Do you have a great dinner party recipe for 4?

[berri]

I don't want to spend all night in the kitchen!

I was thinking of having a mozzerella, basil & tom salad seeing as I've already got the mozzerella, but I need a great main.

It'd be great if I could do most of the prep earlier in the day but I can't think of anything 'posh' enough!

Any ideas?

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

I love chicken breast stuffed with boursin and wrapped in parma ham or pancetta, with new potatoes and salad is lovely or asparagus or fine beans.

Alternatively pork loin medallions in a cream, white wine and wholegrain mustard sauce with rice is nice.

[bottletopbill]

Great starter, I'd go for a recipe I saw on tv last night - Luxury macoronic cheese!

cook macoroni
gently fry some shallots, pancetta and some artichockes.

Make a mornay sauce, season with salt and pepper.

Mix macoroni, pancetta and artichokes together and mix in the mornay sauce

Put in an oven proof dish and cover whole top with sliced fresh tomatoes and grate over some parmasen cheese.

Can all be pre-prepared beforehand - just pop in oven 25 mins before serving.

Serve with a fresh green salad

Melon and fresh figs for dessert

[berri]

Ooh both those are good, thank you. Might be a good idea to go with the italian theme seeing as my starter is along those lines....

[wahwahwah]

Risotto. Always risotto. Love it. Secret is loads of wine and use porcini mushrooms.

[berri]

I've never done risotto before , isn't it a bit tricky? I don't want to serve up a big bowl of mush!

[BonsoirAnna]

Risotto only works as a starter (and, tbh, it is a starter) because it needs a lot of last minute attention.

Since it is very hot, how about carpaccio? With rocket and parmesan, and some really good olive oil?

[Mintyy]

The chicken and chickpea tagine thingy in Nigella's How To Eat is really really lovely - and cook in advance.

[haventsleptforayear]

Do you a recipe link Mintyy?

[berri]

Do you need a tagine, or can you use something else?