Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Food/recipes

For related content, visit our food content hub.

Dinner party recipes please!

8 replies

Leslaki · 29/10/2007 20:45

Have friends coming round for dinner and have no idea what to give them!! We're our during the day so won't have tons of time to get ready. Guests are not a problem - will eat anything but dh is a fussy nightmare!!! he loves vesta meals, burgers/mince in a can etc!!! AAAAARRRGGHHHH!!! He has agreed to try things inc fish so I was thinkign about monkfish - perhaps with prawns (he loves tose!). But what to do with them?? I love baby new pots but dh only does mash, chips etc. Perhaps rice? Fed up making him spag bol etc and want to broaden his horizons while impressing friends! HELP!!!

OP posts:
CadaverousCorpulentCarmenere · 29/10/2007 20:47

How about beef bourginoun and parsley mash?

ivykaty44 · 29/10/2007 20:54

www.cookitsimply.com/recipe-0010-0471n2.html

A casserole is good for dp as you can relax a bit and not be at the stove all the time. If you have a steamer put the vegtables in that and then set. This gives you time to have a starter and when you finish the main course will be ready.

I find monkfish expensive and prefer salmon for taste. I do salmon in coconut milk with strips of carrott and spring onions - just lay the salmon fillets in a largish oval oven proof dish and pour over a tin of coconut milk sprinkle in the carrotts, spring onions and green red pepeers if you like then bake in the oven for 25-30 mins on gas mark four. Serve with rice

lilospell · 29/10/2007 22:09

Jamie Oliver's Cod, Prawn and Avocado thing is lovely and REALLY quick to make. I typed it on this thread and others posted some good ideas/linked to another dinner party thread.
Or Salmon en Croute? Doesn't take long to make, your DH might think of it as a pie, and your guests will be impressed!

alyblackcat · 29/10/2007 22:21

I have a really amazing monkfish recipe, easiest ever - Monkfish Au Vin.

You can make the sauce in advance, then throw in the cubed monkfish once reheated and it takes 6 minutes to cook, lovely.

I'll pop off and see if I can find it online.

alyblackcat · 29/10/2007 22:37

Not online sadly

serves 4

Make the sauce up to a day ahead, reheat and add the fish

2lb monkfish
1 oz butter
1 tbsp olive oil

12 shallots halved if large
8 oz chestnut mushroom, halved
3 small garlic cloves
sprig of thyme
2 sprigs parsley
2 tbsp brandy
1 bottle good red wine
2 tbsp redcurrent jelly
2 tbsp plain flour
5 oz unsmoked bacon, cut into strips.

Remove skin and central bone from fish, cut into 4cm chunck, season and set aside.

heat butter an oil in pan, sweat shallots slowly until just brown.add mushrooms brown for a few mins, add garlic, herbs and seasoning.turn up the heat, add brandy and flame (I've never managed this as don't have gas and am not a good cook, I just turn the heat up high for a bit to burn off the alcohol) Pour in wine, bring to boil and reduce by half. Add redcurrant jelly boil for 1 min.

-----

Toss the fish inflour and add to the hot sauce, simmer for 6-7 mins.

Fry the bacon in oil until crisp.

Spoon onto warmed plates, sprinke with bacon and some extra chopped parsley.

I have served this with wild rice and french beans of just crusty bread - works well dressed up or down!

My other fave DPR is get a small wheel of camenbert type cheese(or bigger depending on how many people) that comes in a wooden box. Unwrap paper and put back in box, placing lid under to give 2 layers. Stud with clover of garlic and rosemary. Place on baking tray and bake in the oven for 45 mins or until really runny. Serve with nice crusty bread and bread stick type things and eat whilst really hot - have served this as started or cheese course.

Leslaki · 30/10/2007 23:22

oh thank you!!! Alyblackcat that sounds fab - may ahve to do that recipe!!! Does the brandy need to be top notch? Got a bottle from someone and it's not exactly top brand!

May have to sample all the cmamebert myself tho!!!

OP posts:
LoveAngel · 31/10/2007 17:40

A Thai green curry made with monkfish and king prawns? My best friend makes this from scratch, but if you use a readymade (fresh) green Thai curry paste (not the jars of sauce, the fresh paste, probably avilable from most big supermarkets, perhaps a Waitrose). It is piss-easy to make and tastes just as good. Very hassle-free too, yet extremely impressive.

Herb crusted fish - dead easy and impressive.
Just mix together breadcrumbs (use old-ish white bread for best results...or you can use polenta if you prefer a finer, crispier finish) finely chopped fresh herbs of your choice (chives work very well with most fish), crushed garlic, salt & pepper, lemon zest in a bowl, then take little handfuls and press onto the tops of your fillets of fish (cod, haddock, sole, salmon all work well). Bake in a hot oven or under a grill for 15-20 mins. Serve with whatever you fancy, but I usually do a green salad and rosemary roast potato wedges.

alyblackcat · 01/11/2007 13:38

Leslaki, thank you. I always use the bottle of brandy thats been haning about in the cupboard for younks, which is nothing special - we're not big brandy drinkers here a bottle could last us years!

I love recipes that require little work and can be done earlier, then you can actually enjoy your guests instead of being redfaced in the kitchen - usually with an audience!

The camenbert is death to diets! (but delish!)

Good luck.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread