Summer dinner party recipes

Impress guests with this deceptively simple starter that's packed with the lovely flavours of salmon, shrimp, asparagus and apple. Make it in just 20 minutes

Make a posset with passion fruit that's creamy, tart and perfumed. Serve with pistachio and custard biscuits and fresh pineapple for a divine summer dessert

Serve up the wow factor at the end of a summer menu with this ice cream cake. It features layers of mango and raspberry sorbet, sponge, cream and chocolate

Get the spiced lamb and new potatoes cooking straight away while you do the rest of the prep. This speedy dinner is delicious with a salted tomato salad

Top this version of the classic tart with fennel, potatoes, anchovies and black olives. Also known as French pizza, pissaladière makes a great weekend lunch

This super-healthy vegetarian soup is low in calories and full of flavour. It's packed with three of your 5-a-day, plus folate, fibre, vitamin C and iron

Spelt flour gives the pastry a nutty flavour which works so well with the pesto. Serve this stunning tart warm or cold and prepare for jaws to drop

Few desserts say summer like Eton mess. Crunchy meringue, whipped cream and strawberry sauce is a winning combination, best served al fresco

Make these perky crab cakes as a summer lunch or dinner for friends. Jersey Royal potatoes and crab are natural bedfellows – try using dill in the mix too

Combine your favourite cocktail and dessert with this fabulously zingy gin and tonic cheesecake. It makes a perfect sweet treat for a grown-up dinner party

Make our simple tomato bruschetta as a classic Italian starter. Ideal for a summer gathering with friends, this easy dish is fresh, tasty and full of flavour

Tasty fish and veg main course, perfect for making an impression at a dinner party, by Gary Rhodes.

Try making this classic Italian dessert with delicate vanilla and a fresh strawberry topping. The perfect light sweet for a chilled summer gathering

Look for Cornish, Devon or Jersey crab for the sweetest flesh to enhance these filo parcels inspired by the Tunisian dish brik. Serve with tomato salsa

Take pineapple, coconut and rum flavours from a classic cocktail into a stunning summer dessert with this piña colada tart with maraschino cherries on top

Toss lettuce, croutons and cheese in a punchy anchovy and garlic dressing for a traditional caesar salad – plus griddled chicken to take the flavour up a notch

Celebrate raspberry season with this take on crème brûlée. The sharp tang of this red fruit cuts through a rich custard base for the perfect summer dessert

Make a showstopper dessert for a picnic or dinner party using fresh strawberries. They team so well with the shortbread base, basil and creamy custard centre

Plump peaches poached in sparkling wine and served with silky smooth vanilla ice cream - the ideal summer pud

Ripe sweet cherries, creamy ricotta and salty prosciutto combine beautifully on these little toasts - the perfect nibble for a summer party

Add an extra fruity twist to this classic summer drink with pomegranate juice and seeds - double up the quantities to please a crowd

Roast a glut of summer vegetables and serve in this creamy Italian classic, finished with mascarpone and grated Parmesan

Combine amaretto, lemon, egg white and cherries with ice for a classic amaretto sour. A great cocktail to impress guests at a dinner party

Make this speedy, cheesy veggie treat for a light supper, or starter. It only needs five ingredients and you can have it on the table in 15 minutes