Starters and nibbles

Taramasalata and houmous with crudites and toasted pitta strips
You can make taramasalata and houmous yourself but it's much easier to pick up some ready-made. You can even find reduced-fat houmous in most supermarkets - it's healthier because it uses less oil.

Spoon the dips into two small bowls and place on a large serving dish. Sprinkle the surface of the houmous with some paprika to add spice and colour. The taramasalata should already be a pale-pink colour and will contrast prettily with the rich red of the paprika.

Cut lengths of celery, carrot, cucumber, red and yellow pepper and spread them around the dips. Toast a packet of six pitta breads in the toaster or under the grill. When cool enough to handle, cut into 1cm/ 1/2 inch strips and intermingle them with the crudites.

Roasted red onion and goats cheese croutes with tomato and basil salsa
Makes enough for 6

2 tbsp olive oil
2 large red onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
salt and black pepper
150g/5 1/2 oz mild, soft goat's cheese
150g 5 1/2 oz cream cheese (use the half-fat version if you like)
half a loaf of ciabatta bread
250g/9oz cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
4-6 basil leaves, shredded
squeeze of lemon juice

Heat the oil in a frying pan and gently saute the onions until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, salt and pepper, then turn up the heat slightly and fry until any liquid has cooked off and the onions begin to turn golden. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Place the two cheeses in a food processor with the cooled onion mixture and whizz briefly until blended. Cut the ciabatta into 6 slices and toast or grill both sides. Mix the tomatoes, basil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

To serve spread the toasted ciabatta with the cheese-and-onion mixture and top with the tomato salsa.

Main course dishes

Salmon and red Camargue rice salad with fresh spinach
Serves 6-8 as part of a buffet selection

4 x salmon fillets, skinned
salt and black pepper
squeeze of lemon juice
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp light olive oil
200g/7oz red Camargue rice, cooked according to packet instructions
200g/7 oz baby spinach leaves, washed

Preheat the grill, place the salmon on a baking sheet lined with foil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until just done and turning golden on top, about 8-10 minutes, depending on thickness. Break into 2.5cm/1in chunks and squeeze over a little lemon juice.

Mix the vinegar and oil together and season with salt and pepper. While the rice is still warm (but not too hot) toss with the spinach leaves and drizzle over the dressing.

Spread the rice mixture on a large serving plate and lay the salmon pieces on top.

Roasted chicken salad with red grapes, served with beetroot fromage frais
Serves 6-8 as part of a buffet selection

1 roasted chicken (quick and easy to buy ready-roasted from the supermarket, or cook your own)
large bunch of seedless red grapes
1 small, pre-cooked beetroot
200g/7oz fromage frais
2 sprigs fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
salt and black pepper
2 bags of exotic and colourful salad leaves (lollo rosso and red oak-leaf varieties have a nice red cast)

Remove the meat from the chicken and cut or shred into bite-size pieces. Cut the grapes in half and mix with the chicken.

Finely chop the beetroot and mix into the fromage frais. It should bleed into the cheese and turn it pink. Stir in the chopped tarragon and season with salt and pepper. Gently toss the dressing into the chicken and grapes or, if you prefer, spoon into a bowl and serve it on the side.

Scatter the leaves in a large, shallow serving bowl and pile the chicken mixture on top.

Tomato and shallot tarte tatin (Vegetarian)
Serves 6-8 as part of a buffet selection

16 large, ripe, plum or vine tomatoes
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
salt and pepper
12 shallots
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
300g/10oz puff pastry
100g/3 1/2 oz Parmesan, grated

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5. With a small knife cut the core end out of the tomatoes and put them in a bowl. Pour over boiling water to cover and leave for 20-30 seconds. Drain and run under cold water. Peel the tomatoes and cut in half round the 'equator'.

Lightly oil a roasting tin and place the tomatoes, cut-side up, inside. Spoon over 4 tbsp olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, garlic and salt and pepper. Bake for 45-50 minutes.

Meanwhile pour boiling water over the shallots in a heatproof bowl and leave for 30 seconds. Peel off the skin, keeping the root end intact, and drizzle with the rest of the olive oil. Twenty minutes before the tomatoes are done, add the shallots to the roasting tin and bake for the final 20 minutes.

Line a 23cm/9in round baking dish or cake tin with greaseproof paper, brush with a little oil and sprinkle over the brown sugar. Roll out the puff pastry and cut out a circle slightly larger than the dish or tin. Place on a baking sheet and prick it all over with a fork. Place in the fridge until ready to bake.

Arrange the tomatoes in the dish or tin, cut-side down over the sugar, and tuck the shallots in between so that everything is tightly packed. Sprinkle over the grated Parmesan. Lay the pastry over the tomatoes and shallots, tucking the edges well in around the side of the dish or tin.

Increase the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6 and bake the tart for 30-40 minutes until the pastry is risen and golden. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before running a knife around the edge and inverting onto a serving plate. Peel off the greaseproof paper, cut into wedges and serve warm.

Red pepper tart (Vegetarian)
Serves 6-8 as part of a buffet selection

375g/13oz ready-rolled shortcrust pastry
2 x 375g jars Peppadew sweet, spicy peppers, drained
1 x 568ml/ tub single cream
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
salt and black pepper
freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5. Use the pastry to line a 23cm/9in flan dish or tart tin with at least 2.5cm/1in tall sides. Line with greaseproof paper and baking beans and bake blind for 12-15 minutes or until the pastry is set and sandy-coloured. Remove the paper and beans and return to the oven for another 3-4 minutes.

Place the peppers, cream, eggs and egg yolks in a food processor, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and whiz until blended.

Reduce the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Place the baked pastry shell on a baking sheet and place on the oven shelf. Carefully pour in the red pepper filling and bake for 35-45 minutes or until set. Cut into wedges and serve warm or cold.

Desserts
Baked peaches with honey and almonds, served with raspberry yoghurt
Serves 4 or 8 as part of a buffet selection 4 peaches or nectarines
2 tbsp honey
few pinches cinnamon
250g/9oz fresh or frozen raspberries (defrosted if frozen)
50g/1 3/4 oz flaked almonds
200ml/ tub Greek yoghurt

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5. Halve the peaches or nectarines and remove the stones. Place in a baking dish, cut-side up, drizzle over the honey and sprinkle with the cinnamon. Bake for 20 minutes. Scatter the flaked almonds on top and return to the oven to bake for another 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, set aside eight of the raspberries for garnish. Crush the rest with a fork or whiz in a food processor and pass through a sieve to remove the seeds. Fold the raspberry juice into the Greek yoghurt until blended to a lovely pink colour.

Serve the peaches or nectarines with a dollop of raspberry yoghurt and a whole raspberry to garnish.

Berry cherry crumble with cherry cream
Serves 6-8 as part of a buffet selection

1 x 680g jar pitted morello cherries
450g/1lb strawberries
450g/1lb blackberries
100g/3 1/2oz plain flour
100g/3 1/2oz butter, cold and cut into cubes
100g/3 1/2oz coarse porridge oats
100g/3 1/2oz Demerara sugar
284ml tub extra-thick double cream

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5 and lightly butter a large, shallow baking dish. Drain the cherries, reserving the liquid. Mix the strawberries, blackberries and cherries in the baking dish.

Sieve the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter, using the tips of your fingers, until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the oats and sugar and spread over the top of the fruit. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the fruit is bubbling and the topping golden brown.

While the crumble is baking, place the reserved cherry juice in a saucepan and boil until reduced by two-thirds, then allow to cool. Place the thick cream in a small serving bowl and swirl the cherry syrup through it to give a marble effect. Serve with the warm crumble.

Pink and lime jelly slice
Serves 10-12 as part of a buffet selection

250g/9oz Nice biscuits (or use Digestives or Rich Tea)
100g/3 1/2 oz melted butter
1 x 11g sachet powdered gelatine
175ml/6fl oz warm water
1 x 400g tin condensed milk
juice of 2 large limes and zest of 1 lime
1 x 135g box strawberry or raspberry jelly
300ml/10fl oz boiling water
250ml/5fl oz cold water

Crush the biscuits in a food processor or in a bowl, using the end of a rolling pin. Pour in the melted butter and mix to combine. Press into the base of a baking tin approximately 23cm/9in square or an equivalent-sized round, ceramic quiche dish. Place in the fridge.

Dissolve the gelatine in the warm water according to the packet instructions and when cool, mix with the condensed milk, lime juice and zest. (It will go slightly curdled and lumpy due to the lime but don't worry, it will still set.) Pour over the biscuit base and chill until set.

Dissolve the jelly in the boiling water, then add the cold water and leave until completely cool. Pour over the lime layer and chill until set. Cut into squares or wedges to serve.

Drinks

Cardinal punch (non-alcoholic)

Makes approximately 2.4 litres/4 1/2 pints
1 litre/1 3/4 pint cranberry juice
1 litre/1 3/4 pint American ginger ale
300ml/11fl oz fresh orange juice
juice of 3 lemons

Mix all the ingredients together in a large jug or punch bowl and serve over ice cubes.

Rose wine spritzer
Makes 4 glasses

1 bottle pink rose wine, chilled
400ml/14fl oz sparkling mineral water

Simply divide the wine among four glasses and top up with the mineral water.

Tequila sunrise
Makes 1 cocktail

crushed ice or cubes
30ml/1fl oz tequila
50ml/2fl oz orange juice
2 tsp grenadine syrup


Half-fill a wine or cocktail glass with ice, then pour in the tequila and orange juice. Slowly drizzle in the grenadine. As it falls to the bottom it will give a pink 'sunrise' effect.