James Martin: Home Comforts

Long and lazy winter days are the perfect times to enjoy some indulgent home cooked meals and for James, those dishes are a perfect chicken and mushroom puff pastry pie and some slow cooked spare ribs. Also this episode, food historian Ivan Day reveals how slow cooking years ago meant a very indulgent spit roast, and one of Wiltshire's local microbrewers, Alasdair Large, visits the kitchen to see what James can cook with his own locally produced beer.

James has the perfect antidote to the winter chill with his ultimate comfort food recipes. Dishes include a warming beef and red wine pie and a tasty chicken fricassee, as well as homemade marshmallows in chocolate dipping sauce. James also meets the farmers who are producing the highest quality salt marsh beef, and the man who is one of only three pure chocolate makers in the UK.

James offers a culinary twist on some midweek supper classics.

James makes some speedy home cooked meals.

James prepares some of the best homemade treats, perfect for a night in front of the TV.

James prepares a menu of must-have, home-cooked takeaway meals.

James cooks winter warmers including jacket potato skins and a steamed pudding.

James creates three meals from a single ham hock, and prepares his take on tartiflette.

James devises replacements for ready meals for one, including a Thai crab risotto.

James shares the recipes that remind him of his Yorkshire childhood.

James shows how every night can be a treat night, with some simple home-cooked recipes that can turn a mundane meal into something special. He cooks a classic prawn cocktail, roast lamb with homemade mint jelly and luxurious vanilla-cured salmon. Food historian Gerard Baker reveals the history behind a traditional treat - the trifle - and there's a trip to the Dorset flour mill producing some of the region's award-winning organic flour.

James demonstrates meals that can be prepared in advance, including chicken chasseur.

James shares recipes made with the help of some store cupboard staples.

James serves up pick-me-ups including a nourishing squash and lime soup.

James serves up home-cooked recipes that look like restaurant dishes.