(dramatic music) - Few things bring me more pleasure than cooking.

Gosh, that's great, isn't it?

And eating.

That's a bit of all right.

But there are certain dishes that I just can't get enough of.

I'm going to show you some of my simplest mouth-watering recipes that are warming and comforting.

(Mary and man speaking foreign language) And after braving the elements... You can do better!

Come on, come on!

What could be better to come back to?

That looks just like a hug in a pan.

(bright music) This is the food that makes you feel that everything will be all right.

(bright music) (gentle music) When I think of Ireland, I think of colorful towns, beautiful scenery...

There's a good boy.

And unpredictable weather.

Yes, it certainly rains in Ireland, making this landscape lush and green.

And it's good to come home to some hearty, warming dishes.

(gentle music) Ireland's food is its beating heart.

So much so that their glorious recipes are found all around the world.

(gentle music) Considering I'm in Ireland, it might seem a little bit odd that I'm starting at the English Market.

Not quite what you'd expect in Cork, but I promise you it's an absolute gem.

(gentle music) The market has been here since 1788.

It is said to have survived fire and famine, revolution and war, depression and boom.

I'm lucky to have Kay Hart as my guide.

She and her daughter, Rebecca, run Farmgate, the family cafe that's been based in the market for 25 years.

- Mary, it's a great pleasure to have you in the market.

We're very excited about this.

- Oh, well, I'm thrilled to be here.

- This market was established for the British living in Cork at the time.

And also, what's kind of interesting about it is that we were also very instrumental in feeding the British troops over the years.

(jazzy music) - [Mary] But those days are long gone.

This market is now the bloodline for the local community and a draw for thousands of tourists, who flock to Cork each year.

- We have such a cross section of nationalities here as well, that now we're making things like Lavash bread from Lebanon, made by a Lebanese baker.

- Really?

- Because we encourage the bakers to make their own traditional breads.

- [Mary] Tucked away in the fresh fruit and veg, there are some exotic finds, like this Buddha's hand.

- [Woman] So what you do you actually do with that?

- You put it in cocktails and it tastes of lemon, but-- - Are you serious?

I don't think I've ever seen it before.

- [Mary] There's one stall that's really caught my eye.

- Pat, this is Mary Berry.

- Is it really?

- The one and only Mary Berry.

Yeah, exactly.

- Very pleased to meet you.

- Gosh, what a handshake!

And look at that monkfish.

- That's the mother-in-law fish - Ah.

- That's what we call it in Cork, the mother-in-law fish.

- What, 'cause it's got such an ugly face or something?

- Indeed.

(laughing) That's the only tuna that we got in yesterday evening.

250 kilos.

These are gurnards.

- [Mary] I don't like gurnard.

- Do you not?

- No, I don't.

- Why not?

- Oh, I don't like the way they look at me for a start.

(Pat laughs) - You know what they say, never judge a book by its cover.

- Do you have smoked cod?

- We smoke haddock ourselves, in our own smokehouse in Bandon.

- Oh, right, but do you dye it like that?

- No.

- No.

'Cause my husband thought that smoked haddock came out of the sea yellow.

(Pat laughs) (gentle music) I shouldn't mock my husband.

There's a one-pot fish dish that he adores.

It's the perfect recipe to cheer up anyone on a rainy day.

A salmon fennel shallot in a delicious creamy wine sauce cooked in no time.

Not at all complicated.

(butter sizzling) Start with sizzling butter.

Add the fennel and the sliced shallots.

And they give a lovely base to the salmon.

Softening for eight to ten minutes will bring out all the sweetness.

This salmon is beautifully fresh and a good thickness.

I rather like having two pieces rather than one.

This has become translucent.

It's getting tender.

But I can't add the fish before adding a dash of something special.

So I've got 150.

It's a very small glass.

And I have to say, I have a little more than that in the evening.

When the wine has reduced, add 200 mil of full fat creme fraiche.

And that little bit of sharpness you get with creme fraiche all adds to the flavor.

It wouldn't be one of my dishes without some cracked black pepper.

Now we're ready to place this succulent salmon on top.

The salmon will cook in the steam.

Only be a couple of minutes.

And I'm turning that down gently.

I've got a little bowl of peas and they're the petit pois.

And they just add interesting color as well as flavor.

You see how that immediately gives it a lift?

A squeeze of lemon will bring it all together.

And if I were a chef, I would be able to squeeze like that and a lot would come out.

With me there doesn't seem to be any muscle there.

(gentle music) I'd better put a little parsley over the top.

This really is delightful and effortless.

What would I have with it?

Certainly the rest of that wine on the side.

(gentle music) My salmon and fennel one-pot wonder is just one of the dishes inspired by this exceptional market.

Everywhere I look, there's so much else I'd like to try.

(bright music) Well, maybe not everything.

Well, I don't think I'll buy any tails today.

(bright music) When people say they don't know about lamb, I said, "It's got two legs at the front, "two legs at the back, and chops in the middle."

So, it's easy, isn't it?

But I'm desperate to taste some of the traditional Irish fare.

Like the potato classics and simmering stews that are made upstairs in Kay's cafe.

(bright music) Wonderful smells here!

Hello.

- Hello.

- It's a small kitchen for serving 250 people a day.

- Well, everything is at hand, I suppose.

It is, it's tight, and we're busy, but, erm, yeah, everything is here.

So the stew is just over here, gently bubbling.

Yeah, we keep it on all through lunch, so there's a lovely big bouquet bouquet garni in there of thyme and bay leaves and all the usual suspects.

- [Mary] Onions and carrots.

- So, there's, you have to dig deep, 'cause the barley sinks.

Hearty barley.

- Oh, there's barley in it!

- Yeah.

Loads of pearl barley.

- [Mary] So it's an un-thickened stew.

- [Chef] Yeah.

- [Mary] Pearl barley, carrots.

- [Chef] Yeah.

- Is that swede?

- Yeah, it's swede, or as we call it turnip.

So yeah, it's just really, really simple and the broth is brown from browning the lamb, so it's, and the onions.

- And you brown the lamb first?

- Yep.

And that's it.

- Nectar!

Beautifully tender.

The other specialty here is the boxty potato pancake.

It's really half pancake and half hash brown, served here with black pudding, caramelized onions, and watercress.

Mm!

- [Woman] That is good.

- You know what's making that?

It's the grated raw potato in with the potato mash.

- We specialize here in what you'd call comfort food.

- [Mary] Mm!

Market food.

- And market food, yeah, and in comfort.

I mean, it's cold at the moment, so all our dishes are really warm.

- And delicious.

No wonder you have it in the cafe and it goes so well.

- Mm.

(laughs) (upbeat music) - [Mary] There's a more famous Irish potato dish that I want to make.

Colcannon is as heartening as it gets, perfect to serve alongside heavenly slow-cooked pork.

Hand and spring or shoulder is a traditional cut of meat, not at all popular because it has this big bone in.

But slow-roasted, it's perfect.

Start with onions and garlic, sage and bay leaf, all in the bottom of a roasting tin.

Score the skin, sprinkle on some salt, and rub in a little oil.

(gentle music) Into the pan on top of those herbs and onion and garlic.

Add hot stock.

That's going to make it beautifully moist and also partly make the gravy.

Place in the oven at 200 fan to give it a good start.

What I like about something like roast pork, as soon as the family come in, they'll begin sort of sniffing and say, "Oh, we can't wait for lunch."

That wonderful smell of a family roast.

It's very comforting.

After about 45 minutes, just turn the temperature down to 130 fan and leave for another three hours.

I love a slow roast.

It's particularly good if you have a family that are sometimes a little bit late for lunch.

It just cooks to perfection.

It does it without any attention.

Now for my simple colcannon.

Melt a knob of butter in a hot pan with two tablespoons each of cream and milk.

Throw in the boiled potatoes, turn off the heat, and start mashing.

I like a fairly soft mash for the colcannon.

Get on top of it and press it down till it's beautifully smooth.

That's a beautiful creamy mash.

But to make it even better, spring onions and cabbage.

So first of all, a generous, huge knob of butter in there.

(butter sizzling) Cook these gorgeous green vegetables for about five minutes before adding the mash.

Gosh, that's great, isn't it?

I could eat it right now on its own.

(bright music) It's one of the simplest things in life and it is so delicious.

The slow-cooked pork is now ready to make some super crackly crackling.

There it is.

Now, it doesn't look like crackling at the moment, but you wait till it's been in a nice, hot oven.

Just cut the skin into thin strips.

And for the ultimate crunch, 10 minutes in a hot oven will do it.

Keep an eye on it.

You don't want to burn it after all that effort.

(gentle music) Right, let's have a look at the crackling.

Really, really crispy.

Look at that.

Enough for everyone.

And just listen as I bang it on the dish.

(tapping crackling) (crackling snaps) Bit like pork scratchings.

My slow roast hand and spring with melting onion gravy and the wonderful colcannon on the side.

What a celebration of Ireland.

I can think of nothing more warming than this dish.

And I'm ready to dig in right now.

(gentle music) How could I hate this weather when it inspires so many warming dishes?

Nothing is going to stop me getting out and about and believe it or not, I am now in search of water.

The water of life, that is.

Ireland is really famous for its hearty homegrown food, but there's something else that I want to try.

Here at the Midleton Distillery, the whiskey cannot be called Irish until it's been matured on the island for at least three years.

I'm here to meet Jer, who is a fifth generation cooper.

There used to be 10,000 barrel makers in Ireland.

Now there are just four left.

- Well, hello, Mary.

- Hello.

So, you're the master cooper.

- I'm the master cooper here in Midleton Distillery, working for Jameson, so, yes.

- It looks very hard work to me.

- Yes, there's a lot of hard work, but there's a lot of skill in it.

Everything I do is by eye and by hand.

My own family have been working at this craft for over 200 years.

- 200 years?

- So it's been handed down from father to son.

- So your dad was a cooper?

- My dad, my granddad, my great-granddad.

- And what about your children?

- I have daughters.

- Oh, well, why not?

- But my youngest daughter prefers to cook your recipes.

- How long does it actually take from start to finish to make a barrel?

- So, traditionally, if you're using the tools my dad would have used, such as an ax and various other things, it would have taken one day to make one of these.

- So how long will it take you to finish this barrel?

- Well, if you'll give me a couple of minutes and we'll see how fast I can do it.

- Well, okay, I'll time you.

- Time me.

(playful music) Is that quick enough?

- I thought that was very quick.

- Thank you very much.

- I thought you did very well.

- Okay, Mary, it's a cold day outside.

Let's go light a fire and cook all this beautiful oak.

- You lead the way.

- Let's go.

(gentle music) - Now for the fun.

We're going to set fire to the barrel, to caramelize and crystallize all the sugars and vanillas in the oak.

Don't worry, I was a Girl Guide, I know what to do.

A lot of color and flavor in the whiskey comes from charring the wood.

- So the kindling is just so the barrel will catch on fire.

And the char will also act as a kind of filter to take out some impurities out of the whiskey.

If you didn't do it, your whiskey would be very sour.

This gets rid of a lot of the tannin.

- You've got your gloves ready.

- And I've cut my gloves ready because tannin gets on your hand and is very hard to get off.

So, I always make sure I wear some gloves.

(bright music) So now I've smothered it.

- Yes.

- So that the smoke will hold the fire as well, so we lave it go for a couple of seconds, then I'll remove it and you'll see a beaut plume of smoke.

- Ah!

- And we need to go upwind.

(laughs) (bright music) And then we just put the lid back on.

And we can leave it like that and we can go back to the cooperage.

- Right.

And it'll put itself out?

- And it'll put itself out.

- [Mary] After all that excitement, I was very grateful to meet Brian Nation, the head distiller, who promised me a drop of the hard stuff.

- So this has been sitting in a cask for 18 years.

- 18 years?

- 18 years, yes.

- It perks you up just popping your nose in there.

- Absolutely.

And if you'd like to taste.

Now, even though this is probably 57% alcohol, you get that lovely vanilla sweetness and that charred oak.

- Well, I can tell you, it's been pouring with rain all day, I've been quite cold, and this has warmed my cockles.

- Definitely a lovely way to finish up.

- I'll have a drop more.

- Absolutely.

(gentle music) - Whiskey might not be everybody's first choice to get the damp out of your bones, so here's a delicious slow-cooked lamb stew which will do the job just as well.

I couldn't have gone to Ireland without making a stew and this one is simplicity itself.

I'm using a kilo of boned lamb neck fillet.

It's a great favorite of mine because it's both lean and full of flavor.

But it will need time in the oven.

Now, it should sizzle, so she's standing back.

(meat sizzling) I'm cooking this fast at this stage, and as you can see at the bottom there, a little bit of sediment sticks to the pan.

I scratch it off and that little bit of color and sediment will add to the flavor of my casserole.

(gentle music) When the lamb has browned, start cooking the sliced celery and onion, with a clove of crushed garlic.

(food sizzling) Now, I'm going to soften that down.

And as the moisture comes out of the onion, I'm going to make sure that I take up that brown sediment there, you see, at the bottom, and again, that will add to the color of the casserole.

Right, to the spices.

Add a tablespoon of cumin and curry powder.

Now, this isn't a curry dish, it just gives it a lift.

This smells divine.

It smells hot and warming.

Turn up the heat and throw in a tin of chopped tomatoes and 450 mil of beef stock, which will bring all those veg together.

It's important when you're making a stew to put things in in the right order.

If I put the whole lot in together, it would all be a bit mushy and would be overcooked.

For even more richness, I'm adding tomato paste and my little secret: mango chutney.

You may think mango chutney is an unusual ingredient for a stew, but I find that it just adds to the flavor.

(stew sizzling) Finally, it's time to add that last bit of seasoning and then return the lamb to the pan.

Give it a gentle stir.

And then when it's come to a full rolling boil, which it has... Just look at that.

(gentle music) Put the lid on and it'll cook very gently for one hour at 140.

I can get on with the last couple of ingredients.

Two sweet potatoes and a can of haricot beans.

My husband would like butter beans, but I think these little beans will take on the flavor of that wonderful sauce.

We always think of Ireland and potatoes, but there are all different kinds and it's well worth trying the sweet potato.

Give it a good stir.

Put the lid back on and into the oven for 45 minutes.

(gentle music) Well, we've waited for this.

Wow!

Oh, it smells amazing!

You can see all the elements.

The beans, the sweet potatoes, the tomatoes, and lovely brown meat that's so tender.

I can't resist having a taste.

It's hot, it's going to burn me, but it's going to be worth it.

I promise you that just melts in your mouth.

A really hearty, gorgeous family meal.

And it looks after itself.

(gentle music) (bright music) In my book, few things can't be improved by a little bit of butter.

Cork was once the global center for butter, exporting up to half a million barrels a year, all around the world.

For centuries, this road was a lifeline for local farmers who needed to sell their wares at Cork's butter exchange.

I want to see this famous road.

So Butter Road expert Pat Noonan is taking me to find it.

(upbeat music) He's even promised me a picnic when we get there.

(upbeat music) If the weather had been kinder, I might've gone all the way to West Kerry, but we've stopped here at a stone bench known as the Kerryman's Table.

Seems we won't let the rain stop us.

- Welcome to Ireland.

(laughs) - Tell me about the Butter Road.

- Ah, well this is the resting place where the people would stop overnight.

It'd take three days to get to Cork.

And they'd stop here and they'd probably meet other people and might get more butter to transport along the way.

- [Mary] Well, there's plenty of butter on there.

- [Pat] Oh, yeah.

- [Mary] Which I love.

- [Pat] Well, Mary, would you like some tea?

- I'd like a whiskey toddy, which would be more on the mark, but I'll make do with tea.

- [Pat] Yeah, to keep you going.

Get that into you.

- That'll warm the cockles.

- [Pat] (laughs) It sure will.

(gentle music) - [Mary] In this weather, I can only imagine the hardships of traipsing the 70 mile stretch by horse and cart.

I'm so lucky to have a ride and the knowledge that my next stop in Clonmel will serve up the ultimate comfort, some delicious buttered cake.

(gentle music) I've made a tremendous number of cakes in my time, but I've never made one that can tell your fortune.

(gentle music) Nuala is queen of the barm brack cake, a magical bit of baking that's been at the heart of this family for almost 120 years.

- Mary Berry.

So good to have you here in Clonmel.

You're very, very welcome.

- I've come a long way to taste your cakes.

I particularly want to taste that cake that will tell my fortune.

Mind you, I can't believe it.

- That's our barm brack.

So come this way and I'll show you how to make them.

- Okay, I'm there.

Tell me what we're up to.

- We've been baking barm bracks here for four generations.

It's unbaked with lots of fruitiness.

- (laughing) It's such a heavy dough!

- Yeah.

- Has this cake got a long history?

- Oh, my goodness, yes.

It goes right back to pagan times.

Halloween originally came from Ireland.

(speaking foreign language), as we call it in Irish, the end of summer.

And they'd party and have this traditional barm brack with the charms.

- So these are the little charms that are actually inside.

It's a bit like our Christmas pudding.

We used to work coins in.

What are they?

What do they mean?

- Well, the P is for plenty.

The coin is for wealth.

The stick, we say you're going to get a beating.

Or you're going to beat somebody up.

- That's a bit cruel!

- Yeah, it is.

That's not a nice one.

The ring, you're going to be married and live happily ever after.

The button, a bachelor or a spinster.

And the rag, you're going to be poor.

- And so you put those, already wrapped up in parchment paper, into the roll of dough.

- Into the dough, yes.

- And actually, when you look or come across it, you don't actually know what it is.

- No, until you-- - It's a secret!

- Yes, until you slice it.

- Oh, gosh!

So we owe Halloween to Ireland.

Fancy that!

Apparently, years ago, religious medals could also be found in the brack, predicting a life in the holy orders.

- [Nuala] Now, Mary, the moment of truth.

- Erm... - [Nuala] We see what your fortune has to tell.

Ooh!

What have we?

- There's something there.

- [Nuala] Now, Mary, that's your slice.

- Right.

- [Nuala] Cut open the brack there and see what is it?

- [Mary] That isn't the money, it's wealth.

- [Nuala] A woman of wealth.

- I promise I'll share it.

Ah, ah!

I see something peaking through there.

- Oh, dear God almighty, I'm going to get a beating.

- Ah!

(Nuala laughing) Have you ever had that before?

- No.

You got me, Mary!

- Ah, but I've go the wealth.

(Nuala laughs) Well, my cakes might not be able to predict your future, but I can tell you, eat enough of this one and you won't worry about what tomorrow brings.

This cake is an absolute cracker.

Dead easy to make and I've called it coffee praline cake.

There's not much I don't know about cake and I'll pass it on to you.

Dissolve some coffee granules in the bottom of a bowl.

Add four large eggs, 225 grams of baking spread, sugar and flour, then one teaspoon of baking powder and beat together.

(mixer whirring) That is beautifully smooth.

Divide the mix between two tins and place in the oven at 160 fan for 30 minutes.

Could anything be easier?

Pralines sounds very posh.

It is simply a caramel with nuts.

Take a stainless steel pan, sugar, and four tablespoons of water.

It really is very, very easy if you follow the rules.

And the first rule is don't be tempted to leave it.

Quite a lot of cooking and baking is about patience.

And this is one of those times.

When the syrup is clear, turn up the heat and get boiling.

And what you'll notice is you can actually hear that bubbling.

Suddenly the noise will go quiet.

And then you want to look at it and see that it's becoming straw colored.

Don't be tempted to stir it.

(gentle music) It's like children.

When it's quiet, you know it's the time to watch.

The bubbles are dying down.

That means that all the water has been driven off.

And that's nearly the color.

It's brown, that's absolutely fine.

I've turned the heat off.

In go the hazelnuts.

Swirl it round.

(gentle music) And then just pour it on.

(gentle music) Put it to one side and let it set.

While the cakes cool, I'm whipping up my icing of coffee, butter, and sugar.

That's it, didn't take too many minutes.

Now I'm all set to crush the pralines.

(gentle music) And I always liked to have icing in the middle and on the top, but you can choose.

It's a very generous filling.

Then put the other one on top.

There it is, going on.

Push the icing right to the edges.

And then simply put the rest of the nuts on top like this.

What could be better than having a slice of this celebration cake and an Irish coffee?

Just the thing at the end of the day.

(gentle music) I've eaten and drunk my way around Ireland and I've enjoyed every minute of their wonderful hospitality.

But there's just one thing I want to do before I leave.

(gentle music) This amazing castle apparently holds the key to the gift of the gab.

But will it be worth it?

Blarney Castle was a medieval stronghold and in 1446, a stone, believed to have magic powers, was set into the wall.

To this very day, people travel from around the globe to give the stone a kiss.

(gentle music) I wonder how many people have climbed these 127 steps in the hope that they will never be again lost for words.

Oh!

Wow, that was a climb!

Masses of steps.

It seems to kiss the stone, you have to lean backwards over a sheer drop.

- You're nearly there, I've got ya.

Come on, another little bit.

Nearly there and kiss.

Well done, there you go.

- Goodness gracious!

Do you know, I'm sure it's worth it to you young things.

I'm very happy to just blow it a kiss.

(gentle music) Time will tell if I'm any more eloquent, but I'm certainly a little fitter after all those stairs.

(gentle music) I will never forget my enchanting visit to Ireland.

The amazing emerald green fields, washed by the rain.

Next time.

(men singing) I'm exploring a taste of home.

That certainly was a welcome!

With recipes we always return to.

I think that looks wonderful!

Bringing friends and family together.

- [All] Happy Diwali!

(dramatic music)