Cooking up stress free dinner

Long summer nights are perfect for entertaining but the thought of throwing a dinner party for friends has many of us in a flap. But don't panic - experts in the Bay promise it is possible to host a beautiful dinner without breaking the bank or having a breakdown.
With her business Lemongrass Catering Company, Belinda Lombard caters in-home dinner parties for busy clients celebrating special occasions with friends.
On the personal chef side of her business, she offers personally designed menus - and the best part is all the cooking, shopping and cleaning up is included.
But if that's out of reach, Mrs Lombard has plenty of ideas for a successful dinner party.
And if something does go wrong, don't point it out to your guests, Mrs Lombard said.
"Your friends are thrilled that you took the time to create a great meal - don't worry about mistakes," she said.
But there's less likely to be any mistakes if you follow Mrs Lombard's lead and abstain from drinking in the kitchen.
"Not one drop will pass my lips while I'm cooking," she said.
"You think it's a good idea at the time but it's so not, because you stuff things up."
When it comes to giving a meal that special touch, Mrs Lombard recommends "going wild" with fresh herbs and other condiments.
"Sometimes cooking is like dressing for a special occasion - it's the accessories that make the outfit. Balsamic vinegar will be your friend in the kitchen as it is so versatile for dressing, marinades, sweet and savoury [dishes].
"Use butter in your cooking to add richness and go easy on the garlic."
Getting the timing right can be one of the hardest things for home cooks to get right.
But Mrs Lombard advises against trying to rush the meal by turning up the heat.
"It will only burn. Give your guests another glass of wine and tell them it will be another five minutes."
And presentation can give the impression of a special occasion - theming food, music, drinks and decorations can give the party more impact.
"Beautiful table decorations make you feel as though it isn't just another dinner."
Celebrity chef Peter Blakeway said exotic cooking shows on television had raised expectations of the quality of dinner party meals. "We see these wonderful, amazing and frankly slightly expensive products being used all the time.
"We forget that actually food doesn't have to be a expensive as that."
Simple, straight-forward food was the key to a fuss-free dinner party, Mr Blakeway said.
Dinner parties can often be a source of stress for the hosts, who are eager to impress their friends. "When you invite someone into your home you are letting them into the heart of your family, and because of that we try and be the best that we can be," he said.
"Sometimes folk bite off a wee bit more than they can chew. It adds a lot of pressure. So often, people's dinner parties end up as great enjoyment for everyone else, but a nightmare for [the host].
"To me, if you are going to have friends in your home you may as well sit down and enjoy it. Make it simple so you can enjoy the night too."
Part of keeping the night stress-free is not busting the budget. And it's not necessary to buy the most expensive cuts of meat, Mr Blakeway said.
"The cheaper cuts take a little bit more work but they are more than tasty enough to make up for that."
Long, slow cooking ended with "stunning" results, he said.
And when choosing fish, it did not always have to be the "big three" varieties of snapper, hapuka and bluenose, he said.
"Some of the fish out there, which are frankly cheap as chips, are just as tasty. Kahawai are half the price of snapper and they taste great. You have got to use your imagination."
If you're cooking for friends, take a tip from the chefs and cook something tried and true.
A professional chef would never cook something for the first time for a client, Mr Blakeway said, and it should be the same at a dinner party.
"So many people do that. They have a dream of having [something like] a souffle for dessert. There's not a professional chef I know who would ever dream of doing a souffle for the first time straight to a client."
Instead, choose a recipe you know well and have cooked plenty of times - it will keep the night frazzle-free. The most important things to get right were flavour, portion size and temperature, Mr Blakeway said.
"If you get those three right, everyone will have a lovely meal. And if it also happens to look great you will be a master chef.
"With nice wine, nice friends and nice food, you can't go wrong."
See Saturday's Bay of Plenty Times for Belinda's no-fail dinner party menus and 10 tips for a top dinner party from Tauranga's top chefs.