Entertaining Made Easy: Hosting a Multi-Course Dinner with Your AGA
A reconditioned Aga cooker is the perfect kitchen accessory when it comes to hosting dinner parties, and some would even say it’s as good (if not better) as having the helping hand of a sous chef. The Aga cooker is a workhorse and makes hosting so much easier. The roasting, baking and simmering oven allow you to make multiple dishes at once, making your timings just right. The food you cook will be full of flavour and moisture…you will truly be the ‘hostess with the mostess’
Here is an example of a seamless, multi-course dinner party using your Aga cooker.
Canapés using your Aga cooker hotplates
The perfect start to any dinner party is canapés. They’re light, tasty and also very sociable. Whether you’re hosting a small group of friends or a larger crowd, it gives your guests the chance to catch up or get to know one another. Smoked salmon blinis always go down a treat, and for those of you who may have guests who are vegetarian, then try an Aubergine & Walnut ‘caviar blini by The Hairy Bikers.
You can top your blinis with almost anything, and it’ll sure to be a crowd pleaser. To make the blinis themselves, it’s simple and there is almost no washing up! The batter can be dropped straight onto your cast-iron simmering plate – no need for a pan. Before you begin to make your blinis, pop your bowl of batter on the top plate of the Aga cooker to allow it to ‘ferment’, as suggested in this simple blini recipe:
Ingredients
• 12g yeast
• 350g plain flour, sifted
• 285ml milk, lukewarm
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• a pinch of salt
• 145ml milk, tepid
• 2 free-range egg whites, whisked
Method
1. Make a thin paste out of the yeast and 225g of the sifted flour diluted with the lukewarm milk.
2. Leave this paste to ferment for two hours in a warm room atmosphere, and then add the rest of the flour (115g), the egg yolks, a pinch of salt, the tepid milk and mix together without letting it acquire any body. Finally add the whisked egg whites.
3. Let the preparation ferment for half an hour, and when about to serve, cook the blinis quickly in the same way as pancakes directly on the hotplates of your Aga cooker.
Starters
Soup has been a firm dinner party favourite for many years. The options are endless and there are so many flavour combinations which can be put together. It can also be made ahead to avoid any stress on the evening of your dinner party which a great advantage. The best kinds of soups are when the flavours come from slow roasted vegetables, cooked in the roasting oven of your Aga cooker. The vegetables retain their moisture and flavour, ensuring they are the perfect base for your soup!
Once you’ve made your soup, leave it in the simmering oven ready for when your guests arrive. It can then be transferred to the simmering plate just before you’re ready for your starter to keep it warming through whilst serving.
Here is a simple yet flavoursome Roasted Sweet Potato & Carrot soup which you can guarantee your guests will love:
Ingredients (to serve 4)
• 500g sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into chunks
• 300g carrots, peeled & cut into chunks
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 onions
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• 100ml crème fraîche
Method
• Roast the vegetables in the roasting oven with a drizzle of olive oil & seasoning in a large tin for about half an hour, or until they are caramelised and tender
• Finely chop the onions and fry in a large saucepan on the simmering plate for about 10 minutes unit softened. Crush the garlic and add to the pan, stirring for 1 minute before adding the vegetable stock. Simmer for around 5-10 minutes, then remove from the heat.
• Once the vegetables are cooked, pop these in with your stock and blend using a hand blender until smooth.
• Add the crème fraîche and heat through, ready to serve.
Aga cooker Main course
It wouldn’t be a dinner party without a succulent, slow cooked meal like a beef bourguignon. Again, this is something you can prepare in advance and then let your Aga cooker take care of the rest. The gentle, radiant heat will slowly cook your meal to perfection – serving your main course will be a dream. You can even make your mashed potato in advance, so that on the evening all you need to worry about it dishing up! Here is the recipe for our favourite beef bourguignon which is paired perfectly with a hearty celeriac mash. Alternatively, if this doesn’t take your fancy, why not have a look at some of our other ‘one-pot wonder’ suggestions.
If mashed celeriac or potato doesn’t take your fancy, then why not try a side of focaccia instead. Focaccia is an all-round favourite, and super easy to make! A simple rosemary and salt focaccia recipe will complement the beef bourguignon perfectly, or any similar one-pot dishes.
Aga Dessert
Dessert is often served best when your guests can choose to take as much or as little as they desire. A pavlova is a great example of this as everyone can get stuck in. It can be made in advance, and the whipped cream and berries can be added just before serving to ensure the meringue is super fresh and crisp! One thing that is fantastic about pavlova is that it’s perfect for all seasons. In the summer months, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries can be used, and in the winter months, why not try blackberries, cranberries and elderberries.
Tips to make entertaining even easier
If you’re serving red wine with your main course, then why not pop a bottle or two on top of the Aga cooker (right at the back of the top plate, on the left hand side) to gently warm it through. This is the perfect way to help balance the flavours of the wine, and soften the tannins.
Most importantly, make sure you serve your quests warm crockery – pop your plates & bowls into the simmering oven minutes or so (or longer) before you’re ready to serve. It makes all the difference.
Last but not least, enjoy the evening & the company of your guests!
Our reconditioned electric Aga cooker models can help make hosting seamless. If you would like some further information on reconditioned Aga cookers, then get in touch today.
