Wow food

[CushionsandCandles]

I'm having friends round for my birthday soon and would like to push the boat out- I mean why not it's been so long since we have all been able to entertain! I am a reasonable cook and happy to spend a bit and do some prep.
I'm looking at canapé(s) and a cocktail, starter, main and pud.
Has anyone got any "wow" recipes or recipes that are always popular? Or even better are "wow" yet simple?
What would your ideal menu look like?
Many thanks for any suggestions

Canapés - smoked mackerel pate with horseradish and Parmesan. It's a Nigel Slater recipe. Big bowl of pate and some simple crackers. Last time I made it I served melba toast (shop bought) thin and crispy with the creamy pate.
Also, Sabrina Ghayour does a feta and pistachio dip that everyone loved, nice with pitta/crudités.

Baby quiches for starter - that’s the one thing that I remember people being amazed at when I made them (I do make a good pastry). Desert has to be cake and ice cream - who doesn’t like cake and ice cream?

If everyone likes fish, salmon en croute is simple and looks impressive. If you do the coulibiac version (includes a rice layer) you just need a simple side salad.

For starters I like a good platter of cheeses, sliced meat, olives, salsa, hummus, grilled veggies with nice flatbread.

"who doesn’t like cake and ice cream?"

Me yuk.

A good soup or baked garlic mushrooms are my favourite starters every time even though they sound quite basic and they're easily made in advance.

Personally a love a flourless chocolate cake with popping candy it’s very birthday-ish. Plus raspberry sauce for a dash of springtime?

@toffeebutterpopcorn

Baby quiches for starter - that’s the one thing that I remember people being amazed at when I made them (I do make a good pastry). Desert has to be cake and ice cream - who doesn’t like cake and ice cream?

I would not want to eat cake with ice-cream, I have to say...

@myhobbyisouting

"who doesn’t like cake and ice cream?"

Me yuk.

A good soup or baked garlic mushrooms are my favourite starters every time even though they sound quite basic and they're easily made in advance.

Have to agree, cake and ice cream is yuk. I wouldn't go for soup as a starter though. That is too filling for me, even though I can eat tons.

Entree- smoked salmon or mackerel blinis or pate

Main- Beef rib roast or crown roast of lamb (with the little hats on the end of the bones)

Dessert- crochembouche

Dessert - white chocolate panna cotta with a raspberry sauce. So easy to make and super delicious!

It has to be warm cake with ice cream. I don’t actually like ice cream (hate custard) but ice cream in hot chocolate fudge cake mmmmmmmm

Absolutely not cake and ice cream or fish in any form.

Canapés - buy them in from m and s or Waitrose

Starter - grilled asparagus with bearnaise - hollondaise would be more traditional but I love tarragon. Bang in season, easy and delicious.

Main - fillet of beef wrapped in prosciutto or pepper crust, pepper sauce, dauphinoise and wilted spinach

Desert - pavlova - I'd cheat and buy this in too

Or if you're feeling really confident, beef Wellington.

Beef Wellington for main

Homemade cheesecake for dessert. Any time I have made this for friends or family it has gone down a treat.

Ooh yes I love a menu thread!!

Canapés: Mini bruschetta with various toppings? Sliced baguette, rubbed with garlic and olive oil, in the oven, top with diced tomato and red onion with basil and balsamic vinaigrette, or mackerel pâté etc?

Starter: Prosciutto wrapped asparagus with sage butter sauce, or maybe ginger fried scallops with chilli and green beans?

Main: Slow roast Greek Shoulder of lamb with tons of garlic, lemon and thyme. Makes a gorgeous gravy and really worth the effort, plus leftovers are a bonus! Serve with Couscous salad with herbs, pomegranate, chickpeas and feta.

Dessert: Individual Eton mess, with raspberry coulis, looks impressive but relatively low lift.

Yum, yum, yum!
All of you
Keep them coming

Starter: crayfish and champagne risotto www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/mains/crayfish-and-champagne-risotto

Main: savoury cheesecake realfood.tesco.com/recipes/savoury-cheesecake.html

Pudding: triple chocolate verrines www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/eric-lanlards-triple-chocolate-verrines/

@ApplePie86

Dessert - white chocolate panna cotta with a raspberry sauce. So easy to make and super delicious!

Yes! So simple but very effective.

Actually yes, go Greek

You can't go wrong with Hollandaise sauce - great with asparagus as starter or with salmon as a main (with new potatoes & samphire if you can find it.)

This Cordon Bleu recipe always works - don't stop stirring whilst heating it (as you don't want scrambled egg) and if it begins to split then just add more cream & stir to re-emulsion.

Serves 4-6 people (depending on how ‘splashy’ they are)
Source – Cordon Bleu Cookery Course

4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
6 peppercorns
1 blade of mace
1 slice of onion
½ bay leaf

Open a window (to avoid choking on the fumes). Put all the above ingredients in a saucepan & boil until reduced to a scant tablespoon-full. Set aside to cool.

3 egg yolks
5 oz butter
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons cream
squeeze of lemon juice

Place the egg yolks & ½oz of butter in a bowl. Strain the vinegar mixture into it. Beat until combined. Cut the rest of the butter into small pieces & add to the bowl. When ready to serve, heat half a pan of water to boiling & place the bowl (with the egg mixture) over it - do not let the water touch the bowl. Using a balloon whisk (to stop it curdling) stir until the butter has melted & the sauce has thickened to the consistency of thick cream. Stir in the cream & lemon juice. Serve in a warmed jug.

Pudding - panna cotta is good. We also do a butterscotch whip recipe that uses up the 3 egg whites you have left over from the sauce. You serve it scattered with crushed honeycomb & it tastes like Angel Delight should have done. Can dig it out if it appeals.

@1stWorldProblems, yes please for the butterscotch whip recipe!

How many people OP?
Formal dinner or buffet?

Here you go @quince2figs.

Source – Jamie Oliver for Waitrose magazine
Serves – 6 (big portions) or lots smaller ones
Prep – 15 minutes plus a couple of hours to set

250ml double cream
2 tablesp brandy or Todka (www.todka.com)
450g Dulce de leche
3 egg whites
2 Crunchie bars

Whip the double cream and alcohol together until thick enough to form peaks. Gently fold in the dulce de leche.
In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Carefully fold them into the caramel cream until well combined.
Spoon the mixture into six pretty desert glasses (about 150ml capacity each is ideal) and leave to set in the fridge for a few hours.
Just before serving, roughly slice or crush the Crunchie bars and scatter a little heap on top of each to decorate.

For canapés I would suggest mini bruschetta with tapanade (Waitrose sell both, you assemble) if you can get the little Swedish bite size tart cases, fill with mackerel pate with horseradish perhaps.

For starters a decent pate, eg duck, onion marmalade and melba toasts with a little salad.

For a main I would choose something that can be cooking whilst you finish your food, my go to is slow cooked duck legs with a vegan cassoulet (gf too so ticks boxes) both on low so can be served easily, I serve with homemade focaccia.

Dessert , chocolate tarts