TV chef James Martin shares his culinary secrets with Weekend

GIN-CREDIBLE I’ve been making gin-cured salmon, and it’s so easy. Take a raw salmon side (about 800g/1lb 12oz) with the skin on and the bones taken out, sprinkle equal quantities of caster sugar and salt (40g/1½oz of each) and a drizzle of gin over each side, wrap it in clingfilm and put in the fridge for 24 hours. When you take it out, wash off the salt and sugar, pat it dry and thinly slice. To make gravadlax, smear Dijon mustard over the fish and add chopped dill.

BACK TO YOUR ROOTS Enjoy turnips while they’re still in season – they’re tasty and go really well with roast meat. The baby ones have quite a light, delicate flavour so I think they’re best left just as they are, you don’t even really need to peel them. All you do is boil them until soft and then serve them with lots of butter and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

HOME COMFORTS I managed to get back home to Yorkshire recently. Among the highlights was a massive cod, chips and mushy peas, served with white sliced bread and butter at the Magpie Café in Whitby, which for me is the mecca for fish and chips. I also browsed the amazing collection of more than 500 gins and whiskies at The Wright

Wine Company in Skipton.

DINING OUT My final suggestions of special restaurants to try include The Feathered Nest in the Cotswolds, which is perfect for a short break as it has four bedrooms and a little bar as well as beautiful food by Polish chef Kuba Winkowski, and Sat Bains in Nottingham (left), which is a gastronomic delight. In London there’s Claude Bosi at Bibendum and Hélène Darroze at The Connaught. Eat at any one of these places and you’ll understand what all the fuss is about.