dinner party recipe

This dessert is dark and dense, but not so rich it defeats you. It freezes brilliantly too

Dark & squidgy chocolate torte

unsalted butter

bar dark chocolate,70% cocoa, chopped

eggs

golden caster sugar

plain flour

ground almonds

cocoa powder,for dusting

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line the base and sides of a 23cm springform or loose-bottomed cake tin. Put the butter and chocolate into a pan and gently melt together until smooth. Meanwhile, using an electric whisk, beat the eggs and sugar together for 5 mins until billowy and about the thickness of old-fashioned custard.

Pour the chocolate and butter mix into the whisked egg and sugar, then fold it in very carefully using a large metal spoon. Mix the flour, almonds and ¼ tsp salt together, then fold into the mix until even. Spoon into the tin and bake for 35-40 mins until evenly set with a slight crust all over the top. Leave the cake to cool until warm, then release from the tin. Dust with cocoa, then cut into wedges.

This quick and easy monkfish recipe is a surefire way to impress at any dinner party.

Monkfish in Parma ham

tbsp tomato paste

black olives, chopped

monkfish fillets

Parma ham

Salad leaves dressed

Mix the tomato paste with the black olives. Season.

Spread over the top of the monkfish fillets,

Bake in a preheated oven at 220°C/fan200°C/gas 7 for 25 minutes.

Slice the monkfish and serve with salad leaves dressed with olive oil and white wine vinegar.

This impressive Spanish one pot, with monkfish, king prawns and mussels, is perfect for feeding a crowd at a dinner party

Seafood paella

20-24 raw shell-on king prawns

olive oil

monkfish,

onion,

paella rice

garlic cloves, sliced

tsp smoked paprika

cayenne pepper (optional)

saffron

½ x 400 grams can chopped tomatoes (save the rest

mussels, cleaned

frozen peas

frozen baby broad beans

parsley leaves, roughly chopped

onion, roughly chopped

½ x 400 grams can chopped tomatoes

garlic cloves, roughly chopped

chicken stock cube

star anise

Peel and de-vein the prawns, reserving the heads and shells. Return the prawns to the fridge.

To make the stock, heat the oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat and add the onion, tomatoes, garlic, and reserved prawn shells and heads. Cook for 3-4 mins, then pour in 2 litres of water and add the stock cube and star anise. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 mins. Leave to cool slightly, then whizz in batches in a blender or food processor. Strain through a fine sieve.

Heat the oil in a large paella pan or an extra-large frying pan. Brown the monkfish for a few mins each side, then remove and set aside. Add the onion and fry for 4-5 mins until softened.

Stir in the rice and cook for 30 secs to toast. Add the garlic, paprika, cayenne (if using) and saffron, cook for another 30 secs, then stir in the tomatoes and 1.5 litres of the fish stock. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook, stirring, for about 10 mins (the rice should still be al dente). Return the monkfish to the pan with the prawns, mussels, peas and broad beans.

Cover the pan with a large baking tray, or foil, and cook on a low heat for another 10-15 mins until the mussels are open and the prawns are cooked through. Scatter over the parsley before serving.

A deeply aromatic sauce with beef that&#8217;s fall-apart tender – this Malaysian curry recipe proves that good things come to those who wait.

Malaysian slow-cooked beef curry

British braising steak, cubed

Rapeseed oil

onion, sliced

lemongrass stick, bruised

cinnamon stick

cardamom pods, bruised

kaffir lime leaves

coconut milk

beef stock

grated fresh coconut

milliliters kecap manis (from the world food aisle of supermarkets)

coriander,

1-2 limes

For the curry paste

bird’s eye chillies,

shallots,

garlic

ginger

½ tsp hot paprika

½ tsp ground turmeric

¼ tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

tbsp rapeseed oil oil

Heat the oven to 150°C/130°C fan/gas 2. Put the curry paste ingredients in a mini food processor and pulse to combine (or pound to a paste with a pestle and mortar).

Coat the steak in the flour, then season with salt and pepper. Heat a glug of oil in a large lidded casserole, then add the curry paste and cook over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the onion and braising steak and fry for 5-10 minutes until the meat has browned. You may need to do this in batches.

Add the lemongrass, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom pods, kaffir lime leaves, coconut milk and stock. Bring to a simmer, then put the lid on and cook in the oven for 3-4 hours until the beef is fall-apart tender.

Remove the curry from the oven and stir in the toasted coconut, kecap manis, coriander and lime juice to taste. Serve with steaming hot jasmine rice, scattered with extra chilli, toasted peanuts and coconut flakes, if you like.

Whisk up a batch of classic meringues, then get creative with citrus swirl, Turkish delight and chocolate varieties

Lightest ever meringues

caster sugar

tsp vanilla extract

Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment and set up a piping bag with a medium-size star nozzle.

In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until very stiff – the whites should stand in stiff, not floppy, peaks when the beaters are lifted out. Once you have reached this point, pour in roughly half the sugar and the vanilla extract and whisk again until the mixture becomes very thick, firm and shiny. Add the remaining sugar and whisk again until thick, firm and shiny. If you like meringues with soft, mallowy centres, just add 1 tsp cornflour and 1 tsp white wine vinegar to the mix along with the sugar.

Carefully spoon the meringue into the piping bag. Push any air out of the top and tightly twist the end of the piping bag to seal. Gently squeeze until meringue is visible at the end of the nozzle, then begin piping onto your lined baking sheets. Pipe spiralling circles, about 6cm wide and 3 layers high – like you would ice a cupcake to make roughly 18. The meringues will spread slightly as they cook, so leave enough space between each one. Bake in the oven for 1 hr, turning the heat down to 120C/100C fan/gas ½ after 30 mins.

Remove from the oven – they should peel easily away from the parchment – and cool on a wire rack. Can be made up to a week ahead and kept in an airtight container, or frozen for up to 3 months, between layers of parchment, in an airtight container.

To make Cream & chocolate meringues for dessert, put 100g dark chocolate in a glass bowl and melt over a pan of gently simmering water. Carefully dip the base of each meringue in to coat, then place on their sides on a plate or tray to set. While the chocolate sets, whip 300ml double cream. Assemble the meringues in pairs and sandwich their chocolate bases together with a good spoonful of cream. Delicious served with ice cream, raspberry coulis or fresh berries.

This easy yet impressive recipe makes a stylish main course for a special occasion

Roasted duck breast with plum sauce

duck breasts

thyme

butter

shallot, finely chopped

dark red plums, halved, stoned and cut into small wedges

demerara sugar

red wine

For the sauce, fry the shallot in the oil for 5 mins or until softened but not coloured. Add the plums and sugar, stirring for a few mins until the sugar has dissolved. Add the red wine and stock, then simmer for about 15 mins, stirring occasionally, until softened and slightly thickened. Keep warm or leave at room temperature for up to a day before reheating to serve.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 180C/ 160C fan/gas 4. Score the skin of the duck breasts with a sharp knife and season well with salt and pepper. Heat a non-stick frying pan and place the duck breasts in, skin-side down. Fry for 6-7 mins, then turn and add the thyme, star anise and butter. Allow this to melt, basting the duck with the juices, then transfer everything to a small roasting tin and finish in the oven for 5-6 mins for pink or 10-12 mins for well done.

When the duck is ready, baste again with the juices, then rest for 5 mins while you finish everything else.

To serve, thinly slice each duck breast on a chopping board. Arrange on each plate along with a spoon of the Creamed potatoes, some of the plum sauce and the Buttered spinach.

Keep calm and curry on with make-ahead pork rendang – a traditional Indonesian recipe that is full of warming flavours and slow-cooked until the meat melts in your mouth.

Indonesian pork rendang

tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for frying

shallots, quartered

fresh ginger, grated

tbsp turmeric

tbsp coriander

tbsp cumin

tsp dried chilli flakes

sea salt

red chilli, stalk removed,

garlic cloves,

x coconut milk

1.5kg British pork shoulder, excess fat removed, diced into 3cm cubes

bay leaves

rice

Heat a glug of oil in a flameproof lidded casserole and fry the shallots for 5 minutes over a medium heat, then turn off the heat. Put half the shallots in a food processor with the ginger, ground spices, chilli flakes, salt, the whole chilli, garlic, coriander stalks, 2 tbsp of the coconut milk and 2 tbsp oil. Whizz to a rough paste.

Turn the heat under the casserole back to medium and add the pork. Fry for 5 minutes, stirring, to brown. Add the spice paste, fry for a minute, then add the remaining coconut milk, bay leaves and lemongrass. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat to very low. Cover and leave to simmer gently for 2 hours 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Turn up the heat until the curry bubbles merrily, then cook uncovered for 40 minutes more, stirring every now and then to stop it sticking. The sauce should be thick and the meat falling apart. Stir in the lime juice, sprinkle over the coriander leaves and extra chilli, then serve with rice and the lime wedges for squeezing over.

This chilli is great for casual entertaining - just lay everything out and let people add their own toppings

Black bean chilli

garlic cloves, finely chopped

onions,

tbsp sweet pimenton (Spanish paprika)

tbsp cider vinegar

brown sugar

tomatoes

cream

In a large pot, heat the olive oil and fry the garlic and onions for 5 mins until almost softened. Add the pimenton and cumin, cook for a few mins, then add the vinegar, sugar, tomatoes and some seasoning. Cook for 10 mins.

Pour in the beans and cook for another 10 mins. Serve with rice and the accompaniments of your choice in small bowls.

Sea trout has a subtle flavour that goes well with robust ingredients like smoky chorizo

Pan-fried sea trout, peas & chorizo fricassée

sea trout

lemon

cured chorizo

waxy potatoes

sweet smoked paprika

chicken stock

cooked peas

tbsp capers

red onion

tbsp red wine vinegar

tarragon

First make the dressing. Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a small saucepan. Add the capers and the onion and cook for 3 mins until softened. Splash in the red wine vinegar and bubble down, then remove the pan from the heat. Add the rest of the oil and the tarragon, then leave to infuse.

For the fricassée, heat the oil in a sauté pan, add the chorizo and fry for 2 mins until it starts to crisp and render out red oil. Throw the potatoes and paprika in the pan and cook for 5 mins, tossing occasionally, until they start to brown on the edges.

Pour in the chicken stock, turn up the heat and boil the stock for 8-10 mins until it has nearly all evaporated and the potatoes are tender. Stir the peas into the potatoes and cook for 2 mins more until heated through, then set aside.

Using a sharp knife, score the skin of the trout fillet at close intervals, then season generously with sea salt and black pepper.

Heat the butter in a non-stick frying pan. When it starts to sizzle, carefully lay the fish in the pan, skin-side down. Gently fry for about 8 mins until the skin is crisp and golden and most of the flesh has changed colour with just the top still raw.

Carefully turn the fish fillets over, then squeeze over the juice from one half of the lemon. Cook for 1 min more, basting fish with the lemony pan juices. Turn off the heat and leave the fish in the pan. You are now ready to plate up – you can serve the other lemon half on the side if you like.

Spoon a pile of the fricassée into the centre of each plate. Place another spoonful of the mixture on top to create a small heap. Gently sit the fish fillet on top, skin-side up. Spoon the caper dressing around the outside of the plate and serve.

Best served warm from the oven, this tart can be assembled, ready to bake, several hours ahead

Caramelised red onion, prosciutto & mushroom tart

red onions

tbsp balsamic vinegar

pack puff pastry

prosciutto

mushrooms

firm goat's cheese

bag rocket

Heat 3 tbsp oil in a frying pan, add the onion and gently cook until softened, about 10 mins. Add the thyme, vinegar, salt and pepper and cook for 5 mins more, stirring occasionally to stop them burning. Set aside to cool.

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Roll out the pastry, trim to a 28cm round, then put on a non-stick baking sheet (or one lined with baking paper). Fork the pastry all over.

Spread the onion over the pastry to within 3cm of the edge. Tear the prosciutto into strips and arrange over the onion in a rippled effect. Arrange the mushrooms on top and brush them with the reserved oil. Slice or crumble the cheese and arrange over the tart. Season with salt and pepper.

Push the side of the tart up with your fingers to form an edge. Bake for 30-35 mins until the pastry edges have puffed up and the mushrooms are tender. Cool for a few minutes, then scatter with rocket just before serving.

Easier to make than you might think, Allan Pickett&#8217;s confit-cooked duck rillettes make a wonderfully rich lunch or sharing starter.

Duck rillettes

high-welfare duck legs

duck fat (plus a little extra if needed)

dry white wine

For the salting mixture

rock salt

thyme sprigs, leaves

rosemary sprigs, leaves

To serve

onions sourdough

To make the salting mixture, thoroughly mix the salt, garlic and herbs in a small bowl, crushing it together lightly. Lay the duck legs in a single layer in a baking tray, sprinkle with half the salting mixture, press it in, then turn over and sprinkle with the rest. Cover the tray, then put in the fridge for at least 12 hours.

The next day, rinse the legs in cold water to remove the salt mix and dry well with kitchen paper. Heat the oven to 130°C/110°C fan/gas ¾. Heat the duck fat and white wine in a large pan until steaming. Put the duck legs in a small roasting tin (or lidded casserole) and cover with the hot fat and wine mixture – the legs should be completely covered. If there’s a lot of duck poking out, add more melted fat or wine. Cover the duck in the tin/casserole with a sheet of non-stick baking paper, then cover the tin with foil and scrunch to seal (or put the lid on the casserole). Cook for 3-4 hours, checking halfway through to make sure the legs are covered by the fat. If any of the legs are above the fat level, turn them over. The legs are ready when the meat falls off the bone when pressed with a spoon. Remove the duck from the fat with tongs. Once the fat has cooled slightly, pour it into a jug. 

Leave the duck legs to cool, then pick off the meat (discard the skin and bones) and shred finely into a bowl. Pour some of the reserved fat onto the duck, then work it in with your hands. At first it will seem like the meat won’t accept the fat, but if you keep going, it will begin to soak in. Keep adding the fat in smallish additions until the mix in the bowl is roughly 50-50 fat to meat (or more, depending on how rich you want it). Any leftover fat can be stored for future use. 

Once the consistency is right, spoon into serving dishes (right) and chill. If storing for longer than 48 hours, cover with a thin layer of duck fat to seal. 

Remove from the fridge about an hour before you want to serve the rillettes, to take the chill off. Serve with pickles and toasted sourdough. 

This one-pot roast is simplicity itself - cooking the shoulder slowly means the meat will melt away from the bone

Three-hour shoulder of lamb

oregano

lamb

pearl onions

lamb stock

fresh peas

fresh broad beans

Little Gem lettuces

mint

Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Mix the garlic, oregano and olive oil with some salt and pepper. Slash the lamb all over and rub the mixture into the meat. Place into a deep casserole dish with the onions and pour over the stock, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook 3 hrs.

Remove the lamb from the pot, stir through the peas and broad beans. Sit the lamb back on top of the vegetables and return to the oven. Increase temperature to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and roast, uncovered, for another 20-30 mins until the lamb is browned, adding the lettuce for the final 5 mins. Allow to rest for 20 mins, then add the lemon juice and mint to the cooking juices around the lamb. Remove the string, carve into thick slices and lay them back on top of the veg to make serving easier.

Top 12 dinner party recipe recipes from across the web

The most viewed dinner party recipe recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Dark & squidgy chocolate torte

Monkfish in Parma ham

Seafood paella

Malaysian slow-cooked beef curry

Lightest ever meringues

Roasted duck breast with plum sauce

Indonesian pork rendang

Black bean chilli

Pan-fried sea trout, peas & chorizo...

Caramelised red onion, prosciutto &...

Duck rillettes

Three-hour shoulder of lamb

Top 12 dinner party recipe recipes from across the web

The most viewed dinner party recipe recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Dark & squidgy chocolate torte

Monkfish in Parma ham

Seafood paella

Malaysian slow-cooked beef curry

Lightest ever meringues

Roasted duck breast with plum sauce

Indonesian pork rendang

Black bean chilli

Pan-fried sea trout, peas & chorizo...

Caramelised red onion, prosciutto &...

Duck rillettes

Three-hour shoulder of lamb

The most viewed dinner party recipe recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine