Simon and Takashi are coming for dinner tonight. I usually spend weeks if not months planning a dinner for these gorgeous guys, not just because I love them so much, but because I am always trying to match Takashi’s kitchen wizardry and the plethora of dishes he always serves up!
However, today I don’t really have time on my side because, this dinner is like last minute dot com! We only saved the date last week which has given my less than 7 days to prepare and plan my menu! More to the point, this is a Friday night dinner, so I only have a small window of opportunity after work to make magic in the kitchen!
The Thermomix is fast becoming my new best friend. It makes the uber delicious Fennel and Almond Soup and the gorgeous garnish that goes with it, in less than half an hour! I throw the soup into the thermoserver (which keeps hot food hot or cold food cold for up to 3 hours!) and then turn my attention to the mains. I’ve chosen a one-dish dinner Oven-Baked Herbed Fish so I can spend more time with my guests, and less time in the kitchen.
It’s dinner express in every sense of the word. Thanks to my trusty thermoserver, soup is served upon arrival. It’s hot to trot and tastes amazing. I love the way the herby-zesty fusion garnish cuts through the aniseed of the fennel, full of flavour and with a lovely creamy but nutty texture. It’s a real hit!
The Oven-Baked Fish Herbed Fish is a true taste of the Mediterranean and we serve it up with some smooth-as-silk sweet potato mash fresh from the thermie! Easy as!
For dessert, I do my “here’s one I baked earlier” trick, and produce the Luscious Lemon Baked Cheesecake which despite using low fat cheese, is really rich and as it’s name suggests lusciously lemony! In fact, David goes so far as to say it’s the best cheesecake I’ve ever made, which is high praise indeed as I’ve made a fair few!
I don’t know whether it’s because we’re fast eaters, my high level of organisation or my beloved Thermomix, but dinner really is over in record time – that’s what I call Dinner Express!
