Impressive recipes for a special occasion
Need a recipe to wow a crowd? NO PROBLEM. Whether it’s a knockout meal for two or a show-stopping dinner party main course or dessert that your family will love, we’ve rounded up our most impressive recipes for all types of special occasion – or even just a long weekend, when you’ve time to try something new.
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Impressive recipes for a special occasion
Picanha steak with parmesan fonduta, radicchio, anchovies and shallots
Tender and juicy picanha steak is cooked to perfection and served with creamy parmesan potatoes and a peppery radicchio and anchovy salad.
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Easy
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Baked cheesecakes
Basque forest cheesecake
We've given Basque cheesecake a decadent Black Forest spin, with cherries, cream and chocolate. it’s a cheesecake you’ll keep coming back to.
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Easy
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Dinner party desserts
Chocolate pannacottas with pine nut and puffed rice praline
These chocolate pannacottas are silky and rich, and a showstopper dessert for a dinner party. Top with a pine nut and puffed rice praline.
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Medium
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Citrus
Adam Byatt’s citrus, fennel and burrata salad
Top chef Adam Byatt shares his cutting-edge knife advice. Hone your knife skills with his beautiful citrus, fennel and burrata salad.
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Easy
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Patisserie
Hazelnut paris-brest
TV judge and top pastry chef Benoit Blin shows how to master a paris-brest. This famous French bake was invented to celebrate a bicycle race.
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Challenge
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Marmite
Jason Atherton’s Marmite tarts
Jason Atherton's Marmite tarts are a mind-bending combination of sweet pastry and a custard filling laced with Marmite and HP sauce,
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Medium
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Monkfish
Fragrant roast monkfish with green curry beurre blanc and crispy noodles
Roast monkfish, served with green-curry beurre blanc and topped with crispy noodles, is a dinner party main with real wow factor.
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Easy
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New Year's Eve recipes
Mini laab (larb) buns
Ravinder Bhogal's mini laab (or larb) buns are stuffed with pork and prawns, plus plenty of aromatics. Serve as a dinner party starter.
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Medium
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Lemons
Kim-Joy’s lemon meringue pie bubble bath
Kim-Joy's delightful lemon meringue pie has a buttery biscuit crust, encasing a smooth, tart lemon filling. Top with loads of swiss meringue.
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Medium
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Roast chicken
Arun Tilak’s murgh musallam (whole stuffed chicken)
Chef Arun Tilak’s epic murgh musallam (whole stuffed chicken) makes a fabulous festive alternative to turkey or New Year's Eve main course.
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Easy
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Wellingtons
Best-of-the-best beef wellington
Want to show off your cookery skills? Try our best-of-the-best beef wellington recipe for the ultimate take on this culinary classic.
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Medium
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Christmas fish
Roast trout with clementine, ginger, spring onion and herbs
Fancy an alternative to all those heavy festive mains? Try this spectacular whole roast trout, served with a crisp and bright winter salad.
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Easy
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Impressive recipes for a special occasion
Cornish fruits de mer
Push the boat out this Christmas and serve your guests an extravagant fruits de mer platter, piled high with the best Cornish seafood.
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Medium
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Puff pastry
Giant seafood vol-au-vent
This giant vol-au-vent makes a spectacular centrepiece for New Year's Eve or a festive buffet. Pile it high with prawns, scallops and fish.
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Easy
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Rhubarb
Rhubarb and pink grapefruit possets with poppy seed and pistachio shortbread
These possets make the most of winter’s citrus and the pleasant tang of rhubarb. An impressive make-ahead dessert for Christmas entertaining.
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Medium
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Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate mousse with blood orange gel and hazelnut crumb
Dark chocolate mousse is a delight with toasted hazelnut crumb and sweet-sharp blood orange gel in this festive make-ahead dessert.
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Medium
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