I've had bigger, messier, unlikelier, more fractious dinner parties but this one, and Toni will back me up on this, was the best one ever. Not in the world mind, although the cheese board was voted best on globe at 1:30am – in Perth of all places, who would have thought? But the best I've ever done. So I'm just basking at the moment and grateful that a shitty, rotten week for a friend gave me this opportunity – so hooray for misfortune.
The deal was a sweet one. I'd come over and cook and bring mains and dessert and she'd provide the nibblies, the seafood for the entree, the cheese and the booze. The resulting menu was this:
Apéritifs
Dolmades, stuffed peppers, baba ganoush, marinated artichoke, and pickled onions(really good, from the Boatshed) with Champagne and Lillet (never had it before but it's quite lovely and looking like number one sunny afternoon refresher-nicer with a bit of lime, is this wrong?)
Entree
Tuna and Sashimi Tuna with a Mango Salsa
paired with a Beaujolais which didn't quite work but was interesting and the Louis Jadot was tasty enough for me not to care less)
Main
Confit of Rabbit in a stack of beetroot wantons/pink pappadams with celeriac and parsnip mash, fried parsnip, and a rabbit paté with a mustard cream sauce.
There was a Chianti there but I can't remember which one, and a Spanish wine and a local Harewood 2002 Pinot Noir.
20 Minutes of Clubbing and a Double Espresso
Dessert
Pistachio and Rosewater Crème Brûlée
with a Vasse Felix Semillon Dessert Wine
Cheese Board
I'm struggling here – a blue, a goats cheese, quince jelly, dried grapes, a brie, chocolately pistachio things, a Capel something and bottle of Miranda Golden Botrytis.
This was my first real attempt at full blown foot to the floor fancy and it's rewarding that it worked out, especially after a day moving furniture. The entree and the dessert were pretty straightforward, the mains a little more complex but I'll post the recipes over the week.