Heston's Great British Food

Britain is home to some of the most iconic dishes in the world. In this series Heston looks at the story behind some of our favourite dishes looking for inspiration to create an amazing culinary salute to our national food treasures. From Fish and chips to spotted dick, pie and mash to roast beef and Yorkshire puddings, these are the dishes that we have taken to our hearts. First off, Fish and chips. Heston wants to reveal the incredible stories and discover the origins of this brilliant British food…Before serving up a magical fish and chip supper to the people who have made them possible!First stop Victorian Britain. Heston travels on the Bluebell Railway to discover the crucial role the new railway played in the history of the fish and chip shop. Determined to capture the very essence of the chippie, Heston attempts to blend an entire chippie menu, batter the results and create the chip shop experience in just one bite. It’s a delicious success and becomes the first element in his fish and chip finale.In the second chapter Heston tries a favourite of Queen Victoria, baked cods head. It’s an unusual looking dish, but goes down well with 21st century diners. Taking his cue from the fish’s eye, Heston creates a totally realistic looking monster eyeball made with cod’s cheek and tongue. For his main course, Heston takes inspiration from another fish and chip tradition, fish Fridays. Henry VIII loved his meat, but on fasting days when it wasn’t allowed Tudor chefs disguised fish and created dishes like a mock mutton cutlet. Inspired by the playfulness of Tudor chefs Heston decides to make a delicious fake fish skin made with truffle, madeira gel and sea urchin, sitting on a fillet of turbot. Covered in his own signature batter it looks like a classic piece of fried fish, but brings an extraordinary taste to every bite. When Heston turns his attention to the chips, he creates the perfect accompaniment to his own ground breaking triple cooked chips, with a chippie inspired soggy chip dip, it’s a match made in chip heaven.With is main course sorted, Heston turns his attention to that classic chippie accompaniment - mushy peas. Inspired after meeting a mushy pea expert in Great Yarmouth Heston decides to create a pea ice-cream. Delivered from an Mr Whippy machine, Heston then creates life like chocolate chips with popping candy and rosehip and raspberry puree ketchup to go with them. With his fish and chip inspired menu now complete, Heston needs to find a fitting location to serve it. He travels to Brixham in Devon, a frontline fishing port during the war years. Heston learns that hundreds of the nation’s fisherman lost their lives during WW2 to give us our fish and chip suppers. Inspired by the story of the wartime sacrifice of fishermen from ports like Brixham, Heston decides to hold his finale right there and invite todays fisherman, along with the fish and chip shop owners and fish mongers as a thank you for giving us our much loved fish and chips.But his trip to Brixham has also inspired Heston to create one final dish. Heston creates a final mind-blowing nod to his memories of seaside holidays with an edible rock pool. Heston creates a life like mussel, complete with edible shell and a lobster flavoured star fish, surrounded with other rock pool favourites, from edible sea sponges, to drinkable rock pool water. Heston finally unleashes his fish and chip inspired finale. With cheering crowds lining the quay side, Heston’s guests file on-board a floating chip shop ‘HMS Chippy’ to enjoy a culinary fish and chip experience like no other. From eating a giant eyeball from a monster fish, giant chips, to edible rock pools and mushy pea ice-cream to gourmet fish and triple cooked chips, a trip to the local chippie will never seem the same again.