The hosting tip to steal from Andi Oliver's star-studded dinner party? Choose one exceptional ingredient and let it elevate the entire menu.
To celebrate the spirit of Glastonbury ahead of its fallow year, chef and broadcaster Andi Oliver recently brought the festival's sense of community, conversation and exceptional food to London by hosting an intimate supper at her home for guests including Jaime Winstone, Miquita Oliver and James Suckling.
Behind the vibrant menu, which featured Salt Fish & Crab Buljol, BBQ grass-fed beef short ribs, braised BBQ reared pork belly, rotisserie chicken and more, Andi revealed the one ingredient she relied on throughout the evening: Cornish Sea Salt.
Its versatility was evident throughout the evening. Cornish Sea Salt Flakes (150g, RRP £2.50) were the hero ingredient in Andi's Salt Fish & Crab Buljol starter, where sea bass was cured with white rum, sugar and soft thyme leaves before being served with crab buljol and coconut broth. Her BBQ grass-fed beef short ribs were finished with Sea Salt Smoked Flakes (125g, RRP £2.40), demonstrating how one carefully sourced ingredient can work from preparation through to the final flourish.
It's a timely example of a wider movement in British cooking: chefs and home cooks alike are moving away from overcomplicated recipes and towards investing in fewer, better-quality ingredients that deliver flavour, versatility and provenance.
Andi's menu shows that memorable entertaining is often built on getting the fundamentals right.
