Please could I have some menu suggestions for three course supper on Thurday?? DH's boss coming!

[FanjolinaJolie]

I am a pretty basic cook! So I could use any suggestions for a spring supper party, not too heavy or labour intensive food.

All I have found so far is:

Starter: Melon, Fig and Parma Ham
Main: ????? Chicken or salmon possibly
Pud: Raspberry and Rhubarb cinnamon crumble with home made vanilla ice cream.

Need main ideas, pretty please!!!

I would find out if he's veggie!

if not, I would say stick to chicken for the main course as lots of people don't like salmon.

Starter: steamed asparagus with crispy grilled bacon and a poached egg

Main: Roast lemon chicken with herby couscous and a green salad

Pudding: Rhubard creme brulee with shortbread biscuits

No one is veggie. Definite on that.

if he is a veggie I would do this sundried tomato and butternut squash recipe with a peppery salad - watercress or rocket and cherry tomatoes.

If not, I chicken is good and safe. If it is really hot you could do build your own chicken wraps with avocado and leaves or a cold chicken salad or fajita, which is a bit more summery.

Have just remembered the pudding is going to be DH's birthday cake, so I don't need pudding. Cake will be Hummingbird Bakery Red Velvet layer cake.

G&T v good suggestions

oops.. took too long to type mine! That cake sounds yum - I have that book too!

G&T is that literally all you put in the starter? Any dressing etc? Or just a stack of asparagus topped with bacon and an egg?

How about this - it's gorgeous! Do taste it and add more honey if needs be - it probably will!

Peppered chicken in lime and tarragon sauce

Surprisingly low in fat, this dish has a deliciously fresh, tangy sauce. Serve with new potatoes and broccoli.

Ingredients

· 500g baby new potatoes, scrubbed

· 500g pack 4 Waitrose Select Farm British Chicken Breast Fillets

· 2 unwaxed lemons

· 2 tsp Bart Green Peppercorns, lightly crushed

· 2 tsp olive oil

· 3 tsp clear honey

· 200ml tub Président 4% Fat Crème Frâiche

· 15g pack fresh tarragon, chopped

Serves 4

Buy Ingredients

Timing

Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 6-7 mins

Instructions

1. Place the new potatoes in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender.

1. Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, slice into each chicken breast horizontally to make a pocket. Cut one of the lemons into 8 slices, and place 2 lemon slices into each chicken breast pocket. Press the crushed green peppercorns onto the chicken breasts.

1. In a non-stick frying pan with a lid, heat the oil then add the chicken. Pan fry for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from the pan, place on a warmed plate and cover with foil.

1. Grate the zest from the remaining lemon and squeeze the juice. Add this to the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the juices. Stir in the honey, crème frâiche and tarragon, and bring to the boil. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon over the sauce. Cover with the lid and simmer for 5 minutes, until the chicken is thoroughly cooked, and the juices run clear.

1. Serve the chicken fillets with the new potatoes and tenderstem broccoli, which can be steamed over the potatoes for the last 5 minutes of their cooking time.

FJ - toss the asparagus in butter before piling on the plate, then a good grinding of black pepper, then the bacon (I leave them as long crispy rashers, not cut into pieces), then the egg on top with a little salt on the top of the egg

Could you have a theme? e.g. Greek, Spanish, Italian. Makes it much easier.

oooh love the asparagus idea!!!! Could also do it boiled quails eggs halved (with pinch of paprika on), kalamata olives and parmesan shavings

Loving both the asparagus and the chicken suggestions, thank you v much.

BP&S your "Peppered chicken in lime and tarragon sauce" sounds lovely but appears to contain no lime! Which one is it: lemon or lime?

cold starter and cold pudding, then you can prepare them beforehand. Hot main but something you can mostly prep in advance. A casserole with nicely presented vegs maybe. You can do a tarted up ice cream instead of a pud if you want. Some fresh berries on top will make it look special.

the idea is not that you should spend half the evening in the kitchen.

if you can do cold drinks and nibbles in the garden when they arrive, and good coffee with something chocolaty after dinner while you lounge about making pleasat conversation, that will help.

not too much booze though, you don't want anyone getting drunk or even loose-tongued. Especially yourself. I have no idea if you are being sized up as hostess material (do people really still do that?). So I wouldn't recommend brandy or liqueurs with the coffee, but you can have some out of sight in case the man is stupid enough to ask for it. He will probably be driving home.

oops!!
Either lemon or lime - I prefer lime! Start with the juice of one and see how you get on, adding more until it tastes right!

The only reservation I'd have re: poached eggs is that unless you're proficient, they could be a real faff if you're trying to do 4+ at a time. But then I'm rubbish at poaching eggs

For the main course I'd go for something all in one, along the lines of the one pan chicken dish (with chicken, peppers, potatoes etc) in Nigella's How to Eat or the Greek style baked fish Nigel Slater does (which I think is in Real Food).

Morrocan Chicken with Preserved lemons Very easy, very tasty, and you can serve it with cous cous (Sainsbury's sachets of lemon and coriander flavour), so easy peasy. Salad to accompany - or purple sprouting broccoli.

Starte: Asparagus boiled or chargrilled, olive oil, and shaved parmesan. Or smoked salmon. Or make some smoked mackerel pate and serve with warm crusty bread.

Home cooking should be welcoming and tasty, not fiddly and complicated, IMO.

Lakeland do these fab egg poacher thingys. They come out perfect every time.

I smother my asparagus with a dollop of cream cheese once cooked, wrap in parma ham then stick in a hot oven until the ham has gone crispy (bundle it up into portions first)

Cool, it's like a 70s sitcom.