/ 27 November 2023

What’s On My Table, With Alexandra Dudley

Alexandra Dudley is a food columnist, cookbook author and host of the Come For Supper podcast. In this monthly column, she takes us inside her east London kitchen to show us what she’s cooking and the tools she’s loving. This time, it’s a weekend bake – plus, three of her top serving accessories…

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I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who doesn’t like banana bread, but this marbled one takes things up a notch. I love to bring this as a gift when I’m visiting friends, but it makes for a very good afternoon treat at home, too. I love my daily cup of coffee but have been enjoying drinking more tea recently. This banana bread goes particularly well with a cup of Darjeeling Earl Grey from Teapigs.

Marbled Chocolate Banana Bread

Serves

Makes: 1 Loaf

Total Time

1 Hour 30 Minutes

Ingredients

110g of butter, melted

5 ripe bananas, mashed

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp of vanilla extract

230g of white spelt flour (or plain flour)

80g of light brown sugar

1 tsp of baking powder

¼ tsp of bicarbonate of soda

Pinch of salt

80g of 70% dark chocolate, chopped

1 tbsp of cocoa powder

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180°C Fan setting, and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment.

Step 2

In a medium sized bowl, combine the wet ingredients.

Step 3

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.

Step 4

Melt the chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a simmering pot of water. Stir in the cocoa powder. Set aside.

Step 5

Lightly fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined. Spoon a cup full of the cake mix into the bowl with the melted chocolate, stir to combine.

Step 6

Ladle two thirds of the banana bread mix into the loaf tin and then dot over a couple of heaped tablespoons of the chocolate mix. Continue using the banana bread mix and chocolate mix, dispersing the plain and chocolate mix randomly to create a marbled patten. Use a skewer or knife to swirl the very top of the cake but avoid going too deep (as this will create a messy inside)

Step 7

Bake for 45-50 minutes until the cake is cooked through and bounces back when pressed lightly. Cool, then enjoy.

THE THREE THINGS ALEXANDRA'S LOVING THIS MONTH

Trinket Dish, £40 | Kate Sellers

I like using little trinket dishes for olives and nuts and love this collection from Whistles. They would make great Christmas gifts, too.

Visit Whistles.com

0% Proof Wine Twin Pack, From £27.99 | Wednesdays Domaine

I feel like alcohol-free wines have finally come into their stride. While I am not teetotal, I often opt to go alcohol free. Wednesdays Domaine have some beautiful bottles which are worth trying if you are sober curious.

Visit WednesdaysDomaine.com

Diamond Vase Motif Platter, £38.50 | Damson Madder

I enjoy serving pasta and rice dishes on an oval platter when entertaining. It feels a bit less stiff than plating up individually and means everyone can help themselves.

Visit DamsonMadder.com

OFF THE TABLE… Roast Chicken At Bambi

There was a collective sigh of sadness across East London when Bright restaurant closed its doors in London Fields. So, when news broke that the site would reopen this year as a wine bar and restaurant led by the team behind Frank’s Café in Peckham, it was met with hot anticipation. I went for lunch at Bambi two weeks after it opened (dinner tables booked up in a flash) and started with an excellent martini. Although the drinks focus is wine, it also offers a very good range of cocktails including a martini and margarita menu (the latter including a yuzu margarita), as well as late-night and low-alcohol cocktails. The menu has a strong focus on vegetables, which still feels like an exciting novelty. We ate plates of sticky aubergine on silky romesco sauce, and nutty butternut squash with ricotta and almonds. Both were beautiful.

It’s clear that a lot of attention and love goes into the food at Bambi. The table next to us ordered the cauliflower arancini and I made an instant mental note to order the same next time (along with roast beetroot with hazelnuts and gremolata) but a plate of roast chicken that came alongside chunky chicken fat focaccia croutons and a zippy green sauce made me feel like all was right with the world. Choose a whole or a half chicken which the chefs at Bambi expertly joint so there’s no awkward carving at the table. The music at Bambi is very good too – have your Shazam at the ready. The back wall is lined with stacks of vinyl spanning jazz to ska and is curated by London legend Charlie Dark. At 11pm, tables are pulled back creating a dance floor. The website states that Bambi offer good food, good drinks, good music, and good times – and it is absolutely right.

Visit B ambi-Bar.com

For more from Alexandra, follow @AlexandraDudley or visit AlexandraDudley.com