0:00:03 > 0:00:06'My name is Valentine Warner, chef by trade, greedy by nature.
0:00:06 > 0:00:11'I love food, and I love eating it when it's absolutely at its best.'
0:00:11 > 0:00:14Yum! 'Having grown up in the country, I've learned
0:00:14 > 0:00:19'that eating things in season means you get them at their tastiest.'
0:00:19 > 0:00:21Wow!
0:00:21 > 0:00:23Here we go! First of the season! Tonight, I'll be taking you
0:00:23 > 0:00:28on my definitive guide to seasonal fish and shellfish.
0:00:28 > 0:00:33'Being dumbstruck by the first British native oysters of autumn.'
0:00:33 > 0:00:35Mmm! So good!
0:00:35 > 0:00:39Going exotic with some of the best mussels in the country.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41Thanks very much, really delicious.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45I don't like it! 'And throwing some reluctant fish eaters'
0:00:45 > 0:00:48in at the deep end to catch delicious autumn mackerel.
0:01:16 > 0:01:21'When it comes to fish fresh from the sea, autumn is a time of great abundance.'
0:01:21 > 0:01:25UK fishermen are now really busy.
0:01:25 > 0:01:30So look for the luxurious succulent sea bass, sweet clams, and the tasty
0:01:30 > 0:01:33but economical grey mullet, gurnard
0:01:33 > 0:01:39and sprat, to bring joy to your table without breaking the bank.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41Can I have half a kilo of mussels, please?
0:01:41 > 0:01:44'But there are few seasonal seafood catches that excite me more
0:01:44 > 0:01:47'than the thought of sweet, plump mussels.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51'They're incredibly versatile, enjoyed in salads, fish stews
0:01:51 > 0:01:53'and soups, and now readily available
0:01:53 > 0:01:58'in fishmongers and supermarkets in their absolute autumn prime.'
0:02:00 > 0:02:04Britain is surrounded by millions upon millions
0:02:04 > 0:02:09of delicious mussels, they cling to every part of our rocky shores.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12But some of the best come from here.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19Lindisfarne, known locally as Holy Island, nestles tightly
0:02:19 > 0:02:22to the Northumbrian coast.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25This national nature reserve is a haven for wildlife,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28and a hot spot for mussels.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32Which is why I'm out of bed so early this morning.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37Twice a day, Lindisfarne is completely cut off
0:02:37 > 0:02:39from the mainland,
0:02:39 > 0:02:43when this half-mile long tidal causeway is swamped by sea water.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47This is the nincompoop hut, for those who get caught short.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51Any city slickers, know-it-alls, who fail to read the tidal chart,
0:02:51 > 0:02:55who then have to take refuge in this little box.
0:02:55 > 0:03:00But right now, the tide's out, and the Lindisfarne mussels are calling.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05You're the only man on the pier, you must be Steve.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07That's right, you're Val. Yeah, I'm Val.
0:03:07 > 0:03:08Pleased to meet you, Val. Pleased to meet you, too.
0:03:08 > 0:03:13We've got to get a bit of a move on, I'm afraid, the tide is ebbing fast. Let's go.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15'Steve is unique in these parts,
0:03:15 > 0:03:20'he is the only fishermen licensed to harvest Lindisfarne's celebrated mussels.'
0:03:21 > 0:03:24From the island, it's just a short boat trip to the mussel beds
0:03:24 > 0:03:27on the other side of the bay.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30What an amazing place to go to work every morning. It's great, yeah.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33It's a far cry from me having to get on to the Tube.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37I have my worries and problems like anybody else, but there's nothing like coming out here to sort 'em out.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39It gets blown away across the sea.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42In one ear and straight out.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51Steve's day at the office is entirely dictated by nature.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55On big tides, he gets four hours to pick,
0:03:55 > 0:03:57but today is a low tide,
0:03:57 > 0:04:02and the mussel beds will only be uncovered for two hours, so we're going to have to work fast.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05We're looking for the biggest ones. Yeah. We'll have that one.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08These really are huge.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11'Steve collects just eight buckets of mussels a day.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15'By hand-picking only a small selection of the largest specimens
0:04:15 > 0:04:20'in each area, he keeps his mussel bed population in tip-top condition.'
0:04:20 > 0:04:24This is the mantle where we'll find the bulk of the eating quality of the meat.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27As you can see here, we've got a really good thickness on it.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30Mussels are best eaten between September and April.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32As the sea warms in late spring,
0:04:32 > 0:04:37they begin to breed, which leaves them scrawny and not good eating.
0:04:37 > 0:04:42'But right now, they're at their plumpest and tastiest.'
0:04:42 > 0:04:43Wow! Good? Mmm.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47These taste of the essence of Holy Island.
0:04:47 > 0:04:54As filter feeders, mussels strain up to five gallons of water a day.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58Whether you're eating them raw or cooked, it's vital you pick them
0:04:58 > 0:05:03from unpolluted water, away from river mouths and sewage outlets.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05I have to say that when I heard
0:05:05 > 0:05:09that Steve only picked eight buckets a day,
0:05:09 > 0:05:11erm, I didn't think it was that many.
0:05:11 > 0:05:16I've picked one bucket and realised I've got incredibly girly hands and,
0:05:16 > 0:05:18erm, and I'm not very good at it.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21It's properly wild and gnarly and hard work.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24But it's worth it. Look at the size of this thing.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26Undisputably fat and delicious-looking.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28The most amazing mussels I've ever seen.
0:05:28 > 0:05:33The wind is whipping up and the tide is coming in fast.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35Soon, Holy Island's mussel beds
0:05:35 > 0:05:39will be completely covered by the sea for another day.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Time to get our precious cargo back to Steve's kitchen.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44I can't wait to get cooking.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47Shall I do the bearding, you do the scraping?
0:05:47 > 0:05:53Sounds good. 'Once on dry land, it's straight down to work cleaning the mussels.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55'Fishmongers and supermarkets will already have done
0:05:55 > 0:05:59'most of the hard graft. All that's left to do is de-beard them.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03'For half of our haul, I'm planning something a little exotic,
0:06:03 > 0:06:07'but straight-talking northerner Steve is choosing to cook his half
0:06:07 > 0:06:11'just how he's always eaten them - plain and uncomplicated.'
0:06:11 > 0:06:15I'm just doing a very simple recipe, the way my mum used to make them,
0:06:15 > 0:06:17and it's just mussels in a white sauce.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21We're quite literally hands across the ocean today,
0:06:21 > 0:06:24I'm making empenada mariscos, as it's called in Spanish.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27Roughly translated as a mussel pasty.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Steve's recipe is simplicity itself.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32As his mussels are steaming open,
0:06:32 > 0:06:35he makes a white sauce by frying flour in butter
0:06:35 > 0:06:39and then whisking in milk until he gets a smooth, silky consistency.
0:06:39 > 0:06:44The mussels are then strained and picked from their shells.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46Wow! Get that down your neck.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51Pass the test?
0:06:51 > 0:06:53No wonder everybody wants those.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56I know. My God! That's delicious.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59Along with chopped parsley, the mussels go into the sauce,
0:06:59 > 0:07:00and that's it, finished.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02Ready to go on toast.
0:07:02 > 0:07:07I hate to be an inverted snob, but it's so simple to do as well! Yeah!
0:07:07 > 0:07:11Some things take time, some don't. We're covering all bases today.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Having cooked my mussels with onion,
0:07:13 > 0:07:17cumin and garlic, they're picked from their shells.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19To the remaining delicious mussel juices,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22I'm adding a pinch of saffron.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24These I'm going to chop up.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26Chop up?!
0:07:26 > 0:07:28Ha-ha-ha-ha! What's going on?
0:07:28 > 0:07:31You've done your thing, I haven't interfered. No, you haven't.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34We don't all eat mussels your way.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36I don't get out enough, that's the problem.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39Then I'm going to add...
0:07:39 > 0:07:42Extremely interesting. An egg?!
0:07:42 > 0:07:45..one hard-boiled... Hard-boiled egg! Well... ..grated egg.
0:07:45 > 0:07:50You look totally horrified. I'm not horrified, my curiosity's aroused.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54Egg-yolk, chopped parsley and the reduced cooking liquor goes into
0:07:54 > 0:07:55the mussel mixture.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59It's then spooned into a circle of pastry.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02This is like watching my sort of babies go off
0:08:02 > 0:08:04on a round-the-world trip.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08'Steve's babies are sealed in the pastry case,
0:08:08 > 0:08:10'ready to be deep fried in hot oil.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14'Once crisp and golden, my empanadas are ready to go head-to-head
0:08:14 > 0:08:19'against Steve's mussels on toast.' Wowee!
0:08:19 > 0:08:21That just does look incredibly delicious. White pepper.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24More appropriate than black pepper?
0:08:24 > 0:08:27Absolutely. Yeah. It's good working-class fare.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31You don't hold back on the pepper, do you? A squeeze of lemon?
0:08:31 > 0:08:34If you want it, but I'd say a good bash of Tabasco.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36OK.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44Mmm.
0:08:44 > 0:08:45Delicious.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47Yeah. Really yummy.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50You get all the other stuff going on first, and then the mussels
0:08:50 > 0:08:54come through, and then the Tabasco!
0:08:54 > 0:08:56Mmm...
0:08:56 > 0:09:00Yeah, it's lovely. You like that, yeah? Absolutely love it.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03Mummy's recipe's OK? Simple, amazing, I love it.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06We've blown each other's trumpets, that's really delicious.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09That's exciting. This is comforting.
0:09:09 > 0:09:10They're both good.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15For the perfect super-fast Saturday night TV dinner,
0:09:15 > 0:09:18try this recipe for curried mussels with lager.
0:09:18 > 0:09:23Finely chop two shallots, then fry in butter with a couple
0:09:23 > 0:09:26of bay leaves until soft.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29Next, add a sprinkling of curry powder.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Throw in your mussels,
0:09:33 > 0:09:38and pour in a bottle of light lager.
0:09:38 > 0:09:43Then slam on the lid and cook until the mussels have steamed open.
0:09:43 > 0:09:48Spoon them in a dish, discarding the mussels that haven't opened,
0:09:48 > 0:09:50and set aside.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53Reduce the wonderfully aromatic cooking liquor,
0:09:53 > 0:09:56season with salt and pepper.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00Then for extra richness, whisk in a big knob of butter.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03And simply pour over the mussels.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08Finely chop some lovage, my favourite autumn herb,
0:10:08 > 0:10:13but if you can't find it, celery leaves work well, too.
0:10:13 > 0:10:18Then breathe in the delicious aroma and dive in.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21Mmm.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33If I were told I could only eat one fish for the rest of my life,
0:10:33 > 0:10:37the beautiful blue-green mouth-watering mackerel
0:10:37 > 0:10:38would win hands down.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41Could I have three of those mackerel, please?
0:10:41 > 0:10:44'And what's great, they're fantastic value, readily available
0:10:44 > 0:10:46'and really easy to cook.'
0:10:46 > 0:10:50Today I'm off to north Cornwall to catch some mackerel
0:10:50 > 0:10:52at their autumnal best.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56Cornish waters are some of the richest in the country.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59They're teeming with fish and holidaymakers.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02As surf life-savers here at Portreath beach,
0:11:02 > 0:11:06Katie, Emily and Shannie train hard five days a week.
0:11:06 > 0:11:12They need to keep super-fit and eat well to stay in tip-top lives saving condition.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Hi. Hello. I'm Valentine. Pleased to meet you.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19Who are you? Katie. Katie.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21Emily. Shannie.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23'These three are self-confessed fish-phobes
0:11:23 > 0:11:29'and I'm keen to turn them on to one of the healthiest and cheapest ingredients
0:11:29 > 0:11:31'that's swimming all round them - my beloved mackerel.'
0:11:31 > 0:11:33I don't eat fish. You don't eat fish?
0:11:33 > 0:11:35At all? No.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38They're slimy, they've got eyeballs. You've got eyeballs.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42I know, but I don't like scales and bones. They smell.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44So they're slimy and they smell?
0:11:44 > 0:11:48I don't like the brown bits, you know the brown, squidgy bit on the bottom?
0:11:48 > 0:11:51'I can see I've got my work cut out.
0:11:51 > 0:11:57'But my love of mackerel is so deep, I'm confident I can convert these mackerel heathens.'
0:11:57 > 0:12:00I hope you're gonna enjoy mackerel as much as I do.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02It's tasty stuff.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06'You can fish for mackerel practically anywhere
0:12:06 > 0:12:09'but the surefire way to guarantee success
0:12:09 > 0:12:13'is to head to deeper waters and chuck a line off a boat.'
0:12:13 > 0:12:16The first time I ever went was with my dad and I was seven.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19We caught so many mackerel in half-an-hour.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23I think that's what got me into fishing for the rest of my life,
0:12:23 > 0:12:26the importance of catching something on your first trip.
0:12:26 > 0:12:33Once we've left the protection of the harbour, the sea gets choppy.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37These conditions may prove challenging for novices.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40But autumn is a great time to be catching mackerel.
0:12:40 > 0:12:46Having spent the summer spawning, they're now hunting in huge shoals,
0:12:46 > 0:12:49gorging on whitebait, sprats and fry, before heading to deeper waters
0:12:49 > 0:12:51over winter.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53You'll definitely know when you've got a mackerel,
0:12:53 > 0:12:55you'll feel bump, bump, bump, bump.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Then just wind it all up.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59Right, you ready to fish? Yep.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07How's it going now, Shannie?
0:13:07 > 0:13:08OK.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11With a bit of luck this will be the start
0:13:11 > 0:13:15of a beautiful fishy love affair.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17Have you given up?
0:13:17 > 0:13:19I haven't given up, I just ...
0:13:19 > 0:13:22Do some work! I am!
0:13:22 > 0:13:24I was worried when I saw those pink painted nails
0:13:24 > 0:13:26this morning I thought, "Ooh..."
0:13:26 > 0:13:30I tell you what, it's actually quite hard work.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Hard work? Harder than saving lives?
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Got one! Hooray! Get it into the boat.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38Your first mackerel.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42Bring it down onto the floor. Grip it firmly
0:13:42 > 0:13:46and then take these hooks out. Ugh!
0:13:46 > 0:13:48I don't like it!
0:13:48 > 0:13:51Do you want to kill it? No!
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Right, we don't want to just chuck the mackerel in the box and let it
0:13:54 > 0:13:57quiver and flip to death, so you want to kill it quickly.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01Put your finger in its mouth, thumb on the back and just break its neck.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04What am I gonna do with my hand? I have mackerel jollop on my hand.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06Wipe it on my jacket. Thanks.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10Oh, come on!
0:14:10 > 0:14:12We've got more mackerel now.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14'At this time of year,
0:14:14 > 0:14:18'mackerel are widely available to buy and brilliant value.
0:14:19 > 0:14:24'But make sure they're bright eyed and super fresh, just like these.'
0:14:24 > 0:14:26They're very pretty. They're not, they're bloody minging!
0:14:26 > 0:14:29'If their iridescent green has dulled to grey,
0:14:29 > 0:14:33'mackerel are past their best and you should leave well alone.'
0:14:33 > 0:14:37Congratulations. Here, a slimy mackerel handshake. Ugh!
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Oh, my God! I got one. Oh my God!
0:14:40 > 0:14:42Come on.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44Ahh! Kill it, kill it!
0:14:44 > 0:14:47That's gross!
0:14:48 > 0:14:50Are you having a bit of a moment?
0:14:50 > 0:14:52Yeah.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56Suddenly it's all falling apart on HMS Hysteria.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00'In less than an hour, despite rumblings of mutiny
0:15:00 > 0:15:03'and sea sickness, we've managed to catch 12 glorious mackerel.'
0:15:03 > 0:15:05I'm about to throw up.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09OK. Girls, you're gonna be very happy to know that
0:15:09 > 0:15:12I say that we've got enough. Good. We're going in.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19Well, I'd say that was a success. You've all caught mackerel.
0:15:19 > 0:15:20It's brilliant.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23'The girls have proved they can catch fish,
0:15:23 > 0:15:26'the challenge now is to get them to eat it.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33'By teatime the sun's decided to put his hat on.'
0:15:33 > 0:15:37After that exhausting time out at sea we're gonna recuperate with some mackerel on toast.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41This is very, very easy to cook and very, very delicious,
0:15:41 > 0:15:44but, of course, first we need to gut and fillet our mackerel.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46So is everyone gonna do one?
0:15:46 > 0:15:50No! I can do it with gloves. Gloves aren't included.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Put the tip of the knife in, all the way up, right up under the chin.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55If you buy your mackerel in fishmongers
0:15:55 > 0:15:57they will do the dirty work for you.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00It's only fish. I know, but it's got...
0:16:00 > 0:16:03OK, stage two, we need to fillet our mackerel.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06Tip of the knife in here, cut to the back of the head,
0:16:06 > 0:16:08turn it round.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11Hand flat on here. Exactly.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13I wasted a little bit. That's great.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16First go - that's fantastic. Look at that bad boy!
0:16:16 > 0:16:21'With the mackerel sorted, Emily's thinly slicing a peeled cucumber,
0:16:21 > 0:16:26'throwing on a large handful of salt and giving it a good mix.'
0:16:26 > 0:16:29What the salt will do is pull the water out of the cucumbers.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33They change their consistency, so they're not quite so watery,
0:16:33 > 0:16:34they're crunchy and delicious.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36What is that thing? This is a horse radish.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40I thought horseradish comes in jars. Horseradish does come in jars
0:16:40 > 0:16:44but before it goes into jars it gets pulled out of the ground.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47'With the grated horseradish we're going to make a fresh, pokey sauce.'
0:16:47 > 0:16:49Cor! Yes.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53'Mixing it in with creme fraiche and English mustard powder.'
0:16:53 > 0:16:56Mmm. Delicious.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00'After a quick rinse we're wringing out the cucumber
0:17:00 > 0:17:02'to remove as much moisture as possible.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04'Then it's mackerel time.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08'We're seasoning the fillets generously before frying them
0:17:08 > 0:17:10'in sizzling butter.'
0:17:10 > 0:17:12We want a really good, hot pan so that
0:17:12 > 0:17:16when the mackerel fillets go in they start cooking straight away.
0:17:16 > 0:17:17You see them arching up?
0:17:19 > 0:17:22We want the skin to be crispy so we need to press them down again.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26That's keeping them nice and flat to the pan.
0:17:28 > 0:17:29Do you wanna butter the toasts?
0:17:29 > 0:17:32Lots of butter? Yeah, lots of butter.
0:17:32 > 0:17:37'The buttery toast is covered with a generous amount of salted cucumber.'
0:17:37 > 0:17:42And look at that. Nice mackerel fillet on each one.
0:17:42 > 0:17:43Oh, it looks nice.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46'It's topped off with a good dollop of the horseradish sauce,
0:17:46 > 0:17:51'a few slices of red onion and a wedge of lemon.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55'Mackerel on toast with salted cucumber and horseradish.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59'Rich, oily, delicious and great value for money.'
0:18:00 > 0:18:01Cheers.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03'But will my mackerel on toast win over the girls?'
0:18:03 > 0:18:05Are you ready to dive in?
0:18:11 > 0:18:14How is it, guys? Lovely. Really?
0:18:14 > 0:18:16I will be fishing for mackerel again.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18Emily, really? Yeah, I'm eating it.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21Great. Shannie? It's OK.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25Do you know, OK from you is as good as great from them.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29I have to say that Portreath mackerel is the best I've ever tasted.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32If it gets any fresher you have to spank it.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35Good stuff, guys, you've made a hungry man happy.
0:18:39 > 0:18:46Here's another great recipe for inexpensive Omega 3-packed mackerel.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49To make a fantastic pate that's big on creamy flavour
0:18:49 > 0:18:50but small on effort,
0:18:50 > 0:18:54take two mackerel, cut off their heads and tails
0:18:54 > 0:18:57and fry in sizzlingly hot butter.
0:18:59 > 0:19:04When the fish are cooked remove from the pan and flake off the flesh.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12Add the flaked fish to a blender,
0:19:12 > 0:19:18put in a hefty dollop of Dijon mustard, a teaspoon of celery salt,
0:19:18 > 0:19:22a big blast of black pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26Finally add some chunks of butter and whizz.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32Spoon out the creamy pate and
0:19:32 > 0:19:36of extra texture add some flaked mackerel.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38Then tuck in.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44Mmm.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53If you've eaten oysters the chances are they're Rock or Pacifics.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57Elongated and gnarled, these imports are farmed and harvested here
0:19:57 > 0:20:01throughout the year and are great value for money.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06But today, I've come to Falmouth in Cornwall to experience the ultimate
0:20:06 > 0:20:10seasonal treat. The British native.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13Oysters are definitely one of my autumn favourites. And the oysters
0:20:13 > 0:20:17from the River Fal are reputed to be the best in the country.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19The trouble is they have to be collected by sail power,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22and this makes it a very hard job.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26The 1st October marks the start of the River Fal's
0:20:26 > 0:20:27six-month oyster season.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30And I'm very excited to be so meeting Marshall and Les,
0:20:30 > 0:20:35skippers of the beautiful Three Sisters oyster dredger.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40All right, Les. Ahoy there.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43Marshall, morning. Hello!
0:20:43 > 0:20:45We're all ready to go, now Ready to go? Yeah.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49Where do you want me? Not there! Not on the end of the boom!
0:20:51 > 0:20:54'Traditional oyster sailing boats
0:20:54 > 0:20:57'have been part of the Falmouth landscape for more than 500 years.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01'This is proper old-fashioned fishing, no GPS or sonar.
0:21:01 > 0:21:06'The only way to find oysters is by trial and error.'
0:21:06 > 0:21:08Marshall's gonna put us on a hot spot.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11'But with 80 years combined experience,
0:21:11 > 0:21:14'these boys clearly know what they're doing.'
0:21:14 > 0:21:17Here we go. First for the season!
0:21:17 > 0:21:18Here we go. Whoa.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20The rope goes slack when it touches the bottom.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23Then they'll be pulling along the bottom?
0:21:23 > 0:21:26They will gradually drift down across the seabed.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28The engine's being switched off
0:21:28 > 0:21:32because you are not allowed to use it when you're dredging for oysters.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35Why is that? Preservation. It keeps the stocks better.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38If you went round with the engine you'd catch everything right away.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41You'd only have a months fishing instead of six.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43Here we go, second for the season.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47'With the lightweight dredgers launched, the Three Sisters sails
0:21:47 > 0:21:51'a graceful course across the estuary, dragging them behind.'
0:21:52 > 0:21:54Right, I'll pull one up first.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57'After three or four minutes it's time to find out
0:21:57 > 0:21:59'if the dredgers have hit oyster gold.'
0:21:59 > 0:22:01I think it's full of weed.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04Marshall put us right on the weed.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06This is your hotspot, eh, Marshall?
0:22:06 > 0:22:10'Seaweed is the oyster fishermen's biggest enemy.
0:22:10 > 0:22:11'It clogs up the dredgers blade
0:22:11 > 0:22:14'allowing the oysters to roll underneath.'
0:22:14 > 0:22:18A lot of weed to start the season. I don't know what that is.
0:22:18 > 0:22:23'Now we have to sort through it all to see if we've unearthed anything worth keeping.'
0:22:23 > 0:22:26Velvet swimmer, sea slug.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29There's a lot of activity going on under this boat.
0:22:29 > 0:22:34Oyster. Look at that, Fal River native oyster.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36What a little beauty.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38It's what we call a ringer.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40He's just large enough to keep.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43That's how we check. I do it by eye cos I've done it so long.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47That one will hang. If it hangs in the ring you can keep it.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49That's without your finger underneath it, mind.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53'Smaller oysters are thrown back in to mature, spawn and perpetuate
0:22:53 > 0:22:56'the future native oyster stocks.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59'Anything ring size or over is fit for keeps.'
0:22:59 > 0:23:01There you are, try pulling that one up.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07This is easy!
0:23:07 > 0:23:09It's not bad the first two or three.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12It's when you've been there six hours doing it.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16Flipping Nora! You end up with arms like an orang-utan.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18Anybody fancy a...? I fancy one.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21'Oysters aren't the only seafood we are catching.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23'Marshall's uncovered a prawn.'
0:23:23 > 0:23:25Marshall will eat anything.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29Well, Marshall's quite right, this is a good glass prawn.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31A little peel. This is good stuff.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35They taste exactly the same as cooked.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38Mmm. Beautiful. Raw. For all this kinda hard work it's quite nice
0:23:38 > 0:23:42to get these perpetual little snacks coming overboard.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45Sorry, I haven't been doing much work.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47There's a lot of oysters here.
0:23:47 > 0:23:52A hot spot here now. Here you are, Valentine.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55Those are definitely number ones. That's the top grade you can get.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58Look at those guys. They're about four years old.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01How do you rate the Fal native against all the other oysters?
0:24:01 > 0:24:04The best in the world. They're much sweeter.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07Do you think they make you a better lover, Marshall?
0:24:07 > 0:24:09Well, I've got twin boys at the first shot.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11I stopped doing it after that.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Les, what do they do for your performance?
0:24:14 > 0:24:16I've never even an oyster in my life.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20Les has just made a very large admission on the Three Sisters.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Is that he's never eaten an oyster in his life.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27'Oysters aren't everybody's cup of tea, but I find it difficult
0:24:27 > 0:24:31'to believe Les has been exposed to so many delicious Fal natives
0:24:31 > 0:24:34'and hasn't been able to stomach a single one.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38'I, on the other hand, am finding them increasingly hard to resist.'
0:24:38 > 0:24:41Can I try one? Oyster? I so want to try one.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45I've been holding back all morning. All right.
0:24:46 > 0:24:47One of the best.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53River Fal oyster, standing on the Three Sisters boat.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07I can't... I just can't describe how good that is.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10You do feel... Mmm.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14It's phenomenal.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17Straightaway you get that... Grrr!
0:25:17 > 0:25:20That minerally...mmm....thing.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22Can I have another one? Why not?
0:25:27 > 0:25:29Mmmm.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31So good!
0:25:31 > 0:25:34I'll shut up, stop eating and get on with it.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36Eating all profits.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44'After a day on the estuary we head back to shore with over 1,200
0:25:44 > 0:25:48'of possibly the most fantastic oysters I'll ever taste in my life.'
0:25:50 > 0:25:53There are so many delicious ways to guzzle these things.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57I love them raw, but here's a couple of ways of jazzing them up.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01First, a Mexican-style tomato salsa.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05Finely chop a tomato, shallot and hot green chilli.
0:26:06 > 0:26:11A squeeze of orange and lime and a small handful of chopped coriander.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13OK.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15That was one, here's two.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17Finely chop segments of lemon...
0:26:19 > 0:26:25Add celery, baby capers and a little salt and olive oil.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29Everything chopped in both of these things like little tiny jewels.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33Those are two very good accompaniments
0:26:33 > 0:26:35for these fantastic oysters.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Guys. All right there. Are you ready to try some oysters?
0:26:38 > 0:26:41No, I'm not trying them. I don't eat oysters. Come on!
0:26:41 > 0:26:43I'm a non fish eater.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46How can a salty seadog like you not eat oysters?
0:26:46 > 0:26:49I'm a bacon and egg man. I'm the tester. You're the tester.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53I'm going to try on a little pico degio. A little Mexican-style...
0:26:56 > 0:26:58Marshall is a connoisseur.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01He certainly is.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03Just a little bit too much.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05Too much? Fair enough.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08I think oyster being raw is the way to eat them.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12Look at that, you couldn't get any fresher, straight out the water.
0:27:14 > 0:27:15That's beautiful, see. Right.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19You don't really need that salsa. That's the way to eat them.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21OK. I'm going to try you on something else now.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23Something else for you to dislike.
0:27:23 > 0:27:28Right, here we go. Round two in how not to please Marshall.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30That's a little bit of celery
0:27:30 > 0:27:33and a little bit of caper and a little bit of lemon.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38That's better cos I managed to get the oyster
0:27:38 > 0:27:41spread out and chew it up before I hit the...
0:27:41 > 0:27:45Let's pretend I didn't make those. No, that was good.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49Listen, it's fine. We're all entitled to our opinion.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53If we had a pile that big we could do a speed eating contest.
0:27:53 > 0:27:54Do you know something?
0:27:54 > 0:27:58I think it's one of the few things I could maybe beat you. No.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01I guarantee you'd be a non-starter. You could out eat me, yeah?
0:28:01 > 0:28:04I know who I'd put money on, put it that way!
0:28:04 > 0:28:07Guys, cheers. All the best. Well done.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11Thanks for a great day. Thanks a lot.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20Over the past six weeks I've munched through many of autumn's
0:28:20 > 0:28:24culinary champions, embracing British produce at its seasonal best
0:28:24 > 0:28:29and looking on home-grown goodies as transient treats to be savoured.
0:28:29 > 0:28:33I'm really full now. They are, after all, the freshest,
0:28:33 > 0:28:38tastiest and cheapest ingredients to be eaten right now.
0:28:38 > 0:28:39Mmm.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41It really is delicious.
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