Food for friends (+recipes)

Last week's Budget announcements heralded an increase in GST - and an increase in the cost of a bag of groceries. But whether you need to scrimp or can afford to splurge, regardless of your political perspective there always needs to be room to throw together a simple and chic dinner party for your nearest and dearest.

While cabbage, lamb cutlets and pear pudding may sound a little austere, they are simple, readily accessible ingredients which, when paired with tasty flavours like olive, garlic, ricotta and lemon, become a delicious and elegant three-course dinner party menu.

First course: cabbage rolls.

I have always thought that frying cabbage with bacon is as flash as it gets - and tasty, of course - but using the leaves to wrap scrumptious ingredients, then slowly baking in a flavoursome stock creates a quietly impressive entree, more delicious than you might expect.

Encrusting lamb cutlets with olives, capers, oregano and parsley result in tender, juicy morsels, but a couple of side dishes are needed to flash things up a bit.

So whisk up a pea souffle - twice-baked to eliminate any embarrassing collapses if you are pushed for time.

Add a spoonful of creamy mash - use agria potatoes and a fine goat feta with a fruity olive oil to lift it out of the ordinary. A plate of chops has never looked so good.

And for the finale: pears are perfect seasonal eating now and when tenderly poached in a fragrant bath of wine, honey and lemon look classically elegant and will delight the tastebuds, especially when paired with caramel sauce, ginger biscuits and cream.

So gather some friends, choose gorgeous music and flowers and spend an evening enjoying a three-course dinner made with love.

CHEF'S TIP

Savoy cabbage has softer leaves which wrap more easily than the standard variety, though this is perfectly adequate. Choose pears that are a little firm for poaching. If they are too ripe they will disintegrate.