Recipes: James Martin embraces British food

Caramelised onion, courgette and Wensleydale quiche (serves 8)

1tbsp olive oil

15g butter

2 red onions, sliced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

300ml double cream

100ml full-fat milk

2 small courgettes, around 225g, thinly sliced, lengthways

3 courgette flowers, sliced lengthways

175g crumbled Wensleydale cheese

For the pastry:

300g plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting

150g butter, chilled and diced

A pinch of sea salt

A few thyme sprigs, leaves picked (optional)

1 egg, beaten

1. Start by caramelising the onions for the filling. Heat the oil and butter in a medium pan over a medium heat. Once the butter has melted, stir in the onions and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook over a low heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring every now and then until the onions have softened and caramelised. If they look as though they're burning, add a tablespoon of water and stir in . Spread onto a plate and set aside to cool.

2. Make the pastry. Put the flour into a bowl, add the butter, salt and thyme (if using) and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the egg and mix with a knife until the mixture forms clumps, then bring together lightly with your hands. Add a couple of teaspoons of water if the dough feels dry. Dust a clean work surface with flour and knead lightly and quickly until smooth. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350F/gas 4.

3. Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the pastry to a rough circle measuring about 32cm in diameter. Carefully lift the pastry into a 27cm fluted tart tin and gently press into the corners.

4. To make the filling, put the eggs and egg yolks, cream and milk into a jug and whisk together. Season well and whisk again. Spread the onions over the base of the pastry, arrange the courgettes and courgette flowers on top and scatter over the cheese.

5. Pour the egg mixture into the tart tin and give it a little shake so that it spreads evenly. Carefully slide the tart tin onto a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until the filling is set.

6. Once cooked, take the quiche out of the oven, let it sit for about five minutes, then trim the pastry edges. Serve hot, warm or cold with a green salad. Leftovers keep very well for the next day but the filling will be a little firmer after a night in the fridge.

Blowtorched mackerel with fennel and grapefruit salad (serves 2)

1tbsp caster sugar

1tsp pink peppercorns, lightly crushed

3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

A few dill sprigs, chopped

Sea salt

50ml white wine vinegar

1 pink grapefruit

1/2 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced

Freshly ground black pepper

1tbsp olive oil

4 mackerel fillets, skin on

For the dressing:

100ml full fat creme fraiche

1cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Put the sugar, peppercorns, ginger, dill and one teaspoon of salt into a medium bowl then stir in the vinegar.

2. On a board, slice the top and bottom off the grapefruit then carefully cut away the skin and pith from the fruit. Cut between each segment and add the flesh to the bowl, reserving all the juices and pouring these into the bowl, too. Add the fennel and any fronds to the bowl. Season with a little black pepper and toss everything together (including the dill and grated ginger).

3. Rub the oil over the mackerel and season well. Pop the fillets, skin-side up, onto a baking sheet. Using a blowtorch, scorch the skin of the mackerel until charred and the fish is cooked through. Alternatively, preheat the grill to its highest setting and cook the fish for three to four minutes.

4. To make the dressing, mix the creme fraiche and ginger together in a bowl with a little seasoning.

5. To serve, spoon some dressing onto each plate, lay two mackerel fillets on top and half of the salad alongside each.

Individual beef pies with oysters (serves six)

3tbsp vegetable oil

2kg shin of beef, diced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 shallots, peeled and diced

500ml beef stock

250ml British bitter

A little plain flour, for rolling out

500g ready-made puff pastry

2 egg yolks, for egg wash

For the oysters:

Large bunch of flat-leaf parsley

100g sourdough bread, roughly chopped

Zest of 1 lemon

12 just-shucked oysters in their shells

You will also need 6 x 12.5cm pie dishes

1. Heat the oil in a very large, non-stick casserole pan then fry the meat, in batches, until well browned all over. Transfer each batch to a plate as you do it and season well.

2. Once all the meat has been browned, return it to the pan with the shallots and pour over the stock and beer. Cover, bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer gently for two hours.

3. Spoon into a large shallow dish and cool. You can make the stew up to a day in advance and chill in the fridge until you want to assemble the pies.

4. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/400F/gas 6. Lightly dust a clean work surface with a little flour then roll out the pastry until it is 2mm thick.

5. Using the top of one of the pie dishes as a guide, cut out six circles slightly larger than the dishes, then fill the pie dishes with stew (we used mini ovenproof saucepans).

6. Brush the edges of the pastry lids with the egg wash then turn over and lay on top of the dishes and seal around the edges. Brush the tops with egg wash, sit the pies on a large baking tray and bake for 40 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and golden.

7. While the pies are in the oven, prepare the oysters. Put the parsley and bread into a food processor and blitz to make fine breadcrumbs. Add the lemon zest and blitz again. Season well.

8. Arrange the oysters on a baking tray, spoon the crumb mixture over the top and bake on the top shelf of the oven for 10 minutes. To serve, pop the pies onto plates with two oysters per person.

James Martin's Great British Adventure continues every weekday on ITV. The accompanying book, James Martin's Great British Adventure: A Celebration Of Great British Food With 80 Fabulous Recipes by James Martin is published by Quadrille, £25.