TV chef James Martin shares his culinary secrets with Weekend

YOU’LL BE HOOKED

Mackerel are one of the most inexpensive fish and are delicious barbecued or grilled with a little mustard. Put the fillets, skin side up, onto some oiled tin foil in a tray, brush with a little Dijon mustard and season, then grill. Always cook them skin side up because the skin will crisp up and be really tasty, and it will also keep the flesh nice and moist.

A TASTE OF ITALY

I’ve just come back from Cannes, which oddly seemed to be full of Italian restaurants. I had a lovely aubergine Parmesan and it’s so easy to make. Halve an aubergine, pan-fry it and then put it on a tray with some mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over the top and grill it. Serve with a simple, fresh tomato sauce.

GREENS PARTY

Spring greens are around now and you can use them to make what Chinese restaurants call ‘crispy seaweed’. Slice very thinly, deep-fry quickly, then lift out and sprinkle with sugar and salt. To cook spring greens normally, put 50g (1¾oz) of butter and 50ml (2fl oz) water in a pan and when it comes to the boil you get an emulsified sauce; slice the greens into thin strips and throw them in for a minute with plenty of black pepper.

TO TOP IT ALL

For an old-school crumble, put raw fruit in a dish, your crumble mix on top, then bake it. With the best crumble, like the best lasagne, you want sticky bits round the edges so you have to scrape it off. It doesn’t need to look beautiful, it’s supposed to look like you want to eat it. Try mixing rhubarb with apple, pear or blackberry.