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Food/recipes

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I have a dinner party on Tuesday <eeek> and I can't think what to cook because I think it's going to be hot hurray!

33 replies

harpsichordcarrier · 04/08/2007 18:35

so I can't really do soup, too wintery.
also one person doesn't like anything spicy
and one person doesn't eat seafood, so there goes my usual crab cakes.
what can I cook that is low maintenance but impressive??

OP posts:
Tinker · 04/08/2007 18:36

Invite different people?

harpsichordcarrier · 04/08/2007 18:38

good idea.
bit late though, also everuyone is on holiday

OP posts:
Slubberdegullion · 04/08/2007 18:39

chilled soup? can be made in advance.

will think on main course

pavlova for pud. With seasonal fruits. Looks impressive (pre cutting it up) and can also be done in advance

foxinsocks · 04/08/2007 18:39

mackerel pate for starters (make it yourself - tis very easy and normally goes down a treat)

err can't think of anything else (sorry, wasn't very helpful was it!)

I have an overwhelming urge to make trifle at the moment. But you could do a big pavlova if you wanted a delicious but impressive summer dessert (top with seasonal berries).

foxinsocks · 04/08/2007 18:39

aaah great minds!

Slubberdegullion · 04/08/2007 18:42

fox.

recipe here for Gazpachio soup...could also lead into amusing dinner conversation re fav. red dwarf episode.

foxinsocks · 04/08/2007 18:42

you could also do a fish for main course (then you might need to ditch the mackerel if you don't want it to be too fishy)

something like monkfish wrapped in bacon/parma ham

WideWebWitch · 04/08/2007 18:44

a poussin each? Shove them in the oven with garlic/lemon

Slubberdegullion · 04/08/2007 18:44

for main you could do a rack of lamb, with pre made cous cous and green salads (and nice bread)

Gobbledigook · 04/08/2007 18:44

Oooh, do Eton Mess for pudding! I LOVE IT!! Not that I'm coming obviously!

CountessDracula · 04/08/2007 18:45

can I say NOT stew

Gobbledigook · 04/08/2007 18:47

Ha ha!

GO on, do chilli!!

harpsichordcarrier · 04/08/2007 18:48

oooh pavlova, good plan
isn't eton mess mashed up pavlova?
I made gazpacho the other week for my Almodovar party could reprise that
no I wasn't thinking of stew

OP posts:
harpsichordcarrier · 04/08/2007 18:49

ooooh monkfish! is that frighteningly expensive?

OP posts:
foxinsocks · 04/08/2007 18:55

I have no idea - it never seems too bad - I just ask the fishmonger and he gives it to me(don't cook fish that often - I am a 'no seafood' dinner party guest but I quite like white fish)

if it is too expensive, you could always do salmon with some sort of crust (like a pesto crust, that's quite nice)

foxinsocks · 04/08/2007 18:58

actually, what I meant to say is I have only ever cooked monkfish for a dinner party and I tend to spend a bit more on food than I normally would when people come round iyswim!

moondog · 04/08/2007 18:58

Paella
Frittata
Grilled lamb with green slad and beeetroot with walnuts and fetta.

It would really piss me off to have a list of what I can/can't cook tbh.I've got 8 people coming for dinner tonight and they'll have what they are fecking given.

AlbusPercivalWulfricBrianSun · 04/08/2007 18:59

Delia's (the woman is a goddess) Piedmont roasted peppers. Halve peppers, skin toms, put 2 quarter toms in peppers, add slices garlic, chopped anchovy and olive oil. Roast in oven until charred and soft. Sprinkle basil. Serve with warm bread to soak up juices.

moondog · 04/08/2007 18:59

Monkfish v good in fishy stew.Either Med. style (olives and toms) or Middle Eastern (saffron,pine nuts,raisins,lemons)

moondog · 04/08/2007 18:59

Tabbouleh always goes down well.

moondog · 04/08/2007 18:59

Pasta with fetta and griddled courgettes

janeitebus · 04/08/2007 19:00

You could do a mezze style thing, either for starter or main - hoummus, taboulleh etc. Or a watermelon and feta salad to start. Cold soup makes me shudder I'm afraid!

Some kind of big tart with new potatoes and salad? Red onion and goats cheese maybe - just stuff it all on top of a sheet of puff pastry?

Pavlova sounds great. Or icecream with stem ginger. Or little chocolate dipping pots with loads of lovely fresh fruit? Foxinsocks - trifle is always my favourite pud for guests too and you can do so many variations that it doesn't matter how many times you serve it to the same people! My current fave is raspberry and pine nut.

MintyDixCharrington · 04/08/2007 19:17

lamb fillets on the barbeque are delicious. marinade them first in something - garlic and olive oil and mint is good. serve with something like a couscous, my fave recipe below. then also do a tomato salad (either plain tomatoes cut thinly and dressed with olive oil and balsamic, or something like a greek salad), and if you feel like it some roasted vegetables (courgette, aubergine, garlic, mushrooms). both the veg and the couscous can be served warm rather than hot (they taste nicer that way I think).

don't do a starter, or if you do, make it something like smoked salmon on soda bread, lots of it, lots of lemon, piled on a platter and served with drinks to begin with.

for pudding make some meringues, strawberries and cream.

whole thing super easy - salad, veg, couscous and meringes can be done in advance, just need to slap some salmon on bread and stick the fillets on the bbq or in the oven for 20 mins. yummy yummy

(mycouscous recipe: look at box and see how much you need of couscous and liquid (varies alot between brands), and then for 6-8 people I stir into that dry amount a teaspoon of cinnamon, a teaspoon of ground coriander, half a teaspoon of ground cumin. then I make the couscous with vegetable stock (marigold) as normal (ie pour it over and slam a lid on the bowl), and once it is done stir in a tin of chickpeas and a load of toasted pinenuts. and some chopped parsley if you are feeling energetic. do all that in advance and before you serve it blast it in the microwave for a couple of minutes. doesn't matter if it isn't piping hot - warm is good.)

foxinsocks · 04/08/2007 19:28

if you don't fancy all the dessert options so far (and personally, I fancy them all ), I've just made this plum cake (nigel slater one). OMG. It is DIVINE with a blob of cream and some early plums are ready for picking at the moment.

bristols · 04/08/2007 19:44

For main you could always do a roast chicken with salady bits and new pots? Shove a lemon and garlic inside the chicken for some extra flavour.

I like the sound of pavlova, but you could also make a cheesecake in advance. Quite simple and you could just put some fresh summer berries on the top when you come to serve.

I think the smoked salmon or the mezzes style thing would both be excellent starters, especially as you don't have to eat them 'formally'. People could pick at them whilst milling around in the garden sipping their pre dinner drinks!

Feeling v hungry now...