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John Burton Race and Michael Caines

Series one: South-west

Michelin-starred chefs John Burton Race and Michael Caines represented the South-west and went head-to-head to create a menu fit for a Queen. Find out more about the series.


Day one: Starter

John Burton Race

The key ingredient to John Burton Race's Crown of English asparagus starter was goats' cheese, which John collected from his supplier, Graham Townsend at Vulscombe Farm, tucked deep in the Devon countryside. Goats' cheese is a relative newcomer to the British cheese scene so John tried some different versions before settling on the perfect one for his dish.

English wines may have been overlooked in the past in favour of better-known European or New World wines, but, as Michael Caines found out, all that may be about to change. He visited the village of Down St Mary to meet Bernard Doe and Penelope Cowell Doe, two winegrowers who helped him find the perfect wine to match a terrine of West Country goats' cheese.


Day two: Fish course

Michael Caines travelled to Plymouth to meet 'Moby' Nick Henry, one of the region's best-known fish wholesalers. Michael and Nick met a boat at the quay as it landed its daily catch of lobsters. Michael chose his favourites and boiled one up at Nick's shop to make sure they really are the best he can get.


Jennie Bond

John went even further afield in this episode to get hold of some fresh Dartmouth crab for a special crab plate. He went to sea with Anthony Buscombe, his crab supplier from his beloved South-west coastal town of Dartmouth. The South-west is renowned for the quality of its crab and John thought this would give him the edge on his fish course, but once out at sea, he found out just how much back-breaking work goes into landing a good day's catch.


Day three: Meat course

John hoped to upstage Michael with a Grilled fillet of South Devon beef. It's a very local affair as he visited Stanley Wreyford, who's been farming on the South Hams hills for more than 50 years. John then saw his beef prepared by the only butcher he trusts, Bob Ward in nearby Totnes.


Michael Caines

Meanwhile Michael Caines visited Jason Wise, a poultry farmer in Devon who employs a special system that allows the chickens to roam freely. Michael cooked some of Jason's chicken at the farm, just to make sure it tastes as good as it looks. Facing John in the kitchen, he cooked Chicken breast with asparagus, broad beans, wild mushrooms and a cider brandy cream sauce.


Day four: Dessert

Michael went in search of real clotted cream and paid a visit to Heather Knee at Broadway House Tea Room in Topsham, south Devon. Every day Heather prepares fresh dishes made from the best local ingredients and she showed Michael how to make clotted cream the old fashioned way for his Raspberry mousse and jelly with clotted cream and rice pudding ice cream.


Jennie Bond and Michael Caines

John visited Mary Quicke, the latest incumbent of the Quicke's family farm in Newton St Cyres in Devon. The Quickes have been farming in Devon for 400 years, and their butter and cream is still made as it would have been centuries ago. Mary showed John how to churn the butter to produce an unrivalled taste, perfect for his Tiverton strawberry shortcake with basil caramel.


Day five: Result

Michael Caines

Michael Caines won the judge's vote this week, and he went on to compete with six other top chefs in the final week of the Great British Menu. Paul Rankin and Richard Corrigan battled it out next, find out more here.

Additional recipes are available in a book to accompany the series, Great British Menu, published by Dorling Kindersley. RRP £18.99. ISBN: 1405316500

Find out which South-west suppliers John Burton Race and Michael Caines used to create their great British menu.


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