COME FOR SUPPER WITH RACHEL KHOO

Hi and welcome back to COME FOR SUPPER.

A special edition of the newsletter today where I visit someone else’s kitchen to find out how they like to entertain. This week I speak to cook, author and broadcaster Rachel Khoo, who shares the recipe for her no knead baby baguettes.

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I first met Rachel ten years ago when she hosted a lunch in her London studio. I remember being nervous. I didn’t know many people in the food space then. She gave me a hug as soon as I walked through the door and had a radiating warmth that immediately made my shoulders drop. I remember she had an early flight to catch the next morning and a podcast to jet off to straight after lunch but somehow she managed to pull together a feast whilst simultaneously making us all feel as though we could kick our shoes off and sink into the sofa. Nothing felt rushed, it felt easy and it felt joyous. I love Rachel’s recipes and have always loved to watch her cook. Her BBC cookery series, The Little Paris Kitchen: Cooking with Rachel Khoo is still one of the best.

I was so thrilled when I heard she had written a memoir. The Smallest Restaurant in Paris: A Memoir which is available for preorder now.

preorder

Part memoir, part food writing, the book pairs personal stories of Rachel’s life in Paris with recipes inspired by the city, celebrating her resilience, curiosity and the power of small beginnings

What are you cooking?

Ideally I’m not cooking so much as assembling. The older I get, the more I realise it’s the gathering that matters, not the grand gesture in the kitchen.

One of the things I loved about living in Paris was how effortlessly you could put together a beautiful spread if you shopped well. A ripe Camembert, a wedge of Comté, some saucisson, a still warm baguette tucked under your arm, a handful of radishes with salted butter. That was often enough.

So for me it would be generous platters of cheese and charcuterie, bowls of seasonal vegetables, and a simple salad dressed properly. I live by the sea in Sweden now, a decent baguette is hard to come by so out of necessity I’ve learnt how to knock up a decent baguette when needed.

Tell me about the space?

Space matters far less than people think. My career began in a 21 square metre flat in Paris, cooking in a kitchen barely bigger than a wardrobe.

You do not need a vast island or endless cupboards. You need warmth, intention and a table where people can sit close enough to pass the bread without standing up.

How would you describe your style of entertaining?

I’m definitely a pre-prepper. I want to be sitting down with my guests, glass in hand, not hovering over a pan.

I lean towards sharing. Big boards in the middle of the table, dishes passed around, everyone helping themselves. It feels more generous, more Parisian somehow. Less plated perfection, more convivial chaos.

On setting the table?

If I could, I’d always rope in my friend Frankie Unsworth of Atelier Aube.

Many moons ago we ran pop ups together in Paris, London, Sydney, Melbourne and Buenos Aires, and she has an extraordinary eye. Most recently she styled a dinner I hosted and transformed the room with frilly checked tablecloths from Margot Margot.

Left to my own devices, I keep it simple. Good linen, a few taper candles, maybe something seasonal in a loose arrangement. In London I love Rebel Rebel for flowers. They do that slightly undone, modern look that feels effortless rather than arranged.

Do you have any hosting rituals?

I’m very inspired by Priya Parker’s book The Art of Gathering. It really shifted how I think about dinners. Who you invite, and who you don’t, shapes the whole evening.

I often include conversation prompts at the table. I’ve even created a ‘no discussion’ list before. One evening my girlfriends were banned from talking about children or careers. The result was far more interesting than the usual updates.

From all the pop ups I hosted, what stayed with me was this: people rarely remember every dish. They remember how they felt and what they talked about.

Your favourite cookbooks?

I’m really enjoying Jess Elliott Dennison’s Midweek Recipes. It’s perfect when you’re stuck in a rut. Simple, thoughtful dishes with ingredients you likely already have at home. The sort of cooking that feels achievable on a Tuesday but still satisfying.

Your playlist

Recently I’ve been revisiting the music I listened to when I lived in Paris. It instantly transports me back to cobbled streets at dusk, baguette in hand, or late nights coming back from dancing at hip hop clubs, sometimes perched on the back of a Vespa with the summer air rushing past.

A song to cook and eat to?

When I first moved to Paris, I had very little, but I always had music playing in the background while I cooked. More often or not the radio (radio nova or fip – with an ecletic mix). I’ve gone back to listening to albums from start to finish rather than skipping between tracks. There’s something about committing to the journey. The last vinyl I bought was Olivia Dean’s latest album ‘The Art of Loving’.

What to drink?

The older I get, the less alcohol I drink. I love making my own flavoured sparkling water. A sprig of rosemary and a splash of elderflower cordial works beautifully. It feels grown up and celebratory without being heavy.

Your go to drink for entertaining?

I do love a whisky sour or a paloma, though they are dangerously easy to drink.

A good whisky sour is all about balance. Just enough egg white for silkiness but not so much that it resembles a cappuccino. Too much foam enhances the sweetness. It’s that delicate line between sharp and sweet that makes it sing.

If you have the space, chill your glasses beforehand. It makes more difference than people think.

If this dinner party was a movie and you were the star, who would you like to play you?

That’s a hard one. Although my Malaysian Chinese heritage is only half of me, it’s an important half. I’d love to see that reflected. I recently watched Katie Leung in Bridgerton and was impressed (only realised after I’d also seen her in Harry Potter).

MAKES 8
PREP. TIME: 15 MINUTES
BAKING TIME: 20 MINUTES
CHILLING TIME: 12-18 HOURS

• 500g plain bread flour extra for dusting the surface

• 10g salt

• 1 tsp instant yeast or 12g fresh yeast

• 375ml lukewarm water

You will also need

• 2 baking trays, ideally perforated (similar to these)

• Sharp knife or razor blade

Dissolve the fresh yeast in a couple of tablespoons of warm (but not hot) water to make a paste. Skip this step if you’re using instant yeast.

Mix all the other dry ingredients and instant yeast, if using, in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle (skip this if using instant yeast) and add the yeast mixture followed by the water. Mix until you have a sticky dough. Cover and leave to rest in the fridge overnight or for 12 hours.

After resting, remove from the fridge and leave at room temperature for one hour.

Preheat the oven to 275c fan. Place a heatproof container filled with water and a fabric napkin or teatowel submerged in the water into the bottom of the oven.

Dust the work surface with flour. Tip the dough onto the floured surface and stretch into a rectangle. Cut into 8 equal sized rectangle pieces. Take one piece and make a row of fingerprints into the middle. Fold the top into the middle and press spin 180c and fold the top into the middle and press. Seal the edges together and rolling together. Put your fingers on the edges. Pull and roll at the same time to get a pointy ends.

Place onto the baking tray and leave to prove for 30 minutes.

Dust the baguettes with a little flour and use a sharp knife or razor blade to make a slit on the top.

Take a cup of water and throw into the bottom of the oven. Quickly put the trays of baguettes into the oven well spaced. Bake at 275c for 10 minutes and then 250c for 10 minutes. Rotate if necessary.

Top tips

I use trays that have small holes in them which helps the air circulate and makes a difference if you are baking two trays at the same time. They are fairly inexpensive to invest and if you plan on baking frequently well worth the investment. A lot of bakeries use baguette shaped trays with holes like this.

The tray filled with the water and fabric napkin helps release continuous steam vs. just throwing a cup of water at the beginning.

Ovens can be tricky too. The temperature shown on the dial isn’t always what you get inside. If you notice your bread browning too quickly, simply lower the temperature and cover the loaf with aluminum foil. For more precise baking, you might want to invest in an inexpensive oven thermometer - it’s a game-changer for getting consistent results.

The Smallest Restaurant in Paris: A Memoir is available for preorder now.

preorder

Thanks for reading and see you next time

x💋x💋