recipes to impress

Such a treat on Christmas Eve or for any deluxe special occasion. The chips are gilding the lily, but why not?

Lobster thermidor

1x750 grams/1½lb lobster, cooked

grams/¾oz fresh parmesan, grated

butter

shallot, finely chopped

275 milliliters/10fl oz fish stock

55 milliliters/2fl oz white wine

110 milliliters/4fl oz double cream

½ tsp English mustard

parsley

½ lemon, juice only

salt and black pepper

potatoes,

vegetable oil,

Puttanesca is a fiery, easy sauce for pasta that can be made in less time than it takes to cook a pan of linguine.

Linguine alla puttanesca

linguine

tbsp extra virgin olive oil

tin chopped tomatoes

garlic

anchovies, anchovy fillets

chilli flakes

capers,

black olives, stones removed if you wish

basil leaves

sea salt

The UK's foremost Italian food writer shows you how to make an authentic pasta puttanesca

The perfect pasta puttanesca by Anna Del Conte

This classic creamy beef stroganoff recipe is made with mushrooms, smoked paprika and slices of pan-fried rump steak. It is also still filling without the rice, should you want to reduce the calorie count.

Each serving provides 795 kcal (505 kcal without rice), 59g protein, 87g carbohydrates (of which 18g sugars), 18g fat (of which 7.5g saturates), 18g fibre and 4.5g salt.

Beef stroganoff

olive oil

onion,

garlic cloves, finely chopped

beef stock cube

tsp sweet smoked paprika

tomato purée

tin beef consommé (or beef stock)

150 grams/5½oz chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced

Dijon mustard

rump

olive oil spray

cornichons

75 milliliters/2½fl oz half-fat crème fraîche

tbsp finely chopped flatleaf parsley

tbsp chervil

onion flakes

sea salt and black pepper

160 grams/5¾oz basmati rice,

Peppercorn crusted steak served with a beautiful Diane sauce rich with brandy and cream. Tarragon isn’t a classic herb to stir into this quick sauce, but it goes beautifully with the steak. Use fresh stock or make beef stock with just a third of a cube – any stronger and it could overpower the lovely pan juices.

Steak Diane with sauté potatoes

650 grams/1lb 7 ounces potatoes, preferably Maris Piper

sunflower oil

tsp finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

black peppercorns

shallots (or 1 long banana shallot), finely sliced

brandy

tsp worcestershire sauce

200 milliliters/7fl oz beef stock (fresh stock

tbsp double cream

tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves (optional)

Tarragon isn't a classic herb to stir into this quick sauce, but it goes beautifully with the steak. Use fresh stock or make beef stock with just a third of a cube ­- any stronger and it could overpower the lovely pan juices.

Stuffed mushrooms make an easy starter or quick supper. Mix and match the toppings to whatever you fancy. 

Each serving provides 445 kcal, 25g protein, 7g carbohydrate (of which 6g sugars), 34g fat (of which 16g saturates), 5g fibre and 1.9g salt. 

Stuffed mushrooms

Portobello mushrooms, stems removed and finely chopped

½ onion, finely chopped

spinach

grams/3½oz goats' cheese cheese

red peppers

grams/1¾oz cheddar, grated

lemon

Life's too short to stuff a mushroom? Not when they're this good. Ellis shows you how.

Make It Easy: Stuffed mushrooms

Transform a simple chicken breast by stuffing it with garlicky cheese and wrapping it in crisp streaky bacon. This recipe is guaranteed to make someone feel completely spoiled. Plus it's on the table in 20 minutes.

Stuffed chicken wrapped in bacon

chicken breasts

60 grams/2¼oz garlic and herb soft cheese

bacon

breadcrumbs

Parmesan

cherry tomatoes

Stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon, chicken breast gets a makeover.

How to cook: Stuffed chicken breast

This indulgent omelette recipe is rich, creamy and perfect for a weekend treat. Fluffy eggs, béchamel sauce and smoked haddock are topped with cheese and grilled to create a crisp top. 

Omelette Arnold Bennett

700 milliliters/1¼ pint milk

cloves

bay leaf

onion, chopped

undyed smoked haddock fillet (about 300 grams/10½oz)

eggs,

grams/½oz butter, plus extra knob for cooking

grams/½oz plain flour

Parmesan,

tbsp crème fraîche

salt and pepper

There’s a reason duck a l’orange is a classic - it’s delish. Try it with hasselback potatoes and seasonal veg.

Duck a l’orange

orange

duck

tsp flaked sea salt, plus extra to season

bay leaves

black pepper

½ onion, peeled and thinly sliced

tbsp orange liqueur,

75 milliliters/2½fl oz red wine

oranges,

orange marmalade

Okay you probably can't eat this 1960s dish without a heap of irony, but there's a reason this retro-regarded recipe is a classic. It's delish.

Duck a l'orange

Full of umami from the mushrooms and tamari, this vegan risotto is comforting, delicious and gluten free. 

Each serving provides 609 kcal, 18g protein, 90g carbohydrates (of which 6.5g sugars), 12.5g fat (of which 3g saturates), 10.5g fibre and 4.1g salt.

Vegan risotto with mushroom and leek 

grams/1¾oz dried porcini mushrooms

vegetable stock (just-boiled water with 1 vegetable stock cube)

leek

grams/5½oz mushrooms

tamari

thyme

arborio rice

125 milliliters/4fl oz vegan white wine

½ tsp cracked black pepper,

asparagus spears, thinly sliced lengthways, to garnish (optional)

This high protein creamy chicken and mushroom dinner for two is really satisfying, but surprisingly low in calories. It's quick and easy to cook too, making it perfect for a weekday treat.

Each serving provides 391 kcal, 58g protein, 10.5g carbohydrate (of which 7g sugars), 11.5g fat (of which 6g saturates), 7.5g fibre and 1.1g salt.

Top 10 recipes to impress recipes from across the web

The most viewed recipes to impress recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Lobster thermidor

Linguine alla puttanesca

Beef stroganoff

Steak Diane with sauté potatoes

Stuffed mushrooms

Stuffed chicken wrapped in bacon

Omelette Arnold Bennett

Duck a l’orange

Vegan risotto with mushroom and lee...

Creamy mushroom chicken

Top 10 recipes to impress recipes from across the web

The most viewed recipes to impress recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Lobster thermidor

Linguine alla puttanesca

Beef stroganoff

Steak Diane with sauté potatoes

Stuffed mushrooms

Stuffed chicken wrapped in bacon

Omelette Arnold Bennett

Duck a l’orange

Vegan risotto with mushroom and lee...

Creamy mushroom chicken

The most viewed recipes to impress recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine