I was never very good at dinner parties. Like a pungent white goats cheese, I crumble under pressure. The guests will be arriving and I’ll be chopping, peeling, sweating and hissing furtive commands at my boyfriend.
But I’ve discovered the secret. And it’s not groundbreaking or anything to stress about. It’s to let the ingredients do the work so that you have more time to entertain your guests. I used to think it was the more complex dishes that were the most impressive, but if you match a couple of unusual flavours and keep everyone’s glasses topped up, they’ll be far more likely to have a good time.
All the following suggestions centre around the idea of snipping a handful of herbs from their boxes and throwing them together with a few other ingredients. Many can be prepared the night before, which will give the impression that you’re a natural host. Simple, quick and delicious, as easy – if not even more so – as pie.