So-quick-they're-almost-instant recipes that magically wow your dinner-party guests ... ?

[franch]

I used to love entertaining but have done precisely none since having children. Part of the problem is not having a dining table but I've decided to pull myself together and do some casual suppers in the kitchen for close friends. Gone are the days of elaborate gourmet dishes but I still want to serve up something nice. Am happy to cheat - are any of the Delia ideas any good? All tips gratefully received.

ah no tis the prawn one i posted
hodl on will get ken hom

ooh, yes! my sister does that maltesers/bailey's thing and it's lovely.

lol, unless you are my brother, then no

she may have been served it by the same friend that served it to me though

cod is your mousse thing to be served totally defrosted, or is it supposed to be eaten still frozen-ish?

vietnamese stylc hicen curry( or fish if oyu like)
serves 4

cut chicekn into 2 inch chunks
peel 2 stalks of lemon grass then crush with a knife bung in a processor( or i sue a wand thing) wiht the following
4 garlic cloves
2 red or green chillis choped and deseeded
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp madras curry paste( careful as its hot)
2 tbsp madras curry powder salt
3 tbsp fish sauce 1 tbsp water
BLITZ

shoev over the fish or meat for anhour( or more tbh - easy to do ahead)

heat a wok wiht oil
fry the chicken or fish( hardly at all if fish)

add 2 onions cut into 8ths
add 1 tin of coonut milk and 300ml chicken stock( i buy the concentrate in jars from marks and spencer)

SIMMEr for 10 mins only - not longer as the chiciken goes al raubbery

turn off

wait for guests

he adds chopped fresh toms then but i prefer wihtout.

reheat gnelty when ready
serve wiht delias pilaur rice that is SO easy to make

i take it out ( the mousse) as we sit down for the main course

but etiehr tbh

This curry is fab an quick.
Everyone I have cooked it for has been impressed.
I dont always use noodles - I serve it with thai rice also.
The Thai Taste curry pastes are brilliant - just dry fry, add coconut milk and bob's your uncle etc

www.deliaonline.com/recipes/chunky-marmalade-bread-and-butter-pudding,1038,RC.html oyu can do all this ahead then as they sit down pour the cream stuff on the sarnies and bung in oven]]

ooh yum stirlgin
id love it but some folk are weird re aubergines non?

re aubergines i did htis for my culinarlily challenge mil ( to kind of show her what to eat!!) the other week

www.deliaonline.com/recipes/italian-stuffed-aubergines,1265,RC.htmlwas very do aheady too

REally easy Jamie

green beans
cod steaks/fillets
olive oil
lemon juice
garlic
proscuitto
potatoes cut into cubes (optional)

put green beans on the bottom of a flat dish
wrap cod in prosciutto
scatter lemon halves and garlic
drizzle with olive oil
season
cook for 20 mins at 180

you can add cubed potatoes that have been parboiled too

That cod one takes all of 5 minutes to get together and throw in the oven

i haev had a jamie slamon one about 20 million times somehere

Starters, quail eggs and celery salt with good bread and olive oil & balsamic vinegar dippiing dishes

i normally do eay as you chat starters

Thai curry. Can be with chicken, fish or vegetables.

Thai green curry paste, onions, garlic, extra chillies (if you want) lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves (you can get freeze dried in s'markets), tin of coconut milk, but the best ingredient in my opinion is the butternut squash, adds lovely texture and everyone has been impressed.

Fry onions, add paste fry for a bit, add ginger, garlic, chillies, fry for a bit, add half tin of coconut milk (the solid part, don't shake it), lime leaves, bash lemon grass and add, wait until coc milk has released some oil and then bung in chicken or whatever and cook, add rest of coc milk at end and heat up. You can add another tin of coc milk if not enough liq or some stock if you prefer.

e.g., cod - ?

mini oatckaes
marks salmon pate
big fark off prawn
plate

roll fo puff pastry

roll out
cut into shapes
parmesan and cayenne
as guests walk in bung in hot oven

Another lovely but luxurious starter:

get small baby potatoes, leave skins on, put in oven until they're soft in the middle
when they've cooled split them in the middle and add creme fraiche then a dollop of caviar on the top. Really delicious and impressive and easy and quick. A bit expensive but I only buy normal caviar in Waitrose or wherever.

I'm going to get the piss taken out of me for that one aren't I

[ponce]

nono i use the old fake caivar too
on blinis( buy em at twatrose)

I'd be gutted if someone served curry though, hate it.

you are then thus a freak/

( see also " vegtarians")