Dinner for Two? - Simple, but different

Dinner for Two? - Simple, but different

Author
Discussion

LouD86

Original Poster:

3,278 posts

152 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Right, I'm throwing out a cry for help here to PH. I have decided to finally cook something properly for the young lady in my life, rather than general Spag Bol, Roasts etc, and meat and veg.

Im planning on a rather intimat evening Wednesday when she returns from a break, and want to cook something thats not out of my kitchen's ability (I have quite a small one) or my talents, but it has to be different.

Only things that are a no no are;

Peas
Sprouts
Hot & Spicy
Baked Beans

Apart from that, we will both eat anything. So, give me 1 hour to prep, half hour to cook after work, what suggestions can the Chef's of PH help me with,

Thanks in advance!

Foliage

3,861 posts

121 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Greek - Kebabs, chicken kebabs and lamb kebabs, prepare the meat and stick in spices before work/the night before, then just need grilling on sticks served with yoghurt/salad/humus etc.

Spanish - Tapas, lots of very simple small dishes to share (do about 6-7) but could be time consuming to prepare, some stuff could be prepared the night before. http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/tapa...

Curry - Not a jar but curries are super simple to make from scratch and are tasty when you use fresh ingredients. http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/simplelambroganj... <- this recipe on has 2 steps (throw most of the ingredients in the blender, and then throw it in the pan as described) but does take 2 hours to cook, I leave out the lager.

Whats her favourite meal?



Bill

52,479 posts

254 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
LouD86 said:
I have quite a small one!
Don't worry about that, how big is your kitchen?

funkyrobot

18,789 posts

227 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Bill said:
LouD86 said:
I have quite a small one!
Don't worry about that, how big is your kitchen?
laugh

Bill

52,479 posts

254 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
You could do a lot worse than steak and chips imo. Par boil some skin on wedges for 5 minutes then drain and toss in a load of olive oil over the heat before putting them onto a baking sheet that's been preheated in your oven at 225+℃. Turn them regularly and they're done in 25 minutes.

LouD86

Original Poster:

3,278 posts

152 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Bill said:
You could do a lot worse than steak and chips imo. Par boil some skin on wedges for 5 minutes then drain and toss in a load of olive oil over the heat before putting them onto a baking sheet that's been preheated in your oven at 225+?. Turn them regularly and they're done in 25 minutes.
That actually sounds rather appealing. I like the idea of Wedges, you mean just as chips, no flavouring etc? Steak, well we both ate big steaks out for dinner last night, so that would be a win!

And Bill, both small Im affraid, fk knows how I have the lass I do!

warp9

1,583 posts

196 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Agree with the kebabs idea, you could also try:

Start
Onion soup - make the night before (secret is to really, really slow cook the onions), heat up on the night, then toast a couple of slices of french bread and grill cheese over.
Prawns with shells on, fry in garlic and chilli, lots of lemon at the end, again bread to mop up juices - this is really quick and easy

Main
Decent steak, cooked how she likes. Chips, salad, mushrooms.
Moroccan chicken or lamb stew - again cook the night before, will improve the flavour. Cous cous on the night, roast a few veg, put stock in the cous cous, mix together, serve with yoghut, cucumber.

Pudding
chocolate sauce and whipped cream, retire to the bedroom! wink

Spare tyre

9,458 posts

129 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
get to lidl or aldi and get some sorbet

Bill

52,479 posts

254 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
LouD86 said:
That actually sounds rather appealing. I like the idea of Wedges, you mean just as chips, no flavouring etc? Steak, well we both ate big steaks out for dinner last night, so that would be a win!
Yep. Maybe not steaks if you had it last night, perhaps pork fillet in a creamy mushroom sauce.

And remember, apparently size isn't everything. wink

SHutchinson

2,040 posts

183 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Buy a slow cooker (they're about £15).

Pull her some pork! wink

It's a bit different, make sweet potato wedges to go with it.

LouD86

Original Poster:

3,278 posts

152 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Thanks for the idea guys. I do have a Slow Cooker, I purchased it in 2012 when I moved in, it hasn't yet been used, so I shall dig that out of its box. For future use. Ill study this later, make a list and go shopping. Thank you all

davek_964

8,796 posts

174 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
I did monkfish wrapped in speck (basically parma ham) at the weekend and it was gorgeous. I used the recipe here - very simple and well worth it :


http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/wrappedmonkfish_...

trashbat

6,005 posts

152 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Do you have a great big iron pot, like this?



Do you think she'll be impressed by giant purple flames? (YEAH SHE WILL)

Does she have a penchant for coq?

If the answer to these is a treble-oueh, I suggest this: http://leitesculinaria.com/5399/recipes-julia-chil...

Besides one pot cooking being the answer to all questions, this coqle-warming dish marks you out as a fellow of distinguished continental tastes, a gentleman likely to invite her to join company on a sweeping sojourn across Europe's vineyards and Gauloise stalls in the gentle clasp of his luxurious Citroen. Also it tastes really nice.

The pot was about £30, though I'm not sure Sainsburys still do nice round ones.

And hopefully this will wind up in the 'cringeworthy' thread.

CubanPete

3,630 posts

187 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Poached egg and asparagus as a starter, very easy and good sophistication value

Green Thai Chicken Curry
Fish dish such as tuna steak

Candied oranges in dark chocolate. Look sophisticated, very easy, can be done in advance.


http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/roma...


Open red wine a couple of hours before hand and warm slightly.
Pour small glasses of white wine so it stays chilled.
Napkins and side plates make for an easy upsell
Turn off and hide your phone.

Girls like candles



Stick to something lightish and don't go for huge portions if you are looking to do some loving after...

LouD86

Original Poster:

3,278 posts

152 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
CubanPete said:
Poached egg and asparagus as a starter, very easy and good sophistication value

Green Thai Chicken Curry
Fish dish such as tuna steak

Candied oranges in dark chocolate. Look sophisticated, very easy, can be done in advance.


http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/roma...


Open red wine a couple of hours before hand and warm slightly.
Pour small glasses of white wine so it stays chilled.
Napkins and side plates make for an easy upsell
Turn off and hide your phone.

Girls like candles



Stick to something lightish and don't go for huge portions if you are looking to do some loving after...
Man of experience, looks easy to do too! Candles, not a problem, phone, always on silent in my jacket, im not a phone man.

Wine, I have plenty and know how to use it, unfortunatly, t-total partner means its for me only! I can sneak some into cooking normally though.

BigJonMcQuimm

975 posts

211 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Have you considered a Tom Yum Steamboat?

Essentially it is a Thai style fondue, very popular in Malaysia - where you cook your fish, meat, vegetables in a broth of Tom Yum. In KL you are given a net and spooned various crustaceans in!

At the end, you add an egg each to poach, before spooning in a bowl with the now beautifully flavored broth.

We did this with odds and sods from the fishmonger, such as cod cheeks, scallops, funny ends of various fish. Similarly, we asked for off cuts in the butcher - and were delightfully surprised with sirloins and other bits.

Oriental mushrooms work really well, as they absorb the broth.

The only flaw in this quite romantic plan is you require a fondue set :-)


Ultuous

2,247 posts

190 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
I've posted this before, but always feel it's one of the most sure-fire 'date' dinners... It's extremely hard to cock up/ doesn't take the focus off entertaining, looks far more 'cheffy' than it is, needs a nice crisp white to wash it down - and isn't too spicy to jeopardise the 'intimate' bit afterwards!

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2714/pancettawr...

LouD86

Original Poster:

3,278 posts

152 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Ultuous said:
I've posted this before, but always feel it's one of the most sure-fire 'date' dinners... It's extremely hard to cock up/ doesn't take the focus off entertaining, looks far more 'cheffy' than it is, needs a nice crisp white to wash it down - and isn't too spicy to jeopardise the 'intimate' bit afterwards!

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2714/pancettawr...
Sir, that will be friday night! Thank you!

CubanPete

3,630 posts

187 months

Sunday 1st February 2015
quotequote all


What did you go for?











Did it work?

Poisson96

2,098 posts

130 months

Sunday 1st February 2015
quotequote all
Food Poisoning. They're both dead.