Eat, Sleep, Chips, Repeat

3 dinner party ideas with wine pairings from an expert. Plus the pantry bits I'm stocking up on

I used to love spending hours prepping for a dinner party. I’m embarrassed to admit I went as far as mood-boarding dishes. But with less time on my hands, and more food on the floor, I have all but lost interest in cooking. I want the food to take care of itself so I can enjoy myself. I’m after quick, easy and minimal ingredient dishes.

But, and it’s a big but. It should still feel like a party. It needs an element of novelty and a touch of theatre. I’ll never forget someone telling me my Saturday night stuffed chicken breasts would make an excellent midweek meal. I vowed never to serve them up again.

So what on earth to cook? I’m going to let you in on my new find.

Our food shops are governed by whatever Yuka tells me is good. It’s usually obvious enough. Fruit, veg, beans, wholefoods; green light, excellent. Chocolate, sweets, most ready meals; red light, poor. But there are the occasional surprises lurking on the shelves and my favourite new game, is trying to find them.

My most recent discovery? McCain’s Oven French Fries.

So naturally, we’ve been eating a lot of them. But when Ed suggested that we ditch the dauphinoise for fries at our upcoming dinner party, I told him he couldn’t be serious. Chips?! At a dinner party?! People expect more from me. But time got the better of us and the 3 bags we’d brought home were taking up rather a lot of freezer space. So chips it was. And guess what? They were such a hit we did it three times in a row.

There’s something deeply comforting about watching a table of friends pass around a big bowl of something as low stakes as chips, watching the bowl slowly diminish long after the main course has finished.

If that sounds like a bit of you, here’s three ways with chips for your next dinner party. And as a special brucey bonus, Tatiana Humphreys aka The Little Grape, my wine connoisseur of a friend has graced us with her expert wine pairings to expand your palette and diversify your wine rack.

Dinner 1: Steak Frites with the perfect green salad

I won’t tell you how to cook steak perfectly because this is more about ideas than execution. Besides, we observe gender stereotypes in our kitchen so I leave this to Ed. Not to detract from his innate technical prowess, but from what I can tell, a probe is a must. If you are looking for a step by step method however, The Guardian’s got you covered.

As for the salad you can’t beat little gem lettuce with a sharp vinaigrette. My mum always has a big jar of this in her fridge so so do I. A traditionalist would disagree with the ratios but I like it punchy, right up in my nostrils and so does the steak.

My Mum’s Dressing

• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Pinch of salt, sugar, crack of pepper

• Dash of tabasco, soya sauce and liquid seasoning (see my pantry finds) if you have it to hand

Shake it all about and bobs your uncle!

The Little Grape recommends…

2022 Bourgueil, Jour de Soif, Domaine du Bel Air, Loire, France

Call me a traditionalist but when I think of this dish, I mentally travel to a bistrot in Paris. In said bistro they only serve French wine (true of most bistros!) but instead of choosing a classic Claret, I suggest you go for a Cabernet Franc wine from the Loire Valley. Crunchy red fruit, a hint of tomato leaf and an elegance akin to Pinot Noir, it will cut through the fat with this wine. Loire Cabernet Franc is seriously underrated so get involved before it blows up!

Dinner 2: Tarragon Chicken ‘n’ Chips with the perfect green salad

For something a little less showy than steak, Julius Roberts’ Epic Tarragon Chicken may be my favourite chicken recipe ever. The creamy, white wine sauce saves it from being too ‘roasty’ although it wouldn’t feel out of place on a Sunday afternoon either. The hero ingredient, tarragon brings novelty and makes me wonder why it’s so underutilised. Probe also useful here. As for salad, see above.

A friendly reminder to check the oven is actually on when you put the chicken in. I learnt the hard way.

The Little Grape recommends…

The Society’s Exhibition Côtes du Jura, France 2020
If you’re not already a member of The Wine Society, stop what you’re doing and sign up now. This white wine is a great example of how diverse and exciting their range is. Savagnin, a grape you might not have heard of, dominates the blend, creating a saltiness that pairs so well with the creaminess of Taragon Chicken. This wine pays homage to the oxidative, nutty wines from Jerez so expect something a bit different but I promise it works!

Dinner 3: Moules Frites

This one may be polarising but ticks the theatre and novelty box quite nicely. A great big steaming pot of something for everyone to get their hands dirty. What’s not to like? You could make your own or just doctor the supermarket ones with some fresh herbs and garlic. I know what I’d do.

The Little Grape recommends…

2023 Sea of Dreams White, Vina Zorzal, Navarra, Spain

Here’s a dish where you can be creative. Yes, Moules Frites is a french dish but I’m a huge fan of Spanish whites so let’s cross borders. This Garnacha Blanca based white has an interesting texture. It’s oily with flecks of stony minerality. With notes of almond, melon and citrus, this isn’t overly rich, which is key when consuming buckets of creamy mussels. It’s happy to play the supporting role to this rich dish but expect the flavours and texture to linger on your palate longer than the parsley will!

And here’s what I’m stocking up on…

Cote Citron: It’s the year of the Radler. I’ve always loved a shandy but this is a cut above. See what I did there. It’s crisp, refreshing and transports you straight to the French riviera, which if you hadn’t noticed is very much the vibe I’m after. Also, the can just feels really nice. You’ll have to buy it to know what I mean.

Maggi Liquid Seasoning: I don’t know what’s in this, I don’t want to know, I definitely don’t want to Yuka to tell me. But it’s sensational.

Piment D’Espelette : A foodie friend jazzed up his hummus with this and we ordered it after one bite. That good! We also coat our chips in it which gives the ol’ McCain’s a certain je ne sais q’uoi.

Fragata Olives: I love a Perello olive as much as the next person but I also have a weakness for unintentionally retro European branding, and anchovies. These kill both birds and make my cupboard feel more like the Spanish pantry I wish it was.

London Basil ‘Besto’: The bad pun and techy branding should’ve put me off. But it was a Sunday farmer’s market and who says no to free tasters? This is the exception to jarred pesto. Best served for drinks on top of ricotta with a pile of focaccia.

Gower Cottage Brownies: No one’s complaining about brownies for pudding and it doesn’t get better than these. They freeze well so you can whip them out the morning of and tart them up with a dusting of icing sugar, raspberries and creme fraiche.

Villiera Cap Classique, South Africa: One more for luck from The Little Grape for anyone wishing they were in South Africa at the moment. This fizz transports you there, all the way from your local Majestic. She says: With an alcohol level of 11.5%, this sparkling is refreshingly light, even though the palate is rich. It reminds me of a Blanc de Blancs Champagne with nutty, toasty and sweet caramel pastry notes. There is acidity, which stops this from being cloying but you really can feel the warmth of Stellenbosch. Fruit flavours of mango, lychee and sweet melon are evidence of this. Villiera Cap Classique is much more tropical than say a citrus-fuelled English sparkling. Let’s not forget that Cap Classique is a labelling term in South Africa for wines made using the traditional method. Champagne is made using the traditional method but you would be dreaming to think you could buy a bottle of Champagne for £14.50!

If you enjoyed these recommendations, there are still a few spaces available to sip and scribble the night away with The Little Grape and I next month. Join us for an evening of wine and creativity on Thursday 12th or Thursday 19th March. Click here for more information.