Foodie files

TV chef

James Martin shares his culinary secrets with Magazine

CHOP TO IT I’m doing lamb this Easter. As there won’t be a crowd, we’re having lamb chops with chimichurri sauce, which is 100ml (3½fl oz) olive oil mixed with 50ml (2fl oz) red wine vinegar, chopped mint and coriander, a chopped shallot and lime juice. If there are more of you, go for shoulder. It takes longer to cook than a leg, but slow-cooked shoulder tastes a lot better.

RISE AND SHINE Now you have time, try making bread, which is just flour, water and yeast. You can buy flour online (get a decent amount to keep you going) as well as yeast (either dried or you can freeze fresh). Richard Bertinet is one of the best breadmakers – he has a cookery school in Bath but you can see amazing videos of him making bread on Instagram.

GET FRUITY To make hot cross buns, combine 625g (1lb 6oz) flour, 1tsp salt, 2tsp mixed spice, 45g (1½oz) butter, 85g (3oz) caster sugar, the zest of 1 lemon, 10g (¼oz) yeast and 375ml (13fl oz) tepid milk. Add 125g (4½oz) dried fruit and leave to double in size.

Divide into 12, pipe on crosses made from water and flour, and bake at 200ºC/fan 180ºC/gas 6 for 30 minutes.

EXTRA TASTY If want to add a really interesting flavour to your bread, try using the water you’ve boiled potatoes in – just make sure you let it cool down before you use it. Also, storing potatoes properly is important, especially in these trying times. Store them somewhere cool and dark and they’ll keep for months – it’s the same for apples.