easy entertaining

Planning a supper party can be tricky. But this chapter takes away all the hassle. I have chosen main meals from other chapters and teamed them up with the ideal, simple starter and dessert to create stylish three-course meals with very little effort. The instructions tell you exactly when and how to prepare everything so you can sit down with your guests and enjoy the party.

Items marked with an asterisk (*) will be found in the earlier chapters.

menu 1

guacamole with tortilla chips

chilli con carne with rice*

ice cream with hot chocolate sauce

serves 4

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Make the chilli earlier in the day or at least 3 hours before you want to serve the meal. Cover with a saucepan lid and leave to cool. Do the same with the rice: simply cook and drain and leave in a colander, covered with a saucepan lid. If made so long in advance it gets completely cold, then store it in the fridge. Prepare the garnishes for the main course, cover them with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and store in the fridge.

2 You can make the guacamole up to 2 hours before serving (no longer or it will discolour). Cut the avocados into halves, remove the stones, then scoop the flesh out into a bowl.

3 Mash with a fork or small balloon whisk, adding a good dash of lemon juice.

4 Add a small squeeze of garlic purée, a good pinch of chilli powder and a sprinkling of Worcestershire sauce. Gradually whisk in 6 tbsp oil, a very little at a time, until the mixture is creamy. Taste and add more chilli or Worcestershire sauce, if liked.

5 Cover the bowl with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and chill in the fridge.

6 Now make the chocolate sauce: break up the Mars bars and put them in a saucepan. Add about 4 tbsp milk and a knob of butter or margarine. Heat over a gentle heat, stirring until the mixture melts and is smooth. Add a little more milk, if liked. Put to one side ready to reheat before serving.

7 About 20 minutes before you want to eat, reheat the rice and chilli. Half-fill the rice saucepan with hot water, put the colander of rice covered with the saucepan lid over the top and put over a high heat. As soon as the water is bubbling and steam is rising through the rice, turn the heat down as low as possible. Reheat the chilli over a moderate heat, stirring until bubbling, then turn down as low as possible and cover with a saucepan lid. Put plates on top to warm.

8 Spoon the guacamole into small pots. Sprinkle with a little paprika and place on individual serving plates. Surround with tortilla chips and serve.

9 For the main course, stir the chilli, fork through the rice and serve.

10 When ready to serve dessert, reheat the chocolate sauce, stirring until hot and smooth. Put scoops of ice cream into individual dishes, spoon the sauce over, sprinkle with chopped nuts and serve.

top tip!

menu 2

brandied pâté with toast

chicken in red wine with sesame seed potatoes and mangetout*

mediterranean fresh fruit with raspberry coulis

serves 4–6

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Start the preparation at least 4 hours before you want to serve.

2 First, make the pâté. Melt 75 g/3 oz/1/3 cup butter in a saucepan over a gentle heat.

3 Scoop the liver pâté into a mixing bowl. Add about half the melted butter and a good splash of brandy and mash well with a wooden spoon until well blended. Taste and add salt and pepper.

4 Spoon into a small dish, smooth over the surface, then pour over the remaining butter. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

5 Now, make the raspberry coulis. Put a sieve over a bowl, empty the raspberries into the sieve and rub through with a wooden spoon. Scrape off any purée sticking to the base of the sieve, then discard the seeds. Alternatively, purée the raspberries and juice in a blender or food processor, then rub through the sieve to remove the seeds. Chill until ready to serve.

6 Cut the peaches into halves, remove the stones (pits), then cut into neat slices. Place in a plastic container with a lid. Slice the star fruit, so each slice looks like a star. Place in the container. Cut off the stalk ends from the kiwi fruit, peel off the skin, then cut into slices. Place in the container. Halve the grapes and put in the container. Put the lid on the container and chill.

7 Prepare and cook the chicken in red wine and sesame seed potatoes. When they are cooked, you can turn the oven down to very low until ready to serve. Don’t cook the mangetout until you have served the starter.

8 About 15 minutes before you wish to serve the starter, put plates to warm.

9 Make one or two slices of toast per person. Cut into triangles. Spoon the brandied pâté on to four or six small plates. Cut the lemon into wedges and put one on each plate with a sprig of parsley. Add the toast and serve.

10 After the starter, cook the mangetout. Serve with the chicken and potatoes.

11 After the main course, spoon the raspberry coulis on four or six dessert plates to form a pool over the base of the plate. Arrange the fruits attractively on top and serve.

top tip!

menu 3

chilled carrot, tomato and orange soup

grilled salmon fillets with hollandaise sauce, new potatoes and salad*

chocolate rum cups

serves 4

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Make the soup and dessert well in advance. Make the soup first. Drain the liquid from the can of carrots and tip them into a blender or food processor with the contents of the can of tomatoes. Run the machine until smooth.

2 Add 150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup orange juice, a good sprinkling of basil and a small sprinkling of salt and pepper. Blend briefly again.

3 Pour into a plastic container with a lid and chill until ready to serve.

4 To make the chocolate cups, pour a good half of the cream into a bowl. Whisk with an electric or balloon whisk until stiff.

5 Add 2 tbsp chocolate spread (be generous!) and gently stir in with 1 tbsp rum.

6 Spoon this mixture into four or six ready-made chocolate cases but leave them sitting in their container. Swirl the top of the chocolate cream gently with a teaspoon and sprinkle with a few toasted, chopped nuts. Chill until ready to serve.

7 Prepare the main course. Just before your guests arrive, cook the potatoes but don’t grill (broil) the fish. Keep the potatoes warm in a serving dish in the oven at the lowest setting.

8 When you are ready to serve the meal, lay the fish on the grill (broiler) rack but do not cook yet. Ladle the soup into soup bowls. Serve with 1 tsp cream swirled over the centre of each portion.

9 After the starter has been eaten, grill the fish, then serve the main course.

10 When your guests are ready for the dessert, put the chocolate cups on small plates. Arrange two or three whole strawberries to one side and serve.

top tip!

menu 4

creamed garlic mussels

oregano lemon chicken on a vegetable platter*

strawberry shortcakes

serves 4–6

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Earlier in the day or at least 2 hours before you want to serve the meal, you can prepare the chicken and vegetables for cooking and prepare the starter ready to heat through before serving. Chop the onion.

2 Melt a knob of butter or margarine in a saucepan over a moderate heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until soft but not brown. Add two small squeezes of garlic purée. Remove from the heat.

3 Drain the liquid from one of the cans of mussels into the onion. Drain off the liquid from the other can. Add a wineglass of white wine to the onion in the saucepan. Put 1 tbsp cornflour in a cup, measure a wineglass of water and mix a little of it into the cornflour until smooth. Stir this mixture into the saucepan with the rest of the water.

4 Heat the mixture until it boils, stirring all the time until thickened and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in half the carton of cream. Chop a small handful of parsley. Add half of it to the sauce. Season to taste and leave to cool.

5 Whip the remaining cream with 1 tbsp caster sugar and a few drops of vanilla essence, using an electric or balloon whisk. Chill until ready to serve.

6 At least 30 minutes before you want to eat, cook the chicken and vegetables. Keep them warm in a low oven. Finish preparing the starter. Put some soup bowls and the French bread in the oven to warm.

7 Put the mussels in the sauce. Stir over a high heat until bubbling. Cook for 2 minutes. Spoon into the warmed soup bowls. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped parsley and serve with the French bread.

8 Serve the main course.

9 Once the main course is finished, put a shortcake biscuit on each of four or six small plates. Pile on some cream. Top with strawberries and a dusting of caster sugar and serve.

menu 5

greek dips with pitta bread

moussaka with cabbage and carrot vinaigrette*

Athenian figs

serves 4

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Prepare the moussaka and salad.

2 While the moussaka is cooking, open the can of figs and cut each fruit into quarters. Divide among the sundae glasses and pour in enough of the juice just to cover the fruit.

3 Spoon the yoghurt on top, then cover completely with a layer of clear honey. Chill until ready to serve.

4 When you are nearly ready to dish up, put the pitta breads to warm: either wrap them in foil and put in the base of the oven or place briefly under the grill (broiler). Put a spoonful of each of the three dips on individual plates. Put a small pile of black olives in the centre of each plate. Drizzle a little olive oil over the taramasalata and hummus. Sprinkle the tzatziki with dried mint.

5 Cut the pitta bread into fingers and put in a bread basket. Serve the starter.

6 Serve the main course.

7 Serve the dessert, straight from the fridge.

top tip!

menu 6

cheesy tuna pots

grilled pork chops with peaches, new potatoes and green beans*

blackcurrant mousse

serves 4

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Put the evaporated milk in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours.

2 Boil the kettle and pour 150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup boiling water in the measuring jug. Break up the jelly, add to the water and stir until dissolved.

3 Open the can of blackcurrants and pour off the juice into the jelly mixture. Stir well and place in the fridge until it has set to the consistency of egg white.

4 Pour the chilled evaporated milk into a bowl and whisk until thick and fluffy. Whisk in the almost-setting jelly. Spoon into a glass serving dish and chill until set.

5 Now make the starter. Drain the liquid from the can of tuna and empty the fish into a bowl. Mash with a fork, then mash in the cheese until well blended. Add a good dash of lemon juice and a generous pinch of cayenne, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

6 Chop a sprig of parsley. Spoon the tuna mixture into four small ramekins. Sprinkle with paprika and the parsley and cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap). Chill until you are ready to serve.

7 Whip the cream until just stiff and spread over the set blackcurrant mousse. Return to the fridge. Drain the blackcurrants on kitchen paper (paper towels) and keep on one side.

8 Prepare and cook the main course. Keep warm in a low oven. Put the plates for the main course in to warm.

9 About 10 minutes before you want to serve the meal, make one or two slices of toast per person and cut into fingers. Put a pot of tuna cheese on each of four individual plates and put the fingers of toast to one side. Remove the clingfilm and serve.

10 Serve the main course.

11 After the main course, pile the blackcurrants in the centre of the cream on the mousse and serve.

top tip!

menu 7

consommé with mushrooms

trout with almonds, baby new potatoes and mangetout*

chocolate and lemon flan

serves 4

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 First, make the flan. If you have not prepared it in advance, start at least 4 hours before you want to eat, to allow it to chill. Empty the digestives into a plastic bag. Crush with a rolling pin.

2 Melt 50 g/2 oz/¼ cup butter in a saucepan over a gentle heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the biscuits. Press into the base and sides of a flan dish, then chill in the fridge to set.

3 Empty the cream into a bowl and whip until it stands in soft peaks but is not too stiff. Stir in the condensed milk and 6 tbsp lemon juice. Spoon into the flan case (pie shell) and chill again.

4 Wipe the mushrooms to remove any soil. Slice thinly. Rinse out the biscuit crumb saucepan. Add the mushrooms and 2 tbsp water. Cook, stirring, over a moderate heat for 2 minutes until the mushrooms have softened. Stir in the consommé and a canful of water. Add a good slosh of sherry. Leave ready to reheat just before serving.

5 Prepare the main course.

6 Once your guests have arrived, cook the main course. Cover the fish with foil, put the vegetables in serving dishes and keep warm in a very low oven. Put soup bowls and plates in to warm.

7 Heat the soup until almost boiling. Ladle into the soup bowls and serve very hot.

8 Serve the main course.

9 Grate a little chocolate cake covering over the flan and serve.

top tip!

menu 8

smoked mackerel with horseradish mayonnaise

marmalade-glazed bacon with winter vegetables*

melon with minted raspberries

serves 6

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

1 Start your preparation at least 2½ hours before you plan to eat. Cut the melons into halves and scoop out the seeds. Wrap and chill until ready to serve.

2 Chop a small handful of mint. Stir in 2 tbsp caster sugar.

3 Remove any stalks from the raspberries and put the fruit in a container. Sprinkle the minted sugar over and toss very gently with a spoon or your hands, to coat. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

4 At least 2 hours before you wish to serve, prepare and cook the main course.

5 While it is cooking, butter one or two slices of bread per person and cut into triangles. Place on a serving plate and cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) until ready to serve.

6 Mix 1 tbsp horseradish sauce or relish with 6 tbsp mayonnaise. Season to taste with pepper. Chill.

7 Carve the meat, cover with foil and put back in a low oven to keep warm together with the plates and the vegetables, also in covered dishes.

8 When ready to serve, lay a mackerel fillet on each of six individual dishes. Spoon a little of the horseradish mayonnaise to one side. Cut the lemon into six wedges. Put a wedge of lemon and a small sprig of parsley on each plate. Serve.

9 Serve the main course.

10 When ready to serve the dessert, put the melon halves in six individual dishes. Pile the raspberries in the centre and decorate each with small sprig of mint. Serve.

top tip!

menu 9

grilled grapefruit with port

flashy piquant steaks with sauté potatoes and broccoli*

apricot cheesecake

serves 4

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Make the dessert at least 4 hours before you plan to eat, or even the day before, so it has time to chill. Put the flan case on a serving plate. Whip the cream until it stands in soft peaks.

2 Put the cheese in a separate bowl and stir in 4 tbsp caster sugar and a few drops of vanilla essence. Using a metal tablespoon, fold in the whipped cream.

3 Spoon the mixture into the flan case and smooth the surface. Chill in the fridge to set.

4 Now make the starter, also well in advance. Cut the grapefruit in halves through the middle. Using a serrated grapefruit knife, cut all round the edge of each between the pith and the flesh, then separate each segment from the side of each membrane and loosen the segments. Put in four flameproof individual dishes. Pour a spoonful of port over each and sprinkle liberally with light brown sugar.

5 Spoon the apricot pie filling over the cheesecake and return to the fridge until ready to serve.

6 Just before your guests arrive – or ideally, while they are enjoying a pre-dinner drink, – cook the main course. Keep the sauté potatoes warm in a low oven. Put the cooked broccoli in the colander over the saucepan and cover with the saucepan lid to keep warm on top of the stove. Cook the steaks, cover and keep warm in the oven, but don’t make the sauce yet.

7 Turn on the grill (broiler). Put the grapefruit under the grill until the sugar melts and caramelises. Serve straight away.

8 When the grapefruit have been eaten, quickly cook the onion and finish the sauce for the steaks. Put the steaks on warm plates, spoon the sauce over and serve with the vegetables.

9 Finally, serve the dessert, cut into slices.

top tip!

menu 10

pears with blue cheese dressing

spiced persian lamb with flageolets*

raspberry and yoghurt ruffle

serves 6

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Marinate the lamb.

2 Make the dessert. Crumble four trifle sponges into a glass serving dish. Open the can of raspberries and pour into the dish. Mash well so the sponges soak up the juice. Add enough orange juice to soak the sponges completely and stir well.

3 Whip the yoghurt and all but about 4 tbsp of the cream together until the mixture is just standing in soft peaks. Spoon over the raspberry mixture. Sprinkle liberally with light brown sugar and chill for several hours, or overnight, so the sugar melts.

4 Finish preparing the lamb and cook to step 8. Once it is cooked, turn down the oven as low as possible and leave it ready to be sliced when you want to serve.

5 Make the dressing for the pears. Cut off any rind from the blue cheese and place the cheese in a bowl. Crush with a fork. Using a wooden spoon or whisk, beat in the reserved cream, 4 tbsp mayonnaise and a dash of lemon juice. Thin with a little milk, if necessary, so the mixture will coat the back of a spoon.

6 Just before your guests arrive, drain the pears. Put lettuce leaves on individual plates and put two pear halves on each plate. Spoon the blue cheese mayonnaise over. Sprinkle with paprika. Chill, if liked, until ready to serve.

7 Cut up the lamb and thicken the vegetables. Cover the lamb and potatoes with foil and return to the oven to keep warm. Put in plates to warm. Turn off the heat under the vegetables.

8 Serve the starter.

9 Reheat the thickened vegetables and serve the main course.

10 Serve the dessert.

top tip!