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Friends for dinner in the summer...nice but simple menu ideas please!

9 replies

tassis · 05/07/2007 20:04

I always cook the same things in the summer:

a BBQ

coronation chicken

a salmon pasta thingy

BBQ chicken legs with couscous

I really need to extend my repertoire as I'm boring myself

Any ideas?

OP posts:
tassis · 05/07/2007 20:20

oh please...I'm doing my tesco shop and really need some inspiration...

OP posts:
janeite · 05/07/2007 20:39

What about a sort of mezze type meal? Hoummus, taboulleh, greek salad, pittas etc?

Stargazing · 05/07/2007 22:23

Okay, I'm from Australia, so I like to think that I know a thing or two about summer menus

Firstly - it's not a huge departure from salmon pasta, but it's a real winner - prawn pasta. Get the bigest juiciest cooked prawns you can find. Also rocket, basil, lemons, chillis, garlic and cherry tomatoes. Roast the cherry tomatoes in the oven, In the meantime, cook the pasta (linguine works best, I reckon) Heat some olive oil and lightly fry the chillis and garlic. Remove from heat and toss the prawns through. Drain pasta, mix the prawns through, mix in torn basil leaves and rocket and the roasted cherry tomatoes (which will have gone all split and liquidy, so you don't need to add more oil to the pasta. Make sure you pour the juices from the roasting dish over, and then a good squeeze of lemon. Garnish with a lemon wedge and top with a prawn. It's divine. Very Sydney, very summer.

Another good'un is a salmon-based one, dead easy. Place salt, peppercorns, bay leaves and fluffy fennel top in deep pan with 5 cups of water and bring to boil. Cook for 5 mins, remove from heat. Add salmon fillets, cover and leave for 15 mins to poach. Remove and break into large pieces. Serve on bed of steamed green beans, sugar snap peas and slliced fennel. with tomato and anchovy dressing drizzled over the top.
Tom & An dressing - mix together finely chopped vine-ripened tomatoes, onion & anchovies, plus 2 tbspn lemon juice, quarter cup of olive oil and 1/2 cup of chopped basil.
I sometimes leave out the anchovies.

Hope this helps!

pigleto · 05/07/2007 22:23

summer pudding

PeachesMcLean · 05/07/2007 22:30

I'm doing deli food next time. Really lazy but sociable, partly because you spend less time in the kitchen - I'll get one of those hot chickens from the supermarket with the sort of stuff janeite said, and things like marinated artichokes, home made garlicky potato salad, stuffed vine leaves - a whole load of bits and pieces people can just tuck into, then perhaps make some of Nigella's mini chocolate puddings for desert.

JoshandJamie · 05/07/2007 22:42

I just stumbled across a Gary Rhodes recipe in his Keeping It Simple book. You take chicken legs (the thigh and drumstick) and you season them with salt and pepper. Grate the zest of a lemon and mix it with a bit of brown sugar (it was either a tablespoon or teaspoon but don't think it's the end of the world either way).

Brown the chicken first, then put the lemon/sugar rub on top and stick in a 180C oven for about 40 mins. Honestly, dead simple to make.

I served it with a plain green leaf salad and some Delia potato with garlic and rosemary chunk thingies.

moondog · 05/07/2007 22:45

Lamb kebabs with tabbouleh

Paella

Pasta with fetta and sauteed courgettes and lemon and chilli

Lamb staks with fresh beetroot walnut and fetta salad

BBQ ribs with baked pots and coleslaw and corn on the cob

Home made salade Nicoise

Cold Thai noodle salad with prawns

Bbq mussels

Bbq sardines

aviatrix · 05/07/2007 22:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

babypowder · 07/07/2007 23:15

Beer can chicken! It's the best for feeding loads of people. I'm throwing a party for about 25 in a couple of weeks and will cook 2 to eat coll with salads. But its great hot as well.

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