Help with 3 course meal idea

[ljg1997]

I am cooking shepherds pie (by request) for a birthday dinner - can anyone suggest a simple but a bit elegant (to offset the main course!!) starter and dessert. If possible prefer a cold starter so I can have it ready before they come and either a cold dessert or one that will cook whilst we are eating. Thanks for your help in advance
ljg xx

[DTCwordfan]

a Pavlova - great fun to make the meringues......tip - keep your oven as low as you can get it - also brilliant alternative for a birthday cake

Ingredients
Serves: 8
4 egg whites
250g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornflour
475ml whipping cream, whipped
rapsberries, strawberries, blueberries
extra punnet for making a rapberry coulis


Preparation method
Prep:30 mins | Cook:1 hour
1.Pre-heat oven to 150 C / Gas mark 2. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. If you can lower the cooking temp increase the time 130 = 1.45
Draw a 23cm (9 in) circle on the parchment.
2.In a large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually add in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until thick and glossy. Overbeaten egg whites lose volume and deflate when folded into other ingredients. Be absolutely sure not a particle of grease or egg yolk gets into the whites. Gently fold in vanilla extract, lemon juice and cornflour.

3.Spoon mixture inside the circle drawn on the parchment. Working from the centre, spread mixture towards the outside edge, building edge slightly. This should leave a slight depression in the centre.

4.Bake for 1 hour.Switch off oven and let it cool in there

5.Remove the parchment, and place meringue on a flat serving plate.

6. Make a raspberry coulis (punnet or better punnet and a half of rasps, 125 g caster sugar, juice on one lemon) - blitz raspberries, lemon juice and caster sugar together and ideally strain through a sieve (use back of spoon) or mouli to take out seeds.

Last minute assembly

Pile up the cut fruit, pour over the raspberry sauce and then cover with whipped cream.


Tip:
To keep your meringue from being flat and grainy, try beating egg whites until stiff but not dry. Overbeaten egg whites lose volume and deflate when folded into other ingredients. Also, when beating in sugar, beat in about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well between each addition. Then beat until meringue is thick, white and glossy. Be absolutely sure not a particle of grease or egg yolk gets into the whites.

As a starter I would do something like a salmon mousse maybe with with a smidge of green salad along side.

[daisya]

I think I'd do a nice fruit salad and cream for sweet or a nice trifle if not too heavy after the shepherds pie (love shepherds pie).

[ljg1997]

Thanks guys great tips
xx

[hc4361]

Smoked salmon as a starter, or a modern prawn cocktail.

[BettyNoir]

I think a nice creamy cheesecake is always a good dessert, and you could always serve it with a bit of fresh fruit on the side.
For a starter that's a bit different, how about a mezze-style platter of finger foods that people can pick at - houmous, olives, pitta breads, roasted peppers, that kind of thing?

[ljg1997]

All great thanks
ljg xx