Rosie Mackean’s delicious Mother’s Day menu (with time plan)

Rosie’s Mother’s Day menu for six

Leek and spring greens soup with soft eggs and crispy capers
“Soup is often pigeonholed as being a safe option when you’re entertaining, but its strength is that it can be made in advance. So for your Mothering Sunday meal I put to you this leek and spring greens soup, lush with plenty of herbs and topped with soft-boiled eggs.”

Picanha steak with parmesan fonduta, radicchio, anchovies and shallots
“Picanha is the Brazilian name for rump cap, a large steak that’s usually grilled on a barbecue. With it being March, it’s not a realistic proposal, so we’re going to do a ‘reverse sear’, where the steaks are cooked low and slow in the oven, then finished off in a hot pan for perfectly cooked meat every time.”

Blueberry queen of puddings with brown sugar meringue
“This is a gorgeous little riff on the classic queen of puddings, which is surely the only appropriate dessert on a day like Mothering Sunday. A soft-baked custard thickened with breadcrumbs is topped with luscious blueberry jam and an airy layer of nutty, brown-sugar meringue. Making meringue is a bit of a faff, for sure, but for a special occasion it’s a wondrous treat. I love using brown sugar for a caramel note.”

How to prepare ahead

My hosting philosophy is that you should be doing minimal cooking while your guests are in your home. Restaurant chefs prep or cook nearly everything before service to make things easier, and so should you. Here’s a little plan for these recipes so you can prepare ahead, making sure you can actually have a good time cooking.

Be inspired by Rosie’s comfort food dinner party menu next, including crab and prawn pies with chips.