Matthew Ryle is a classically trained chef who competed on MasterChef: The Professionals in 2018, and has since become the head of two French brasseries in London – Maison François and Cafe François.

Time to hunker down with James Martin’s comforting dishes

A few tips for the perfect pie: get a round enamel pie dish if possible, use all-butter puff pastry, cut the circle of pastry with a very sharp knife so that you don’t pinch the layers together and ma

SERVES 6 Ingredients Olive oil, for frying 100g smoked streaky bacon, finely chopped 1kg braising steak or beef shin, cut into 2.5cm/1in chunks 2 heaped tbsp plain flour 2 large onions, thinly sliced

Don’t waste festive ingredients, whip up a tasty meal instead

■ Serves 10 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 1 hr 45 mins 2 tbsp olive oil2 tbsp butter2 red onions, grated2 garlic cloves, crushed2 tbsp grated ginger1 red cabbage, tough stalkdiscarded and finely sliced1 cooki