Individual Parma Ham Lined Quiches – Mustard Glazed Shoulder of Lamb with Roasted New Potatoes and Onions & Rosemary, Creamed Leeks  & Green Beans – Strawberry/Raspberry Meringue Roulade

My style of cooking for our dinner parties is fairly basic, but tasty (I hope) and easy to. The hardest part is to think up different menus, so I don’t repeat anything, and also when you are hosting, it is nice to prepare and cook as much as you can in advance, or dishes that do not need to be cooked when your guests are ensconced, so you spend most of the time with your guests rather than being in the kitchen. You can read about my style of cooking here

Dinner Party Menu Idea for 4 People

STARTER:  Individual No Pastry Parma Lined Quiches

Ingredients (It will make about 6 quiches)

2-3 packets of Parma/Serrano Ham
3 Eggs
1 small carton of crème fraiche
1 small carton of double cream
Pinch of paprika
4/5 Asparagus Spears
1 Red Pepper deseeded and cut into large chunks
Chives chopped
1 Mozarella Ball or Feta cheese (crumbled)

Note:  There is no need to any salt as there is plenty in the parma ham.

I served one on each plate with some lettuce/rocket leaves interspersed with chopped pepper and drizzled with a balsamic dressing

Method

1. Coat Yorkshire Pudding or Muffin Tins with olive oil or butter to prevent sticking and then line with parma ham, making sure there are no gaps, or else the mixture will seep out.   You can just leave the sides open or leave some ham hanging over the sides if you want to make them into a parcel shape
2. Griddle your vegetables and then once cooled cut them into small pieces
3. Mix the eggs together with the cream, crème fraiche, paprika and then add the cooked vegetables stirring well
4. Ladle the mixture in the lined muffin tins, trying to make sure each one has the same amount of vegetables and then finish off by dropping in some torn mozzarella or feta (or any cheese of your choice)
5. If you want to make them as parcels then fold the excess parma ham over the tops, again making sure there are no gaps
6. Bake at 180 degrees for about 15 – 20 minutes

MAIN COURSE:  Mustard Glazed Shoulder of Lamb served with Roasted New Potatoes with Onions and Rosemary, Creamed Leeks and Green Beens or vegetables of your choice

Ingredients (Serves 4 – 6)

3kg Lamb Shoulder
6 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
5 tbsp Light Muscovada Sugar
1 tbsp Salt
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil

Method

1. Place the mustard, cayenne pepper, sugar, salt and oil in a small bowl and mix to form a paste
2. With a sharp knife score marks over the lamb and then rub the paste all over making sure you push it into the cuts
3. Place in a roasting dish and put in the fridge to marinade for 2 hours or ideally overnight
4. Preheat the oven to 180 or 160 for fan ovens
5. Place the lamb in to the oven and cook for about 4 hours, basting with the juices every hour until the skin is dark and crispy
6. Allow the meat to rest for 15 minutes before serving
7. Serve with the vegetables and spoon the lovely juices over the top

Creamed Leeks (I am afraid that I never actually measure any ingredients for this dish, so all are approximate)

4-5 leeks washed and cut into slices
Butter
Milk
Salt and Pepper
Single Cream
Cornflour
Cayenne Pepper
Grated Nutmeg (dried or fresh)
Salt and Pepper
Grated Parmesan

Method

1. Boil the leeks in salted water until soft
2. Meanwhile make a basic white sauce.  Now contrary to other cooks that melt the butter first, then gradually add the cornflour and then the milk, I just add all the ingredients (butter, cornflour, milk and salt and pepper) in a saucepan and stir continuously until it thickens (I have never had a lumpy sauce yet!!).  Then when thick lower the heat and add the single cream, pinch of cayenne pepper and pinch of grated nutmeg
3. Strain the leeks and arrange them in a dish and then pour over the cream sauce making sure you cover all the leeks then grate the parmesan over the top (or use ready grated parmesan)
4. Pop in the oven with the lamb and cook for about 45 minutes or until the top is nice and brown

Potaotes

1. Wash the new potatoes and if they are big just slice in half, they can be pre boiled in salted water or just put straight into a dish with chopped onions, salt and pepper and drizzled with olive oil and dried rosemary and again pop them in the oven whilst the lamb is cooking for about an hour until nice and brown and soft.  Alternatively you could just use any potatoes cut into chunks and cooked as above

DESSERT:  Strawberry/Rasberry Meringue Roulade (a Mary Berry’s Recipe) from her “Complete Cookbook”

Ingredients

Oil for greasing
4 Egg Whites
250g Caster Sugar
45g Flaked Almonds
Icing Sugar for Dusting

Filling

300ml double or whipping cream, whipped until thick
250g strawberries or raspberries

Swiss Roll Tin

Method

1. Lightly oil the  tin and line with a sheet of baking parchment
2. Whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry.  Add the sugar, 1 tsp at a time and continue to whisk until al has been incorporated and the mixture is stiff and glossy
3. Spoon the mixture into the lined tin and tilt to level the surface.  Sprinkle over the flaked almonds
4. Bake near the top of a preheated oven 200 or 180 fan for 8 minutes until the top is golden brown
5. Reduce the heat to 160/140 fan and continue baking for 10 minutes or until the meringue is firm to the touch
6. Remove the meringue from the oven and turn out on to a sheet of baking parchment.  Peel the lining paper from the base and leave the meringue to cook for 10 minutes
7. Spread the whipped cream over the meringue and scatter the strawberries or raspberries over the cream
8. Make a knife cut a couple of inches in to start the rolling off.  Don’t worry if it cracks just push it together
9. Roll up the meringue from a long side, using the lining paper to help lift it.  Wrap the roulade in baking parchment and leave to chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes.  Just before serving dust with the sifted icing sugar

Dinner Party Ideas and suggestions of what I think goes together best

See my other dinner party menus suggestions here