My first Dinner Party: how it went down

Nothing in life ever appears straight forward, and dinner parties are no different.

In the run-up to my hotly-anticipated 3 courser, everything seemed simple. I'd followed the golden rule of Preparation, and had begun buying my ingredients the weekend before to avoid a last-minute dash to Sainsbury's Local an hour before my guests arrive on Thursday night in the vain hope they stock marinated Artichokes (for those wondering, they don't).

For the ingredients I didn't get on Saturday, a Tuesday evening visit to Brixton's Tesco Superstore - two days before the feast - still allowed ample time for me to find the elusive sourdough baguette (Tesco actually stocks it!), as well as the pitted olives, red wine and mascarpone. I had it all planned out: I was to cook the main on Tuesday evening so that come D Day - or Dinner Day - I could float effortlessly between kitchen and living room, charming the pants off my guests while my stew pot gently reheated on the stove. I was in control, and I was calm.

That was, until my beloved boyfriend decided to get involved.

En route to Tesco, I call him to ask for a little kitchen assistance in de-boning my shoulder of lamb so that I can begin cooking when I return (N.B. this isn't cheating. The official Guidebook on Fair Cooking* says a chef may use the services of an assistant without this constituting 'help').
'The leg of lamb?' he asks dozily. 'I put it in the freezer. I wasn't sure when it would go off so thought it would be best...'

I want to throttle him! My plans are dashed: I have plans Wednesday night, so can't cook it then. The stew takes a good two hours, so if I wait until Thursday evening my guests won't eat until 10pm. Hungry guests are not pleasant guests.

There's only one solution: my boyfriend will have to don the apron. This completely defeats the purpose of the evening - to flex my culinary muscles - but I'm left with no choice. Humiliated, I throw the kitchen towel in.

So, here it is - MY BOYFRIEND'S Rosemary & Olive Lamb Stew, the before and after shots:

I have to admit, it's pretty good. The lamb is a velvety dream and the red wine sauce, divine. It's served with couscous.

One final spanner is thrown in works: we have no guests! At the eleventh hour my friend has to cancel as her man won't be finishing evening college until very late. We therefore forgo the Crostini starter and Tirimasu Teacups dessert as there's no-one to impress. Which means a pack of unopened Lady Fingers is now loitering in my cupboard.

Janine xx


*currently out of print.

Romanesco

Romanesco has to be the strangest-looking veg, don't you think?

Came across it for the first time at the weekend - it's a cross between cauliflower and brocoli but looks like something that's been dragged from the sea:

I think it's quite pretty. Has anyone tasted it?  Verdicts please!

Janine xx

Razor Clams?!?!?

Ok, so I get it....I am not the most knowledgeable cook, but what the hell are Razor Clams, and why are they still moving?!?

Turns out they are just like regular clams, they found their way to Clapham's Venn Street Market on Saturday and into my world. They had been freshly fished from the South Coast at 5am that morning - a very early start for our fishmonger - Veasey & Sons

Apparently all they need is butter and garlic in a hot pan (you can add white wine if you fancy) and once they have opened up they are ready to eat. The bunch we saw cost a whopping £11, so not a cheap meal but we were assured that it would be worth it!

I chickened out from buying a bunch when they started moving. Completely freaked me out....

Audrey xx

Saturday Kitchen

So recipe picked, Audrey and I head to Venn Street market in Clapham with our long shopping lists on a windy Saturday morning. The produce is fresh: there are wriggling razor clams (see Audrey’s post) and I smell the Rosemary before I see it. I quickly pick up a bunch along with some giant carrots.

I still need to find marinated artichokes and Roma plum tomatoes among other things, so we hop on the Northern Line to Borough market to complete the list.

Turnips turns up trumps for the artichokes, which are resting in olive oil, as well as the Italian Parsley and pine nuts. I buy a juicy-looking shoulder of lamb from a butcher who mocks me about my Pyrus Nexus Coat: “You’ve got your waistcoat on inside out, luv.” In his world food and fashion clearly don’t mix! 

It’s nearly 2pm and I have places to be, so I head home with lots of ingredients left to buy. Looks like I’ll be doing a mid-week sprint across town to get the rest. This cooking malarkey’s definitely shaping up to be an Olympic sport.

Janine xx

Let The Games Begin...

You’ve heard by now about my and Audrey’s new year’s resolution: I’m declaring this Olympic year as the year I learn to properly cook. It’s my own athletic training, so to speak.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not a complete absentee in the kitchen, but to say my reportoire is narrow is an understatement – there are only so many ways in which chicken fillets can excite the palette. So I’m expanding my food horizons, and like Audrey am setting myself the task of cooking my way through Jennifer Joyce’s Meals In Heels.

(The before picture - an artist's impression.)

It’s the perfect recipe book for women like us: we’re busy, love eating good food, enjoy hosting but lack the time, confidence (and sometimes the will) to get creative in the kitchen. Joyce’s book explains how best to prepare ahead so that, come the evening of your dinner party, you can be sipping on cocktails with your guests instead of slaving over a hot stove.   

The first 3-courser on my list is from Joyce’s Winter Menu. To start, Artichoke, pine nut and parmesan crostini; Rosemary and olive lamb stew for the main; and Tirimasu teacups to finish things off. I’m cooking for four and the ingredients list is the length of a novel.

Stay tuned to read how it turns out…

Janine xx

Posh Shepherd Pie is sadly off the menu....

Ok, d-day is here and I have a day off, so plenty of time to prep get the remaining ingredients and deliver my posh shepherds pie to perfection. I'm even going to do a dessert. I have no idea which one yet but will work that out later.

Before I do I am off got lunch with the lovely Kathryn and Meegs....well it is my day off, I will have loads of time later to buy the rest of the ingredients and start this  feast...I hope!

I have failed at the first hurdle. Lunch was obviously lovely and Meegs little boy is so gorgeous, so gorgeous in fact that this turned into a very long lunch. We didn't leave until 3.30pm, and after I had been convinced to have 'just one drink' with Kathryn, Posh Shepherds Pie was well and truly off the menu.....

Now, this is classic Audrey ( a habit I am trying to break). When faced with the choice of going home and slaving over a hot stove versus having a few drinks, booze always wins. This time was no different, but thanks to Kathryn I had a plan. I would text Kim to tell her I was running late, giving me enough time to have a cheeky Martini and buy a few steaks from Waitrose, a great bottle of red and ingredients for Eton's mess for dessert. Perfect!!

It worked a treat....

Kim was impressed with the meal, even Lee who came late from work commented on how good the steak was...Success all round. Just goes to show when you buy quality ingredients you don't actually have to work that hard - and I didn't.

As a complete aside, as someone who thought Waitrose was the grocery store for the wealthy I was pleasantly surprised, the prices were not too different from Sainsbury's but the service was much better. Take note Sainsbury's!

But no Shepherds Pie to speak of....ooops! A recipe for another day?

Audrey xx

Friday night dinner party for 2 (plus one late arrival)

Kim is a dear friend of mine, I've known her since I was about 13 and we were in the same tutor group at school. She is doing the dutiful thing and following her boyfriend to Zurich. So in a desperate attempt to try and see her as much a possible before she goes I have invited her round to mine for dinner. A perfect opportunity to try out my brand new book. Even though the title is 'meals in heels' I definitely won't be wearing heels, or the very glam dresses  in the illustrations.

Posh Shepherds pie here we come.

I've been really good. I have bought most of the ingredients in advance earlier in the week. The book does say that you can cook the lamb in advance, and the plan was to this on Wednesday, but this plan quickly went out of the window when that 'just a quick drink' turned into staying till closing....yes I am weak willed, but I had one of those days at work and that glass of Jack Daniels was so comforting.

Audrey  xx