Dinner Ideas?

[Ace Modder]

Hi

Tomorrow I'm hosting a small dinner party. I after some ideas for a main course.

Starter: I am getting some black pudding, cuttng into 8cm lenghts, boring out the middle, stuffing with blue stilton cheese, wrapping it in streaky bacon and finishing with a poached egg on top.
Also doing 1 large flat mushroom stuffed with the same blue stilton, putting them both on a bed of rocket leaves.

Main meal is where I am struggling for ideas. I'm doing chicken breast(not sure on a seasoning yet), but planning to do it with some new potaotos oven baked in olive oil and garlic, with roast carrots, roast asparagus and broccohi. I'm not sure if this is enough for main course, any ideas or suggestions would be welcome on the main.

P.S. I will put pics up tomorrow.

 

[glitch]

Is that starter something you have done before? Something you have eaten and enjoyed? I ask because to me, it sounds completely OTT for a starter. Too many big flavours trying to compete for attention.

Technically it will be a challenge (I wouldn't fancy coring the pudding and getting the cheese in there) and it just seems so rich for something to kick off a meal. And why have you chosen rocket leaves for an accompaniment? That just seems like an afterthought and not really something that has an actual place.

Now, you may well have already nailed the starter and have it well within your repertoire, in which case a lighter main course like your chicken seems a pretty fair idea. But chicken breast? Come on, live a little - get some skin-on thighs, whip the bone out and give your guests something really tasty with a crisp skin and some nice veg as an accompaniment.

Cold pan, seasoned chicken, start them skin-side down on a moderate heat and finish them off in the oven to cook through once the skin is perfectly crisp. Lemon, thyme, a little olive oil, some butter and cornstarch will give you a great pan sauce to finis things off.

 

[Ace Modder]

That starter is something that my wife creates at her work (she works at a resturant on a weekend). I have tasted it before and it is really nice, so I fancied creating it myself. The rocket leaves are more for presentation - maybe a different leaf would be better? but which?

 

[Ace Modder]

Starter is prepared and just needs about 10-15mins the oven now. Used an apple corer to remove the middle (not all the way through though)


Sealed the edges, Let it cool, then stuffed with blue cheese, and wrapped in streaky bacon.

I have sealed the base of large cap mushrooms in the same oil, and I will grill the tops and add cheese later, just before serving.

 

[Ace Modder]

The starter went down wondefully. I did put a poached egg ontop of the blackpudding, but didnt take a photo.

For main I ended up doing chicken breast, stuffed with blue cheese, mashed potato with bacon diced and cheese made into balls and shallow fried in oil, roast carrots, roast asparagus and new potaotes roasted in a garlic and herb oil.

Didnt take any pics of the main, but suffice to say everybody loved it.

 

[the-evaluator]

Anything with black pudding is a winner in my book. I've not had black pudding and blue cheese together but I'll give it a whirl at some point.

Personally I wouldn't have put the blue cheese in the main, I think it'd be a bit OTT having the same strong flavour in 2 courses.

 

[Deus Ex]

Starter looks boss

 

[FrenchTart]

Cheesecake for dessert?