Madeleine Shaw Event: Supper Club @ Harvey Nichols

Last week, Pamela, Nadia & I enjoyed a delicious evening of food with Madeleine Shaw at her Supper Club hosted by Harvey Nics. Her Get the Glow evening promised four plates and a pudding from her cookbook, cocktails and a talk about the new book, and I'd been looking forward to it for ageees. We were even more excited (read: giggling with massive grins on our faces) to see on the seating plan that our names were on Madeleine's table!

Green Goddess Bowl

We kicked off with soft poached eggs, avo, kale, sesame seeds and a gorgeous dressing. Look at that yolk! 

Mexican BBQ Grilled Corn & Quinoa with chilli salsa

The creamiest quinoa I've ever tasted (it was mixed with natural yoghurt). I'm not usually sweetcorn's number one fan but this was lush, the BBQ flavours brought it to life and the salsa was fresh and tangy.

Thai Beef Salad, salt & pepper cashews

This dish was my favourite. The beef was so tender and juicy, mixed with the chewy salted cashews and wilted greens the textures were spot on! Cannot wait to recreate this.

Spicy Salmon, Cucumber & Yoghurt

I loved this one - it looked so delicate but the flavours were punchy and there was a nice mix of crunch (the cucumber, the salmon edges) and smoothness (the yoghurt and the juicy meat).

Raw Chocolate Cherry Fudge, Vanilla & Coconut Dairy-free Ice-cream

This dessert was insane, I can't do it justice in words - the richness of the dense, yet almost gooey chocolate paired perfectly with cooling creaminess of the icecream. Yes I realise I'm gushing here, but I've attempted to make raw chocolate before and not gonna lie, it tasted rank, so this is a recipe I can't wait to try as it was incredible.

The evening was just what I needed; relaxed and chilled - a room full of people chatting over really, really decent & nourishing food. As well as the food being spot on, both Madeleine and her boyfriend Kieran were so lovely to chat to - a very humble happy couple!

I was gutted as I'd ordered the book from Amazon and it didn't arrive in time - it still hasn't arrived! - but once it's here I can't wait to start bookmarking recipes, especially the raw chocolate fudge...

Comforting Winter Smoothie

I think the phrase under the weather was made for the past week. Basically everyone I know has been a victim of windy, wet October the past few days, including yours truly.

I was feeling really grim earlier so whipped this up to try and combat my cold - it tasted lush so I wanted to share it!

You'll need:

• 2 x handfuls of spinach
• 1 x banana, chopped
• 1 heaped teaspoon of wheatgrass
• 1 heaped teaspoon of spirulina 
• 1/2 avocado 
• Frozen berries: raspberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, blackberries
• 4 x strawberries, chopped
• Coconut water 
• Unsweetened soya milk
• Dessicated coconut to top
• Chia seeds to top 

Of course you can substitute out the coconut water (I only buy it when I'm feeling flush as I think it's a little pricey!) for standard tap, and the soya for almond, it's up to you.

It's creamy, fruity, really filling and brimming with so many nutrients.

Hopefully it bullies off my sore throat before tonight, I'm out for a friend's birthday - fingers crossed!

Making Sushi

On Friday I learnt how to make sushi.

It was incredible. Ben from Sushi Night Fever came over loaded with sticky rice, fish, seaweed and gloves for lubing (very important).

We made everything below:

You make each type in rounds, and Ben's on hand to help should you begin to mess it all up (and take group photos, which is always very useful).

I was genuinely so surprised at how full we all were after the master class had finished!

Rows and rows of spicy tuna, chunky salmon, crispy salmon skin and avocado, mango, cucumber, ginger, wasabi, chives and seaweed... what a fishy feast!

Now, on to those lubey gloves (oh er)... You wear them to get down and dirty with your filling. Ben gave us all a squirt of mayo to get our fingers nice and, um, moist (which helps everything mould together), and away you go! We couldn't get enough:

My hosomaki:

So proud of these little beauties!

For a dinner party with a difference, it's definitely up there. Ben was great, managed around the space limitations (ten people and a modest dining table makes for an interesting seating plan...), and stayed for some drinks with us after (poor bloke). 

Their website's here: http://sushinightfever.co.uk/