Top 10 dinner party tips

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Posted at 12:02PM, 30 June 2011 by Caroline Hire - Food editor, bbcgoodfood.com

Wouldn't it be wonderful to have friends over for dinner and be hailed the new Nigella or told you give Gordon a run for his money? Not many of us have the time or, let's face it, the skills to pull off a really flash dinner party...or do we?

You'd be surprised, that with a few tricks of the trade all manner of miracles can be performed with your err..manna.

Here are our top 10 ideas for making the most of your talents:

1/ Resist the temptation...
...to cook some exotic Japanese dish that you're not even sure how to pronounce and had never laid eyes on until you opened Google five minutes ago. Cook something you're confident with. Don't try a recipe for the first time (unless you are, in fact, Nigella).

2/ Keep your balance
When planning your menu, avoid too many heavy dishes and think about how they go together. Would you fancy eating quiche, followed by pie, followed by tart? Too much pastry, too much stodge! You might want to choose a theme too, like Italian or Spanish food.

3/ Avoid nasty surprises
Not asking your guests if they have special dietary requirements doesn't make them go away. If only. Check with people upfront if there's anything they can't eat and make at least two of the courses suitable for everyone to save you work.

4/ Plan your time
Do a timeplan and think about what oven/hob space you're going to need. If your starter, main course, side dishes and pud all need time in the oven it's going to be tricky.

5/ Relax
Avoid anything that's going to keep you in the kitchen too long. You don't want to have massive gaps between courses and then emerge from the kitchen flustered, covered in food and having missed half the conversation.

6/ Go seasonal
Try a simple dish that showcases seasonal ingredients like this Tomato & basil granita. You get points for being in tune with the food seasons and you'll be using produce when its flavour is best. It'll be cheaper too.

7/ Prepare ahead
Avoid a last minute flap by cooking at least one course, from start to finish, at leisure and ahead of time. If you want to do something complicated, that's definitely the one to choose. You'll be surprised at some of the dishes that can be made ahead. Consider each course and think about which bits you can do beforehand. If the answer's nothing, you might want to choose something else.

8/ Pro-cooking
There are certain dishes that scream 'pro' that are not as difficult as you might think. A soufflé, for example, doesn't have to be a scary thing. Try these easy Double cheese soufflés or Make-ahead mushroom soufflés. Think restaurant classics, like Beef wellington, Pork belly, Crème brûlée and Panna cotta too.

9/ Is it homemade?
Your guests won't expect you to have made the little extras. Cheese straws, spiced nuts, a quick, no-knead bread , ice cream , chutney or chocolate truffles are really easy to make and can be done in advance. We're not suggesting you make all of them but if you add just one of these to your spread you can guarantee people will be impressed.

10/ Finishing touches
Great presentation can turn a relatively simple dish into something really special. This Pea, mint and spring onion soup can be made ahead and is served with homemade Parmesan biscuits (really easy!) and garnished with sliced spring onion and mint.

There are lots of simple finishing touches you can use to ensure your dishes wow the crowds. Here are a few of our favourite ideas:

To starters and mains, add:

A drizzle of olive oil or balsamic glaze

A generous sprinkling or sprig of fresh herbs

A handful of rocket

A grind of black pepper

A dollop of crème fraîche or soured cream

Melba toast, parmesan crisps or cheese straws

To puddings, add:

A dollop of mascarpone or extra thick double cream

Fresh seasonal fruit eg berries, physalis, pear or apple crisps

Use a tea strainer to sprinkle over icing sugar, cinnamon or cocoa powder

A sprig of mint

For general presentation:

Try to avoid food that is all the same colour, lift a lemon tart with a sprinkling of raspberries or a sprig of redcurrants.

Go for unusual serving dishes, like these cute little jars for serving paté.

Serve the main focus of each course in individual portions. This chicken parfait looks great in little pots. Lasagne's nothing special in a big dish but plate it up for each guest with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic glaze, garnish with a big sprig of basil and it's magnifico!

These are a few of our ideas, tell us what you do to make your dinner parties something special.

Comments

Jane`s recipes

2 July 2011, 7:16AM
Jane`s recipes

My golden rule for dinner parties is to have a pre-prepared cold starter and pudding. I can then focus on the main course without distraction. It works for me.

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Lushious

4 July 2011, 11:29AM
Lushious

As suggested the twice baked souffles are fantastic and can be made ahead and frozen! In fact, anything that can be made ahead is always on my my menu. Also, homebread bread or flat bread breads are always winners!

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Hilders

6 July 2011, 12:11PM
Hilders

I love having dinner parties and like nothing better than spending all day preparing.... I nearly always make my dessert ahead so thats one less thing to worry about and have always made at least one dish before so I know what I'm doing... never had a disaster.. yet! :-) Presentation is always my worry but went on a course at Swinton Park and picked up some great tips.

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SueB

15 July 2011, 7:15PM
SueB

I opt for a slow cooking dish that can wait longer to be served if necessary,also using a steamer for rice and veg that has a keep warm feature a bonus.I also vote for the cold starter and pudding idea otherwise you`ll just be the cook and waitress and feel like you`ve missed out on all the socializing,which is what the whole evenings about! plan plan plan ,lay table in the morning have drinks chilling ,any dishes that need to set made the day before and enjoy :)

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robonions

29 July 2011, 9:51PM
robonions

I always make sure i've got things prepared in advance. And if I can't do that, I make sure i've got some good quality but quick cheats. I love the readt diced onions and peeled garlic cloves which are on sale now.

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Best Food in Edmonton

29 October 2011, 6:58AM
Best Food in Edmonton

At many places i have seen elder people are putting the knife down and swapping the fork over is NOT the proper wayï»¿ to use a knife and fork. Unless you are a child. Having dinner withï»¿ friends or family should be the same. Being civilized is what you want to achieve. Manners is being considerate of others around you. http://www.ctfinebistro.com/vegetarianlunch.html

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