Whats your show dish?

Debt_Free_Chick

If you like fish, Rick Stein's Roasted Monkfish on crushed potatoes is a complete doddle. It makes you look like you've spent hours in the kitchen and done a Cordon Bleu course

Bu88er - gonna have to hot-foot it off to Hastings now to get some monkfish, as this has reminded me how quick, easy and impressive it is!:rotfl:

HelzBelz

It depends what type of guy he is really, I can spend ages making something really nice for hubby and he'll say it's great, but on the other hand I can throw a barely cooked steak on a plate with a few new potatoes and he thinks that's fabulous because he's a complete unashamed carnivore.

Saying that I'd probably go for something simple like steak (then you can cook it how he likes it), or a home made curry

floyd

The first thing I made for OH was spinach and ricotta cannelloni made with fresh pasta (Tesco lasagne sheets rolled up), fresh spinach and homemade napoli sauce over the top. Must have worked as we are still together 7 years later
It was easy because I could do all the prep hours before and I wasn't in and out of the kitchen all night. Stuff like cannelloni and lasagne look better if you make them in individual pyrex dishes as you don't have to faff about with cutting portions and making it look pretty.

noonesperfect

It's a bit retro but I think a sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley over the dish gives a nice touch to a completed dish.

I'm with the others who suggest cooking something you're used to making.

If you're pushing the boat out you can't go wrong with a good steak. A nice thick fillet steak cooked in the oven accompanied by courgette, cherry tomatoes, quartered red onions and new potatoes drizzled with a little olive oil and chopped herbs of your choice (also cooked in the oven at the same time) would be lovely. Don't forget to take the steak out to "rest" for 5 minutes before serving.

I would love to follow that with a lemon souffle but wouldn't have the confidence to make one!

Most men are a sucker for a good roast dinner, but it's not an easy thing to cook if you want to spend your time together in each other's arms !!!!!!!!!

rlm_3

My first thought was lasagne, especially if you already know how to make the ragù. That's usually my first 'show' dish. The black bean chilli with avocado salsa is delish, but most recently I made salade niçoise with fresh tuna when I had friends round for dinner. It went down really well. All you'd need to do is pan-fry the tuna steaks when he arrives and dress the salad. The rest of the ingredients can be cooked in advance.

boo81

Im just thinking back to what I made for my bf first time I cooked and I really havent a clue!

I think dessert should be the most showey as its the last thing he will remember from the meal so go with something easy for main and a showey dessert instead.

Badger_Lady

When I really want to impress, I do a home-made Chinese (sort of!) with lots of different dishes that are all quite simple - that way, it looks like an extraordinary feast with loads of choice, but is not long or difficult to make.

A smallish bowl of each:
- home-rolled spring rolls (buy the pancakes and dip in pan of veg oil - not difficult but looks impressive!)
- seaweed (shop bought, add soft brown sugar)
- Sweet Chilli dipping sauce (make your own or buy and repackage so he doesn't know!)
- Rice
- Noodles
- Stir-fried vegetables (same as the ones in the spring roll with fewer beansprouts)
- Sweet and sour (same veggies again with SS sauce / meat if you like)
- Chinese curry (I prefer mushroom / beancurd but then I am vegetarian)

Doesn't take much planning to get this lot together...

Before the meal:
- Champagne (or fizzy wine) with a shot of Soho lychee liquer and a fresh lychee in the glass. (Very yummy, bit special and warms him up...)

After the meal:
- Gunpowder / green tea with a little sweet (more fresh lycees with dark chocolate in my case!)

noonesperfect

Badger_Lady wrote: »

When I really want to impress, I do a home-made Chinese (sort of!) with lots of different dishes that are all quite simple - that way, it looks like an extraordinary feast with loads of choice, but is not long or difficult to make.

A smallish bowl of each:
- home-rolled spring rolls (buy the pancakes and dip in pan of veg oil - not difficult but looks impressive!)
- seaweed (shop bought, add soft brown sugar)
- Sweet Chilli dipping sauce (make your own or buy and repackage so he doesn't know!)
- Rice
- Noodles
- Stir-fried vegetables (same as the ones in the spring roll with fewer beansprouts)
- Sweet and sour (same veggies again with SS sauce / meat if you like)
- Chinese curry (I prefer mushroom / beancurd but then I am vegetarian)

Doesn't take much planning to get this lot together...

Before the meal:
- Champagne (or fizzy wine) with a shot of Soho lychee liquer and a fresh lychee in the glass. (Very yummy, bit special and warms him up...)

After the meal:
- Gunpowder / green tea with a little sweet (more fresh lycees with dark chocolate in my case!)

If that little lot doesn't snare him, nothing will! Sounds divine - I'm hungry now.........

Bargainloverbec

My foolproof dish is Pesto salmon.

Crumble up 1 slice of bread and mix with a couple of spoonfuls of pesto sauce.

Smear over a salmon fillet and place a slice of cheese over the top.

Bung it in the over for about 15 minutes (you'll have to judge depending on size of the fillet).

When I'm trying to impress I do sweet potato mash in a little pile, with wilted spinach on top and the salmon balanced precariously on top like they do in posh restaurants!

Good luck - let us know how it goes!

miffyhugmuffin

I have to agree with the others who've said steak. You can't go wrong if you buy quality ingredients. I've found this Raymond Blanc recipe very good:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/steakmamanblancwiths_85136.shtml

The potatoes took longer than it said in the recipe though, so leave some extra time for them!

Whatever you decide upon, personally I would go for something simple, so that you have enough time to get yourself and the house ready without being stressed, the idea is to have a pleasant unstressful time afterall!
Good luck!