Foodie files

TV chef James Martin shares his culinary secrets with Magazine

BIG PLANS

I’m finishing work on my new book, out later this year. It’s on my favourite ingredient, butter. By day three of the photography, we’d used 86 packs of butter! I’m also on tour from 3 March to 4 April 2022, with food, music and guests. Before that I’ll be out and about at festivals across the UK this summer, such as Car-Fest in Cheshire and Hampshire.

TIME FOR FISH

Lobster and other shellfish are getting slightly cheaper now there’s more demand with restaurants opening up for outdoor dining soon. Crab, lemon sole, cod, mackerel and are also fantastic now. Try ready-prepared Koffmann Frites alongside, as developed by the top chef Pierre Koffmann – you can buy them online.

EASY TRICKS

Make your own flatbread by mixing together 300g self-raising flour and 100g thick Greek yoghurt, then roll it out so it’s 4-5mm thick. Put it on the barbecue until it’s brown on both sides. It’ll puff up like pitta bread and is great with cooked meats. One of my great chefs came up with a glaze for barbecue ribs – some condensed milk, a little black treacle and a bit of water boiled together. Sounds disgusting, but it’s great.

GOING HIGH-TECH

Now we’ve finished filming the latest series of my Saturday Morning show, my house has become like a test kitchen for me and my chefs.

I’m also about to get a salt chamber – it’s the size of an upright commercial fridge – where I’m going to try ageing meat and fish to add flavour. Chef Gareth Ward uses his to age mackerel, which is delicious.