Five Winning Dinner Party Recipes for Every Occasion

Dinner Party RecipesWith winter closing in the temptation is to retreat to the comfort of our own homes and surround ourselves with the warmth of great friends, which is enough reason to throw some dinner parties to show off your culinary skills. Furthermore, friends are often the fiercest critics, which ultimately can only improve your cooking. Over the next few weeks, we will be running a series of blogs highlighting what we think are the ideal dinner party recipes. Of course every dinner party has different requirements, which we have aimed to cover below.

The Big Birthday Bash: Large Groups of Eight or More

Lamb Vindaloo Curry

A one pot dish is what you need here to minimise the risk of a kitchen nightmare and a pile of dirty dishes. When cooking for such large groups, it also saves time to cook from a single pot. For popularity, flavour and that winter warmer appeal, a lamb Vindaloo curry is our number one choice. It’s also a great dish for winter weddings – warm, colourful curries, a romantically lit stretch tent, patio heaters and blankets – need we say more?

Budget Beater

Pea and Ham Soup

Our current economic climate and skyrocketing global oil prices have an immediate effect on our grocery bills and thus it is necessary to tighten the belts. This doesn’t necessarily mean that we have to compromise on flavour and satisfaction. A tasty soup with rustic bread is always a winner. Our first choice is always the cheap and cheerful pea and ham soup. This winning recipe had a certain grandpa whispering with a nudge, “this is better than Granny’s”.

A Little Romance

Ostrich Fillet with Aglio Oilio

It’s an intimate dinner for four so you can afford to splash out on ingredients and presentation. We’ve borrowed a dish from Italy to bring a little romance to the table and added a bit of South African flair to present you with a dish that should be accompanied by a good cabernet.

Something Different

Monk Fish Ravioli with Basil Oil and Tomato Olive Puree

If you’re feeling a bit jaded by the usual spreads, surprise your friends with something delightfully fresh. Be adventurous and put your culinary skills to the test with our monk fish ravioli. Monk fish is a deep sea catch renowned for its firm texture that has the ability to absorb the flavours around it. Known as the ‘poor man’s lobster’, it’s anything but and if prepared correctly makes a sensationally memorable dish.

Dress to Impress

Thai Coconut Mussels and Prawns to start, followed by Wild Mushroom Risotta and Parma Ham Parcels

If you really want to make a lasting impression and have your dinner party talked about for months to come, we have the dishes for you. We say ‘dishes’, as to really wow your guests you need to amaze them with a starter and then top that with your main dish for a jaw dropping, mouth watering experience. Start off with mussels and prawns simmered in a Thai coconut sauce to tantalise the taste buds and finish off with a gorgeous wild mushroom risotto and Parma ham parcels. Earn top marks for flavour, creativity and presentation.

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