ROMANTIC DINNERS

Butter Roasted Monkfish Tail with Sweet Pepper Risotto

Making risotto is a gentle process but it can be served with a variety of accompaniments... working particularly well in this recipe with monkfish

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 50 Minutes
Steak with Mustard Cream Sauce

So you want to impress your friends with your culinary skills eh? Well here's a way to cook and present the most delicious steak slices possible.

Preparation: 2 Minutes
Cooking: 20 Minutes
Stewed Pears Recipe

Stewed Pears are sweet and sticky but just the thing to keep the kids happy! Serve with lashings of double cream (heavy cream) or vanilla ice cream.

Preparation: 5 Minutes
Cooking: 25 Minutes
Veal Kidneys in Madeira Sauce (Rognons de Veau)

This particular dish is a real favourite of both my wife and myself. Quite often, in a restaurant, we will both choose the same dish - Rognons de Veau

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 20 Minutes
Stir-Fried Pork with Spring Onions

Stir-Fried Pork with Spring Onions is a simple dish from southern China. The key to its success is to not overcook the pork, so speed is essential.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 7 Minutes
Canard au Poivre (Duck with Peppercorns)

The French are quite partial to eating duck, and with good reason - they cook it extremely well.

Preparation: 20 Minutes
Cooking: 1 Hour 15 Minutes
Carpaccio Style Prawns

Carpaccio is a dish of raw meat or fish, thinly sliced and generally served as an appetizer. These delicious Carpaccio Style Prawns will delight you.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: NIL
Chicken and Pea Risotto

Chicken and Pea Risotto is a light and summery risotto recipe that can be rustled up in no time.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 35 Minutes
Citrus Parfait

Citrus Parfait is one of our favourite desserts for three very good reasons... (1) it's dead easy to make (2) it tastes great (3) our guests love it!

Preparation: 15 Minutes
Cooking: NIL
Cod Croisettes with Baked New Potatoes

This lean, sweet fish is versatile and simple to prepare. Try it in this swimmingly good recipes.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 50 Minutes
Confit de Canard (Duck Confit)

Confit de Canard (Duck Confit) is one of our absolute favourites and, whenever we serve it to non-French guests, they fall in love with it too.

Preparation: 1 Hour
Cooking: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
Crab and Prawn Hot Pots

Crab and Prawn Hot Pots couldn't be simpler but they will never fail to impress. Equally at home as a starter, light lunch or just because ...

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 20 Minutes
Creamy Chicken Soup

Creamy Chicken Soup answers the question of how to make good use of a whole chicken when only part of it has been used during a meal.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Creamy Ham, Leek and Mushroom Spaghetti

Creamy Ham, Leek and Mushroom Spaghetti proves that, for slimmers, those mouth-watering creamy pasta dishes needn't be on the 'forbidden' menu list.

Preparation: 15 Minutes
Cooking: 15 Minutes
Crisp Potato Cakes with Goats Cheese and Caviar

Crisp Potato Cakes with Goats Cheese and Caviar is, in fact, a rather novel form of savoury "finger food" (petit four salé).

Preparation: 20 Minutes
Cooking: 10 Minutes
Crispy Duck with Grape Sauce

This very simple Crispy Duck with Grape Sauce recipe makes use of some slightly sweet ingredients that compliment the flavour of the meat.

Preparation: 5 Minutes
Cooking: 25 Minutes
Crunchy Stuffed Pears

Filled with the goodness of crunchy walnuts, cottage cheese and raisins, this baked pear recipe is sure to be a holiday favorite.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: NIL
Cubes of Veal with Spicebread Sauce

Cubes of Veal with Spicebread Sauce, accompanied by Cauliflower-Cheese - it's truly delicious and to die for!

Preparation: 40 Minutes
Cooking: 15 Minutes
Cucumber Surprise

Cucumber Surprise will, indeed, surprise you. It's perfect for a starter course at a main meal, or as a light meal or snack on it's own.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: NIL
Cullen Skink (Haddock, Potato & Leek Soup)

Cullen Skink is a thick soup originating in the town of Cullen in Moray, on the north-east coast of Scotland. Smokier and more assertive than chowder

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 40 Minutes
Devilled Eggs

Devilled Eggs make a great appetizer and a perfect party dish. So quick and simple to make, and loved by young and old alike.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 10 Minutes
Duck Breast in Green Pepper Sauce

Magret (meaning lean) is the breast of a fatty duck fattened by force-feeding when producing confit and foie gras. But Oh Boy, does it taste good!

Preparation: 5 Minutes
Cooking: 40 Minutes
Eggs in Tarragon Jelly

In this recipe for Eggs in Tarragon Jelly, the tarragon imparts a mild but distinctive flavour to the consommé.

Preparation: 5 Minutes
Cooking: 25 Minutes
Filet Mignon with Sage and Rosemary (Tenderloin of Pork)

Filet Mignon with Sage and Rosemary enhances the tenderness and taste of the pork with gentle herbs. On the other hand, it is quite delicious with

Preparation: 15 Minutes
Cooking: 30 Minutes
Fillet of Beef with Shallots

A fillet of beef is the most luxurious, most delicate (and most expensive) cut available and is worth every cent!!

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 15 Minutes
Fillet Steak en Croûte

Fillet Steak en Croûte (in pastry) is exactly that - a steak wrapped in a pastry crust - and it looks good and tastes good.

Preparation: 15 Minutes
Cooking: 15 Minutes
Fish in Cream and Mustard Sauce

Any firm white fish will do for this simple recipe although cod, hake or plaice are probably the best choice. The mustard adds a delicate flavour.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 40 Minutes
Foie Gras Escalopes on Spice Bread

This recipe for Foie Gras on Spice Bread (escalope de foie gras au pain d'Épice) is quick and easy and very, very, very tasty!

Preparation: 5 Minutes
Cooking: 10 Minutes
Foie Gras Escalopes with Dates and Pears

Escalopes of Foie Gras with Dates and Pears relies on the rich, buttery, and delicate falvours of fresh (uncooked) foie gras.

Preparation: 15 Minutes
Cooking: 25 Minutes
Garlic Prawns (Garlic Shrimp)

Garlic Prawns is one of those delicious recipes that is perfect as a starter if you are entertaining or as a light lunch for yourself and the family.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 10 Minutes
Grenadin de Veau Gratiné

In cookery, a grenadin is a larded fillet, especially one of veal or poultry, glazed with its own concentrated liquor.

Preparation: 5 Minutes
Cooking: 15 Minutes
Grilled Trout

Trout is an exquisite fish with the most delicate texture and flavour. It is not suitable for poaching but tastes delectable straight from the grill.

Preparation: 2 Minutes
Cooking: 10 Minutes
Guinea Fowl and Bacon Casserole

There is culinary harmony between the combined flavours of poultry and bacon. This recipe makes the best use of that rapport through its simplicity

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 40 Minutes
Tasty Turkey Portions

The only problem with turkey is its size! If you are alone or with just a small family, a whole turkey can be a daunting affair. Here's the answer...

Preparation: 2 Minutes
Cooking: 15 Minutes
Hazelnut Butter Scallops

A slightly expensive but totally delicious shellfish with a delicate taste, Hazelnut Butter Scallops make a most attractive and delicious starter.

Preparation: 5 Minutes
Cooking: 12 Minutes
Hot Camembert with Cherry Filling

Hot Camembert with Cherry Filling is a somewhat decadent way of mixing cheese and fruit, but it's very, very more-ish when served with crusty bread.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 20 Minutes
Julie's Salmon & Prawn with Lime

Julie's Salmon & Prawn with Lime is dedicated to Terry and Julie, our neighbours on The Isle of Man, who served us the most stunning starter ever.

Preparation: 15 Minutes
Cooking: NIL
Tomato and Mozzarella Salad

The mix of tomato and Mozzarella makes a delicious salad accompaniment or can be served on its own as a fresh summer starter course.

Preparation: 7 Minutes
Cooking: NIL
Tournedos Rossini

This is the 'traditional' Tournedos Rossini recipe with foie gras on top of the steak. It is one of the great classic dishes of the world.

Preparation: 15 Minutes
Cooking: 15 Minutes
Fillet Steaks in Madeira Sauce (Simple Tournedos Rossini)

Fillet Steaks in Madeira Sauce is a simplified (and less expensive) version of the classic French dish, Tournedos Rossini.

Preparation: 5 Minutes
Cooking: 10 Minutes
Trio of Scallops

a Trio of Scallops is a simple and very effective starter course or you can extend the choice to make it a "quad" of scallops. Absolutely stunning!

Preparation: 15 Minutes
Cooking: 15 Minutes
Leek and Smoked Salmon Rolls

Leek and Smoked Salmon Rolls is an upmarket version of ham and leek bake. Not only is it an unusual dish, it's also good for your figure!

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 20 Minutes
Luxury Lobster and Potato Salad

I admit that Luxury Lobster and Potato Salad is somewhat decadent and exotic but lobster and truffles are a match made in heaven.

Preparation: 15 Minutes
Cooking: 20 Minutes
Veal and Creamed Mushrooms

Veal has a tender texture that once made it a luxury meat. Nowadays, it is less expensive than it used to be and makes a nice change from time to time

Preparation: 3 Minutes
Cooking: 15 Minutes
Veal Marengo

Veal Marengo, according to a popular myth, was first made after Napoleon defeated the Austrian army at the Battle of Marengo, south of Turin.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 2 Hours
Vichyssoise by Odile

The concept of Vichyssoise is simple; make some leek and potato soup, stir in cream, cool the soup quickly and serve. And who am I to argue with that?

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 45 Minutes
Meringues with Clotted Cream and Strawberries

I'm not sure why people always assume that meringues are difficult to make... they're not, as this recipe for Meringues with Clotted Cream will prove.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 3 Hours
Monkfish Medallions à l'Orange

Monkfish is a firm fish, once called "the poor man's lobster" because its texture, when cooked properly, is really similar to lobster.

Preparation: 20 Minutes
Cooking: 15 Minutes
Oak-Smoked Queenies

In case you've not come across them before, "Queenies" are small scallops about ½" - ¾" (1cm - 2cm) diameter - sometimes called "bay scallops"

Preparation: 5 Minutes
Cooking: 10 Minutes
Oysters

All sorts of myths appear to exist about these delightful creatures. Certainly, in some countries, they can be quite expensive.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: NIL
Warm Asparagus Salad

Warm Asparagus Salad is a delightful, fresh salad suitable for a light meal in summer or winter. And it doesn't matter if the eggs are still warm.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 20 Minutes
Wild Mushroom Risotto

Wild Mushroom Risotto is soooooo good, you just keep making it and making it. A tasty, succulent risotto that will make you keep going back for more.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 20 Minutes
Pan Fried Veal

Veal has a tender texture that once made it a luxury meat. Nowadays, it is less expensive than it used to be and makes a nice change from time to time

Preparation: NIL
Cooking: 10 Minutes
Pan-Fried Cod with Minted Peas, Broad Beans and Pancetta

Here's a quick but sophisticated fish supper, packed full of fresh herbs and summer vegetables and perfect for entertaining guests.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 30 Minutes
Potato and Pea Nests

Definitely one of my favourites when entertaining family or friends, Potato and Pea Nests are great fun to serve and look very professional too.

Preparation: 5 Minutes
Cooking: 40 Minutes
Potted Shrimps

Sounds complicated? Not at all ! This is probably the easiest seafood you will ever prepare. It looks and tastes wonderful & will impress your guests.

Preparation: 3 Minutes
Cooking: 3 Minutes
Prawn Cocktail (Shrimp Cocktail)

In the 1970's, Prawn Cocktail (Shrimp Cocktail) became a favourite of many people when dining out. So much so that it has now become a bit "old hat".

Preparation: 15 Minutes
Cooking: NIL
Prawn Perfection

In Prawn Perfection the peppery flavour of the paper-thin slices turnip perfectly balances the sweetness of the king prawns and the red pepper sauce.

Preparation: 20 Minutes
Cooking: 30 Minutes
Prawns in Ginger Sauce

Lovely simple way to start a meal when entertaining. Though remarkably simple, you can display seemingly unimaginable culinary skills to your friends.

Preparation: 15 Minutes
Cooking: 10 Minutes
Roasted Garlic and Peppers Poussin

Roasted Garlic and Peppers Poussin uses half a poussin per person. A poussin is a small, immature chicken, sometimes called a spring chicken.

Preparation: 20 Minutes
Cooking: 25 Minutes
Rump Steak Stuffed with Stilton

Rump Steak Stuffed with Stilton is one of those decadent recipes that is actually extremely simple yet converts a regular steak into a gourmet meal.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 20 Minutes
Salade des Gourmets

A gourmet is an individual with a highly refined discerning palate who revels in the enjoyment of good food. This salad was created for such a person!

Preparation: 15 Minutes
Cooking: 5 Minutes
Sautéed Calamari

Sautéed Calamari is a quick and easy dish of delicious squid and baby octopus cooked to perfection with sweet roasted peppers.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 20 Minutes
Scallops à ma façon (Scallops - my way)

Scallops à ma façon (scallops - my way) are the perfect dish for entertaining when I have guests I want to spend time with.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 20 Minutes
Scallops and Chorizo

Scallops and Chorizo is quick, simple and absolutely delicious. The smokiness of the chorizo and the sweetness of the honey is an absolute delight.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 10 Minutes
Scallops with Garlic and Parsley

Scallops with Garlic and Parsley are called "Coquilles St. Jacques à la Provençal" in France, which strikes me as much more romantic !

Preparation: 5 Minutes
Cooking: 5 Minutes
Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon

Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon is good enough to present to guests and simple enough to knock up for yourself as a light midday meal.

Preparation: 5 Minutes
Cooking: 10 Minutes
Seafood Chowder Mash

Seafood Chowder Mash is a real comfort food, consisting of a wealth of fish and seafood over a bed of mashed potatoes... surf and turf, if you like!

Preparation: 20 Minutes
Cooking: 20 Minutes
Sole Véronique

Sole Véronique could just as easily be called Plaice Véronique - but it's more traditional and more decadent using sole!

Preparation: 5 Minutes
Cooking: 25 Minutes
St Georges Caramelised Chilli Beef Steaks

You really can't go wrong with a rib eye steak that has been Caramelised. The sugar add a hint of sweetness whilst the cilli flakes add a bit of heat

Preparation: 5 Minutes
Cooking: 10 Minutes
Lamb Mini Roast with Rosemary Butter

This mini roast is a fantastic meal option for 2-3 people that is boneless,easy to carve and ready in under an hour. Ideal for a tasty midweek meal.

Preparation: 10 Minutes
Cooking: 40 Minutes
Madras-Style Lamb Leg Steaks with Red Onions & Coriander

A spicy supper for two of madras-coated lamb leg steaks that will make your mouth water before you've even started. A perfect Saturday night treat.

Preparation: 2 Minutes
Cooking: 23 Minutes
Lamb Noisettes with Lemon and Rosemary Jus

Just the name Lamb Noisettes with Lemon and Rosemary Jus conjures up visions of those beautifully tender Lamb Noisettes that just melt in the mouth.

Preparation: 5 Minutes
Cooking: 13 Minutes
Lamb Valentine Steaks with Pomegranate & Plum Aigre-doux

Lamb Valentine Steaks with Pomegranate Plum Aigre-doux makes the most of the combination of sweet and sour to serve with a Valentine Lamb Steak

Preparation: 2 Minutes
Cooking: 18 Minutes
Eton Mess

Is this the most British pudding of them all? It may have been invented by a bunch of public schoolboys, but Eton Mess works wonders for us all.

Preparation: 5 Minutes
Cooking: 20 Minutes
Huîtres chaudes à la Charentaise (Warm Charente Oysters)

Ah, oysters - the food of the gods! Straight from the sea, tasting of salt and freshness. But not everybody can handle their oysters raw.

Preparation: 15 Minutes
Cooking: 5 Minutes

What To Eat Tonight

Not everybody is a carnivore. If you prefer vegetables, here's a selection that will give you a choice of some really stunning dishes.

26 Creative Toasties

Those wonderful beasts that just scream for something hot and tasty between toasted bread or buns. Once tasted, never forgotten!

83 Creative Cheese Dishes

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