COME FOR SUPPER WITH... BRE GRAHAM
The newsletter instalment where I visit someone else's kitchen to find out how they like to entertain. This week I speak to food writer Bre Graham, who shares the recipe for her chilli jam clams.
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Bre Graham is a London-based food writer, editor and author. Originally from Sydney, she grew up in Singapore and has been based in London for the last eleven years. Her debut cookbook, Table For Two: Recipes for the ones you love was released January of this year and has captivated the hearts and stomachs of many…including my own.
I met Bre at a lunch earlier in the year. We gravitated instantly and ended up drinking Palomas in Soho well into the afternoon.
She very kindly let me invite myself to her home to interview her for the first instalment of my Come For Supper with series and cooked the most delicious chilli jam clams followed by mango cloud cake.
It was one of those incredibly hot London evenings where the weather feels sticky and the sun seems to lull for hours before finally dipping behind the skyline. We cooled down with Campari spritzes as Bre made supper and chatted about how she likes to entertain.
What are you cooking?
Chilli jam clams and mango cloud cake, an ideal lazy Friday lunch. Both recipes are from my book, Table For Two.
Tell me about the space?
We’re eating outside on my terrace today. The jasmine has just started to bloom and it’s hot!
How would you describe your style of entertaining?
I’m a pre-prepper for sure and the more I can do in advance the better. I like to just be able to add the final elements to dishes or have all the prep work done so I’m just bringing ingredients together. I love sharing style dishes because I always want people to be able to feel like they can have more. Even if I’m cooking for four, I’m catering for eight.
On setting the table?
Candle light is essential if it's dinner, I love the look of a crisp white tablecloth that inevitably gets stained over the course of a meal and a single rose I think always looks chic (and cost effective!).
Do you have any hosting rituals?
I like to have at least 80% of what I need to do done by the time people arrive. I want to be a part of the conversations, not just in the kitchen. Other than that, a quiet drink before the fun starts is always a good idea.
Your favourite cookbooks?
A near impossible question but I’ll do my best. I’m a HUGE cookbook collector and really love old cookbooks from the 1950’s-1980’s in particular. The ones that I reach for the most are Stephanie Alexander’s Kitchen Companion, How To Be A Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson and How To Eat A Peach by Diana Henry.
Your go-to playlist
Kai from My Lady Garden has some incredible playlists, but her 222 Love Letter one is my favourite.
A song to cook to?
Love At First Sight by Kylie Minogue
A song to eat to?
My Baby Just Cares For Me by Nina Simone
What to drink?
A cocktail to start, depending on my mood or the weather, a martini (gin, dry with a twist and an olive) or a Campari Spritz
Your go to drink for entertaining. How to make it.
A Peach Bellini in summer is hard to pass by. A good Bellini tastes like you’re watching a sunset with someone you love. Originally invented in Venice, it’s worth waiting for white peach season to make these. I like to just puree half so you can still really taste the pieces of peach at the bottom of the glass after it’s infused in wine.
● 1 white peach, peeled and finely chopped
● The juice of half a lemon
● 250ml of sparkling white wine
Freeze the peeled and chopped white peach. After a few hours when it’s frozen solid, add half of it to a blender with the juice of half a lemon. Puree it till smooth and then mix with the other half of the frozen peach pieces. Spoon this into the bottom of two glasses and top with sparkling white wine.
If this dinner party was a movie and you were the star, who would you like to play you?
Australian accents are notoriously difficult so to keep it authentic let’s go with Sarah Snook or Emily Browning.
Bre very kindly shared the recipe for her chilli jam clams below but you’ll find the recipe for the mango cloud cake and many other delicious things in her book, Table For Two.
Chilli Jam Clams
serves 2
800g (1¾Ib) clams
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chilli jam
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
120ml (½ cup) dry rosé wine
¼ tsp finely grated unwaxed lemon zest
2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to serve
1 tbsp salted butter
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Start by cleaning your clams. Tip them into a colander and rinse well. Sort through the clams, discarding any with broken shells or that won't close tightly when tapped on the worktop.
Add the clams to a big bowl of fresh cold water and soak for
10-20 minutes, changing the water once or twice, to remove any sand in the shells, then scoop the clams out of the water and into a bowl.
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, add the olive oil, chilli jam and garlic and let them sizzle for a minute or so over a medium heat until fragrant. Add the clams and stir to coat them in the garlic-spiced sauce.
Pour the wine into the pan and instantly pop the lid on to let the clams steam open in the wine. Take the lid off after
4-5 minutes, give the clams a stir, then put the lid back on but take the pan off the heat.
Let the clams sit for another 5 minutes, then add the lemon zest, parsley and butter and stir again. It shouldn't need any salt as the clams will already be salty, but taste and see if it needs a little seasoning.
Spoon the clams and any sauce in the pan into a large serving bowl and scatter with a bit more parsley. Serve with grilled crusty bread to mop up the spicy sauce.