Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware

The fantastically glamorous Grace Dent arrived in Clapham having already won mum over with her leopard print dress as soon as she step through the door. The broadcaster, author and restaurant critic joined us round the dinner table for mum's delicious harissa meatballs whilst mum and I fawned over her every word.

We heard about her dad’s famous ‘Sketty’, her love of Angel Delight and a drink she describes as ‘Happiness In A Glass’ - a Pina Colada. The Masterchef regular tells us about growing up ‘up north’, her 'sarcastic face', memories of watching the Blackpool illuminations and how she can get into any restaurant she wants... We obviously exchanged numbers and I'm now will happily be her future plus 1. 

Her absolutely brilliant and touching memoir ‘Hungry’ is out on October 29th and is available to preorder now.

Here’s the recipe for mum’s Lamb Harissa Meatballs:

1kg minced lamb

2/3 thick slices of bread

300 ml milk

Handful of mint chopped

Handful of parsley chopped

1 tsp dry oregano

Large tsp of cummin

2 cloves of garlic crushed

Grated zest of one lemon

Sauce:

3 cloves of garlic

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cans of tomatoes

10 cherry tomatoes halved

1 tablespoon of harissa

Handful of basil

Soak the slices of bread in milk for a few minutes. Add lamb, herbs, garlic and lemon and mix thoroughly with a fork. 

Make small balls of mixture( golf ball size) and put on a large baking tray.

Make sauce by frying garlic, adding all tomatoes and harissa. Cook for 10 minutes. Whilst sauce is cooking, griddle or grill the meatballs until they are browned. Then put in sauce and cook for 20/30 minutes. 

Sprinkle chopped basil on top before serving with mashed sweet potato and/or rice

Autumn Courgette & Charred Sweetcorn Salad:

6 small corn on the cob

4 courgettes cut into strips or diagonal 

Bag of salad (rocket or ruby chard)

Olive oil 

Sherry vinegar 

Pepper and salt

100 grams feta

Heat oil in griddle

Griddle then corn on cob until cooked

Then griddle courgette to get nice stripes

Allow to cool

Put bag of salad in bowl

Put courgette on top 

Strip the corn from the cob and add to salad. 

Add few extra chard leaves on top. 

Add sprinkle of salt and pepper

Dash of olive oil and a tablespoon of sherry vinegar 

Crumble feta on top