Started light and bright with a mango citrus salmon crudo. Sweet, tangy, and kissed with olive oil, this is the kind of dish that tastes like a summer holiday. Perfect with a chilled glass of Puligny-Montrachet to kick things off.

 

Next up, a red prawn angel hair pasta. I kept the sauce light but packed with umami, using the shells to make a deep bisque-style reduction, then topped it off with diced raw prawn with lime zest for a contrast in texture. A little fancy, a little messy, just the way she likes it.

 

Main course was dry-aged duck breast with morel mushrooms, asparagus and caramelised onions. Dry-aging really brought out the duck’s deeper, more concentrated flavour and gave the meat a lovely, tender bite. The skin, with less surface moisture, crisped up beautifully. We paired it with a bottle of Primitivo IGT from Puglia, a lovely birthday gift from wife’s colleague. Bold, ripe, and generous, it matched the richness of the duck perfectly and made the meal feel that much more special.

 

No dessert tonight, just good conversation and that warm feeling of feeding the ones you love. That, to me, is the best kind of celebration.