Home dinner parties are all the rage – and charity Camp Quality is jumping on the bandwagon, urging home cooks to arrange a dining experience in support of children living with cancer and their families with the Dine At Mine campaign.
Our favourite French chef is one of many celebrity foodies getting behind this all important cause.
“We all lead such busy lives that making quality time for friends and family can be difficult. That’s why I’m encouraging people to host a Dine at Mine for Camp Quality. In my work, I’ve seen the wonders people can cook up in their home kitchens. Whether you cook a French feast or an Aussie BBQ, the most important thing is you’ll be creating a better life for kids living with cancer. Having visited Camp Quality’s programs for these kids and their families, I can tell you that it’s cause well worth supporting.” Click here to listen to Manu as he explains more about the campaign, shares his winning dinner party secrets and divulges his worst dinner-party mistake on MiNDFOOD Radio
Manu shares his ultimate French-inspired, dinner-party menu for your to cook at home this month:
Cauliflower Soup with Roquefort
The tangy saltiness of crumbled Roquefort cheese plus the smooth silkiness of this creamy cauliflower soup equals a culinary match made in heaven. If you can find a good-quality loaf of walnut sourdough, serve it alongside. The richness and crunch of walnuts is a classic accompaniment to blue cheese.
Braised Beef Cheeks with Carrot Puree
This carrot puree is based on a French dish called ‘Vichy carrots’, named after the French town of Vichy. This town was famous for its carbonated water, which was traditionally used in this dish to soften the carrots and accentuate their flavour. For best results, marinate the beef cheeks overnight so that they really take on all the flavours.
Verrine of Lemon Tart
Over the past few years it has become very fashionable in France to serve desserts verrine-style, meaning layered in a glass. Here is my version of a deconstructed lemon tart. As refreshing as it is delicious, it couldn’t be simpler, yet looks special – the perfect foolproof dessert.
To register as a Dine at Mine host, simply visit www.dineatmine.org.au or call 1300 730 787 to be sent a host pack which includes all the info you need to host a successful Dine at Mine.
About the charity: Camp Quality currently only reaches one in three children living with cancer with its programs, which provide children living with cancer and their families with an essential break from hospital, stress and constant worry. The charity is currently expanding its programs which builds optimism, resilience and confidence – at hospital, at home, at school and at camp. The Dine at Mine fundraising campaign will enable Camp Quality to deliver these expanded services.
