Original subtitles

Baking really is one of the best things in life.

Who can resist the joy of a warm cookie...

And I can tell you, it is absolutely delicious.

..the pleasure of a creamy sponge...

That looks gorgeous.

..or the comfort of a roast dinner?

Sometimes it's the simple things that we love the most.

So in this series, I'll be celebrating the everyday.

Elevating ordinary bakes into extraordinary treats.

This bake is so easy, anyone can do it.

When I cook things that are really fast,

I feel really accomplished.

From family meals that let the oven take the strain...

If you are looking for an epic bake,

you came to the right place.

..to fun-packed weekend brunches...

All that delicious flavour.

Just look at it!

..and the simplest of celebratory sweets.

That is the magic of baking.

Plus go-to favourites from some of the best bakers in Britain.

Cos I love what I'm doing. It's bringing me joy.

This is baking for you, for me

and the people you love for every day of the year.

This week, easy roasts fit for every day of the week.

Finger-licking lamb ribs with pops of paprika corn.

Check them out.

Oh, my goodness. Delicious.

A one-pot onion roast with a tantalisingly tangy sauce...

This is loving your onions.

..and a whole baked sea bass dressed to impress in a citrusy coat.

I have no idea why people don't eat fish as a roast more often.

Like, this is a treat!

But first, my twist on one of the UK's favourite roasts.

With the possible exception of a cake,

is there anything more comforting than a roast chicken?

I don't think so.

And of all the versions I've ever made, this is my favourite.

It's the kids' favourite, it's my husband's favourite.

They love it. It's packed with flavour.

# The sun is shining Come on, get happy. #

I'm going to make this bird sing by spicing it up with kimchi

and nestling it on a bed of buttery miso leeks.

Maximum taste, minimum effort.

My kind of roast.

When I think roast, there are two images that come to mind.

There's the roast,

like the Sunday roast that you see in books and on telly growing up.

That is a world away from the roast that I grew up with,

which was roast chicken that you ate with rice.

But it was always a special occasion.

I think it's time to kind of reframe the roast and say,

actually, it can be simple, it can be delicious and still be everyday.

So one of my favourite ingredients to use - clarified butter.

You can use olive oil, you can use butter,

you can use coconut oil if you want to.

But for me, clarified butter is a must.

It's packed with flavour, works really, really well with chicken.

And then to that, I'm going to add my miso paste.

It has everything - salty, sweet, fermented.

Then for something I always have in the fridge...

Leeks! Like, what's more comforting than a leek?

It's like the onion's less zingy friend.

You get that sweet onion flavour without that sharp hit.

Once they're cooked down, mixed with that miso and the butter,

it works so, so well.

And it's not just the leeks I'm going to pimp up.

This is screaming out for flavour.

How better to do it than with kimchi?

It's fermented and aged cabbage

that's mixed with all sorts of wonderful spices.

But, oh, my goodness, when you cook it with chicken, it comes alive.

So what you want to do is try and get your hands under the skin,

creating a pocket for your kimchi.

Pack in as much punchy kimchi as you can.

Get that kimchi in under that skin.

That is going to bake till it's lovely and crispy.

That's the best bit. The crispy bits are the best bit

of a roast chicken, right? That's the bit my kids fight for.

They're like, "Can we have the crispy bits?"

Like, literally they don't care about the chicken.

They just want the crispy bits.

Let's take a moment before we get this guy into the oven

at how few dishes we've used.

Just take a moment to appreciate that,

parents and people who spend a lot of time in the kitchen cleaning up,

like me.

And before you know it,

we're going to have the most amazing roast chicken.

# Woohoo

# This is the real thing. #

Now for a super simple side.

I don't know if you've noticed, but there is not one potato in sight.

No, we are not making roast potatoes.

We are making sushi rice.

If I was going to be a rice in the rice world,

this would be me.

Short.

This stuff is sticky and delicious.

So if you're nervous about cooking rice, this is the rice for you.

Because unlike basmati rice, it's not meant to be fluffy,

so it doesn't matter if you overcook it.

You've got to give it a bit of a stir.

The stickier the rice, the more flavour it's going to lap up.

You see that? That's thickening now.

So ten to 12 minutes at a simmer.

And then heat right down to the lowest possible heat setting.

Pop the lid on.

Leave it to steam for five, six minutes,

and your rice will be ready.

I'm going to adorn it with the simplest of dressings

for extra pizzazz...

It's going to really ramp up plain rice.

..with store cupboard ingredients of vinegar, soy sauce and honey.

Super quick and delicious.

We've got salty, tangy and sweet.

I kid you not, this rice dish will be the perfect friend

to my crispy kimchi chicken.

This is the best bit.

Like, come on, get the roast out of the oven.

Look.

The recipe is so simple,

but it's the little things where that kimchi is just peeking out,

and you could see that colour, you know colour means flavour

and this is bursting with it.

Grab that chicken.

That is not just a feast for your mouth,

but that is a feast for your eyes.

Goodbye. I am off to have my lunch.

My crispy skinned chicken with its kimchi stuffing,

miso butter leeks and zingy rice

is an easy roast for every day of the week.

# Ain't got no sunshine

# Ain't got no rain. #

Those flavour combinations take the humble roast

to not just delicious, but stratospheric.

You are going to love this.

Next, a comforting vegetarian bake that couldn't be easier.

A good old-fashioned roast has its place.

But you know me - I love to mix it up,

so I'm making a curry roasted in the oven.

Simple and delicious.

# Yes, it's a good day for singing a song

# And it's a good day... #

My luxurious caramelised onions are bathed in a tart

tamarind and tomato sauce,

a scrummy dinner that lets the oven take the load.

Curry is something that my mum would never cook in the oven.

I, however, have broken every rule in the book

because the oven can cook in a way that the stove can't.

There is a process in the oven where you can control the temperature

and you can let things sit and just gently cook.

The flavour is completely different.

But I'm not abandoning the stovetop entirely.

This is where the magic begins.

First thing I'm going to do is whack some clarified butter in there.

You want to get this really, really hot.

OK, straight onto our onions.

Remember, the onions are the star of the show.

And, yes, I'm going to use six whole onions for this.

So you can see this is the tip. That's the root.

What you don't want to do is cut across here.

You do that and it won't stay together.

What you want to do is cut from here down to there,

and that root is going to keep that onion intact.

So the onion doesn't just kind of fall apart and dissolve

and just become a base of a dish, which we don't want.

Get sizzling.

The temptation is to start stirring,

but resist the temptation to stir your onions.

I know. Like, how often am I like, "Stir your onions"?

Don't stir them. Do not stir them.

This smell is like being at my mum's house,

like the start of a good curry.

It's the most incredible smell.

As the onions caramelise,

a smidgen of salt will help to soften them.

Now pop it into the oven.

Goodbye. Get delicious.

While the onions bake,

I'm going to whip up the fastest curry sauce ever.

You are going to love this, because this just uses stuff

that we've already got home. Tomatoes, onions, budget-friendly.

If you're looking for a quick, cheap roast...

Perfect.

Simply bash up some garlic with rock salt.

And six juicy tomatoes.

I have taken my tomatoes,

dipped them in some boiling water and peeled the outside.

Just because I don't want that tomato skin

to interrupt my onion goodness.

Simply smush.

I'm tempted to just get some crusty bread

and just whack it on and eat it.

No, no, no. No.

Just a few other ingredients.

A healthy squirt of tomato puree.

And my cheeky cheat for an extra flavour bomb,

tamarind paste.

Really good to add sweetness,

but to also add just a bit of a sharp edge.

But if you don't have tamarind paste,

you could absolutely substitute with brown sauce

and you'd get the exact same thing.

And I know you have brown sauce at home.

And for a bit of a kick, chilli and curry powder.

That's going to add colour. That's going to add flavour.

It's going to be so good.

Mm.

Now our sauce needs to meet our onions.

Wait till you see these.

Oh, my goodness.

Just look.

You're like, "Look at what? They're onions."

Look at the colour. Look at the colour on that.

That is what you want.

This is going to give us the most intense, sweet, caramelised flavour.

And that was crying out for that sauce.

So I'm deliberately avoiding the top of the onion.

I'm not just throwing it in.

Because I want the onions to keep their integrity.

If I just whack it all in and mix it, it just becomes a base again.

We're not going there.

Cover and roast again at 160 degrees C for 25 minutes.

Of course, you could have this with rice,

but trust me, you can't beat a buttery paratha to mop up

all that tangy sauce.

Just look at it!

This is what you call loving your onions.

They have had so much love.

And my mouth is watering.

I just want to add a little bit of creaminess to it.

It's just going to enhance everything that we've done.

After a drizzle of fresh cream,

a flurry of coriander will really make it sing.

Delicious, sweet, tart,

tomatoey sauce and that perfectly cooked onion.

This is proper comfort food,

and I am going to go and get comfortable.

So don't disturb.

My sweet, slow-cooked onion curry

with a tart tomato sauce is a deliciously easy dinner

you'll return to again and again.

I love finding new, exciting alternatives to traditional roasts.

And so does a baker with a passion for pies.

Roast doesn't have to be meat.

For me, a pie is my roast.

South African born chef Nokx Majozi takes them to a whole new level

at the Holborn Dining Room in London.

Service. Chicken fried bliss.

Her Signature Bake transforms a classic French side dish

into a centrepiece that will knock

the socks off any traditional meat roast.

Today, I'm going to be making dauphinoise potato pie

with a shortcrust pastry.

It's thinly sliced potato with some herbs, some garlic in layers.

Then you put the cheese,

which is a comte cheese, so beautiful.

And then you put the cream on top

and then go again with another layer.

So it's more cheese,

potato, cheese, potato.

Potatoes have been infused in the cream sauce.

Now they are ready, and the smell is just incredible at the moment.

You may think it's quite a reach when you think of it,

but it's not, you know, when you're eating it, you don't feel that.

Sometimes it's like, I'm just going to have a bite,

but, trust me, they always finish the whole pie at the end of the day.

The top just needs a touch more cheese.

After it's cooked, it's going to be nice and golden.

In South Africa, we eat pies.

Our pies is just something like a snack.

My grandma used to make the pies,

but not to the level that you will eat, like, now in here,

what I'm doing now.

The dauphinoise has been cooked and chilled. Happy with it.

I'm really happy.

But, you know, it's kind of those things

that give me that passion, that connection.

And now I've become the head pie maker,

and I'm loving every moment.

It's a pie you can eat any time of the day.

You can have a pie in the morning, you can have it for lunch.

You can have it as a snack.

It's always important that you have a nice decoration.

I would say it's like icing on the cake.

You feel like, "Yes, now I've made my pie."

So how can I make someone say, "I want that pie?"

I'm really pleased with it.

It's exactly what I was looking for.

And it's ready to go to the oven.

Definitely this is a pie that will put a smile on her face.

Now is the moment of truth.

It's beautiful. I'm super happy.

Check this. It's amazing.

Look at those layers.

Pastry's so nice and crunchy.

The cheese. Mm.

For me, I always smile as well, cos I love what I'm doing.

Even when I finish making it, it's bring me joy.

And who wouldn't be filled with joy eating a pie like this

that elevates everyday ingredients into an extraordinary bake?

Next, a flavourful roast lamb

you'll rustle up in a jiffy.

My kids go crazy for roast lamb,

and these ribs are tasty, moreish and so, so easy.

My mouthwatering pineapple and chilli lamb ribs

with their sidekick of paprika corn riblets

are a roast your family and friends

will want to feast on again and again.

If you're going to have a roast lamb,

often people go for a shoulder or a leg.

People don't really think about lamb ribs

because I think there's this whole idea

that you should this big hunk of meat

in the middle of the table, and it doesn't have to be,

it can be lamb ribs.

And I have found so many ways of marinating lamb ribs,

but this is by far the best.

Pineapple on a pizza - no way, no how.

Never going to happen. I don't get it.

But when you use pineapple in a marinade

and spice it up, that I get.

And to keep it simple,

I'm using a tin of pineapple rings, juice and all.

Pineapple has two jobs,

one to flavour and two to tenderise.

There are these special little enzymes that work their magic,

making our meat melt in the mouth.

In with a generous handful of garlic.

Chillies. The heat.

Bit of salt.

Splash of vinegar.

That's just going to give us a bit of a sour hit.

And then a generous handful of coriander.

Look at that colour.

Oh, that smells so good.

And that is the business.

Perfect. Right, lamb ribs.

Of all the ribs, I like lamb ribs because lamb cooks faster.

So if I'm making ribs, it's pretty much always lamb.

Coat the ribs generously with the tenderising marinade.

This is perfect

if you're having people over

and you want to spend less time in the kitchen

and more time socialising or being with people

that you want to be around

because you can do this a day in advance,

cover it up, pop it in the fridge,

and then just take it out when you need it.

Now for my twist on a classic sweetcorn side.

I want to make corn ribs.

It's simple. It's delicious.

And it starts off with corn.

Cut lengthways and then cut again.

What we're going to be left with

is these gorgeous strips of corn, like ribs.

As it cooks, you'll get crunchy bits and soft bits

and they'll be full of flavour and lots of texture.

Drizzle over some oil and a generous smattering of paprika.

I promise you, once you've tried these,

you'll never want boiled corn again,

and you can roast them at the same time as the lamb ribs.

Bonus.

These are going to be absolutely delicious.

They smell so fresh.

That's it.

We are ready to cook this.

Ribs on top,

180 degrees C for half an hour before they get another flavour bomb

from a cheeky little hack.

It's very easy when you make a marinade

and you've got raw meat in there to say,

"You know what? Let's just dash it in the bin,

"chuck it away, cos we can't do anything with it."

But, no, if you cook it out, you can use it.

Not only are we minimising waste, we're maximising flavour.

Simply heat up the marinade and dollop it straight over the ribs

before returning to the oven for a final roast.

Look...

..at these.

# Just look at them. #

That beautiful coating.

Check these out.

Check them out.

They are spiced.

They're crunchy. This is a whole other kind of rib.

I like playing Jenga with my ribs.

We are piling high.

Some ribs might fall.

Come on. We got this.

My tender, succulent roasted lamb ribs

with a crisp, zingy crumb and pops of paprika corn,

such a fun alternative to a traditional roast lamb.

This is the roast of all roasts.

It's easy, simple, delicious.

All you need is napkins and an appetite.

Mm.

Tender, sweet.

A little bit spicy. Oh, my goodness.

That pineapple has worked its magic on that lamb,

flavoured it, tenderised it and made it oh, so delicious.

My final roast is a flavour combination

that really transports me back to my roots.

Eating fish and fruit together is in my blood,

and that usually takes place in curry form.

But I wanted to make a recipe that has those familiar flavours,

but in a really easy roast.

# Easy as pie. #

My whole sea bass encased in a crispy citrus chickpea coat

that not only locks in moisture,

but packs a serious flavour punch,

making for an effortless centrepiece.

# Sugar and some spice

# And everything that's nice... #

Cooking anything whole,

especially a fish, kind of screams out celebratory.

But, actually, you could have it midweek,

and it doesn't have to be a celebration.

It's that simple. It's that easy.

First up, our crust.

Garlic and onion, of course,

then for some zing.

OK, so now for our citrus.

Zest your lemon and lime and then...

..orange.

Orange and fish was a thing that I grew up with.

Oh, my goodness, does it work.

Now juice the lemon, lime, and orange

and a grapefruit.

There's a lot of confusion with my senses.

I don't know if I'm making like an orange drizzle

or if I'm going to cook a curry.

Like, my nose doesn't quite know where it's at, but we know,

we know where we're going.

Add a teaspoon of turmeric for earthiness and gorgeous colour,

then a generous glug of olive oil.

And then 150g of chickpea flour.

This is like the magic ingredient.

This is like a staple in our homes.

Like, I never grew up with plain flour, self-raising flour,

it was always chickpea flour.

And it has an amazing, nutty flavour that works really well in this dish.

Now that that's gone in, I feel like I'm making pakoras.

I know what I'm making, but even my brain is a little bit confused!

We are simply going to blitz this thing.

That's it. It's done.

Look at the colour on that.

Now all this needs is the fish.

Like this is the easiest roast.

And it's got to be succulent sea bass.

I am all about whole delicious fish.

I was raised on fish -

head, tail, fins, bones.

This is what I love about a roast.

Whether it's fish or anything else, it's about using the whole thing,

getting the best out of that ingredient.

First thing I'm going to do is slash the fish,

and this is going to allow us to kind of penetrate

some of that flavour in there,

and it actually helps it cook faster.

So just literally on an angle, a slit.

Just a few, like an inch apart.

Turn it around, do the same on the other side.

Season it well and dust with chickpea flour

to help your coating stick.

It's going to taste great and lock the moisture into the sea bass.

Be really generous.

Let it fall down the side, it'll bake and it'll get crispy.

And then you can scrape some of that off alongside your fish.

Pop the sea bass into the oven.

Just enough time to prep a light and colourful salad

of carrots and courgette ribbons...

..dressed with lemon, olive oil and chilli flakes.

Right. Wait till you see this fish transformed.

Look at it.

Hidden away

under our citrusy coating is our gorgeous whole sea bass.

It smells divine.

I know it's delicious.

And I bet you can't wait for me to get in.

# Left my soul there

# Down by the sea. #

My deliciously moist sea bass encased in a zesty crust

is a refreshing roast worthy of taking centre stage

at your dinner table any day of the week.

# Down by the sea... #

Look at that gorgeous, tender fish.

That is perfect.

That combination of citrus,

you could just get the garlic, the sweetness of the onion,

and that tender sea bass is a match made in heaven.

I have no idea why people don't eat fish as a roast more often.

Like, this is a treat.

Next time, my favourite family bakes you'll rustle up in a flash.

This one-pot dish takes the humble mid-week meal

straight to the fiesta.

And my daughter shares her ultimate sweet treat.

Would you say that you were a flapjack expert?

A flapjack fanatic.

Oh, yes!