The Hairy Bikers Go North episode 3 – Cumbria: The Hairy Bikers are exploring an area close to Dave’s heart – Cumbria and the Lake District.
The Lakes is the most visited national park in England, and with such incredible scenery, it’s not hard to see why. Dave takes Si around his beloved home turf in search of the best produce and food that this beautiful place can offer, cooking a fantastic Cumbrian breakfast, a summer vegetable strudel and a Thai feast along the way.
The Hairy Bikers Go North episode 3 – Cumbria
David Myers and Si King collectively known as the Hairy Bikers, are British television chefs. They have presented a range of television shows that combine cooking with the travelogue format, mostly for the BBC but also for the now-defunct Good Food channel. They have also produced a range of cookery books published to accompany their various television series.
Myers and King have known each other since the 1990s, with both having backgrounds in television production. Their first appearance on UK television was as presenters of The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook, which began on the BBC in 2004 and continued for four series.
The followed this with The Hairy Bikers’ Food Tour of Britain, The Hairy Bikers’ Mums Know Best, Hairy Bikers’ Meals on Wheels, Hairy Bikers’ Best of British, The Hairy Bikers’ Bakeation, Hairy Dieters: How to Love Food and Lose Weight, The Hairy Bikers’ Asian Adventure, The Hairy Bikers’ Northern Exposure and The Hairy Bikers’ Pubs That Built Britain for BBC Two, and The Hairy Bikers’ Mississippi Adventure for Good Food and Hairy Bikers: Route 66
The Hairy Bikers Go North episode 3 – Cumbria recipes:
Boston baked beans with bacon
Most British recipes for Boston baked beans just use a piece of pork belly, but we think it needs some salted or smoked meat to counteract the sweetness, so we include bacon or pancetta. We’ve based the recipe on one our mothers used to make – when they weren’t opening a tin. The alcohol isn’t authentic, but adds flavour (we’ve tried all three).
This takes a long time to cook, but once it’s in the oven there’s nothing more to do. It makes quite a large amount and can be reheated the next day for your breakfast, brunch, lunch or supper. We think it makes the most wonderful cooked breakfast or side dish with sausages.
Method:
- Put the beans in a large ovenproof pan or casserole and add enough cold water to just cover them. Bring to the boil and skim off any foam that appears on the top, then boil fiercely for 20 minutes. Turn down the heat and simmer for a further 40 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/Gas 2.
- Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, add the pork and bacon and dry fry until the fat starts to render and the meat has browned. Add this to the casserole with the beans. Fry the onion in the same pan until softened and starting to caramelise, then add this too. Deglaze the pan with the wine, sherry or bourbon, if using, or a little water, scraping up any brown bits. Pour this into the casserole.
- Tie the cloves, mace, bay and thyme into a piece of muslin, and drop into the casserole. Stir in the tomatoes, black treacle and mustard. Add the Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce, if using, and season well with salt and pepper.
- Cover the casserole and place in the oven for 3 hours, then remove the lid and cook for a further 1 hour. The beans should be very tender and the sauce nicely thickened. Remove the muslin bag before serving.
Vegan bacon bits
No pigs were harmed in the making of this bacon. Tofu is fried with lots of savoury flavours to create these vegan bacon bits.
Method:
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add all the other ingredients except the seasoning. Stir until the tofu is completely coated, then season with salt and pepper. Fry, stirring regularly, until the tofu is crisp – this will take several minutes.
- Spread the tofu on kitchen paper to dry – it will continue to crisp up as it cools. When cool, transfer to a container and keep in the fridge for up to a week.
American layered salad
A colourful addition to a party buffet, this American layered salad is surprisingly filling and makes a terrific lunch.
Method:
- First cook the potatoes in plenty of boiling water until tender. While the potatoes are cooking, make the dressing: whisk everything together and season with salt and pepper. The dressing should have a pourable consistency similar to that of double cream – thin with a little water if necessary.
- Drain the potatoes and place in a bowl. While they are still warm, spoon over a tablespoon of the dressing, add the spring onions and tarragon and stir to mix.
- To assemble the salad, put a layer of shredded lettuce in a large glass bowl, followed by layers of carrot, cabbage, radishes and tomatoes. Then add the potatoes and sprinkle with the cheese. Finely chop the egg whites and yolks, then sprinkle the whites over the salad. Drizzle most of the dressing over the salad, then top with the egg yolks, tofu bacon bits and chives.
- Serve with the remaining dressing on the side.