh, it's so good. - Is it all about balance?
0:27:16 > 0:27:17- It is.- Yes,
0:27:17 > 0:27:21this supermodel on her high heels will not fall off the catwalk.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Right, stand this one up.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26Oh, yes, it's going well.
0:27:26 > 0:27:27It looks magnificent.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29It's worth making the effort
0:27:29 > 0:27:31just to do a little bit of presentation, isn't it?
0:27:31 > 0:27:33- Over to you, chief.- Thank you. - But also at Christmas
0:27:33 > 0:27:36it isn't just about the main meal on the day, is it?
0:27:36 > 0:27:38If you've got family or friends staying with you,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41this could be Christmas Eve, it could be Boxing Day.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44- Absolutely, Nicki. - I think this is December 28th.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47- Do you?- Yes. The 28th, 29th and 30th,
0:27:47 > 0:27:49the no-man's-land between Christmas and New Year.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52So you start eating it on the 28th and you finish on the 30th?
0:27:52 > 0:27:55- Is that what you're saying? - Now, there's your harissa, Nicki.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57So, as much or as little as you like.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59Have I tried harissa before?
0:27:59 > 0:28:01- It's chilli paste.- Oh.
0:28:03 > 0:28:04- It's wonderful.- Is it?
0:28:04 > 0:28:07I don't think I'm going to be getting up from the table, am I?
0:28:07 > 0:28:08- We've got pudding.- Have we?
0:28:08 > 0:28:10Can't have Christmas without pudding, Nicki.
0:28:10 > 0:28:11- What a feast.- Have a taste.
0:28:11 > 0:28:12- Can I?- BOTH:- Yes.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15I'm not going to be polite, I'm just going to go straight for it
0:28:15 > 0:28:18- because I like my food. - Please don't.- You can join me.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20- Oh, thank you.- Can we? - THEY LAUGH
0:28:20 > 0:28:22- That didn't take long, did it?- No.
0:28:24 > 0:28:25Oh.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27What do we think?
0:28:27 > 0:28:30Mmm. That meat is divine.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33I'm going to have some of this on its own so I can really concentrate
0:28:33 > 0:28:36- on it.- It has got a little bite in it as well, it hasn't gone to mush.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41I like the texture.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44Is that important, then, that you have a slight crunch?
0:28:44 > 0:28:45I think so. Yeah.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48There's a point when you want some nice, crisp veg.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50Thumbs up?
0:28:50 > 0:28:51Mmmm.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55Gorgeous, boys. Gorgeous.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57- We need to think about pud now.- Yes.
0:28:57 > 0:29:01You think about it. I'm going to keep going if you don't mind.
0:29:01 > 0:29:03Perfect, let's get on with pud.
0:29:03 > 0:29:08Lamb shank tagine brings you warmth and sunshine
0:29:08 > 0:29:09even if it's cold outside.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15Christmas is a time for giving
0:29:15 > 0:29:19and what's better than cooking up something as a delicious gift?
0:29:19 > 0:29:23Home-cook Vanessa Dennett has bottled up some summer sunshine
0:29:23 > 0:29:25for her Christmas presents.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27I'm going to make some lemon curd.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30I think it's a really nice gift to make.
0:29:30 > 0:29:32It's a little bit of beautiful, bright,
0:29:32 > 0:29:35citrusy lemony colour in the middle of winter,
0:29:35 > 0:29:38so you might think of it as a summery gift, but actually, I think
0:29:38 > 0:29:41it's nice to bring a little bit of sunshine into the winter months.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45It's quite simple, it's quite quick, it only has four ingredients.
0:30:05 > 0:30:10Here the mixture looks really a bit ghastly because it curdles.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13The important thing is to not panic,
0:30:13 > 0:30:15but keep heart that it is going to work.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18Traditionally, lemon curds are made directly in the pan,
0:30:18 > 0:30:21but I have found that this way
0:30:21 > 0:30:24avoids the whites of the egg cooking faster
0:30:24 > 0:30:26than the rest of the ingredients.
0:30:26 > 0:30:28You can sometimes end up with
0:30:28 > 0:30:31little flecks of egg white in a lemon curd,
0:30:31 > 0:30:34so mixing together the ingredients before you put them into the pan
0:30:34 > 0:30:35does avoid that problem.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43The good rule of thumb is that if you can lift your spoon up
0:30:43 > 0:30:47and run your finger across the back of it and leave the line,
0:30:47 > 0:30:49then you will know that the curd is, you know,
0:30:49 > 0:30:51thickening to about the right degree.
0:30:51 > 0:30:55You end up with a lovely, creamy, brightly-coloured lemon curd.
0:30:57 > 0:30:58I'm going to make some baby scones
0:30:58 > 0:31:02to give as a gift with the lemon curd.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05A recipe based on how my grandmother and mother made scones.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14With scone mix, it's really important not to over-handle it,
0:31:14 > 0:31:17so kneading gently.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25The important thing is not to twist or drag the scone mix,
0:31:25 > 0:31:28but just to press it in and pull it up.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32It should ensure a nice, straight scone.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35There are, apparently, lots of people who don't like mince pies in the world,
0:31:35 > 0:31:38so it's a really nice gift to take somebody at Christmas time
0:31:38 > 0:31:40who you might otherwise take mince pies to.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43I used just some beautiful, brightly-coloured fabric
0:31:43 > 0:31:45to make a lid for the jar and then I also made
0:31:45 > 0:31:49just a tiny little handmade or hand-painted tag.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51You can make it up to a couple of weeks in advance,
0:31:51 > 0:31:54or it will keep for a couple of weeks after you've given it,
0:31:54 > 0:31:55so it has a bit of longevity too.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12- Miss Chapman.- Thank you.
0:32:12 > 0:32:13Merry Christmas.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16- Merry Christmas.- Merry Christmas. - Sounds so good, doesn't it?
0:32:16 > 0:32:18- As it pours.- Yes.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22- It's not bad. - We're very, very lucky people.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24We are. I'm very lucky.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27Being spoiled.
0:32:27 > 0:32:28Merry Christmas, Nicki.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30- Thank you.- Merry Christmas.
0:32:30 > 0:32:31- Merry Christmas.- Cheers.- Cheers.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34- Health and happiness. - Yes. Hear, hear.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38Well, we promised you a dessert and we've got a belter.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40We're going to do a classic Madeira cake.
0:32:40 > 0:32:42That's old school.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44Well, it's old school any day of the week, isn't it?
0:32:44 > 0:32:46- It's great. - But Madeira cake's perfect for this.
0:32:46 > 0:32:47We're going to do a chocolate fondue,
0:32:47 > 0:32:51but the fondue, again, is full of sunshine and spices and chilli.
0:32:51 > 0:32:52It's really grown-up.
0:32:52 > 0:32:57And guess what - the Madeira cake is for dunking into your fondue.
0:32:57 > 0:32:58We've cheated a bit for Nicki.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01We're going to put some clementine juice and zest within the cake,
0:33:01 > 0:33:03so a little bit of orange in that too.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06- I like that.- With the chocolate. - See? See? We thought about you.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09Yeah, I'm liking this. That little special touch.
0:33:09 > 0:33:13Sieve 300g of plain flour and two teaspoons of baking powder.
0:33:13 > 0:33:19Cream together 250g of butter and 200g of caster sugar.
0:33:19 > 0:33:21Nicki, what are you going to be doing this Christmas?
0:33:21 > 0:33:23I'm back on Radio 2, actually,
0:33:23 > 0:33:25sitting in, doing the Early Breakfast Show.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28- Fantastic.- Yeah. I've done it before and I've really enjoyed it.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30- Yeah.- Because it's not the usual.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32You get different people listening,
0:33:32 > 0:33:35you get different people texting in, e-mailing in,
0:33:35 > 0:33:37and it's just that great feeling.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40You know if they're listening to the radio, they want to be encouraged,
0:33:40 > 0:33:42they want to have a great time. It is all about Christmas.
0:33:42 > 0:33:43That's it. That's Christmas.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46It is. Loads of people have to work at Christmas, don't they?
0:33:46 > 0:33:49- They do.- And we're very grateful, you know. So, it's lovely.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51Often, they're the ones that I'll be reading out dedications to
0:33:51 > 0:33:53- and things like that as well. - Oh, lovely.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55I think, as well, it's important to remember,
0:33:55 > 0:33:57not everybody's got a family at Christmas.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00You know, lots of people are on their own
0:34:00 > 0:34:03and I think something like that, on the radio, it's very comforting
0:34:03 > 0:34:05and it's very important and radio's so direct
0:34:05 > 0:34:07- because you're talking to that one person.- Yeah.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11Right, so, what we need to do now is to break the eggs in one by one.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14We follow that with a spoonful of the flour and baking powder mixture.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18That way we ensure that the whole mix does not split.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20- Standing by, skipper.- Right.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29It's time for the zest from the clementine.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32I mean, any orange will do. Satsuma or mandarin.
0:34:32 > 0:34:36Yeah, it's just those flavours, those orangey flavours at Christmas.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38Christmas, you've got to have satsumas, haven't you?
0:34:38 > 0:34:40- It would be wrong not to. - Yeah.- A box.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43- A box of them.- And Turkish delight, that nobody eats, in a box.
0:34:43 > 0:34:44My mother used to do that.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47Do you remember, it was there till February, wasn't it?
0:34:47 > 0:34:49- That's so true. - It was in our house, anyway.
0:34:49 > 0:34:51You know, Nicki, when you get those big tins of sweets...
0:34:51 > 0:34:54- Yes.- With all the colours? Which is your favourite?- Purple.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56- I didn't even have to think about that.- I'm purple too.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58- No.- Are you purple?- Red one.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00- Red one?- Red?- Yeah. Well, it's the strawberry one, isn't it?
0:35:00 > 0:35:03You would love my house cos they're always at the bottom at the end.
0:35:03 > 0:35:05- Are they?- Yeah.- Oh, no. - They're horrible.
0:35:05 > 0:35:06I'm going to take that as an invitation.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08And those yellow ones that are just hard toffee.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10That's a new chat-up line for you, isn't it?
0:35:10 > 0:35:13- Thanks for that.- They have got smaller, though, haven't they,
0:35:13 > 0:35:14over the years? Less in the box.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16- Everything does.- I think they have!
0:35:16 > 0:35:18- Yeah, you're right.- Yeah.
0:35:18 > 0:35:19There's less of them. Or I'm eating more.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21Which one is it?
0:35:22 > 0:35:23Be careful.
0:35:23 > 0:35:27At this point, you can add the juice of the two clementines.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30Now, Madeira cakes are always loaf-shaped
0:35:30 > 0:35:33and a top tip for getting your cake out of the tin is this.
0:35:33 > 0:35:34You see, we've lined it
0:35:34 > 0:35:38slightly larger than the tin that we're baking it in
0:35:38 > 0:35:41because we can then just lift it out as so.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43It looks so professional.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45- It does.- It does.
0:35:45 > 0:35:46Because it's a Madeira cake,
0:35:46 > 0:35:50it's traditional to sprinkle a little bit of caster sugar on it.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52Like so.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55And we put that into a preheated oven
0:35:55 > 0:35:58at 170 Celsius for 55-60 minutes
0:35:58 > 0:36:02until risen and golden brown and it looks like this.
0:36:03 > 0:36:07You always get that lovely split down the top with Madeira cake.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09- You want that.- You do.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14You two have been cooking and baking together for so long,
0:36:14 > 0:36:17is it weird being in your own kitchen
0:36:17 > 0:36:20without the other half being there?
0:36:20 > 0:36:22- It's a bit odd.- Yeah. It is weird.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24Yeah. Once, the worst thing was, and funnily enough,
0:36:24 > 0:36:25it was around Christmas time,
0:36:25 > 0:36:29and we'd been doing a lot of shows where we were cooking like this
0:36:29 > 0:36:31and my wife found me stark naked with the wardrobe doors open.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33I was cooking in the wardrobe.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35- I was going...- In your sleep?- Yes.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37"So, Si, I'll chop the onion while you do this."
0:36:37 > 0:36:39And she woke me up, she said, "You know,
0:36:39 > 0:36:41"you were cooking in the wardrobe last night?"
0:36:41 > 0:36:44My first question was, "What was I cooking?"
0:36:44 > 0:36:46She said, "That really wasn't worrying me,
0:36:46 > 0:36:48"it was the fact you were..."
0:36:48 > 0:36:50This is true. Lil and I still laugh about it.
0:36:50 > 0:36:51- Yes.- It's ridiculous.
0:36:51 > 0:36:53- Time for a holiday.- It is indeed.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55So, on with the fondue.
0:36:55 > 0:36:56Shall we call it the fun-do?
0:36:56 > 0:36:58Oh, yes.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00Did you see what he did there?
0:37:00 > 0:37:02We start with whipping cream.
0:37:04 > 0:37:05And then some milk.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08Now, this is what makes our fondue special.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10We put in a vanilla pod.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12A piece of orange zest.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15A chipotle chilli. A cinnamon stick.
0:37:15 > 0:37:16Three cloves.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19Some mace, which is the surround of the nutmeg.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22Some black pepper and allspice berries and some dried ginger.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26This is a grown-up, spicy fondue.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29Nicki, what's your most exuberant Christmas?
0:37:29 > 0:37:32What's the most exotic Christmas you've had?
0:37:32 > 0:37:34I think it would probably be in Dubai.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37- Really?- Really hot, as you can imagine.
0:37:37 > 0:37:38A huge spread.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41There was fish, loads of vegetables, there was meat.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43It was gorgeous.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45Which has been your most frugal Christmas,
0:37:45 > 0:37:47the one where Ebenezer Scrooge would have been proud of you?
0:37:47 > 0:37:50Well, I think if I cooked, that would be the worst one.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53But also, again, we were talking about travelling and going overseas
0:37:53 > 0:37:55- and not everybody celebrates Christmas.- Yeah.
0:37:55 > 0:38:00So, we've been in Africa where we made up our little Christmas meal
0:38:00 > 0:38:03but it wasn't a traditional meal at all.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06Divine but very, very different from my usual Christmases, yeah.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09But a great experience once again.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12Lovely. So, we're trying to infuse the milk with all those lovely
0:38:12 > 0:38:15flavours, so what you want to do is
0:38:15 > 0:38:17you want to bring that up to the boil
0:38:17 > 0:38:20and then leave it to cool, back to room temperature,
0:38:20 > 0:38:24so all of those flavours and all of those oils from the spices
0:38:24 > 0:38:26start to infuse the milk.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29When you mix that with the chocolate, it's Christmas in a bowl.
0:38:29 > 0:38:30It absolutely is.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32So, we'll make that disappear and leave that,
0:38:32 > 0:38:33save that for another fondue.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36Look at that. Spicy milk!
0:38:36 > 0:38:39- It's quite a grown-up dessert, this, isn't it?- It is.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41There's an elegance to it, I think.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44Elegance? People don't generally call our food elegant.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46- She's lovely.- I know.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48I love you. You're great.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50Nicki, are you sweet or savoury?
0:38:50 > 0:38:52- Sweet.- Sweet?
0:38:52 > 0:38:53- She so is.- Yes.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56- She so is.- So you're more pudding than a bag of crisps?
0:38:56 > 0:38:57Yeah... Oh...
0:38:57 > 0:38:59Oh! Now you're talking!
0:38:59 > 0:39:02So, what do you have for pudding on Christmas Day?
0:39:02 > 0:39:04What do we have? We have the traditional...
0:39:04 > 0:39:07I don't like Christmas pudding as such, with the brandy,
0:39:07 > 0:39:09- where you light it.- OK.- It is brandy, isn't it, that you use?
0:39:09 > 0:39:13- Yeah, yeah. - But I love mince pies, any trifles.
0:39:13 > 0:39:15- We might have a trifle.- Nice.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17So we'll have two or three different puds.
0:39:17 > 0:39:18- Oh, wow.- Oh, yeah.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21I tell you what, your fella's flipping busy on Christmas Day.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24I wonder how many people are like you.
0:39:24 > 0:39:26I'll have Christmas pudding but I don't like it.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28- I don't like it.- I'll have a little bit as a token gesture.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31Yes, I'm with you, I'll just have that little bit.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33All those years, my mam used to give you a Christmas pudding and you
0:39:33 > 0:39:36- didn't like it.- Oh, I ate your mother's Christmas pudding.
0:39:36 > 0:39:37- Yeah, you did, actually.- Oh, I did.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41Three and a bit bars of chocolate go into the fondue.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44So, we're going to whisk it as soon as that chocolate starts to melt
0:39:44 > 0:39:48because the last thing that we want to do is catch the chocolate because
0:39:48 > 0:39:51it'll go very bitter if it's caught on the bottom of the pan.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54Have you ever had any Christmas disasters?
0:39:54 > 0:39:56Oh, yeah. One Christmas,
0:39:56 > 0:39:58my oven just died.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01And it was when I used to work as a make-up artist.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04I had a prosthetics oven, industrial oven, in the garage
0:40:04 > 0:40:06that I used for curing foam rubber.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08And I had to cook my turkey
0:40:08 > 0:40:11in the industrial oven that I used for the foam rubber.
0:40:11 > 0:40:12The only problem is, though,
0:40:12 > 0:40:16it had an extraction system that sucked all the turkey fat out
0:40:16 > 0:40:18and I wrecked my industrial oven.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21So it was the most expensive dinner I ever had.
0:40:21 > 0:40:22Oh.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24The turkey tasted absolutely rubbery.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26- Hey!- Boom, boom.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28Have you had any disasters at Christmas?
0:40:28 > 0:40:30Once we went to the pub, a few years ago.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32A friend of ours owns a pub right on the river.
0:40:32 > 0:40:34We were there a little bit too long
0:40:34 > 0:40:37and we'd left the turkey in the oven and forgot.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40We were enjoying our festive cheer, shall we say.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42- Yes.- But I think the worst was I had a dog...
0:40:42 > 0:40:45We had an old English sheepdog and my parents left the turkey
0:40:45 > 0:40:48in a cool room in the house, sort of like an extension.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52- Oh, no!- She found it and they didn't realise until Christmas Day,
0:40:52 > 0:40:56first thing in the morning, she'd eaten the turkey or had a go at it.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59So they had to ring the local butcher, our lovely butcher, Brian,
0:40:59 > 0:41:02that we always went to, and he opened up on Christmas Day
0:41:02 > 0:41:04and got us another turkey out of the store room.
0:41:04 > 0:41:06- Oh, what a lovely man. - Isn't that brilliant? Yeah.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12To finish this off, we've got something a little extra.
0:41:12 > 0:41:13Another taste of Christmas.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16- A drop of rum.- Oh, Mr Myers.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19We need to warm this because if we put it into the chocolate cold,
0:41:19 > 0:41:22it will split and it won't work.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28Oh, yes.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30I shall get out the fondue set.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33Everybody's got one they got as a wedding present, haven't they?
0:41:33 > 0:41:35- Haven't we, love? - Yes, we have. We have.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38We've got one. I mean, not together, obviously.
0:41:38 > 0:41:39You know, separately.
0:41:39 > 0:41:40Nicki, you're in for a treat.
0:41:40 > 0:41:42- Am I?- Watch this pour.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44It's just like an advert.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46- So, that's mine.- Yes.
0:41:46 > 0:41:47Very indulgent.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50- It's Christmas, Nicki. - Yeah, we are allowed, aren't we?
0:41:50 > 0:41:51We've got the Madeira cake
0:41:51 > 0:41:54which is perfect to put on the end of your forks,
0:41:54 > 0:41:56but the Christmas pudding that you haven't eaten,
0:41:56 > 0:42:00dip it in chocolate, some fresh mango, some more clementines...
0:42:00 > 0:42:03You know, just whatever takes your fancy.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05- Shall we?- Go on. Forks away.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10- That's a great thing, isn't it? - That's definitely Christmassy.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13- I'm going to lick that.- Have you got the orange coming through?
0:42:13 > 0:42:14I certainly have.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17The spices. It's got that warmth to it.
0:42:17 > 0:42:19Oh, yeah.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22You absolutely have to do this at home.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24- You do.- It's obligatory.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27Oh, yeah. It may be a winter's day outside...
0:42:27 > 0:42:30But this is going to keep everybody around your table.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36Madeira cake with chocolate fondue.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38Christmas with added sunshine.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43Well, Nicki, all that remains to do
0:42:43 > 0:42:47is to wish you a very happy, merry, prosperous, lovely Christmas.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49- Thank you so much.- And hope you have a good day at work.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51Thank you. Well, cheers to you as well.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53- Cheers.- Cheers.- Merry Christmas.
0:42:53 > 0:42:54- Merry Christmas.- And thank you.
0:42:57 > 0:42:59Oh, try it with mango.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01Try it with the Christmas pudding.
0:43:01 > 0:43:03Oh, man!
0:43:03 > 0:43:05- It's even on your beard.- Is it?
0:43:05 > 0:43:06THEY LAUGH
0:43:06 > 0:43:09That's his Father Christmas impression.
0:43:09 > 0:43:10Father Dribble.