Cheat’s cuisine

Starter: 2 x 600g cartons fresh Mediterranean fish soup (or two large jars lobster soup)
8 fresh cooked unpeeled prawns
35g pack of fresh parsley sprigs
2 baguettes
3 x 50ml sachets freshly made aïoli mayonnaise (or use mayonnaise from a jar mixed with 'lazy garlic')
jar or tube of chilli paste
tube of sundried tomato paste
Total cost: £8.40
Per person: £2.10

Main course:
1 large (2.5kg) or 2 small (1.25kg) ready-stuffed and flavoured chickens
2 x 300g packs of ready-prepared baby carrots
brown sugar
butter
orange juice
2 x 200g packs of ready-prepared baby vegetables (such as baby leeks, sweetcorn, cauliflower
2 x 300g packs of ready-made mashed potato
284ml (10fl oz) tub of crème fraîche
jar of creamed horseradish
Total cost: £14
Per person: £3.50

Dessert:
1 large ready-made pavlova or meringue
2 x 125g punnets of raspberries
2 x 200g tubs of peeled and chopped mango (or use canned peaches)
568ml (1pt) of extra thick cream
2 x 160g jars of raspberry coulis
142ml (5fl oz) pot of single cream
Total cost: £6.84
Per person: £1.71

DINNER PARTY TOTAL COST: £29.24
COST PER PERSON: £7.31

Cost are averaged and based on Tesco prices, November 2001