Last-minute Mother's Day dinner

Need something fuss-free to treat the special lady in your life? These easy recipes are all quick and easy to make and don't require too many ingredients, so the shopping should be a cinch too.

Menu ingredients

• Fruit and vegetables

  • 10g/½oz fresh tarragon leaves
  • salt and pepper
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
  • handful of fresh basil leaves
  • 4 wedges of lemon

• Tins, packets and jars

  • 1 litre/1¾ pints chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp plain flour

• Cooking ingredients

  • pinch salt
  • flour, for dusting
  • 75g/3oz fresh white breadcrumbs
  • olive oil, for cooking
  • coarse sea salt
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • 1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways, seeds removed

• Biscuits, snacks and sweets

  • 100g/3½oz dark chocolate, finely chopped
  • 30g/1oz amaretti biscuits, crushed

• Dairy, eggs and chilled

  • 50g/2oz finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 free-range eggs, beaten
  • large knob of butter
  • 500ml/18fl oz milk
  • 50g/2oz unsalted butter

• Meat, fish and poultry

  • 4 very thin slices pancetta (cut on the thinnest possible setting)
  • 4 chicken breasts, skinless

• Other

  • 500g/1lb 2oz frozen peas
  • 6 tomatoes, halved
  • 80ml/2½fl oz Amaretto (or other almond liqueur)

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