INDULGENT: Five top dishes to make your dinner party a success

Here's five recipes we are sure will impress - and you can buy all the ingredients at Aldi...

 

Rosa di Parma

Ingredients:

2 Specially Selected Outdoor Bred Pork Fillets

4 slices Specially Selected Parma Ham

70g Specially Selected Parmigiano Reggiano

10ml Cucina Balsamic Vinegar

40ml Specially Selected Extra Virgin Olive Oil

70g drained Solesta Green Olives

500g pack Cucina Reginette

Italian Spice

Black Pepper

Thin kitchen string

 

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.

Coarsely grate the Specially Selected Parmigiano Reggiano.

Chop the green olives finely.

Mix the cheese and olives together in a small bowl along with the balsamic vinegar, then season with some ground Italian spice.

Cut a slit in the pork fillets lengthways to form a pocket, put your fingers inside and push outwards to make the cavity bigger.

Lay one piece of ham into each of the fillets and push in.

Divide the cheese mixture between the 2 and put in the fillets, on top of the ham.

Now cover the cheese mixture with another slice of ham, push into the sides.

Tie up the fillets with string at 4 cm intervals.

Pu t the fillets onto a baking sheet, cut side up, drizzle with the olive oil, season with some black pepper.

Roast for 40 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the pasta as per instructions on the pack, drain and toss in a little of the olive oil and some black pepper.

Slice the pork, remove the string and serve on a bed of the pasta.

 

Baked Sausage with Peppers and Sweet Potato Mash

1 x 681g pack (12) Everyday Essentials British Pork sausages – 99p (51695)

1 x pack 3 mixed peppers – 95p (51049)

2 x 750g bags sweet potatoes – 69p (51166)

Quixo meat gravy granules – 75p (53919)

80g Butter

A splash of milk

A little olive oil

Total = £3.38

 

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.

Cut the peppers into large chunks, and put in a large roasting dish, along with sausages and the vegetable oil.

Cook for 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel the sweet potatoes, cut into large chunks and boil for 20 minutes, until tender, in some lightly salted water.

Drain the liquid from the sweet potatoes and mash them along with the butter and a little milk.

Drain only excess oil from the sausages and peppers.

Serve them on top of a bed of mashed, sweet potato, with some Quixo meat gravy.

 

Steak with Whisky Peppercorn Sauce

Ingredients:

For the Steak and Sauce

½ Small Onion, finely chopped

1 Quixo Beef Stock Cube

2 small glasses (150mls) Scotch Whisky

100mls water

1 tbsp Stonemill Whole Black Peppercorns, crushed

1 tbsp Bramwells White Wine Vinegar

1 tbsp Bramwells Dijon Mustard

1 pot Parsley, chopped

250mls Cowbelle British Double Cream

4 tbsp Solesta Vegetable Oil

4 Specially Selected British Dry Aged Rib Eye Steaks 8oz

 

For the Tomatoes

6 fresh tomatoes, halved

2 tbsp Specially Selected Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tbsp Solesta Balsamic Vinegar

Pinch Stonemill Table Salt

Pinch Stonemill Coarse Ground Black Pepper

Pinch The Pantry Granulated Sugar

 

Serves: 4 people

Ready: 1 hour 30 minutes

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: Up to 1 hour

 

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 5.

Place the tomatoes into a baking tray, and then drizzle over the oil and the vinegar. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and sugar.

Place into the pre-heated oven and cook for 1 hour to let them dry out. Keep spooning over the oil and vinegar so they glaze nicely.

Next make the sauce by placing the onion, stock cube, whisky, water, peppercorns, vinegar and mustard into a saucepan.

Bring to the boil, then simmer until reduced by ¾, then add the parsley and the double cream, re-boil and remove from the heat. Season well with salt and pepper, then cover with cling film.

Meanwhile, pre-heat the grill or frying pan until nice and hot, add a little oil.

Season the steaks well with salt and pepper and grill or fry until the steak is to your liking. This will take between 4-8 minutes on each side.

Once cooked remove from the pan and keep warm (rest) for 5 minutes.

Serve with the cooked oven chips and lots of rocket.

 

Seared Scallops with Orange Juice Reduction

Ingredients:

8 Specially Selected Scallops

2 tbsp Specially Selected Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

8 Rosemary Sprigs kept in cold water

250ml Rio D’oro Fresh Orange Juice

1 tsp The Pantry Granulated Sugar

1 Garlic Clove, crushed

Stonemill Coarse Ground Black Pepper

 

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ready: 10 minutes

 

Method

Place a pan on a high heat and add the orange juice and sugar. Reduce until thick syrup has formed, then remove from the heat and add the garlic and a little olive oil and place to one side.

Take the rosemary and strip a few leaves away from the twig and pierce through the middle of a scallop, like a skewer. Repeat this for all the scallops. Season the scallops with black pepper.

Add a little oil to a very hot pan and add the scallops. Cook for approx. 40 seconds on each side, then add the orange juice syrup and continue cooking for 15 seconds.

Serve immediately.

 

Simple Bitter Chocolate Pots with White Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

570ml Cowbelle British Double Cream

1 tsp Specially Selected Colombian Freeze Dried Instant Coffee granules

Pinch of Stonemill Table Salt

80g Aldi Moser Roth Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa, chopped

4 medium Merevale Egg yolks

120g The Pantry Granulated Sugar

 

For the sauce

100g Choceur White Chocolate

100ml Cowbelle British Double Cream

Grated Dairyfine Dark Chocolate

 

Serves: 4 people

Ready: 45 minutes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

 

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 170°C, Gas mark 3.

In a pan bring the cream, coffee and salt to the boil, then add the chopped chocolate. Remove from the heat and stir until dissolved.

In a bowl whisk the egg yolks and sugar just to bring together.

Pour the chocolate milk on to the egg mixture and stir well.

Pour into 4 or 6 (depending on the size) small china pots or ramequins. Egg cups are a fun alternative for children.

Place the pots carefully into a baking tray half filled with boiling water, cover with foil and place in the oven.

Cook for about 30 minutes or until just set and slightly wobbly. Be careful to not overcook!

When cooked, remove from the tray and cool, then chill them well.

To serve, melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, then add the cream, stir until smooth and silky.

Top the chocolate pots with the hot sauce and grated bitter chocolate. Perfect!

 

Top Tips

This recipe can be adapted with any of the Aldi chocolate range – try adding a little chilli powder to the warmed chocolate, this works really well.

A few raspberries or strawberries chopped, then mixed with a little chopped white chocolate and spooned on top, nicely rounds off this dessert.