My last meal would be an open house affair in Paris, chez moi. All my dearest would be there and – if possible – I’d bring back my friend Julia Child. It would be just her kind of party.
Everyone always ends up in the kitchen, even though it only seats four people, uncomfortably. It’s full of colour; a lively space.
Fittingly, we would drink champagne, champagne, oh, and more champagne. Lenoble Cuvée Intense Brut is perfect … and for a last meal, so is the name. Intense!
This meal would last for as long as possible. We’d start with gougères, because they do exactly what an appetiser should – they whet your appetite. It’s a favourite recipe of mine, and great for using up any cheese. The smell of warm gruyère would hit my guests as they walked through the door.
Next up, oysters from my friend Régis. A big platter served straight up, with nothing but lemon. They say “party” to me. Slurp, slurp, slurp.
I’d want there to be lots of finger-licking, talking and elbows on the table. The main needs to be fun and messy, so I’d go for a big family-style dish, my chicken in a pot.
This dish has a million memories for me. It’s my take on the first meal I had in a real French home. The chicken nestled in a copper pot, almost burnished, with soft tender veg snug around it: sweet potatoes, onion, wine, garlic, sometimes some preserved lemon. You make a simple dough and seal the lid of the pot to its base.
I’d break this with a screwdriver at the table, and let the aromas explode. That puff of smoke is so delicious, so welcoming. We’d all dunk bread into the goopy sauce as we talked.
We’d finish up with a Mont d’Or – one so ripe that it would ooze and stretch as you served it – and my friend Laurent’s slow-roasted spiced pineapple with madeleines. You roast the fruit in booze and any spice you have in the cupboard. Laurent works at my hairdresser’s in Paris; it took me several haircuts to get the recipe …
Dorie’s new book Baking Chez Moi (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) is out now and available on Amazon
