HowTo - Food and Drink channel

How to create a Cornish Pasty with a twist

24 Dec 2009 09:49:07

Lesley Waters shows you how to make a lighter version of this classic snack

How To Mix Some Great Cocktails

20 Nov 2009 09:30:13

A mouthwatering mixer is the perfect accoutrement to a successful festive party - master mixologist Ben Reed shows you how easy it is to whip up a winter winner

How To create the perfect cup of coffee

9 Oct 2009 14:46:59

Our world class Barista shows you how

How To Make Bacon and Banana Cake

17 Feb 2010 09:37:29

Queen of the cupcakes Lily Vanilli shows you how to get your boys into the kitchen

Pasta al Forno - Neapolitan baked pasta

1 Feb 2010 11:03:15

Katie Caldesi cooks Pasta al Forno - Neapolitan baked pasta

Spiced Pear Tatin with Cheese Puff Pastry

11 Jan 2010 13:20:10

How To Make Spiced Pear Tatin with Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese Puff Pastry

How To Make The Perfect Xmas Pud - Christmas Pudding Recipe from ANCHOR® Butter

27 Jan 2009 11:29:49

Christmas Pudding Recipe from ANCHOR® Butter

Serves 4-6

Pudding ingredients:

50g ANCHOR® Butter
50g plain flour
Half a teaspoon of mixed spice
75g white breadcrumbs
100g soft dark brown sugar
150g sultanas
75g Raisins
50g Dates
50g Cherries
125g currants
25g coarsely chopped peel
grated rind and juice of half lemon
2 eggs
2 tablespoon treacle
1 tablespoon golden syrup
50ml Orange Juice
50ml Apple Juice

Method:
Sieve all the dry ingredients together and mix well. Stir in all remaining ingredients until completely mixed. Lightly grease a half litre (1 pint) pudding basin and fill with the mixture. Cover with cling film and make a slit in the top to allow steam to escape. Cook on microwave high for 10 minutes. Allow to stand for 10 minutes after cooking. Sprinkle with brandy and serve.

How To Make A Bean Burger

16 Dec 2009 12:42:03

Celebrity Chef Lesley Waters offers advice for parents dealing with fussy kids

How to make Parma Ham Wrapped Pork

25 Jun 2009 16:56:27

How to cook Parma Ham Wrapped Pork served on a bed of Savoy Cabbage and Roasted Peppers, topped with a Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Crisp

How To Turn a packed lunch into a five-star feast

14 Aug 2009 15:39:27

Since the rumblings of economic uncertainty were first felt two years ago, cash concerns have prompted a rapid rise in the trend for so-called 'Al Desco dining'. In order to cut costs, nearly half of Britain's workers now regularly eat at their desks, and one in ten do so every day.

40% of people say they now eat Al Desco. Two thirds of them say it's because it saves time and a third say it's because it saves money. A side-effect of all this self sufficiency is that we're inadvertently rediscovering the joys of the classic British sarnie. And we're finding out too that we can eat like royalty without having to spend a king's ransom.

Cheese and pickle and the BLT are the UK's joint favourite sarnies according to the research by I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. Traditional English fillings have clearly not gone out of style, despite the abundance of exotic flavours seen in chains throughout the country, as ham and cheese and egg and cress came third and fourth respectively.

But what about those among us who want to create gourmet sandwiches for under a fiver? Watch our video for all you need to know about shopping at the beginning of the week to create a 'capsule sandwich wardrobe.' Learn which ingredients go together, how to pick the fillings that won't go off between purchase on a Monday and the Friday eat, plus everything you need to create the perfect lunchbox . . .

Porcini Mushroom and Parma Ham Risotto

25 Jun 2009 16:56:27

How to cook Porcini Mushroom and Parma Ham Risotto with Peas and Rocket, scattered with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese shavings

How to make the perfect lasagne

26 May 2009 10:52:16

Are you one of those people who love the idea of homemade food but find the concept a little daunting? Well don't be scared! Homemade food doesn't have to be a chore to taste delicious. Lasagne has always been a firm family favourite as it is homely, hearty and delicious and by following three easy steps in our video, you will see that it is actually a really simple dish that you can impress your friends and family with.

How To Cut Down On Food Waste

5 May 2009 10:55:16

Ainsley Harriott, the popular TV chef shows us just how easy it is to cut down on food waste in this short video.

Get The Right Amount of Fibre

26 Jan 2009 10:43:32

76% of people lay claim to a healthy diet, but further investigation reveals that despite honourable intentions, Britons literally don't know what's good for them and are in a daze over healthy eating guidelines. A new health study of 2,157 Britons, marking the launch of Warburtons campaign to encourage the nation to eat more fibre, reveals that while people are aware that fibre – typically found in bread, pasta, rice, fruit, vegetables, beans and nuts – is essential for keeping their digestive healthy, more than three-quarters (76%) of men and women do not know that the guideline daily amount (GDA) of fibre is 24g, despite half of respondents believing that they eat enough fibre.

So, where does fibre come from, why is it important, and what exactly does it do for us? Lucky for us, one of Britain's leading nutritionists, Jane Clarke, is hosting a whistle-stop web guide to fibre facts and figures. Not only will Jane bring you up to speed on such essential dietary issues as how much fibre you should be eating, she'll also be lifting the lid on why a correct fibre intake does more than just keep your digestive system healthy.

For more information, visit www.fibreprovider.co.uk

Bake a Rice Krispie Football Team

26 Jan 2009 11:21:59

If you are like most parents, chances are you've got yourself into a real panic about cooking food for a children's party. Well the worrying stops here! In a rare opportunity we caught up with nutritionist Annabel Karmel who in a step by step video guide shares one of her own recipes, a Rice Krispie Football team and football pitch! But don't worry, although this might sound complicated, this guide is so easy to follow you certainly won't get caught offside!

The best part about this recipe is that both you and the children can get involved, whether it's mixing the ingredients together, cutting out footballers, or making the grass - there is an activity for kids of all ages. And seeing the fruits of their labours emerging gives kids a real sense of achievement. So what are you waiting for, cook up a storm!

For more information about The Kellogg's Big Bake, a new campaign that aims to get children cooking with their parents where one lucky child will have the chance to win the ultimate prize of appearing in a Kellogg's TV advert in May - visit www.thebigbake.co.uk

Pour The Perfect Pint of Guinness

26 Jan 2009 10:43:32

How To Pour The Perfect Pint of Guinness

Our presenter, Mark Reyes, quizzes Podraig Fox on how to pour the perfect pint of Guinness® direct from the Guinness Storehouse® in Dublin.

It takes 119.5 seconds to pour a perfect pint of Guinness because there are six steps involved.

First step is your glass, it's got to be cool, clean and branded because there is nothing worse than drinking Guinness out of a warm, wet non-branded glass

Second step is very important, it's the angle, you've got to put it at a 45 degree angle underneath the tap, it's the perfect angle for pouring the Guinness in

Third step then is just to start to pour, so basically let the Guinness hit off the glass, let it just cascade off the side of it. Then at a beautiful 45 degree angle, just slowly start straightening it up

Step Four is the tingle of anticipation, because if you are a Guinness drinker, you can see it settling in front of you.

Final step is going to be the top-off, and when you top it off, you push backwards on the tap, and this is called back for black

Finally, the shamrock is like a figure of eight, back around on itself, and down to finish the step, back to the centre of the glass, get one leaf, two leaf, three leaf and a stem at the bottom. Top it off, so that's just coming over the top of the glass

Step 6 is to set it down in front of the customer

How To Make Mushroom Risotto

26 Jan 2009 10:43:32

Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 4

50g Flora Buttery
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1lb chestnut mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed and quartered
350g (12oz) risotto rice (Carnaroli, Vialone Nona or Arborio)
1 litre water
1 vegetable stock cube
50g (2oz) parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 tablespoon each of chopped curly parsley, chervil, tarragon and chives
Pepper

Serves 4

Method:
Heat 25g of Flora Buttery in a risotto pan or large saucepan. Add the onion and lightly fry without colour for 4-5 minutes and softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Add the rice and stir for a minute, allowing the rice to be coated evenly with the Flora, without colouring. Add the hot water and crumble in the vegetable stock cube.

Bring to a very gentle simmer and cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the rice has absorbed nearly all of the stock and is cooked through and tender. Add the remaining 25g of Flora Buttery along with the finely grated parmesan cheese and chopped herbs. Season with pepper and the risotto is ready to serve.

Make Bread and Buttery Pudding

26 Jan 2009 10:43:32

Gary Rhodes shows us how to make this fantastic dish . . .

Cooking time: 90 minutes
Serves 6-8

1 x 1.5litre pudding dish/basin, lightly brushed with Flora Buttery

12 medium slices white bread, crusts cut off
40g Flora Buttery
1 vanilla pod or few drops of vanilla essence
Grated nutmeg
800ml semi skimmed milk
8 egg yolks
175g caster sugar, plus extra for the caramelised topping
25g sultanas
25g raisins

Pre heat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4

Method

Spread the bread evenly with Flora Buttery. Split the vanilla pod and place in a saucepan with the milk and bring to the boil. While it is heating, whisk together the egg yolks and caster sugar in a bowl. Allow the milk mix to cool a little, and then strain it on to the egg yolks, stirring all the time. You now have the custard.

Cut the bread into triangular quarters or halves, and arrange in the dish in three layers, sprinkling the fruit and a little grating of nutmeg between the two layers and leaving the top clear. Now pour over the warm custard, lightly pressing the bread to help it soak in, and leave it to stand for at least 20-30 minutes before cooking to ensure that the bread absorbs all the custard.

The Flora Buttery pudding can be prepared to this stage several hours in advance and cooked when needed. Place the dish in a roasting tray three-quarters filled with warm water and bake for 20-30 minutes until the pudding begins to set. Don't overcook it or the custard will scramble. Remove the pudding from the water bath, sprinkle it liberally with caster sugar and glaze under the grill on a medium heat or with a gas gun to a crunchy golden finish.

When glazing, the sugar dissolves and caramelises, and you may find that the corners of the bread begin to burn. This helps the flavour, giving a bittersweet taste that mellows when it is eaten with the rich custard, which seeps out of the wonderful bread sponge when you cut into it. And if you'd like to be more extravagant, replace half the milk with whipping or double cream.

Make a Chicken Dipper Fajita

26 Jan 2009 10:43:32

Cooking a meal the kids will enjoy is no easy task. You slave away for hours attempting to cook that gourmet meal only to see them turn their nose up to the air, questioning what everything is on the plate and wanting to leave the table in a hurry.

Whilst our children may not have the palette of Gordon Ramsay just yet, they still know what they want! Kid's food has to be fun, favourable and bright and there's no better way to get them excited about meal times than to get them involved in the cooking process.

But if you're a working mum, juggling working life with the joys of motherhood what do you feed the little rascals to make sure they eat everything on the plate?

One woman who knows is working mum Jenny Powell who is on hand to help mums prepare simple meals that kids will enjoy such as the chicken fajita and every kids favourite, the club sandwich – with a twist!

Chicken Dipper Club Sandwich - How To Make a Chicken Dipper Club Sandwich

26 Jan 2009 10:43:32

How To Make The Perfect Cup Of Tea

29 Jan 2009 14:18:33

Fundamentally there are just five easy steps to making the ultimate cup of tea.

Step 1 - First off, fill your kettle with fresh water from the cold tap. It must never be previously boiled, as it will have lost some of its dissolved oxygen vital for tea brewing. Warm your teapot by pouring in a quarter of a cup of water and putting the pot in a microwave for one minute of full power. If you don't have a microwave, traditional boiling water will suffice.

Step 2 - is perhaps the most critical. Bring your warmed pot straight to the just-boiled kettle and place your chosen tea into the pot. As regards the quantity to use, the time honoured rule of one bag per person and one for the pot, will give you a full flavoured cup. Pour in the boiling water immediately. If the water is allowed to cool, it will not be so effective in releasing the tea leaf's chemicals. Don't be tempted to use a brightly coloured knitted tea cosy at this point. The liquid needs to cool before pouring.

Step 3 - Stir the tea, pop the lid on and leave it for three minutes. The compounds will all be released during this time, giving the tea its rich colour and flavour. As most of the caffeine is released in the first minute, there's no point in conducting a DIY de-caff experiment by shortening the brew.

Step 4 - Whatever you vessel of choice - fine bone china, ceramic mug or polystyrene cup, you must put chilled milk in first. This allows the chilled liquid to cool the hot tea, rather than the other way round. Sugar should be added at this point if required, but always white sugar.

Step 5 - If you've used loose tea, don't forget to have the tea strainer ready, as a mouthful of leaves is always an unwelcome shock and disqualifies the experience as being potentially perfect! The finished article should be a rich attractive colour, and ideally around 65 degrees centigrade.

How To Boil, Poach & Scramble Eggs

29 Jan 2009 14:18:05

In this How To video, we will show you How To make the perfect Boiled, Scrambled and Poached Eggs.

Boiled Eggs
ingredients: fresh eggs, and some water.

Firstly, don't try to boil eggs straight from the fridge as very cold eggs immersed in boiling water will probably crack. If you prick the rounded end of a cold egg with a pin, it will not crack.

Always use a small saucepan, too much space for eggs to roll about will encourage cracking. And

there's no need to have the water bubbling fiercely, a gentle simmer is enough. Lower the egg in gently, ideally with a slotted spoon for safety.

Have a kitchen timer on hand to get the desired state of egg, and the timing should start when the water comes back to the boil. If you want a soft egg with a runny yolk and a lightly cooked white, boil for three minutes, do not serve these to vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women, young children and the elderly. Four minutes will give you a white that's just set and a creamy yolk. After five minutes the white and yolk should be perfectly set. If your preference is towards the hard boiled, cook for eight minutes.

Whenever the egg is "done" to your personal preference, remove carefully from the pan with the slotted spoon and place in your egg cup.

Scrambled Eggs
For each person, you'll need the following, 2 eggs, salt and pepper, butter, a tablespoon of milk or water, a whisk, a spatula, a bowl and a saucepan.

First, break the two eggs into a bowl and add milk or water. Eggs and milk beaten together well before cooking will give fluffier, moister eggs. Beat with a fork or whisk, and add salt and pepper to season, if required. The more you whisk, the less the egg whites will show up after cooking. Heat a small amount of butter gently in a non-stick pan or skillet until it melts and bubbles. The butter should coat the entire pan. Pour the mixture in, whisking all the time. Make sure the heat is low. As the eggs begin to cook, the mixture will solidify. Move it around the pan with a spatula to achieve the desired texture. When the egg is almost scrambled, take it off the heat If

you want less runny eggs on top, flip them over and cook on the other side for a few seconds. Turn out onto the plate and enjoy!
Poached Eggs
You will need eggs, water, vinegar, salt and pepper and a pan.

First bring a large pan of water to the boil, the deeper the better. Add salt and pepper to taste.

When the water is boiled add on tablespoon of vinegar per pint of water. Reduce the heat to a slow

simmer. Carefully crack one egg into a teacup or ladle. Lower the cup into the water, pouring the egg out gently. The egg white will turn white in the hot water. Medium or large eggs take 2-3 minutes for the white to cook but the yolk remaining runny. After cooking, remove the egg with a slotted spoon. You're good to go!

How To Make Perfect Pasta

29 Jan 2009 13:59:53

Delight your friends and amaze your family with your pasta making skills, simply by following this easy step by step guide to avoiding pasta pitfalls. It need never be sticky, gloopy, overcooked or undercooked again.

Step 1 - choose a good brand of pasta, and as you survey the economy 3 kilogram bag of fusilli, remember its quality, not quantity that counts.

Step 2 - When it comes to the pot, size matters! Use a big pan that will accommodate all the pasta you need without overcrowding. Put in plenty of water, as good quality pasta will absorb water. As a guide, measure out 75 grams of pasta per person for a main course portion.

Step 3 - Always let the water boil first before adding the pasta.

Step 4 - Add salt if you want to. It's a matter of personal taste.

Step 5 - Put all the pasta in at the same time, and stir until its all completely covered by water. Then cover the pan until it comes back to the boil.

Step 6 - Don't leave your pasta unattended. When the water has boiled, take the lid off the pan and finish cooking uncovered.

Step 7 - Stir the pasta two or three times during the cooking. This will ensure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot - and from sticking to itself. Normally pasta takes about 8 - 10 minutes to cook. Check the instructions on the side of the packet.

Step 8 - Never add olive oil to the cooking water. The oil can coat the pasta, and stops any sauce you use sticking to it when you make the final dish.

Step 9 - Take the taste test. If you like your pasta al dente, you will need to begin tasting about two minutes before the manufacturers guideline cooking time is up. You will have to taste it to check it's just the way you like it.

Step 10 - Always use a colander to drain your pasta - never the lid of the pan. This was the pasta will get completely drained and will not be watery when served. Never rinse pasta - you'll be washing away most of the starches and nutrients that you were hoping to enjoy.

Step 11 - Once drained, serve immediately with your chosen sauce.

So follow these simple rules, taste and learn when the dish has cooked to the consistency that you like, and your friends and family will never be anti-pasta again!

How To Understand Australian Wine - Introduction

26 Jan 2009 12:04:17

Presenter, Murray Norton, introduces this HowTo guide to in understanding Australian Wines with chief wine maker at McWilliams is Phillip Ryan.

J.J. McWilliams established the brand back in 1877 and have vineyards and wineries right across Australia. Their head office is Sydney but they are also in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and also have vineyard resources in Western Australia. The company is in its sixth generation of family control now.

How To Understand Australian Wine - White Wine

26 Jan 2009 10:43:32

Murray and Philip try two whites the first of which is Semillon Sauvignon Blanc. It's a blend of the two varieties Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc and they're two varieties which really do compliment each other beautifully. The wine is made as a very fresh and very flavoursome style, very good with seafood particularly. It's a wine which has not had the influence of any oak maturation. It's just a pure expression of grapes and these two varieties give the impression of almost lemon citrusy characters. They're very fresh, citrus flavours, acid flavours on the palate and goes great with food.

Philip explains that when tasting wine, first of all have a look at the wine in the glass and the wine should look glossy. It should be absolutely bright and have a nice shine to the wine. It shouldn't have any cloudiness or any deposit in there so the wine should look correct. This is classed as the appearance. Then in order to get the best aromas or bouquet, or the smell, give the glass a swirl, throw some wine around the glass to give it more surface area so you then get more of the aromas coming out. Then sniff it! That's when all the senses then create the flavours that are about to come in the tasting of the wine, so again it just takes you through the appearance and the aroma and then the taste. It's really what wine is all about.
Don?t hold round the actual glass itself as then you you tend to warm the wine up, and you get actually a better swirling action when you hold the stem.

The second wine that Philip and Murray try is a blend of Semillon and Chardonnay, so here we're now moving into a different spectrum of wine flavour. We're looking to more the full bodied style because this particular wine, the Chardonnay fraction has spent some time matured in oak, so straight away that changes the flavour spectrum of the wine, the oak enriches the wine and gives it more flavours which you don't normally see, and in this instance, the colour is much more golden, that is the effect from being stored in oak barrels.

If you want to get the best value out of the wine and you're interested in getting all those secondary flavours, then slurp on it, draw air through the wine while it's in your mouth and allow the wine to roll around your palate.

This blend is about 60-70% Semillon. The Chardonnay then just fills out that wine beautifully and it doesn't dominate with oak so you're not getting that, what some people complain about, woody flavour, and a bitter flavour. What Philip tries to do with the McWilliams wine is produce softness in the wine but fruit flavour.

How To Understand Australian Wine - Red Wine

26 Jan 2009 10:43:32

In this section of the show, Murray and Philip taste two Red wines. The first is the Shiraz Merlot. For those in the Old World it used to be a Shiraz Syrah, a Syrah grape but the New World calls it Shiraz. The blend is slightly more dominant in Shiraz but the Merlot there is the softening effect of the wine. Shiraz tends to be a great variety for Australia. It's probably the most recognised red variety now for Australia. Looking at the colours, they're very attractive, almost a purple, crimson sort of colour. It looks very attractive on the table and it show the youth of the wine and all those lovely fruit flavours that then accompany that wine, so it makes it quite a joyous drink.

The second wine that is tasted is a Cabernet Merlot, which again is a blend of two wines - Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and this is known in the New World as a Bordeaux Blend so it's the great marriage of the two classic varieties from Bordeaux, and again you get the balance of the two. The Cabernet Sauvignon has the richness and the great weight. It's supposed to be the prince of grapes, and then the Merlot is a beautiful plumy taste, so it's a marriage made in heaven. It's up in the 13, 13.5% area in terms of alcohol content.

It's worth noting that every vintage is different - it wont be the same year after year and the wines reflect what happens in the vineyards.

How To Understand Chilean Wines - Introduction

26 Jan 2009 12:04:14

In this first part of the show, our presenter, Murray Norton, questions Francisco about the history and background to Chilean wines and why New World wines have become so popular. We learn about the geography of the country and its climate and how that impacts on the winemaking there and briefly touch on the subject of Organic wines too.

HowTo.tv endeavour to supply our viewers with a selection of options to watch our videos. At present you can download our mp4 videos onto your desktop, however we have experienced issues with certain versions of the QuickTime codec and as such, you may see a slight syncronisation issue if you play this particular mp4 video from your desktop. The video plays perfectly when downloaded onto your mp4 player. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and will rectify the problem as soon as we can. Many thanks for your patience.

How To Understand Chilean Wines - How To Choose Chilean White Wine

26 Jan 2009 10:43:32

In this second part of the show, Francisco explains all about two white wines, the Sauvignon Blanc and the Chardonnay. He tells us that the Sauvignon is fermented at a very low temperature so that they keep all the fruit within the wine and that they take care not to oxidise the wine which is the main thing that allows them keep the fruit and the intensity. He also explains that as it is produced in a cool valley called Casablanca. With the Chardonnay, Fransisco tells us that it is well fermented, meaning they do not put any commercial yeast in the wine and that they let the natural yeast to do the work.

HowTo.tv endeavour to supply our viewers with a selection of options to watch our videos. At present you can download our mp4 videos onto your desktop, however we have experienced issues with certain versions of the QuickTime codec and as such, you may see a slight syncronisation issue if you play this particular mp4 video from your desktop. The video plays perfectly when downloaded onto your mp4 player. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and will rectify the problem as soon as we can. Many thanks for your patience.

How To Understand Chilean Wines - How To Choose Chilean Red Wine

26 Jan 2009 10:43:32

In this third section, Francisco talks us through red wines and starts with a Merlot and then an Errazuriz Blend, made up of 65% Cabernet, 20% Shiraz, 10% Sangiovese and 5% Carmenere.

HowTo.tv endeavour to supply our viewers with a selection of options to watch our videos. At present you can download our mp4 videos onto your desktop, however we have experienced issues with certain versions of the QuickTime codec and as such, you may see a slight syncronisation issue if you play this particular mp4 video from your desktop. The video plays perfectly when downloaded onto your mp4 player. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and will rectify the problem as soon as we can. Many thanks for your patience.

How To Understand Chilean Wines - Summing Up

26 Jan 2009 10:43:32

In this final short section, Francisco sums up our show and gives us his own recommendations for which wines to choose.

HowTo.tv endeavour to supply our viewers with a selection of options to watch our videos. At present you can download our mp4 videos onto your desktop, however we have experienced issues with certain versions of the QuickTime codec and as such, you may see a slight syncronisation issue if you play this particular mp4 video from your desktop. The video plays perfectly when downloaded onto your mp4 player. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and will rectify the problem as soon as we can. Many thanks for your patience.