What woukd you cook for a casual Saturday night dinner for 2?

[NaughtyKnee]

I'm at an absolute loss. I used to entertain a lot, but that would usually have been for large groups including children.

Since I became single and DC grew up I barely cook anything these days, although I can cook and used to enjoy it.

This weekend I have a male friend coming here to eat before we go out to meet friends . It was a throw away invitation, he lives fairly nearby, he suggested he meets me here so we can share a cab, I said do you want to eat? Now I have to feed him!

It's not a date, I don't want it to feel like a date, but it is nice to have someone to cook for. I won't have loads of time for prep. What would you cook?

Spaghetti carbonara. Tasty but simple to make.

Lasagne or curry or fajitas

I might cheat and get a nice ready meal from Cook to take away the pressure

At this time of year, spaghetti bolognese or a shepherd's pie.

Fish and chips with homemade tartaric sauce

Salmon sprinkled with chopped spring onions and sweet chilli sauce cooked in foil parcels in the oven.
Serve with stir fry veg and straight to work noodles

Wok not work!

Some nice ideas, thank you

If you're going out you don't want it too heavy.

Pizza & big salad.
Pasta with chicken & pesto.
Salmon, new potatoes & veg.

Steak & chips or salad. Quick and easy, little or no prep, but tasty.
Or
Filled fresh pasta, serve with grated cheese and a green salad. Only prep is grating the cheese and putting together the salad. Fresh pasta cooks very quickly, so if he's late, it won't matter too much.

A nice pasta (pancetta, tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, pine nuts m)

Or fajita a

Steak was my first thought, I make a mean peppercorn sauce (retro, but that's the generation we are!) but I thought it was a bit "special dinner'?

Salmon stir fry

Well don't light any candles, and don't use your crystal glasses, then it will just be a quick no fuss steak meal.

Pea risotto with salmon fillets .

Cheese fondue, with posh bread, apple slices, roasted potatoes to dip (you could even make it super easy and get the packet mixes)

Something ‘all in the oven’ that means you aren’t hovering over a stove. Oven to 200, put in baby potatoes to roast, ten minutes later salmon in foil with lemon and asparagus, throw in cherry tomatoes, and ten minutes later dinner is ready. Chilled white wine (chill the glasses too!), charcuterie platter to start with nice bread, and a shop dessert like a roulade.

Can I also share my current dream starter: bought pizza base, fig jam spread thinly over, crumbled goats cheese, chopped walnuts - oven for five minutes - then sprinkle with rocket and cut into wedges.

also winter salad - couscous or vulgar wheat, dried cranberries, dried or candied pecans, lots of chopped green herbs and rocket, red wine or balsamic vinaigrette. I’d eat a vat of this.

I’d go for a nice pasta dish with some salad on the side

I did a Thai curry the other night - was really nice.

A tesco or M&S meal for two thing - no effort and tastes great!

www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pasta-recipes/spaghetti-vongole/

I use the very thin spaghetti - think it's called spaghettini.

You are joking of course.

Lasagne and curry take hours to prepare unless you are using ready meals.

Carbonara and a salad. Carbonara is so easy to make and it seems to be loads of blokes favourite pasta dish.

Pasta but nice pasta something like Pappardelle with nduja and lemon or Pasta with roasted squash, broccoli and blue cheese. Not to try hard but really tasty.