Post on 07-Apr-2016
description
prepared.
50 make-ahead recipes for
friends and family
The secrets of hosting a good dinner party.
Text, photographs and design by
Rosie Maynard.
No part of this work may be
reproduced, without permission.
Produced at Bath Spa University.
Visit the prepared website: http://
rosiemaynard12.wix.com/prepared
Chef’s NotesMetric measures are given for all
recipes.
All spoon measures are level. 1
teaspoon = 5ml; 1 dessertspoon =
10ml; 1 tablespoon = 15ml
Medium sized ingredients should
be used, unless otherwise
specified.
This book contains dishes made
with nuts.
All fresh produce should be
washed, before preparation.
contentsintroduction 1
nibbles 10
starters 14
mains 18
side dishes 22
desserts 26
introduction.Dinner parties are not just about the food. They
are social occasions, filled with conversation and
laughter, as you pass the potatoes around the table.
From peeling the vegetables to saying goodbye to
your guests, the whole experience should be a laid
back and pleasurable one.
Hosting a dinner party can seem scary, when it
doesn’t need to be. The secret of hosting a good
dinner party is being prepared and unpretentious.
This book contains a collection of recipes that can
be made in the time running up to your dinner
party or even cooked in advance and frozen.
In our chaotic lives, having food that’s ready to go
is more convenient and less stressful. From Quick
Chilli Cheese Straws (p.12) to Chocolate Teacups,
prepared is full of impressive, make-ahead dishes
that couldn’t be easier.
Because, why should you have to sweat in the
kitchen while your friends enjoy themselves?
5
Keep it SimpleForget time-consuming
beef wellingtons and
attention seeking soufflés.
With the desire to impress
guests, we often forget
that simple meals – cooked
well – are nearly always
more enjoyable than over-
complicated dishes.
Ditch FormalitiesInvite your guests by text,
wear whatever you want and
consider cooking a one-pot
dish that guests can serve
themselves at the table. Gone
are the days of stuffy, formal
dining – who doesn’t prefer a
more casual, intimate dining
style?
hints & tips.
6
Clever ShoppingQuality ingredients
transform dishes, so focus
on using seasonal produce
and good cuts of meat.
If you’re short on time,
cut down on some of the
cooking by buying nuts and
olives for guests to snack
on, instead of creating your
own nibbles.
DietsCheck dietary requirements in
advance and plan one menu
that caters for everyone. For
instance, if your friend is a
vegetarian, why not serve up
an entirely vegetarian menu?
This will make your life easier
and your guest will feel like
they haven’t had to trouble
you.
hints & tips.
7
FreezingEnsure food is
covered and at
room temperature
before freezing or
refrigerating. You
can speed up the
cooling process
by placing the
covered dish in
a sink of cold
water.
ReheatingMeals should only be
reheated once. On the
hob, dishes should be
brought to the boil and
heated through for five
minutes. In the oven, food
should be reheated at
180°C/Gas Mark 4 for at
least 20 minutes. If using
the microwave, cover
the dish with pierced
clingfilm, to prevent
splattering while allowing
moisture to escape.
Always ensure reheated
dishes are piping hot,
before serving.
9
nibbles.There are not many things that equal being
welcomed into someone’s home with a drink and
some nibbles. Then, perhaps, a couple more drinks
and a few more nibbles. Place the finger foods
around your house, or encourage guests to pass
them around to one another – which always helps
to get the conversation flowing. If you want to give
these little snacks a more luxury feel, refer to them
as canapés.
11
Quick Chilli Cheese Straws.
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6 and grease 2 large baking trays.
2 Roll out the pastry to 35cm by 25cm on a floured surface. Scatter the cheese and chilli evenly over half of the sheet of pastry. Fold the other half of the pastry over the covered half and roll the pastry out to a 4mm thickness. This will ensure that the cheese and chilli is embedded into the pastry.
3 Cut into 1cm strips. Turn the ends of the pastry to create a twisted effect and place on the baking tray, leaving at least 1cm between each cheese straw.
4 Bake for 15-20 minutes. The cheese straws should look golden and crispy. Once cool, place in an airtight box and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. If freezing, these straws can be reheated in the oven for 5 minutes at 200°C/Gas Mark 6.
375g ready rolled puff pastry
a handful of flour
125g parmesan, finely grated
1 red chilli, finely chopped (optional)
salt and pepper
12
Preparation: 30 minsFinishing : 5 minsFreeze for: 1 month
The chilli in these cheesy twists means they are
great to be eaten as they are, although they are also
good for dipping.
Makes 24
13
starters.Adding a starter immediately makes a meal fancier.
Luckily, these starters are easy to cook and will
require minimum effort to finish off. Designed with
your stomach in mind, these are not too heavy, as
you won’t want to ruin guests’ appetites before the
main course.
Soups are always a good choice, they are so versatile,
and these ones freeze well. Spanish Gazpacho is a
firm favourite, as it is served chilled, which means
you can deliver it straight from the fridge to the
table. If you’re opting for a salad starter, remember
to leave it until the last minute before adding the
dressing, which may corrode the lettuce leaves if
left too long.
15
Sherried Tomato Soup.1 Place the plum tomatoes on a baking tray,
sliced side up. Drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and bake at 150°C/Gas Mark 2 for 20-30 minutes until softened.
2 Meanwhile, with the remaining oil, fry the onion and garlic in a large saucepan over a low–medium heat, until lightly browned. Add the baked plum tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato puree, stock, caster sugar and basil, reserving a few of the smaller basil leaves to garnish. Leave to simmer, over a low heat, for 30 minutes. Blend, using a food processor, for at least 2 minutes; you may need to do this in a few batches.
3 Allow the dish to cool and refrigerate or freeze until needed. To reheat, ensure the soup has thawed, place in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. When the soup is heated, take it off the heat and, if using, add the sherry. Serve by swirling double cream on top and garnish, using the remaining basil.
4 large plum tomatoes, halved
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
3 cloves, garlic, finely chopped
4 sundried tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato puree
450ml vegetable stock
1 teaspoon caster sugar
a handful of fresh basil
4 tablespoons sherry (optional)
salt and pepper
4 tablespoons double cream, to serve
16
Preparation: 1 hourFinishing : 7 mins
Freeze for: 1 month
The sherry, basil and cream make this familiar
dish a little more special.
Serves 4
17
mains.With the main course, it’s more important than
ever to keep things simple and hearty. Of course,
following the prepared philosophy, the following
dishes are just that.
When you’re entertaining a crowd, it can be hard to
please everyone. The solution? Place your main dish
and some sides on the table and tell your guests to
help themselves. The beauty in this is that your
guests can avoid foods they don’t like, you’ve saved
time plating up, and everyone gets their food at the
same time. Just ensure that you’ve made a little
extra than you need, because these mains will
have your guests reaching for seconds.
19
Prosciutto & Boursin Chicken1 Make a 2cm slit in the top of each chicken
breast, taking care not to cut the whole way through. Using your fingers, widen the area inside these cuts. Divide the Boursin into 6 portions and stuff it into the pockets in the chicken, with your finger tips. Don’t worry if the chicken looks messy, as the prosciutto will cover any excess cheese.
2 Tightly wrap the chicken with the prosciutto, using two slices for each breast. Secure, using 30cm of cooking string, tying a bow above where the slit is. Place the wrapped breasts in a large, lightly greased oven-proof dish, with the knot of the string facing upwards. Place a sprig of rosemary under each string.
3 Cover the dish with foil and keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6 and bake, with the foil still in place, for 35-45 minutes. The chicken should be cooked but still moist.
6 chicken breasts
75g Boursin cheese
12 prosciutto slices
180cm cooking string
6 rosemary sprigs
salt and pepper
20
Preparation: 15 minsFinishing : 35–45 mins
Freeze for: N/A
The string and rosemary make this chicken look
sophisticated, with practically no extra fuss.
Serves 6
21
side dishes.Side dishes run the risk of being too fussy. Sides
should be kept flavourful but straightforward, so as
not to detract from the main.
Think carefully, when matchmaking your mains
and sides; there’s a wide variety of dishes to
decide between, from Smashed Root Vegetables to
Dauphinoise Potatoes (p.24). If you’ve gone for a
more complex main, stick to an uncomplicated side
dish.
Try to serve up at least one vegetable with each
meal. Check out the end of the chapter, for a list of
vegetables and cooking times.
23
Dauphinoise Potatoes 1 Preheat oven to 150°C/Gas Mark 2. Put
potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan and cover with the milk. If the milk doesn’t cover the potatoes, add some water. Bring the pan to the boil and simmer for five minutes, until the potatoes are slightly softened. Strain the potatoes, reserving the milk in case you need it later.
2 Layer the potatoes in a greased 24cm square ovenproof dish. Pour over the cream and add the reserved milk, if needed, until the potatoes are covered. Cover with foil and bake for one hour or until the potatoes are softened and the cream has thickened.
3 Allow the dish to cool and place in the freezer for up to one month. When ready to finish cooking, preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Cook from frozen, with the foil still on, for 30-40 minutes or until the potato is piping hot. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake uncovered for 10 minutes so that the cheese is melted and the top turns golden.
1kg potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, grated
500ml milk
250ml double cream
25g Cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper
24
Preparation: 1 hour & 15 minsFinishing : 40–50 mins
Freeze for: 1 month
Dauphinoise potatoes are arguably the most decadent
of side dishes. Floury potatoes, such as Desiree,
King Edward or Maris Piper, work best.
Serves 8
25
desserts.The best thing about desserts is that they can be
served chilled, straight from the fridge. This not
only makes cooking in advance easier, but also
means that if you need a few more minutes to digest
your main, no harm will come to your final course.
If you’re throwing a larger party, then you could
create a variety of different desserts in advance,
or try out the Peanut Butter Cheesecake (p.28),
which can serve 12 people generously!
27
Peanut Butter Cheesecake.1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Place a
roasting tray with some water in, on the top shelf, to keep the cake moist. Using a blender, blitz the digestive biscuits, butter and 50g of peanuts together to form a biscuit base. Press this mixture into the bottom of a greased 23cm/9inch springform tin and place in the fridge.
2 Slowly blend together cream cheese, caster sugar, soured cream and peanut butter. Using a spoon, stir in the eggs and egg yolks, being careful not to overbeat, as this may cause cracks while baking. Smooth the filling onto the base and bake for 45 minutes. When the cheesecake is cooked it will be firm at the edges while maintaining a wobble in the centre.
3 While the cake is cooling, bring cream to the boil in a saucepan. Take off the heat and whisk in the chocolate. Leave to cool and then spread over the cheesecake. Decorate with the remaining peanuts.
4 Keep in the fridge for up to four days, or freeze for a month. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and eat within 2 days.
160g digestive biscuits
60g salted peanuts
40g unsalted butter
450g cream cheese
200g caster sugar
125ml soured cream
250g smooth peanut butter
4 eggs, gently beaten
3 egg yolks, gently beaten
250ml double cream
200g chocolate, melted
28
Preparation: 1 hour & 15 minsFreeze for: 1 month
This recipe may look complex, but follow it carefully and you’ll
be rewarded with a rich and slightly quirky cheesecake.
Serves 12
29
The secret of hosting a good dinner party is being prepared
Don’t tie yourself to the kitchen, when you should be enjoying time with friends
and family. Through clever shopping, cooking ahead, and freezing, you can be confident that you’ll impress, without
having to stretch yourself on the night.Be prepared, with 50 easy-to-execute dishes that you can make-ahead and
quickly finish later.