I think a successful dinner party is a bit like a successful mix between songs on a dance floor; you just don't want any awkward 'waiting moments' and the more alcohol the better really.
Max and I had my old uni friend and her Italian boyfriend over for dinner who we had not yet met. I wanted a meal that looked effortless by the time they had got here, with no panic or hungry moments waiting for food to come out. I must say, the Italian boyfriend was very good at topping up the wine and so it was a very lovely evening, which went on until the early hours, when we all had 'rosey wine cheeks'. I made a roast chicken and panna cotta, as they are safe bets for me. I sourced lovely Italian flavours for an entree dish when they arrived, and added a berry vodka sauce to the dessert.
Caramelised Pear, Burrata, Basil and Heirloom Starter
*Burrata is an Italian cheese, which to my understanding is made in a similar way to Mozarella, however cooked in a different way, so that the inside remains very creamy and runny. It's delicious.
2 x William Pears (sliced, 6mm thick or so)
3 x Burrata balls (depending on size, mine were small)
12 Heirloom tomatoes, cut in half
Fresh basil leaves, pick the smaller sweeter ones- about 30
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar.
1. Warm a bbq or griddle pan on the stove.
2. Place the sliced pears in a bowl, and coat with the butter, sugar and vinegar.
2. Place the pear slices across the griddle and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, so they are tender, but not too soft or falling apart.
3. Arrange Burrata, tomato halves, basil and grilled pear on a plate.
Serve with your favourite crackers- I brushed some break with olive oil and cut circles out of it, to make crackers. I popped them into the oven for 20 minutes with some garlic cloves, and rubbed the garlic cloves onto the hot bread fresh out of the oven.
The Perfect Roast Chicken
1 organic chicken, RSPCA approved chicken is good too and both are available in supermarkets, 1.6kg
1 lemon, cut into quarters
1. Take your chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before it goes into the oven. Preheat oven to 220 degrees celsius.
2. Have your lemon, garlic cloves, thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper out ready. Using your finger (see image), separate the skin over the breast of the chicken from the meat and push 2 sprigs of time and a teaspoon of butter. This method stops the breast meat from drying out.
3. Stuff the carcass of the chook with the remaining thyme, garlic cloves and 2 lemon quarters. Rub olive oil, salt and pepper into the outside of the chicken
4. Pop the chicken into the oven and immediately turn the oven down to 200 degrees celsius. Cook the chicken for 1 hour and 20 minutes, turning halfway through.
* Check the chicken is cooked, by piercing into one of the joints (you can see in the third image, I have stabbed between the wing and the body.
Drain the oil from the roasting pan, but reserve the cooking juices (you should be able to just pour the oil from the top, leaving the juices in the pan). Pop the roasting pan on the stovetop and bring to the boil. Deglaze the pan with a good slosh of white wine and add some tarragon (I used dried), Add 2 tablespoons of plain flour, some salt and pepper to taste. Stil thoroughly for 5 minutes. If the mixture becomes too thick, you might like to add a little bit of water.
1Âź Tbsp powdered gelatine
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1. Place the milk, cream, sugar, vanilla seeds, nutmeg and cardamom in a saucepan and stir over gentle heat until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Bring to the boil, and then simmer for about 3 minutes.Â
3. Sprinkle the gelatine onto the hot cream in an even layer and leave it to sponge (be soaked cup by the cream) for a minute or so. Whisk into the cream until it is dissolved.
4. Pour the cream through a sieve and then into 4 x 125ml dariole moulds that have been sprayed with cooking spray, cover each with a piece of cling wrap and allow to drop down to room temperature before putting them in the fridge to set fully. THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT! Otherwise the Panna Cotta will most likely seperate.
5. Unmould the pannacotta by gently inserting a knife around the edges of the moulds and tipping them onto individual plates.
6. Serve with fresh fruit or my vodka berry sauce! It's amazing!
Smashed Berry and Vodka Sauce
lemon zest, ½ finely grated
1. In a small saucepan, bring to the boil apple juice, lemon juice, leom zest and cinnamon. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. cool slightly.
2. Combine berries, vodka and cooled syrup in a blender and process until berries are chopped.
3. Cool sauce. Sauce may be made 2 days ahead and chilled in an airtight container.