In our new series on catering at home for a Communion or a special occasion, Tara Walker of the award-winning Tasty Tart cookery school shares her recipes for wowing a crowd. This week, it’s time to tackle main courses with a twist. Fragrant and creamy chicken curry and melting slow-roasted shoulder of pulled lamb with some lip-smacking sides are sure to impress your guests.

Fragrant & creamy chicken curry

Serves eight to 10

This chicken curry is a winner with both children and elderly relatives as it is flavoursome without being too spicy. It can be made ahead and chilled or frozen until you are ready to serve it. If you are making it ahead of time and want to add the veg, it is best to steam or blanch them separately and mix them through just before serving the curry. This will ensure they remain nice and crisp.

20 chicken thighs, boned and skinned (ask your butcher to do this for you) sliced into bite-sized pieces

1 tsp turmeric, ground

1 tsp cumin, ground

1 tsp garam masala

1 onion, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

A thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, grated.

1 tsp tomato puree

A pinch of dried chilli flakes

100ml pouring cream

750ml chicken stock

A glug of groundnut oil

Optional: Selection of veg such as sugar snaps, mangetout etc

1 In a large bowl, mix the spices with a couple of tablespoons of water to make a paste and coat the chicken in it. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

2 Heat the oil in a pan until quite hot and add the chicken pieces to brown. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

3 Add the onion and a pinch of salt to the pan with a little more oil if necessary. Sweat until softened. Add the garlic for the last few minutes.

4 Add the tomato puree and cook out. Return the chicken to the pot and cover with the stock and the cream. Simmer for about 25 minutes on a low heat or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Add the veg just before serving.

Next week

Banana and chocolate cupcakes and gluten-free lemon and mint polenta cakes.

ALTERNATIVE MAIN

Melting slow-

roasted shoulder

of pulled lamb

Serves eight

If you don’t want to serve this with the mint raita, it is just as lovely with new potatoes and a green salad in summer, or roast potatoes, gravy and seasonal vegetables in winter.

1 shoulder of lamb

1 carrot cut into chunks

1 onion quartered

1 stick of celery cut into chunks

A few drops of soy sauce

A few drops of Worcestershire sauce

Cooking oil

1 lemon zest

1 large sprig of mint

For the raita

1 small tub natural yoghurt

Fresh mint, finely chopped

Half a cucumber, seeds removed with a teaspoon and diced

1 clove garlic, minced or chopped finely

Lemon juice

1 Method for raita: Combine all ingredients and adjust seasoning to your taste.

2 Preheat the oven to 150°C (gas mark two). Trim any heavy, excess fat from the shoulder.

3 Heat a heavy-bottomed, oven-proof pot on the hob until very hot. Season the lamb. Place fat side down in the oil to sear it until golden brown. Turn over and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate.

4 Add some oil to the pot and add the carrot, onion and celery. When softened a little, place the lamb on the vegetables and sprinkle with a little soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Cover with either the lid or some tinfoil. Place in the oven for four hours.

5 When done, remove the lamb to a warmed dish to rest (for at least 30 minutes.) Pull lamb apart with your hand (there is no need to carve as it should just fall off the bone). Place on a serving platter.

6 Sprinkle the lemon zest and mint over the top and serve with raita.

Rustic herby

roast potatoes

500g rooster potatoes, scrubbed and cubed with skin on

A selection of woody herbs such as rosemary, thyme and sage

3 tablespoons olive oil

About six garlic cloves, peeled but left whole

Some sea salt & pepper

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven/gas mark six).

2 Pour the olive oil into a roasting dish and place in the oven. When you are sure the oil is very hot, place the potatoes in the oil, making sure to coat them. Add the herbs and garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3 Roast for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and crisp on the outside. CL

Superfood

salad

200g green beans

120g peas, fresh or frozen

100g cucumber, diced

100g good-quality feta cheese, crumbled

20g alfalfa sprouts

20g toasted seeds (can use sesame, flax, sunflower and pumpkin)

50g avocado, cut into pieces

30g quinoa, room temperature

Small handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Small handful mint, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 Put hot water into a saucepan with a pinch of salt and cover it. Once boiling, drop in the green beans and peas and put the lid back on. Drain after three minutes and run the veg under cold water to take all the heat out and keep them good and green.

2 Now build your salad in layers, starting with the first ingredient on the list and ending up with the dressing (but only dress it just before you eat it).