9 dinner party ideas to enjoy food with friends

• 4 large portobello mushrooms
• 3 tbsp ricotta cheese
• 30g parmesan or veggie alternative, grated
• 30g grated mozzarella or cheddar
• 1 tbsp tarragon leaves
• Rocket salad to serve

Servings: 2

Prep time: 5 mins

Cooking time: 10 mins

Step 1

Heat the grill to high. Remove the mushrooms’ stalks, season, and place on a baking tray.

Mix the cheeses and tarragon and season.

Spoon the cheese mixture onto the mushrooms and grill for 8-10 mins, or until bubbling with an oozy consistency.

Step 2

Remove from the tray with a spatula, season, and serve with a rocket salad.

Calories per serving: 216

• 7 heaped tbsp of mayonnaise
• 1 lime, juiced
• 3 tsp chilli sauce
• 15g pickled ginger, finely chopped
• 3 little gem lettuces, leaves separated
• 300g cooked king prawns
• 3 spring onions, shredded
• 2 tsp black sesame seeds
• Handful of prawn crackers, crushed

For the pickles

• 100ml rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 large carrot, peeled
• ½ large cucumber, peeled into ribbons
• 6 radishes, thinly sliced

Servings: 6 

Prep time: 15 mins 

Cooking time: 5 mins plus at least an hour pickling

Step 1

• For the pickles, put the vinegar, 50ml water, sugar and 2 tsp sea salt in a pan and simmer for 5 mins over medium heat, stirring until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
• Leave to cool for 10 -15 minutes. Put the vegetables in a bowl and pour over the pickling liquid.
• Leave in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Step 2

• Mix the mayonnaise, lime juice, sriracha and pickled ginger.
• Arrange the lettuce leaves in six bowls, then top with the prawns, pickled veg and sauce.
• Garnish with spring onions, sesame seeds and prawn crackers.

Calories per serving: 386

• 390g artichoke hearts
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 small garlic cloves, 1 crushed, 1 halved
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 25g parmesan cheese, grated
• Small bunch of chives, snipped
• 1 baguette, thinly sliced
• A few parmesan shavings to serve

Servings: 6 

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 15 mins

Step 1

• Drain the tin of artichoke hearts and put them in a food processor with a squeeze of lemon, the crushed garlic clove, 1 tbsp of olive oil, parmesan, a pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper.
• Pulse to a chunky purée, scraping down the sides as needed. Stir in a few snipped chives.

Step 2

• Grill 12 slices of the baguette on each side until golden, rub lightly with the cut garlic clove and brush with the remaining olive oil.
• Spread liberally with the artichoke mix, scatter over parmesan shavings and remaining chives. Grind over pepper and serve.

Calories per serving: 174

• 250g plain flour
• Cornflour, for dusting
• 200g white cabbage
• 4 chestnut mushrooms
• 1 carrot
• 4 water chestnuts (optional)
• Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 3 spring onions, finely sliced
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for frying
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sake, rice wine or dry sherry

For the dipping sauce

• 6 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• Crispy chilli oil (optional)

Servings: 25

Prep time: 2 hours 

Cooking time: 20 mins plus 1-hour chilling

Step 1

• If you’re making your own dough, tip the flour and 1 tsp salt into a bowl. Bring a kettle to the boil and measure 150ml of boiling water.
• Carefully pour the water over the flour while mixing with a spoon to form a stiff dough.
• When the dough is cool enough to handle, tip onto a surface and knead for 10 mins until smooth.
• Wrap the dough and chill for at least 1 hour. Alternatively, you can use 25-30 shop-bought gyoza skins.

Step 2

• Grate the cabbage, mushrooms, carrot and water chestnuts (if using), then tip into a bowl.
• Add the garlic, ginger and spring onions.
• Heat the oil in a wok before tipping in all the veg and stir-fry. Fry over high heat for 3 mins until softened.
• Drizzle over the soy sauce and sake and cook for 2-3 mins.
• Season to taste. Tip back into the bowl and leave to cool.

Step 3

• Divide the dough in two.
• Generously sprinkle cornflour onto a chopping board or surface and roll one ball of dough until paper-thin.
• Use a cutter to cut out rounds of dough and pile them up (the cornflour will prevent sticking).
• Repeat the process with all the dough, re-rolling the trimmings until you have around 25 skins.

Step 4

• To assemble, sprinkle the cornflour on a tray and prepare a bowl of cold water.
• Hold a skin in the palm of one hand and dollop a teaspoon of the filling in the centre.
• Dip your finger in the water and wipe around the skin’s inside edge. Bring the edges together, pinching pleats along one side.
• Space them out on a baking tray and freeze.
• Once frozen, tip them into a bag and return to the freezer. *
• * Gyoza will keep for three months in the freezer and can be cooked from frozen or chilled.

Step 5

• Heat a drizzle of oil in a non-stick frying pan with a lid.
• Fry, flat side down, for 2 mins until golden.
• Add 100ml water to the pan and cover.
• Cook over medium heat for 3-5 mins until the water has fully evaporated and the gyoza is cooked through.
• Remove the lid and leave the gyoza to sizzle on the bottom for a minute or two. Mix the dipping sauce ingredients, then serve with the gyoza.

Calories per serving: 52

• 12 queen scallops, cleaned and 4 clean scallop shells
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 80g chorizo, cut into small chunks
• 30g butter
• A squeeze of lemon juice

For the picada

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 40g rustic bread (like sourdough), cut into 1cm cubes
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 15g skin-on hazelnuts
• ½ unwaxed lemon, juiced and zested
• 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander
• ¼ tsp sherry vinegar
• 1 tbsp amontillado sherry

Servings: 4 

Prep time: 25 mins

Cooking time: 15 mins

Step 1

• For the picada, put ½ tbsp oil in a small frying pan over medium heat.
• After a few minutes, drop a piece of the bread in – if it sizzles, reduce the heat and add all the bread in a single layer.
• Fry until the bread is light gold before spreading it out on kitchen paper to cool.
• Add the remaining oil to the pan, fry the garlic until golden and add to the bread.

Step 2

• Toast the nuts until fragrant, then rub in a tea towel while still warm to remove the skins.
• Using a food processor, blitz the bread and garlic with the nuts, lemon zest and coriander until the mixture is coarse.
• Mix in the vinegar, sherry and salt before adding lemon juice to taste.

Step 3

• You’ll find a little white bit on the sides of your scallops which becomes tough when cooked, so it’s best to cut if off.
• Pat the scallops dry with kitchen paper (they don’t colour well if fried when wet) and brush with extra virgin olive oil.

Step 4

• Fry the chorizo in a small frying pan until coloured with a slight crust.

Step 5

• Meanwhile, heat another pan until searing hot. Add a small glug of oil, then the scallops.
• Season and cook the scallops for about 30 seconds on each side. Next, divide them between the four shells, add the chorizo and top with the hazelnut mixture and a knob of butter.
• Cook under a hot grill for approximately 90 seconds, until cooked through.
• Squeeze on a little more lemon juice and serve immediately.

Calories per serving: 275

• 4 lobster tails, defrosted
• Lemon wedges to serve

For the butter

• 125g butter, softened
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 lemon, juiced
• Handful of parsley leaves, finely chopped, plus extra to serve
• Small pinch of chilli powder (optional) 

Servings: 4 

Prep time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 10 mins

Step 1

• To make the butter, mix all the ingredients, season, and set aside.
• You can make the butter two days in advance – just take it out of the fridge to soften before using.

Step 2

• Use kitchen scissors to cut along the tops of the lobster shells before flipping the tails over. Crack the ribs of the shell.
• Open the shell and loosen the meat attaching it to its base. Pull it halfway out.
• Use a knife to cut along the top of the tail. Don’t cut all the way through and remove any veins you see.
• Place the tails in a shallow roasting tray and add some butter to each one. 

Step 3

• Grill the lobster tiles over high heat for 10 minutes until cooked through.
• Lay them on plates and drizzle with the butter from the pan – alternatively, pour the butter into a ramekin for dipping.
• Serve with lemon wedges and scatter with extra parsley (optional).  

Calories per serving: 325

• 4 onions, 2 unpeeled and thickly sliced, 2 finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 3 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• 4 lemon thyme sprigs
• 5 kg whole chicken
• 2 lemons, zested and halved
• 100g chorizo, diced
• 120g cooking chorizo, meat squeezed from the skins
• 175g white breadcrumbs
• 100g soft dried apricots, chopped
• 4 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 250ml white wine
• 400ml chicken stock
• Serve with sautéed potatoes and steamed broccoli (optional)

Servings: 5

Prep time: 35 mins

Cooking time: 1 hour 45 mins

Step 1

• Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6. Lay the sliced onions in the centre of a roasting tin.
• Mix the oil with 2 tsp paprika and leaves from one of the thyme sprigs. Rub over the chicken, place on the bed of onions and season well.
• Put 3 of the lemon halves inside the cavity, cover the chicken loosely with foil and roast for 45 minutes.

Step 2

• Meanwhile, make the stuffing.
• Cook the diced chorizo over low-medium heat until crisp. At this point, there should still be plenty of oil in the pan.
• Scoop out the chorizo to cool and add the onions into the pan. Soften for 15-20 mins before tipping into a bowl to cool.

Step 3

• Rub together the breadcrumbs and chorizo as it cooks (as if you were rubbing butter into flour to make pastry).
• Once the breadcrumbs are orange, mix in the cooked chorizo, onions, apricots, parsley, thyme leaves, paprika, egg, and lemon zest.
• Squeeze over the juice from the remaining lemon, season with plenty of pepper, and squish everything together with your hands.

Step 4

• Grease a small roasting tin and insert the stuffing, using a fork to rough up the surface – this creates the crispy bits.
• Scatter any leftover thyme sprigs.

Step 5

• After 45 minutes, remove the foil from the chicken and pour the wine and stock into the roasting tin.
• Reduce the oven to 180°C /160°C fan/ gas 4 and put the chicken back in with the stuffing on a lower shelf.
• Roast for 45 minutes until the juices run clear.

Step 6

• Rest the chicken for 15 minutes while you bubble the pan juices to reduce a little.
• Carve and serve with the stuffing, reduced juices, sautéed potatoes and steamed broccoli (if using).

Calories per serving: 760

• 1 tsp sunflower or vegetable oil
• 2 skinless salmon fillets
• 250g bag spinach
• 2 tbsp reduced-fat crème fraîche
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 1 tsp caper, drained
• 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Lemon wedges to serve

Servings: 2 

Prep time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 10 mins

Step 1

• Heat the oil in a pan and season the salmon on each side.
• Fry for 4 minutes on each side until golden and the flesh flakes easily.
• Leave to rest on a plate while you cook the spinach.

Step 2

• Tip the leaves into the hot pan, season well and cover to wilt for 1 minute, stirring once or twice.
• Spoon the spinach onto plates, then top with salmon.
• Heat the crème fraîche in the pan with the capers, parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice, before seasoning to taste.
• Be careful not to let it boil. Spoon the sauce over the fish and serve with lemon wedges.

Calories per serving: 321

• 600g medium vine tomatoes or a 400g can of chopped tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 red birds-eye chilli, deseeded and chopped
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 600g butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 12 pitted green olives, roughly chopped
• 150ml red wine
• ½ vegetable stock cube
• 200g jar piquillo pimiento peppers, or 2 roasted Romano peppers, roughly chopped
• 400g can of black beans or red kidney beans, drained
• Small bunch of chives, snipped
• 175ml soured cream

Servings: 4

Prep time: 30 mins

Cooking time: 1 hour

Step 1

• If you’re using fresh tomatoes, pour boiling water over them in a bowl, leave for 30 seconds, then lift out, peel and chop.

Step 2

• Heat the oil in a frying pan with a lid before adding the garlic and onions.
• Soften gently, stirring occasionally.
• Stir the chilli, cayenne, oregano, and bay leaf into the onions. Stir-fry for a minute or so before stirring in the squash, olives and wine.
• Simmer for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the tomatoes and 200ml water.
• Crumble in the stock cube and stir.
• Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 3

• Add the peppers to the pan and check the seasoning – add more water if it’s looking dry.
• Cover and cook for 25-30 minutes until the squash is tender.

Step 4

• Add the beans to the pan and reheat.
• Serve with chives and sour cream on the side.

Calories per serving: 370

• 75g butter, melted, plus extra for the tin
• 250g shortbread biscuits
• 250g mascarpone
• 300g soft cheese
• 50g icing sugar
• 40g cocoa powder
• 300ml double cream
• Half a 400g can of caramel or 200g dulce de leche
• 50g dark chocolate, chopped
• Chocolate stars or star sprinkles to decorate

Servings: 10-12 

Prep time: 35 mins

Cooking time: No cooking required, just an hour chilling time

Step 1

• Butter and line the base of a 20cm cake tin.
• Using a food processor, blitz the biscuits into fine crumbs.
• Add the butter and blitz again.
• Pour the mixture into the tin and press down firmly with the back of a spoon.
• Leave to chill while you make the filling.

Step 2

• Carefully mix the mascarpone, soft cheese, icing sugar and cocoa until smooth.
• Whip up the cream in another bowl until it’s stiff, then fold into the mascarpone mixture.
• Spoon the mixture over the biscuit base and level the top.
• Leave to cool for around an hour.

Step 3

• Warm the caramel in a pan until it’s easy to spread – don’t worry if you overdo it a little, just wait until it cools again.
• Pour the caramel onto the cheesecake, spread gently and leave to chill.
• While the caramel cools, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water (or in the microwave).
• Drizzle over the caramel before decorating with sprinkles or stars, then leave to chill until serving time.
• Carefully remove the tin and lining and slide the cheesecake onto a serving plate.

Calories per serving: 534

• 75g butter, melted, plus extra for the tin
• 250g shortbread biscuits
• 250g mascarpone
• 300g soft cheese
• 50g icing sugar
• 40g cocoa powder
• 300ml double cream
• Half a 400g can caramel or 200g dulce de leche
• 50g dark chocolate, chopped
• Chocolate stars or star sprinkles to decorate

For the espresso martini sauce

• 60ml freshly brewed strong coffee or 2-3 shots of espresso
• 3 tbsp golden caster sugar (more if you’d like a sweeter sauce)
• 150ml double cream
• ½ tbsp cornflour
• 30ml vodka

Servings: 16

Prep time: 20 mins 

Cooking time: 30 mins

Step 1

• Put the butter into a heatproof bowl with the dark chocolate.
• Fill a small pan with boiling water about a quarter full, then place the bowl on top, not touching the water.
• Place over low heat until the butter and chocolate have melted, stirring occasionally.
• Remove the bowl from the pan and leave the melted mixture to cool to room temperature. 

Step 2

• Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.
• Line a shallow 20cm square brownie tin.
• Whisk the eggs and sugar until they’re thick, creamy and have doubled in volume – this can take anywhere between 3-8 minutes, depending on how powerful your whisk is.
• Pour the cooled chocolate mixture over the mousse before gently folding it together with a spatula. Move the bowl around after each fold to get all sides, ensuring the two mixtures blend into one dark brown mixture. Try not to knock the air out when doing this.

Step 3

• Sieve the flour and cocoa over the eggy chocolate mixture and add a pinch of salt.
• Repeat step 2 by gently folding the powder.
• The mixture will appear dry and dusty at first; keep going until it looks fudgy, but don’t overdo it.
• Pour the mixture into the tin and gently ease it into the corners, paddling the spatula from side to side across the top to level it.
• At regular intervals, push the chocolate balls into the brownie mixture.

Step 4

• Bake for 30 minutes or until the top has a shiny, papery crust and the sides are just lifting from the tin.
• Remove from the oven. If you’re serving as a dessert, leave to cool a little.

Step 5 

• To make the sauce, heat the coffee and sugar together until the sugar dissolves.
• Mix a little cream with the cornflour before adding to the pan with the remaining cream. Bring to a simmer and stir over medium heat until thickened.
• Add the vodka and turn off the heat.
• Serve each brownie square with the sauce poured over.

Calories per serving: 392

• 2 x 400g cans of coconut milk
• 175g caster sugar
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes
• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla pod
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• A pinch of turmeric

Servings: 10

Prep time: 25 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins plus chilling and churning 

Step 1

• Pour 80-90% of the coconut milk into a saucepan, saving a splash in a small bowl for later.
• Add sugar, salt and turmeric (for colour) to the pan.
• Halve the vanilla pod lengthways and deseed with the side of a knife.
• Put the seeds and pod or vanilla paste into the pan.
• Warm over low heat for 10 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the mixture starts to steam.

Step 2

• In a small bowl, mix the cornflour with the dash of coconut milk reserved earlier until smooth.
• Pour the mixture into the hot milk, and while whisking, heat for another 5-10 minutes until it thickens to a custard consistency.
• Strain into a bowl and cover. Leave to cool, then chill for at least 2 hours.

Step 3

• Pour the chilled mix into an ice cream maker and churn for 20-30 minutes until you get a soft scoop ice cream. 
• If you don’t have an ice cream maker, pour the chilled mixture into a wide-based dish or tub.
• Freeze for 2-3 hours, stirring every 20 minutes with a fork to break up any ice crystals until it’s soft ice cream.
• Transfer to a smaller, sealable container and freeze (maximum 3 months) until ready to serve.

Calories per serving: 220