Foodie files

TV chef James Martin shares his culinary secrets with Magazine

SWEET TREAT A treacle tart is a great way to use up old bread. Mix 450g golden syrup, 125g white or wholemeal breadcrumbs, 2 lightly beaten eggs and the zest and juice of 1 lemon in a bowl. Pour into a tart case and cook at 160ºC/fan 140ºC/ gas 3 for about an hour. When golden, serve with sea salt sprinkled over as a contrast to the sweetness.

SPUD SPECIAL Gnocchi is so easy to make. Use floury potatoes to basically make mashed potato but, instead of adding butter, add egg yolk and a little flour, plus salt and pepper. Mix in a bowl, then roll into cylinders, cut into pieces and blanch in boiling salted water for a couple of minutes until they rise to the surface. Fry when cold. They’re lovely with lamb and pumpkin.

CHOOSE CHOKES Globe and Jerusalem artichokes, which are both great in soups, are delicious at this time of year. I really like the small Italian purple variety (pictured) too. It’s wonderful raw and thinly sliced in salads with lemon and olive oil. Alternatively, once you’ve taken off the outer leaves and trimmed the top, cut into quarters and steam in a pan with a little water, lemon juice and a touch of olive oil, then fold through pasta or just serve with some grated

Parmesan on top.

ODOUR BEATER If you’re preparing fish and want to stop the smell transferring to your hands, wash them in cold water first, not hot. That way, the odour will vanish. If you wash your hands in hot water, however, the fish almost cooks on your hands, leaving them with that unpleasant fishy smell.