Our pick of the perfect, last-minute dinner party recipes from masterchef winner, Natalie Coleman
Natalie Coleman's down-to-earth humour and world class dishes captured the nation's hearts and made her a firm favourite with MasterChef judges, John Torode and Greg Wallace last year.
So it was no surprise when she bagged the coveted 2013 MasterChef trophy. Now, the self-proclaimed 'Hackney girl done good' is back with a host of delicious recipes.
MasterChef: The Finalists (Absolute Press: £20) is chock full of mouth-watering recipes from the series, including some post-competition originals from Natalie, Larkin and Dale. We've compiled three of our favourites from the winner herself (not an easy task!), to create the perfect last minute dinner party menu.
So take a look to see what delicious recipes you could whip up for your friends and family.
Lobster tail, fennel puree
Natalie's final-winning lobster tail saw her making use of every aspect of the luxurious ingredient, including making oil from the lobster shells. You may not have time to do that, but you can show off your creativity with the orange and fennel accompaniments. In particular, the orange gel is genius, providing a freshness that's well worth going the extra mile for. Find Natalie's recipe here
Pan roasted duck breast with mini fondant potatoes
Natalie's comforting dish has a nice, homely feel that makes it perfect for a last-minute mains. There's no molecular wizardry involved (much as we love watching the MasterChef contestants doing it). All you need are high quality ingredients and a little bit of flair. Tip from Natalie: Really set your veggies alight with a dash of cumin. Find Natalie's recipe here
Chocolate and hazelnut crumble tart
Chocolate, hazelnuts, raspberries... your guests will be begging you for seconds with this moreish dessert. Be sure to add the hazelnut crumble on the tart for added crunch, and Natalie also recommends flavouring your cream with vanilla for the perfect complement to the rich, bittersweet dark chocolate filling of the tart. Find Natalie's recipe here
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Chocolate and hazelnut rouladeThis chocolate and hazelnut roulade comes with an optional Baileys Irish cream liqueur filling for an extra, festive twist
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Baileys CheesecakeThis no-bake Baileys cheesecake is so easy to make and perfect for cream liqueur lovers, plus it takes just 40 minutes to prepare
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Chocolate torte with Baileys cream and salted pralineServe this rich Chocolate torte with Baileys cream and salted praline for a festive dessert that makes a popular alternative to Christmas pudding
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Chocolate and hazelnut roulade
This chocolate and hazelnut roulade comes with an optional Baileys Irish cream liqueur filling for an extra, festive twist
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Baileys Cheesecake
This no-bake Baileys cheesecake is so easy to make and perfect for cream liqueur lovers, plus it takes just 40 minutes to prepare
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Chocolate torte with Baileys cream and salted praline
Serve this rich Chocolate torte with Baileys cream and salted praline for a festive dessert that makes a popular alternative to Christmas pudding
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