Salted caramel ice cream without custard and dark chocolate bark. The art of entertaining

" Cooking is conviviality and sharing, especially when cooking with others- a spouse, a friend or children" Mireille Guiliano.

Nick and I like to organise occasional dinner parties at home. This year we haven't done many. If I think about it, 2013 is about to finish ( thank goodness!) and we just had two dinners at home but a few  lunches or meriendas.  I like dinners better, I don't know why. Perhaps because I am more relaxed, kids are in bed and the night has its own life. 

After baby Juanan was born and had colic for 3 and a half months around dinner time, during those loooooong months, Nick and I probably had ice cream for breakfast and toast with vegemite ( or olive oil for me ) for dinner. We had to survive! We did though, like every family does. It is only now that Juanan is five months old  that things are getting easier and dinner parties will come back to our house.

Is it always a formal entertaining? No, it isn't but of course it depends who is coming for dinner. In general, we try to make it as easy and relaxed as possible in a welcoming atmosphere. 

Why shall we be bothered by entertaining at home? Well, I like going out to restaurants but I am delighted to cook for others and share good food. It does not matter if the dish I made isn't perfect, at least I tried my best. Nick is pleased to have people over for dinner by making sure that they feel comfortable, their glass is full of water or wine but also that there is a nice music in the background. In summary, I am in charge of the food and he is in charge that the night goes smoothly and we all have a good time. When the guest leaves our house, we hope he felt very special and will remember an lovely dinner with great company, interesting conversation and delicious food.

With experience, the way we entertain is less stressful and more enjoyable. It is true that it is an art and even if you think you are not good at it, don't give up because the more you do it the easier it gets. In the worse case, just order some pizzas and organize a movie night at home!

When last month Nick told me that an old friend of us was coming to Manila for a very short work visit I was thrilled. James used to be the Special Coordinator of the Regional Assistance for Solomon Islands ( RAMSI ) and Nick worked for him in 2006.

Nick asked me to have him over for a casual family dinner. Immediately, my mind started to think about possible menus for the dinner with our dear guest.

The rule number one is to cook a dish that is highly tasteful, that you have cooked before, a few times if possible, easy to prepare in such a way that your guest is not waiting for you at the table while you are running around in the kitchen.  

The rule number two is to plan the menu ahead of time so you can get the right ingredients, fresh and  of good quality ( leave the cheap version for another day! ) and start preparing some of the dishes you will serve. I usually write down on a weekly calendar which day I can make the dough for the bread, when I can make dessert or marinate the beef, for example.

The rule number three that Nick and I have is to reproduce the dinner in our minds, imaging since the moment the guest/s arrive in your house and find the best way to look after them. Don't forget they are in your house because you invited them. If you are spending the night cooking in the kitchen and your husband up and down from one place to another, the guest would be better at home.

For the dinner with James, we started with a champagne to celebrate his visit, followed by at room temperature creamy French camembert and a scorched Spanish chistorra ( thin chorizo ).  I made a tasty lasagna with home-made pasta and two hours cooked bolognese sauce. James had thirds!

And for dessert...

Salted caramel ice cream without custard and chocolate bark

Ps: It was really lovely to meet the cheerful James again and going back in time  when we were together in 2005-2006 in Solomon Islands. He told us that he went back to Honiara after a few years and noticed many changes, bad traffic for example. 

This is what entertaining is all about: people+conversation+food+wine. A way to enjoy life. It might not be yours, but it is definitely mine.

Salted caramel ice cream

Recipe of Jeni Britton

Makes about 1 quart

• 2 cups of whole milk
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream (whipping cream)
• 2 tablespoons of light corn syrup
• 2/3cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1. Mix about 2 tbsp of the milk with the cornstarch to make a smooth slurry.
1. Whisk the cream cheese and salt until smooth in another bowl.
2. Mix the cream with the corn syrup in a measuring cup.
3. Fill a large bowl with ice and water.
2. Heat the sugar in a big saucepan over medium heat until it is melted and golden amber in colour. remove from the heat and stirring constantly, slowly add a bit of the cream and corn syrup mixture to the caramel. Stir well until combined and then add a bit more until all of it is incorporated.
3. Return the pan to high heat and add the milk. Bring to boil for 4 minutes. remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry.
4. bring back to a boil over medium-high and cook, stirring with a spatula for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and strain through a sieve.
5. Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla and whisk. Pour the mixture into a ziploc bag and place it in the ice bath until cold, about 30 minutes.
6. Pour into the ice cream machine.

Dark chocolate-almond bark with sea salt

recipe of Bon Appetit magazine, December 2011

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups roasted almonds
• 500g good quality dark chocolate 70%, chopped
• Sea salt

1. Line a baking sheet with silicone baking mat or baking paper.
2. Combine sugar with 2 tbsp water in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil until caramel is dark amber. Remove from the heat and immediately add butter. Whisk until melted.
3. Add any chopped nuts  and stir until well coated.
4. Transfer to baking sheet, spreading out to separate the nuts and fruits. Let it cool. reserve 1/4 of nuts
5. Stir chocolate in a double broiler until melted (or in a medium bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until melted). Remove from the heat, add nuts from baking sheet, and stir quickly to combine.
6. Spread chocolate nut mixture on same baking sheet, keeping nuts in a single layer. Top with reserved nuts; sprinkle sea salt. Chill about 3 hours.