Cooking for our Queen

[Duncan]

Soft-shelled crab isn't a species as such, it is the crab immediately after the moult when the new carapace hasn't hardened. Obviously, in a given location the actualy species will be restricted to what is found locally.

←

I think the Chinese Mitten Crab is the one I was thinking of that has invaded the Thames Estuary (but I was searching for Blue Crab which is why I didn't find it). Are they suitable for cooking soft-shelled?

[Carlovski]

One thing strikes me as a bit odd - they keep going on about seasonality - lots of asparagus about for example, but what is in season for the competition won't be for the actual meal will it?

[Duncan]

The format for this competition is getting kind of ridiculous. Tonight we had 7 chefs re-cooking their starters, only there isn't enough room in the kitchen so we had batches of 3, 2 and 2 with the others hanging round in the background and generally trying to put them off.

Atul got marked down heavily by two of the judges for excessive use of air-miles importing his crabs, so the public get to vote between Marcus Wareing, Richard Corrigan and Michael Caines. Anyone who cares to express an opinion can do so at www.bbc.co.uk/food.

[JudyB]

Does anyone know when the programmes for this final week were actually filmed? I just found a suggestion on one of the BBC Message Boards that Atul Kochhar was in a car accident last week - the details are here.

Has anyone else heard anything about this? (I'm assuming that this report is genuine, although I haven't found anything online to confirm this).

[Adam Balic]

One thing strikes me as a bit odd - they keep going on about seasonality - lots of asparagus about for example, but what is in season for the competition won't be for the actual meal will it?

←

As hotpot appeared on a summer menu, I think that we can forget about any present connection of the food at what will eventually be served. Or at least I hope so.

[petrus]

I am still surprised that Ms Hartnett lost to that Welsh guy. The best cook-off was AWT and Blackiston; bluster (AWT) versus arrogance(GB)

Anyway, how come Gary gets to win if he has already been "eliminated" and the telephone voting has really to get underway? Are there lots of proxies lined up for him?

Petrus

[Champagne Sadie]

I am still surprised that Ms Hartnett lost to that Welsh guy. The best cook-off was AWT and Blackiston; bluster (AWT) versus arrogance(GB)

Anyway, how come Gary gets to win if he has already been "eliminated" and the telephone voting has really to get underway? Are there lots of proxies lined up for him?

Petrus

←

Welcome Petrus.

I thought that Chef Hartnetts dishes were better than the other chaps, but what do I know?

I think we've established up thread that Gary won't win.

[britcook]

I made Gary's salmon and asparagus starter tonight and it was absolutely excellent, surely better than some of the entries we saw tonight. Give yourselves a treat and make it, although cut the olive oil to 50 ml in the citrus dressing.

[Champagne Sadie]

I made Gary's salmon and asparagus starter tonight and it was absolutely excellent, surely better than some of the entries we saw tonight. Give yourselves a treat and make it, although cut the olive oil to 50 ml in the citrus dressing.

←

Where did you get the salmon from?

[britcook]

I made Gary's salmon and asparagus starter tonight and it was absolutely excellent, surely better than some of the entries we saw tonight. Give yourselves a treat and make it, although cut the olive oil to 50 ml in the citrus dressing.

←

Where did you get the salmon from?

←

Waitrose, where else?

[June Pickering]

I am really curious to know how the timing of all the competition was taped. And do the judges really eat all that's on the plate.. seven times as in last night?? At least they changed their clothes for this week.

And did all seven chefs take a week off from work to do their four courses day by day? It seems so unlikely.

I grew up eating soft shell crabs, and I'm sorry the Queen won't have that joy although I understand the reasoning. They are truly delicious and that plate of food was beautiful, although the winner was worthy.

[ljr]

So what happened last night - who won? I keep forgetting to watch this as it is on when I cook dinner (my dinner being more important obviously). the bbc site has no information as usual.

[Duncan]

So what happened last night - who won?  I keep forgetting to watch this as it is on when I cook dinner (my dinner being more important obviously).  the bbc site has no information as usual.

←

The judges gave Richard Corrigan's turbot 29 points out of 30, and Bryn Williams (Turbot & Oxtail) & Atul Kochhar (Sea Bass) each 28 out of 30, so they were the three that went to the phone vote. Michael Caines just missed out (27 out of 30), and the others were left well out in the cold as the judges found lots of things to dislike.

[Matthew Grant]

I wish the judges wouldn't keep going on about Atul Kochars food looking beautiful. IMO it looks a little sloppy and plated like food from the early 1990's. I appreciate that it may be a little different from most Indian derived cuisine but it isn't really that beautiful is it?

[Andy Lynes]

I'm stunned that Caines's lobster didn't make it through, it was one of the best dishes in the whole series. It would also have been far more appropriate as a fish course in a four course meal. Although the other two do look great, they are basically fish main courses. Caines dish appeared lighter and more interesting - a perfectly judged halfway house between starter and main. If I was Queenie, or indeed one of her guests, I'd be mightily pissed.

[Matthew Grant]

I switchd off before the end, I thought Caines had made it

Also shocked that Prue Leith keeps going on about how original it is to team Turbot with beef!!!!

Edited May 31, 2006 by Matthew Grant (log)

[Duncan]

Today's results: Bryn Williams salt-marsh lamb was the judges' favourite with Nick Nairn's venison a close runner up. Third place was taken by Atul Kochhar with tandoori chicken.

...and on the voting site, the BBC have leaked out another of their hidden rules 'The winner of this course will be the highest-placed chef who is not a winner in a previous course.'

[britcook]

Ah yes, tandoori chicken, so regional, so seasonal!

[Matthew Grant]

And not really Tandoori Chicken as it was cooked under a grill, I suppose "spicy grilled chicken" doesn't sound good enough

[Adam Balic]

Tandoori style chiken in a gravy sauce (Chicken Tika Marsala) is about the most popular dish in the UK isn't it?

Queen Victoria regularly had "Indian" items on her formal menus, so although the present queen isn't Empress of India, I guess you could squeeze that one in.

So far I haven't seen much evidence of regional or seasonal dishes in most of what has been done. I think that to target Kochar's for lack of these properties is pretty much saying that Indian food has no place in a British menu. Not sure that I agree with this.

To be frank I would say that an Indian meal is much more representative of British food habits then the either "regional" or "seasonal". So why live with this pretense? Why not encourage a better version of what people actually eat in the UK.

That Hotpot. Of the regions of the UK I have visited and collected recipes from, Lancashire seems to have the strongest extant regional dishes. But why Hotpot in the summer and not something a bit more creative? Paul Heathcote's cooking suggests that it is more then possible.

I like Hotpot, but it is a bit of a caricature of regional British on UK Food TV. Everytime somebody beats the drum about regional British recipes being on par with regional French/Italian (always these two only), this is the dish that gets trotted out. Regarding Fort's comments about oysters, I'm pretty sure that most versions now made do not contain oysters (they were a cheap filler when used) and in historical recipes hotpot containing oysters (+ mushrooms, kidney) was specifically "Bolton (le-Moors) Hotpot"?

[June Pickering]

If the producers of this programme had not thought 'Indian food' was worthy to serve HRH, then why did they even include a chef who does that cuisine? I'll be interested to see if the British public votes for what they enjoy eating often... or will they go for the beautiful lamb? And did anyone notice that the phone numbers did not correspond to the order placement by the judges of the chefs? I bet that made for a few faulty votes.

[Carlovski]

Tandoori style chiken in a gravy sauce (Chicken Tika Marsala) is about the most popular dish in the UK isn't it?

Queen Victoria regularly had "Indian" items on her formal menus, so although the present queen isn't Empress of India, I guess you could squeeze that one in.

So far I haven't seen much evidence of regional or seasonal dishes in most of what has been done. I think that to target Kochar's for lack of these properties is pretty much saying that Indian food has no place in a British menu. Not sure that I agree with this.

To be  frank I would say that an Indian meal is much more representative of British food habits then the either "regional" or "seasonal". So why live with this pretense? Why not encourage a better version of what people actually eat in the UK.

That Hotpot. Of the regions of the UK I have visited and collected recipes from, Lancashire seems to have the strongest extant regional dishes. But why Hotpot in the summer and not something a bit more creative? Paul Heathcote's cooking suggests that it is more then possible.

I like Hotpot, but it is a bit of a caricature of regional British on UK Food TV. Everytime somebody beats the drum about regional British recipes being on par with regional French/Italian (always these two only), this is the dish that gets trotted out. Regarding Fort's comments about oysters, I'm pretty sure that most versions now made do not contain oysters (they were a cheap filler when used) and in historical recipes hotpot containing oysters (+ mushrooms, kidney) was specifically "Bolton (le-Moors)  Hotpot"?

←

If he was feeling really brave he would have made cow heel pie...

[Adam Balic]

Trotters and Tripe?

Actually, Hindle Wakes would have been a good choice for cheffing up.

[britcook]

Tandoori style chiken in a gravy sauce (Chicken Tika Marsala) is about the most popular dish in the UK isn't it?

Queen Victoria regularly had "Indian" items on her formal menus, so although the present queen isn't Empress of India, I guess you could squeeze that one in.

So far I haven't seen much evidence of regional or seasonal dishes in most of what has been done. I think that to target Kochar's for lack of these properties is pretty much saying that Indian food has no place in a British menu. Not sure that I agree with this.

To be  frank I would say that an Indian meal is much more representative of British food habits then the either "regional" or "seasonal". So why live with this pretense? Why not encourage a better version of what people actually eat in the UK.

←

There is a subtle difference between a British Menu, whether Great or not, and what is popular in Great Britain. After all McDonalds is surprisingly popular but I didn't see anybody attempting burgers. Or kebabs. Or even dim sum. I thought the original idea (which was excellent even if it has become debased in the execution) was to feature regional and seasonal produce that spoke of its links to tradition. The title of the programme contains "British", which has a strong implied link to our culinary heritage, and is not about food eaten in Britain, which is entirely different. Even if you overlook this the judges apply double standards, effectively ruling out one of Blackiston's dishes as "too Italian" because it contained lasagne. What we should have had was either clearer explanation of the rules and/or adherence to them by the judges.

[Adam Balic]

Good point , but Indian based/inspired food has been popular in the UK for 250 years and it was a former colony. It is part of British cuisine just has much as many other elements considered more 'traditional' - so not quite the same 'popular' as MACer's.

That isn't quite the same thing as some of the dishes being considered too 'Italian' or too 'French'. Although, I must admit that the judges are not very consistant in this. A dish like a souffle that has been know in the UK since Louis Ude's "The French Cook" (1813) is "too French", where as non-traditional ways of preparing venison salmon etc are 'Very Scottish'....

I guess it is a question of identity and all that, but it appears to me that neither the judges or the chefs have a really strong idea of what 'British food' (if there is such a thing) is.