How To Entertain This Month – With Alexandra Dudley

One of the most common complaints I receive from those who are hesitant to host a dinner party is that there’s too much time spent cooking and not enough time partying. My answer, always, is that it’s all in the preparation. No one wants to be frantically juggling pots in the kitchen while their guests sip on rosé in the next room. The best entertainers tend to keep things simple when cooking for many, and it’s often the little things that make the difference. It could be including a particular notable ingredient (saffron, truffle, asparagus or burrata) or using a superb serving platter. But often the dinner parties that are most fondly remembered are those where the food is kept humble.

This menu is just that. The main course is what I often refer to as a ‘throw it in the oven’ dish. The chicken and fennel are baked together with a little white wine and seasoning until the chicken skin is crisp and golden, and the fennel is soft and slightly caramelised. Pink peppercorns are a bit of a star ingredient here and bring a good pop of flavour as well as colour to the dish, and the flavourful cooking juices are tossed through rice to serve alongside. 

I’ve got into the habit of serving cocktails when guests arrive. It elevates the evening and can be a good time filler – especially useful if things are running behind backstage in the kitchen. I’ve suggested a lemon tart for pudding, a wonderful thing to serve any time of year, but especially as we enter spring. I like to make the pastry, but if you are short on time you can use shop bought. No one would ever know.  

A crisp citrusy white wine goes very well with this. I serve mine alongside a bottle of Beauvignac picpoul de pinet, which I ordered a while back from Williams House Wines – a great place to stock up on inexpensive, well-curated wines.