Foodie Files TV chef James Martin shares his culinary secrets with Weekend

BREAKFAST TREAT

I’m a huge fan of waffles – they’re so easy to make. Just mix together 250g (9oz) plain flour, 1½tsp baking powder, 1tbsp sugar and 1tsp salt, then stir in 3 lightly beaten eggs, 425ml (15fl oz) milk and 110g (4oz) melted butter. Pour into a waffle maker and cook for 3- 4 minutes. They’re great with eggs or in the classic American way, with bacon and maple syrup on top. Make them even tastier by adding chopped bacon to the waffle mix.

PERFECT CRACKLING

There’s a knack to crispy crackling. You need good quality pork, then do what we call ‘shocking’. Turn the oven up high, about 230°C/ fan 210°C/gas 8, for the first 30 minutes of cooking. Then turn down to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4 and cook the meat as normal. Do it that way round – it doesn’t work if you blast it with heat at the end.

GIN-FUSIONS

Welcome back to those who had a dry January. We went down memory lane on my Saturday Morning show on ITV recently by drinking coconut rum and pineapple juice, and fruity vodka and lemonade – do you remember that? They seemed great as a student in Scarborough, but taste very weird now I’m 45. Gin is my thing these days. I’ve been tasting different types from around Britain, including an incredible one infused with pine.

EASY SPUDS

You can now buy pulled pork, chicken and beef ready-made from supermarkets. They make really good fillings for jacket potatoes. Part cook the potato in its jacket, then scoop the inside out and mix the potato with the pulled meat and put it back in. Sprinkle cheese on top and then whack it in the oven at 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6 for 20-30 minutes.