I have just finished compiling a list of tips and tricks; suggestions which I hope will make your next dinner party all the more successful. At the risk of sounding like know-it-all when it comes to this subject, I would like to share a series of unfortunate events all of which took place whilst I hosted my own dinner parties. These moments have lodged themselves firmly in my memory for the wrong reason, as you are about to learn.
Fresh out of chef’s school and full of gusto I convinced my parents to invite their esteemed American guests to our home for a dinner party instead of taking them out. The entrée of asparagus, poached egg, prosciutto and hollandaise went off with me knocking the saucepan of boiling water off the element, scolding my feet in front of the guests and having to stand in a cold shower for 10 minutes. The passionfruit granita was more like passionfruit slushy but the coq au vin was good – complete with turned potatoes, I think the first and last time I used that skill outside of tech.
Another dinner party and out of my steaming pot of mussels appeared a blue flame reminiscent of Casper the ghost – it singed my eyebrows and a large quantity of my hair. And on another occasion I forgot to put the rabbit in the fridge after defrosting – I came home from work to find it on the bench, warm, like a vacuum-packed organ – FYI I think in its place we had chicken or maybe it was takeout.
This recipe wasn’t a disaster; we ate it in our hands but if you can only find large eggplant, serve them on entrée plates with knives and forks.
For the sauce in this recipe you need a nice thick consistency, our amazing and super easy to make tomato sauce recipe is perfect and can be found here