Inspire me! lunch ideas for friend coming ,

[ginseng]

I want to do a lovely lunch for a friend next week, can't do quiche as she made that for me last time, thanks!!

dh and I have had a small piece of steak wrapped in prosciutto, placed on baking tray, add two large field mushrooms and put on tray also. Quick spray of olive oil. leave to roast for about 20 minutes.

Chop desiree potatoes into chunky cubes. Steam for about 10 minutes or until soft. Set aside and allow to cool.

Add 1/3 cup of sour light cream to a teaspoon or two of wholegrain mustard. Mix ( can add some crushed garlic). Use that as the sauce for the potatoes to make a yummy potato salad.

Take mushrooms out of oven. place steak on top. Serve of potato salad and anything else you want to add. - but of a garden salad we have added at times.

Some fresh crusty bread. Very yum.

Thanks so much!! that sounds great and not too fiddly!! will make that, thank you so much, has saved hours of looking through books!

G x

How about soup?
I went to a friends last year and she did sweet potato and coconut soup, but made it look really nice with a drizzle of cream and a few chopped herbs. Serve it with crusty bread, mmm

You can make it the day before and just warm it when she gets to your house

really really really easy

make a salad with fancy leaves
buy a block of mozzarrella (block not liquidy one)
buy proscuttio (eh what? can't spell)
cut mozarella into four obloids and wrap in proscutio then fry in olive oil
sling on top of salad
crusty bread etc

OR

fancy salad (ibid) with
walnuts
peeled pears chopped up
roquefort cheese chunks
dressing of choice

accompanied by

big wide pasta (you know the one) with olive oil, cherry tomatoes and basil

.

I do soups for lunch when grown up friends coming. Cream of cauliflower is absolutely gorgeous, honest. Or french onion. Or leek and potato. Or minestrone. As someone else said, you can make it day before and so spend the morning of your friends visit frantically tidying/shoving things out of sight into cupboards.

it is easy - you can even chop the potatoes and put them in the steamer ready to go. THen you do not have to keep doing things when your friend arrives. Just leave it to cook itself basically.

Soup is another great one - I love pumpkin soup.

Thanks everyone! you have all made me feel very hungry!! all great ideas, soup seems to be popular especially this time of year. G x

Eton mess for dessert