The first of every month (that’s the 2nd, NZ time) I do a regular blog post  on the Supernatural Underground—and this month’s post focused on the launch of The Heir of Night (of course!) but I also asked Supe posters to share how they celebrate fantastic events in their lives. And so far a definite theme has emerged, which is that Supernatural Undergrounders like to celebrate by sharing festive food and drink—whether it is at a restaurant or a picnic, or a special meal at home—with family and friends.

I know that is very true for me, too, both because I am a keen cook and enjoy matching food and wine, as well as spending good times with family and friends. This, to paraphrase, the film version of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, is the very “best company”. But sometimes, at the end of a long and busy week—and last week was very busy indeed—preparing a complex “gourmet” meal, however much I like cooking, can be more than a little daunting. At times like these, it is important to have a fall-back recipe book of the “tried and true”.

Orange & strawberry sald with mint: another magic flavour combination

Many of the simplest meals are also the best—and I have found that many of my simplest and best recipes are old, as well: they have come from my grandmother’s cookbook, and possibly from her grandmother’s before her. Or are recipes that are “traditional” to a particular cultural cuisine–like the combination of oranges and strawberries featured here, or ripe tomato married with fresh basil. (Or, dare I say it, bangers and mash!)

Last night we had a guest, so the end-of-the-busy-week—and in fact very busy day—meal needed to be both easy and quick, but also festive. So of course I reached for the tried and true.

The centre of the meal (no vegetarians at the table last night) were venison medallions or fillets, which are something I can source from the local supermarket, basically seared (browned) quickly either side on the skillet, then set to stand for 8-10 minutes (to let the excess juices bleed out). Then you pop them into the oven at 200 celsius (ca. 350 F, I believe)  for another 2-3 minutes and then hey presto, you’re done.

While the venison is standing, I fry finely sliced button muhrooms in the (same) skillet, with a generous grinding of black pepper. I also crumble through a beef stock cube as the mushrooms start to cook down, swirling through a tbsp (or to taste) of sour cream just before they’re done–which makes a very tasty mushroom garnish to go on top of the venison medallions. Still focusing on quick and easy for the accompanying vegetables, last night we had corn on the cob (the frozen ones, from the freezer, cooked quickly in boiling water) and a salad of fresh tomatoes, chives and a half tsp of rock salt mixed together with green beans (fresh if they’re available, but otherwise snap frozen work just as well) that have been stir fried (in the wok pan this time) with sunflower kernels. Easy-peasy and all brought together in just over half an hour from “go” to “whoa”.  And nothing, I may add, left over afterwards!

But what about dessert, you cry—surely that required preparation time? Well, you see, that is where my grandmother’s chocolate sauce recipe comes in. Because anyone who has icecream in the house and the makings for this choclate sauce, has a dessert for the gods.

So here’s the recipe as handed down to me (although I note that several people I know have one similar from their grandmothers):

Ingredients: 1/2 cup white sugar; 2 tbsp cocoa; 1 tbsp cornflour; 1 cup cold water; 1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

1. Stir together the (dry) sugar, cocoa and cornflour in a saucepan until well mixed and relatively lump free;

2. Add the cold water and again stir, using a whisk if necessary, until all ingredients are well blended;

3. Turn on the stovetop element and bring the cold mix to the boil, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens; add the vanilla essence at the last.

Again, hey presto: you have a beautifully rich, thick, dark chocolate sauce to serve with ice cream—I used maple and walnut last night. Easy, quick and totally delicious.

And in this case, shared with the ingredient that can make even the plainest meal special: good company.