WHAT MEAL DO YOUR FAMILY ALWAYS ASK YOU TO COOK?
One of them is lasagne and the other thing is a roast dinner. Whatever roast dinner I make has to have Yorkshires and roast potatoes. John [Torode, the 55-year-old, chef and MasterChef judge who's Faulkner's husband and co-presenter] would say his favourite thing that I make are my roast potatoes, I expect. He really loves them.
SO, WHAT’S THE SECRET TO YOUR ROASTIES?
There are lots of different things but if I’m not putting them round chicken or meat then I just put a chicken stock cube in with the oil. Then they taste all stock-y really and lovely. It’s good for Yorkshire puddings as well.
WHAT’S THE TRICKIEST RECIPE YOU ATTEMPTED FOR THE SERIES ?
Most of our food is, on purpose, not very tricky. We want people to feel that it’s something everyone can do. For Christmas, we do a really lovely black forest gateaux roulade, which is absolutely gorgeous. The only tricky bit is rolling it up as it can crack. But anything that’s chocolate and cherries is a winner with me.
IS THERE ONE FOOD OR MEAL YOU CAN NEVER GET RIGHT?
Thai curries and things that John makes all the time. I still will phone him and say: "So I’ve got everything in the pan and I’m just cooking it and I’ve just taken the top of the coconut cream – now what do I do?" And he’s like: ‘"You’ve done this a million times, you can do this!" But I just have a block about it. Even though I make them a lot!
THERE MUST BE THINGS YOU’VE TAUGHT JOHN IN THE KITCHEN TOO…
We have a thing about jacket potatoes because I think they’re a dinner – as everyone does because they are – but he thinks they’re a side, like to have with something. So I’m teaching him the art of a jacket potato.
IF YOU AND HE HAVE AN ARGUMENT, WILL HE COOK FOR YOU TO MAKE UP FOR IT?
He cooks for everything. In fact, my daughter [Billie, 14, who she adopted with her first husband Chris Coghill] was saying the other day: ‘You both really show your love through food, don’t you?’
IT’S A DIFFICULT TIME FOR MENTAL HEALTH – DO YOU FIND COOKING HELPS YOU?
Totally. I think it’s really difficult for absolutely everybody. I don’t know anyone who’s walking around dancing through the fields thinking, ‘yay, lockdown again!’ It’s been really, really tough and I find that the only thing that gets me through is cooking. My jeans hurt, actually; I hate wearing them because I think I’ve just been so used to not wearing them. I feel like I’ve just really enjoyed cooking and washing up and all the simple things.
ARE YOU FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO EAT HEALTHY IN LOCKDOWN?
I think we’re all the same, I just think life’s too short. And I’m like: "Yeah OK, I’ll have a piece of chocolate", "OK I’ll make a cake". I’m trying to eat healthier. I’m trying not to drink huge amounts of alcohol or anything. We’ve got to be as healthy as possible. But we don’t eat really unhealthily anyway and I think the odd treat – God, what would I do without it?
YOUR FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS TREAT?
The fact we will have tins or boxes of Cadbury Roses. Usually, I think it’s great because I can eat all of the strawberry creams, except that my daughter has discovered them and now she fights me for them.
:: John and Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen, Saturdays, ITV.
