Hairy Bikers – Route 66 episode 5 : For the fifth leg of this epic adventure, the bikers are crossing the state of Arizona in search of the Wild West. They start by making a small detour from Route 66, starting in Monument Valley to learn more about this striking place and discover the Navajo Nation. First, they enlist some locals to visit the most iconic landscape in the US, which is also a very sacred land for the Navajo.
They are invited by a local Navajo police officer to meet and eat with his family. It is a traditional Navajo barbecue where a sheep is butchered, grilled and eaten alongside some traditional fry bread. Still riding in the Navajo Nation, the bikers stop at Tsaile College to learn more about rodeo, and cook a lamb stew with corn dumplings in homage of the Navajo people they met.
Back on Route 66, they visit an old-fashioned cattle market where they witness the chant or ‘cattle rattle’ as it is known. A place stuck in time, locals, cowboys and Native Americans come to sell their cattle. Further down the road, the bikers stand in the corner of Winslow Arizona before cooking quesadillas – a staple of the local food.
Riding to Flagstaff, they meet some African killer bees and make some honey. They cook delicious soy-glazed fillets of trout with some chilli garlic bok choy at the arboretum. Later, at the local university, they have a glimpse of the future, meeting a group of student and their food delivery robots. Thanks to the robots, the students can concentrate more with their studies.
Hairy Bikers – Route 66 episode 5 recipes:
Navajo lamb stew
This slow-cooked lamb stew makes a hearty dinner and the dumplings provide extra comfort factor.
Method
- Heat the oil in a large casserole over a high heat. Season the meat with plenty of salt and pepper, then add the lamb to the casserole and sear on all sides until it has developed a rich brown crust. You will probably need to do this in two batches. Remove from the casserole and add the onion. Fry until lightly browned, then stir in the garlic, coriander seeds, thyme and tomato purée. Continue to cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly, and then pour in 1 litre/1¾ pint water.
- Return the lamb to the casserole and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat, cover and leave to simmer for 1 hour. Add the celery, carrots, potatoes and cabbage, cover and cook for another hour.
- While the vegetables are cooking, make the dumplings. Mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and thyme, if using, in a bowl and season with plenty of salt and pepper. Add the butter and rub it in until you have a mixture resembling fine breadcrumbs. Gradually add the milk and work until you have a dough. Divide the dough into six dumplings.
- Add the sweetcorn to the casserole and push down into the liquid. Place the dumplings on top, cover and cook for around 20 minutes, until the dumplings are well risen and cooked through.
Honey and soy glazed trout
Trout makes a good substitute for salmon in this Asian-inspired quick fish dish from the Hairy Bikers. Serve with garlic bok choi.
Method
- Whisk together all of the marinade ingredients in a wide bowl, making sure that the honey dissolves into the liquid. Add the trout fillets and submerge them in the marinade. Leave for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove the trout from the marinade and pat dry with kitchen towel. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Cook the trout skin-side down for 3–4 minutes until you can see the flesh is cooked at least half way up the sides. Flip over and cook for another 1–2 minutes – it should remain slightly pink in the middle.
- Remove the trout from the pan to a serving plate. Pour the marinade into the pan, bring to the boil and leave to bubble until reduced down to a syrupy sauce. Brush the sauce over the trout and sprinkle over the sesame seeds, spring onions and coriander. Serve any remaining marinade as an accompanying sauce.