Photo by Sophie Davidson
I am, officially at least, OOO at the moment, so I shall be uncharacteristically brief as I tell you about this week’s CookbookCorner, The Art of Friday Night Dinner by Eleanor Steafel. I hadn’t read her before, and I can now see it’s entirely my loss, as Steafel is an enthusiastic eater and writer with a confiding, chatty style who gets you greedily into the kitchen before you’ve even noticed it. The Friday night in question refers not to a Jewish celebration of the Sabbath but rather the sort of informal evenings that are crowded with friends and food as the weekend gets going. There’s so much that pulled me in: White Beans with Fennel, Anchovy Crumbs and Soft Chorizo; Pork Chops with Quince Butter and Orange and Endive Salad; Deep-Fried Olives Stuffed with Anchovy and Goat’s Cheese; Aubergine Fritters with Honey and Dipping Vinegar; Party Potatoes with Za’atar Salt and Soured Cream and Onion Dip; Osso Buco with Saffron Risotto and Gremolata; Hot Tahini Fudge Sundae with Sesame Pine Nut Brittle; Salted Brown Butter Honey Madeleines; Lemon Ice Cream with Good Olive Oil and Salt. And this is just a small selection! The recipe I’ve chosen to share with you today is the rapturously inviting Still-Hot Flapjack and Very Cold Cream. How could I not?
The Art of Friday Night Dinner by Eleanor Steafel (Bloomsbury Publishing, £26, Hardback) is out now.
Photography by Sophie Davidson.
