(pan sizzling)
- Hello, and welcome back to Sorted Food.
Now, this is how today's gonna work.
Two of our normal home cooks, Jamie and Barry,
have in front of them an identical mystery box
of seasonal ingredients.
And in 40 minutes,
we would like them to cook up something delicious
for this guy, who ultimately will taste it,
judge it, and pick a winner.
Simple, right?
- Well, easy for you to say Ebbers,
you're standing on the side.
Oh, and you're a chef.
- And I know what's in the box, not a mystery to me.
- Game face.
(dramatic music)
Oh dear (laughs).
It's staring right back at me.
- Right, oh God, it's looking at me.
(Ben laughing)
- Right, okay, so first of all,
we've got some dark chicken meat.
Whoa!
Is that a lobster or a prawn?
(Ben and Barry chuckle)
- It's a big old prawn, we're giving you two of them.
- Wow, okay.
- Jesus.
- [Barry] Sea bass?
- Correct.
On the other side of your box,
you've got a whole bunch of seasonal deliciousness.
- [Barry] Already, as I'm unpacking this,
I didn't realise all this was part of the same season.
- Summer UK season.
A good chunk of it's come from the allotment.
- Oh, wait a minute.
Is this a challenge for you to get rid of the stuff
in your allotment?
- I've grown more than a single man can actually eat.
- Radish?
- Nope.
- Oh, beetroot.
- I'm not sure what sort of bugs and insects
you have in your allotment
because one's had a bite taken out of it.
(Ben and Barry laughing)
- Oh I can give you a fresh one, that's Jamie's one.
- Turnip?
- Close, it's not.
- Kohlrabi?
We've used Kohlrabi in a Supper Club once.
- You've also got a selection of seasonal fruits behind you,
and ample herbs and dairy in the fridge.
We'll give you a couple of minutes to think,
then we'll clear your bench and your time will start.
- Where's the steak?
- Okie dokie, you've had a think.
We've pushed all the ingredients to one side.
You have 40 minutes on the clock and your time starts in
three, two, one, go.
(bell dings) - Waaah!
- I'm really scared I've bitten off
more than I can chew here already.
I'm going for a celebration of the British summer,
a barbecue.
Mainly because I haven't had a barbecue yet
'cause it's been so bloody miserable this summer.
But I'm gonna have some roasted veg,
I'm gonna have some char-grilled prawns,
and a really cool, light couscous-y salad as well.
How the hell do I do this?
- Kohlrabi is a beautiful ingredient.
Behaves a bit like turnip, can be eaten raw,
it's great pickled, you can roast it.
- I had to use it because we don't get it in very often.
- So this is where I think I'm going.
Aubergine, sea bass with fennel, and prawns,
like garlic butter prawns.
And then my thinking is just like three separate dishes.
- Bold, I like that.
- I love miso glazed aubergine.
We've done it before on the channel and it was brilliant.
I've got to get some balance here.
This togarashi is spicy AF.
- So there's two lots of judging going on here.
Mike is judging the final presentation,
but I'm also judging you on the option of a badge.
So we know that this year our normals are competing
for skills badges.
Today, we've given the choice up to you,
what badge do you want to try and go for?
- I'm gonna go for the obvious Ben,
I'm going for a plating badge.
One of the big things to look out for
when you're aiming for presentation
is work with seasonal veg.
It's bright, it's vibrant, and it's exciting,
so it gives me the best chance of winning it.
- Ebbers, I really don't know
what this is gonna lend itself to.
I mean, I'm doing a lot, so it's kind of like multitasking.
Yeah, this is gonna involve a fair bit of multitasking.
So let's go multitasking.
- Locked in.
- I'm gonna pop that into the oven now,
I don't think it's gonna need the full 40 minutes,
but at least I'll know it's done.
- You mentioned barbecue.
Obviously barbecue is one of those things that exists
all over the world
and everyone has their own approach to it.
American barbecue, south American...
kind of asado barbecue style, Korean barbecue.
I think our British barbecue is very different.
A celebration of seasonal veg and it generally tends to be
quicker cooks, things you can do on the grill.
- Oven, 20 minutes.
- You're five minutes in to your 40 minute time limit.
- Okay, right.
Clear down, move on to the next thing.
- Cooking whole fish is not my thing.
I'm gonna wrap it in pandan,
but I'm going to fill it with fennel.
- So fennel is one of those ingredients that I think
is so underrated.
At this time of year, it can be used in so many things.
It lends itself to pickling, raw in salads.
You can roast it.
You can braise it.
You can puree it.
It does everything.
In fact, we've even had the likes of fennel ice cream
when we were in the US.
That aniseed flavour can be used
in so many different things.
- What if I wrapped the pandan around the fish
rather than stuffed it inside?
Or what if I did both?
- [Ben] I like the idea of sealing it in,
so it doesn't fall out.
- How long does sea bass take to cook?
I don't know.
- [Ben] Fish in a bag.
- Fish in a bag.
The only thing I'm thinking is this,
it's gonna steam in there,
so do I need to give it something to steam with?
Where better to use a premium Chablis?
- Interesting use of.
(upbeat music)
- Sea bass is going into the oven.
- My only concern is if you don't know how long it takes
to cook, there's no way of checking it
without unwrapping it.
And when you've unwrapped it, you've kind of messed it.
- Yes, so what we're going to rely on is fate.
- I wanna roast off a fig as well.
A little bit of honey, a little bit of black pepper
on these as well.
Into the oven.
- You have 30 minutes remaining.
- Next up massive (beep) prawns, stroke lobsters.
Going bold Ebbers.
Lot of butter, gonna melt that down, garlic,
a lot of garlic, and then I'm gonna chop the heads off,
butterfly them, and then fry them in that garlic butter.
- [Ben] Platter of herbs, what's that one?
(Jamie spluttering)
- There's mint there.
Mint's not gonna work.
That one doesn't smell.
That one's broken.
(Ben laughing)
- Is it that one's broken or that nose is broken?
That one's oregano.
You've got thyme.
- I think thyme and tarragon work well.
- [Ben] So tarragon, thyme, garlic, and butter.
These flavours just remind me of summer.
- That's my roasting element on the go.
I wanna go for a giant couscous salad
that's then gonna carry some of my more delicate flavours
like your runner beans, radishes,
I've got shallots, and the leaves from the beetroot as well.
Be nice to get those toasting off.
Brings out that nice nuttiness to those
with a bit of brownness.
And then I'll go in for some chicken stock.
Chop it properly Barry, come on.
Presentation badge.
So far I haven't got too many time pressures.
Everything should cook in time.
There's one other element that I could go for here
that might be a bit bold.
I'm gonna use these.
- Yes!
- You can fill these with cream cheese and deep fry 'em.
Give it a go!
- With 25 minutes remaining I think that element
will be your time pressure if you choose to do it,
but it will be exceptional if you do.
- So let's just soften that up
and we are going to flavour it with some anchovies.
In my head capers and anchovies kinda go well
with the prawn as well at the end.
Okay, chives.
- Time wise you are fast approaching half of your time gone.
20 minutes down, 20 minutes to go.
- Okay they're browning off, so in with some chicken stock.
- An ambitious choice of dishes and ingredients
from Barry.
I like that, it's very bold.
As a result it's quite a lot more messy and untidy
than Jamie.
- Right we need to have a chat.
I'm not looking forward to this bit.
- Now when the prawns are this big,
and there's that much head, and there's that much shell,
save them.
Cook them up, they'll make an amazing stock,
and then you could do a wonderful sort of braised rice dish
and celebrate it with some of the other veg.
Look at all that meat inside of there.
That could've been cooked on the prawn,
and then you've got extra meat to enjoy.
As its been cut off, we'll make sure we get it
into a lovely stock.
(upbeat music)
- Oh what am I doing next.
- [Ben] Faffing at the moment.
- Okay, I need a batter.
Salt, tonic water, for a light batter.
- A really light batter,
and if you get it right what you should be able to see
is those beautiful courgette flowers through the batter.
The challenge is to make sure that they are
sealed in with that batter, so that the cheese
doesn't ooze out in the fryer.
Baz you've only got 15 minutes left.
- Holy!
- Aubergine was looking good.
It's a bit charred, which is what I want.
It's nice.
Also looking slightly dry, so I've just added
a little more of my paste thing to it, make it delicious.
Butter has melted, there's quite a lot in there,
so what's gonna happen is they're gonna half poach
half fry in this butter I think.
- Very organised, very tidy, I feel like multi-tasking
is going to plan.
- Let's keep prepping the veg for the salad.
I'm gonna blanch these 'cause they're sweet,
but they have still got a slight onion-y harshness to them.
Get all my salad ingredients in here.
- With the hot couscous they'll wilt slightly.
Should be lovely.
- Okay, so prawns.
(upbeat music)
- You got 10 minutes remaining.
Right, I think the butterfly might've cut too far
through the flesh, so rather than just opened up
and kept long thin, it has sort of opened up
and curled up a little bit.
- There's slightly more time than I thought I'd have,
so what is amazing is honeyed, spicy figs.
So I'm gonna do that.
Just cutting down nearly to the bottom.
Open them up to get some flavour in there.
- Togarashi figs, I like that.
- I was thinking like cayenne would be
a really really good way of bringing spice to the figs,
but actually why not togarashi?
I've already got the togarashi in the aubergine.
- Okay, so now.
- [Ben] Figs are out, roasted veg is out.
- So garlic, I'm just going to cook off in a load of butter.
We have some ready-made garlic butter
to dip the prawns in afterwards for flavour.
- You have six and a half minutes remaining.
Prawns are going in.
- Ebbers I'm gonna have to take a gamble.
Need the shelf space.
And I can only imagine that that's cooked.
- If it's under-cooked the flesh won't pull away
from the bone beautifully.
And it'll be a real shame.
- Right, plate.
- [Ben] How are you choosing to serve your sea bass?
It looks steamy steamy.
- [Jamie] In the paper so that it, yep.
- [Ben] Nice choice.
- Aubergines coming out.
Nicely charred and hedge-hogged.
I'm just thinking is there like a yogurt-y thing
that I could make.
- You've got four minutes remaining.
- [Barry] Who know what's gonna happen here.
Go down.
- [Ben] Excellent job on the batter and the courgette.
Nice char on those prawns.
Hot couscous going in.
Takes the edge off of any of the raw vegetables.
(dramatic music)
- [Jamie] Honey.
- Last two minutes.
In a multi-tasking badge has he left the best things
for the last few moments?
- I've lost the plot.
I've lost the plot.
It's all gone to pot.
Prawn, stop it, behave yourself.
So let's plate up then.
Let's go in for, where's the plate?
- There is carnage everywhere.
- Looks like a lovely summer-y salad.
45 seconds remaining.
(dramatic music)
He's aiming for a plating and presentation badge.
It's gotta taste good and be cooked though as well.
- That's come off the top, but that's okay.
- I think I'd have wanted those drained on kitchen roll.
There's a risk they're gonna be very greasy.
He's got 20 seconds remaining.
And he's throwing a courgette flower on as a garnish!?!
Five, four, shame about the figs,
three, two, one.
(bell dinging)
- Figs, a la pan.
(Ben laughing)
- [Ben] Is that what you had in mind?
- Yeah, kind of.
- Let's get them into sexies.
(upbeat music)
Okay Mike, you can probably sniff an awful lot.
- Oh it smells great.
- In front of you you have A and B.
A has been cooked by one normal, B by the other.
Both a celebration of seasonal ingredients in 40 minutes.
Have a look.
- Wow!
Okay, well, let's start with A.
This is miso glazed and togarashi spiced aubergine.
Pandan and fennel sea bass.
Monster prawns, sweet togarashi figs,
fennel and honey dipping yoghurt,
Right, wow.
I'm just gonna dig in.
I'm going for the fish first.
- Pandan and fennel.
- I mean it's really well cooked in my opinion.
These are jumbo prawns?
Very tasty, very garlic-y.
Exactly what I want from those.
Ah, miso glazed aubergine is absolutely delicious.
I'm very impressed
and I think it's all cooked really really well.
If I had to pick something that I feel like
was a bit of an experiment, it would be this,
but it's not a bad experiment.
It hasn't turned out to be a disaster.
It's actually really quite nice.
Wow I am genuinely impressed by that.
Ah, what I love about this already
is like you can see the same ingredients from here,
but used in a completely different way.
Hence why a mystery box format is so good.
B, this is the best of British indoor barbecue.
King garlic prawns and tempura courgette flowers
filled with a zingy cream cheese,
served on a fregola salad with Ebbers-picked runner beans,
radish, honey roasted fig, kohlrabi, and rainbow roots.
Well I don't know what one of those things are.
What's fregola?
(boys laughing)
I don't know what two of those things are.
Well I'm going in.
Boys, this is so impressive.
Like it all looks delicious.
Oh, that's that kohlrabi, no?
- This is what happens when you get a normal to judge.
That's your cauliflower stuffed with a zingy cream cheese,
tempura battered, and fried.
- A cauliflower, it's not a courgette flower?
That's why you get a normal in,
because we know...
Okay, right, here we go.
Some twigs, you really notice those.
- The thyme stalks might be a bit
of an unpleasant eating experience.
- Absolutely delicious again.
Prawn's cooked really, really well.
You actually, because of the lack of garlic butter
in comparison to the first one, get a lot more
of the charred flavour and the flavour of the prawn itself.
Let's try this tempura,
ah it's got cream cheese in it as well.
Here we go.
- If our normal's nailed that
you should get a wonderful floral courgette flavour
with creamy, zingy, tangy
filling. - You really do.
This is so impressive guys.
Both A and B, every single element is cooked correctly.
Nothing feels over cooked, under cooked.
A, big on flavour, big on texture.
B, subtle, less like embellishment
of the ingredients themselves, but cooked really well
and when you eat it all together you get
the variety of flavours, textures, crunches,
and you really taste the individual elements.
This is so hard.
Real stand out A, miso aubergine.
Absolutely stunning.
Stand out B, the courgette flowers.
Absolutely stunning.
I'm going to go for
(upbeat music)
B as the winner.
- Yes, come on!
- I think it's fair to say that is a plate
of the British summer time.
So Jamie you were going for the multi-tasking badge.
You did three dishes plus sorta dips and bits and pieces,
and you kept the kitchen very very tidy
as you multi-tasked.
It's a no brainer, you get the badge.
- Yes!
- Well done mate.
- Barry, you were going for the presentation badge.
(Mike oohing)
I felt you were a little rushed at the end,
and the bit that you were aiming for
with the presentation, you were short on time.
However, you said you were looking for
the celebration of rainbow kind of
allotment seasonal colours.
I thought it was very inviting,
and I'm giving you the badge.
- Yeah!
(upbeat music)
- Well, over to you guys.
You saw the carnage that just unfolded.
Did I pick correctly.
Comment down below.
- And if you liked this video then make sure
you like this video, and we'll do it again
where Mike can take on the winner, moi.
- I am not so confident. - Mike can take on the winner.
Till next time.
- [Mike] Have you ever got to the end of a long day
with no ideas, ingredients, or energy to cook?
Take away?
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(upbeat music)
And now for the blooper.
(beeping)
- That as a flower, it's almost a nice touch.
It's almost nice.
Until the fact you've put it in your own award.
- A Guild of Food Writers award, yes.
I couldn't get a vase big enough.
(Barry laughing)