Masterclass Text Only: Make Your Home Cooking Easier. James Martin

      100g (3½oz) butter

      ½ large onion, peeled and chopped

      3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped

      1 stick of celery, trimmed and chopped

      2 tbsp tomato ketchup

      2 tbsp tomato purée

      1 sprig of thyme

      200ml (7fl oz) double cream, plus extra to serve (optional)

      Salt and black pepper

      FOR THE ROASTED VINE TOMATOES

      4 bunches of 3–4 small vine tomatoes

      2–3 tbsp olive oil

      1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

      1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas 6.

      2. Remove the 1.5kg (3lb 4oz) of tomatoes from the vines and chop each tomato into 6, keeping the vines.

      3. Melt half the butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat, then add the onion, tomatoes, garlic and celery. Add the ketchup and tomato purée, cover with a lid and bring to the boil.

      4. Strip the thyme leaves from the stalks and add the leaves to the pan, reduce the heat to a simmer, then place the vines from the tomatoes on the top, cover with the lid and simmer for 15 minutes. (Be careful not to let it boil, as the vegetables may catch on the bottom of the pan.)

      5. Meanwhile, place the 4 bunches of small vine tomatoes (keeping them on the vines) on a baking tray, drizzle with the olive oil and the vinegar, season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 5–6 minutes or until softened.

      6. Remove the lid from the saucepan, discard the vines and pour in the cream. Remove from the heat, transfer to a blender and pulse until smooth, then pass though a sieve to remove the tomato seeds. Pour the soup back into the pan and reheat gently, trying not to let it boil, then season well with salt and pepper.

      7. Serve the soup with a bunch of roasted vine tomatoes in the bottom of each bowl and, if you like, a spoonful of cream swirled on top of the soup.

MUSHROOM SOUP WITH CORIANDER CRESS

      I remember going mushroom picking in the New Forest when I was a junior chef. The head chef said it was an inspiring exercise – looking back now, I can see his point, but I also reckon it was cheap forced labour! Fast forward 20 years however, and I’m still doing it. Most recently I went with Nick Nairn up in Scotland. Rowing across the loch on our way to find mushrooms, neither of us exactly looked like Captain Jack Sparrow, but the treasure we came back with was much better than pirate gold – delicious fresh wild mushrooms with a great intense flavour.

      SERVES 4

      1kg (2lb 3oz) field mushrooms

      100ml (3½fl oz) rapeseed oil

      2 large shallots, peeled and chopped

      2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped

      Juice of ½ lemon

      500ml (18fl oz) chicken stock

      250ml (9fl oz) double cream

      125g (4½oz) butter, diced

      250g (9oz) mixed wild mushrooms (such as chanterelle, cep, trompette, girolle or oyster)

      5g (¼oz) chervil, chopped

      50g (2oz) coriander cress or micro salad leaves

      Salt and black pepper

      1. Remove the stalks from the field mushrooms and, using a spoon, scrape away and discard the dark gills, then cut the mushrooms into slices about 5mm (¼ in) thick.

      2. Place a large, heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat, pour in half the rapeseed oil, then add the shallots and garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes or until softened. Add the sliced mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 3–4 minutes.

      3. Stir in the lemon juice then pour in the stock, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

      4. Transfer the contents of the pan into a blender and whizz to a smooth purée – this should take a good 2–3 minutes. Pour back into the pan, add the cream and mix thoroughly. Gently warm over a low heat, then stir in the diced butter, adjust the seasoning, if needed, and keep warm on the hob.

      5. Pour the remainder of the oil into a frying pan over a medium heat and sauté the mixed wild mushrooms for about 3 minutes or until cooked through, then season and set aside.

      6. To serve, divide the cooked wild mushrooms between bowls, ladle over the soup and sprinkle with the chervil and coriander cress or micro salad leaves.

CULLEN SKINK

      This Scottish soup from the town of Cullen in Moray is one of those great classic soups, with most of its flavour provided by the main ingredient – smoked haddock. Traditionally, it should be made with Finnan Haddie, which is smoked haddock from Findon near Aberdeen, but any other natural smoked haddock will do.

      SERVES 4

      2 Arbroath Smokies

      75g (3oz) unsalted butter

      2 banana shallots, peeled and finely chopped

      100g (3½oz) diced leek (white part only)

      2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

      200g (7oz) waxy boiled potatoes, peeled

      1 litre (1¾ pints) fish stock

      100ml (3½fl oz) white wine

      200ml (7fl oz) milk

      125ml (4½fl oz) double cream

      Black pepper

      2 tsp chopped chives, to garnish

      1. Remove the skin and bones from the fish and flake the flesh.

      2. Melt a third of the butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat, then add the shallots, leek and garlic. Cover the pan with a lid and sweat, without browning, for 5–10 minutes.

      3. Cut the potatoes into 2cm (¾ in) dice and add to the vegetables, together with three-quarters of the flaked fish (reserving the remaining quarter for later). Cover again with the lid and cook for a further 2 minutes, then pour in the stock and wine. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 8 minutes.

      4. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly before carefully transferring the mixture to a blender. Whizz for a few seconds, then add the milk and cream, a little at a time, and blend for 4–5 minutes or until the mixture is very smooth, then pass through a sieve into a clean pan.

      5. Gently reheat then add the remaining fish and butter and season well with pepper. Divide between bowls, scatter over the chopped chives and serve with some warm crusty bread.

BEEF MADRAS CURRY

      I think India should be on everybody’s list of places to visit, to experience the amazing range of foods and the many different people who live there. This curry takes its name from the city of Madras, in the south of India. It can be made with most meats or it can also be vegetarian. As with most Indian dishes, there were many variations but this was my favourite, from a small café and just served with flatbread. I had the recipe translated into English so that you can enjoy it as much as I did.

      SERVES 4–6

      800g (1¾ lb) stewing beef, cut into 2.5cm (1in) dice

      4–5 tbsp vegetable oil

      1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped