I had a lot of fun putting everything together: the shopping, finding hard to get ingredients, getting everything just right and then having a great night of serving up a 5 course extravaganza.
Monday morning was my starting point: - a long, long shopping list and out on my bike I went, first heading into Marylebone to pick up some big sumptuous shoulders of lamb from the Ginger Pig (www.thegingerpig.co.uk). Cooking Moro style food requires very specific ingredients and Green Valley came up trumps (including rose water and orange blossom water), a Lebanese supermarket on Upper Berkeley St. But alas they did not have nibbed pistachios (all shell and husk removed) or black cumin...the search continued!
An excellent Indian supermarket on Turnpike Lane was my saviour for black cumin but nibbed pistachio proved elusive: I had to "nib" by hand a packet, but fortunately I had a few bags from a trip to West London a while ago so an hour was saved there.
Returning home I cracked on with prep: hummus, harissa (my favourite Moro thing), cardamom and rose water ice cream. Then a phone call - did I want as much work as I wanted from tuesday? - yes, of course but a rewrite of the cooking plan was required to fit everything in...
Tuesday came and more prep including the beetroot soup. One minor calamity as I overfilled the food processor (liquid went up and then down the blade holder) and liquid beetroot everywhere. Mop n wipe. Zoomed off to Hampstead Butcher to pick up Phil's dessert wine, then the Sampler in Islington for wine ordered by three guests, then Waitrose for final bits n bobs.
Off to work and back at 10pm and more prep, setting the table, polishing glasses, making placenames. Done. And for good measure another ice cream: - pistachio, using a River Cafe egg custard based recipe.
Wednesday came, off to work til 2pm and then back into the kitchen where the proper cooking began. Making two batches of fresh bread was a delight, kneading, proving, rolling and baking. The Moroccan bread made with honey and milk looked appetising. Had a nibble.
All set everyone arrived around 8 and got stuck into the starters and wine. Lamb done a bit ahead of time, good job I have a second oven to let it rest and keep warm.
Beetroot soup next, portions a tad too big but well received. A few decided to save themselves for the main and dessert. Understandable.
Then onto the deep fried aubergines with a goat's cheese salad and a generous drizzle of honey. Some excitement, aubergines came out just right, crispy on the outside, melt in the mouth in the middle. 12/10 Mandy said. Nice. Could have done seconds but left people wanting more....
The lamb came out lovely, very tender, the saffron rice stuffing oozing everywhere. The big fellas went straight for seconds...plenty left.
And so to dessert, the pistachio tart with the two ice creams. Moment of the night: a minute's silence as everyone tucked in.
Now 11pm, everyone sated, I joined the throng to help polish off the wine...a good night all round. And only minor carnage in the kitchen, thank goodness for dishwashers.
Tired but happy, bed by 12.30 and before I know it it is 7am and off to work at UCL. Lovely leftovers, lunch and dinner. Including 4 aubergines fried to perfection.
More cleaning, everything back to normal by midnight...Retire, exhausted! Back to work on friday, more leftovers, then off to the boozer...
So, from my perspective, a great success, the next Supper Club is likely to be late January. Ottolenghi (www.ottolenghi.co.uk), Great British, Spanish and Greek are on my shortlist. And I've had a few enquiries about hosting people's own private dinner parties. Bring it on...
Laurence
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