Deep Fried Camembert – Steak with Pepper Sauce Melon, Cheese, Grapes, Sweet Potato – Crème Brulee

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

A FRENCH THEME 

STARTER:  Deep Fried Camembert

Ingredients (serves 4)

8 oz Camembert Cheese
2 eggs
Cup of fine breadcrumbs
1 ¼ cups of sesame seeds
Vegetable oil for frying
Raspberry preserve or cranberry sauce

Method

Cut the chilled cheese into 12 equal wedges. In a shallow bowl beat the eggs On a sheet of wax paper mix the bread crumbs and sesame seeds. Dip each wedge of cheese into the egg turning to coat fully. Then roll it in the crumb mixture. You can then leave in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

In a heavy saucepan heat about 2 inches of the oil, until hot (test with a piece of bread, if it sizzles then it is done). Fry the cheese until golden brown and drain on paper towels.

Melt the raspberry preserve or cranberry sauce slightly for dipping.

MAIN COURSE:  Steak with Pepper Sauce, Melon, Grapes, Camembert, Fried Bread, Sweet Potatoes
(A meal we sampled in France that I have replicated at home). This is hot, cold, savoury and sweet all in one meal – delicious)

Ingredients

A steak for each diner
Black and Green Grapes
Camembert Cheese, cut into triangles
Orange Flesh and Green Flesh melon cut into chunks
Bread for frying cut in triangles
Sweet Potatoes
Packet Mix of Creamy Mild Pepper Sauce or of course make your own from scratch

Method

Slice the sweet potato in slices (not too thin or thick) and either cook in a little salted water until soft, or cook in a little water in the microwave

Fry the steaks to how each diner would like them cooked

Fry the little bread triangles in the juice from the steaks

Place the triangles of camembert on a baking sheet and cook for about 5 minutes, just until they start to melt

Arrange the steak on the plate and pour pepper sauce over the top (or serve in a jug so everyone can server their own), put the triangles of bread (the quantity for each person is up to you with a little triangle of cheese on the top, Put a little bunch of black and green grapes, chunks of orange and green melon and then place some slices of the cooked sweet potato.

DESSERT:  Crème Brulee (serves 6)

Ingredients

18 fl oz double cream
1 vanilla pod
4oz caster sugar (plus a little extra for the topping)
6 egg yolks

Method

Pre heat oven to 150 degrees Centigrade

Pour the cream into a saucepan, split the vanilla pot lengthways and scrape out the seeds into the cream. Chop the empty pod into small pieces and add this to the cream. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and gently simmer for 5 minutes.

Beat the sugar and egg yolks together in a large heat proof bowl until page and creamy. Bring the cream back to the boil and pour it over the egg mixture, whisking all the time untl thickened (this indicates that the eggs have begun to cook slightly).

Strain through a sieve into a large jug and then fill six ramekins about two thirds full. Place the ramekins in a large roasting tray and pour enough hot water to come halfway up their sides.

Cook for about 45 minutes or until the custards are just set but still wobble a bit in the middle. Remove from the water and allow to cool to room temperature.

Just before serving, sprinkle over one level teaspoon of caster sugar evenly over the top then caramelise using a mini blow torch.  If you do not have one then place them under a hot grill.

Leave to cool for a couple of minutes then serve. You could put a couple of raspberries on the side and serve with some little thin rounds of shortbread biscuits

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

See my other dinner party menus suggestions here