Lorna Wing is known for her witty, much-acclaimed and much-copied Lilliputian canapés - fish and chips in the FT, teeny-tiny burgers, and bite-sized hot dogs. Her parties for the great and the good, the famous and the fashionable were stunning, stylish and spectacular. No wonder Lorna was often described as 'the peerless expert on food and entertaining.'
Don't get your turkey in a twizzler, here are some fool proof suggestions to make Christmas entertaining a little more fuss free, without sacrificing on taste, style and of course 'wow-factor'.
Use frozen rösti potatoes to make a speedy but glam starter. Just fry until crisp and piping hot, spoon over some soft goats' cheese, arrange smoked salmon on top, add some Arënkha, a delicious natural alternative to caviar made using only sustainable wild herring, (available from Waitrose and approved by the Marine Stewardship Council) and a few rocket leaves.
Make a fab cheat's lobster and mussel stew by decanting a pack of cooked mussels and their accompanying sauce into a wide pan, heat for 3 minutes, then pour in a carton of lobster bisque and heat for another 3 minutes. When it's piping hot, add some queen scallops, simmer for a further 3 minutes and serve with lightly toasted slices of baguette slathered with garlic mayo. No one will be any the wiser that you haven't slaved away for hours on end...
Decant whole peeled cooked chestnuts into a pan and quickly sauté in butter and crushed garlic for a few minutes until hot. Scatter with chopped sage leaves and serve as a side dish with game, chicken or turkey.
Nutella, gently warmed in a pan, makes a divine chocolate sauce for ice cream or as a dip for strawberries. Alternatively, use straight from the jar and use as both a filling and an icing for your chocolate Yule log.
Take 18 really good ready-made butter biscuits (such as Bonne Maman galettes fines), and lay them out on a work surface. Lightly whip some double cream, fold into ready-made vanilla custard and divide between 12 of the biscuits. Halve some raspberries and arrange them cut-side down on the cream-covered biscuits. Make 6 stacks, 3-high, dust with icing sugar and place a whole raspberry on the top.