0:00:02 > 0:00:07Summer, the most exciting time for the seasonal cook, has arrived.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10The shops are crammed full of Mother Nature's bounty,
0:00:10 > 0:00:14and the choice of ingredients leaves me dizzy with ideas.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17Look at that. That is a splendid thing!
0:00:17 > 0:00:21I'm Valentine Warner, chef by trade,
0:00:21 > 0:00:23greedy by nature.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27Go on, open wide. There you are, darling. Yum-yum.
0:00:27 > 0:00:31From barbecues to picnics, lunches and teas,
0:00:31 > 0:00:35I'll be taking you with me on a mouth-watering journey around Britain...
0:00:35 > 0:00:37Whoa, whoa!
0:00:37 > 0:00:39Now, I didn't expect that!
0:00:41 > 0:00:42- Very... - HE "SIZZLES"
0:00:42 > 0:00:44- but not hot.- Yeah.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46That's really fantastic.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50'..showing you what to eat now.' Bloody hell, that's good!
0:00:52 > 0:00:56Tonight, it's all about picnics.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00Forget soggy sandwiches, bin those papery pastries and eat like a king
0:01:00 > 0:01:04with my definitive guide to al fresco dining.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07I'll be seeking approval from the lady of the manor...
0:01:07 > 0:01:11A "little boy" feel about you. A little pat on the back.
0:01:11 > 0:01:12Well done, Val!
0:01:12 > 0:01:15..being bossed about while bigging up broad beans...
0:01:15 > 0:01:17I'm gonna get you to do all the dirty work!
0:01:19 > 0:01:22..and making the cutest of cakes for your hamper.
0:01:23 > 0:01:28That's really, really, really seriously delicious!
0:01:36 > 0:01:40There's nothing that gets me more excited about summer
0:01:40 > 0:01:43than heading into our beautiful countryside
0:01:43 > 0:01:46to hang out with a bunch of friends and have a picnic.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52For me, food tastes even better outside,
0:01:52 > 0:01:57so hoick up your hamper, bundle up the blankets and pimp that picnic!
0:01:58 > 0:02:01As a nation, we can definitely be a bit boring
0:02:01 > 0:02:03when it comes to our picnic choices.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06If you're fed up with soggy sandwiches, be inventive.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09There's plenty of other things to make with a loaf of bread.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12I'm gonna make an edible picnic hamper,
0:02:12 > 0:02:15and it will be full of little goodies.
0:02:15 > 0:02:16Cut off the top.
0:02:16 > 0:02:21So, I'm hollowing this out to make a space for all the little passengers to hop inside.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25Trust me, this is gonna be great.
0:02:26 > 0:02:31That is what you're left with. Don't throw this away, it makes very good breadcrumbs or croutons.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36Now for the goodies that will fill my bread basket.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38First, some mayonnaise.
0:02:38 > 0:02:43Add two yolks to a blender, along with a teaspoon of Dijon mustard.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Two roughly chopped cloves of garlic,
0:02:46 > 0:02:50and a splash of white wine vinegar.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52And here we go.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56Very slowly, dribble in sunflower oil.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00I like to use sunflower oil in my mayonnaise as well as olive oil,
0:03:00 > 0:03:04because made with totally olive oil it becomes very heavy
0:03:04 > 0:03:06and it becomes quite bitter.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10This is a herb mayonnaise, so I'm adding my seasonal favourites -
0:03:10 > 0:03:12basil, chives and tarragon.
0:03:12 > 0:03:19And the tarragon will give that, kind of, liquorice,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22aniseedy...twang.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27Add the herbs to the blender and give it a good old blitz.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31Season to taste with salt, pepper and sugar.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm!
0:03:37 > 0:03:42Wow! It's got a real garlic hit, but I like that.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44I think it gets about 8 or 9 on the yum-o-meter.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Put the yummy mayonnaise into a jar.
0:03:47 > 0:03:52So, first entrant to the bread suitcase.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55In it goes, absolutely perfect.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58In go a couple of boiled eggs.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00Now for the vegetable crudites.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02First up, baby carrots,
0:04:02 > 0:04:05cucumber batons and lovely pink radishes.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07Even their little whiskers go in.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10I like the little whiskers, nothing wrong with them.
0:04:10 > 0:04:15Tomatoes, yellow pepper, and finally...
0:04:17 > 0:04:19..I can't leave celery behind.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21String it.
0:04:21 > 0:04:27You get one of your little batons and you have some mayonnaise,
0:04:27 > 0:04:31you crack an egg on your knee and peel it, break off a bit of bread.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33Just have one last look in there.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35I mean, how sweet is that?
0:04:39 > 0:04:41Put it under your arm,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44bottle of good, cold wine,
0:04:44 > 0:04:45and off you go.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56For me, a picnic's not a picnic without the crisp crunch of salad leaves.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58And they're great to eat right now,
0:04:58 > 0:05:02but there's more to the luscious lettuce than you might think.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08In the height of summer, there's nowhere I'd rather be
0:05:08 > 0:05:11than in a British vegetable garden
0:05:11 > 0:05:14bursting with crisp and intriguing lettuces.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16For me, summer is salad.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18And I've heard of a secret garden,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21here in the Yorkshire Dales,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24that promises to woo me.
0:05:24 > 0:05:25How fantastic!
0:05:25 > 0:05:29This fabulous castle is the beautiful home
0:05:29 > 0:05:30of Lord and Lady Downshire,
0:05:30 > 0:05:34and they've got exacting standards when it comes to leafy greens.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39But this couple leave their gardening to the expert.
0:05:39 > 0:05:40Chris.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43- Hi, hi!- King of the kitchen garden!
0:05:43 > 0:05:46Oh, ho-ho, I'm not so sure about that, but we try our best.
0:05:46 > 0:05:51- You're at it already. Can I just drop to my knees and help? - Absolutely, feel free!
0:05:51 > 0:05:53LETTUCE begin!
0:05:53 > 0:05:55That's right!
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Chris Biggins has been the full-time gardener here for three years,
0:05:58 > 0:06:01and is turning lettuce laying into an art form.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05That'll look very pretty, red and green and red and green.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08Yeah. The green one is "Winter Density", a cos lettuce,
0:06:08 > 0:06:10and the other one is a variety called "Bijou".
0:06:10 > 0:06:15Basically, the red one would get to the size of the green one, and in a perfect garden,
0:06:15 > 0:06:17you'd have red, green, red, green, all of a size.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21- Stop, go, stop, go?- If I can stop them using them in the kitchen, we'll be all right!
0:06:24 > 0:06:26Chris is giving me a guided tour of the garden
0:06:26 > 0:06:29before I get to meet the lady of the manor,
0:06:29 > 0:06:31and the lady does like her lettuce...a lot.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35This is kind of Salad Central, this place. Endless possibilities.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39Chris is currently growing eight different varieties.
0:06:40 > 0:06:45And I'm planning on working my way through each and every one of them.
0:06:45 > 0:06:46- Swiss chard.- Swiss chard.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50That's ruby chard, it's the mixture of red and yellow leaves.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52Chard is a very delicious thing.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Rocket, which is really kind of going nuts, there.
0:06:55 > 0:07:01- Yeah, try some.- That's pokey! What have you been spraying on that? Wow-ee!- Special liquid mix!- Aagh!
0:07:01 > 0:07:04There are around 50 amazing varieties of lettuce
0:07:04 > 0:07:08grown in this country each year, and they're at their best right now.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11I've just spied, round the corner, sorrel.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13One of my favourite things in the salad bowl.
0:07:13 > 0:07:18- Aah, sorrel! It is nice, isn't it? - Not even the tops of vegetables escape my clutches.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22They're a seasonal treat and great in a summer salad.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25I love pea-tops. That is such a delicious thing.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29It's got everything that peas have, but in leaf form.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31Tasting the leaves, one at a time, just isn't me.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35I fancy a cocktail of radish, "Bijou",
0:07:35 > 0:07:38rocket and "Winter Density".
0:07:38 > 0:07:41I don't mind a little bit of mud. A kind of sample cigar.
0:07:41 > 0:07:46The ultimate simple salad recipe.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48Nice, that, isn't it?
0:07:48 > 0:07:51Lettuce might be easy to grow in this country,
0:07:51 > 0:07:55but her ladyship's tastes are getting more and more exotic.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59I grew up with these things that her ladyship in the house particularly likes.
0:07:59 > 0:08:05Things like chickpeas. We tried to grow them last year and it's a tropical plant. It struggled.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09I mean, to get a decent crop... We got a few, we got a handful - it really wasn't worth it.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13- A handful or something? - Yeah, a handful of chickpeas, yeah.
0:08:15 > 0:08:21So I've met the master of the garden - now for the mistress of the mansion.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23So, at last, permission to pick!
0:08:25 > 0:08:30- We'll have to rein you back. - And we're gonna raid your kitchen garden senseless!
0:08:30 > 0:08:33'Janey is renowned for her picnic prowess,
0:08:33 > 0:08:36'and we'll be throwing one for the family later on.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40'We're both making a dish, so we're on the hunt for the greatest greens.'
0:08:40 > 0:08:42You do your thing, I'll do mine. No peeking!
0:08:42 > 0:08:46No peeking? Oh, all right. It's a competition, then, is it?
0:08:46 > 0:08:47It's always a competition.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51'And I hope she knows I wasn't kidding about the raiding!'
0:08:54 > 0:09:00I love the lettuce season, and I feel like a kid in a candy shop.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03I love the speed with which you pick everything.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05You only have one life.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07You could stop to look at some of it along the way.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10- Well, I've been looking at it all day.- OK.
0:09:10 > 0:09:11Now I know what I need to do.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13I'm not being greedy,
0:09:13 > 0:09:16I just really like lettuce.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19He's pulled up half the garden down there!
0:09:19 > 0:09:24I'm nearly done. I've got to go onto the other side of the wall to get some carrots.
0:09:26 > 0:09:31I think I've pushed my luck far enough, so time to get cooking.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35The family will be choosing their favourite dish at this afternoon's picnic.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37What are you doing with yours?
0:09:37 > 0:09:42I'm going to do our family favourite. Chicken wraps with lots of salad ingredients -
0:09:42 > 0:09:46cucumber and tomato and pepper - and I'm making some of my dressing.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49I'm going to make just a big green salad
0:09:49 > 0:09:52but with lots of lurky little things hiding among,
0:09:52 > 0:09:54like spies in a wood.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56I'm using leaves that pack a punch -
0:09:56 > 0:10:00tasty chard, lemony sorrel and peppery radish-tops.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11- I really enjoy using those things. - You can buy me a new one if you break mine.
0:10:11 > 0:10:12Why, was I a bit rough with it?
0:10:12 > 0:10:16I want my salad to have a wealth of texture and colour,
0:10:16 > 0:10:18so I'm adding my seasonal favourites -
0:10:18 > 0:10:22peas, broad beans, spring onion, carrots and radish.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26Do you think my salad's looking pretty, or do you think it looks...
0:10:26 > 0:10:29- ugly? - No, I think it looks beautiful!
0:10:29 > 0:10:32- You're looking for a little pat on the back?- Yeah, constantly!
0:10:32 > 0:10:36A sort of "little boy" feel... a "little boy" feel about you!
0:10:36 > 0:10:37A little pat on the back!
0:10:37 > 0:10:42- You've done really well! - Yeah, I fired a stone through your greenhouse window, actually!
0:10:42 > 0:10:44Did you?!
0:10:44 > 0:10:48Vinaigrette is a picnic-hamper staple that will brighten up any salad,
0:10:48 > 0:10:52and mine is so easy that you'll never have to buy the bottled stuff again.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55Mix chopped garlic with salt and Dijon mustard,
0:10:55 > 0:10:58sugar and white wine vinegar.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01Give it a stir to stop it splitting
0:11:01 > 0:11:05when adding a serious glug of olive oil.
0:11:05 > 0:11:10My summery salad dressing looks great, but I'm not sure about the look of Janey's vinaigrette.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14It's very sort of dark, and sort of gloopy.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Dark and gloopy. So that gets poured on everything,
0:11:17 > 0:11:21- and I don't mind if you put your finger in it.- OK, great!
0:11:22 > 0:11:26I don't know whether it's there yet.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28That's very nice indeed.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33It turns out the gloopy vinaigrette
0:11:33 > 0:11:36goes very nicely with the chicken wraps,
0:11:36 > 0:11:40which doesn't bode well for my chances of bagging the best dish.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44It's very delicious, and your vinaigrette is very nice.
0:11:44 > 0:11:50Although I would say that I think you should stop describing it as "a thick and gloopy sauce"!
0:11:50 > 0:11:51Could you give me a name for it?
0:11:51 > 0:11:53Dark and Stormy.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55- Dark and Stormy?- Mmm.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57Let's hope the same can't be said
0:11:57 > 0:11:59about the weather,
0:11:59 > 0:12:01as we head outside for the picnic.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03Brilliant, well done, everyone.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Janey's husband, Lord Nick, and the family
0:12:05 > 0:12:09are joining us to see whose salad leaf creation is king of the crop.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13Will it be my ultimate summer salad, or the lovely lady's chicken wraps?
0:12:13 > 0:12:17Nick, I'm slightly worried that after this afternoon
0:12:17 > 0:12:22- I haven't left you with much to eat in your kitchen garden! - Is the garden stripped bare?- Yeah.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25Have two wraps - it's going to be a few weeks before the lettuce comes back.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29Have you tried all the things that grow in your garden?
0:12:29 > 0:12:30I'm not sure I've had all of them.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34- Do you know what's there? - Yeah.- Do you go round nibbling a lot?
0:12:34 > 0:12:35- What do you think?- It's good!
0:12:35 > 0:12:37- It's good?- Very good!
0:12:37 > 0:12:39Thank you very much!
0:12:39 > 0:12:42I've so enjoyed this, absolutely delicious!
0:12:42 > 0:12:46I'm afraid, Mummy, you've been outshone this time!
0:12:48 > 0:12:50Victory at last!
0:12:50 > 0:12:53Rocket to red chard, sorrel and spinach,
0:12:53 > 0:12:58salad leaves are at their best right now, and you don't have to have a castle to get your hands on them.
0:12:58 > 0:13:03The shops and markets are full to the brim, so get stuck in!
0:13:09 > 0:13:12Lettuce isn't just something for the salad bowl.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16Soup might not be something that you associate with summer,
0:13:16 > 0:13:18but my chilled English garden soup
0:13:18 > 0:13:21is delicious served out of a flask at a picnic.
0:13:21 > 0:13:26Gently fry garlic and shallots in butter.
0:13:28 > 0:13:33Peel and de-seed a cucumber, roughly slice and add to the pan.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Give it a good grating of nutmeg,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40and cook over a medium heat until soft and translucent.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46Tip fresh summer peas into the pan, along with chicken stock,
0:13:46 > 0:13:47and let it bubble gently.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52Spoon the mixture into a blender,
0:13:52 > 0:13:54and blitz until smooth.
0:13:56 > 0:14:03Tear in a whole round lettuce and a handful of de-stalked sorrel leaves and blend again.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08Add creme fraiche, season with salt and white pepper,
0:14:08 > 0:14:10and give it a final blast in the blender.
0:14:10 > 0:14:15Once chilled, pour it into a flask for the picnic
0:14:15 > 0:14:17and serve with prawns.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28Delicious. Refreshing.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31Lettuces, vegetable gardens,
0:14:31 > 0:14:34summer, with prawns on top. Yum.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40I'm an enormous fan of picnics
0:14:40 > 0:14:45and know all the shortcuts when it comes to packing the hamper.
0:14:45 > 0:14:50Here are my top tips to make eating al fresco a breeze.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55The corkscrew - why can we never find it on a picnic?
0:14:55 > 0:14:59And like children's mittens tied through their coats,
0:14:59 > 0:15:01tie it onto your picnic hamper.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05You should never, ever, ever have that problem again.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11Salt and pepper - essential at a picnic.
0:15:11 > 0:15:12One for salt...
0:15:12 > 0:15:15and one for pepper.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19It now leaves extra room to have a fat piece of cheddar or a slice of pie.
0:15:21 > 0:15:26Lettuce can wilt when prepped in advance, but Little Gems are great carried whole.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30Natural cups - really useful, hard to damage.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34Mmm!
0:15:34 > 0:15:39Ice - essential on a picnic, but how to keep it frozen?
0:15:39 > 0:15:42And a thermos flask is as good at keeping things cold
0:15:42 > 0:15:44as it is keeping things hot.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48So, forget about warm orange squash.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52Take a lemon, squeeze over ice, add sugar.
0:15:52 > 0:15:53Give it a good stir.
0:15:53 > 0:15:59And finally, sparkling water. Quick as you like it, lemonade!
0:16:01 > 0:16:05Aah! Oooh! That's really sharp!
0:16:05 > 0:16:10It's sweet, it's cold, it's everything you want on a really hot summer's day.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21Living in a city doesn't mean that you're tied to supermarket shopping.
0:16:21 > 0:16:27The melting pot of cultures leaves you spoilt for choice at the fabulous markets.
0:16:27 > 0:16:33Church Street Market is at the centre of London's thriving Middle Eastern community,
0:16:33 > 0:16:38and I've come here to find one of Britain's most maligned summer vegetables.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41I'm totally, totally in love with broad beans.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43They're my favourite summer vegetable.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47Broad beans don't have the best of reputations in this country,
0:16:47 > 0:16:53but I'm out to prove that they're more than just a wrinkly grey side dish at a Sunday roast.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56We Brits might not love them, but the Egyptians certainly do.
0:16:56 > 0:16:57- Hebba, hi!- Nice to meet you.
0:16:57 > 0:17:02Nice to meet you, too. You're the Egyptian representative for broad-bean loving?
0:17:02 > 0:17:05- Yes, I am! I hope I do a good job! - Great!
0:17:05 > 0:17:12Hebba lives up the road from me, and like most Egyptians, cooks and eats broad beans on a daily basis.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16Can we have a lot of beans, please? Are you happy with these ones?
0:17:16 > 0:17:19- Yeah, I am.- What do you call broad beans in Arabic?
0:17:19 > 0:17:21We call it - SHE SPEAKS IN ARABIC
0:17:21 > 0:17:24HE SPEAKS IN ARABIC
0:17:24 > 0:17:30In Egypt, the broad bean is a staple part of the diet, eaten by rich and poor alike.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33What do you think the English problem with broad beans is?
0:17:33 > 0:17:35Maybe people don't know what to do with them,
0:17:35 > 0:17:39and maybe they're a bit time-consuming because they have to unplug them...
0:17:39 > 0:17:42- But that's the nice, meditative part.- That's the fun of it!
0:17:42 > 0:17:45- I'm gonna stick those in your nice straw bag.- In my man bag!
0:17:45 > 0:17:47It's a very nice man bag!
0:17:47 > 0:17:49Thanks a lot! Great!
0:17:49 > 0:17:51Hebba and I are hosting a picnic later on,
0:17:51 > 0:17:55and we're going to make two different dishes with our broad-bean bounty.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57And as it's her kitchen, it's ladies first.
0:17:57 > 0:18:02OK, Val, we're gonna need a lot of broad beans over here, so let's get podding.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04- That much?- Yeah.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06Do Egyptian women run the kitchen at home?
0:18:06 > 0:18:11- I would say across the board, that's their territory.- Well, I will just do what I'm told, then!
0:18:11 > 0:18:16- Yes!- Hebba's making a traditional Egyptian dish -
0:18:16 > 0:18:19a stew of broad beans, rice and beef.
0:18:19 > 0:18:24They feel so nice as well, broad beans. I love their fluffy insides and soft velvety outsides.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27- Yeah, exactly!- Everything about them gives a feeling of joy.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31- We've only got a few more left, come on!- More podding, less chatting!
0:18:31 > 0:18:34And there's me thinking it was gonna be a relaxing morning.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37- I'm gonna get you to do all the dirty work.- Aagh!
0:18:37 > 0:18:41- Get the beef on soon, too. - OK, OK, so hurry up.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45Under madam's orders, I chop half a kilo of beef into perfect cubes.
0:18:45 > 0:18:50- Is that to Cleopatra's liking? - Yep, I would say so.- Great.
0:18:50 > 0:18:57The approved beef goes into the pan along with diced onion, dill and coriander.
0:18:57 > 0:18:58My God, it smells fantastic!
0:18:58 > 0:19:01But there's no time to idle in Hebba's kitchen,
0:19:01 > 0:19:04as she sets me to work pounding 12 cloves of garlic.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06Keep going, keep going!
0:19:06 > 0:19:08Your bossy side is coming out!
0:19:08 > 0:19:15- Yes, it will!- We add my favourite broad beans along with three tablespoons of basmati rice.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17Hebba dry-fries the garlic with some chard.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19Wow, what a smell!
0:19:19 > 0:19:23Once it's cooked for a further ten minutes, it's ready.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26And after all that hard work, I can't wait!
0:19:26 > 0:19:31- It smells heavenly!- You can smell all the different flavours.- You can smell all the different things!
0:19:31 > 0:19:33- Mmm! Ladies first.- Give us a spoon.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35Oh, yeah, sorry! I forgot about you.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38I want beans, I want meat, I want...
0:19:39 > 0:19:41Don't burn your tongue!
0:19:44 > 0:19:47That is absolutely sensational.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51Broad beans grow amazingly well in Britain,
0:19:51 > 0:19:53and a crop sown in early spring
0:19:53 > 0:19:56will be ready to harvest mid to late summer.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59They're delicious and incredibly versatile,
0:19:59 > 0:20:01so why aren't we eating more of them?
0:20:01 > 0:20:06Broad beans are so popular in Egypt that they're dried and used all year round
0:20:06 > 0:20:10in dishes such as ful medames, the national dish.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12- That smells absolutely delicious! - Yeah.
0:20:12 > 0:20:17The beans are stewed overnight with lentils and chickpeas in an Egyptian slow cooker.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21- This is all-day Egyptian breakfast. - All-day Egyptian breakfast.- Yeah!
0:20:21 > 0:20:24Hebba's meze-style Egyptian creations
0:20:24 > 0:20:27will be perfect for our picnic.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32That is...outstanding!
0:20:32 > 0:20:35Wow! I feel nervous about cooking in front of you now!
0:20:35 > 0:20:36Well, you should be!
0:20:39 > 0:20:44And now I'm in charge, I'm making a dish named fruitalia,
0:20:44 > 0:20:46which is a deliciously different Turkish omelette.
0:20:46 > 0:20:51If you put some water on and peel two nice big handfuls of broad beans...
0:20:51 > 0:20:53And it's payback time.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56How does it feel being bossed around in your own kitchen?
0:20:56 > 0:21:00If you call this bossed around, then I'm not feeling bossed around!
0:21:00 > 0:21:05You see the thing is, when you're bossing around, you have to be, you know, be firm and...
0:21:05 > 0:21:06Well...I am!
0:21:06 > 0:21:08When these are cooked,
0:21:08 > 0:21:12you are then going to shell all of them.
0:21:12 > 0:21:13Oh, my gosh!
0:21:13 > 0:21:16- You want bossing around, you get bossing around!- OK.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19The beans are blanched in boiling water,
0:21:19 > 0:21:21and once cooled, are peeled of their skins.
0:21:21 > 0:21:27I'm just trying to catch up with your rate of de-shelling and podding and everything...
0:21:27 > 0:21:29I'm just struggling a bit.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31Fry the onions in olive oil
0:21:31 > 0:21:35with a pinch each of cumin, salt and pepper.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38Then whisk up six large free-range eggs.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40- Look, bright yellow!- Mm-hm.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Techno green beans...
0:21:42 > 0:21:44In goes the egg.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Add the beans, crumbled feta cheese
0:21:47 > 0:21:50and roughly torn mint to the frying pan.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52Mint and eggs are actually very good together.
0:21:52 > 0:21:57- It seems like quite an odd combination, but it actually... - I'm excited to try it.
0:21:57 > 0:22:02The fruitalia cooks on the hob for a couple of minutes and is finished off under a warm grill,
0:22:02 > 0:22:05but it's also great served cold, so perfect for a picnic.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08- So this is my contribution. - Mm-hm.
0:22:08 > 0:22:13- I'm feeling it doesn't quite match up to your two winners.- Wow!
0:22:13 > 0:22:14- It's nicely-coloured.- Mm-hm.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21Ow, ow, ow!
0:22:21 > 0:22:23- That looks divine! - You see, nice and runny.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26Yeah, I like my egg like that.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32Mmm! That's so good!
0:22:32 > 0:22:35Delicious. Soft, eggy...
0:22:35 > 0:22:39Yeah, and the feta just, like, melts away in your mouth. It's so nice!
0:22:41 > 0:22:44- Mmm!- Would you say we've done the broad bean justice?
0:22:44 > 0:22:45Oh, yeah, big time!
0:22:49 > 0:22:55The great thing about picnic food, by definition, is it's portable.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58You can eat it outside, you can eat it at work,
0:22:58 > 0:23:01you can eat it in your car, you can eat it anywhere!
0:23:01 > 0:23:05And we're eating ours with friends on Hampstead Heath,
0:23:05 > 0:23:08London's premier picnic hotspot!
0:23:08 > 0:23:10Have a mean slice.
0:23:11 > 0:23:12Thanks a lot.
0:23:12 > 0:23:17We tried to do three different things with broad beans. I think we've accomplished our mission.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19I like the egg with the broad beans.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23- Val, what do you think of the ful? Have you eaten this ful? - It's absolutely delicious.
0:23:23 > 0:23:28I had my hand slapped and was told to stop eating it because you'd be arriving later!
0:23:30 > 0:23:32- I think we made a very good team. - I really enjoyed it.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35Cheers to the broad bean,
0:23:35 > 0:23:37and thanks for a very nice day.
0:23:37 > 0:23:38Thank you!
0:23:42 > 0:23:45Cold cuts are a classic picnic partner
0:23:45 > 0:23:49and paired with baby broad beans, make a delicious summer salad.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53If you're short of hours in a day, this is the recipe for you.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59Cool blanched broad beans quickly to keep their vibrant colour.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01Finely dice a clove of garlic,
0:24:01 > 0:24:06and add to the beans along with a pinch of salt and a twist of pepper.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Give it a good glug of olive oil,
0:24:11 > 0:24:15roughly tear in a small handful of Spanish cured ham,
0:24:15 > 0:24:21and finally, add a splash of sherry vinegar.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27Super simple, and totally yummy.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33If broad beans aren't your bag,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36at this time of the year, the shops and markets
0:24:36 > 0:24:39are crammed full of seasonal goodies
0:24:39 > 0:24:41to make your picnic pack a punch.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45Vying for our greedy attentions at the moment are summer-soft herbs.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49Chives and chervil, marjoram, parsley and basil -
0:24:49 > 0:24:52perfect made into a salsa verde,
0:24:52 > 0:24:57spooned over sliced new potatoes and packed into the hamper.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01And in the fishmonger's, two great-value treats to look out for
0:25:01 > 0:25:05are the much underrated bream and the deliciously delicate trout,
0:25:05 > 0:25:09fantastic poached and flaked into salads.
0:25:09 > 0:25:14Also look out for big, juicy cherries,
0:25:14 > 0:25:17lovely made into a sweet, red-blooded pie.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24It's brilliant to have something sweet on a picnic,
0:25:24 > 0:25:28but transporting cakes can be a terrific waste of space,
0:25:28 > 0:25:30and quite often they get squidged and sat on.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34This is very easy to make, it's a portable pudding - honey buns.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38These cute little cakes are delicious soaked in a sweet, honey syrup.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41First up, the cake batter.
0:25:41 > 0:25:46Mix together flour, sugar and instant yeast.
0:25:46 > 0:25:47If you can get into it!
0:25:50 > 0:25:53Then, a pinch of salt.
0:25:53 > 0:25:58Add three eggs and soft butter and give it a good beating to aerate the batter.
0:25:58 > 0:26:04This is looking very rich, very soft, glossy...
0:26:04 > 0:26:06Come on!
0:26:06 > 0:26:09Work it! Work it, hard!
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Spoon into a muffin tray,
0:26:13 > 0:26:15leave for an hour to rise,
0:26:15 > 0:26:18then bake in a hot oven for 12 to 14 minutes,
0:26:18 > 0:26:20but keep your eye on the little fellas,
0:26:20 > 0:26:23as they have a tendency to cook quickly.
0:26:23 > 0:26:30And now I'm going to make the delicious, hopelessly sweet syrup.
0:26:30 > 0:26:37Place 500ml of water and 500g of sugar in a saucepan.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40I love sweet things and I'm pretty hyperactive already,
0:26:40 > 0:26:45but two honey buns eaten at 7 o'clock in the evening, and I'll be still going at 5 in the morning.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49Add the zest of one unwaxed orange
0:26:49 > 0:26:52and place the pan on the heat to dissolve the sugar.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56Nice and clear. Now the honey's going in.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02Allow the syrup to cool, then add the alcoholic kick -
0:27:02 > 0:27:07three generous tablespoons of orange liqueur.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09Careless tablespoons.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11Oops!
0:27:13 > 0:27:17Let's turn this... Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow...
0:27:17 > 0:27:20I get so excited, I forget to take precautions!
0:27:20 > 0:27:23They look amazing, but they also smell amazing!
0:27:23 > 0:27:28And that smell of warm baked stuff...mmm!
0:27:28 > 0:27:33Once cooled, add them to a jar and soak in the sweet, sticky syrup.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36Packed like this, these will last for a month,
0:27:36 > 0:27:39but they rarely last a day, really!
0:27:39 > 0:27:43Because I can't resist the urge to dig in!
0:27:43 > 0:27:45Mmm, that's really,
0:27:45 > 0:27:52really, really, seriously delicious. Seriously sweet.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59So there's more to picnics than grizzly pastries and soggy sandwiches.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Roll your blanket, hoick up the hamper
0:28:02 > 0:28:04and make picnics the perfect pastime!
0:28:06 > 0:28:09It's what summer was invented for.
0:28:11 > 0:28:12Tastes great!
0:28:13 > 0:28:14Yum!
0:28:15 > 0:28:19Next time, it's summer food for special occasions.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21That is a summer belter.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25- I go grappling for guinea fowl... - Go on, go on, get it!
0:28:25 > 0:28:28And send Cornwall's finest fishermen out on a mission.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31You won't get it fresher than that.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34If it was any fresher, you'd have to spank it!
0:28:40 > 0:28:43Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:43 > 0:28:47E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk