James Martin revealed he doesn't follow traditions for Christmas dinner and steers clear of cooking turkey.
The 52-year-old television presenter is spending Christmas at home with his family in Hampshire this year. He said he cooks the dinner every year as it 'stresses him out' to watch everyone else getting stressed cooking. He would rather everyone 'enjoy themselves' whilst he does the work.
Speaking about his festive traditions, the Saturday Kitchen star and chef told Best Magazine: "I don't cook turkey. I have to cook a little bit for my mother, but I don't cook for everybody. I would much rather eat roast beef and Yorkshire pudding than turkey any day of the week."
When asked about tips, he told readers to 'start now' as you can freeze sauces and "blanch and freeze your potatoes in advance. Preparation is the key". The presenter has previously taken to his own website to share his recipe for the perfect yorkshire pudding with fans.
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ITV)Explaining the key to the success of his recipe on his website, the Saturday Morning host advised: "Good quality ingredients are essential, try and buy the best flour that you can." James insists on a solitary focus when baking, noting: "When you cook the Yorkshires ensure they are the only thing in the oven as the temperature needs to be hot to cook them properly".
The famous chef divulged the secret to nailing the classic side dish during an old segment of This Morning, when fielding questions from the audience. One viewer, Julie, confided in James about her culinary struggles. "I have a problem with my Yorkshire puddings, it doesn't matter what I do, they're always flat and always stodgy", she said.
"The recipe is very simple - eight eggs, eight ounces of flour and a pint of milk," Yorkshire-born James told her. "Don't moan about the amount of eggs, you need eight eggs." The chef's top tips also include preparation timing: "You need to make that a day before or at least four to five hours before [cooking] and leave it in the fridge. Mix everything by hand, you don't want to do it by machine else it toughens up the flour."
"You need a hot tray, with dripping or a little bit of oil [in the bottom], and then you pour the mixture in and close the oven door," James continued. "The oven needs to be as hot as it can - close the oven door and leave it for 30 minutes. Don't touch it." After baking, he has one last trick to share: "Open the door slightly after 30 minutes, the steam will come out, then close it [the door], don't bang it. What will happen is the steam will generate in the oven and it will cause the Yorkshire to collapse. Let it out quickly, and the Yorkshire will be dry on the outside and soft in the middle."
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