Catered birthday dinner party in Cardiff

That (almost) week between Christmas and New Year! Goes so fast doesn't it? Especially when you've got have other parties to cook for whilst preparing for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. This one in Cardiff was on New Year's Eve Eve.

Chilli and garlic prawns

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Slow roast belly pork with fondant potato and pancetta wrapped cabbage

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Tiramisu

Pics from my client's phone, and it was all mood lighting that night. Frying chilli, garlic and ginger while everyone's having pre-dinner drinks seems to be a winner - gets everyone going!

The best thing about cooking these dinner parties in front of the clients is when you get people to try things they wouldn't normally have..... and they love them, like raw marinated courgettes, or the pancetta wrapped cabbage. 

Pancetta wrapped Savoy cabbage

'Cos everything tastes better wrapped in pancetta, right? The flavour of the pancetta goes through the cabbage. I also made them for a friend the other day who really doesn't do vegetables at all - and he ate it all. Result!

1. Tie the savoy cabbage wedges together to save them falling apart. 
2. Blanch them for approx 2 minutes in boiling salted water. 
3. Refresh in cold water. 
4. Wrap in pancetta
5. Blast them in the oven 10 - 15 minutes @ 180 oC.