Ainsley Harriot tells us his alfresco cooking secrets...
— See Ainsley's Great Garden Cook Off Thursdays at 7.30pm on SBS Food from 3 October to 5 December, with episodes streaming after they air. — Ainsley's Great Garden Cook OffAinsley Harriott’s new cooking series is giving us two things. One is predictable, given it’s the ever-entertaining chef – good food shared with joy, generosity and laughter, this time in some impressive garden settings. The other is unexpected, but equally fun: the word bodging. Now, bodge sounds like botch, as in making a mess, and apparently it does get used that way, but it’s , the art of making chair legs and other items from green wood. It’s almost unheard of these days but when Harriott visits the grand gardens of Tyntsfield, a National Trust property near Bristol, he meets two volunteers who show him how it’s done, giving him a chance to try carving a spoon using an axe. As the pair comment, it’s a good thing he’s used to working with sharp knives!Ainsley Harriot and guest Tristan Welsh cooking in a historic garden. Credit: Ainsley's Great Garden Cook OffEach episode sees the eternally cheery chef explore the gardens and grounds of a series of National Trust properties, learning about what’s being grown, trying his hand at some fun things and picking some very fresh produce to use in the dishes that he and two guest chefs cook up. Guests include Irish-Caribbean chef Nico Reynolds (host of ); award-winning food writer and chef Lerato Umah-Shaylor; food-foccused medico Dr Rupy Aujla (who teams up with Prue Leith in ); Michelin-starred chef Daniel Galmiche; and writer and presenter Ruby Bhogal. And there’s plenty of great food being created, from Harrott’s (“my take on shakshuka”) or to Bhogal’s Indian-spiced lamb kebab rolls with spring onion and herbs.Ainsley with his 'green eggs and ham' dish. Credit: Ainsley's Great Garden Cook OffWe chat to Harriott about the joys of alfresco cooking.What did you love most about the gardens in these National Trust properties? The walled gardens and glass houses were just beautiful, but I’d have to say the abundance of wonderful produce. The range is extraordinary - I’ve never seen so many varieties of apples - and I was particularly blown away by the many different types of chilli. When we think of chillies, we can probably name four or five - but there are hundreds out there! My usual go-to is Scotch bonnet, mostly for its flavour, but also for its heat which, I guess, most people would regard as pretty fierce. Well, I was introduced to at least 30 different varieties that were far more fiery. Have a bite of some of those and you might have to get yourself down to the emergency department! Every time I went into the kitchen gardens I was inspired by what was growing there and that in turn inspired the dishes I wanted to cook. The beauty of cooking at some of these amazing properties was being able to learn about the work and care that goes into preserving them. They’re magnificent! I’m very much a Londoner, but for the first time there was a little bit of me thinking, ‘Wow, I could retire to the country!’Ainsley with Diane, a volunteer at Tyntsfield. Credit: Ainsley's Great Garden Cook OffThere’s something wonderful about being in a garden, enjoying green spaces and nurturing growing things, isn’t there? Yes, many of the staff are volunteers and they’re amazingly knowledgeable. We all loved walking around the gardens and picking our own ingredients. Famous Indian chef Cyrus Todiwala was one of our guests, and I remember him saying that it was the first time he’d ever pulled an onion from the ground and then cooked it straight away. There was genuine excitement from him!Obviously good weather helps, but even on an overcast day you can’t beat cooking up a meal on the barbecueWhat do you love about cooking outdoors?I’ve always loved barbecuing and summer dining; there’s something magical about cooking and eating in the fresh air. Chargrilling adds fantastic smoky flavour to meat, fish and veg and you can add vibrance with marinades and salsas. Obviously good weather helps, but even on an overcast day you can’t beat cooking up a meal on the barbecue and enjoying it with friends and family…and perhaps a little rum punch.What's your favourite place in the world to fire up a barbecue? My back garden! I love getting all the family round for a barbecue on a sunny day, although we can’t always be guaranteed of the weather here in Britain.According to you, “no barbecue is complete without a dessert”. What are some of your favourite barbecue desserts? Oooh, ! You can find the recipe in my Caribbean Cookbook and on my website: such a simple recipe, but the pineapple will sing! Or from the series – . Barbecuing/chargrilling plums really brings out the natural sweetness and the smell of them cooking is divine.Ainsley Harriott's chargrilled summer squash with whipped ricotta. Credit: Ainsley's Great Garden Cook OffOn an Instagram you made ahead of the show’s debut there in the UK, where you said “Summery outdoor cooking vibes are on their way” and someone commented “you bring the summer”. Was this show a lot of fun to make? Thank you – I feel the series has a good summery energy about it. Obviously, the whole team works hard when we’re making a series, but I was cooking in a fantastic outdoor kitchen in beautiful surroundings with some great guest chefs, so yes it was a lot of fun. I love meeting new people, so it was nice to be outside of the studio chatting to the volunteers and staff of the National Trust. I also got to try my hand at new things – it’s not every day you get to have a go at bodging.
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