GOM: Chapter 16 The Dinner Party and Mobilising the troops

Busy day, best foot forward – of course the day begins as usual with the GOM doing their morning thing and I'm in my hide. It seems ages since I've been on duty but my efforts are rewarded. Perched on the top dock is the bluest bird I've ever seen – if I didn't know better I'd think that someone not a million miles away was playing tricks! You may not be surprised to learn it really is called a bluebird – I forgot to mention it also has an orange breast. Size wise in the UK – similar to a thrush. Another glorious addition to my every growing wildlife list. I'm sorry there's no photograph, you have to sit still or they tend to fly off!

Let's get the party started and mobilise the troops, washing the best china and crystal, laying the table, organising the wine and anything else I can think of. There's no show …... even though dress is absolutely casual, it doesn't mean you can't have a great looking table – how very Martha Stewart.

Whilst the GOM are doing their chores I prep the mash and poach salmon for the fishcakes so that they can cool in readiness for the “class” later on. Peel potatoes and carrots for the main and prep trays for the Tarragon Chicken.

Organisation is the key ….... not really sure why but I always work backwards, dessert first and my friend observes as I assemble the Orange Tiramisu – cover and refrigerate. This dessert came from my Cordon Bleu Course and is really useful – not everyone is fond of coffee.

Next step is to assemble the fishcakes and again student observing – cover and refrigerate together with the “instant” tartare sauce.

All done, can now rest up and return to the hide for an hour before glad rags on.

You'll be pleased to know that all went well, but probably the best comment came from my friend, who – like me, is not a dessert eater. High praise indeed for the Orange Tiramisu and he's adding it to his reportoire – phew!

Well done to all the troops, a good night was had by all.

Here are the recipes:

Fishcakes

(a la The Ivy)

(makes 8 – freeze what you don't use)

800g dry mashed potato, no cream or butter added

650g salmon fillet poached in fish stock and flaked

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

2 tsp anchovy essence

3 tsp English mustard

salt and black pepper

Plain flour for coating

Mix together the potato, half the salmon, the ketchup, anchovy essence, mustard and seasoning until smooth. Fold in the rest of the salmon. Mould the mixture into 8 round cakes and refrigerate.

When you're ready to serve preheat the oven 180fan/200c/gas 6. Lightly flour the fishcakes and fry them until they are coloured on both sides. Bake for 10/15 minutes.

There will be more to follow on “The Ivy The Restaurant and its Recipes AA Gill” soon.

Quick tartare sauce

Hellmann's mayonnaise – approximately two

heaped tablespoons

Caper paste – 1 teaspoon

Cornichons – two, finely diced

Capers to taste

Mix the caper paste with the mayo and fold in the

diced cornichons and capers

et voila!!

Tarragon Chicken

Bunch of spring onions, finely diced

1 tsp dried tarragon

Fresh tarragon – chopped – approximately 2 tbsp

160ml Vermouth or white wine

Half tsp of sea salt flakes or quarter tsp of pouring salt

120ml double cream

White pepper

4 chicken breasts

Drop of canola oil (rapeseed in UK) and a knob butter to seal. (You could use a flavoured oil i.e. garlic or tarragon if you wish)

Optional

One Knorr chicken stock pot melted in 250ml of hot water and 2 tsps garlic paste, mashed together.

Heat oil and butter, add the onions, then dried tarragon.

Add the chicken fillets, seal on both sides, put on one side. (Add mashed garlic and stock**see below) Add the vermouth, let it bubble up, add salt. Pop the breasts back in the pan and cook on the stove or in the oven – 20/25 minutes (depending on size of the breasts). When ready to serve, remove the breasts, bring the liquid to the boil, add cream and fresh tarragon, then white pepper.

**You can vary your sauce by adding roasted garlic paste, mashed into concentrated chicken stock. I've tried adding this element and it's great - obviously you have to like garlic.

Roast Potatoes

I use either Maris Piper or King Edwards in the UK but here I'd use either Russet or Yukon Gold – as a rough guide 2lbs gives you 12 small to medium roasties – parboil them – just so you can insert a paring knife and take it out with some resistance. Drain well, sprinkle 1 heaped tbsp of semolina over the potatoes and then shake well – don't forget to put the lid on the pan!!!! Your aim is to coat the potatoes.

Pre-heat your oven 210c/190fan/Gas 7

It's important that your fat is hot before the spuds go in. You can use 1-2 tbsps size lumps of goose fat or beef dripping or, in my case, either vegetable or rapeseed oil. They will take an hour and straight from oven to table is best.

This is Nigella's way and it has never failed me. Taken from “How to Eat” p281.

Lemon glazed carrots

I would suggest 6-8 medium to large carrots. Peel, top and tail and cut into batons, approximately 5cms long x 1cm thick (or in old money 1 ¾” long x ¼” thick). Try and keep them a similar size. Lay a sheet of foil onto a baking tray (large enough to be able to wrap into a parcel) lay the carrot batons on the foil add salt and black pepper, a couple of slugs of lemon juice and 2/3 generous knobs of butter. Wrap tightly and pop into the oven after your roasties have been in for 30 minutes. This recipe came from my sister, Whizzer - thank you!

Steam the snow peas at the last minute.

Orange Tiramisu

Grated rind and juice of 2 oranges

20fl oz whipping cream

4tbls Cointreau (optional)

20 sponge fingers or Madeira cake

4tbls caster sugar

8oz Mascarpone or curd cheese (Philadelphia)

2oz plain chocolate (grated)

Mix the orange rind and juice with the Cointreau. Mix the cream carefully with the sugar and mascarpone. Cut up the cake in shapes that suit the bowl you are using and dip into the orange mixture.

Grate the chocolate. Layer the mascarpone mixture with the sponge and sprinkle with chocolate.