Challenging recipes required to entertain me!

[TartanCurtains]

I've decided that a good way to entertain myself over the coming weekends is to cook challenging/time consuming dishes.

I'm a reasonable cook, with a decent range of equipment. I live alone, so I would prefer things that can be scaled down or frozen, to avoid too much waste.

Hit me with links to suggested recipes please!

Not so much difficult but time consuming - what about lasagna made from scratch including the pasta?

There are some interesting/ complex recipes on Great British Chefs (website)

@CCSS15

Not so much difficult but time consuming - what about lasagna made from scratch including the pasta?

This is a good suggestion as I'm not that great at lasagna and have definite room for improvement. I've tried this once before from scratch (Mary Berry), but the top always looks messy!

@Clymene

There are some interesting/ complex recipes on Great British Chefs (website)

I've never been on that site before but it looks great. Thank you!

Twice-baked soufflés www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/twice-baked-goats-cheese-souffles-apple-walnut-salad
Mini beetroot and squash wellingtons www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/beetroot-squash-wellingtons-kale-pesto
Gnocchi www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/freeze-ahead-gnocchi/
Mushroom pithiviers www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/chef-recipes/mushroom-pithivier/
Crab cakes www.deliaonline.com/recipes/main-ingredient/crab/rosti-crab-cakes

You could (as I did) learn to make curries that really taste as though they've come from your local restaurant. It involves making a base gravy (in bulk) which in itself is time-consuming, though not challenging - then pre-cooking your main ingredient (I do this in bulk too, and freeze) before putting it all together - this last part of the process is quick, as it needs to be for restaurants and deliveries. Loads of resources/recipes/instructions out there on YouTube etc. Well worth the effort - I did it because we moved somewhere far away from the nearest Indian restaurant, with no delivery options - but now it's something my friends and family appreciate.

What about setting out to master a new skill or learn about a new-to-you cuisine?

eg pasta from scratch as previously suggested, or pastry from scratch. Or any type of baking that requires long/multiple proves - DP once mastered home-made croissants - an absolute time-consuming faff but delicious - over the course of a rainy bank holiday weekend (I am hinting that he might like to return to this over lockdown).

Or grab a book that specialises in a particular cuisine you like and dive in - it's a way to travel the world while we can't do it at the moment. Currently learning about Persian food thanks to Sabrina Ghayour's excellent Persiana.

@Inextremis

Do you have a link to a good base gravy recipe please?

has multiple steps. Similarly, a croquembouche (if you can fashion a cone out of something).

I learnt to make good bread a few months ago, and ice cream too. It'd always been hit and miss in the past but I mastered them to always be consistently good.

Home made pasta, possibly ravioli for some added challenge/faffiness with a nice sauce would be a good one.
A really good curry and samosas. Would all freeze well for midweek. With naan bread too
I have a Rick Stein recipe for a lamb kharahi that i recall is delicious but quite time consuming

@UpShutTheFuck

This is the one I use - there's a smaller batch version out there too, but I find the large one works best for us, as I can freeze it in portions and it makes future curries so much quicker!

The Curry Guy

Proper curry pastes

Delia's lasagne is the best I've ever tasted.
It's not cheap, but it is very rich and can be frozen, so it makes loads of portions. www.deliaonline.com/recipes/international/european/italian/lasagne-al-forno

Her almond soup is delicious and weirdly foodie zen blanching the almonds.
www.deliaonline.com/recipes/international/european/spanish/ajo-blanco-–-chilled-almond-soup

If I had the time, I might try learning to make/cook, and learning the history of, all the different types of dumplings/filled pockets that are eaten around the world (eg pierogi, ravioli, gyoza, samosa, etc) I find it so comforting when travelling abroad that there's always this familiar, but not familiar, dish to try.

When I have time, I like making curry pastes from scratch - toasting spices, chopping/dicing by hand, using a pestle and mortar rather than a food processor etc.

Most pastes freeze well, so you can make them in bulk and freeze what you won't use immediately.

Just thought - puff pastry and filo might be worth a go

Also fairly quick but will help for the future is making your own mixed spices / herbs / curry powder - we have quite a few of these and they are really good - ideas for blends on Pinterest

I was going to suggest Great British Chefs but I see someone's beaten me to it!

DH and I have been entertaining ourselves in a similar fashion since October, we've been taking it in turns to cook a fancy dinner every Saturday (canapes and petit four included). The only rule we have is you can only buy one really expensive ingredient. So if you buy a black truffle, then turbot is off the menu!

It's been really fun, we all dress up and eat in the dining room, and have cocktails before.

It's DH's turn this week so I'm drinking a martini (vodka, whisper of vermouth, slightly dirty, two olives) and waiting for my delicious dinner!

@Inextremis

Many thanks for that. I am not in the UK so sourcing ingredients can be a bit of a challenge but that looks fairly do-able.

I’ve been obsessed by the RecipeTinEats website during lockdown.

Her massaman and rendang recipes are brilliant for me (I’m also a good home cook but hate unnecessary faffing about). She’s Australian but pretty conscious of UK and US requirements/habits.

Plus all the recipes are scalable. You hover over the top of the ingredients bar and scale to how many people you want to serve.