Son wants to cook

Lagerlegs · 14 March 2008 at 3:54PM

Help

We are having friends over Saturday night and my 18 year old son has asked if he can do the starter and dessert :eek: , whilst I am happy for him to do this, he's not cooked before, so I need an easy receipe for him please if you can, I was thinking perhaps something that could be made in advance or could be served cold. Something simple would be great, any tried and tested receipes/advice you could give would be much appreciated. many thanks for your usual good help. P.s the main course is Pheasant if that helps

maypole · 14 March 2008 at 4:03PM

Ok here goes, perhaps for desert, put fruit in a shallow bowl, frozen rasps thawed or sliced ripe mangos, or frozen summer fruits, pour on some natural yogurt, whip up some fresh double cream till slightly thick and pour that over the yogurt. Sprinkle soft brown sugar over the top and leave for a few hours. The sugar will melt into it. You can make the day before.

Stephen_Leak · 14 March 2008 at 4:32PM

Good on him. If he needs any encouragement, just tell him that a young man who can cook will never be short of girlfriends.

For the starter, may I suggest a Mozarella and tomato salad. For each pair of people, you need a "lump" of Mozarella cheese, a big beef tomato and a mild Spanish onion. Also a bunch of fresh basil and some olive oil, extra virgin preferably.

Simply slice the cheese, tomato and onion and artistically arrange two slices of each on a small plate. Chop the basil and sprinkle over. Drizzle with the olive oil. Serve with bread, preferably focaccia.

Rikki · 14 March 2008 at 4:35PM

Cheesecakes can be made in advance. The recipes are really easy to follow for the non-bake ones.

nickyc_2 · 14 March 2008 at 4:35PM

Starter is easy but tasty. Pudding sounds weird but does work honest. A cheesecake would be another option - can be made in advance.

Best of luck to you son. (and you!)

Starter - smoked mackerel, lemon & herb pate:
serves 6
Smoked mackerel, 250g, skin & bones removed, flaked
cream cheese, 200g
lemon, 1 zested & Juiced
creamed horseradish 1-2 tbsp to taste
parsley and chives chopped to make 2 tbsp each
melba toast of similar to serve

Put the mackerel, cheese, lemon juice & zest in the food processor and whizz until blended. Stir in the herbs & horseradish. Chill until ready to serve.

One of Nigella's puddings...

Sticky Toffee Pudding serves 6-8
for cake
100g dark muscovda sugar
175g self raising flour
125ml full-fat milk (but I always used skimmed)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
50g unsalted butter, melted
200g chopped, rolled dates

for sauce:
200g dark muscvoado sugar
approx 25g unsalted butter in little blobs
500ml boiling water

Preheat oven - 190C gas mark 5 and butter a 1.5 litre capacity pudding dish (I used a bigger one 2nd time round as it boils up a bit)

Combine 100g sugar with flour in large bowl. Pour milk into jug, beat in the egg, vanilla and melterd butter. Pour this over the flour & sugar and stir with wooden spoon. Fold in dates and scrape into pudding dish (it won't look very full at this stage)

Sprinkle over the 200g sugar and dot with the butter.
Pour over the boiling water (honest) and put in oven.

Set timer for 45mins although it may need up to 10mins more. Top should be springy and spongy when it's cooked. Underneath you get a fab sticky sauce. Serve with icecream, cream etc

Lagerlegs · 14 March 2008 at 4:42PM

maypole wrote: »

Ok here goes, perhaps for desert, put fruit in a shallow bowl, frozen rasps thawed or sliced ripe mangos, or frozen summer fruits, pour on some natural yogurt, whip up some fresh double cream till slightly thick and pour that over the yogurt. Sprinkle soft brown sugar over the top and leave for a few hours. The sugar will melt into it. You can make the day before.

that sounds delicious, I might even give that a try myself, many thanks

Lagerlegs · 14 March 2008 at 4:44PM

Stephen_Leak wrote: »

Good on him. If he needs any encouragement, just tell him that a young man who can cook will never be short of girlfriends.

For the starter, may I suggest a Mozarella and tomato salad. For each pair of people, you need a "lump" of Mozarella cheese, a big beef tomato and a mild Spanish onion. Also a bunch of fresh basil and some olive oil, extra virgin preferably.

Simply slice the cheese, tomato and onion and artistically arrange two slices of each on a small plate. Chop the basil and sprinkle over. Drizzle with the olive oil. Serve with bread, preferably focaccia.

Ha ha, that will be all the encouragement he needs. The starter is one of my favourites, never even crossed my mind though, that will be great, never had it with onion though, have I been missing out all these years . many thanks for that

Lagerlegs · 14 March 2008 at 4:46PM

Rikki wrote: »

Cheesecakes can be made in advance. The recipes are really easy to follow for the non-bake ones.

thank you, great idea, lurve cheesecake (love any cake if the truth be known) :rotfl: Many thanks x

Stephen_Leak · 14 March 2008 at 4:46PM

I was looking for a dessert, but I needn't bother now. If they find out that he can make Sticky Toffee Pudding, he'll have to beat the girls off with a stick! :kisses2:

PS. It has to be a sweet Spanish onion. When I recommend this as starter for my "bloke's first romantic dinner", I leave it out.

Lagerlegs · 14 March 2008 at 4:48PM

nickyc wrote: »

Starter is easy but tasty. Pudding sounds weird but does work honest. A cheesecake would be another option - can be made in advance.

Best of luck to you son. (and you!)

Starter - smoked mackerel, lemon & herb pate:
serves 6
Smoked mackerel, 250g, skin & bones removed, flaked
cream cheese, 200g
lemon, 1 zested & Juiced
creamed horseradish 1-2 tbsp to taste
parsley and chives chopped to make 2 tbsp each
melba toast of similar to serve

Put the mackerel, cheese, lemon juice & zest in the food processor and whizz until blended. Stir in the herbs & horseradish. Chill until ready to serve.

One of Nigella's puddings...

Sticky Toffee Pudding serves 6-8
for cake
100g dark muscovda sugar
175g self raising flour
125ml full-fat milk (but I always used skimmed)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
50g unsalted butter, melted
200g chopped, rolled dates

for sauce:
200g dark muscvoado sugar
approx 25g unsalted butter in little blobs
500ml boiling water

Preheat oven - 190C gas mark 5 and butter a 1.5 litre capacity pudding dish (I used a bigger one 2nd time round as it boils up a bit)

Combine 100g sugar with flour in large bowl. Pour milk into jug, beat in the egg, vanilla and melterd butter. Pour this over the flour & sugar and stir with wooden spoon. Fold in dates and scrape into pudding dish (it won't look very full at this stage)

Sprinkle over the 200g sugar and dot with the butter.
Pour over the boiling water (honest) and put in oven.

Set timer for 45mins although it may need up to 10mins more. Top should be springy and spongy when it's cooked. Underneath you get a fab sticky sauce. Serve with icecream, cream etc

WOW that pudding sounds great, I feel like Homer Simpson reading that, sounds gorgeous, forgot to mention husband is allergic to mackeral though (mmmm me thinks might do that one then)

Many thanks

Lagerlegs · 14 March 2008 at 4:50PM

Stephen_Leak wrote: »

I was looking for a dessert, but I needn't bother now. If they find out that he can make Sticky Toffee Pudding, he'll have to beat the girls off with a stick! :kisses2:

ha ha, I'll show him your comments tonight, let's see if it does the trick, mind you if it turns out he has a gift of cooking, I might keep him at home !

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Son wants to cook

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