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>> BOURDAIN: It's all offal and leftovers in this episode of the Mind of a Chef.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Leftovers in general, they're amazing.

>> BOURDAIN: April Bloomfield prepares bubble and squeak.

>> BLOOMFIELD: You know, I like to eat food where it touches my soul.

>> BOURDAIN: Chef Chris Cosentino makes pigskin pasta.

(chuckles) >> That's what food is supposed to do, it's supposed to give you that amazing taste memories.

>> BOURDAIN: In San Francisco, Chef Brandon Jew gives April a tour of Chinatown and prepares Cantonese-style fish head.

>> BLOOMFIELD: This is a first for me.

>> I know.

>> BOURDAIN: And chef Fergus Henderson makes deviled kidneys.

>> It is such a jewel-like thing, a kidney.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Delicious.

>> BOURDAIN: Enter The Mind of a Chef.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Sometimes it's the simplest stuff that really kind of blows your mind.

This is the best thing I think you'll ever eat.

>> BLOOMFIELD: It's got some nice cheeks.

So leftovers could be like a couple of things.

It could be something that's left over from the night before that you're using up in another dish.

But it also could be something offal-y, something like, you know, internal that you can use into something amazing.

We started eating offal as a necessity.

That was always the first thing to be eaten on an animal if you just, you know, killed it and processed it.

And then if you have leftover stuff it's good to be creative.

It's not like you're just going to throw it into the garbage.

I always do like a little check in the garbage and if I see anything in there that shouldn't be in there, all hell breaks loose.

Leftovers, for me, when I think of that, I think of bubble and squeak.

So this dish is something my mother used to make.

Bubble and squeak, they say, means when you put it in the hot pan it bubbles and it kind of squeaks a little bit because you start with a hot pan, you know, so you get this kind of crust on it.

It probably won't bubble or squeak, but it's kind of a nice story.

This is basically how my mother showed me how to make it with leftovers.

So, roasted veggies, some nice Thumbelina carrots.

Some beets.

I like to have beets with my roast and then I've got some fennel.

You know, I like all those kind of perfume-y vegetables.

Red onion and then some celeriac.

I quite like to eat this for breakfast, you know, because I've had my big roast dinner on a Sunday, you know, gone to bed very happy, but once you've had a big meal like that, you're normally quite hungry in the morning.

So I usually like to fry an egg, fry my bubble and then some bacon.

Leftovers in general, I mean my thoughts, I mean, they're amazing.

You can just do so much.

I don't know, I think they're so versatile, you know.

Soups are normally a good thing to make.

Okay, so I've got some thyme, I've got some olive oil and I'm just going to kind of gently coat, you know, the vegetables in the oil.

Some little salt flakes.

You know, really season them.

And we're going to cook these probably at like 350 until they're all caramelized and nice and soft.

So these have been in for about 30 minutes.

They're lovely and like look at this celeriac, it's all really nice and soft.

It's absorbed some of that nice oil, you know.

You know, I like to eat food where it touches my soul, you know, not so much my mind, you know.

I like to have that connection with just... Of course, you know, I like to think and use my brain but I don't know, when you have it hit like that it's just earth-moving, you know.

It's very satisfying for your soul to eat food like that.

Okay.

Mashed potatoes.

Just go easy at the beginning.

I might go a little bit more.

It really kind of just transports myself back to when I was, you know, young.

You know, whenever I want a little comfort at home, you know, I've had a hard day at work, you know, I like this kind of stuff.

Good roast chicken, nice bubble and squeak.

(pan sizzles) There's a sizzle, it's not a squeak, but... You know, you want it to get warm inside even though we've used warm veggies.

You kind of want this a little bit more.

Might add a little bit of butter.

Just sneak it around each edge.

I like to top and tail my bacon, you know, so you have a little bit more space.

I'm going to just let that sit for a sec.

I'm going to check on my bubble.

It's starting to get a little bit crispy.

Slowly turn it over, just because it's got a really nice color right now.

(popping) You hear that sound?

It's really important.

Okay, add some salt.

You know, salt everywhere, you know, a little bit on the yolk.

A knob of butter.

So it should get some nice crispiness and steam at the same time.

So my egg's ready, I'm just going to lift it up to give it a little drain.

My bubble is ready.

This is exciting.

And I'm just going to kind of pile it up, you know.

Oh gosh, look at that bit right there.

Look at that.

I mean that's all you want for breakfast, really, it's like leftovers.

So Chris Cosentino, my bud, my buddy, my brother in arms.

We love everything porky.

I remember you cooking this dish we're about to cook, the pigskin spaghetti, and I had it in Portland, it was the first time I had it.

This one was amazing.

I mean it's when you eat something and you kind of, you know, you eat it and you're like... And you kind of like... stop for a second and it feels like you've been hit on the head with a pan.

Amazing.

>> That's, I mean, that's what food is supposed to do.

It's supposed to give you that amazing taste memories.

>> BLOOMFIELD: A lot of people don't know what to do with pig skin, right, so like they either throw it away or they make chicharrones.

>> I mean, look at this, you've got this giant, big cap.

But then what do you do with this?

We take that skin, you marinate it with salt and pepper, whole vegetables and then we gently simmer it in a large Rondo with like a lot of water.

Once it's done we lay it on a sheet tray and cool it.

And then we get this.

Okay?

>> BLOOMFIELD: Yeah.

>> But we have to take off the fat, just like the chicharron.

So we actually use a bench scraper.

So you want to make some spaghetti?

>> BLOOMFIELD: Yeah, I do, yeah.

>> Okay, so old school, straight up pasta machine.

Wrap the machine, because you don't want any of that pork fat in your pasta.

You turn it, I'll push.

>> BLOOMFIELD: It's like a wheel game.

>> Ferris wheel.

Go for it, yeah, yeah, go.

There we go, see, here she comes.

(imitates circus music) Turn that monkey wheel... boom, done!

We have these accordion-- look at this.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Oh my gosh.

>> So we're going to have to actually separate these one at a time.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Okay, cool.

This is like Play-Doh, this, you know.

>> It's the calm before the storm, you know, it's kind of fun.

But the key with this is we can't drop it in pasta water.

So the whole noodle heats up in the sauce.

So.

Porca Puttana.

April, there's a bottle of olive oil.

Do you mind grabbing it?

Can you reach?

No, I gotcha.

>> BLOOMFIELD: I'm a munchkin.

You're not a munchkin-- I got it, here we go.

Start with a little bit of peppery Coratina.

So we're going to do pig skin spaghetti puttanesca.

Okay, just like you had.

So I'm going to sweat out some red onions.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Great, the chilies are right here, too.

>> Little bit of garlic, I don't like it too fine.

All right, why don't you get those chilies in here.

So these are salt-packed.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Yeah, these are delicious, aren't they?

>> They got a really nice zing.

Okay, so I want to take it and just make sure my anchovies kind of bloomed out, almost like you would bloom out that curry.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Yeah.

>> Little bit of Sicilian Red from Mt.

Etna.

>> BLOOMFIELD: It smells so good.

>> So I'm just going to start breaking up some olives because I don't like them too small.

Okay, so we're pretty much dry here.

So I'm going to start lumping in my tomato.

I like to take it brick red.

>> BLOOMFIELD: It already smells balanced, you know, you got that-- the acidity from the wine, saltiness from the anchovy, the umami coming.

You know, it's just going to be so delicious.

>> There's something to be said for classics, you know, those classic sauces and I think we forget about them a lot.

So we're starting to get that nice brick red.

In with the skin.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Great.

What about the orange?

>> We're going to add that in in a second.

I was just going to see if you could grab me that microplane.

Can you reach?

Perfect.

I put everything as far away from you as humanly possible today.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Yeah, I know.

>> I love the freshness, you know.

The Moors brought blood oranges to Sicily.

Okay.

Olives.

Give these a good mix before you add those herbs.

Mint and parsley.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Perfect combo.

>> Look at that, a one-spoon shot.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Well done, Chef.

>> And I didn't get any on the rim, Chef.

You don't have to clean it.

(Bloomfield laughs) >> The one difference about San Francisco's Chinatown-- besides that it's really big-- is that most of the immigrants still live here.

>> BLOOMFIELD: It's kind of cool.

It's what keeps it raw, you know?

>> It is, it is.

>> BLOOMFIELD: It keeps those kind of traditions and the smells and the noises.

That's like the whole thing in Chinatown, you know.

>> Totally.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Going to Chinatown in San Francisco was really exciting.

>> I always like looking in the windowsills because you'll see, like, Chinese bacon being dried, and then, like, grandma underwear hanging out.

It's really funny.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Yeah, I like the washing, you know?

Especially to be able to go with Brandon just because he knows his way around.

So this is where you used to come with your grandmother, and used to shop, get your vegetables.

>> Yeah, so these are the kind of places that are the inspiration for what I want to do next.

Peking duck, soy sauce chicken.

>> BLOOMFIELD: The quails look good too.

>> Yeah, what's really good is the pork that's hanging.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Yeah, I know.

>> It's like crispy skin.

Can we get one pound?

>> BLOOMFIELD: Let's get some charsiu.

And should we get some tongue?

I'd like to taste tongue.

>> Yeah, absolutely.

>> BLOOMFIELD: So for him to kind of like take me to see all those amazing meats hanging in the window, you know, that's kind of cool.

Thank you.

>> Bye!

>> BLOOMFIELD: Bye, bye-bye!

>> Bye.

>> Bye-bye!

>> BLOOMFIELD: Bye-bye!

♪ ♪ >> So, this is the place right here.

Alligator.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Look at that one over there.

Let's go check it out.

Wow, there's like frogs and turtles.

>> Soft shell turtles.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Dungeness.

>> Yup.

>> BLOOMFIELD: I like me a bit of Dungeness.

>> See, this is the salmon that I was talking about.

Like, they'll sell them just like that.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Oh, it's only a dollar a pound?

That's great.

>> A dollar.

There's a lot of meat on them.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Yeah.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Cheap as chips.

>> Cheap as chips.

Do you have a fish head?

A fish head?

Oh yeah, over there?

>> BLOOMFIELD: Oh yeah, he's good.

Some fish heads here.

How much are these?

$1.40 a pound?

Fish heads are beautiful to look at, but they're even better to eat.

You know, it's... a lot of people, again, don't use that kind of stuff.

I'll hold the bag.

You want to pick?

>> Yeah!

I guess I'll just pick the ones with, like, the nicest-looking collars.

Maybe this one.

(fish splashes) (Bloomfield laughs) >> BLOOMFIELD: It's a nice fishy bath for you.

>> Yeah.

Needed that little hair gel.

>> BLOOMFIELD: You've got the collar, and you've got like the bits on the cheek that you can eat.

You know, you can have a nibble and, you know, pick it up, have some fun with it.

Thank you, thank you, bye!

That's why eating and cooking all this stuff is fun.

So fish heads.

A lot of people throw them away, right?

Or they're like left over from the trim.

But you like to steam yours.

>> I do.

So what I'll do here is I'll split this in half.

I'll just split this right down the middle.

>> BLOOMFIELD: That blood gets a bit bitter, doesn't it?

>> It gets really bitter.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Wow, there's so much meat on there.

Isn't there?

>> Yeah, yeah, all that.

Then you have the collar here.

There's a couple of nuggets in there too.

So we'll season it on this side.

And we'll put all the garnishes on top.

So I like to steam it with some black beans.

This is not very traditional Cantonese, but this is traditional in my family.

>> BLOOMFIELD These are great because these are full of umami and they kind of break down and get a little creamy... >> These are Japanese scallions.

It's called negi.

There's a lot of white, which is nice for this.

And then some ginger.

This is some young ginger.

It doesn't really have a skin because it's so young.

So a couple of months ago I got pretty lucky and Cecilia Chiang cooked for me and she cooked this dish.

Yeah, she had this technique that is definitely something I had never seen before.

She takes shower caps.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Seriously?

>> (laughing): Yeah.

>> BLOOMFIELD: I've never seen this before.

>> I know.

>> BLOOMFIELD: This is a first for me.

>> I know, it makes so much sense, though, because all this steam stays within.

So this will go in for five to seven minutes.

The thing about this dish is usually there's not much texture, but I like to put a little texture into it so I'll take some scallion and I'll just roast these in the oven, get them pretty crispy and we'll use it as a garnish.

So I have a little bit of peanut oil and some cloves of garlic and we'll... when this is ready, we'll get that ripping and then we'll just take a ladle and like sizzle all of these garnishes.

>> BLOOMFIELD: That's the fun bit, right, at the end?

How's it looking?

>> I think it might be done.

The eye will give you a good indicator if it's ready or not.

Usually when it gets kind of milky it will be ready.

So I'll bring it over here.

>> BLOOMFIELD: I bet it's going to smell amazing.

>> Yeah.

Oh, yeah.

And can you take that juice and put it into... >> BLOOMFIELD: A bowl?

>> A bowl, yeah.

Then, we'll take this hot oil.

And then sizzle this.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Oh, yeah.

>> You can just smell it already, you know?

>> BLOOMFIELD: Yeah, you can smell that garlic in the oil too.

>> Yeah, I like to put a little bit of chili oil just to kind of like give it a little bit of, yeah, kick and just like a little color too.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Yeah, that looks great.

>> Now, so we'll take this... >> BLOOMFIELD: So what's next?

>> We'll add some more of that olive oil in.

We'll put some pickled shallots, a little cilantro.

And then we could just garnish this guy.

And then you got to put all of this juice in there too.

So we'll pull these chives out.

I roast these to bring out the aroma and for texture too.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Shall I sprinkle some of this on there?

>> Yeah, give it a little soy sauce.

>> BLOOMFIELD: I like how everything suspends in the oil too, you know.

>> I know.

It looks pretty though, I think.

Just serve it with that and a couple of people and just go for it.

>> BLOOMFIELD: I think people can get a little bit squirmish with things that look the way they should.

Like, you know, fish heads.

Feet, maybe.

Get a little squirmy when they see the toes.

Kidneys look like kidneys.

Liver doesn't really look like liver unless you serve it whole, whatever, you know, like rabbit liver.

Um, I think that's about it, right?

Oh, brains, yeah, brains.

Yeah, they kind of look... Well, you can't help that, can you?

Brains look like brains.

You've got to know where your food comes from.

It doesn't come in a plastic-sealed container.

That's not how it grows.

Apart form those dodgy English burgers that they're making right now, did you see those Franken-burgers?

Oh, my God.

Give me a pig head any day.

I'm going to cook for you for a change.

How about that?

>> Oh joy, lovely.

>> BLOOMFIELD: So I'm just going to prep these kidneys.

>> Lamb's kidney is my birthday breakfast.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Oh, it is?

Every year?

>> Deviled, yes.

These are-- now you like using lamb kidneys, don't you?

>> Anyone's kidneys, really.

(laughs) It is such a jewel-like thing, a kidney.

>> BLOOMFIELD: They're very kind of extravagant, in a way.

I think they're very rich.

>> But they have a jewel-like gleaming quality... >> BLOOMFIELD: A bit like you, Fergus.

>> Oh!

I was thinking of you, actually.

(laughs) >> BLOOMFIELD: Anyway, so I've prepped these.

These look good.

So I'm going to put the flour in.

I've got some mustard and cayenne.

So a lot of people don't know what deviled kidneys are, or devils on horseback or deviled eggs.

But it just basically means spice, right?

>> Spice or a little.... (laughs) ...kind of element >> BLOOMFIELD: I just love how simple it is.

It's probably like four or five ingredients.

Do you mind cutting some bread for the toast?

>> Happily, happily.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Thank you, sir.

I love the smell of melting butter.

I hope I get this right.

It's been a while since I've cooked it, Fergus, yummy.

All the flour is starting to brown.

So good, these are going to smell so good when they're cooked.

(loud sizzling) Fergus, can you hear them?

>> I hear them talking, kidney-speak.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Yup, I think these are almost ready to turn.

>> Looking good.

>> BLOOMFIELD: I kind of like when you turn them over too because they all go "whoop," you know.

I like this recipe too, you know, with the Worcester sauce, nice and vinegary.

>> Yorkshire butter.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Okay, Fergus, you ready?

>> Got some buttered toast here waiting for some kidneys.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Thank you, thanks for helping me.

They smell good, don't they?

>> Oh, my, they look good.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Ooh, I like that.

Now what do you drink with these?

>> Black velvets or a glass of champagne.

Part of the thing is in a Black Velvet, pour your champagne first.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Why is that, because it froths maybe?

>> Otherwise you're scuppered.

Foam, ooh, you'll be ready for anything soon.

>> BLOOMFIELD: I know.

>> Oh!

>> BLOOMFIELD: Happy kidneys!

>> Happy kidneys.

>> BLOOMFIELD: You want to pass me your plate?

Great.

All righty.

>> Things are looking up.

>> BLOOMFIELD: Chin chin.

You know, a lot of people would throw, maybe, the offal away, but we don't want to waste anything, you know, we want to kind of use all that up and it's really important.

For one, it's respectful, you know.

It's given its life to feed people.

What do you think?

>> We should call them Deviled Kidneys April from now on in honor of such fine cooking.

>> BLOOMFIELD: You can always put them on the menu as that.

The farmer has put in the time, the effort and the money and the passion to raise the animal, so it's important to kind of use that all up.

We used to use offal all the time, didn't we, in the war, before the war, and then all of a sudden it came out of fashion and we stopped using it and started throwing it away.

I mean, why do you think that is?

It's such a great thing to use.

It's like got lots of flavor and, you know, it's economical.

>> Offal and variety meats onomatopoeically are unattractive words.

I feel a sense of there being this big... oh... Is it variety meats they call it in America?

>> BLOOMFIELD: Yeah, variety meat.

>> You never say... >> BLOOMFIELD: "Ooh, I'm going to have myself some variety meat."

(chuckles) >> And also it takes a certain knowledge of cooking, because it's something you cook really quickly or something you cook really slowly.

And which maybe is a problem in this day and age, which... >> BLOOMFIELD: I don't know, I think this is pretty good food for a lifetime.

I think this recipe is perfect.

I don't think it needs anything else, you know.

It's five ingredients, it takes four minutes to cook.

I mean, I could eat this for the rest of my life and never get bored with this.

I mean, it's so... look at that.

Delicious.

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH, access.wgbh.org