James May: Oh Cook! - Season 1 Episode 2

The pub is a British institution, once a bastion of warm ale and smelly carpets, many are now known for their excellent food. James decides to kick off the show with the most classic of pub grub: the pie. However, this particular pie has been given a modern makeover. As a growing number of us now choose to eat less meat, James has designed a half meat, half vegetarian pie to keep everyone satisfied. The two halves are separated by an unbreachable wall of pasty that would make Donald Trump proud. The difficult part is remembering which half is which. James then moves on to pan-frying a sirloin steak, which he serves with sweet potato wedges in a thinly veiled attempt to prove his modernity and relevance. Another pub stalwart, the fish pie, follows next. In 2007 James beat Gordon Ramsay in a fish pie head-to-head, so this is a dish with pedigree. To round off the whole meal, it's time for an English trifle made easy, using a recipe full of clever shortcuts.