Cook ahead, finish on the night
Choose at least two dishes you can make the day before. Slow braises, dressings and desserts all improve overnight.
Free recipes & hosting tips
Cook it yourself. Or don't.
A few late-spring recipes from my kitchen, and what I've learnt about hosting a good night at home.
Main · Serves 6–8 · 45 minutes + resting
Seared beef with salsa verde
A whole piece of beef, cooked pink, sliced thick and laid over a generous pool of green sauce. Made for passing down the table.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg beef eye fillet or rump cap, at room temperature
- Olive oil, flaky salt, cracked pepper
- Salsa verde: 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley, ½ bunch mint, ½ bunch basil
- 2 tbsp capers, 3 anchovy fillets, 1 small garlic clove
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, zest of ½ lemon
- 150 ml extra-virgin olive oil
Method
- Heat the oven to 200°C. Rub the beef with oil and season heavily.
- Sear in a very hot pan on all sides until well browned, then roast for 15–25 minutes, until it reads about 52°C inside for medium-rare.
- Rest the beef, loosely covered, for 15 minutes.
- For the salsa verde, finely chop the herbs, capers, anchovies and garlic (or pulse briefly). Stir in the mustard, vinegar, zest and oil, then season.
- Spread the salsa verde over a platter, slice the beef thickly and lay it on top. Finish with flaky salt.
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Starter or side · Serves 6 · 25 minutes
Asparagus, hollandaise & toasted hazelnuts
Spring asparagus at its best, with a warm butter sauce and something crunchy on top.
Ingredients
- 3 bunches asparagus, woody ends snapped off
- 50 g hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and roughly chopped
- Hollandaise: 3 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp lemon juice + 1 tbsp water
- 180 g unsalted butter, melted and kept warm
- Salt and a pinch of cayenne
Method
- Whisk the yolks, lemon juice and water in a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water until pale and thick.
- Off the heat, slowly whisk in the warm butter in a thin stream until glossy. Season with salt and cayenne. Keep it warm, not hot.
- Blanch the asparagus in well-salted boiling water for 2–3 minutes, until just tender, then drain.
- Spoon the hollandaise onto a platter, lay the asparagus over it and scatter with the hazelnuts.
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Dessert · Serves 10 · 1 hour + cooling
Flourless chocolate cake, cream & strawberries
Dense, fudgy and naturally gluten-free. Make it the day before, because it's even better once it has set.
Ingredients
- 200 g dark chocolate (about 70%), chopped
- 150 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 150 g caster sugar
- 4 eggs, separated
- 80 g almond meal and a pinch of salt
- To serve: 300 ml cream, softly whipped, and 250 g strawberries, halved
Method
- Heat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan). Grease and line a 23 cm springform tin.
- Melt the chocolate and butter together gently, then cool slightly. Whisk in half the sugar, the yolks, almond meal and salt.
- Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then add the remaining sugar and whisk until glossy. Fold into the chocolate in three goes.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, until just set with a slight wobble in the centre. Cool completely in the tin. It will sink a little, and that's fine.
- Serve in wedges with whipped cream and strawberries.
Rather someone else did the cooking? Enquire about a dinner →
Hosting tips
Five things that make a night at home work
Set the table the night before
Plates, glasses, napkins and candles all sorted early means one less job, and the room already feels ready for a party.
Do the ice maths
Allow about 1 kg of ice per guest on a warm spring evening. Chill your whites and sparkling at least four hours ahead.
Go family style
Big shared platters are more relaxed than plating for a crowd. People pass dishes, talk more and help themselves to seconds.
Ask about dietaries early
Ask when you send the invites. It's far easier to build one menu that works for everyone than to make separate dishes on the night.
Rather spend the night with your guests than in the kitchen? Enquire about a dinner →