/ 23 January 2024

What’s On My Table With Alexandra Dudley

Alexandra Dudley is a food columnist, cookbook author and host of the Come For Supper podcast. In this monthly column, she takes us inside her east London kitchen to show us what she’s cooking and the tools she’s loving. This time, it’s an elevated take on an everyday granola – plus, three of her top kitchen accessories…

By Alexandra Dudley /

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I love a good granola and tend to eat it by the handful when I fancy something crunchy and sweet. This one comes together in no time, with the wet ingredients whizzed up in a blender. I love the addition of dark chocolate which melts onto the granola as it cools, creating chocolatey clusters. Excellent for breakfast but also very good snacking material.

Banana, Peanut Butter & Chocolate Granola

Serves

2 large jars

Total Time

1 Hour

Ingredients

Wet

1 ripe banana

100ml of maple syrup or honey

150g of peanut butter

75ml of olive oil

Dry

500g of oats

100g of whole almonds

100g of sunflower seeds

100g of pumpkin seeds

1 tbsp of mixed spice or cinnamon (optional)

Pinch of salt

200g of chocolate, roughly chopped

Method

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 170ºC Fan and line two large baking trays with baking parchment.

Step 2

Blend your wet ingredients using a blender. Or you could use a fork to mash the banana and stir in the rest.

Step 3

Combine your dry ingredients except the chocolate into a large bowl.

Step 4

Pour in the wet ingredients and mix to combine. You may need to use your hands. Spread evenly onto the prepared trays.

Step 5

Bake for 45 minutes tossing every 15 minutes.

Step 6

Once the granola has cooked and is golden brown and crunchy, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly for about 5 minutes before sprinkling over the chopped chocolate. Do not touch it until it has fully cooled. You’ll notice the chocolate melts in some areas coating parts of the oats. Allow this to happen.

Step 7

Once completely cooled, break up any larger chocolatey pieces. Transfer into airtight jars and enjoy for the next four weeks.

3 THINGS ALEXANDRA'S LOVING THIS MONTH

Hello Sunshine Weekly Desk Planner, £16 | Papier

I like a weekly plan and tend to plan my week the Friday night before. It means no Sunday scaries and no Monday morning panic. I love the satisfaction of tearing away the sheets from these and just invested in another for 2024.

Available at Papier.com

Non-alcoholic Bitters | Seasn

I’ve only recently discovered the joy of bitters with soda water as a drink. Refreshing and flavourful, and definitely more exciting than water. These are non-alcoholic too, so perfect for anyone doing Dry January.

Available at SeasnYourDrinks.com

German Mustard, £2.50 | Superette

I find it hard to resist a condiment and dedicate at least one-and-a-half shelves in my fridge to mustards, sauces, pickles and jams. I picked up this mustard from my brilliant local deli Superette just before Christmas and it has been bringing me great joy every meal.

Available at SupretteStore.com

AND OFF THE TABLE

Sushi By Masa

My husband and I have birthdays two days apart and during our ‘birthday week’ we go all out. He is a sushi fiend, and we tend to do at least one ‘birthday sushi’ that week with the aim to try somewhere different each year. This time we went to Sushi By Masa at the recently revamped Harrods Dining Hall.

I have always loved eating at the bar. There is something wonderfully intimate about brushing the thighs and elbows of your partner. But there’s also something about being close to the magic that makes it special too, be it seeing your martini come to life or watching a sushi master seamlessly slice, shape and roll your temaki with the grace of a ballerina.

The Sushi By Masa sushi bar is at the centre of the dining hall. Not only do you get a first-class view into the kitchen but also of the dining hall itself. Mosaiced in art-deco tiles, every inch feels glamorous. As we ate our sushi, we admired a woman dressed head-to-toe in glitter, perched on a raised stage singing her own chocolatey rich versions of Whitney Houston, Elvis and Fleetwood Mac. It was as if they knew it was my birthday because there is nothing I love more than live music. Pair live music and sushi, and you’ve nailed my dream date.

With the menu headed up by the legendary Masayoshi Takayama (the Japanese chef with three Michelin-starred restaurants in New York), the sushi itself was inevitably going to be good. Trust the chef and take his recommendation. But Sushi By Masa is more than just good sushi. In a city where some of the best sushi restaurants feel somewhat sterile and lifeless, it brings a playful energy and romantic charm. This is sushi with soul.

Visit Harrods.com

For more from Alexandra, follow her @AlexandraDudley or visit AlexandraDudley.com