I need a 3 course menu for Saturday

[Hulababy]

We have a work contact of Dhs and his wife coming for dinner on saturday evening. We went to them a few weeks ago and he cooked a fantastic meal and served a really impressive array of wines, champgane, ports and cheeses too.

Now we can do the wine and champagnes, that;'s fine.

I enjoy cooking but need some inspiration. I have loads of cook books - just need pointing in right direction.

She isn't a big meat eater apparantly.
I don't eat any meat, but I do eat fish. I don't do hot or spicy either. Oh, and I recently had an allergy to shell fish though (love it sadly).
He doesn't like apricots and isn't a big fish fan.
DH gets what he is given!

I am thinking that the main course will be fish based for me and the man's wife, and meat based for Dh and the man.

I know what I am doing for dessert as I perfected it last week and it was so delicious. I am doing Nigella's chilled lemon rice pudding. It is so lovely. It is quite rich though.

I am looking for a starter that I can prepare in advance or that literally takes minutes to throw together at the last minute.

And then two main courses (one fish, one meat) - again I don't want to be in the kitchen the whole time they are here. Things I can prepare in advance mainly is good :) Dh did say he fancied fillet steak maybe.

So, any ideas greatly appreciated - thank you :)

If I can do it, you can do it, it is not a proper suffle, and if breathes out a little, it does not affect the flavour, be brave.

Okay, I will get the book out tomorrow night and look into that one. I really fancy it. We normally always have stuff like salad and parma ham in anyway o it is does go wrong they can have that type of thing inside with some chunks of goats cheese tossed in Thanks for idea :)

Infact I really fancy it now!!!

My work here is done, I am off to bed.

Be brave.

I would feel very embarrassed to find someone had cooked 2 different meals for me. If it was for proper dietary reasons maybe, but not likes and dislikes. I would do something veggie for everyone. Roast pumpkin risotto, goats cheese and red onion tart, grilled haloumi with roasted red pepper. I have a fab recipe for what me and dh call cheesy beans, which uses borlotti beans, roast tomatoes, spinach and taleggio cheese.

LGJ they look bloming lovely! Thanks!

I am definitely cooking TWO meals. The embarrassment thing is very unlikely as they cooked two main courses also - partally because I don't eat meat.

Dh prefers meat dishes to veggies ones on the whole. And I really fancy fish.

LGJ - thanks - I am going to try the goats cheese (I think anyway!!!)

recipe please hatter!

i learned to make profiteroles from scratch at the weekend - look v impressive in a huge pyramid and sooooooooooooooo easy to make
so was passion fruit pavlova

ah yo7u havedessert sorted,,,

what about salmon in puff pastry?

v nice recipe...

serve with delia's tabbleuah or how evee it is spelled

The salmon in pastry sounds nice - and something I could probably prepare in advance

hello hoxtonchick - do you mean the cheesy beans recipe? It actually has bacon in it too, but if you're veggie that could easily go and it would still be nice. be warned - cooked taleggio is very smelly. dds complain and tell usthe whole house smells. but it's very nice.

yes please hatter! dp is vegi, & i am not, so bacon works well...... i can swap you a great spinach/sundried tomato/tallegio pasta sauce.

ok. It's one of those recipes where amounts depend on things like how many onions or tomatoes you have in the cupboard. It's extremely easy. not really much more than put all the ingredients in the oven together. these rough amounts are pretty generous for 2, or ok for 3. Fry 1-2 chopped onions and 3-4-5 rashers bacon. Put in a roasting tin with a can of borlotti beans (rinsed) and about 3-6 raw tomatoes chopped into quarters. Cook a bag of spinach (I usually wash it then bung it in the microwave in the colander, with the leaves still all wet). layer the spinach on top of everything else. Slice a pack of taleggio (don;t use the rind it is just uber smelly) and put on top of everything - you don;t need to cover all of it. Then drizzle with olive and black pepper - no need for salt - and bung in quite a hot oven for 15-20 minutes. Told you it was easy. We have it with some nice warm bread.

So what have you decided upon?

Have decided on the following menu.

Mixed leaf salad with mozzarella, mint, peach and prosciutto with a lemon and olive oil dressing

Fresh crusty bread rolls

*

Dover sole fluerons, served on a bed of lightly seasoned spinach

or

Beef stroganoff with a puff pastry topping

Both served with a variety of steamed and buttered miniature vegetables

*

Jamie Oliver’s Chocolate Pots served with orange and polenta biscuits

*

Cheese board

I hope so! We will find out tomorrow night :)

Slight change to menu following supermarket shop.

Fish has changed from Dover Sole to Monkfish.
No peaches, no doing the salad simply without, but adding a little chilli flakes on top at end.

Chocolate pots and biscuits and now done and cooling. Stroganoff is next.

It sounds lovely Hula.

Just having a spot of lunch and doing the last minute changes to my Sainsburys online shop for tomorrow. And then off to do the beef.

Beef stroganoff now cooked, ready to be reheated later. All those flavours will be difusing nicely :)

Just making a lemon rice pudding (to serve chilled) for tomorrow lunch when family come over.

wow you domestic goddess you hula!

LOL! I can't see it lasting :) Okay when Dha nd DD are out of the way, but if I have to deal with them too - grrr!