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Old 11-06-2009, 12:21
Airy fairy
 
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Hi guys,

I love this forum. Some of your ideas for cooking are brillaint.

I consider myself a good cook but not an imaginative cook and I need recipes or ideas from others to conjure up a nice meal.

So basically I am looking for any ideas from you guys for a lovely meal for me to cook my OH tonight, he is working really hard at the moment and we have not spent any ''romantic'' time together for ages.

I am off work today so I have the time to make something nice.

I want to have a nice light starter and a beautiful delicious main course.

Looking for something healthy (but not too much) and nothing with pasta or noodles as I am not a big fan of that (even though he is! ).

Pudding not fussed - we are not big pudding people.

Just looking for something different and nice, maybe a greek inspired dish or something like that.

Thanks in advance!
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Old 11-06-2009, 12:24
RAINBOWGIRL22
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Champers and strawberries for dessert (Cava works fine if you are skint!!) and you could always dip the strawberries in melted chocolate to make it a bit more "homemade"

As for starter and main?? I'm not too sure but the good people of DS should be along to help soon!!

(IW - where are you?? )
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Old 11-06-2009, 12:28
Airy fairy
 
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Champers and strawberries for dessert (Cava works fine if you are skint!!) and you could always dip the strawberries in melted chocolate to make it a bit more "homemade"

As for starter and main?? I'm not too sure but the good people of DS should be along to help soon!!

(IW - where are you?? )
What is IW?

I am in the city center so I can get tons of ingredients!

I am def going to get champers and never even though of strawberries for desert! Thanks! That is on the list!

I don't *do* dessert but strawberries are nice and light!

I am going to surprise him as he is so tense just now - I am going to turn the dining room in to a restaurant and have a menu and things!

I am so excited!
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Old 11-06-2009, 12:45
RAINBOWGIRL22
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What is IW?

I am in the city center so I can get tons of ingredients!

I am def going to get champers and never even though of strawberries for desert! Thanks! That is on the list!

I don't *do* dessert but strawberries are nice and light!

I am going to surprise him as he is so tense just now - I am going to turn the dining room in to a restaurant and have a menu and things!

I am so excited!
IW is indianwells, who posts on here - he always has fab recipe's and is great with things like this

Strawberries are so easy and if you are not big on dessert they can always be used to get you in the mood...

It sounds like a lovely evening - maybe if you narrow down what you want to cook then I can give it some more thought!! Would you like a meat main, a veggie, something you can prepare and bung in the oven?? etc...
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Old 11-06-2009, 12:53
Airy fairy
 
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IW is indianwells, who posts on here - he always has fab recipe's and is great with things like this
Ahhhhh I thought you were doing that mad internet speak !

Yeh I have come across his posts he does post some cracking food ideas.


Strawberries are so easy and if you are not big on dessert they can always be used to get you in the mood...

It sounds like a lovely evening - maybe if you narrow down what you want to cook then I can give it some more thought!! Would you like a meat main, a veggie, something you can prepare and bung in the oven?? etc...
I am hoping it will be a lovely evening. I am going to dress to kill, get the place all nice and romantic and hopefully have a nice dinner waiting to be eaten.

Ideas, well I was thinking along the lines of med type food. (but not pasta).

Things like olives, anchovies, feta, salad, meat/fish, baked potato, taziki, cous cous, tahbolih that kind of stuff but obviously a meal not just a plate of ''stuff''.

You know just really tasty fresh food. We love Turkish, Greek, Cypriot food.

With lots of bubbly and of course - strawberry's.

With the strawberries, I think I will dip them in white chocolate - do I then put them in the fridge?
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Old 11-06-2009, 12:57
norbitonite
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If you're going with a Greek theme, then it might be nice for starters to do a platter of 'nibbly bits' to share. For example some olives, stuffed vine leaves, marinated feta, humous, etc with pitta bread? Sharing is very romantic, and you can feed each other morsels to add to that <3

I would tend to buy the components from a good deli, or even M&S, but if you really want to have a homemade element, then you could make the humous:

Drain a large tin of chick peas.

Put them in the bowl of the food processor with a couple of cloves of garlic, a handful of fresh coriander leaves, a pinch of cayenne, salt, pepper and the juice of half a lemon or a whole lime.

Blend to a paste, then drizzle in enough fruity extra-virgin olive oil to achieve the right consistency.
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Old 11-06-2009, 13:00
indianwells
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Well i'm doing something nice tonight. It always goes down well if you like fish. I'm using Halibut but any fish will do.
Pan fried Halibut steaks, Dill cream sauce with fondant potato and asparagus.
I'm assuming you can cook the fish, asparagus and potato.
This is how I do the sauce:
Saute a little finely chopped Shallot in a little butter or olive oil until translucent but not brown.
Add a splash of white wine vinegar and reduce until the liquid has almost disappeared.
Add a glass of dry white wine until this too has almost gone.
Now add 300ml of chicken stock (made from a cube is fine) and reduce by half.
Add 250ml of double cream and reduce until you have the consistency you want.
Season to taste.
Finely chop some Dill and stir through the sauce at the last minute.
You may want to add a little squeeze of lemon to sharpen it up.
If you both like fish your OH will love you forever!

Edit: Ah, just seen you may do a Med theme. I love tapas so I often do a Tortilla, some Patatas Bravas, some meatballs in tomato sauce and a Saffron Pilaf. Add some good bread and a tomato salad and it will be plenty. Luckily Champagne goes with anything!
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Old 11-06-2009, 13:02
Airy fairy
 
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Thanks norbitonite. He loves humous. I think I will do that.

Now the main course!

Fish? Or meat?

With what?

Arrrghhh I am so rubbish at ideas.
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Old 11-06-2009, 13:03
norbitonite
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If you're going with a Greek theme, then it might be nice for starters to do a platter of 'nibbly bits' to share. For example some olives, stuffed vine leaves, marinated feta, humous, etc with pitta bread? Sharing is very romantic, and you can feed each other morsels to add to that <3

I would tend to buy the components from a good deli, or even M&S, but if you really want to have a homemade element, then you could make the humous:

Drain a large tin of chick peas.

Put them in the bowl of the food processor with a couple of cloves of garlic, a handful of fresh coriander leaves, a pinch of cayenne, salt, pepper and the juice of half a lemon or a whole lime.

Blend to a paste, then drizzle in enough fruity extra-virgin olive oil to achieve the right consistency.

Edit: crossed with your above post. It seems we're thinking along the same lines! How about a nice moussaka (sp?) for mains?
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Old 11-06-2009, 13:03
Airy fairy
 
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Well i'm doing something nice tonight. It always goes down well if you like fish. I'm using Halibut but any fish will do.
Pan fried Halibut steaks, Dill cream sauce with fondant potato and asparagus.
I'm assuming you can cook the fish, asparagus and potato.
This is how I do the sauce:
Saute a little finely chopped Shallot in a little butter or olive oil until translucent but not brown.
Add a splash of white wine vinegar and reduce until the liquid has almost disappeared.
Add a glass of dry white wine until this too has almost gone.
Now add 300ml of chicken stock (made from a cube is fine) and reduce by half.
Add 250ml of double cream and reduce until you have the consistency you want.
Season to taste.
Finely chop some Dill and stir through the sauce at the last minute.
You may want to add a little squeeze of lemon to sharpen it up.
If you both like fish your OH will love you forever!

Mmmmm that sounds beautiful.

We adore fish. Would sea bass work with this?

EDIT - Or Salmon?
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Old 11-06-2009, 13:05
RAINBOWGIRL22
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Ahhhhh I thought you were doing that mad internet speak !

Yeh I have come across his posts he does post some cracking food ideas.




I am hoping it will be a lovely evening. I am going to dress to kill, get the place all nice and romantic and hopefully have a nice dinner waiting to be eaten.

Ideas, well I was thinking along the lines of med type food. (but not pasta).

Things like olives, anchovies, feta, salad, meat/fish, baked potato, taziki, cous cous, tahbolih that kind of stuff but obviously a meal not just a plate of ''stuff''.

You know just really tasty fresh food. We love Turkish, Greek, Cypriot food.

With lots of bubbly and of course - strawberry's.

With the strawberries, I think I will dip them in white chocolate - do I then put them in the fridge?
Oh I love Turkish and Greek food - delish!! Am actually having falafel and humous for lunch today

Yep - stick the strawberries in the fridge after dipping in choc!!

Normally I find a mezze sufficient enough but you could go down the route of having loads of little bits to start and something along the lines of Kleftico for main or have a look here:

http://www.greek-recipe.com/
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Old 11-06-2009, 13:06
indianwells
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Mmmmm that sounds beautiful.

We adore fish. Would sea bass work with this?
The sauce goes with any fish, Sea Bass would be perfect, as would Salmon.
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Old 11-06-2009, 13:06
Minky_Bum
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Ooh, if you like fish, PamelaL gave me a great suggestion for a starter for my recent anniversary dinner - scallops. We had those with a simple salad and I did a pea dressing (basically pureed peas and garlic mixed with creme fraiche). Sounds weird but worked really well.

My absolute fave for a main is tornados rossini (a hunk of steak topped with foie gras), served with potato dauphinoise and savoy cabbage with some kind of light gravy (or jus if we're being fancy ). Is very rich so lucky you don't like pud.

Having said all that, Indianwells really is a top foodie - so much so that I read all his posts in the voice of "this isn't just food, it's M&S food"

EDIT: just seen you like greek/turkish.
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Old 11-06-2009, 13:07
Airy fairy
 
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^^^ Thanks rainbow and minky!!

Now I am a burst with ideas!

I have no idea what to go with!
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Old 11-06-2009, 13:23
Airy fairy
 
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Ok decided I think.

Starter:

Home made Houmous (thanks norobitonite)
Home made tzatziki (still need to find a recipie)
Olives and feta
Hot pita cut up.

Main course:

Salmon
Indian wells white sauce
Grilled med mixed veg
Bake potato

Desert
Strawberry's dipped in white chocolate
ME!!!


Lots of bubbly too.

I am going to the shops in a few hours so I will prob change my mind before I go again!
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Old 11-06-2009, 14:16
Airy fairy
 
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Changed my mind again.

Same starter and desert but this for my main

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2...nd-lime-butter

But with roasted veg and a baked potato.

Thanks for all your suggestions guys.

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Old 11-06-2009, 15:41
norbitonite
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It all sounds delicious and I hope you have a lovely evening.

Re tzatziki, recipes vary, with some straining the yogurt and then replacing the liquid with olive oil, some adding chopped dill, some mint, some both, some neither.

My preference for a quick and easy tzatziki would be:

125 mls Greek yogurt
1 cucumber
Handful of mint leaves
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
Tblsp lemon juice

Peel the cucumber and scoop out the seeds. Cut into either fine slices or small dice, as you prefer.

Place cucumber in a colander, sprinkle with salt, cover with a small plate/saucer weighted down and leave to drain for 30 mins.

Meanwhile, mix together the yogurt, crushed garlic and lemon juice. Stir in the shredded mint leaves.

Dry the cucumber in a clean teatowel, stir into the yogurt and mint. Season to taste.
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Old 11-06-2009, 17:18
Airy fairy
 
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Thanks! ^ got everything apart form the mint. I prefer mine without.

So finally got my menu sorted just back from shops;
Starter
Crusty bread with greek salad, home made houmus and home made tzaiki.

Main
Salmon topped with a creme fresh, chilli, lime and corriander paste - oven baked.
Served with mixed roasted veg (pepper, onion, courgette) baked potato and cous cous.

Desert:

Strawberries covered in chocolate - on a strawberry shortcake base topped with double cream (ok so I have changed my mind about the pudding! )

Champange! (Which I got ID'd for!!!! )

Thanks for all the tips guys!

Lets just hope it tastes as good as it sounds!
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Old 11-06-2009, 17:27
RAINBOWGIRL22
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Enjoy your evening! My poor BF is coming home to something with baked beans LOL!
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Old 11-06-2009, 17:51
Minky_Bum
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Looks fab Airy Fairy. Have a great evening
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Old 11-06-2009, 18:23
norbitonite
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Sounds yummy.

Bon apétit.
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Old 12-06-2009, 09:11
RAINBOWGIRL22
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Hope you enjoyed your evening AF
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Old 12-06-2009, 09:25
Airy fairy
 
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Morning all.

Had a lovely evening (up to a point we got really bad news last night )

Mr Airy said it was the nicest meal I had ever cooked for him not only because it tasted so good but also due to all the effort I had put in.

The Tziki was superb and the salmon with the paste thing was to die for.

Thanks again every one!
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Old 12-06-2009, 10:36
norbitonite
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glad it went well (and hope the humous was okay, too). Sorry to hear that you got bad news, though.
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Old 12-06-2009, 12:48
Airy fairy
 
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glad it went well (and hope the humous was okay, too). Sorry to hear that you got bad news, though.
Thanks

(someone close to was rushed to hospital but they are ok now which is a relief, wont be happy until they are discharged though)

Yeh humous was nice, but the tzaiki was bloody amazing.

I honk of garlic today though, like I am really bad, I am making myself feel ill!
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