Venison lasagne, peppercorn beef and wild mushroom risotto: But can YOUR guests tell which is homemade and which is an M&S ready meal?

Martha asked her guests to guess which dishes she'd cooked - and which she hadn't!

Martha asked her guests to guess which dishes she'd cooked - and which she hadn't!

Reader, I am not one to brag. I just like to call a delicious spade a delicious spade. So believe me when I tell you: I am a ruddy fantastic cook.

At dinner parties I like to serve homemade butter on homemade bread alongside homemade fish soup made with fish bought at Billingsgate at 7am, filleted in my kitchen at 9am, and turned into stock by lunch.

But, reader, I am also the first to admit that some days I am too busy or too tired to bother with any of that nonsense. Some days I want to have friends over, serve them a bowl of pasta smothered in shop-bought pesto, and put my feet up.

But what if there were a way to do the latter while pretending you’d done the former? What if there were a range of super-posh ready meals you could serve your guests and trick them into thinking you’d made them yourself from scratch? Word on the street is: there is.

Marks & Spencer has released a new range of Cook Menu and Gastropub ready meals so deliciously decadent and perfectly posh that I reckon I could fool my friends into thinking I'd knocked them up myself.

So I invite Anna, Dave, Sophie, Gav and Rachel round, whip up a batch of homemade meals (over 12 hours, in a cold sweat) and heat up another batch of M&S ready meals (in 25 minutes tops, while watching telly) and see if they can tell the difference.

From left, Dave, Gav, Martha, Anna and Rachel eating in Martha's kitchen  - but can they tell which of the dishes were made from scratch and which were bought in a supermarket?

From left, Dave, Gav, Martha, Anna and Rachel eating in Martha's kitchen - but can they tell which of the dishes were made from scratch and which were bought in a supermarket?

Could I fool them into thinking M&S ready meals were home made, from scratch, by me? And can you tell by looking at the photos? Let's see...

Venison Lasagne

Venison lasagne, which Martha's guests believed was homemade... was it?

Venison lasagne, which Martha's guests believed was homemade... was it?

Anna: ‘This looks lush. Really glistening and cheesy. Smells amazing. Tastes really rich and gamey. Got to be homemade. None of the oiliness you’d expect from a ready meal lasagne, and with a very sophisticated, gamey flavour. And venison lasagne is just the sort of thing Martha would do to show off. Where do you even buy venison? It’s amazing. I want more.' 10/10

Dave: ‘Lovely, rich, gamey ragu and perfectly al dente pasta. I might like a bit more cheese sauce, but then I’m a big cheese man. This is definitely homemade. It’s far too indulgent for a ready meal – what kind of ready meal would use venison?!’ 9/10 

Gav: ‘Wow. This is a rich, creamy guilty pleasure. Pretty sure it's a ready meal just because it’s so neat, and homemade lasagnes tend to be a bit sloppier, but it is unbelievable good, and not like any ready made lasagne I’ve ever tasted before. I’ve never tried lasagne with venison. Have you? It does add a really amazing depth.’ 8/10

Rachel: 'Creamy and richly delicious. I’ve never had a venison lasagne but I want to add it to MY repertoire. Most ready meal lasagnes are stodgy but this one tastes perfect. It definitely doesn’t taste like a ready meal, but I’d be amazed at any home cook who put in the effort to make lasagne using venison!'9/10  

AVERAGE SCORE: 9/10

OVERALL VERDICT: Homemade

THE TRUTH: M&S Venison Lasagne, al forno with a rich venison and pork ragu (400g, £4.50)

Wild Mushroom Red Rice Risotto

Wild mushroom risotto made with red rice - homemade or ready meal?

Wild mushroom risotto made with red rice - homemade or ready meal?

Anna: 'A very grown up risotto. Not in the least bit stodgy, which you usually get in a pre-cooked risotto. The wild rice was al dente and the mushrooms had so much flavour: not your bog standard button jobby. I think homemade.' 9.5/10  

Sophie: ‘Delicious and rich. Like the idea of wild rice instead of risotto rice, made it less stodgy. Unusual, and some of the little mushrooms are whole, so probably homemade.’ 8/10

Dave: ‘I love risotto but had never had it with wild red rice before, it really works. The flavours of the mushrooms really shone through. A personal fave! Got to be homemade.’ 10/10

Rachel: 'This was DELICIOUS. Huge variety of mushroom flavours and textures, and the wild rice was a nice touch. I’d say this was a ready meal because wild rice seems is popular in those, but it’s a pretty excellent one if it is as the flavour and seasoning was perfect!' 8/10 

AVERAGE SCORE: 8.7/10

OVERALL VERDICT: Homemade

THE TRUTH: Homemade

Peppercorn Beef

Peppercorn beef: Tender beef that 'just falls apart'

Peppercorn beef: Tender beef that 'just falls apart'

Anna: 'This is seriously tender. I probably wouldn’t buy a beef ready meal as I would expect it to be chewy, but there was no chewing whatsoever with this one. Melt in your mouth, peppery goodness. Has to be homemade.' 9/10

Gav: ‘My god, this is good. Total delight. Looks amazing and really doesn’t disappoint. That beef genuinely melts in my mouth. Must be Martha's. Is there any more?’ 9/10

Sophie: ‘This one is my favourite of all of them. Tender beef that just falls apart, vegetables still with a bit of bite to them, and no mush at all. Probably homemade.’ 9/10

Dave: ‘Really well-cooked beef. Tastes amazing. Vegetables look a bit neat for homemade so I might guess ready meal, but the beef tastes incredibly tender and slow-cooked so I could very well be fooled.’ 9/10

Rachel: 'This was my favourite of all the dishes. The beef falls apart but isn’t at all dry, so it’s obviously been cooked very slowly. The peppercorns aren’t too strong, just add a nice little burst of flavour, and the gravy isn’t too heavy, so the dish was never cloying. Definitely homemade!' 10/10

AVERAGE SCORE: 9.2/10

OVERALL VERDICT: Homemade

THE TRUTH: M&S Peppercorn Beef with slow-cooked Jacob's ladder beef with parsnips, carrots and celeriac in a creamy peppercorn sauce, topped with a peppercorn crust (DISCLAIMER: I really wish I’d cooked this one!)

Lamb Rogan Josh

Lamb rogan josh with toasted coconut - ready meal or homemade?

Lamb rogan josh with toasted coconut - ready meal or homemade?

Anna: 'I would rarely get a ready-meal curry as I'd rather pick one up from my local, and I probably wouldn’t take the time to make one from scratch, but this was delicious. But I've seen rogan joshes in supermarkets so maybe this was a ready meal?Though I’d bet this is better than them all.'8.5/10  

Sophie: ‘Oooh, another favourite. The meat is so tender and the curry has lovely subtle flavours throughout. It tastes like it’s been cooking for a really long time and made from scratch.’ 10/10

Dave: ‘The lamb is really tender, and I could eat the sauce just on its own. It isn't gloopy or oily but lovely and smooth. Delicious. Maybe a ready meal? Sometimes homemade curry can be a bit flat.’ 9/10

Rachel: 'I LOVED this curry. It was perfectly spiced and the lamb just melted in your mouth. The flavour was so good and the meat so slowly cooked. Must be homemade!' 10/10

AVERAGE SCORE: 9.1/10

OVERALL VERDICT: Ready meal

THE TRUTH: Homemade

Salmon and Asparagus

Baked salmon with asparagus and watercress sauce - ready meal or homemade?

Baked salmon with asparagus and watercress sauce - ready meal or homemade?

Anna: 'A delicious, simple dish. The salmon was perfectly flaky and the asparagus had a nice amount of bite. I think this might be a ready meal, but only because it’s a classic combination and I think a homemade meal might have a little extra with it, new potatoes maybe?' 7.5/10 

Gav: ‘Definitely a Martha creation! Fresh, tasty and decadent in equal measure.’ 9/10

Sophie: ‘This salmon is lovely and pink and cooked really well. Not dry and has loads of flavour. The asparagus is really tender, but with crunch, and the watercress sauce is amazing. There’s plenty of it too! Definitely homemade.’ 8/10

Dave: ‘The salmon was perfectly cooked and flaky, the asparagus wasn't rubbery or overcooked, which is always a worry when you make asparagus. The watercress sauce wasn't too overpowering and complemented to dish nicely. Can’t be a ready meal.’ 8/10

Rachel: 'Light but rich. How is that possible?! The watercress sauce perfectly complements the baked salmon and al dente asparagus. In most ready meals the asparagus turns to mush, but these still have some bite so I guess homemade.' 8/10

AVERAGE SCORE: 8.1

OVERALL VERDICT: Homemade

THE TRUTH: M&S Salmon & Asparagus, with creamy watercress sauce (160g, £4 for one, or £320g, £6 for two)

Pesto Chicken 

Chicken with basil pesto sauce and parmesan - ready meal or homemade?

Chicken with basil pesto sauce and parmesan - ready meal or homemade?

Anna: 'This is one of my all-time favourite dishes. Succulent chicken and a lovely amount of fresh basil sauce - but I can’t give it more than my mum’s.'8.5/10 

Sophie: ‘Really delicious, rich sauce with lots of strong basil flavour – this is amazing with some extra Parmesan sprinkled on top. If cooked myself I would have used thigh not breast, but this probably makes it healthier. Ready meal, I think?’ 8/10

Dave: ‘This smells like Italy. Really fresh and pesto-y. Tastes nice and rich without being overpowering. If this is a ready meal I’d definitely buy it!’ 8/10

Rachel: 'The pesto sauce was deliciously rich and the chicken wasn’t dry. But I’d guess ready meal as it’s not a dish I’ve ever been cooked at home.' 7/10 

AVERAGE SCORE: 7.9

OVERALL VERDICT: Ready meal

THE TRUTH: M&S Pesto Chicken with tomato tapenade and a pesto flavour shot (188g, £4 for one, 375g, £6 for two)

Fish Pie

Fish pie with salmon, smoked haddock and prawns - homemade or ready meal?

Fish pie with salmon, smoked haddock and prawns - homemade or ready meal?

Anna: 'So delicious. This is one of my all-time favourites and I would be very surprised if this was a ready meal – the crispy top gives it away!'9.5/10

Gav: ‘Wow, this is creamy. So creamy. Great prawns, too. Maybe ready meal - might be too creamy for a homecooked meal?' 9/10

Sophie: ‘Awesome. Creamy, smooth mashed potato, fish cooked perfectly. Lovely subtle flavours. So good that I have to say homemade.' 9/10

Dave: ‘Mmmm. I love this.  I’d guess ready meal as it all seems too well-distributed for a homemade fish pie.'10/10 

AVERAGE SCORE: 9.5

OVERALL VERDICT: Homemade

THE TRUTH: Homemade

Thai Green Chicken

Thai green chicken with rice and chilli - ready meal or homemade?

Thai green chicken with rice and chilli - ready meal or homemade?

Anna: 'I'm not a huge fan of Thai food so wouldn’t expect to give this more than a 6/10, but I was pleasantly surprised. Balanced, delicate flavours with a nice amount of spice and very fresh. Healthy tasting. None of the guilt of a ready meal, so I would say this one was homemade.' 8/10  

Sophie: ‘This has a really good flavour, full of coconut and lemongrass. I probably would have preferred the chicken to be in smaller pieces instead of two breasts, but it’s still tasty. I’d guess a ready meal.’ 7/10

Dave: ‘Most Thai green chicken ready meals comes in a rich, soupy curry, which makes me feel this is home made. It’s nice and fresh and light. Really aromatic.’ 7/10

Rachel: 'Delicious sauce and the vegetables underneath make this feel guilt-free; some curries are on the heavy side. You get buckets of flavour from the Thai spices, so I’d say that someone has taken the time to make a curry paste and therefore homemade.'8/10 

AVERAGE SCORE: 7.4

OVERALL VERDICT: Homemade  

THE TRUTH: M&S Thai Green Chicken with an aromatic flavour shot (208g £4.00)

 Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken cacciatore with peppers, black olives and tomatoes - homemade or ready meal?

Chicken cacciatore with peppers, black olives and tomatoes - homemade or ready meal?

Anna: 'Lovely, authentic, Mediterranean flavour, and the chicken was extremely juicy. I think this might be a ready meal though as it sounds like something you’d pick up in a supermarket.'7/10

Gav: ‘This one might be my favourite, because the flavours work so well together. I reckon it’s Martha.’ 9/10

Sophie: ‘Delicious tender chicken and the sauce had so much flavour. I’d guess Martha made this.’9/10

Dave: ‘Lovely tender chicken in a gorgeous, deep sauce. Nice touch that the olives were cooked with stones in which really added flavour to the dish.’ 9/10 

AVERAGE SCORE:  8.6

OVERALL VERDICT: Homemade

THE TRUTH: Homemade

From top, left to right: M&S Thai Green Chicken, chicken cacciatore, fish pie, M&S Pesto Chicken, lamb rogan josh, mushroom risotto, M&S Peppercorn Beef, M&S Venison Lasagne, M&S Salmon & Asparagus

From top, left to right: M&S Thai Green Chicken, chicken cacciatore, fish pie, M&S Pesto Chicken, lamb rogan josh, mushroom risotto, M&S Peppercorn Beef, M&S Venison Lasagne, M&S Salmon & Asparagus

M&S Venison Lasagne
M&S Salmon & Asparagus

M&S's new ready meals, Venison Lasagne and Salmon & Asparagus

M&S Pesto Chicken
M&S Peppercorn Beef

M&S's new ready meals: Pesto Chicken and Peppercorn Beef

Dinner party cheats! 10 tips for having your friends over with ZERO STRESS!

(Because laughing with your friends is much more fun than crying over a stove…)

1. Prepare as much as you can in advance

An impressive ice cream can be whipped up the week before your dinner party; a curry, stew or chilli made earlier in the week will improve in flavour over a couple of days; a pie filling can be frozen until you need it, then topped with fresh pastry and baked on the day. Planning ahead means you’ll have time to concentrate on the fun stuff. Like opening Prosecco.

An impressive ice cream can be whipped up the week before your dinner party, leaving you more time to concentrate on last minute prep on the day

An impressive ice cream can be whipped up the week before your dinner party, leaving you more time to concentrate on last minute prep on the day

2. Always opt for a Saturday rather than a Friday

The last thing you want on a Friday evening is to be held up at work unexpectedly and finally arrive home at 9pm to find eight famished dinner guests sitting on your doorstep clutching unopened bottles of Merlot. Organise your dinner party for a Saturday, and take the whole day to prepare in a pleasant, unhurried, joyful manner. Write a list of everything you need to do and tick items off while listening to Radio 4. 

3. It's FINE to ask for help

Whether in the form of a lovely boyfriend, a couple of early arrivals, or even a helpful, salad-spinning offspring - you don't have to do this alone. People will be thrilled to help, it will make prepping more fun, and it will take the pressure off immensely.

4. Keep it simple

Now is not the time to experiment with lime foams, chorizo airs and scallop souffles. Stick to what you know and what you love. A hearty bolognese. A creamy fish pie. A Moroccan lamb stew. You know, help-yourself-from-a-big-pot-on-the-table jobbies that will cater for lots of people.

A bolognese made a few days early will  improve in flavour, and is simple to make

A bolognese made a few days early will improve in flavour, and is simple to make

5. If in doubt, pop to the shops

Everyone will understand if you’ve had a hectic week and have to resort to shop-bought pesto pasta at the last minute. Whether you need ready made pastry, microwaveable rice or a pre-prepared salad - don't beat yourself up about it. M&S has a great range of delicious ready meals perfectly suited to dinner parties that will keep everyone happy. After all, who's going to turn their nose up at Peppercorn Beef, Salmon & Asparagus, Spicy Tikka Chicken, Chicken, Cheese & Leek Gratin, Venison Hotpot or Slow-Cooked Lamb Shoulder?

M&S Chicken, Cheese & Leek Gratin
M&S Venison Hotpot
M&S Spicy Tikka Chicken

M&S has a great range of ready meals available, including Chicken, Cheese & Leek Gratin, Venison Hot Pot and Spicy Tikka Chicken

7. Canapes, canapes, canapes

Everyone arrives at a dinner party hungry. Starving, in fact. So if you keep them waiting while your slow-cooked beef cheek gently stews for another six hours, you're going to have an uprising on your hands. Furnish your table with charcuterie - olives, sliced meats and cheeses, lovely crudites and dips, crusty bread - and nobody will mind waiting a little longer for your piece de resistance.

Shop-bought canapes will keep everyone happy while your meal is cooking

Shop-bought canapes will keep everyone happy while your meal is cooking

 8. Book a cleaner for the next day

You won’t enjoy your party if you’re thinking about the morning’s clean-up job. Get a professional in so you can relax (and enjoy some leftovers if there are any!)

9. Don’t start drinking TOO early...

A nice gin and tonic while you’re chopping carrots, and a quick sip of the Rioja to make sure it isn’t corked is fine, but don’t get too carried away while cooking or you’ll start to burn things.

10. Remember WHY your guests are coming 

They're coming to see you, not to pass judgement on the flakiness of the homemade pastry in which your salmon en croute is wrapped. Chill out - this is not Masterchef.

Your guests are coming to see you, so don't panic and just enjoy their company!

Your guests are coming to see you, so don't panic and just enjoy their company!

 

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