Coming up on this week's Countryfile - Sunday 4 October

 

Gig Racing
Pilot Gig racing has a long and deep maritime history. Gigs were originally used to take pilots out to large ships that needed guidance to get into harbour. The fastest gig and pilot got the job. Today it’s a popular sport and competitors from all over the UK and abroad flock to Newquay where the annual championships take place. After just a quick lesson in gig rowing, Matt takes to the water with his own crew.

Mackerel
Cornish fishermen have being catching mackerel using hand lines for generations. The fishery is one of just seven in the UK to be given the seal of approval by the Marine Stewardship Council as sustainable. But, it takes great skill to find and then land the fast moving shoals of mackerel using just one fishing line. Julia takes to the sea off St Ives to see how it's done, she then takes her fish to an expert chef to find out how best to cook it. Why not try it yourself with this tasty recipe.

Grilled mackerel with saffron and red onion jam accompanied by a shaved fennel tomato and mint salad.

  • 2 mackerel fillets
  • 1 sprig of thyme
  • 1 red onion
  • pinch saffron
  • 1 tbsp toasted pine nuts
  • 1 tsp sumac
  • 1 lemon wedge
  • mixed leaves
  • cherry tomatoes
  • cucumber
  • 50ml olive oil
  • 5ml balsamic vinegar
  • lemon vincotta
  • 1/2 bulb of fennel
  • 2 peeled steamed new potatoes
  • 2 mint leaves

 
Red onion jam:
Slice red onion finely, place in pot with drizzle of olive oil and cook slowly until onion becomes soft. Add salt, pepper and teaspoon of balsamic vinegar and cook till balsamic has reduced - remove from heat and allow to cool.
 
BBQ mackeral:
Place a large square of banana leaf (or foil) on the table. Place the red onion jam, sliced potatoes, thyme and saffron on the foil or banana leaf, then  place the fillets on top with the skin facing up - wrap gently cook on bbq for 2 mins each side.
 
Fennel and mint salad:
Shave the fennel as fine as possible, mix with leaves, cucumber, red onion and tomatoes. Tear some mint leaves and at the last moment season with salt and pepper, dress with balsamic dressing.
 
Balsamic dressing:
Mix balsamic and oil together with seasoning
 
To serve:
Unwrap banana leaf/foil place fish on plate skin side up serve with salad garnish on a plate with pine nuts sumac and lemon vincotta and a slice of lemon.

Rescuing Seal Pups
As the seal pup season begins Matt joins the Cornwall Seal Group as it sets about monitoring the progress of local seals and helps them keep a wary eye open for any pups that look like they might be in trouble. He also meets up with the British Divers Marine Life Rescue who are on call 24/7 ready to act on an emergency call out to seal pups who've been abandoned, pregnant mothers in trouble and seal pups who've been injured. Last year, they performed over 40 seal rescues and Matt finds out what goes in to rescuing a seal pup.

Surfing UK
Surfing started in Cornwall in the 1960s as a laidback lifestyle for a handful of enthusiasts. Today, Newquay is at the centre of a surfing industry which brings in tens of millions of pounds into Cornwall each year. Julia finds out how the sport has changed the face of Newquay and tries out the latest surfing craze - Stand Up Paddle Surfing.

Turf tech
The UK is a world leader in turf research and production. James Wong finds out how science and farming come together to create the perfect grass surface for domestic gardens and every professional sporting need.

John Craven Investifates: NIMBYS
The government’s new energy advisor is warning that by 2016 the country could be facing power blackouts because renewable energy is not coming online quickly enough. With traditional fossil-fuelled stations being de-commissioned, the government has set tough targets to help try and take up some of the slack. It claims that one of the biggest problems facing our green energy future is local interest groups, or NIMBYS, who block schemes like wind turbines in the planning stages. John Craven has been to investigate why, with a growing national need for renewable energy, these groups continue to stand in the way.

Adam’s Farm
As every farmer knows to ensure a healthy stock it’s essential to breed from the best available animals. We join Countryfile’s resident farmer Adam, on his Cotswold farm, as he goes in search of the perfect rare breed ram.
 


 
 

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