Entertaining at Home - Rachel Allen

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eggs, hard-boiled (see tip below), peeled and cut into quarters

      2 tbsp chopped parsley

      2 tbsp sliced or torn basil

      6 very ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges

      24 black olives with the stones in, or pitted if you prefer (see tip below)

      2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed

      9 spring onions, trimmed and cut into 1cm (½in) chunks

      18 tinned anchovies, drained and rinsed

      Handful of chopped mixed herbs

       For the dressing

      3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

      1 tbsp red wine vinegar

      1 tsp runny honey

      2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

      1 Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Add a good pinch of salt and bring to the boil, then cook for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain the potatoes and cut into 2cm (¾in) chunks and set aside.

      2 Meanwhile, bring another saucepan of water to the boil, add a good pinch of salt and cook the French beans for 3–4 minutes or until just cooked but still a little ‘squeaky’ when bitten, then drain and set aside.

      3 Next make the dressing by placing all the ingredients in a clean screw-top jam jar. Season with a little salt and pepper, then place the lid on the jar and shake vigorously. Set aside.

      4 Place the rocket leaves in a serving dish, then arrange the cooked potatoes and beans randomly on top, along with the remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper, pour over the dressing and sprinkle with the herbs. Toss the salad so all the ingredients are evenly coated in the dressing and serve immediately.

      RACHEL’S TIPS

      Boiling the eggs for 8–9 minutes will leave the whites completely cooked but the yolks still ever so slightly soft, which is ideal for this dish.

      Try to resist buying olives that come ready-pitted in jars as they have much less flavour. To pit them, just give them a bash with the flat side of a chopping-knife blade and remove the stones.

       Chicken and cabbage salad

       This is a wonderful, great big salad to serve as a centrepiece for a lunch with friends. Like any good salad, this one has a lovely balance of flavours and textures.

      SERVES 6–8

      4 large cooked chicken breasts or thighs, shredded

      1 tsp chopped tarragon

      3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

      1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

      200g (7oz) streaky bacon rashers

      ½ green leafy cabbage, such as Savoy

      2 green eating apples, grated

      3 large carrots, peeled and grated

      2 tbsp mayonnaise

      Salt and ground black pepper

      1 In a large bowl, mix together the chicken with the tarragon, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the vinegar.

      2 Cut the bacon rashers into 2cm (¾in) pieces. Quarter the cabbage lenthways, remove the core and finely slice the leaves.

      3 Place a frying pan on a medium-high heat and pour in the remaining olive oil. Add the bacon and cook, stirring frequently, for 3–4 minutes or until the bacon is golden and crispy. Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper.

      4 When the bacon is cooked, add it to the bowl with the chicken, followed by all the remaining ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then toss together and serve.

       Thai noodle broth

       The Thai tradition of making a specially flavoured paste as a base for soups is a great way of dispersing flavours, but it’s also such a convenient method for entertaining, as the paste can be made beforehand and will keep for a week or two. I’ve used tiger prawns here, but you could use any prawns or chicken.

      SERVES 3–4

      75g (3oz) egg or rice noodles (optional)

      1 × 400ml tin of coconut milk

      450ml (16fl oz) chicken stock

      250g (9fl oz) peeled raw tiger prawns

       For the paste

      1 bunch of coriander

      1 lemongrass stalk (outer layer removed), roughly chopped

      3 cloves of garlic, peeled

      2 tbsp light soy sauce

      1 tbsp fish sauce (nam pla)

      2 tbsp caster sugar

      ½ red chilli, deseeded

       To serve

      ½ red chilli, deseeded and sliced

      Juice of 1 lime

      A few splashes of fish sauce (nam pla)

      1 Cook the egg or rice noodles (if using) following the instructions on the packet, then drain and rinse through with cold water. Drain again.

      2 For the paste, remove the leaves from the coriander and chop 4 tablespoons of the leaves to serve. Set aside and put the stalks, together with the rest of the paste ingredients and 2 tablespoons of water, in a food processor. Whiz for 1–2 minutes or until smooth.

      3 Pour into a large saucepan and cook for 1 minute on a medium heat, then add the coconut milk and stock and gently warm through for 5 minutes. Add the prawns and noodles (if using) and cook for a further 2 minutes.

      4 To serve, stir in the chilli, chopped coriander leaves, lime juice and fish sauce, and pour into warmed bowls.

      VARIATION

      Thai chicken soup: Make the recipe as above, replacing the prawns with thin slices of raw chicken, adding the chicken 2 minutes before the noodles.

       Pork rillettes

       This has to be one of my very favourite things to eat! It’s a sort of rough pâté. Traditionally made just with pork, rillettes is now prepared with other types of meat and even fish, but the original is the best in my opinion. I usually pot it and serve it as a starter or for lunch with delicious breads from the market and some cornichons on the side. It will keep for a few months if left completely covered in the fat in a sealed jar.

      MAKES 1 LITRE (1¾ PINTS)

      500g (1lb 2oz) pork belly

      500g (1lb 2oz) pork shoulder

      200ml (7fl oz) dry white wine

      6 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

      ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

      ½ tsp ground black pepper, plus extra if needed

      2 tsp sea salt, plus extra if needed

      2

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