DINING in may be the new eating out, but being the host with the most can leave you out of pocket.

Even the most dedicated host can feel a pang of regret when they stand at the supermarket checkout, totting up what it’s going to cost to have a few friends over for dinner.

Unless you want to serve sandwiches to your guests, serving up a memorable meal can end up costing a packet.

Luckily, however, there is a way to create a sumptuous menu for six for less than £5 a head – and that includes starting with a posh cocktail The secret is to buy what’s in season – mussels, for example, are cheap and plentiful at this time of year – and cook it wisely.

The other great trick, of course, is not to let on that the extravagant looking feast is actually budget-friendly. That way your guests will be shamed into issuing a reciprocal invite – and it will be your turn to dine for free.

WRAPPING chicken thighs in Parma ham is a simple way of tarting up a cheaper cut of meat and it keeps the stuffing in place.

Ingredients

12 small or six large skinless chicken thigh fillets
100g roquefort or other blue cheese, crumbled
12 slices Parma ham
Butter
500g frozen peas
200ml chicken stock

Method

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
Lay the thighs flat on a board.
Divide the cheese between them then roll up, tucking in any extra bits of chicken to keep in the cheese.
Wrap each thigh with a slice of Parma ham to make a parcel and sit on a baking tray, seam side down, and with the ends tucked underneath.
Roast for 40 minutes or until they are cooked through and Parma ham is crisp.
Meanwhile, put a knob of butter in a pan, add the peas and stock and simmer for three minutes. Whiz with a hand blender to a puree (it won't be completely smooth). This can be reheated just before serving.
Serve two thighs per person with some pea puree, dauphinoise stacks – see recipe below – and carrots on the side.

RECIPE: Little dauphinoise stacks

ingredients

150ml whole milk
284ml pot of double cream
1 clove garlic, bashed
1kg Desiree potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

Method

Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
Heat the milk, cream and garlic in a pan, season well, then add the potatoes and simmer for five minutes.
Cool a little, then fish out the garlic and layer the slices of potato in a large rectangular baking dish, pressing down as you layer. Pour over the liquid so it covers the potato.
Bake for one hour 30 minutes until the potatoes are golden and tender.

Take out and leave to sit for 20 minutes.
To serve, either use a large cutter to cut six circles or cut into neat squares and slide onto the plate using a spatula.

RECIPE: Gimlet Fizz

This recipe uses sugar syrup, which you can buy ready made, but it’s easier and cheaper to make your own at home.

Ingredients

6tbsp golden caster sugar
300ml gin
4 limes, 3 juiced, 1 cut into wedges
1 bottle chilled soda water

Method

Put the caster sugar in a pan with 6tbsp water. Simmer gently until all the sugar has dissolved.
Simmer for two minutes, then cool.
Mix together the gin and lime juice and 3tbsp of the sugar syrup. Divide between six old fashioned glasses filled with ice.
Top with a splash of soda and a wedge of lime.