Going to cook a surprise dinner; HELLLLLLLLLP
Discussion
Ok, first things first; I'm a bloke. I can heat stuff. Microwave stuff. Fry stuff (I'm good at that) and put stuff in the oven. All of these things I am genius at and, on occasions, I can even order pizza through the TV (cool hey?).
However, I want to be nice to the girlfriend and fate has presented me with an opportunity this evening of a completely empty house.
Soooo........I want to cook a surprise dinner (I can get in her house no problems and so be there before she gets home from work).
What to do?! (If Burriana says chicken, I'll cry). Chicken's out as I'm allergic to it, nuts are out as she's allergic to them.
I'll set it up all lovely, like...some flowers, nice dinner set up all lovely jubbly should look really nice. BUT, importantly, what AND HOW (
) to cook?!
Advice from PH women/ metrosexual men gratefully received.
However, I want to be nice to the girlfriend and fate has presented me with an opportunity this evening of a completely empty house.
Soooo........I want to cook a surprise dinner (I can get in her house no problems and so be there before she gets home from work).
What to do?! (If Burriana says chicken, I'll cry). Chicken's out as I'm allergic to it, nuts are out as she's allergic to them.
I'll set it up all lovely, like...some flowers, nice dinner set up all lovely jubbly should look really nice. BUT, importantly, what AND HOW (
) to cook?!Advice from PH women/ metrosexual men gratefully received.
Poach some salmon and serve on a bed of aspargous with a mint yoghurt dressing..
Very simple and tastes great... (Poach the salmon with an onion, black pepper and a couple of bay leaves).
--or--
Surf 'n' Turf
Make a big salad and serve with strips of steak and prawns
Both easy to do and taste great!
Very simple and tastes great... (Poach the salmon with an onion, black pepper and a couple of bay leaves).
--or--
Surf 'n' Turf
Make a big salad and serve with strips of steak and prawns
Both easy to do and taste great!
Go to Morrisons -
Purchase two fresh trout from the fishmonger section. (£1.60 each)
Take home, wrap in some foil with a knob of butter, some herbs and pepper and oven cook for 25 minutes. Remove, unwrap and serve up with some fresh salad, tomatoes and a bowl of chips, lightly salted.
Compliment the meal with some nice white wine.
Piis easy my son.
Purchase two fresh trout from the fishmonger section. (£1.60 each)
Take home, wrap in some foil with a knob of butter, some herbs and pepper and oven cook for 25 minutes. Remove, unwrap and serve up with some fresh salad, tomatoes and a bowl of chips, lightly salted.
Compliment the meal with some nice white wine.
Piis easy my son.
Edited by lazyitus on Thursday 26th July 09:48
are there any limitations on cost???
personally i would do a fillet steak (good stuff from the proper bitchers, not tesco or crap like that) sauted potatoes with rosemary and some veg. maybe a bit of brocolli, carrots and mange tout (sp?) with a red wine and challot sauce and a good bottle of red, or something like that, or maybe a nice fish with baby new potatoes seasonal veg and a light sauce and a nice bottle of white
personally i would do a fillet steak (good stuff from the proper bitchers, not tesco or crap like that) sauted potatoes with rosemary and some veg. maybe a bit of brocolli, carrots and mange tout (sp?) with a red wine and challot sauce and a good bottle of red, or something like that, or maybe a nice fish with baby new potatoes seasonal veg and a light sauce and a nice bottle of white
A nice big juicy steak, stick it outside under the patio heater for about 5 mins, then serve with salad. 
Alternatively...
Stir Fry is easy-peasy (ooh, should have used that in the 'phrases you used to say' thread). Get some beef from the supermarket, pick something that says suitable for frying. Cut into strips and fry in a wok at max heat until all the outside edges are sealed - this should only take a couple of minutes. Then chuck in some sliced onion, sliced peppers (all the colours), mange toute (sp?), orange zest - this whole lot should be fried on a high heat for approx 7 minutes including the initial stage with the beef.
Then add a little orange juice and simmer for a further couple of minutes and serve with noodles or rice.
Alternatively...
Stir Fry is easy-peasy (ooh, should have used that in the 'phrases you used to say' thread). Get some beef from the supermarket, pick something that says suitable for frying. Cut into strips and fry in a wok at max heat until all the outside edges are sealed - this should only take a couple of minutes. Then chuck in some sliced onion, sliced peppers (all the colours), mange toute (sp?), orange zest - this whole lot should be fried on a high heat for approx 7 minutes including the initial stage with the beef.
Then add a little orange juice and simmer for a further couple of minutes and serve with noodles or rice.
lamb steak cut into cubes, marinade (long as possible, at least an hour) in:
2ts finely chopped ginger
1ts finely chopped garlic
40ml of lemon juice
60ml of veg oil
1ts of ground coriander
1ts of ground turmeric
1ts of ground cumin
cayenne (or to taste)
1tbs grated onion
Cook in Wok after marinading and server on a baby leaf salad...
Desert and starter I will leave to someone else...
2ts finely chopped ginger
1ts finely chopped garlic
40ml of lemon juice
60ml of veg oil
1ts of ground coriander
1ts of ground turmeric
1ts of ground cumin
cayenne (or to taste)
1tbs grated onion
Cook in Wok after marinading and server on a baby leaf salad...
Desert and starter I will leave to someone else...
Some nice salmon filits
Stick them in some tin foil with Dill, Garlic(not too much) parsley, white wine, salt and pepper and a slice or two of lemon.
Oven bake for 15 minutes (20 if you like things well done) at 180c in a pre heated oven.
Some nice new 'tatties boiled and served up with loads of butter.
Something green on the side (peas or something ... i am a bloke, dont do green)
Serve with a nice plonk (Sancare, Muscadet etc)
Sit back and feel smug!
This recipie works with trout, mullet, and snapper as well
Stick them in some tin foil with Dill, Garlic(not too much) parsley, white wine, salt and pepper and a slice or two of lemon.
Oven bake for 15 minutes (20 if you like things well done) at 180c in a pre heated oven.
Some nice new 'tatties boiled and served up with loads of butter.
Something green on the side (peas or something ... i am a bloke, dont do green)
Serve with a nice plonk (Sancare, Muscadet etc)
Sit back and feel smug!
This recipie works with trout, mullet, and snapper as well
SGirl said:
Why not just get a nice takeaway delivered (and pretend you made it, if it matters to you)? 
Not pizza! Something Indian or Chinese or something.
Not pizza! Something Indian or Chinese or something.
at the first female contribution to the thread.Chuck a bag of new potatoes in a roasting tin with some olive oil, rosemary, a whole garlic clove or 2 and some pepper. Put them in the oven for an hour at 200 deg C, turning them over occasionally.
Wrap a couple of salmon steaks in a parcel of foil with a splash of olive oil and a glass of white wine. Put them in the oven on a tray for the last 20 mins of the potatoes.
Chuck some rabbit food on the side of the plate when you dish up.
If you want a starter, tear up some mozarella and chuck it on a plates with some sliced tomato (at room temperature, not straight from the fridge) with some fresh basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Piece of piss
I’m going for minimum prep time and effort and minimum cooking time here 
Starter (takes 5 minutes to prepare, no cooking)
Charentais melon, prosciutto, wild rocket and pecorino salad
8 slices prosciutto; 1 charentais melon; handfull rocket leaves; 100g of pecorino cheese; blob of olive oil; salt and pepper
Remove the outer skin from the melon, cut in half and bin the seeds. Slice the melon thinly, slice the prosciutto and arrange on plates. Sprinkle a few rocket leaves over the top. Shave the pecorino cheese (use a potato peeler) over the salad, drizzle with olive oil and a bit of rock salt and pepper.
Main (takes 5 minutes to prepare, 10ish minutes to cook)
Rainbow trout en papillote
2 x rainbow trout fillets; handful spinach leaves; handful cherry tomatoes; handful fresh basil; bit of white wine (and some more for the chef); blob of balsamic vinegar
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6
Cut out a large square from a piece of foil and a smaller square from a sheet of greaseproof paper. Line the foil with the greaseproof paper and top with the spinach, tomatoes and basil leaves. Put the trout fillet in top, add a splash of wine and balsamic vinegar and season with freshly ground black pepper. Wrap up to form a parcel and secure the edges. Place on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.
To serve, stick the parcel on the plate and rip open the bag at the table. Do some green beans on the side.
Pud (takes about 30 seconds to prepare) 10 minutes chilling
Blueberry-yoghurty-thing
1 x punnet of blueberries; 1 x tub of natural yoghurt; 1 x small bottle of elderflower cordial.
Put a handful of blueberries in the bottom of a glass (like a tumbler). Scoop on some yoghurt; chill; just before serving pour a bit of the elderflower cordial on top.
Starter (takes 5 minutes to prepare, no cooking)
Charentais melon, prosciutto, wild rocket and pecorino salad
8 slices prosciutto; 1 charentais melon; handfull rocket leaves; 100g of pecorino cheese; blob of olive oil; salt and pepper
Remove the outer skin from the melon, cut in half and bin the seeds. Slice the melon thinly, slice the prosciutto and arrange on plates. Sprinkle a few rocket leaves over the top. Shave the pecorino cheese (use a potato peeler) over the salad, drizzle with olive oil and a bit of rock salt and pepper.
Main (takes 5 minutes to prepare, 10ish minutes to cook)
Rainbow trout en papillote
2 x rainbow trout fillets; handful spinach leaves; handful cherry tomatoes; handful fresh basil; bit of white wine (and some more for the chef); blob of balsamic vinegar
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6
Cut out a large square from a piece of foil and a smaller square from a sheet of greaseproof paper. Line the foil with the greaseproof paper and top with the spinach, tomatoes and basil leaves. Put the trout fillet in top, add a splash of wine and balsamic vinegar and season with freshly ground black pepper. Wrap up to form a parcel and secure the edges. Place on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.
To serve, stick the parcel on the plate and rip open the bag at the table. Do some green beans on the side.
Pud (takes about 30 seconds to prepare) 10 minutes chilling
Blueberry-yoghurty-thing
1 x punnet of blueberries; 1 x tub of natural yoghurt; 1 x small bottle of elderflower cordial.
Put a handful of blueberries in the bottom of a glass (like a tumbler). Scoop on some yoghurt; chill; just before serving pour a bit of the elderflower cordial on top.
Bangers and mash - special stylie...
Get the best sausages you can from a butchers (Cumberland ring works well). Get some potatoes suitable for boiling, broccoli and cauliflower.
Stick the sausages in the grill and turn to make sure they don't burn.
At the same time boil the potatoes in a saucepan (leave skins on). If you have a steamer, then steam the cauliflower for about 7 mins and add the broccoli for the last 5 mins. (Equal quantities of all three veg). When potatoes are done, drain water and put back in the pan with broccoli and cauliflower. Mash 'em up good and proper (if you like unhealthy food add butter).
Serve in a neat pile in centre of plate with sausage(s) on top. Serve with either a nice red wine or a good bitter.
Follow up with a stodgy dessert.
Get the best sausages you can from a butchers (Cumberland ring works well). Get some potatoes suitable for boiling, broccoli and cauliflower.
Stick the sausages in the grill and turn to make sure they don't burn.
At the same time boil the potatoes in a saucepan (leave skins on). If you have a steamer, then steam the cauliflower for about 7 mins and add the broccoli for the last 5 mins. (Equal quantities of all three veg). When potatoes are done, drain water and put back in the pan with broccoli and cauliflower. Mash 'em up good and proper (if you like unhealthy food add butter).
Serve in a neat pile in centre of plate with sausage(s) on top. Serve with either a nice red wine or a good bitter.
Follow up with a stodgy dessert.
Edited by groomi on Thursday 26th July 10:04
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