Your dessert choices

You don't have to put yourself under undue pressure – your main aim is to make it easy on yourself and to deliver a delectable dessert.

You've already got one choice - “The Rhubarb and the rest” gives you rhubarb and ice cream – but not as you know it.

If you prefer the strawberry route, you have two choices of ice cream – both no-churn – to go with the Strawberry Summer Pudding and syrup - “Speaking of seasonal fresh fruit”posted on 14th July 2019 gives you strawberry ice cream – the best ever I may say! If you fancy something a little different then check out “Strawberries and ice cream and Strawberry Miso Ripple posted, with photos on 21st July 2019.

I hope this birthday lunch menu with its recipes and hints and tips has given you inspiration for your own summer celebrations and you can create your own “creaking table”. As for me and my over-catering condition I'd prefer to call it generosity of spirit – and table! What's the worst that can happen – I have enough food leftover for lunches and suppers for the following couple of days – I can't lose.

Happy summer!

P.s. Whilst I'm on the subject of “summer pudding” I'm already thinking ahead. It won't be long before we're into Autumn and beyond (I'm sorry but you'll thank me for the ideas). Let me ask you a question – do you ever end up with a panettone you don't really like? Check out Cherry and Chocolate Panettone Pudding and The Pudding cont'd – complete with photos 16th December 2016. You'll be glad you did.

Finally, in my defence, I bought a chocolate panettone yesterday – here's a photo to prove it!

The rhubarb and the rest!

Roasting rhubarb is the best way of cooking this delicious fruit – it holds its shape, not disintegrating into an unrecognisable mush! It deserves so much more. In addition this recipe is the easiest ever.

Roasted Rhubarb

Serves 4

550g rhubarb

85g golden caster sugar

Pre-heat your oven 200c/180fan/Gas 6.

Rinse the rhubarb and shake off excess water. Trim the ends and cut the rhubarb into little pieces. Put the rhubarb in a shallow dish or baking sheet with sides, tip the sugar over, toss it then shuffle the rhubarb so it remains in a single layer.

Cover with foil and roast for 15 minutes. Remove the foil – the sugar should have dissolved so give everything a shake and roast for another 5 minutes or until tender and the juices are syrupy. Test with a sharp knife, the rhubarb should feel tender, not mushy and kept its shape.

The rhubarb freezes extremely well – my usual note of caution – freeze in smaller amounts, less waste!

At this stage you have a choice of dessert options and added components too.

If you're a fan of rhubarb have a look at “Speaking of the rhubarb harvest” 26th May 2018 for link on the blog – it gives a series of rhubarb recipes and photos too – you might like the no-churn ice cream, “Ritzy Rhubarb Ripple”. You'd actually do yourself two favours – roasting the rhubarb and making the ice cream gives you a complete dessert in the freezer which you can make whenever you have time.

Your dessert choices up next.

Birthday lunch puds – what's next

Assembling your pudding - you'll need :

1 litre (1&¾pt) basin.

A plain sided cutter slightly larger than the base of the basin.

Cling film and a drop of vegetable oil

Wipe the inside of the basin with a drop of vegetable oil. Place the cling in the basin and line ensuring that you have enough so that it overlaps the basin.

Cut out a circle of cake for the base and place it in the basin. Line the rest of the basin – I overlap each piece of cake – but it's whatever you'd prefer.

Using a slotted spoon fill the cake lined basin with the strawberry compote – set aside the compote syrup, box and fridge. Top the pudding with slices of cake and cover completely. Fold the cling film over the pudding to seal.

Place a slightly smaller plate or saucer on top of the basin and weigh down with a tin (the heaviest in your pantry/store cupboard). Fridge it for 12-24 hours.

To serve, remove the tin and plate, unwrap the cling film, cover the bowl with a large plate. Invert the pudding onto the plate and remove the cling film.

Serve the compote syrup in a jug on the side, ready to drizzle over the pudding. Add whatever takes your fancy - cream, ice cream or custard.

Coming up … the rhubarb and the rest!

The birthday lunch – the puds

The old ones are the best and seasonal even better. I decided to showcase both - a traditional summer pudding using strawberries – two ticks! Three if you count the fact that you make it 12-24 hours ahead so another “make ahead” tick. It also looks spectacular when it's turned out.

I'm not sure why – I think I have OCOCD – obsessive compulsive over catering disorder - I have to serve two puds – so I've decided it will be roasted rhubarb too – more ticks, make ahead and freeze too.

Strawberry and rhubarb are another marriage made in heaven, so whatever combination the guests desire.

Back to the Strawberry Summer Pudding, I know I've mentioned it before on the blog but it's worth repeating - it uses fresh fruits in season and uses Madeira cake and not the traditional bread. For those out there who have been kind enough to follow the blog since the beginning, you'll know already of my aversion to dishes like rice pudding, sago and semolina – wet bread joins that list!

Strawberry Summer Pudding

Make double the quantity of strawberry compote

1kg ripe strawberries, hulled

8 tbsp caster sugar

4 tbsp lemon juice

Cut the strawberries in half – or quarters if large – place in a large saucepan with the sugar and lemon juice. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved and then simmer. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook for 8/10 minutes until dark in colour and syrupy. Let the compote cool.

Madeira cake – I use an inexpensive shop bought cake (265g) – sliced lengthways into quarter inch/5mm slices and neatened. Here's where it's difficult to predict whether you'd need one cake or two – cake size varies depending which supermarket you use. I'd err on the side of caution and opt for two. For the size of basin stated, it takes approximately 10 slices of cake.

Assembly up next.

The seafood dish, morphed!

You can make this dish into whatever you wish – instead of a starter or sides with other dishes, it makes a great lunch dish or a supper by adding ingredients of your choice. Raid your fridge for spring onions, sweet baby peppers and asparagus tips. All you need to remember is make sure they are of a similar size and I'd blanch the asparagus tips for 30 seconds for even stir frying. Use any veggies in season that you love!

My personal favourites - diced water chestnuts, baby corn, diced mushrooms, the world is definitely your lobster.

This is a perfect example of the marriage of treasure chest (aka freezer) and pantry/store cupboard ingredients.

I added another element and served the seafood on a bed of noodles for supper – here it is :

The noodles served in a dish with a deep bowl - exactly right - layer your scallops, king prawns and sauce on the top, duvet day supper anyone?

Verdict - “that was my kind of supper – fab!”

Just in case you thought I'd forgotten, or didn't serve any, it's the birthday lunch puds next!

The seafood fotos

Here's the dish I used for the starter

it measures 18.5 x 11.5cms - 7”x 4½” in old money!

The black bean sauce – a definite addition

to your pantry or store cupboard

The scallops in clock face formation!

The scallops, turned and sealed one side

The scallops and king prawns in the sauce

ready to serve

How good was it? I was asked for the recipe, which I had never committed to print, until now so I think it was a hit!

For the fish lovers … or strictly speaking seafood lovers!

I know that my salad menu is a long one – what can I say, I love what I call a creaking table!

I said at the beginning that we had two fish lovers. I want to make sure that I don't finish up meeting myself coming back when the guests arrive but by the same token want to serve food that everyone will enjoy.

The recipe/dish that follows I've served before and it went well then, so time for another appearance. If you're interested in dishes that can be prepped and served in minutes then I think you'll like this.

Scallops and king prawns in black bean sauce

Serves 2 as a starter

7 scallops per person (from frozen –

frozen scallops are usually smaller than fresh)

7 cooked king prawns (from frozen)

drop of rapeseed oil

salt and black pepper

Waitrose Cooks' Ingredients

black bean sauce

This is a dish that you pull from your freezer – the scallops and the king prawns and from your pantry/store cupboard - the black bean sauce.

As a guide I sourced the king prawns (200g) and the black bean sauce (220g) from Waitrose - £4.80 and £2.49 respectively. The scallops came from Marks and Spencer (300g) £9.00. Prices will vary.

You need to remember to take the scallops and king prawns out of the freezer the night before and fridge them. Make sure you drain any liquid and pat dry with kitchen roll before cooking.

I always use the clock face method when cooking scallops – heating the rapeseed oil until hot and beginning at 12 o'clock and forming an outer circle in your pan, sealing and seasoning with salt and black pepper. When you return to where you began turn each scallop again to seal on the other side. Add the king prawns, season and then toss together for 2 minutes to warm the prawns through. Add 100ml of the black bean sauce tossing to cover thoroughly. Serve immediately.

Some helpful photos on their way.