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00:04I'm Prue Leith, cook, restaurateur, cookery school founder, and writer of 15 cookbooks.
00:12Looks good, doesn't it?
00:14I'm in my 80s, so I haven't got time to waste.
00:18This series is all about the things that really matter to me.
00:22Family, fun, food, and friends.
00:26And some of those friends will be joining me.
00:30We'll be sharing simple home-cooked recipes.
00:33I don't normally tell people about that bit, only people I like.
00:38And celebrating the best produce.
00:42For 47 years, I have been lucky enough to live in the astonishingly beautiful Cotswolds.
00:49And my long-suffering husband, John, is coming along for the ride.
00:54Can you make that?
00:56Um, onion strut.
00:57In today's episode, he'll be helping me, reluctantly, with a cheese dish.
01:03Would you prefer the hot knife?
01:05I'd prefer to go and read my book.
01:08Broadcaster and entrepreneur, Laura Jackson, will be treating me to her favourite family meal.
01:14I am all about ease of life, and this is one of those dishes.
01:18And I've got a handy hack for dealing with rock-hard sugar.
01:22Welcome to my Cotswold kitchen.
01:32Family and food mean a lot to me.
01:34So when my husband, John, says he's not happy about something in the food department, I guess I have to
01:39listen.
01:39John always complains that I don't make enough puddings and sweet dishes.
01:45So I'm going to start today with an old favourite of mine.
01:48It's bananas and ice cream with brandy syrup on panettone.
01:52What could be more indulgent than that?
01:58Many people avoid making ice cream because it can be time-consuming and a bit complicated.
02:05But this recipe is made with condensed milk, and it's a no-churn ice cream.
02:10It's easy to make, and I promise you it'll taste way better than a lot of that shop-bought stuff.
02:16So it's made with only three ingredients, basically.
02:19600 ml of whipping cream, a standard can of condensed milk, and a teaspoon of vanilla paste.
02:32You could use vanilla extract.
02:35It's fine.
02:36It's just I like the vanilla paste because it has the seeds in it and the little specks in the
02:40ice cream.
02:42And that's it.
02:43That's the only ingredients.
02:44You can put a tiny, tiny pinch of salt into it because salt has that property of just lifting the
02:51flavour a little bit.
02:52But you don't need to.
02:54Right.
02:55And then you just whip it all up and you stick it in the freezer.
02:58And that's it.
03:03A bit over-enthusiastic.
03:06This takes about four minutes.
03:08Which gives me time to tell you about the origin of this dish.
03:12I first met this recipe when I was a university student and I had one of my first boyfriends.
03:19And I was really in love with his mother because she seemed to me the kind of mother that I
03:24would have liked as a child.
03:26Because my mama was an actress and she was really very elegant and very smart and she was always out
03:35at the theatre and she didn't ever cook anything.
03:38And she wore fancy hats and embarrassed me when she came to school because she looked so grand.
03:44And I wanted a mum who loved cooking and made cakes for the school fate and she was never like
03:52that.
03:52But my boyfriend's mum made everything at home and she made this ice cream and I've loved it ever since.
03:59Didn't love the boyfriend for long but did love his mum's ice cream.
04:07You see it's getting a bit thicker now but you want to whip it until what's it's called soft peaks.
04:16Soft peaks is usually used about cream or meringue and what it means is when you lift the whisk it
04:23will stand up in peaks.
04:32I wonder how many gallons of double cream I've whipped in my life.
04:39Okay so now we've got it to, do you see when I pull it up it makes little peaks.
04:45That is soft peak.
04:48So that's it and that's your ice cream mix done.
04:51And you want to put it into anything that will go in the freezer.
04:57So this is a loaf tin.
04:59That will do.
05:00You could also put it into a plastic box if you prefer.
05:10Don't have to smooth it too much but you can.
05:13So that's that.
05:14And I'm going to put it into the freezer now overnight.
05:19and take out the one I made earlier.
05:29Right now that will be too hard now.
05:32I can just stick a spoon into it now.
05:35But in 10 minutes it'll be perfect for scooping.
05:40It's gorgeous.
05:41Yeah.
05:42Lovely.
05:43Lovely.
05:44Lovely.
05:49So I'm going to start with just dry frying the hazelnuts.
05:54If you get them just beginning to turn colour, they taste much nuttier.
06:01It's odd because they're nuts aren't they?
06:03They should taste maximum nuts.
06:05But when you fry them all, just brown them in a dry pan like this,
06:10they do end up tasting a little bit more nutty.
06:14And they look better.
06:18Oh, do you see they're browning now?
06:22I think that's enough.
06:26Right.
06:26And then you want to put them onto a cold tray
06:29because if you just move the pan off,
06:31the pan is so hot it'll continue to burn them.
06:34So now I'm going to fry the panettone
06:36and that's going to be fried in butter.
06:44I'm going to fry both these pieces of panettone.
06:49Unfortunately, I can't fit them both in the pan at once, I don't think.
06:52Or maybe I can.
06:53Yes, I can.
06:57My mum was a great failure for me
06:59because she never learned to cook.
07:01But she liked food, but she wasn't interested in it.
07:03She never talked about it or anything.
07:06And I don't remember there being a cookbook in the house.
07:10So then we need the panettone on a plate.
07:17And now we're going to fry the bananas.
07:20I think they need to be just ripe, but not overripe.
07:25When you cut them in half, hold them like a boat
07:29so that you can get them evenly cut in half.
07:32Oops.
07:34Like that.
07:40Another lump of butter in there.
07:45Ooh, that one's cracked.
07:47Never mind.
07:48If the bananas crack, don't worry.
07:51They're all going to taste the same.
07:53Obviously, it depends how fast you fry them,
07:55but I think they can take up to five minutes to brown.
07:59You really just want one side good and brown.
08:02The second side is very difficult to brown
08:04because it's curved.
08:06When they begin to brown, they'll smell really beautiful.
08:09I...
08:10Yeah.
08:11Yeah, I can smell them now.
08:14I mean, there is actually nothing like fried bananas.
08:17Right, well, I have a couple of broken bananas here,
08:19so I'm going to turn over one side and see how I'm doing.
08:22Do you see it's beginning to brown,
08:23but it's not quite brown enough.
08:25I've got them on medium heat rather than really hot
08:27because I don't want the butter to burn.
08:31And then we'll go and stick them on the panettone.
08:34I'm going to slide one of these bananas on here
08:41and one of the half bananas.
08:44Oops.
08:49Now I'm going to mix a dollop of brandy
08:51and some golden syrup together,
08:54but they won't mix very well
08:57unless I warm this syrup a little bit,
08:59so I'm just going to warm it
09:00for a few seconds in the microwave.
09:09That's warmer.
09:11So I'm just going to add the brandy to it.
09:15Give it a stir up.
09:18And now we need a scoop of ice cream.
09:22Like that.
09:32I've got some boiling water in here
09:33because it makes it much easier to scoop the ice cream.
09:44Move up here.
09:50Then we need the nuts on there.
09:58I think I've lost one somewhere.
10:00And then we need brandy syrup all over it.
10:08I'll tell you what, that is so delicious.
10:11There we have fried bananas,
10:14no-churn ice cream,
10:15hazelnuts and brandy syrup on panettone,
10:20and I think it's going to be delicious.
10:23In fact, I know it's going to be delicious.
10:34Thank you, my boyfriend's mum,
10:36because this ice cream is really, really good.
10:42It's ridiculously good.
10:46I am going to struggle not to eat the whole lot.
10:53Coming up, I've got a great home-spun hack
10:56for a common kitchen problem.
10:58And the trick is to put a lemon in it.
11:03And I give my verdict on a dish
11:06cooked up by my guest, Laura Jackson.
11:08Have a little try.
11:10So that's it.
11:11I hope it's OK.
11:12Who's trying my sauce?
11:14It's all right, I'm not poor Hollywood.
11:29Welcome back to my Cotswold kitchen,
11:32where I love to cook my favourite recipes
11:35for my favourite people.
11:37Now I love shortcuts
11:38and anything that can save time
11:40and money in the kitchen.
11:43John is out in the garden
11:45checking on the bees.
11:46And before Laura Jackson,
11:48my guest arrives,
11:50I just want to show you
11:51a neat trick
11:52to stop brown sugar going rock hard.
12:01So here's some sugar
12:03that's just absolutely...
12:06I mean, really,
12:09it's solid.
12:10I mean, I'll have to do my trick
12:11before I'll be able
12:12to scoop it out of the jar.
12:17And the trick is
12:18to put a lemon in it.
12:23And after a few days,
12:25the sugar will be really soft
12:27and you'll be able to spoon it.
12:29There is a slight downside
12:31to the lemon trick,
12:33is after a month or two,
12:34the lemon sometimes goes mouldy.
12:37So you need to put it in
12:39for a few weeks
12:40and then take it out again.
12:43But there's another way to do it
12:45and that is instead of putting
12:46a lemon in it,
12:47put a couple of marshmallows in it.
12:50Marshmallows have exactly
12:51the same effect
12:52and being sugar on sugar,
12:54they don't go mouldy.
12:55This one,
12:57which we had also
13:00at rock hard texture,
13:03is now as soft as anything,
13:06just like it came out
13:07of the packet originally.
13:09And that's been in there
13:10for a week.
13:11What I really like about that
13:13and it absolutely suits my nature
13:15is it means you don't have
13:17to waste the sugar
13:17and you can use the jar.
13:19I mean, when you've got sugar
13:20stuck like concrete in there,
13:22you can't use the jar either.
13:23So I'm all for something
13:26that saves you money
13:27and doesn't throw things away.
13:32I love nothing better
13:34than a busy house
13:35with good friends in it.
13:37My guest this morning
13:39has presented on shows
13:41like Britain's Best Beach Huts
13:42and the Great Big Tiny Design Challenge.
13:45She's also run a supper club,
13:47a homeware company,
13:49Glacet,
13:50and is a lifestyle columnist.
13:53If that's not enough,
13:54she's also a mum
13:56with three tiny children.
14:00Laura Jackson,
14:01welcome to my kitchen.
14:02Thanks for having me.
14:03What an introduction.
14:04Well, I am so pleased
14:06to have you, Laura Jackson,
14:07in my kitchen.
14:08And I'm very glad
14:10that you're a cook
14:10because I'm going to just sit here
14:12and you're going to cook.
14:14What are you going to cook?
14:16Well, I am cooking
14:17a very easy dish for you today.
14:19It's chickpeas,
14:20roasted fennel,
14:21and roasted tomatoes.
14:27It's a staple in our house.
14:29It basically is a one-pot dish
14:32with an additional
14:33kind of green dressing.
14:34And I have to say,
14:35I cook it for the kids,
14:37my husband,
14:38and when I've got people
14:38coming over for dinner,
14:39I'll do it with a roast chicken,
14:41so I'll shush it up.
14:42But I am all about ease of life.
14:45And this is one of those dishes.
14:47Okay, well, let's go.
14:48I like to kind of do a variety
14:50of the tomatoes.
14:51It feels a bit elevated.
14:52Yeah.
14:53Rather than just your red cherry tomatoes.
14:54So let's chop those
14:55and put them in.
15:01Okay.
15:02So you've got in there,
15:03you've got the tomatoes.
15:05Yes.
15:05And the chickpeas.
15:06Yes.
15:07And I'm just literally
15:08lobbing it all in.
15:09So in goes the garlic whole,
15:11not chopped up or anything.
15:12No, I'm putting it in whole
15:14because I really like it
15:15when it's roasted.
15:15It just becomes very sweet.
15:17And soft, yeah.
15:18Yeah.
15:19I quite like a big mouthful of garlic.
15:21I'm putting seven in.
15:23Some people might say that's a lot,
15:25but I feel like I could go heavier.
15:27I'm holding back.
15:29I absolutely agree.
15:30So I want to know,
15:31what is a lifestyle?
15:33Advisor, columnist, influencer.
15:35Well, I write about my home
15:37and my life and cooking.
15:39So that kind of,
15:40I feel, falls under the genre of lifestyle.
15:43I love homeware and I love interiors.
15:45I love traveling and food.
15:49So yeah, it's kind of a combination
15:50of all of those things.
15:51Do you do those things people do?
15:53Tablescaping.
15:54Do you do that?
15:55Yes.
15:56I feel that whenever I cook something,
15:59even if it's really simple,
16:01I love to lay the table.
16:02Oh, so do I.
16:03Yeah.
16:04I get really cross
16:05if people start picking at things
16:07before we're sitting down.
16:09I just think that ceremonious aspect
16:10of eating is really special.
16:15Laying the table,
16:16having, even if you've got
16:17a five pound bottle of wine
16:18and you put it in a jug,
16:19it just feels so elevated and lovely.
16:21And for me,
16:22self-care isn't shaving my legs.
16:25Don't tell anyone.
16:26You know, going to get my nails done.
16:28It's laying the table
16:29and that's how I show
16:31the ones that I,
16:32you know, my family love
16:33and myself love really
16:35is taking that time.
16:37Taking the trouble over it.
16:38Yeah.
16:39Yeah.
16:40Yes, I absolutely agree with you.
16:42So what else has gone in here?
16:44So I've got cumin seeds in there
16:46and I've got smoked chili flakes.
16:48Oh, right.
16:49Smell that.
16:50That's that.
16:51That smells smoked, all right.
16:53It's very smoky.
16:54So just a very few of them.
16:57Mm-hmm.
16:57And then I'm just going to
16:58put some fennel on the top
16:59and then we can pop it in the oven.
17:01And there's no oil in it or anything?
17:03I'm going to drizzle with some oil
17:04and sprinkle with some salt
17:06before it goes in.
17:08But this is pretty much it.
17:09It's very simple.
17:12It looks so pretty like that.
17:13I love fennel.
17:14I love fennel,
17:15especially when it gets
17:15really soft and silky.
17:17Mm.
17:19It can be very tough fennel,
17:20so it needs to be cooked.
17:22OK, can I use your oven?
17:24Yeah, of course.
17:25I think it's probably on.
17:26Yeah, it is.
17:28There we are.
17:29Great.
17:31So I'm...
17:31There you go.
17:34So how long does that stay in there?
17:36So that's 35 minutes.
17:38And it's 220,
17:39so it's quite hot.
17:40Yes, it is quite hot.
17:41Good.
17:42About halfway through,
17:43I'll usually kind of just stir it.
17:44Give it a stir.
17:45Yeah.
17:45So what's next?
17:47Next is making
17:48a kind of a herb salsery dressing.
17:51Sort of green dressing.
17:52Yes.
17:53A green sauce kind of thing.
17:54Green sauce.
17:54I don't measure anything out.
17:57No, nor do I.
17:58So it's just kind of handfuls
18:00of whatever herbs you've got,
18:02but I've got coriander,
18:03parsley, and basil here.
18:05And I use the stalks as well,
18:06just so I don't waste anything.
18:09Yeah.
18:09So you're making green,
18:11what, a salsa verde?
18:14Yeah, it is kind of like a salsa verde,
18:16but I'm adding olives.
18:17You could add capers.
18:18Yeah.
18:18Actually, that would be really nice.
18:20And then a bit of lemon.
18:21I know it's just going to go over the top.
18:22I mean, I've put fennel in it,
18:24but you could add cauliflower or broccoli.
18:27And I like dishes that I can kind of,
18:29the base is always the same,
18:30but you can interchange with
18:31whatever you've found lying around
18:33in your fridge, for instance.
18:34I love a frigerade.
18:36I'm really bad at maths and science,
18:38but I'm really good at looking in my fridge
18:39and going, oh, I've only got these three things.
18:41What can I make?
18:43I'm going to have a little try.
18:45Oh, so that's it.
18:46I hope it's okay.
18:47Bruce, trying my sauce.
18:49It's all right.
18:50I'm not for Hollywood.
18:59It actually tastes green, doesn't it?
19:01It really does.
19:02It's lovely.
19:03But I like the black olives in it.
19:07Lovely.
19:08I'm going to put this to one side
19:09while that's cooking,
19:10and we can make the mayonnaise.
19:12Oh, right.
19:13Okay.
19:13Before we start this, can I check?
19:15Oh, how do I?
19:16Yeah, why not?
19:17Just in case.
19:18Because I think, yeah,
19:20I reckon we should get this out.
19:22Yeah.
19:23Looks good.
19:26I'll pop it on here.
19:27Yeah, that's a good idea.
19:29Okay.
19:30The mayonnaise.
19:31Okay.
19:32I hope it goes right.
19:33I'm at Prue's house cooking mayonnaise.
19:35I keep reminding myself.
19:37And I can't get the lid off.
19:38Here we go.
19:40So, I usually freestyle this.
19:43Okay.
19:44As in, I'll just use one egg yolk
19:45and then add in.
19:47Add in as I go.
19:48Right, so, egg.
19:54This is how I do it.
19:55But then I've got really eggy hands.
19:58That's all right.
19:58We'll give you a cloth to wipe.
20:01And I use rapeseed,
20:03because I like the color of it.
20:04And I like the taste of that, too.
20:07Yeah.
20:08This is from the Cotswolds.
20:09Yeah, it is.
20:09I'm going to add some Dijon mustard.
20:14Mm-hmm.
20:23I think we're nearly there.
20:30Right, I'm going to mince some garlic in there.
20:32I know there's some garlic in here,
20:33but I feel like roasted garlic is so different to...
20:37Yes, no, roasted garlic is a veg.
20:40Raw garlic's a condiment.
20:42I'm just going to put in half.
20:44There we go.
20:45All right, let's give it a mix.
20:54White wine vinegar?
20:55White wine vinegar.
20:56Could be red wine.
20:57Could be anything, couldn't it?
20:58Yes.
20:58Yeah, whatever you like.
21:06Yep, great.
21:07Let me have a taste,
21:08or you can have a taste
21:09and tell me what you think it needs.
21:12Yep, there you go.
21:17Salt.
21:19I'd put pepper and salt.
21:21Mm, okay.
21:24But I wouldn't put any more vinegar.
21:26Okay.
21:27Is it too vinegary?
21:28No.
21:29You put the vinegar in there,
21:30I put the vinegar in there.
21:31No, I think it's fine.
21:34And a bit of lemon.
21:35Yep.
21:40Okay.
21:55I'm going to put the green salsa sauce
21:59over the chickpeas and tomato.
22:07That smells wonderful, too.
22:08Oh, good.
22:09I'm glad.
22:10So, this is my roasted tomato,
22:13roasted fennel,
22:13and chickpea dish
22:15with a green salsa
22:16served with a mayonnaise.
22:18And I'm going to treat you
22:19and I'm going to treat you
22:20to a table setting for one.
22:22Here we go.
22:24This is, I mean,
22:25this could be used as a tea towel
22:27or it could be used as a place mat.
22:30As this mat.
22:31There we go.
22:31One for me, two.
22:33And then we've got a napkin.
22:35There we go.
22:37And then a candle.
22:39Oh, a candle.
22:40And a ribbon.
22:42I like adding a bow to the candle.
22:46I honestly add bows to everything.
22:48My sister came for dinner
22:49and I wrapped a tomato in a bow
22:51and she was like,
22:52why are you doing this?
22:53I was like, because it looks pretty.
22:55There we go.
22:57Very romantic.
23:01I actually feel rather special now.
23:04Exactly.
23:05Even if I was serving you
23:06a takeaway pizza,
23:07you'd feel good.
23:08Yeah.
23:10Well, that looks like a feast,
23:12doesn't it?
23:13It really does.
23:14And some mayonnaise.
23:19Voila!
23:22I think you're mad as a hatter,
23:24but it's...
23:25I am, I am.
23:27But it's lovely.
23:28I do like fennel.
23:32Would you like some mayonnaise?
23:33Oh, yeah, as well.
23:35As soon as we made it.
23:38Okay.
23:42Mmm, is it good?
23:44Wonderful.
23:45Okay.
23:45Are you lying?
23:46No, I'm not lying.
23:48It's delicious.
23:50Funnily enough,
23:51I think the green sauce
23:53needs the luxury
23:55of the mayonnaise as well.
23:56Mmm.
23:57It's nice to have them both.
23:59Mm-hmm.
24:00Oh, so good.
24:02Mm-hmm.
24:03And you know what?
24:04You could serve it
24:06for supper
24:07if you wanted carbs
24:09or more carbs.
24:10You could serve it
24:11on a great big piece of toast.
24:13Mm-hmm.
24:13I'm a great believer
24:14in anything on toast,
24:16as you know.
24:17Me too.
24:20Coming up,
24:22John has a close encounter
24:23with our bee colony.
24:25My goodness me,
24:27that is heavy.
24:29And I've got another clever,
24:31time-saving kitchen hack.
24:33I'm just sticking the stalk
24:34of the mint
24:35through the colander,
24:36and then I'm pulling the stalk,
24:39leaving the leaves
24:40in the colander.
24:53Welcome back
24:54to my Cotswold kitchen.
24:55My husband, John,
24:57and I
24:57are keen to attract
24:59as much wildlife
25:00into our garden
25:01as we can.
25:02And right now,
25:03he's out checking
25:04on our bee colony.
25:06Our bee expert,
25:08Tony,
25:08is on hand
25:09to make sure
25:10that we've put our hive
25:11in the best possible place.
25:13Can you just tell me
25:15how you decide
25:17where to put your hives?
25:20If you scan the landscape here,
25:21how would I know
25:23where to put them?
25:24You want shelter
25:26from the prevailing wind,
25:27and that's from
25:28the southwest usually.
25:29So a nice big hedge
25:30like we have here
25:31at the back of the hive
25:33is helpful.
25:34And then you want
25:35the hive actually facing
25:36normally east to southeast
25:38so that the sun is shining
25:39on the hive
25:40in the morning.
25:41Does this warm them up,
25:42get them going?
25:43It warms them up,
25:43and the sun shines
25:44into the hive entrance,
25:45and they fly earlier
25:46when you do that.
25:50So this farm is great
25:52because it's private
25:53and you're away
25:54from the sort of house
25:56and its curtilage
25:56where all the people are.
25:59Tony,
25:59this is the borage
26:00we planted.
26:01We've planted
26:03600 yards
26:04all for the bees.
26:06The bees are loving it.
26:07Look at them.
26:08They're all in there.
26:08Yeah.
26:09It's great,
26:10and it's fantastic
26:11because it's a really
26:12lovely honey
26:13and the plant
26:14keeps flowering
26:15for, well,
26:16months, isn't it?
26:22OK, John,
26:23so what can you see?
26:26I've seen one or two
26:28with, look,
26:28yellow spots
26:29on each side of them.
26:30What are they?
26:31Right.
26:31Well, those are
26:32the pollen loads.
26:33So the bees have got
26:34three pairs of legs
26:35on their thorax
26:37and the back pair of legs,
26:38which is the longest one,
26:40has got these
26:41sort of hairy baskets
26:43on one of the middle joints,
26:45which are called
26:46the pollen baskets,
26:47and that's how
26:47they carry pollen.
26:48And the pollen
26:49is a protein food,
26:50which is what they use
26:51to feed the brood with.
26:53So you know
26:54that when they're
26:54bringing in pollen
26:55in these quantities
26:56that there's definitely
26:57brood inside the colony,
26:59which means that
27:00there's a laying queen,
27:01which is very comforting.
27:03I've also noticed
27:04there's a wasp
27:05lurking around.
27:06Yes,
27:07and the wasp
27:08is trying to get
27:09into the colony
27:09to steal the bees' honey,
27:11but there's only
27:12a few around.
27:13Most of them
27:14have died off now,
27:15and this is a strong colony,
27:16so they'll easily
27:18repel the wasp.
27:20This bee here
27:21seems to be struggling
27:22to get in.
27:24Oh, no,
27:24it's got in now.
27:26Now, Tony,
27:26how would you know
27:27how much honey
27:29is in here
27:29if indeed there's any?
27:31We do a thing
27:32called hefting,
27:33which is where
27:34you're lifting it up
27:34from the back
27:35to get a sense
27:36of the weight.
27:37Okay,
27:38take the roof off,
27:40and if you want
27:41to just put your hand
27:42underneath
27:42and just lift it up
27:44and tell me
27:44how that feels.
27:48My goodness me,
27:50that is heavy.
27:51Yeah.
27:51Really heavy.
27:52Well, there's quite a lot
27:53of borage honey in there
27:54and everything else.
27:55So that tells you
27:56the bees like it here.
27:57What I'm going to do now
27:58is I'm going to take
27:59the crown board off too
28:00and just see how strong
28:01the colony is
28:02because you'll be able
28:03to see the tops
28:03of the frames inside.
28:05I'm going to just
28:06ease it up.
28:07Now, there will be
28:08a lot of bees
28:09and they'll probably
28:09fly up a bit.
28:10So we'll just have it
28:11off for a little while
28:12and now you can see
28:14lots and lots of bees
28:15on all these frames.
28:17Oh, the smell of
28:18smell of honey.
28:20Wonderful.
28:21Quite a lot of that
28:22is borage honey,
28:23which they've collected
28:24from just over the field
28:25there,
28:26and now they're
28:26bringing in ivy.
28:28We're slightly out
28:29of season though,
28:29and although it's
28:30a nice day now,
28:31we don't really want
28:31to keep the hive
28:32open for very long
28:33because they keep
28:34it at a temperature
28:35that's roughly
28:36our blood temperature
28:37and the longer
28:38the cover is off,
28:39the more it cools down
28:41and then they have
28:42to heat it up again.
28:44So we've had it off
28:45now, we've had a look
28:46and we can just
28:46drop it back again.
28:52And I've put
28:53that delicious honey
28:54to excellent use.
28:57I've been looking
28:58for you guys everywhere.
28:59Oh.
28:59Guess what?
29:01You won't believe this,
29:02John Playfair,
29:02but I have made you
29:04a cake made of honey.
29:06Our bees.
29:07I don't think you'd ever do it.
29:08This is wonderful.
29:09It must be leap here.
29:10Honey cake from your bees.
29:12From here.
29:12From this honey.
29:13From this honey bee.
29:14Do you want a bit?
29:14You bet.
29:15Yeah.
29:16Yes, please.
29:17If you just take
29:17a small slice out,
29:18I'll have the rest.
29:20It's probably a bit sticky,
29:22but I'm sure you'll manage.
29:23It is.
29:23It's lovely.
29:24Really nice.
29:25Very moist.
29:25Very good.
29:27Terrific.
29:27You must have had
29:28many honey cakes.
29:30Marks out of ten?
29:32Well, 9.9 recurring,
29:34I'd say.
29:34Oh, that's pretty good.
29:36Yeah.
29:37Still a way to go, then.
29:38That's very good.
29:42Next is one of my
29:43favourite time-saving
29:45kitchen hacks.
29:48Cooking with really
29:49fresh vegetables
29:49makes all the difference,
29:51but prepping it
29:52sometimes seems
29:54a bit of a pain,
29:55but I want to show you
29:56some neat tricks.
29:57First of all,
29:58we've got some
29:58rainbow chard here,
29:59and they're out
30:00of our garden,
30:00and you can tell that
30:01because they've got
30:02a few holes in them,
30:03haven't they?
30:04And that means
30:05the bugs have been
30:06at them.
30:06Rainbow chard.
30:07Now, the easiest way
30:09to strip them quickly
30:11is to just pull
30:12the leaf over like that,
30:13put your hand on there,
30:14and pull the stalk back.
30:17And the stalk,
30:18you can chop separately,
30:19which I'll do in a minute.
30:22And then I think
30:24you should chop
30:25the stalks,
30:27because especially
30:28with rainbow chard,
30:29they're so pretty.
30:32And I often use them
30:34just to sprinkle
30:34on the top of something,
30:36even raw on a salad.
30:37They look so nice.
30:44Right, the herbs.
30:46Sometimes it's really
30:47painful to take
30:49a long time
30:50to strip every leaf
30:51off a stalk of mint.
30:53So I'm just sticking
30:55the stalk of the mint
30:56through the colander,
30:58and then I'm pulling
30:59the stalk
31:00and leaving the
31:03leaves in the colander.
31:05If you're chopping herbs,
31:07and they're loose leaves
31:10like that,
31:10it's quite difficult
31:11if you just start like that
31:13and go along,
31:13because it's all
31:14too spread out.
31:15What you need to do
31:16is screw them all
31:17up into a tight
31:18little ball like that.
31:20So one hand
31:21is controlling them
31:21tightly,
31:23and then with a sharp knife,
31:26just slice it like that.
31:32And then you've got
31:33pretty well what I'd call
31:34roughly chopped,
31:36which is nice
31:36for most things.
31:37If you want to chop
31:38it a bit more,
31:39then you do the classic
31:40thing of just putting
31:41a straight hand,
31:42straight fingers,
31:43on the end of the knife,
31:44and with the other one
31:45just whacking up
31:46and down like that.
31:56I do love good food,
31:59and it's important to me
32:00to support the equally
32:01passionate suppliers
32:02who are right
32:03on our doorstep.
32:05living in the Cotswolds,
32:07we are really spoiled
32:08for choice when it comes
32:09to local food producers.
32:11Whether it's meat or dairy,
32:13or even just making jams
32:15and chutneys,
32:17it's really difficult
32:18to be a small,
32:20independent business.
32:21And for me,
32:22these are my true food heroes.
32:27My name's Christopher Davey.
32:29Just before lockdown,
32:31I had started
32:32the Cotswold guy
32:33as a food delivery service.
32:36I found myself
32:37travelling around
32:38to all the different farms,
32:39buying eggs
32:41from a certain farm,
32:43sourcing all the artisanal products
32:45and the oil,
32:46the rapeseed oil
32:47that's made locally.
32:48And I just found
32:49no wholesale supplier
32:51had all of these
32:52artisanals together.
32:55And then we have
32:56a production kitchen
32:56out the back,
32:57which now makes
32:58our famous sausage rolls.
33:02The ethos is to
33:04source as much as we can
33:05locally,
33:06which amazingly,
33:07we can source
33:08so much from the Cotswolds.
33:10But then just really
33:11to champion British food.
33:13So our sausage rolls,
33:16scotch eggs,
33:16pork pies,
33:17shepherd's pies,
33:18things like that.
33:19We just use the best
33:20ingredients we can find
33:22and put a lot of love
33:23into the food.
33:24I think people feel that
33:26from everything I do.
33:29I think details
33:30is the key.
33:31I'm very detail-orientated,
33:32but I just love
33:33to push the flavours
33:34as well.
33:36And finding the best
33:38produce to start with,
33:39you're already
33:40on the best track,
33:41so I think that's
33:42the key, really.
33:43But there's one thing
33:44Chris makes
33:44that is his pride
33:46and joy.
33:46The chutney is something
33:47I've been doing for years.
33:49It's made with red bell peppers,
33:51garlic, ginger,
33:53some cherry tomatoes,
33:54vinegar, brown sugar.
33:57And it's just cooked
33:58low and slow.
34:00Got a lovely,
34:03lovely deep,
34:04yeah,
34:05like almost smoky,
34:06sweet,
34:07spicy richness to it.
34:10So our pizza nights,
34:11they are very popular locally.
34:14And again,
34:15it's something
34:15we put a lot of love into,
34:16so we've designed
34:18a beautiful pizza menu.
34:20We make a Napoli-style dough
34:22with a 72-hour prove.
34:25We have a wood-fired oven here
34:27at the Gage Mill location
34:29farm shop.
34:30At the moment,
34:31the pizza nights
34:31are just on a Friday.
34:34And we just have
34:35great support locally.
34:41I'm good.
34:42It just makes me
34:43incredibly proud,
34:44to be honest,
34:45to see people
34:46enjoying the food,
34:47to be enjoying
34:48coming to the place.
34:50It's just nice to see
34:52that people are
34:53experiencing
34:54and seeing the love
34:55that's gone into everything.
34:59Coming up,
35:00John is in the kitchen
35:01giving me a hand
35:02with some pretty good nibbles.
35:04So that's my little
35:06goat's cheese,
35:07honey and thyme canopy.
35:09Want to taste?
35:13That is very good.
35:27I've bullied John
35:28into joining me
35:29in the kitchen
35:30and we're going to show you
35:31something really delicious
35:33that couldn't be simpler to make.
35:41John and I
35:42are both huge fans
35:43of food on toast,
35:45stuff on toast.
35:46I just believe
35:48that almost anything
35:49that tastes delicious
35:50on a plate
35:51will taste even better
35:52on toast.
35:54So today,
35:55I want to do
35:56a very simple
35:56little canapé
35:57on toast
35:58which is
36:00going to be
36:00just little rounds
36:01of French bread
36:03like this.
36:06And I'm going to
36:08fry them
36:08in a bit of olive oil.
36:10John,
36:11you have to concentrate
36:12because in a minute
36:12you're going to be making
36:13another version of this.
36:15Right.
36:16Oh, does that...
36:18Put it...
36:19No, other way up.
36:20Other way up.
36:21OK.
36:21So oily side down.
36:22Yeah, trying to fry it.
36:23OK.
36:24I'm frying it
36:25in this little bit of oil.
36:29I don't know
36:30what I'm doing
36:30cooking with a
36:31big rattly
36:33bracelet on.
36:34I must be mad.
36:36Right.
36:41Are you waiting
36:42for them to go brown?
36:43Yes, I want them
36:44to go brown.
36:45Right, I think
36:46that'll do.
36:47Yep.
36:48So,
36:49that can come off.
36:52And
36:53I'm now
36:54I'm going to
36:56cut some slices.
36:58So I'm going to
36:59heat up a knife
36:59in some hot water
37:02because goat's cheese
37:03tends to crumble
37:04and it's easier
37:05if you have a hot knife.
37:07Hot, wet knife.
37:13It's an amazing
37:14difference, isn't it,
37:15from cutting it
37:17with a dry knife.
37:19Yes, it's magic.
37:20Then
37:22we're going to put
37:22a tiny dab of honey
37:24on each one.
37:25Whoops.
37:25Oh, that wasn't
37:26very good.
37:27This honey,
37:28guess where it came from,
37:28John?
37:29It came from
37:31our hives.
37:32It did.
37:33And then
37:34a few bits of thyme.
37:36This is fresh thyme
37:38and you need
37:39to take the leaves
37:42off the stalks.
37:45Right,
37:46we're going to stick
37:46that under the grill
37:47and the grill's
37:48really hot
37:49because all I wanted
37:50to do is to start
37:51to melt
37:51the cheese
37:53a little bit
37:53and I don't mind
37:55if it doesn't
37:56brown too much.
37:57I'd rather it was
37:58still pickable
37:59apple bowl
37:59and it hadn't
38:00melted completely
38:01all over it.
38:09So, John,
38:10I think we need
38:11a little glass
38:12of wine
38:13to go with
38:13goat's cheese.
38:14I thought you'd
38:15never ask.
38:16So, come on.
38:17I think
38:18we've got this
38:20white wine.
38:21It's a
38:22Bianco Smeralda
38:24Vermantino
38:25from Sardinia.
38:27Really?
38:27And apparently
38:29it's made
38:29from old vines
38:31which makes it
38:32slightly darker.
38:32darker.
38:33So, can we get
38:34stuck in?
38:34I think the whole
38:35idea of old
38:37vines is that
38:38they produce less
38:39grapes because
38:40they're getting
38:41tired and old
38:42so they don't
38:43produce such
38:44enormous quantities
38:45of grapes.
38:46But what they do
38:47produce is rather
38:49concentrated
38:50and because they're
38:51smaller,
38:53oops,
38:53they've less water
38:54in them and more
38:55flavor in them.
38:56That's the idea.
38:57So, we'll see
38:58if it's true.
39:06Isn't that good?
39:07Very fresh, isn't it?
39:08It's really nice.
39:09But it's quite
39:10punchy.
39:11So, that's my little
39:13goat's cheese,
39:15honey and thyme
39:16canopy.
39:17Do you want to taste?
39:24Oh, that is very good.
39:26Isn't it good?
39:27Yeah.
39:29Well, that's the
39:30starter done.
39:31Now we're going to
39:32supersize it for a
39:33main course.
39:38But we are toasting
39:40the bread instead
39:40of frying it.
39:42That instead of
39:43honey, we have
39:45this fantastic
39:46spicy red pepper
39:47chutney.
39:49And so, we're
39:50going to butter
39:51the toast,
39:52spread it with
39:53spicy chutney,
39:54put some spinach
39:55on it, no thyme
39:56this time, but
39:57spinach on it.
39:58And then separately,
40:00we'll grill pieces
40:02of cheese and then
40:03stack them all up.
40:05So, we have to
40:05need to get rid
40:06of that for the
40:07moment.
40:09And off you go,
40:10buttering.
40:11Butter?
40:12Toast?
40:17That's right.
40:18I'm very mean on it.
40:19You love your butter,
40:20don't you?
40:21You like things to be
40:22heavily spread.
40:23I don't, so.
40:24But you do go
40:25all the way to the
40:26edges like a good
40:27boy scout.
40:28This is a spicy
40:30chutney with a bit
40:31of chilli in it.
40:32And I think it
40:32goes really well
40:34with a mild,
40:35creamy goat's
40:37cheese.
40:38That's perfect.
40:39Now you're...
40:39Now you're cutting
40:39this?
40:40Now you're cutting
40:40that.
40:41Okay.
40:41Can I lift that
40:42onto the right?
40:43Okay.
40:44How about that?
40:44Right.
40:46You can use a
40:47hot knife to cut
40:48the cheese,
40:48but I've got
40:49another neat trick
40:50with a piece of
40:51thin picture wire
40:52tied to two corks.
40:54And what you do
40:56is you put the
40:57wire underneath
41:00cheese, get the
41:01two ends together.
41:04Ooh, that's
41:05working perfectly.
41:06Okay.
41:06You get on with
41:07cutting two of those
41:08and I'll butter
41:09another.
41:10Okay.
41:11One.
41:11Can't have one.
41:12We have to have
41:13two.
41:13It's our supper.
41:14Oh, no.
41:15Right.
41:17No, that's too
41:18much, darling.
41:19Is it?
41:20Yeah.
41:21Would you prefer
41:22the hot knife?
41:23Sorry.
41:24I prefer to go
41:25and read my book
41:27than leave it to you.
41:31This is being
41:31awkward.
41:33There we are.
41:34It's very good.
41:35Well done.
41:36There we are.
41:38There we are.
41:39So what we've got
41:40there is toast
41:42and spread with
41:43butter and then
41:45with chutney.
41:46In this case,
41:48the spicy chutney
41:48and then spinach
41:50on top of that
41:51and that's all
41:52here, that little
41:53pile, waiting for
41:55the grilled cheese
41:56to arrive.
41:57Okay.
42:02This is very hot.
42:08Right.
42:09So we need
42:13two of those.
42:14Okay.
42:16And then you've
42:16got to put two
42:17pieces on each
42:18side.
42:19I mean, obviously
42:20we're being greedy.
42:21you don't have to
42:21have two pieces.
42:23So that really isn't
42:24a very difficult
42:25thing to do.
42:26And I tell you what,
42:27it's absolutely
42:28delicious.
42:29I must say,
42:30I normally find
42:31everything you do
42:32for taste
42:3514 out of 10.
42:38Presentation?
42:40Two out of 10.
42:42Seven.
42:43I know,
42:44presentation I'm not
42:45very interested in.
42:46It's normally
42:47the big bowl
42:48and the...
42:48Well, I think
42:49the food looks
42:50nicer if it
42:51looks casual.
42:53I don't like
42:54food gussied up
42:55within an inch
42:57of its life.
42:57Well, you won't
42:58fail on that one.
43:01Well, I've been
43:02thinking about
43:02what booze
43:04would go well
43:05with goat's cheese
43:06and toast,
43:07or little canapés,
43:08say.
43:09And I honestly
43:10think that goat's cheese
43:12and tomato
43:13are a terrific
43:14combination,
43:15and both goat's cheese
43:16and beetroot
43:17are a terrific
43:17combination.
43:18So I thought
43:20a bloody Mary,
43:21and I've just
43:23discovered this recipe,
43:24which is a little
43:24bit more complicated
43:25than just putting
43:26lots of Worcester sauce
43:29into tomato juice.
43:31But this recipe
43:33requires half
43:34tomato juice
43:35and half beetroot juice,
43:37and then the juice
43:39of a lemon,
43:39yes,
43:40and yes,
43:41some Worcester sauce,
43:42a good shake
43:42of Worcester sauce.
43:43But then,
43:44interestingly,
43:46a tiny shake
43:47of both
43:48chipotle
43:50Tabasco
43:50and the classic
43:53pepper Tabasco.
43:54So both of those.
43:56So it's going
43:56to be quite spicy.
43:58And also,
43:59which is so interesting
44:00because I never
44:01thought of this,
44:02but it's really good
44:02because it gives it
44:03a touch of sweetness
44:04and acidity,
44:05and that is
44:06a little bit
44:07of pickling liquid.
44:09This is a pickle
44:10I made about a year
44:12ago, actually,
44:13of yellow beetroots,
44:16which have rather
44:17lost their colour
44:17in the vinegar.
44:19But I'm going
44:21to put a tablespoon
44:22of the pickling liquid
44:24into the tomato mix.
44:30Can you use
44:31any pickling liquid?
44:33Yes,
44:34because all pickling liquid
44:35is basically
44:36vinegar,
44:37sugar,
44:38and water.
44:38Right.
44:39So,
44:40do you want to risk it?
44:42Oh, my goodness,
44:43yes.
44:43Come on.
44:45Lovely.
44:47Cheers, darling.
44:48Good health.
44:49Good health.
44:49Have one of those.
44:57It's not over-spicy,
44:58is it?
44:59I think it's very nice.
45:01It's very interesting.
45:02It's quite sweet.
45:03It's the beetroot
45:03that makes it so sweet.
45:05Do you like that?
45:06Well,
45:07I do,
45:08I do,
45:08I do.
45:09Well,
45:09shall I tell you
45:09something?
45:11It's a virgin.
45:12There's no alcohol
45:13in it.
45:14You can always add
45:16a dollop of vodka.
45:18Can we do that now?
45:20Actually,
45:21I did feel
45:22that
45:23it lacked something
45:24and now
45:25I know what it is.
45:27That's lovely.
45:28Thank you very much.
45:36Do you know,
45:36that's very nice.
45:37This was nice
45:38because it was very crunchy,
45:40but this
45:42is
45:43really soft
45:44and it gives it
45:45a tasty different taste.
45:47Well,
45:47I'm glad you like it
45:48because it might turn up
45:49five hours' time
45:50as your supper
45:51reheated.
45:53We will be back
45:55next time
45:56with more delicious recipes,
45:57easy to do,
45:59and another
46:01interesting,
46:02fascinating,
46:03wonderful guest.
46:33We'll see you next time
46:34We'll see you next time
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