- 2 weeks ago
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00I'm Prue Leith, cook, restaurateur, cookery school founder, and writer of 15 cookbooks.
00:15That is the most delicious thing that we have cooked.
00:19I'm in my 80s, so I haven't got time to waste.
00:23This series is all about the things that really matter to me.
00:26Family, fun, food, and friends.
00:30Come on, what kind of day have you had?
00:32Get it out!
00:33Here you go, I'm in jail.
00:35We'll be sharing simple home-cooked recipes.
00:38Oh, brilliant.
00:39I'm going to take this bit home and save it for later.
00:41I really do.
00:43She's such a gourmand.
00:44She's incredible.
00:46And celebrating the best produce.
00:50I am lucky enough to live in the astonishingly beautiful Cotswolds
00:54with my darling, sometimes darling, husband, John.
00:59Come on, you better now.
01:02Coming up today, model and entrepreneur Jo Woods scores some brownie points in the kitchen.
01:08What do you think of the chicken?
01:09It's absolutely delicious.
01:11Gosh.
01:12That's great coming from you.
01:14I've got a red hot hack for a quick and easy Spanish dish.
01:18One in a dozen.
01:19Can be really hot like a chilli.
01:22This one's quite hot.
01:23And it's tapas all round for supper.
01:26They're quite munchly.
01:28Can I have another one?
01:30No.
01:31Welcome to my Cotswold kitchen.
01:39I've always loved feeding people lovely food,
01:43whether as a professional caterer or at home in the Cotswolds.
01:47My first dish today is an easy party classic that always goes down a treat.
01:53We're going to make pancakes, but special pancakes, Russian pancakes, blinis.
02:04Blinis are the best pancakes for a party.
02:08They're absolutely delicious.
02:09We're going to do two versions of blinis, one vegetarian one, and one classic one with smoked salmon.
02:18And that's classically served with sour cream and smoked salmon, or sour cream and caviar.
02:24Needless to say, we're not having caviar.
02:27But we are going to do a vegetarian version with cream cheese and caviar pearls.
02:35The word caviar dates back to ancient Persia and means egg-bearing.
02:40But these caviar pearls are quite different.
02:43It's made with seaweed, stock, ginger, kelp, mushrooms, chilli, soy sauce, vinegar, charcoal powder.
02:52To make blinis, this is a mixture of creme fraiche and milk.
02:57And we're going to sprinkle the yeast in.
03:00This is instant dried yeast.
03:02Plus two egg yolks.
03:05Warm the mixture, but make sure you don't overheat it, which would kill the yeast.
03:09First, we're going to make the batter by putting the flour and buckwheat flour.
03:18Buckwheat is what makes it taste really Russian.
03:21It's just a little coarser, and I like the flavour of the buckwheat.
03:26Bit of salt.
03:28Both flours and the salt in there.
03:31And then we're going to put the batter in.
03:33Draw in all the flour from the outside with a whisk.
03:36Give it a bit of welly to knock out any lumps.
03:41When it's all smooth like that, you just leave it alone for about an hour for the yeast to work a little bit.
03:49It'll get a little bit puffy.
03:51The best way to make sure that it proves properly is to cover it with a tea towel and put it somewhere warm,
03:59or a piece of plastic film.
04:01I'm going to stick it in the airing cupboard.
04:07The next thing I want to do is to make a kind of fake smoked salmon.
04:11It's for vegetarians, and I must say it tastes absolutely delicious.
04:16But what it is, is carrot strips, which I'm going to peel the carrots.
04:21Take away that peel.
04:32And then just cut the carrot with a peeler.
04:42This is hard work, I tell you.
04:44Right, that'll do.
04:45I must throw away the outer ones.
04:48Now, these carrots are going to get pickled.
04:54And they're going into this pan, which has got very salty water in it.
05:00It's like pickling water.
05:01It's about 500 mils of water.
05:04You need two tablespoons of salt.
05:06And you put your carrots in it.
05:08And this is where it gets interesting.
05:10You're not just pickling them in salty water.
05:14You're going to make them taste smoky, a bit like smoked salmon.
05:18And the way you do that is to put a couple of bags of Lapsang Souchong tea in there.
05:25Lapsang Souchong, as you probably know, is a sort of slightly smoky tea.
05:29So I'm going to just bring this to the boil, turn it off, and leave it.
05:33Once the water comes to the boil like that, it's just simmering now, I'm just going to turn it off and leave it.
05:41Because you don't really want to cook the carrots, you want to just soften them a little bit.
05:45Well, you remember we put this batter aside to prove for an hour?
05:50Well, now it's nice and bubbly.
05:52It's going to get another hour's proving, but with some whisked egg whites in it.
05:57Scup some egg whites.
05:58As soon as it's stiff enough to hold its shape like that, that's fine.
06:09Then you put a little bit in and soften it up.
06:16Put the rest in.
06:17And this time, don't just mix it, but try to fold so that you preserve some of the bubbles.
06:27The thing about folding, it's about lifting rather than stirring.
06:32Don't worry if there are a few bubbles left.
06:35It's better to have a few bubbles than to beat the hell out of it and not have any air in it.
06:41So that's our batter.
06:43Now that has another hour's proving, and then we'll make the pancakes.
06:50Blini were considered by East Slavic people in pre-Christian times to be a symbol of the sun
06:56due to their round shape and are traditionally prepared at the end of winter
07:00to honour the rebirth of the new sun.
07:04At last, it's time to make the pancakes.
07:07So here we have the batter that has been proved twice.
07:11So now I want to warm a pan, put a little bit of butter into it.
07:18You don't need a lot of butter.
07:19You just need enough to stop the pancakes sticking to the bottom.
07:24And you can make big pancakes or little ones or tiny little ones for a party, for cocktail bits.
07:31When I was a caterer, I did this sort of thing a lot, and we used to do tiny little ones and put smoked salmon and caviar
07:38and all sorts of little bits and pieces on top of them, and they were hugely popular.
07:43The difference between puffy pancakes like Blini's is that because they've got yeast in them,
07:50they bubble up and they're much thicker, but they're very light.
07:54French crepe fills the whole pan, but it's very, very thin.
07:58I think that's about the right size for a first course for a dinner party.
08:02I've been a caterer and a cookery teacher and a restaurateur, and I tell you what, I like being a caterer the most,
08:11because there's never a rehearsal.
08:14I mean, you never get a chance to practice anything.
08:18You do a party for somebody.
08:19They want it to be really original.
08:22They want it to be absolutely delicious.
08:24And you're trying to fulfill their dream, not yours, and you don't get any chance to practice it, and you have to get it right.
08:33And I always love that.
08:34I like the challenge of potential disaster.
08:36I like the idea that you always might have a crisis.
08:40It's a bit odd, I agree.
08:41Right, so we make a few of these.
08:52So this is cream cheese.
08:55Which I think you have to be quite generous with.
09:00Put it on a warm pancake, but don't put it on a boiling hot one, because the cheese will melt.
09:05And then, again, to put in our smoky pickled carrot strips.
09:10And maybe a spoonful of seaweed caviar.
09:16Bit of lemon with it.
09:18Cut the ends off.
09:20You want to take the pith out and make sure that there are no seeds in there.
09:24These are seaweed flakes, flakes of seaweed, which it would be quite fun to put on the top.
09:33So I think for this one, I'm going to put the smoked salmon on the bottom, because that way I could get more smoked salmon.
09:43The sour cream on top, or creme fraiche.
09:46This is actually creme fraiche.
09:49But it could be sour cream, whatever you like.
09:51And a little bit of lamb fish, and a little bit of lump fish roe.
09:53It used to be called mock caviar.
09:56But it's actually made exactly like caviar, and it comes from a real fish.
10:00So I reckon it's caviar.
10:03And it's about one-tenth of the price of caviar.
10:10So, classic blini with smoked salmon, sour cream and caviar.
10:16Blini with fake smoked salmon, fake caviar, but just as delicious.
10:21I think I'll taste this one first.
10:25So this is proper smoked salmon, lump fish caviar.
10:32Absolute perfection.
10:33I don't think it needs the lemon.
10:35It's lovely.
10:37Delicious.
10:37So this is seaweed caviar, and cream cheese, and pickled carrots, pickled in Lapsang Souchong, so they're a bit smoky.
10:55It is really lovely.
10:58Absolutely delicious.
10:59And very easy to do.
11:01If you make those carrot strips, and you leave them in a jar in the pickling water, in the fridge, they'll keep for a week or so.
11:09Right, I've got to have another waffle.
11:11I like that.
11:13You try it with lemon.
11:18A little bit more caviar.
11:29Love you.
11:31Coming up, once married to Rolling Stone Ronnie, Jo Wood reveals all about her new life.
11:41So from that day onwards, I became obsessed with all things organic.
11:47My eldest son left home because he said he couldn't stand hearing the word organic anymore.
11:54And my husband John finds just the thing for his sweet tooth.
11:59It's actually quite tough, isn't it?
12:02What are you doing on Saturday?
12:02Ha!
12:03Ha!
12:04Ha!
12:04Ha!
12:13For me, cooking together or sharing a homemade meal is just the best.
12:19And my guest today will be sharing her family's favourite dish with me.
12:25My guest today is a former model, an entrepreneur, an author, a rock and roll kid.
12:33And she is the wonderful Jo Wood.
12:37Oh, thank you.
12:38Welcome to my Coswell kitchen.
12:40It's lovely here as well.
12:42So, Jo, what are you cooking for me?
12:44Well, I'm going to cook what I cook for my grandkids and used to cook for my kids.
12:50Actually, I still cook it for my kids and it's called magic chicken.
12:54I originally did it for my son Jamie who would only eat chicken nuggets and so we decided
13:07to make magic chicken because he always liked something sweet.
13:11So, I'm going to do magic chicken and macaroni cheese but my macaroni cheese always has sort
13:17of tomatoes and onion at the bottom.
13:18So, lovely.
13:19Yeah.
13:21Jo starts by placing the chicken in a bowl with some maple syrup and egg yolk.
13:26The kids all love this.
13:28Now the grandkids all love this.
13:30And who called it magic chicken?
13:33My son Jamie.
13:34Did you just make it up?
13:35We just made it up.
13:36And then she adds the chopped garlic before mixing well.
13:40Then it can be left in the fridge for an hour to marinate.
13:43Jo, I noticed that every single one of your ingredients here, everything's organic.
13:48So, years ago, I was misstagnised with Crohn's disease.
13:52I met a fantastic herbalist.
13:55He started telling me about food.
13:56He started telling me about genetically modified food, what they spray on our crops and I was
14:04absolutely fascinated by it.
14:06And he put me on a diet and after two months I started feeling great.
14:10And then I got ill and they rushed me into hospital and gave me an operation and I had a perforated
14:17appendix.
14:18I didn't have Crohn's disease.
14:20And the doctor said it was lucky I was alive.
14:23So, I laid in hospital and I thought, if I hadn't detoxed my system, I'd have never known I might have died.
14:32So, from that day onwards, I became obsessed with all things organic.
14:37My eldest son left home because he said he couldn't stand hearing the word organic anymore.
14:45And, of course, I was married to Ronnie at the time.
14:48Ronnie Wood we're talking about.
14:50Yeah.
14:51Keith Richards turned around to me and said, trouble with you, darling, is you're addicted to organic food.
14:58Well, that's good.
14:59To make the macaroni cheese, sauté the tomato and onion in coconut oil or butter.
15:06Whilst that's happening, Jo makes the start on the cheese sauce by melting butter in a pan,
15:12then adding flour to create a roux.
15:15So, you were a model, very young.
15:1916.
15:2016.
15:21Left home, went to London.
15:23I loved being a model.
15:24That was just the best thing ever.
15:26Because you became a fashion designer after a while, didn't you?
15:30Well, I designed for Ronnie on tour.
15:33I got married when I was 18 and I had Jamie at 19.
15:37How long did that marriage last?
15:39I was divorced by 21.
15:43And then I met Ronnie when I was 22.
15:46And then I was off on tour.
15:50Living a crazy life.
15:53Jo then gradually whisks in the milk until smooth.
15:56And simmers for three to four minutes until thickened.
16:00Finally, stir in half of the cheddar until melted and combined.
16:06Meanwhile, the cooked macaroni, along with the tomatoes and onion,
16:09can be put in the bottom of an oven dish.
16:11So, this macaroni's cooked, huh?
16:14Yeah.
16:15I love macaroni cheese, and with onions and tomatoes, even better.
16:20How long were you with Ronnie?
16:23From 1977 to 2008, we split up.
16:28And you seem to have had such a wild time.
16:31Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked pasta, tomatoes and onion in the baking dish, and mix well.
16:37So, it will sprinkle a cheese.
16:42It's such a lovely thing, macaroni cheese, isn't it?
16:46Yeah.
16:46So homely and simple.
16:48Perfect.
16:49So, that goes in the oven.
16:51Bake the macaroni cheese at 210 degrees centigrade for about 10 to 15 minutes until bubbling and golden.
16:59Joe then makes a dressing for the salad.
17:02It's just a regular dressing.
17:05So, a bit of olive oil.
17:10I'll just put a pinch of that in.
17:15I once saw a guy in Italy, he'd just put olive oil and salt and whisked it and whisked it, and it was so fabulous, the dressing.
17:23Especially on something like tomatoes or avocado.
17:26Yeah.
17:26All you need is a good olive oil.
17:28That's a bit of mustard.
17:32Then a bit of honey.
17:34I love cooking at home.
17:36When I go out, I'm a nightmare.
17:39You don't like anybody else's cooking?
17:41No, I just ask them, is it organic?
17:45My son hates me going out.
17:48Then it's time to cook the magic chicken.
17:51Start with some seasoned flour in a shallow bowl.
17:54So, you just toss the pieces of chicken, which have been marinated in the egg yolk and the maple syrup.
18:01Yeah.
18:02So, by now, this chicken will have that lovely sort of maple syrup.
18:06Slightly sweet.
18:07Slightly sweet.
18:08Slightly sweet, yes.
18:10And it's a perfect dish for kids.
18:13Getting them to eat the salad or something.
18:15Yeah, that's the hard bit.
18:17That's the hard bit.
18:18Once you've dipped the chicken into the flour to coat, heat the coconut oil in a wide, heavy-based frying pan and fry the chicken for three to four minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through.
18:32So, let's go back to your organic obsession.
18:35So, you live off-grid.
18:36Tell us what that means.
18:38Well, I decided to move out of London in 2019 and I wanted to find somewhere that was more organic.
18:46And this little house, farmhouse popped up and said, off-grid farmhouse, Northamptonshire.
18:51Wow.
18:52So, I took my son, Ty, and we went to see it and I thought, woo-hoo, it's off-grid.
18:58He had, you know, generator, solar panels, but I didn't know how everything worked.
19:05I moved in and everything went wrong.
19:08Everything was on its last legs.
19:10Oh, my God.
19:11He must have thought, yay, I found a mug to buy my house.
19:16It's taken me a few years.
19:17I've got a borehole for water, I've got my own power from solar panels and generators.
19:24That must be fantastic.
19:26It's great until something goes wrong.
19:28Yeah, and then you...
19:29Then you've got no power.
19:31Or you're carrying buckets.
19:33Yeah.
19:34But it's fun, keeps me busy.
19:37You recently wrote your first novel.
19:39Yes.
19:40And I've only read the first couple of chapters of it.
19:42But I must say, it's a theme that I think affects so many women.
19:48It's basically about a woman whose husband leaves her for somebody else.
19:52But she hadn't had any idea how to operate her life.
19:55I mean, she's just hopeless because she's been so dependent on her husband.
20:01Her husband, yeah.
20:02I mean, that's sort of what happened to me, but it also happens to a lot of women.
20:07I never wanted to write a novel, but I went on a date with a guy who started telling me
20:13about how he was being unfaithful to his wife.
20:16That's a great thing to say to your date.
20:19My history is that I've been very unfaithful to my wife.
20:22I thought to myself, what a great story.
20:26And I couldn't get it out of my mind after that.
20:29I'm not saying that they have to future-proof their lives, but it is a mistake to be totally
20:35dependent on somebody else.
20:36Yes.
20:37Because it's bad enough.
20:38It took me a while to learn.
20:40I reckon that one's cooked, don't you?
20:42Yeah, and I think that one's cooked too.
20:45I met Ronnie when I was 22, and they live in a very spoiled world.
20:49They don't have to do anything.
20:51You mean if you're a famous pop star, you don't have to do anything.
20:55And I was at a real loss, and I'm good now.
21:00Well, you look like you're having a good time.
21:02Yeah, I'm good.
21:02I can run my life quite easily.
21:05When you walk into a room, everybody knows you've arrived because there's a sort of general
21:09mood lifts, and you're noisy.
21:13You're laughing, and you can hear you mile of the way.
21:16It's really good fun.
21:18Now the chicken and the macaroni cheese are ready, it's time to see whether Joe's chicken
21:23really is magic.
21:26Right.
21:26Let's have a taste.
21:30Not bad.
21:31Not bad.
21:31Magic chicken.
21:33Mm-hmm.
21:34That's good.
21:36Oh.
21:37And this is my homemade chilli jam.
21:41Oh, lovely.
21:42Apples and pears from the garden in there.
21:46What do you think of the chicken?
21:48It's absolutely delicious.
21:51Gosh.
21:52That's great coming from you.
21:56Chilli jam is good too.
21:58Well, I'm quite happy.
22:03Comfort food.
22:05So come on, tell us about now.
22:08I'm just busy, you see.
22:10I did a podcast, actually.
22:11I did 43 episodes.
22:14Right.
22:14It was called Alien Nation, and it was all about UFOs and aliens.
22:20You see, you are the most remarkable woman.
22:22I think I've asked you about all your life, and then you suddenly say, I've done a podcast,
22:2743 episodes about aliens.
22:29Yeah, I loved it.
22:31It was great.
22:32Oh, extraordinary.
22:33Yeah.
22:34Joe, you're an remarkable woman.
22:36And I'm very glad.
22:38I mean, it's been so lovely to have you here.
22:39It's been great to be here.
22:41Good.
22:42Coming up, my husband John discovers the origins of fudge.
22:51Do you know why fudge is called fudge?
22:53No.
22:54Will I show you?
22:55Yes.
22:56And we're bringing a taste of Spain to our Cotswold kitchen.
23:01Looks lovely.
23:02Tastes lovely.
23:03What's not to like?
23:04There are some beautiful locations in the Cotswolds.
23:16Some would be described as chocolate box, and others are rich in history.
23:21John has just gone off to one of the prettiest towns in the Cotswolds, Stowe on the World,
23:26to try his hand at fudge making.
23:29Sitting at 800 feet above sea level, Stowe on the World is the Cotswolds' highest town
23:38and one of its best known, attracting people from far and wide.
23:43This is Stowe on the World, which is really the centre of the North Cotswolds,
23:48the most beautiful part of the Cotswolds.
23:50Today is market day.
23:52The first weekly market was held in 1107 on the instruction of Henry I.
23:59But John hasn't come to shop at the market today.
24:03He's managed to find something sweet elsewhere.
24:07Hello.
24:07You must be Andy.
24:09Welcome to our fudge empire.
24:11I'm just making a batch of fudge.
24:12Vanilla clotted cream fudge we're making today.
24:15OK.
24:16I brought it to temperature.
24:17Do you know why fudge is called fudge?
24:19No.
24:20Will I show you?
24:20Yes.
24:21OK.
24:21Please, that would be great.
24:22So we've taken this up to ten.
24:23It's been boiling for about two hours now.
24:25This slab is very cold.
24:26It's a stone slab.
24:27So if I put a little bit there, so within less than a minute, this has turned to toffee.
24:35So what we've done is we've boiled butter, sugar, milk, and we've actually made toffee.
24:40This is vanilla clotted cream toffee.
24:41OK.
24:42Try a little bit.
24:44I always keep a little bit for myself as well.
24:46That is toffee?
24:48We've made toffee.
24:49OK.
24:49Now, what we're going to do is we're going to pour it on the slab.
24:53If we left it there, it would be set as a pool of toffee.
24:56If we move it too much, it'll go crumbly, and you've fudged the toffee.
25:01Fudge.
25:02Job done.
25:03If you want to pop a hat and an apron on, you might be able to have a little turn of it yourself.
25:09I'll also give you a glove, if that's all right.
25:11You've got a pocket for your pay later as well.
25:14My whatty?
25:15Your pay.
25:16My pay.
25:18Making fudge is as much a science as an art.
25:22The key to perfect fudge lies in achieving the right sugar crystallisation.
25:27This is the dangerous bit.
25:28So what we're going to do now is pour this on the slab, and the idea is not to let it go on your shoes.
25:34You wouldn't want to touch this with your hand.
25:37This is still over, well, about 90-odd, 95 degrees.
25:40This would be seventh heaven for my grandchildren.
25:43Is that right?
25:44Oh, they'd be in here.
25:45Yeah, well, they'll be welcome any time.
25:48So before it sets, what we want to do is we want to start moving it.
25:53You can have a little go at this if you'd like.
25:54Try not to put it on the floor.
25:55OK.
25:57But you're moving it about.
25:59Everything that's touching the slab is turning to toffee as we speak.
26:02So at some point, we need to get everything off the slab for the first time before it sets.
26:07Is that because it's becoming aerated?
26:08It's not. It's really because the sugar is wanting to crystallise.
26:13So what we don't want to do is let the sugar crystallise too much.
26:17So what we're going to do is we're going to fold it all back in.
26:20So what made Andy want to become a fudge producer?
26:23My family have a bakery in Glasgow.
26:26So from when I was at primary school until I was about 21, I was a baker and confectioner.
26:33My wife is from Devon.
26:36Ah.
26:36So we used to go into Rollie's Fudge in Devon.
26:40Ah.
26:40I saw it was a franchise.
26:43My wife made the mistake of going away for a few days.
26:46Ha ha ha.
26:46I phoned up and said, I'm thinking I would like to talk about a franchise.
26:52They said, where do you live?
26:54I said, somewhere in between Stratford-upon-Avon and Stonewall.
26:58And they said, well, either of those places would work.
27:01And then within six months, I had a shop in Stratford.
27:04Two years later, I opened a shop in Stone.
27:07Ah, right.
27:08As if you're plastering the wall.
27:10OK.
27:10Knife in there and scrape it over.
27:12OK.
27:14What are you doing this Saturday?
27:16Ha ha ha.
27:18Keep moving along.
27:19It's actually quite tough, isn't it?
27:22You don't need to go to the gym.
27:24I don't want to do a slice less than a fiver.
27:26OK.
27:27So we pack all the fudge.
27:28We make the fudge, we sell it loose from the counter and we sell it also in bags.
27:32We want the cubes to be about the right size for going into a bag.
27:37That's what we're heading for.
27:38But if you watch what I'm doing, so we're going all the way down to the slab.
27:41We're going to take this right along the slab, scrape it off so we've left no fudge on the slab.
27:46OK.
27:47Yeah.
27:47Right.
27:48Let me get you a clean one so there's no excuses.
27:52And I get them a wrap that size?
27:54Roughly.
27:54You just do what you can.
27:56How's that?
27:58I'd say a good nine out of ten for the generation.
28:00Really?
28:02I'm fascinated to know what you do next.
28:05What I need to do is just cut it into cubes while it sits on here.
28:10How many different flavours do you make?
28:12At any one time, we've got 16 flavours on the counter, freshly made.
28:19Cut it that way first.
28:20OK.
28:22And then the other way.
28:23Do the four.
28:23OK.
28:24And then the other way.
28:25I must say, it has been a very, very interesting experience.
28:29Good.
28:29You're welcome.
28:29Thank you, Andy.
28:30Well, I'll put a little bag together for you.
28:32This is a vanilla quart of cream.
28:33Yeah.
28:34Can you remember what that is when you get home and will it get home?
28:37Even at my age, I couldn't remember it for that long.
28:40All right.
28:40I think the thing that interested me most was that fudge must have been made for hundreds
28:47of years.
28:48But somehow, somebody has come up with a particularly good recipe.
28:52And I think that Andy's definitely got it.
28:55And from John's sweet tooth to my love of tapas, I've got a hack for a quick and easy dish that
29:05you can make at home that's cheap, healthy and full of flavour.
29:11Next up is padrong peppers.
29:16And these are padrong peppers.
29:18You get them in fashionable restaurants for a very hefty price.
29:21So, they're really easy to deal with.
29:24What you want to do is to oil the peppers.
29:26Not too much.
29:27Just enough.
29:28If you jiggle them around, you'll get them all.
29:30Honestly, half a tablespoon of oil will do the whole lot.
29:34Chuck them all in.
29:38And they start to pop immediately.
29:39Do you see?
29:40They're busy bouncing around.
29:43You can obviously do it as I'm doing it in a frying pan, which is quite fun.
29:47But you can also do them in the air fryer.
29:50Just put the oil peppers into the air fryer.
29:53Full blast.
29:54Five minutes.
29:55And you'll see they're all blistered on the outside in a dark brown.
30:00So, when they're all blistered and a little bit dark like this, you can tell when they're
30:04done because they're actually all puffed up like a balloon.
30:07Then, a handful of really nice salt.
30:12Chuck, chuck, chuck.
30:14And onto a plate.
30:15Lovely.
30:18They say that Padron peppers, one in a dozen, can be really hot like a chili.
30:24I am always a bit cautious because I don't like too hot things.
30:31This one's quite hot.
30:35As hot as I'd like.
30:37I grew these last year.
30:40They were all chilies.
30:42I mean, they were basically so hot, nobody could eat them.
30:46Except my Cambodian daughter, who can eat any degree of heat.
30:51So there, Padron peppers, traditional Spanish tapas dish.
30:56I just warn you that occasionally you get a really hot one.
30:59So, nibble the end before you go for it.
31:07My Food Hero this week is a social enterprise that is remarkable because it puts more emphasis
31:15on the welfare of their staff, almost, than of their customers in Oxfordshire, there's a special place that brings food and hospitality together with the local community.
31:28I'm Sophie Bradley, I am enterprise manager at Yellow Submarine Charity.
31:34Yellow Submarine is an Oxfordshire based charity who support people with learning disabilities and autism to live life to their full.
31:42The charity is very big and very diverse.
31:45There's groups that meet during the week.
31:47There's trips away.
31:48But the charity soon became something much more.
31:52It quickly became apparent that there was a huge cohort of people that wanted to work and were able to work, but they just didn't always have the support to be able to access employment.
32:03The one thing that always brings people together is food.
32:08Our cafes provide this really welcoming, friendly environment, and it's all based around food.
32:14Our full-time team are really highly skilled in all aspects of cafe work and at the kind of mentoring, supporting, and training our trainees to be able to learn to do as much in the cafe as possible for themselves.
32:30There is the opportunity to learn skills in the kitchen and also to serve customers.
32:34And speaking to people, we have this amazing opportunity to give them the chance to build the confidence.
32:40Trainees are generally between 18 and 25, and they are with us for 18 months, and they get involved with everything.
32:52And that everything includes baking.
32:55So in 2019, when the cafes were closed on a Sunday, we would let trainees sign themselves up to come along and help bake, and we would have a small team that would get together, and we would make enough cake for the week.
33:07It quickly became apparent that actually the benefits of baking and working in an environment where there weren't customers brought out a real different side to some of the trainees.
33:18The baked goods have also proved a hit with the customers.
33:22We were being asked if we were able to make 13,000 gingerbread men to go out to employees of a certain company, or chocolate brownies to feed an office with hundreds of people in it.
33:35And we were really at a point where we really wanted to say yes, but we just physically didn't have the space.
33:43But now in their brand new bakery, the team can finally fulfil orders, like the one Dougie is being taught how to make.
33:52What are we making today?
33:54What's it called? What are we going to make?
33:56A-A-R?
33:58Yep.
33:58A-R.
33:59Yeah, well, tea's a tip-in' is what we're making today.
34:02Not only do the baked goods go down a treat in the cafe, they're also sold by trainees on the second phase.
34:10Is this to have it or to take away?
34:12Freya and Oscar help run the cafe in Oxford.
34:16I started as a phase one trainee, and I've just started as a phase two.
34:20Well, it means, like, I have shorter breaks in the middle, but I'm all right in the stats.
34:28I was, like, nervous.
34:30I was, like, shy.
34:33Um, I didn't really want to, like, interact with people much then.
34:40Yeah.
34:41Seeing how much I improved years, like, uh, that makes me proud of myself.
34:45I think all of our trainees, they want to be here.
34:52They're happy, they wake up in the morning, and, you know, feedback from parents can be
34:55that we could never get them out of bed to go to college, but they bounce out in the morning,
35:00and they're up and dressed, and they're raring to go.
35:05Working for our trainees can be a big step and can be hard work, but also is a huge amount of fun for them.
35:15Still to come, John is in his element, and, as usual, can't help getting stuck in.
35:25So you just do that, stick them all in your mouth together.
35:27Good.
35:28Can I have a go?
35:30Yeah.
35:30I love good old British fare, but today we're going decidedly continental.
35:46We are going to go Spanish, and we're going to make tapas and paella.
35:51We're going to start with the paella, and chop an onion.
36:01All right.
36:04Yes.
36:05OK.
36:06We're in Spain now, so everything is oil, not butter.
36:10So a bit of oil in a hot pan.
36:12I've got it on four, which is about halfway up.
36:16So, darling, can you shove all the onions in here?
36:19That's right.
36:20Once the onions are softened, we'll start to add other stuff.
36:24You don't have to have a paella pan.
36:26You can do it in a big frying pan, or even in a saucepan, but it's better if it's shallow.
36:31The trick is to keep it wet.
36:33Because the pan is thin, you want to stop it burning.
36:37As soon as you get your onions soft, you add a bit of stock, and then you start adding other stuff, and always add more stock.
36:44Keep it wet is the answer.
36:45I think that looks pretty soft.
36:47To add color and flavor to the paella, we're going to be using one of the world's most expensive spices.
36:54Saffron is the stamen of a special crocus.
36:58It's very rare, and it has to be hand-picked, every single little stamen out of a crocus.
37:03So, the cost of fortune, this little bag of stamens costs about five pounds.
37:11It's expensive.
37:12But fortunately, it's very strong, and you don't need much.
37:16So, I'm going to put about two or three drans.
37:19I reckon that's enough.
37:21And I'm going to flavor the stock with that.
37:24Right, so next in with the onions goes garlic.
37:28You just need to slice it very thinly.
37:30This is starting to brown.
37:36Okay.
37:37Shall I put a small amount?
37:38Yeah, you can, because just a half a ladleful.
37:41And then I'm going to put the garlic in.
37:46And you want a good shake of paprika in here.
37:48This is just plain paprika, not smoked paprika.
37:51And in goes the paella rice.
37:56Paella is the old Valenthian word for pan.
38:00It was first cooked over wood fires,
38:03using whatever ingredients farmers' wives had,
38:06like chicken, rabbit and local beans.
38:10And then, this is a little bit of white wine.
38:12Three tablespoons of white wine.
38:16And then we want to put the tomatoes in.
38:20Now, start it.
38:21You stir, and then a bit of...
38:24Well, I'll help you.
38:29So now we want to keep it wet, is the answer.
38:32Some of it's sticking to the bottom, so...
38:34Okay, I'm just going to give you some more.
38:36We've put a good deal of the stock in.
38:39It'll stop it sticking.
38:41And then we'll just turn it down and simmer it slowly.
38:46I'll keep an eye.
38:47You'll keep an eye, okay.
38:48While that's simmering away,
38:49we're going to make a couple of tapas.
38:52Posh, fashionable tapas bars will do this,
38:55which is just crisps on a plate
38:58and with some serrano ham chopped up and chucked all over it
39:04and some pickled chillies also chopped up.
39:06So do you want to do that?
39:08Yep.
39:08And we're also going to make little skewers
39:10of pickled chilli peppers,
39:13which are called guindias,
39:15and some nice big fat olives
39:18and some anchovies.
39:19So you put those, the peppers, the chillies,
39:23the olives and the anchovies on a skewer.
39:26Any how you like.
39:26Okay.
39:27Shall we start with this one?
39:28Okay, you do that one.
39:29Okay.
39:30And I'll have a go at this one.
39:31Toss them out?
39:32Yeah.
39:32I think so.
39:36A bit more?
39:36Yeah.
39:40Okay.
39:41And then you need some of this,
39:42a few more bits of that.
39:44Okay.
39:44The idea being the customer just picks up a crisp
39:48with a water of those.
39:50So I'm going to give it a try.
39:52So you just do that.
39:54Stick them all in your mouth together.
40:00Good?
40:00Mm.
40:01Can I have a go?
40:03Yeah.
40:08That's a very, I've never had a taste like that.
40:10That's very good.
40:11It does taste good, doesn't it?
40:14These are very moist.
40:15Very good.
40:17Tapas originated in Spanish bars and taverns,
40:21and some say customers used to cover their beer
40:23with slices of bread or ham
40:25to keep bugs out of their glasses.
40:29That's more of a meal.
40:31Well, of course, you know,
40:33it's so difficult to stop, isn't it?
40:37And so on.
40:40Can I try one?
40:41Yeah.
40:43These olives are huge, aren't they?
40:46They're called gaudle, gaudle olives.
40:48Do you like that?
40:49They're quite munchly.
40:52I tell you, with a beer,
40:54that would be really, really nice.
40:56Good Spanish beer and a few of those.
40:58They're all simple enough to do, aren't they?
41:00Can I have another one?
41:01Yeah.
41:02Yeah.
41:06Right, I want to see if paella is getting on.
41:11Once the rice is al dente, we want to get rid of most of the stock,
41:16boil it off a bit.
41:17I'll add the seafood, which we need to do now.
41:21There's still a tiny bit of bite to the rice.
41:24It does taste good.
41:25So I'm going to turn the heat up.
41:26I think the rice is always nicer when it's got a little bit of a bite to it.
41:30Yeah.
41:31So after about 25 minutes,
41:33when almost all the stock has absorbed
41:37and the rice is just al dente,
41:41you put the seafood in.
41:43And in our case, it's a packet of frozen mixed seafood.
41:47And I tell you what, it's delicious.
41:50Put the beans in.
41:52And then fold in the mixed seafood.
41:55That looks very good.
41:57It's going to be so delicious.
41:59Frozen peas are really good not just for the flavour
42:02because they've got a bit sweet,
42:03but also for the colour and mostly for the convenience.
42:08I think I'm going to put a little bit more stock in there,
42:11mainly because we've got the saffron in there.
42:14So we have the seafood, the peas,
42:18and some red and yellow peppers.
42:24So they're straight out of a jar,
42:25but of course you could roast your own.
42:27Can you put some foil on the top?
42:29Yep.
42:30If you've got a big lid, a lid is fine,
42:32but I don't have a lid that's big enough.
42:35This paella has had about 25 minutes altogether cooking
42:40and is now getting another five minutes
42:42with the peas, seafood and peppers.
42:47So in five minutes' time, we can eat it.
42:49Good.
42:49I think my seafood is just about cooked.
42:57You can see the prawns have turned pink,
43:00which is a sure sign.
43:01I just need to give it a little bit of a rapid boil.
43:04There's still a bit too much juice in it.
43:07I can smell it.
43:08It tastes heaven.
43:10John, bring a spoon to taste.
43:12You know, it's so good because that packet of seafood
43:20has so much different seafood in it.
43:23There's squid, mussels, prawns.
43:26It's very seafoody.
43:27It really tastes of seafood, doesn't it?
43:29So, now we've got the paella really...
43:34All the moisture has disappeared, or almost all of it,
43:37and it's beginning to stick to the bottom.
43:40Actually, those crusty bits on the bottom are delicious,
43:42but you want to be careful because you don't want them burnt.
43:45So when the moisture's all gone, you can dish it up.
43:49Right, if you grab us a couple of bowls and a big spoon...
43:54Right, we just need a bit of salt,
43:56a bit of pepper.
44:01Once it starts to stick to the bottom,
44:04you've lost enough of the juice.
44:07So I think we can turn it off.
44:09You dish us up a bit.
44:10OK.
44:11Serve it with a lemon wedge
44:13and a little bit of parsley,
44:18or it could be coriander.
44:20How's that, Mr Playfair?
44:22You've got some wine to go with this.
44:23I've got some wine.
44:24What have you got?
44:24Are you good for wine?
44:25Now, this is an organic white Rioja,
44:29obviously from Spain,
44:30called Gran Cerdo,
44:32and it's from a local wine merchant.
44:38Dum-dum.
44:39Dum-dum.
44:45As we say in Scotland,
44:46that's most acceptable.
44:49It certainly is most acceptable.
44:51Very good.
44:51It's quite light, isn't it?
44:52One thinks of a Rioja as quite a muscular.
44:56I never think of a white Rioja.
44:58No, it's delicious.
44:59Very nice.
45:00Very grape-y.
45:02It's powerful enough to stand up to the seafood,
45:06I think.
45:07Let's have a go.
45:08But isn't it lovely?
45:15Even if you just have the rice by itself,
45:17it tastes powerfully of seafood.
45:20It's lovely.
45:21I think that's delicious.
45:22It is.
45:23It's nice and colourful.
45:24It looks lovely.
45:25It tastes lovely.
45:26What's not to like?
45:28So here's our little taste of Spain.
45:30Padron peppers,
45:32which I absolutely love.
45:34And I love the idea of,
45:35instead of making fiddly little canapes or something,
45:39you can just put a packet of crisps on a plate,
45:41chuck some serrano ham on top
45:43and a few pickled chillies.
45:44That's definitely a winner.
45:46And I like the little sticks of olive and anchovy as well.
45:51So, adios.
45:53We'll be back next time with some more delicious food
45:56and a very interesting guest.
45:58We'll be back next time.
46:28We'll be back next time with some more delicious food.
46:30We'll be back next time with some more delicious food.
46:31We'll be back next time with some more delicious food.
46:32We'll be back next time with some more delicious food.
46:33We'll be back next time with some more delicious food.
46:34We'll be back next time with some more delicious food.
46:35We'll be back next time with some more delicious food.
46:36We'll be back next time with some more delicious food.
46:37We'll be back next time with some more delicious food.
46:38We'll be back next time with some more delicious food.
46:39We'll be back next time with some more delicious food.
46:40We'll be back next time with some more delicious food.
46:41We'll be back next time with some more delicious food.
46:43We'll be back next time with some more delicious food.
46:44We'll be back next time with some more delicious food.
Comments