Cut the cost but not the taste with this delicious dinner party menu for eight
Egg and cucumber cooler
Serves 8
6 eggs
1/2 - 3/4 cucumber
300 ml/10floz mayonnaise
1 tablespoon tomato puree
Dash Worcester sauce
Salt and pepper
Paprika
1 iceberg lettuce
1. Hard-boil the eggs by bringing a large pan of water to the boil, remove from the heat and carefully
place the eggs into the water. Return the pan to the heat and simmer for 9 minutes. Remove the eggs from
the hot water and plunge into cold water. When cool shell the eggs and chop into chunks.
2. Peel and chop the cucumber into chunks roughly the same size as the egg.
3. Mix together the mayonnaise, tomato puree and Worcester sauce and season to taste and then stir in the
chopped eggs and cucumber.
4. Place spoonfuls of the egg and cucumber mix on a bed of shredded lettuce, either in small ramekin dishes
or small plates. Chill until needed.
5. Before serving sprinkle a little paprika over the mayonnaise mix.
Approximate cost using supermarket value range where possible £3.66 for 8 people
Lasagne
Serves 8
750g/1 1/2 lb minced beef
2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 sticks celery chopped
300g/12oz mushrooms, sliced
2 400g cans chopped tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato puree
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 beef stock cubes
Good pinch dried mixed herbs
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Approximately 500g/1lb dried lasagne sheets
Cheese sauce
75g/3oz butter
75g/3oz plain flour
1 ½ pints milk
150g/6oz grated cheddar cheese
Pepper to season
Extra grated cheese for sprinkling on top
1. Preheat oven to 190c/fan 170c/gas mark 6.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and mushrooms and
cook for about 5 minutes until softened.
3. Add the mince to the pan and cook until the meat is browned. If there is a lot of fat in the pan
spoon some off before adding the can of tomatoes, tomato puree, stock cubes, Worcestershire sauce and
herbs. Simmer the mixture for 10-15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile make the cheese sauce by placing butter, flour and milk into a small pan and bring slowly
to the boil stirring or whisking continuously. Simmer for a minute before removing from the heat and
stirring in the cheese and seasoning.
5. Layer up the mince, sauce and lasagne sheets in a rectangular ovenproof dish, finishing with a
layer of white sauce. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake for about 30 minutes until heated though and
top is golden brown.Approximate cost using supermarket value range where possible £8.30 for 8 people
Quick & Easy Lemon Torte
Serves 8
Cooking time: None (Chill in fridge for at least 3 hours)
100g (4oz) Digestive biscuits
50g (2oz) butter
Half large can condensed milk
2 lemons
250ml carton whipping cream
1. Crush the biscuits. Melt butter and stir in the biscuits. Press into the base of a loose-based 8" flan tin. Chill in fridge while you make the topping.
2. Grate rind from lemons and then squeeze out the juice.
3. Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Reserve 3-4 tablespoons for decoration. Fold the condensed milk into the remaining cream and then stir in the lemon juice and rind. Pour onto biscuit base and chill in fridge until firm (about 3 hours).
4. Decorate with the reserved cream and grated chocolate or sliced kiwi fruit if wished.
Approximate cost using supermarket value range where possible £2.85 for 8 people
