The F Word (2017) s05e06 Episode Script
Season 5, Episode 6
On The F Word, I'm searching the country to find our best local restaurants.
'Britain's independent restaurants serve great food in the heart of our local communities.
'And each week I'm choosing two of these unsung culinary heroes to compete in the F Word Kitchen.
' To win this is the biggest moment of my life.
'So far, Bouchon Bistro from Hexham near Newcastle was crowned 'the F Word's best local French restaurant.
' Well done.
Really well done.
'Lasan from Birmingham took the Indian title.
' The sensation is absolutely amazing.
'And the Italian prize went to Salvo's from Leeds.
' Go on! 'Last week, Simply Thai from Teddington stormed the leader board, 'taking joint first place.
' If you put your heart and soul into everything, you can achieve.
'Who will be the F Word's Best Local Restaurant? 'Tonight, we go Spanish.
'El Gato Negro from Ripponden in Yorkshire is in the ring 'with Lola Rojo from South London.
'I cook one of the greatest Spanish delicacies - goose barnacles 'but are they worth risking my life for?' My God, this is insane.
'Will Kelly Brook crack whentaking me on in the recipe challenge?' Oh, my God, I'm nervous now! Under pressure! The F Word's here And the F Word's bad Cuss my mother and I cuss my dad But I love my mother and I love my dad Wanna have all that they never had.
This programme contains strong language.
CHEERING AND APPLAUSE How are we? Very well.
Very well.
Excited? Now we do have the best two Spanish restaurants here, head-to-head.
This is quite weird, because we've got two English running a Spanish restaurant, and two Spanish running the most amazing Spanish restaurant.
Antonio, are you ready? Yeah.
Yeah.
Simon.
In terms of confidence, where do you sit, from one to ten? Ten.
Ten? 15.
15?Yes, chef.
15 out of 10.
Now, OK, it's a competition.
Make this the best service of your lives, and you'll be leaving here as a winner.
'El Gato Negro from Ripponden 'and Lola Rojo from Battersea lock horns tonight 'to fight for the Spanish title.
'This is how they got here.
'Earlier this year, I asked you to log on to the F Word website 'and nominate your favourite local restaurants.
' The response has been absolutely phenomenal.
'You told us about nearly 5,000 different places you love to eat.
'And, from your nominations, it's clear you go loco for tapas.
'So I asked my F Word team to help me whittle down your nominations 'to find the very best Spanish contenders.
' Deep-fried aubergine's the best thing.
We're travelling across the country really putting these nominated restaurants under severe scrutiny.
'You nominated Spanish restaurants from Scotland to Portsmouth, 'and we went to visit the places you love to eat.
'As we searched, it became clear 'that two restaurants were in a league of their own.
'In Ripponden, West Yorkshire, El Gato Negro 'is a very Spanish restaurant run by a very passionate Northerner.
' I suppose you wouldn't expect a Northerner to be cooking Spanish food, but you know, it works, and I love it, I love the products, I love the people, I love the food, so we're passionate about it.
'Simon Shaw has an impressive pedigree.
He was the Executive Chef 'at Harvey's Nichols in London but gave up a glamorous city life 'to open a Spanish restaurant in the country.
' There's nothing better than to be in the middle of Barcelona, sat with a beer, eating a plate of Padron peppers, and I thought, "The people in Yorkshire deserve this.
" 'Simon is a culinary pioneer and exactly what I'm looking for.
' Hello.
How are you, sir? I'm very well, how are you? 'I can't wait to see if an English chef 'can deliver stunning Spanish food.
' How are you? Good to see you.
Look at the size of this kitchen! What in hell are you doing up here? Like most restaurateurs, didn't have enough money to do it in London, so I'm actually from round here, and the minute I walked in I knew it was the right place.
'Local lad Matt Healey is the sous chef.
'He knows the quality of El Gato Negro's cuisine 'can win over any critic.
' 'If somebody said to me, "Two lads from the North shouldn't be cooking tapas," I'd say, "Book a table and it'll change your mind".
Head Chef Simon co-owns the restaurant with flamboyant Welshman Chris Williams, a former colleague from Harvey Nick's.
Simon and I can have a very tempestuous relationship, do you know what I mean? I can flip.
But so can Simon.
'Faced with so many tempting dishes, 'I want to taste a bit of everything, 'starting with the anchovy crostini.
' Good food.
Really good food.
Clean, great flavours, simply done.
'More of a traditional Spanish tapas, and, yeah, fast.
'This is cooked freshly.
Great flavours, great balance, ' one hell of a talented chef.
We've got our sights set on winning it.
It means a hell of a lot.
If we win, it would be the dogs.
So first impressions, this place is warm.
Incredibly warm.
Having searched across the country, there's only two restaurants going through to cook in the F Word restaurant.
And there it's 50 discerning diners that are quite full-on.
And .
.
congratulations.
You're one of them.
Oh, get in! I look forward to seeing you back in London.
Lentil seasoned brilliantly.
Congratulations.
Chorizo, wonderful.
Prawns, wonderful.
Representing El Gato Negro is just It's up there.
It's up there with anything I've done before, sovery pleased.
To have one of your idols tell you that the food is fantastic, I couldn't top that.
Talented team.
And how weird is that? Amazing tapas, not one Spanish person cooking it anywhere.
That needs to be celebrated, big time.
'So El Gato Negro is through.
'And from your nominations I found a worthy opponent to take them on.
'Battersea, South London is home to Lola Rojo 'a short walk from where I live.
'It's a modern Spanish restaurant run by Antonio and Christina.
' Antonio and I, we got together because of the love for food.
'The fiery couple from Barcelona have a passionate relationship in and out of the kitchen.
' 'I went into the kitchen and he shouted to, you know, ' "Get me this!" and "Get me that!" and I say "You shut up, OK, because '"we are under pressure too so please, you know, calm down.
"' And he took it on board.
Hello! How are you? Fine, fine.
Nice to see you.
Nice to see you.
And your name is? Christina.
Good to see you.
What a lovely little place! 'Christina prides herself on the fact that all her staff are Spanish.
'Her husband Antonio is the head chef.
'He's bold and experimental in the kitchen 'with a passion for contemporary tapas.
' What's all this? This is limoncello lollipops.
Bloody hell.
You make lollipops! That's incredible! 'Antonio insists on importing products from Spain 'to create a truly authentic experience 'for his customers.
' That's beautiful, that.
Yes, it's excellent, this octopus.
This is from Galicia.
Amazing.
This is from Salamanca.
Beautiful.
And that's 21 days old? Yeah.
I'd love to start with the octopus, a little bit of chicken, and a little taste of the paella.
'First up for me, grilled octopus and patatas bravas.
' .
.
calamari and chorizo of the chef.
'Next, the suckling pig.
' The food is fucking amazing.
'And, finally, lobster paella.
' I feel like I'm in Spain.
Honestly.
I keep on picturing myself.
I'm in Battersea Rise, not Barcelona.
Authentic Spanish, I mean properly Spanish tapas done brilliantly well.
Extraordinary.
Well, we just hope that we'll go through.
The Spanish category has been one of the toughest categories across the country.
So congratulations, cos you are through to the F Word restaurant.
Honestly, I had an exceptional lunch.
Congratulations.
That was extraordinary.
Beautiful.
And I've been a big, big, big admirer of proper tapas.
Beautifully done.
Congratulations.
.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Really good.
Gracias.
Well done.
We are very, very happy about We love this city, we love this country, we love the customers.
ALL: Cheers! 'Definitely the right decision made.
' More importantly, I'm so frustrated! I've lived here for seven years, they've been here for three years.
I've never even noticed them.
That's what this competition's all about - unsung heroes cooking authentic, proper Spanish tapas like that deserve to be recognised.
'I've chosen two remarkable Spanish restaurants from your nominations.
'Will the F Word diners prefer El Gato Negro's classic tapas 'or Lola Rojo's contemporary menu? 'Who will be crowned the F Word's Best Local Spanish Restaurant? 'We're about to find out.
'Next on the menu, 'the teams go head-to-head in the F Word kitchen.
' Guys, make this count, yes? There's only four points in this.
'And I dice with death, 'all in search of a very special Spanish delicacy.
' All that fucking work for these things.
We're back in London at the F Word restaurant.
'And tonight we're going Spanish.
'After searching for months all over the country, 'we whittled down your nominations 'to find the best two local Spanish restaurants 'El Gato Negro in Yorkshire and Lola Rojo in South London.
' OK, guys.
Antonio, four covers on table one, please.
Four prawns, four fish stew, four churros.
(BOTH) Yes, Chef.
El Gato, stand by.
Five covers, table five.
Five prawns, five sea bass, five churros.
(BOTH) Yes, Chef.
Right, Simon, the secret behind these pawns? I like a lot of caramelisation.
You want that chargrilled flavour.
You've left the heads on.
Why is that? Cos of the great flavour in the head.
Good.
'As a Northerner, Simon has a no-nonsense approach to tapas.
'El Gato Negro may be in the Yorkshire countryside, 'but Simon's determined to bring home the taste of Spain.
' A lot of people that come here actually ask if the chef's Spanish.
So to be able to say, "No, he's from Hull actually," is quite good.
El Gato Negro is like a little slice of Barcelona in West Yorkshire, which you would just not expect.
It's a delight to have it close to where we live.
'For El Gato Negro's starter, 'Simon marinades prawns in lemon, 'garlic and thyme and then griddles them.
'He sautes them in chorizo butter and serves them with fritada sauce, 'parsley oil and balsamic vinegar, 'drizzling over the remaining chorizo butter.
' What's in the butter? In the butter? Fine-diced chilli, paprika, cabernet sauvignon vinegar and red wine.
And the sausage, the puree of the chorizo sausage? Just put in the oven, very gently, just to release the oils out of it.
And then you're blitzing it and passing through a sieve? Fine sieve, yes.
Fine sieve, yes.
Antonio, would you say that Simon's flavour is better? We like the plain flavour, not lots of spicy or strong flavours.
And sometimes Sometimes the chorizo Yes.
.
.
is for beginners.
No? For beginners.
Yeah.
So he's like a child, so it's like your baby? Yeah.
Ah, OK.
Yeah.
Excellent.
I didn't realise that you were connected to Antonio, cos he said you cook like a baby.
Like his baby? 2-2.
Chorizo's for beginners.
He said that? I love it! 'Antonio has a unique contemporary style of cooking.
' 'Opening a restaurant has been Antonio's dream since he was a child growing up in Spain.
'The family-run business has a warm atmosphere, which is a big hit 'with the locals.
'They love Antonio's authentic tapas with a modern twist.
' It is the best tapas I have ever had in London.
'For Antonio's starter, 'he coats king prawns in flour, dips them in batter and deep fries.
'He skewers a hole in the prawns 'and inserts a pipette of chive mayonnaise.
'The prawns are served on a bed of wild salad and a side of tomato 'and red pepper piperada.
' What was the feedback from the customers when they saw a pipette sticking out of the prawn? Some people see and say Bong! And the wall is green now.
So the paprika at the end, what kind is that? It's the picante.
That's a smoked paprika? Yeah.
Is that classed for beginners, paprika, or not? Yeah, the hot paprika, yes.
Fucking hell, you can't win either way, can you? Chorizo, paprika If you beat him tonight, you can have a big fucking smile on your face from here to here.
I'll get the biggest box of paprika and the biggest packet of chorizo and I'll send them to you in the post.
Very nice.
They look beautiful.
They look like they've sprouted little green trees out of the prawns.
Very nice.
Let's go.
Right, in Spain, goose barnacles are known as the truffles of the sea, and here's why.
'The Atlantic Ocean is a chef's dream.
'Galicia on the north-west coast of Spain is home 'to classic Spanish ingredients like prawns.
But that's not all.
' These waters are bursting with some of the best seafood in the world.
The Spanish don't like exporting it, so to try it, you've got to come here and taste it for yourself.
'This region is famous for seafood.
'And there's a shellfish popular with the locals you'll only find 'in a few places around the world.
' These are a delicacy here - percebes - commonly known as goose barnacles.
Now, let's be honest.
They don't exactly look like the most appetising of seafood.
I think they look more like fucking Janet Street-Porter's toenails.
However, the secret here is to just twist quickly and pull, and out comes this amazing delicacy.
Flavour? Mmm.
In terms of taste, delicious.
A cross between a razor clam and a sort of cockle/mussel.
And here's the good news - 300 euros a kilo Mmm.
.
.
for a bowl of toenails.
Wow.
'These incredibly expensive shellfishmay look weird 'but they taste delicious.
'The big question is, 'why do they cost three times more than fresh lobster? 'It all became clear when I met up with local fisherman Andres 'in a secret location further up the coast.
' What the hell are they doing? They're collecting percebes, actually.
My God! It is mad.
It is crazy.
So they're just dangling over the side of the rock? Yeah, they keep jumping from one rock to another and collecting from there.
It's very, very dangerous.
Many people have died collecting percebes.
Many people have died? Yeah, many people a year.
Look at the way he jumps! It's so fucking dangerous, no? Yeah, it is, actually.
I wouldn't do it myself.
'This amazing delicacy is found below the water line, stuck firm 'to the foot of the craggy Spanish coast.
'But dodging the waves like a matador 'seemed a step to far, even for these exquisite little shellfish.
'And this spot wasn't actually where the best ones were hiding.
'This was.
' How the fuck do you get down there? 'The goose barnacles were at the bottom of this 300ft cliff, deep beneath the crashing waves.
'Fishermen like Angel and Javier risk their lives almost every day 'to get their hands on them.
' Is that where the best ones are? Yeah, it's good ones in there.
The more danger, the best percebes.
The more dangerous, the best percebes? Yes.
You're You need to see a doctor! 'The more the goose barnacles are pounded by the waves, 'the more muscle they need to cling on to the cliff.
'So the juicier, fatter and tastier they become.
' How are you getting them off the rocks? Cos they're attached hard.
So that there? That's for taking tyres of a car! No? Now, you hit the rock and the idea with percebes is to get a bit of rock underneath them so they don't die straightaway? Si, si, si.
So, crowbar - oh, fuck and the pouch at the side, yeah? Yeah, that's all they take.
That's it.
And a pair of Converse.
And a pair of Converse.
Oh, shit! 'These are certainly one of the most extraordinary delicacies I've ever come across.
' My God.
'All I have to do is survive long enough to get my hands on them.
' 'This could be the most dangerous thing I've ever done.
' OK, Simon, last table.
Good.
It's not a race, guys.
Every plate that went out from this kitchen looked fantastic.
Really good job.
Well done.
Thank you.
Antonio, well done.
With the prawns, the chorizo I thought might overpower the prawns, but it didn't at all.
It was like an infusion.
Perfect.
I could have eaten it again.
I thought the dish was really good.
The presentation was nice.
Although the prawns were quite well cooked, the chorizo butter wasn't that flavoursome.
Hi, darling, welcome.
Good to see you.
Welcome to The F Word.
Thank you very much.
How do you think Antonio's doing? Very well.
Does it make you feel incredibly proud to watch him? Very much.
And in terms of the prawns you ate tonight, how were they? I wouldn't mix chorizo with seafood because chorizo is very overpowering.
But I didn't taste the chorizo at all, so I don't quite understand the dish.
In fact, I decided not to pay for that.
Wow.
Enjoy the main courses, yes? We will.
Thank you.
Lovely.
Really nice.
We liked the way it was presented, with the pipettes.
The prawns were lukewarm, the batter was undercooked and the novelty factor of the pipettes, not really.
Chris, good to see.
How are you? Welcome to the F Word.
I'm very well, thank you.
Enjoying the food? The batter was a bit soggy.
So in terms of the modern twist on a Spanish dish, with the pipette, is that something that works for you? Once I got into it.
But I just wasn't sure what you had to do with it.
The big question is, are you going to pay for them? No.
Good to see you.
I hope you enjoy the main courses.
And that shirt.
.
You like one of those humbugs that you don't want to stop sucking.
Good to see you.
They both look fantastic.
You've got the rustic, old-fashioned charm and the modern twist.
The secret is to get the pipette, squeeze and pull, and then into the mouth.
Mmm.
That's delicious.
Really delicious.
That's quite interesting, that chive mayonnaise against that crispy batter and the sweetness of the prawn.
That works very, very well.
Right, El Gate's.
These are cooked on a skewer.
The fresh tomato sauce at the bottom.
The idea is to squeeze the juice out the head, mix that in with the tomato and then dip the prawn.
Mmm.
Really good flavour and the tomato sauce works with the sweetness of the prawn.
My only slight concern with this plate is there's oil everywhere.
If it was down to me, I'd go for the prawns with the pipette.
They've tried something really adventurous here and it does work.
Lovely.
'But it's not up to me.
Whoever has the most diners paying for their food tonight 'will be crowned The F Word's Best Local Spanish Restaurant.
' Before we get the results, I tried both dishes.
I thought they were fantastic.
OK, let's find out how you did.
JP, please, the results.
Let's start off with El Gato Negro.
Simon and Matt, the number of customers out of 25 that are happy to pay for their starters is Wow.
19 out of 25.
Well done, guys.
Well done.
That's very good, very good indeed.
Now, feedback - JP? More spicy, the chorizo.
So they wanted more spice? More on the season.
19 loved it, clearly.
OK, good.
Great start.
19 out of 25.
OK.
Lola Rojo, the number of customers out of 25 that are willing to pay for your starter is Wow.
Wow, wow, wow.
That is a surprise.
Nine out of 25.
Why? Too soggy.
The salad or the batter? The batter.
I thought those prawns were delicious.
I loved that little modern twist with the pipette.
I thought that was unique.
But you must keep that batter crispy, yeah? Do not drop your head now.
That was only 25 to cook for.
Now you've got 50 to cook for.
Clear down, get ready for the main course.
Well done.
'Next on the menu: Will El Gato Negro manage to hold their nerve and stay in the lead?' This is not a race.
Every single plate counts, yeah? 'In the recipe challenge, Kelly Brook dresses to impress.
' I've got some Prada Mary Janes on.
Is that not appropriate? 'And I risk my life searching for one of Spain's greatest seafoods.
' Shit! I must be off my fucking rocker! Now both restaurants are going to be cooking their main courses.
First up, Lola Rojo.
In their south London restaurant, Antonio and Cristina are determined to make their food authentic.
The idea of the restaurant was to mix very traditional tapas in a contemporary way.
Everything made from scratch.
They serve octopus fresh from Galicia and suckling pig from Salamanca.
Coming from Barcelona, Antonia and Cristina have a passion for seafood.
So their signature dish tonightis Antonio starts by dusting the turbot and sea bass fillets in flour, salt and pepper.
He fries the fish, adding chopped onion, garlic and paprika.
It's nice for the colour, and it's nice for the flavour, no? 'Next he grates the tomato.
' Use the plum tomato because the flavour of this tomato, I think, is better.
He adds fish stock, some boiled potatoes and clams.
To thicken the stew, Antonio creates a picada paste.
He mixes saffron, roast almonds, fried bread, garlic and flat leaf parsley, grinds it into a paste and adds it to the stew.
It's simmered for a minute and is ready to go.
Service! Costa Brava fish stewserved.
So, Antonio.
The name of the restaurant came from where? My first girlfriend You named your restaurant after your first girlfriend? Yeah.
And does Cristina know that? No! No! Simon, the secret behind this dish - what is it? A combination of soup and the sour dressing of the vinaigrette.
The texture in it as well.
Here's what El Gato Negro's cooking tonight.
El Gato Negro is a tiny tapas restaurant in Ripponden but head chef Simon has huge aspirations.
In his London days, he had 35 chefs working for him, but now with a team of four, Simon relies heavily on right hand man Matt.
Stick him in front of the stove and wind him up and he goes all night.
It's perfect.
So he's got the looks and I've got the brains.
I've always had the passion and desire to cook and been able to cook.
But Simon has pushed me that bit further.
Like he said, he's got the brains and I've got the looks, so let's make lots of money.
There you go, boys.
First, Simon fries sliced Charlotte potatoes in butter with baby spinach.
For the soup, he sweats down chopped shallots and garlic.
Next he adds peeled and sliced potatoes, rosemary and fish stock and simmers for 15 minutes.
He blends and sieves the mix, adding olive oil and seasoning.
To skin the tomatoes, he blanches them in boiling water.
I normally count 14 seconds, not out loud - that'll be in my head.
For the vinaigrette, he reduces sherry vinegar, then adds sultanas, olive oil, toasted pine nuts, the diced tomatoes and chopped parsley.
He seasons the sea bass and fries till golden.
I want it to stay nice and straight.
Sea bass with a warm potato, rosemary and olive oil soup served.
So, Simon you're mixing the spinach in with the potatoes.
Last minute, yeah.
It's a bit 1970s, using rings.
I just don't want it to fall, because it's got a soup in there as well.
Excellent.
Antonio, would you put Spanish food in a ring? Not too much.
The only ring you put is on your wife's finger? Yes? I love that paprika.
Is it smoked? Yes, smoked paprika.
With the starter, you told meyou didn't like smoked paprika.
(LAUGHS) Paprika chef, eh? Only for this dish.
Only for this dish? Is that it? You're happy with that? That's it, yeah.
Simon, Matt, that looks fantastic.
Well done.
Yeah, really good.
Well done.
Cross it off.
Let's go.
So the English have beaten the Spanish! Do you think Cristina will leave you if you lose to the English? She's very passionate.
Do you think Cristina will leave you if you lose to the English? She's very passionate.
Yes, yes.
She's terrible.
If she does leave you, you could go back to your ex-girlfriend, Lola! Very nice.
Thank you.
Thank you.
That looks lovely.
Go.
Well done.
Good, table one, please.
Cross it off, please.
This is fascinating.
Antonio had a really bad start.
His head went down and he became demoralised.
However, he's pulled it back.
The fish stew is absolutely delicious.
I'm impressed by Antonio's attitude, he bounces back immediately, which is a really good sign, so he's down but he's definitely not out.
El Gato Negro, that main course, there's something interesting.
He's got the sauteed potatoes mixed with the spinach, this delicious potato and rosemary soup, topped off with this wonderful sea bass, with acidic raisins.
Bizarre combination, but I think it really works.
What's next, after this last four? We've got four going now.
Four after that, yeah? Yes.
We're half way there.
Trust me, this is not a racer.
Every single plate counts.
Make the next half as good as the first half, excellent.
Goose barnacles taste fantastic, but they're incredibly difficult to get your hands on.
I'm in Galicia, on the north west coast of Spain, on the hunt for one of the region's most sought after delicacies.
Percebes, or goose barnacles.
They're delicious, expensive, everything a gourmet ingredient should be, but they're also at the bottom of a 300ft cliff.
My God.
The fast-flowing water of the Atlantic makes the goose barnacles stronger, fatter and tastier to eat.
But abseiling into it is the only way to reach them.
My God, this is insane.
The powerfulcurrents are not something to mess with.
Shit.
I must be off my fucking rocker.
Once the waves retreat I've got just 30 seconds to spot the goose barnacles and wrench them off the rocks.
My guide tells me if I hear a whistle Arriba.
Arriba.
It means the sea is crashing back in and I have to get out the way.
Oh, fuck.
The waves are knocking me all over the place.
I can see the goose barnacles, but I keep on being pushed in the wrong direction.
Finally, I've got my footing.
Fuck me, you've got to be quick.
But I'm concentrating so hard on the prize, I forget the first simple rule.
WHISTLE Listen for the whistle.
Fuck.
I've lost the fucking stick.
Shit.
Gracias.
Thank you.
You need a license to collect goose barnacles, but I was quickly starting to think, who would want one, given the risks.
Arriba.
Oh, shit! Breaking them off turns out to be the easy part.
I've only collected a few handfuls when disaster strikes.
Arriba! Everything I collectedwas lost.
Oh, fuck! Bag's gone.
This is by far the most dangerous fishing trip I've ever been on.
And I only managed a couple of handfuls before the tide filled the cove.
That was hard work.
I mean seriously hard work.
You're holding on and then when the wave wipes you out you're trying to focus on the grip, but it's so slippy down there.
From 100ft up the swell looks nothing.
Down there it's 2.
5, 3 metres high, and when it comes in, it comes in big time.
Whoa! Bloody hard.
A great job, yes? A great joint job.
Look at them.
They're beautiful.
What does that mean when they're slightly red? Buena calidad.
Mejor calidad.
The quality is the best.
I'm going to show you how to do the perfect percebes, tapas-style.
Yeah? Excellent.
The ultimate tapas, percebes.
Traditionally they're cooked in sea water, so no salt in there whatsoever.
First, I'll boil them in the sea water with bay leaves and a little olive oil.
Cook them one minute.
They say here in Spain, as long as it takes to say the Lord's Prayer.
Once they're cooked, I need to remove their tough skins.
The secret is to peel them when they're warm.
To finish them, a sherry sauce with shallots, bay leaves and a touch of fresh pepper.
Definitely no salt.
We have to be really quick.
A touch of sherry.
Nice.
A couple of tablespoons of cream.
Bring that up to the boil.
Add the rind and juice of one lemon.
And just squeeze.
Finish it in there.
Then, a couple of tablespoons of the cooking liquor.
That lets down the cream.
The secret here is to keep a nice, delicate balance.
Lemon out, and percebes in.
Literally in the cream for 30 seconds and finish with fresh parsley.
Really important they go in that cream for literally 30 seconds.
Any longer, it would be like having a mouthful of elastic bands.
Excellent.
Gentlemen, percebes, slightly different.
They are amazing.
Yes? Muchas gracias.
It is incredible, the taste.
They are actually loving it.
Are they fishing tomorrow? Manana tenets que faenar? Mm-hm.
Yes.
If they find my bag, I want my 300 fucking euros back, yeah? OK! Si encontrais la bolsa, quiere Gracias.
Muchas gracias.
Good.
Last table, Simon? OK, yeah.
Make it work, yeah? Good.
Well done.
Get some water, guys.
Well done.
Tonight it's up to the diners.
If they don't like it, they don't pay.
The fish was cooked to perfection.
The olive oil and the wilted spinach tasted great it looked superb.
I thought the raisins were cooked in vinegar, white wine vinegar or something like that, and that was really overpowering.
The fish stew was absolutely amazing.
A little bit on the salty side.
But really, really nice.
The fish was cooked perfectly.
The fish stew was very well-balanced and seasoned.
There was a taste of saffron without being overpowering, and the fish very well cooked.
Right, El Gato Negro's sea bass.
In terms of flavour, sea bass tastes nice.
Don't really get the potato on potato, the soup with the set of potatoes.
That doesn't make sense.
However, what does lift the dish is those wonderful raisins and pine nuts on top of the sea bass.
Lola Rojo's This is a classic fish stew, nothing glamorous, just great bold flavours.
That's lovely.
Perfectly-seasoned fish stew.
He's gone really ultra-modern on the starter, but for main course he's pulled it back a bit.
It'll be interesting to see what the diners prefer.
If it was my choice I'd go with the fish stew.
So, the results are in.
Simon, sea bass.
How well do you think you did out of 50? About 40? With such a great start you feel less confident only 40, not 50? I'm more nervous, actually.
More nervous? Yeah.
Antonio? The fish stew, out of 50, how well do you think you've done? 40? 40.
40? Yeah.
40.
40? Yeah.
JB, please.
Let's go to El Gato Negro first.
The number of customers that are happy to pay for your sea bass out of 50 is Well done.
32 out of 50, good news.
Very good news.
The 18 customers that didn't pay.
Feedback, please? Too much vinegar in the sauce.
Simon, happy with that, 32 out of 50? Simon, happy with that, 32 out of 50? So-so, I wanted to get to 40.
OK Antonio, the number of guests that are happy to pay for your fish stew out of 50is .
.
38 out of 50, well done.
CHEERING Really well done.
Really well done indeed.
That means when you combine the scores, yes, there is only four points in it now.
There's 25 covers each to cook for desserts, yes? That means every plate matters, and now this is neck and neck.
Clear down and get ready for dessert.
Really good job.
Time for the part of the show where I take on the celebrity and their favourite dish.
Tonight it's Kelly Brook, taking me on with her stuffed peppers.
But I reckon it's her that'll get stuffed.
Are you ready? Oh, really? This is a proper challenge! What are you cooking? I'm doing stuffed peppers.
Right.
It's a dish that Sounds dreadful.
Excuse me! Delicious.
Sorry, delicious.
I'm nervous now! The pressure! You're doing a stuffed pepper, I'm doing a stuffed tomato.
Please don't copy me.
This is tried and tested.
You grew up with a love of food? You grew up with a love of food? I did.
My mum is a fantastic cook.
What kind of things did she cook when you were a kid? Roast dinners.
Steak and kidney pie? She cooked everything from Indian to Chinese food.
Sweat the onions off, a bit of colour.
Touch of allspice and cinnamon.
Cook out the spices otherwise there's that raw flavour across the mince.
Ow, these are hot.
Pretty much ready to start making the mince.
You live with Danny, your long-term boyfriend.
Rugby star.
He's a lot younger than you? Does he keep you on your toes? Not a lot younger! Only a few years.
I'm eight years older than my wife.
Are you? Yes, she keeps me on my toes in a massive way.
OK.
OK.
He's nine years younger than you, so he keeps you on your toes, or stilettos.
I like to think I give him a run for his money.
What are your kitchen shoes? I've got some Prada Mary Janes on! Is that not appropriate? You blanched your peppers in boiling water.
I blanched mine in boiling water to take the skin off.
Sopeeled.
I'm going to cut the tops off now and then scrape out the insides.
I've just put in half a teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of mint, a pinch of oregano.
Just to flavour the mince.
You've got fresh mint.
I prefer dried mint.
I think it's tastier.
Really? Don't you? When fresh mint is available over dried, I'd rather go with fresh all the time.
Is that cos you're a snob, though? Far from it.
I want to win.
I'm toasting my pine nuts in with the mince.
I will add half a cup of rice.
Chop the remaining bits of tomato up.
Two-thirds mince, one-third rice.
And then just finish that with a little zest of lemon and lemon juice.
What are you making? A bit of drizzle to go over the peppers.
A bit of drizzle to go over the peppers.
You are so technical(!) Oops! Do you like eating food like this, or do you like poncey food? I'll eat anything.
I'll eat anything.
Because you make poncey food, don't you? Three Michelin stars.
That gives me gas, all that French food.
Did you say posh food gives you gas? It was horrendous! So Kelly's put feta cheese at the bottom.
I'm going at the top of my tomatoes with the feta.
That's what I was going to do! Oh, I've put mine in the bottom.
They now go in the oven for half an hour.
We come back and the blindtasters taste them.
Next on the menu, will Lola Rojo continue their fightback with a dessert to become the F Word's best local Spanish restaurant? Every plate, make sure you're exactly over it.
You're only four points behind.
Come on.
And find out if Kelly Brook's peppers have stuffed me in the recipe challenge.
The winner is Welcome back to The F Word.
Time for the results of the recipe challenge.
Are you excited? Time for the results of the recipe challenge.
Are you excited? Very excited.
Oh, God! They do look all right, actually.
I'm pleasantly surprised! What do you think? Yours looks fantastic.
Off you go.
Think of your job, JB! Hi, everyone.
There you go.
Shall we start with this one? Oh, I can smell the cinnamon.
I'm big fan of cinnamon.
I'm big fan of cinnamon.
Yeah, me too.
Oh, and a bit of feta.
Shall we try the next one? I think that one looks nicer.
This looks a little bit burnt on the outside.
A little bit dry.
The aftertaste of the meat is pretty good, though.
I'm so terrified, I can't even tell you! He's got that little smirk on his face.
Give me the good news and deliver Kelly the bad news.
What was the score? What was the score? It's four to one.
Of course it'll be four to one.
Yeah, four to one.
Yeah, four to one.
Sorry, Kelly.
That's really bad.
So, to who? The winner is Go on, then.
Go on, then.
Kelly.
Are you joking?! Four to one! Four to one.
Are you serious? Are you serious?! Of course I'm serious.
Four to one? Why? Jesus Christ almighty.
The rice wasn't cooked properly.
Why did they like Kelly's? They loved the spices, the cinnamons.
What about the dried herbs? I put fresh herbs in mine.
I put love into mine, you just put a lot of anger.
You know, love! You've got to love your food.
4-1, are you Not 3-2, a tie-breaker? Can we have a rematch? Can we have a rematch? No! Oh, Jesus! I'm busy, I've got to move on.
But it was nice working with you.
Right.
Congratulations, I've been stuffed.
Do me a favour and get out of my kitchen.
Well done, my darling.
Oh, shit! 4-1?! Champagne, please! Now it's time for my dessert, churros and chocolate.
Churros with hot chocolate, the Spanish equivalent to our doughnuts.
Hot, sticky and incredibly moreish.
First off, the hot chocolate.
300mls of double cream Vanilla pod Cinnamon stick Chilli Orange zest.
Heat and infuse.
Strain.
150 grams of dark chocolate, melt.
Next, the churros dough.
200mls of water, 50 grams of butter, melt.
Add flour to the mixer with a pinch of salt, pour in the melted butter and mix to a smooth paste.
Piping bag.
Fill Chill.
Hot pan, vegetable oil.
Pipe, snip.
The secret is to get the dough really nice and crispy.
Caster sugar and ground cinnamon, coat.
Chocolate Churros with hot chocolate, done.
Both brigades are making my Spanish dessert recipe.
Simon, something you'd put on your menu? Haven't done them, but would love to do 'em.
The scores are close.
Everything rests on this last course.
Guys, make this count, only four points different in this.
If El Gato Negro take the title tonight, it will propel this tiny place into the big time.
I don't want to go all the way to do half a job.
We've got our sights set on winning it.
And victory for Lola Rojo will mean a local London restaurant becomes a star in the capital.
To win the competition would be exciting.
That achievement is amazing.
So, gentlemen, Antonio, Simon, these last dishes here are going to determine who is first and who is second.
Every plate, make sure you're exactly over it.
You're only four points behind, come on.
Churros are a classic Spanish treat food, but I think they make a great dessert.
They're deceptively tricky to make, but well worth the effort.
Why are your churros bigger than Simon's? Why? Because we need four points more! Good.
Service, please.
Table 16.
Not too many in there, Antonio.
Antonio needs to be careful too many in the fryer and they won't cook properly.
Four more away.
This is the last table, yes? Last two portions, Matt.
Keep it going, excellent.
Right, churros.
El Gato Negro, can they beat the Spaniards at their own classic dessert? A lot smaller, cooked in the centre.
Sauce They're good.
Right.
Lola Rojo.
Wow, that's surprising.
A little bit too big, but, more importantly, that is raw.
That tip there is just cooked.
Taste-wise, fantastic.
Chocolate sauce, brilliant.
However, I'm absolutely devastated at the rawness and, for me, the big question across the desserts is why didn't they cook one and taste it? The chocolate sauce was lovely and gooey and really, really nice.
The doughnuts were lovely as well.
Lots of cinnamon on them so they were really delicious.
Fantastic.
The crispiness on the outside, the softness and just dip it in the chocolate, fantastic.
I liked the cinnamon flavour on the churros.
But the dough was sticky inside.
I don't know whether that was because it was undercooked, but it was a bit sticky inside.
The chocolate was fine but, for me, the churros was undercooked.
So the results are in and it's time to find out who's our winner.
Simon, how well do you think you did? Not as confident as the main course, if I'm honest.
No? Antonio, you grew up with them.
Out of 25 customers, how well do you think you did? 15, 16? OK, let's find out how you did.
JB, thank you.
Let's start off with Lola Rojo.
Now, for dessert, the number of customers happy to pay out of 25 is Blimey.
.
.
14 out of 25.
11 customers didn't pay.
Why not? One main reason - undercooked.
Did you taste the first one, second one? I taste.
So, El Gato Negro, that means if you get more than ten, then you are The F Word's best local Spanish restaurant.
OK.
The number of customers that are happy to pay for your dessert out of 25 .
.
is 23 out of 25.
Well done.
Do yourselves a big favour - get out there and get a glass of vino.
Well done, congratulations.
Well done.
Really well done.
Congratulations.
Matt, well done.
Lift it up like that.
Passing it round, yeah.
Whatever you do, don't lose it on the train tomorrow, will you? El Gato Negro are straight into fourth place on The F Word leaderboard.
But will their score earn them a place in the semifinal? Next week, my search for The F Word's best local restaurant reaches across the Atlantic to North and South America.
A restaurant true to my heart, not a vegetarian in sight anywhere.
Will your favourite be in the running? And I'll be flocking to Canada, hunting snow geese.
I've done some really crazy things for food in my life, but nothing to this extent.
The diners have eaten some fantastic food tonight.
If you want to cook any of the recipes, visit The F Word website.
Thank you for watching, good night.
'Britain's independent restaurants serve great food in the heart of our local communities.
'And each week I'm choosing two of these unsung culinary heroes to compete in the F Word Kitchen.
' To win this is the biggest moment of my life.
'So far, Bouchon Bistro from Hexham near Newcastle was crowned 'the F Word's best local French restaurant.
' Well done.
Really well done.
'Lasan from Birmingham took the Indian title.
' The sensation is absolutely amazing.
'And the Italian prize went to Salvo's from Leeds.
' Go on! 'Last week, Simply Thai from Teddington stormed the leader board, 'taking joint first place.
' If you put your heart and soul into everything, you can achieve.
'Who will be the F Word's Best Local Restaurant? 'Tonight, we go Spanish.
'El Gato Negro from Ripponden in Yorkshire is in the ring 'with Lola Rojo from South London.
'I cook one of the greatest Spanish delicacies - goose barnacles 'but are they worth risking my life for?' My God, this is insane.
'Will Kelly Brook crack whentaking me on in the recipe challenge?' Oh, my God, I'm nervous now! Under pressure! The F Word's here And the F Word's bad Cuss my mother and I cuss my dad But I love my mother and I love my dad Wanna have all that they never had.
This programme contains strong language.
CHEERING AND APPLAUSE How are we? Very well.
Very well.
Excited? Now we do have the best two Spanish restaurants here, head-to-head.
This is quite weird, because we've got two English running a Spanish restaurant, and two Spanish running the most amazing Spanish restaurant.
Antonio, are you ready? Yeah.
Yeah.
Simon.
In terms of confidence, where do you sit, from one to ten? Ten.
Ten? 15.
15?Yes, chef.
15 out of 10.
Now, OK, it's a competition.
Make this the best service of your lives, and you'll be leaving here as a winner.
'El Gato Negro from Ripponden 'and Lola Rojo from Battersea lock horns tonight 'to fight for the Spanish title.
'This is how they got here.
'Earlier this year, I asked you to log on to the F Word website 'and nominate your favourite local restaurants.
' The response has been absolutely phenomenal.
'You told us about nearly 5,000 different places you love to eat.
'And, from your nominations, it's clear you go loco for tapas.
'So I asked my F Word team to help me whittle down your nominations 'to find the very best Spanish contenders.
' Deep-fried aubergine's the best thing.
We're travelling across the country really putting these nominated restaurants under severe scrutiny.
'You nominated Spanish restaurants from Scotland to Portsmouth, 'and we went to visit the places you love to eat.
'As we searched, it became clear 'that two restaurants were in a league of their own.
'In Ripponden, West Yorkshire, El Gato Negro 'is a very Spanish restaurant run by a very passionate Northerner.
' I suppose you wouldn't expect a Northerner to be cooking Spanish food, but you know, it works, and I love it, I love the products, I love the people, I love the food, so we're passionate about it.
'Simon Shaw has an impressive pedigree.
He was the Executive Chef 'at Harvey's Nichols in London but gave up a glamorous city life 'to open a Spanish restaurant in the country.
' There's nothing better than to be in the middle of Barcelona, sat with a beer, eating a plate of Padron peppers, and I thought, "The people in Yorkshire deserve this.
" 'Simon is a culinary pioneer and exactly what I'm looking for.
' Hello.
How are you, sir? I'm very well, how are you? 'I can't wait to see if an English chef 'can deliver stunning Spanish food.
' How are you? Good to see you.
Look at the size of this kitchen! What in hell are you doing up here? Like most restaurateurs, didn't have enough money to do it in London, so I'm actually from round here, and the minute I walked in I knew it was the right place.
'Local lad Matt Healey is the sous chef.
'He knows the quality of El Gato Negro's cuisine 'can win over any critic.
' 'If somebody said to me, "Two lads from the North shouldn't be cooking tapas," I'd say, "Book a table and it'll change your mind".
Head Chef Simon co-owns the restaurant with flamboyant Welshman Chris Williams, a former colleague from Harvey Nick's.
Simon and I can have a very tempestuous relationship, do you know what I mean? I can flip.
But so can Simon.
'Faced with so many tempting dishes, 'I want to taste a bit of everything, 'starting with the anchovy crostini.
' Good food.
Really good food.
Clean, great flavours, simply done.
'More of a traditional Spanish tapas, and, yeah, fast.
'This is cooked freshly.
Great flavours, great balance, ' one hell of a talented chef.
We've got our sights set on winning it.
It means a hell of a lot.
If we win, it would be the dogs.
So first impressions, this place is warm.
Incredibly warm.
Having searched across the country, there's only two restaurants going through to cook in the F Word restaurant.
And there it's 50 discerning diners that are quite full-on.
And .
.
congratulations.
You're one of them.
Oh, get in! I look forward to seeing you back in London.
Lentil seasoned brilliantly.
Congratulations.
Chorizo, wonderful.
Prawns, wonderful.
Representing El Gato Negro is just It's up there.
It's up there with anything I've done before, sovery pleased.
To have one of your idols tell you that the food is fantastic, I couldn't top that.
Talented team.
And how weird is that? Amazing tapas, not one Spanish person cooking it anywhere.
That needs to be celebrated, big time.
'So El Gato Negro is through.
'And from your nominations I found a worthy opponent to take them on.
'Battersea, South London is home to Lola Rojo 'a short walk from where I live.
'It's a modern Spanish restaurant run by Antonio and Christina.
' Antonio and I, we got together because of the love for food.
'The fiery couple from Barcelona have a passionate relationship in and out of the kitchen.
' 'I went into the kitchen and he shouted to, you know, ' "Get me this!" and "Get me that!" and I say "You shut up, OK, because '"we are under pressure too so please, you know, calm down.
"' And he took it on board.
Hello! How are you? Fine, fine.
Nice to see you.
Nice to see you.
And your name is? Christina.
Good to see you.
What a lovely little place! 'Christina prides herself on the fact that all her staff are Spanish.
'Her husband Antonio is the head chef.
'He's bold and experimental in the kitchen 'with a passion for contemporary tapas.
' What's all this? This is limoncello lollipops.
Bloody hell.
You make lollipops! That's incredible! 'Antonio insists on importing products from Spain 'to create a truly authentic experience 'for his customers.
' That's beautiful, that.
Yes, it's excellent, this octopus.
This is from Galicia.
Amazing.
This is from Salamanca.
Beautiful.
And that's 21 days old? Yeah.
I'd love to start with the octopus, a little bit of chicken, and a little taste of the paella.
'First up for me, grilled octopus and patatas bravas.
' .
.
calamari and chorizo of the chef.
'Next, the suckling pig.
' The food is fucking amazing.
'And, finally, lobster paella.
' I feel like I'm in Spain.
Honestly.
I keep on picturing myself.
I'm in Battersea Rise, not Barcelona.
Authentic Spanish, I mean properly Spanish tapas done brilliantly well.
Extraordinary.
Well, we just hope that we'll go through.
The Spanish category has been one of the toughest categories across the country.
So congratulations, cos you are through to the F Word restaurant.
Honestly, I had an exceptional lunch.
Congratulations.
That was extraordinary.
Beautiful.
And I've been a big, big, big admirer of proper tapas.
Beautifully done.
Congratulations.
.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Really good.
Gracias.
Well done.
We are very, very happy about We love this city, we love this country, we love the customers.
ALL: Cheers! 'Definitely the right decision made.
' More importantly, I'm so frustrated! I've lived here for seven years, they've been here for three years.
I've never even noticed them.
That's what this competition's all about - unsung heroes cooking authentic, proper Spanish tapas like that deserve to be recognised.
'I've chosen two remarkable Spanish restaurants from your nominations.
'Will the F Word diners prefer El Gato Negro's classic tapas 'or Lola Rojo's contemporary menu? 'Who will be crowned the F Word's Best Local Spanish Restaurant? 'We're about to find out.
'Next on the menu, 'the teams go head-to-head in the F Word kitchen.
' Guys, make this count, yes? There's only four points in this.
'And I dice with death, 'all in search of a very special Spanish delicacy.
' All that fucking work for these things.
We're back in London at the F Word restaurant.
'And tonight we're going Spanish.
'After searching for months all over the country, 'we whittled down your nominations 'to find the best two local Spanish restaurants 'El Gato Negro in Yorkshire and Lola Rojo in South London.
' OK, guys.
Antonio, four covers on table one, please.
Four prawns, four fish stew, four churros.
(BOTH) Yes, Chef.
El Gato, stand by.
Five covers, table five.
Five prawns, five sea bass, five churros.
(BOTH) Yes, Chef.
Right, Simon, the secret behind these pawns? I like a lot of caramelisation.
You want that chargrilled flavour.
You've left the heads on.
Why is that? Cos of the great flavour in the head.
Good.
'As a Northerner, Simon has a no-nonsense approach to tapas.
'El Gato Negro may be in the Yorkshire countryside, 'but Simon's determined to bring home the taste of Spain.
' A lot of people that come here actually ask if the chef's Spanish.
So to be able to say, "No, he's from Hull actually," is quite good.
El Gato Negro is like a little slice of Barcelona in West Yorkshire, which you would just not expect.
It's a delight to have it close to where we live.
'For El Gato Negro's starter, 'Simon marinades prawns in lemon, 'garlic and thyme and then griddles them.
'He sautes them in chorizo butter and serves them with fritada sauce, 'parsley oil and balsamic vinegar, 'drizzling over the remaining chorizo butter.
' What's in the butter? In the butter? Fine-diced chilli, paprika, cabernet sauvignon vinegar and red wine.
And the sausage, the puree of the chorizo sausage? Just put in the oven, very gently, just to release the oils out of it.
And then you're blitzing it and passing through a sieve? Fine sieve, yes.
Fine sieve, yes.
Antonio, would you say that Simon's flavour is better? We like the plain flavour, not lots of spicy or strong flavours.
And sometimes Sometimes the chorizo Yes.
.
.
is for beginners.
No? For beginners.
Yeah.
So he's like a child, so it's like your baby? Yeah.
Ah, OK.
Yeah.
Excellent.
I didn't realise that you were connected to Antonio, cos he said you cook like a baby.
Like his baby? 2-2.
Chorizo's for beginners.
He said that? I love it! 'Antonio has a unique contemporary style of cooking.
' 'Opening a restaurant has been Antonio's dream since he was a child growing up in Spain.
'The family-run business has a warm atmosphere, which is a big hit 'with the locals.
'They love Antonio's authentic tapas with a modern twist.
' It is the best tapas I have ever had in London.
'For Antonio's starter, 'he coats king prawns in flour, dips them in batter and deep fries.
'He skewers a hole in the prawns 'and inserts a pipette of chive mayonnaise.
'The prawns are served on a bed of wild salad and a side of tomato 'and red pepper piperada.
' What was the feedback from the customers when they saw a pipette sticking out of the prawn? Some people see and say Bong! And the wall is green now.
So the paprika at the end, what kind is that? It's the picante.
That's a smoked paprika? Yeah.
Is that classed for beginners, paprika, or not? Yeah, the hot paprika, yes.
Fucking hell, you can't win either way, can you? Chorizo, paprika If you beat him tonight, you can have a big fucking smile on your face from here to here.
I'll get the biggest box of paprika and the biggest packet of chorizo and I'll send them to you in the post.
Very nice.
They look beautiful.
They look like they've sprouted little green trees out of the prawns.
Very nice.
Let's go.
Right, in Spain, goose barnacles are known as the truffles of the sea, and here's why.
'The Atlantic Ocean is a chef's dream.
'Galicia on the north-west coast of Spain is home 'to classic Spanish ingredients like prawns.
But that's not all.
' These waters are bursting with some of the best seafood in the world.
The Spanish don't like exporting it, so to try it, you've got to come here and taste it for yourself.
'This region is famous for seafood.
'And there's a shellfish popular with the locals you'll only find 'in a few places around the world.
' These are a delicacy here - percebes - commonly known as goose barnacles.
Now, let's be honest.
They don't exactly look like the most appetising of seafood.
I think they look more like fucking Janet Street-Porter's toenails.
However, the secret here is to just twist quickly and pull, and out comes this amazing delicacy.
Flavour? Mmm.
In terms of taste, delicious.
A cross between a razor clam and a sort of cockle/mussel.
And here's the good news - 300 euros a kilo Mmm.
.
.
for a bowl of toenails.
Wow.
'These incredibly expensive shellfishmay look weird 'but they taste delicious.
'The big question is, 'why do they cost three times more than fresh lobster? 'It all became clear when I met up with local fisherman Andres 'in a secret location further up the coast.
' What the hell are they doing? They're collecting percebes, actually.
My God! It is mad.
It is crazy.
So they're just dangling over the side of the rock? Yeah, they keep jumping from one rock to another and collecting from there.
It's very, very dangerous.
Many people have died collecting percebes.
Many people have died? Yeah, many people a year.
Look at the way he jumps! It's so fucking dangerous, no? Yeah, it is, actually.
I wouldn't do it myself.
'This amazing delicacy is found below the water line, stuck firm 'to the foot of the craggy Spanish coast.
'But dodging the waves like a matador 'seemed a step to far, even for these exquisite little shellfish.
'And this spot wasn't actually where the best ones were hiding.
'This was.
' How the fuck do you get down there? 'The goose barnacles were at the bottom of this 300ft cliff, deep beneath the crashing waves.
'Fishermen like Angel and Javier risk their lives almost every day 'to get their hands on them.
' Is that where the best ones are? Yeah, it's good ones in there.
The more danger, the best percebes.
The more dangerous, the best percebes? Yes.
You're You need to see a doctor! 'The more the goose barnacles are pounded by the waves, 'the more muscle they need to cling on to the cliff.
'So the juicier, fatter and tastier they become.
' How are you getting them off the rocks? Cos they're attached hard.
So that there? That's for taking tyres of a car! No? Now, you hit the rock and the idea with percebes is to get a bit of rock underneath them so they don't die straightaway? Si, si, si.
So, crowbar - oh, fuck and the pouch at the side, yeah? Yeah, that's all they take.
That's it.
And a pair of Converse.
And a pair of Converse.
Oh, shit! 'These are certainly one of the most extraordinary delicacies I've ever come across.
' My God.
'All I have to do is survive long enough to get my hands on them.
' 'This could be the most dangerous thing I've ever done.
' OK, Simon, last table.
Good.
It's not a race, guys.
Every plate that went out from this kitchen looked fantastic.
Really good job.
Well done.
Thank you.
Antonio, well done.
With the prawns, the chorizo I thought might overpower the prawns, but it didn't at all.
It was like an infusion.
Perfect.
I could have eaten it again.
I thought the dish was really good.
The presentation was nice.
Although the prawns were quite well cooked, the chorizo butter wasn't that flavoursome.
Hi, darling, welcome.
Good to see you.
Welcome to The F Word.
Thank you very much.
How do you think Antonio's doing? Very well.
Does it make you feel incredibly proud to watch him? Very much.
And in terms of the prawns you ate tonight, how were they? I wouldn't mix chorizo with seafood because chorizo is very overpowering.
But I didn't taste the chorizo at all, so I don't quite understand the dish.
In fact, I decided not to pay for that.
Wow.
Enjoy the main courses, yes? We will.
Thank you.
Lovely.
Really nice.
We liked the way it was presented, with the pipettes.
The prawns were lukewarm, the batter was undercooked and the novelty factor of the pipettes, not really.
Chris, good to see.
How are you? Welcome to the F Word.
I'm very well, thank you.
Enjoying the food? The batter was a bit soggy.
So in terms of the modern twist on a Spanish dish, with the pipette, is that something that works for you? Once I got into it.
But I just wasn't sure what you had to do with it.
The big question is, are you going to pay for them? No.
Good to see you.
I hope you enjoy the main courses.
And that shirt.
.
You like one of those humbugs that you don't want to stop sucking.
Good to see you.
They both look fantastic.
You've got the rustic, old-fashioned charm and the modern twist.
The secret is to get the pipette, squeeze and pull, and then into the mouth.
Mmm.
That's delicious.
Really delicious.
That's quite interesting, that chive mayonnaise against that crispy batter and the sweetness of the prawn.
That works very, very well.
Right, El Gate's.
These are cooked on a skewer.
The fresh tomato sauce at the bottom.
The idea is to squeeze the juice out the head, mix that in with the tomato and then dip the prawn.
Mmm.
Really good flavour and the tomato sauce works with the sweetness of the prawn.
My only slight concern with this plate is there's oil everywhere.
If it was down to me, I'd go for the prawns with the pipette.
They've tried something really adventurous here and it does work.
Lovely.
'But it's not up to me.
Whoever has the most diners paying for their food tonight 'will be crowned The F Word's Best Local Spanish Restaurant.
' Before we get the results, I tried both dishes.
I thought they were fantastic.
OK, let's find out how you did.
JP, please, the results.
Let's start off with El Gato Negro.
Simon and Matt, the number of customers out of 25 that are happy to pay for their starters is Wow.
19 out of 25.
Well done, guys.
Well done.
That's very good, very good indeed.
Now, feedback - JP? More spicy, the chorizo.
So they wanted more spice? More on the season.
19 loved it, clearly.
OK, good.
Great start.
19 out of 25.
OK.
Lola Rojo, the number of customers out of 25 that are willing to pay for your starter is Wow.
Wow, wow, wow.
That is a surprise.
Nine out of 25.
Why? Too soggy.
The salad or the batter? The batter.
I thought those prawns were delicious.
I loved that little modern twist with the pipette.
I thought that was unique.
But you must keep that batter crispy, yeah? Do not drop your head now.
That was only 25 to cook for.
Now you've got 50 to cook for.
Clear down, get ready for the main course.
Well done.
'Next on the menu: Will El Gato Negro manage to hold their nerve and stay in the lead?' This is not a race.
Every single plate counts, yeah? 'In the recipe challenge, Kelly Brook dresses to impress.
' I've got some Prada Mary Janes on.
Is that not appropriate? 'And I risk my life searching for one of Spain's greatest seafoods.
' Shit! I must be off my fucking rocker! Now both restaurants are going to be cooking their main courses.
First up, Lola Rojo.
In their south London restaurant, Antonio and Cristina are determined to make their food authentic.
The idea of the restaurant was to mix very traditional tapas in a contemporary way.
Everything made from scratch.
They serve octopus fresh from Galicia and suckling pig from Salamanca.
Coming from Barcelona, Antonia and Cristina have a passion for seafood.
So their signature dish tonightis Antonio starts by dusting the turbot and sea bass fillets in flour, salt and pepper.
He fries the fish, adding chopped onion, garlic and paprika.
It's nice for the colour, and it's nice for the flavour, no? 'Next he grates the tomato.
' Use the plum tomato because the flavour of this tomato, I think, is better.
He adds fish stock, some boiled potatoes and clams.
To thicken the stew, Antonio creates a picada paste.
He mixes saffron, roast almonds, fried bread, garlic and flat leaf parsley, grinds it into a paste and adds it to the stew.
It's simmered for a minute and is ready to go.
Service! Costa Brava fish stewserved.
So, Antonio.
The name of the restaurant came from where? My first girlfriend You named your restaurant after your first girlfriend? Yeah.
And does Cristina know that? No! No! Simon, the secret behind this dish - what is it? A combination of soup and the sour dressing of the vinaigrette.
The texture in it as well.
Here's what El Gato Negro's cooking tonight.
El Gato Negro is a tiny tapas restaurant in Ripponden but head chef Simon has huge aspirations.
In his London days, he had 35 chefs working for him, but now with a team of four, Simon relies heavily on right hand man Matt.
Stick him in front of the stove and wind him up and he goes all night.
It's perfect.
So he's got the looks and I've got the brains.
I've always had the passion and desire to cook and been able to cook.
But Simon has pushed me that bit further.
Like he said, he's got the brains and I've got the looks, so let's make lots of money.
There you go, boys.
First, Simon fries sliced Charlotte potatoes in butter with baby spinach.
For the soup, he sweats down chopped shallots and garlic.
Next he adds peeled and sliced potatoes, rosemary and fish stock and simmers for 15 minutes.
He blends and sieves the mix, adding olive oil and seasoning.
To skin the tomatoes, he blanches them in boiling water.
I normally count 14 seconds, not out loud - that'll be in my head.
For the vinaigrette, he reduces sherry vinegar, then adds sultanas, olive oil, toasted pine nuts, the diced tomatoes and chopped parsley.
He seasons the sea bass and fries till golden.
I want it to stay nice and straight.
Sea bass with a warm potato, rosemary and olive oil soup served.
So, Simon you're mixing the spinach in with the potatoes.
Last minute, yeah.
It's a bit 1970s, using rings.
I just don't want it to fall, because it's got a soup in there as well.
Excellent.
Antonio, would you put Spanish food in a ring? Not too much.
The only ring you put is on your wife's finger? Yes? I love that paprika.
Is it smoked? Yes, smoked paprika.
With the starter, you told meyou didn't like smoked paprika.
(LAUGHS) Paprika chef, eh? Only for this dish.
Only for this dish? Is that it? You're happy with that? That's it, yeah.
Simon, Matt, that looks fantastic.
Well done.
Yeah, really good.
Well done.
Cross it off.
Let's go.
So the English have beaten the Spanish! Do you think Cristina will leave you if you lose to the English? She's very passionate.
Do you think Cristina will leave you if you lose to the English? She's very passionate.
Yes, yes.
She's terrible.
If she does leave you, you could go back to your ex-girlfriend, Lola! Very nice.
Thank you.
Thank you.
That looks lovely.
Go.
Well done.
Good, table one, please.
Cross it off, please.
This is fascinating.
Antonio had a really bad start.
His head went down and he became demoralised.
However, he's pulled it back.
The fish stew is absolutely delicious.
I'm impressed by Antonio's attitude, he bounces back immediately, which is a really good sign, so he's down but he's definitely not out.
El Gato Negro, that main course, there's something interesting.
He's got the sauteed potatoes mixed with the spinach, this delicious potato and rosemary soup, topped off with this wonderful sea bass, with acidic raisins.
Bizarre combination, but I think it really works.
What's next, after this last four? We've got four going now.
Four after that, yeah? Yes.
We're half way there.
Trust me, this is not a racer.
Every single plate counts.
Make the next half as good as the first half, excellent.
Goose barnacles taste fantastic, but they're incredibly difficult to get your hands on.
I'm in Galicia, on the north west coast of Spain, on the hunt for one of the region's most sought after delicacies.
Percebes, or goose barnacles.
They're delicious, expensive, everything a gourmet ingredient should be, but they're also at the bottom of a 300ft cliff.
My God.
The fast-flowing water of the Atlantic makes the goose barnacles stronger, fatter and tastier to eat.
But abseiling into it is the only way to reach them.
My God, this is insane.
The powerfulcurrents are not something to mess with.
Shit.
I must be off my fucking rocker.
Once the waves retreat I've got just 30 seconds to spot the goose barnacles and wrench them off the rocks.
My guide tells me if I hear a whistle Arriba.
Arriba.
It means the sea is crashing back in and I have to get out the way.
Oh, fuck.
The waves are knocking me all over the place.
I can see the goose barnacles, but I keep on being pushed in the wrong direction.
Finally, I've got my footing.
Fuck me, you've got to be quick.
But I'm concentrating so hard on the prize, I forget the first simple rule.
WHISTLE Listen for the whistle.
Fuck.
I've lost the fucking stick.
Shit.
Gracias.
Thank you.
You need a license to collect goose barnacles, but I was quickly starting to think, who would want one, given the risks.
Arriba.
Oh, shit! Breaking them off turns out to be the easy part.
I've only collected a few handfuls when disaster strikes.
Arriba! Everything I collectedwas lost.
Oh, fuck! Bag's gone.
This is by far the most dangerous fishing trip I've ever been on.
And I only managed a couple of handfuls before the tide filled the cove.
That was hard work.
I mean seriously hard work.
You're holding on and then when the wave wipes you out you're trying to focus on the grip, but it's so slippy down there.
From 100ft up the swell looks nothing.
Down there it's 2.
5, 3 metres high, and when it comes in, it comes in big time.
Whoa! Bloody hard.
A great job, yes? A great joint job.
Look at them.
They're beautiful.
What does that mean when they're slightly red? Buena calidad.
Mejor calidad.
The quality is the best.
I'm going to show you how to do the perfect percebes, tapas-style.
Yeah? Excellent.
The ultimate tapas, percebes.
Traditionally they're cooked in sea water, so no salt in there whatsoever.
First, I'll boil them in the sea water with bay leaves and a little olive oil.
Cook them one minute.
They say here in Spain, as long as it takes to say the Lord's Prayer.
Once they're cooked, I need to remove their tough skins.
The secret is to peel them when they're warm.
To finish them, a sherry sauce with shallots, bay leaves and a touch of fresh pepper.
Definitely no salt.
We have to be really quick.
A touch of sherry.
Nice.
A couple of tablespoons of cream.
Bring that up to the boil.
Add the rind and juice of one lemon.
And just squeeze.
Finish it in there.
Then, a couple of tablespoons of the cooking liquor.
That lets down the cream.
The secret here is to keep a nice, delicate balance.
Lemon out, and percebes in.
Literally in the cream for 30 seconds and finish with fresh parsley.
Really important they go in that cream for literally 30 seconds.
Any longer, it would be like having a mouthful of elastic bands.
Excellent.
Gentlemen, percebes, slightly different.
They are amazing.
Yes? Muchas gracias.
It is incredible, the taste.
They are actually loving it.
Are they fishing tomorrow? Manana tenets que faenar? Mm-hm.
Yes.
If they find my bag, I want my 300 fucking euros back, yeah? OK! Si encontrais la bolsa, quiere Gracias.
Muchas gracias.
Good.
Last table, Simon? OK, yeah.
Make it work, yeah? Good.
Well done.
Get some water, guys.
Well done.
Tonight it's up to the diners.
If they don't like it, they don't pay.
The fish was cooked to perfection.
The olive oil and the wilted spinach tasted great it looked superb.
I thought the raisins were cooked in vinegar, white wine vinegar or something like that, and that was really overpowering.
The fish stew was absolutely amazing.
A little bit on the salty side.
But really, really nice.
The fish was cooked perfectly.
The fish stew was very well-balanced and seasoned.
There was a taste of saffron without being overpowering, and the fish very well cooked.
Right, El Gato Negro's sea bass.
In terms of flavour, sea bass tastes nice.
Don't really get the potato on potato, the soup with the set of potatoes.
That doesn't make sense.
However, what does lift the dish is those wonderful raisins and pine nuts on top of the sea bass.
Lola Rojo's This is a classic fish stew, nothing glamorous, just great bold flavours.
That's lovely.
Perfectly-seasoned fish stew.
He's gone really ultra-modern on the starter, but for main course he's pulled it back a bit.
It'll be interesting to see what the diners prefer.
If it was my choice I'd go with the fish stew.
So, the results are in.
Simon, sea bass.
How well do you think you did out of 50? About 40? With such a great start you feel less confident only 40, not 50? I'm more nervous, actually.
More nervous? Yeah.
Antonio? The fish stew, out of 50, how well do you think you've done? 40? 40.
40? Yeah.
40.
40? Yeah.
JB, please.
Let's go to El Gato Negro first.
The number of customers that are happy to pay for your sea bass out of 50 is Well done.
32 out of 50, good news.
Very good news.
The 18 customers that didn't pay.
Feedback, please? Too much vinegar in the sauce.
Simon, happy with that, 32 out of 50? Simon, happy with that, 32 out of 50? So-so, I wanted to get to 40.
OK Antonio, the number of guests that are happy to pay for your fish stew out of 50is .
.
38 out of 50, well done.
CHEERING Really well done.
Really well done indeed.
That means when you combine the scores, yes, there is only four points in it now.
There's 25 covers each to cook for desserts, yes? That means every plate matters, and now this is neck and neck.
Clear down and get ready for dessert.
Really good job.
Time for the part of the show where I take on the celebrity and their favourite dish.
Tonight it's Kelly Brook, taking me on with her stuffed peppers.
But I reckon it's her that'll get stuffed.
Are you ready? Oh, really? This is a proper challenge! What are you cooking? I'm doing stuffed peppers.
Right.
It's a dish that Sounds dreadful.
Excuse me! Delicious.
Sorry, delicious.
I'm nervous now! The pressure! You're doing a stuffed pepper, I'm doing a stuffed tomato.
Please don't copy me.
This is tried and tested.
You grew up with a love of food? You grew up with a love of food? I did.
My mum is a fantastic cook.
What kind of things did she cook when you were a kid? Roast dinners.
Steak and kidney pie? She cooked everything from Indian to Chinese food.
Sweat the onions off, a bit of colour.
Touch of allspice and cinnamon.
Cook out the spices otherwise there's that raw flavour across the mince.
Ow, these are hot.
Pretty much ready to start making the mince.
You live with Danny, your long-term boyfriend.
Rugby star.
He's a lot younger than you? Does he keep you on your toes? Not a lot younger! Only a few years.
I'm eight years older than my wife.
Are you? Yes, she keeps me on my toes in a massive way.
OK.
OK.
He's nine years younger than you, so he keeps you on your toes, or stilettos.
I like to think I give him a run for his money.
What are your kitchen shoes? I've got some Prada Mary Janes on! Is that not appropriate? You blanched your peppers in boiling water.
I blanched mine in boiling water to take the skin off.
Sopeeled.
I'm going to cut the tops off now and then scrape out the insides.
I've just put in half a teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of mint, a pinch of oregano.
Just to flavour the mince.
You've got fresh mint.
I prefer dried mint.
I think it's tastier.
Really? Don't you? When fresh mint is available over dried, I'd rather go with fresh all the time.
Is that cos you're a snob, though? Far from it.
I want to win.
I'm toasting my pine nuts in with the mince.
I will add half a cup of rice.
Chop the remaining bits of tomato up.
Two-thirds mince, one-third rice.
And then just finish that with a little zest of lemon and lemon juice.
What are you making? A bit of drizzle to go over the peppers.
A bit of drizzle to go over the peppers.
You are so technical(!) Oops! Do you like eating food like this, or do you like poncey food? I'll eat anything.
I'll eat anything.
Because you make poncey food, don't you? Three Michelin stars.
That gives me gas, all that French food.
Did you say posh food gives you gas? It was horrendous! So Kelly's put feta cheese at the bottom.
I'm going at the top of my tomatoes with the feta.
That's what I was going to do! Oh, I've put mine in the bottom.
They now go in the oven for half an hour.
We come back and the blindtasters taste them.
Next on the menu, will Lola Rojo continue their fightback with a dessert to become the F Word's best local Spanish restaurant? Every plate, make sure you're exactly over it.
You're only four points behind.
Come on.
And find out if Kelly Brook's peppers have stuffed me in the recipe challenge.
The winner is Welcome back to The F Word.
Time for the results of the recipe challenge.
Are you excited? Time for the results of the recipe challenge.
Are you excited? Very excited.
Oh, God! They do look all right, actually.
I'm pleasantly surprised! What do you think? Yours looks fantastic.
Off you go.
Think of your job, JB! Hi, everyone.
There you go.
Shall we start with this one? Oh, I can smell the cinnamon.
I'm big fan of cinnamon.
I'm big fan of cinnamon.
Yeah, me too.
Oh, and a bit of feta.
Shall we try the next one? I think that one looks nicer.
This looks a little bit burnt on the outside.
A little bit dry.
The aftertaste of the meat is pretty good, though.
I'm so terrified, I can't even tell you! He's got that little smirk on his face.
Give me the good news and deliver Kelly the bad news.
What was the score? What was the score? It's four to one.
Of course it'll be four to one.
Yeah, four to one.
Yeah, four to one.
Sorry, Kelly.
That's really bad.
So, to who? The winner is Go on, then.
Go on, then.
Kelly.
Are you joking?! Four to one! Four to one.
Are you serious? Are you serious?! Of course I'm serious.
Four to one? Why? Jesus Christ almighty.
The rice wasn't cooked properly.
Why did they like Kelly's? They loved the spices, the cinnamons.
What about the dried herbs? I put fresh herbs in mine.
I put love into mine, you just put a lot of anger.
You know, love! You've got to love your food.
4-1, are you Not 3-2, a tie-breaker? Can we have a rematch? Can we have a rematch? No! Oh, Jesus! I'm busy, I've got to move on.
But it was nice working with you.
Right.
Congratulations, I've been stuffed.
Do me a favour and get out of my kitchen.
Well done, my darling.
Oh, shit! 4-1?! Champagne, please! Now it's time for my dessert, churros and chocolate.
Churros with hot chocolate, the Spanish equivalent to our doughnuts.
Hot, sticky and incredibly moreish.
First off, the hot chocolate.
300mls of double cream Vanilla pod Cinnamon stick Chilli Orange zest.
Heat and infuse.
Strain.
150 grams of dark chocolate, melt.
Next, the churros dough.
200mls of water, 50 grams of butter, melt.
Add flour to the mixer with a pinch of salt, pour in the melted butter and mix to a smooth paste.
Piping bag.
Fill Chill.
Hot pan, vegetable oil.
Pipe, snip.
The secret is to get the dough really nice and crispy.
Caster sugar and ground cinnamon, coat.
Chocolate Churros with hot chocolate, done.
Both brigades are making my Spanish dessert recipe.
Simon, something you'd put on your menu? Haven't done them, but would love to do 'em.
The scores are close.
Everything rests on this last course.
Guys, make this count, only four points different in this.
If El Gato Negro take the title tonight, it will propel this tiny place into the big time.
I don't want to go all the way to do half a job.
We've got our sights set on winning it.
And victory for Lola Rojo will mean a local London restaurant becomes a star in the capital.
To win the competition would be exciting.
That achievement is amazing.
So, gentlemen, Antonio, Simon, these last dishes here are going to determine who is first and who is second.
Every plate, make sure you're exactly over it.
You're only four points behind, come on.
Churros are a classic Spanish treat food, but I think they make a great dessert.
They're deceptively tricky to make, but well worth the effort.
Why are your churros bigger than Simon's? Why? Because we need four points more! Good.
Service, please.
Table 16.
Not too many in there, Antonio.
Antonio needs to be careful too many in the fryer and they won't cook properly.
Four more away.
This is the last table, yes? Last two portions, Matt.
Keep it going, excellent.
Right, churros.
El Gato Negro, can they beat the Spaniards at their own classic dessert? A lot smaller, cooked in the centre.
Sauce They're good.
Right.
Lola Rojo.
Wow, that's surprising.
A little bit too big, but, more importantly, that is raw.
That tip there is just cooked.
Taste-wise, fantastic.
Chocolate sauce, brilliant.
However, I'm absolutely devastated at the rawness and, for me, the big question across the desserts is why didn't they cook one and taste it? The chocolate sauce was lovely and gooey and really, really nice.
The doughnuts were lovely as well.
Lots of cinnamon on them so they were really delicious.
Fantastic.
The crispiness on the outside, the softness and just dip it in the chocolate, fantastic.
I liked the cinnamon flavour on the churros.
But the dough was sticky inside.
I don't know whether that was because it was undercooked, but it was a bit sticky inside.
The chocolate was fine but, for me, the churros was undercooked.
So the results are in and it's time to find out who's our winner.
Simon, how well do you think you did? Not as confident as the main course, if I'm honest.
No? Antonio, you grew up with them.
Out of 25 customers, how well do you think you did? 15, 16? OK, let's find out how you did.
JB, thank you.
Let's start off with Lola Rojo.
Now, for dessert, the number of customers happy to pay out of 25 is Blimey.
.
.
14 out of 25.
11 customers didn't pay.
Why not? One main reason - undercooked.
Did you taste the first one, second one? I taste.
So, El Gato Negro, that means if you get more than ten, then you are The F Word's best local Spanish restaurant.
OK.
The number of customers that are happy to pay for your dessert out of 25 .
.
is 23 out of 25.
Well done.
Do yourselves a big favour - get out there and get a glass of vino.
Well done, congratulations.
Well done.
Really well done.
Congratulations.
Matt, well done.
Lift it up like that.
Passing it round, yeah.
Whatever you do, don't lose it on the train tomorrow, will you? El Gato Negro are straight into fourth place on The F Word leaderboard.
But will their score earn them a place in the semifinal? Next week, my search for The F Word's best local restaurant reaches across the Atlantic to North and South America.
A restaurant true to my heart, not a vegetarian in sight anywhere.
Will your favourite be in the running? And I'll be flocking to Canada, hunting snow geese.
I've done some really crazy things for food in my life, but nothing to this extent.
The diners have eaten some fantastic food tonight.
If you want to cook any of the recipes, visit The F Word website.
Thank you for watching, good night.