SCALLOP AND BACON BITES

I love scallops, but cooking them can be a bit tricky. If you’re pan frying them you need to cook them just before eating and you need to make sure they’re not overcooked. Not everyone will like this recipe as between the marinade and the bacon the scallop flavour is altered, but it does make cooking them easier and appealing to serve with drinks.

PORT AND GARLIC BEEF – Gluten Free

This is a recipe that a friend used when she was catering for her husband’s 40th birthday dinner a many years ago. She cooked two 1kg pieces of beef and multiplied the marinade and sauce ingredients to match. It could be prepared in advance and was delicious. At the time she wasn’t worried whether it was gluten free or not, but with us being more conscious of dietary issues these day, it would work really well for everyone now.

MINTED LAMB IN RED WINE

This is a great lamb dish for a party as it uses 2 1.5kg boned legs of lamb and makes a fairly large casserole. Of course if you halve the recipe, it’s a fine for a family meal or a smaller number of guests. It recommends asking your butcher to bone out two legs of lamb for you to use, which is shows it’s age. Now it’s all done for you at the supermarket without you having to ask – much easier!!

PORK PARCELS WITH RICE BACON AND BEANS

With the cost of beef and lamb having risen so much in the last few years pork has appeared a lot more on the menu. This recipe is a great way to make it interesting. You need to buy thin pork steaks so you can fold the meat over the filling or a larger piece that you can cut a pocket into though. With a bigger piece you’d probably be best using string to keep it together.

LOIN OF LAMB WITH FETA AND SPINACH SEASONING

While this recipe is for 2 x 750g loins of boned lamb, I think it would work equally well with a piece of butterflied lamb, which is must more readily available. You could either cut a pocket in the lamb or just lay the seasoning on the top and roll it. Depending on the thickness of the lamb piece doing both might even work. Whichever way you do it the end result will taste great.

SEASONED TOPSIDE ROLL WITH SOUR CREAM SAUCE

This was a favourite dinner party recipe that I used to make back in the 90s. It didn’t take long to prepare and could be put in the oven when the guests arrived. It looked good on the plate and the sour cream sauce was an unusual addition. It’s worth a try if your looking for something different to serve.

BEEF, BEAN AND CHORIZO STEW

The discovery of chorizo while on holiday in Spain a few years ago was one of the highlights of the trip. Since then I’ve used it in a variety of dishes, with lamb and with beef, like in this stew, and my favorite cooked in apple cider as a hot savoury. I love it’s texture and spicy flavour and that extra kick it gives everything.