What would you cook if you were doing come dine with me?

[chocolateandcoffee]

Two other couples, Dh and I have decided to do a come dine with me thingy over the next 3 months, one meal a month. It's really a way to all catch up as we have lost touch over the last 7-8 years.

One of the other couples are going first and doing home made chicken tikka masala. i'm not sure what the third couple are doing yet.

The thing is we are all very competitive and I'm going to win . we are scoring and the prize is the glory of winning. I am not sure what to cook. Ideally it would be something that i could do all the prep work for early in the day and add the finishing touches to when they arrive.

I was thinking of this for dessert www.redonline.co.uk/food/recipes/lemon-posset-with-warmed-blueberries because it look so pretty as well sounding nice.

I have never hosted a dinner party before so all advice welcome.

I am the master of the prep in advance dinner party because, as a singleton I like to be front of house with my guests rather than pink and sweaty in the kitchen! My favourite cuisine at the moment is Japanese-style sushi/sashimi/tempura because it's surprisingly easy to put together in advance, has that colourful wow factor and you can totally dolly it up with black/angular crockery, chopsticks, frilly vegetables and other oriental accessories.

My second favourite is Moroccan. Interesting flavour combinations and tagines are a gift if you want to pre-make dishes that sit quite happily until you're ready to serve. Would also go well with your lemon dessert. For a starter I would spend a lot of time perfecting a spiced chickpea soup (go to the trouble to make stock etc) and serving it with flavoured home-made bread.

I have this fantasy all the time! I have two menu's that I would so depending on the 'vibe' of the people. One is more casual, the other a little more formal.

Casual:

Papaya and prawn thai salad

Thai pork tenderloin, green thai curry, jasmin rice

chocolate brownies

Posh:

Goats cheese and tomato tarts with onion marmalade (can all be made in advance)

Beef Bourguignon with potato dauphinoise and green beans

Trio of desserts: mini pavlova, mini raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake, berry sorbet.

Not that I have thought about this that often....

oh loving the moroccan and the posh menus.

I have to say part of me is really looking forward to this, I love cooking and perfecting things

The other part of me is dreading it as I have only really cooked for family in the past and I am not a really foodie as in I don't know what starter complements which main etc.

Hmmmm. I'd do:

Starter:

Scallops on celeriac purée with crispy bacon 'crumble' over the top

or

Cucumber and chive mousse with either smoked salmon or griddled prawns and a lemony chive dressing

Main:

Lamb tenderloin, served pink, with a marsala sauce/reduction/jus whatever the hell people call it these days..., some steamed baby carrots and asparagus and new potatoes with mint

or

Stuffed pork tenderloin - stuffed with a mushroom/sage and onion mix and wrapped in pancetta, with dauphinoise potatoes and some kind of green veg. I'd serve that with a marsala sauce too.

Pud:

Lemon soufflé or warm chocolate and sour cherry brownies with cream and ice cream and more cream

Every thing can be pretty much prepped the day before, leaving just the meat to be cooked and veg. Dauphinoise can be cooked before and if I'm having a dinner party I'll cook, cool and cut into portions ready to reheat.

The best dinner parties are the ones where the food is delicious but simple, where the host/ess is calm and attentive & where the guests feel unhurried and relaxed. The worst dinner parties are where people are trying too hard, spending too much time faffing in the kitchen and ignoring their guests, making a bollocks of a too-complex dish or serving something uber-fashionable which is just not pleasant to eat. Some of the best evenings I've ever had have been over a big pot of humble Chilli Con Carne washed down with a bottle of plonk.

I agree cogito, that's why I want to get all the the prep done the day before or the morning of the dinner.

I have an open plan kitchen/dinner and the last thing I want to do is be fussing in the kitchen with everyone looking on.

I think what I am looking for is something that looks like it has taken no effort but tastes great. I am happy to stress for days before to achieve this

I want a relaxed atmosphere some nice music in the back ground and lots of good drink. How I will achieve this is another matter.

I cant wait for Dh to come home from work to see the suggested menus so for.

I have done a CDWM with my friends

I did - chicken liver parfaits with melba toasts, homemade apple & saffron chutney

Baked spanish risotto with homemeade crusty bread

Lime cheesecake!

BUT if I did it again, I would change my menu!!

I would do honey roast tomato bruschetta

Empire roast chicken & bombay roast potatoes with spicy gravy

Hestons Popping Chocolate Torte

This recipe for a Moroccan lamb stew is absolutely delicious and can be made ahead. I serve it with couscous and a herb salad I once had in Jerusalem (chopped up mint, parsley, coriander and rocket with cashew nuts and a dressing of olive oil and lemon). I promise you, people swoon.

Just to add, my CDWM went very easy because all my dishes were easy to prepare before hand, I didnt have much to do when my guests arrived apart from chat & drink!

I woudn't bother too much because I think you win anyway 'cos you meet new interesting, sometimes challenging people and get fed for the week! [GRIN]

Jimmy, can you share your recipe for bombay roast potatoes/spicy gravey please? Sounds great.

I tried to set one of those "shows" up in my local area but no one wanted to do it... I suggest we put in $50 each, and the winner gets half of it, and the other half goes to a charity of their choice... but noooo...

Now you have me thinking!!!

OMG! Did you see today's episode? Do you think 'Mr Nasty' was an actor or got paid extra for being so rude?