Four meals to cook and the best nibbles from around the world to get into the Euros spirit

KICK off your Euro 2024 festivities with a fantastic football fiesta.

Gather friends and family to watch the best teams in Europe battle it out.

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Four meals to cook and the best nibbles from around the world to get into the Euros spirit[/caption]

Get set for the action with these tasty ideas and net extra points by giving your spread a footie theme.

Here are some suggestions for a top-of-the-table experience.

•  Recipes from recipes.lidl.co.uk. Cost per serving based on     proportion of ingredients used to make dish. Prices correct at time of going to press.

Spanish Paella (serves four)

Total cost: £8.88
Per person: £2.22

YOU NEED:

• 200g frozen prawns
• 1 onion, chopped
• 125g chorizo, chopped
• 1 pepper (yellow, red or green), deseeded and sliced
• 300g short-grain or paella rice
• 30g Schwartz paella mix sachet
• 1 litre water
• 100g frozen peas
• 100g cherry tomatoes
• 1 lemon
• 1 handful parsley, or a pinch if dried
• Oil
• Salt to taste

METHOD: Defrost the prawns. In a large lidded frying pan, fry the onion, chorizo and pepper in a ­little oil for four to five minutes.

Add the short-grain or paella rice. Cook, stirring for a minute. Mix the Schwartz paella mix with cold water and add to the pan.

Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring ­occasionally, until the liquid has mostly absorbed and the rice is tender.

Add the prawns, frozen peas and cherry tomatoes. Cover and cook for four to five minutes, until the prawns are cooked through.

Add salt to taste.

Serve with lemon wedges and garnish with chopped parsley, if liked.

German potato salad (serves four)

Total cost: £3.64

Per person: 91p

YOU NEED:

• 600g baby potatoes
• 4 slices Black Forest ham or bacon
• 1 red onion
• 60ml apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp granulated sugar
• 5 spring onions, sliced
• Salt and pepper, to taste

METHOD: Boil the potatoes in salted water until soft – about 15-20 minutes. Drain and cool.

In another pan, fry the ham or bacon until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel to drain, leaving the fat in the pan.

Add the onion to the same pan and cook over a medium heat till soft.

Add the vinegar, water, olive oil, Dijon mustard and sugar, then bring to a ­simmer.

Turn off the heat and season. Add the spring onions.

Pour the mixture over the potatoes and combine.

French Sweet and Fruity Pear Tarte Tatin (serves eight)

Total cost: £5.12

Per person: 64p

YOU NEED

• 50ml water
• 100g caster sugar
• 25g butter
• 6 pears, peeled, halved and cored
• 320g ready-rolled puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten

Serve with:

• 250g mascarpone
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 handful pine nuts, toasted (optional)

METHOD: Put the water in a heavy-bottom pan that is suitable for oven cooking, and sprinkle over the sugar.

Heat until the sugar melts, making sure you don’t stir.

Simmer until it turns golden, and then stir in the ­butter.

Then add the pear halves, ensuring that they are packed in tightly.
Being careful of the hot pan, press the pastry into the pan, all around, and trim it.

Brush with egg wash then cook at 200C/fan 180C/gas mark 6 until the pastry is golden, which should take about 25 minutes.

When cooked, remove from the oven and leave the tart to stand for about ten minutes.

Then carefully invert it on to a serving dish.

For the topping, whip together the mascarpone and vanilla essence and spoon some on to each slice. Garnish with toasted pine nuts if you wish.

Creamy Turkish eggs (serves two)

YOU NEED:

• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 5 tbsp Greek yoghurt
• 1 tbsp butter
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• ½ tsp paprika
• 4 eggs
• 2 pitta breads to serve

METHOD: Mince the clove of garlic and mix it into the Greek-style yoghurt. Leave this to come up to room temperature. Then melt the butter in a small frying pan until lightly browned and nutty.

Remove from the heat and add the chilli flakes for kick and paprika for smokiness.

Poach the eggs and serve on top of the yoghurt with the chilli butter and toasted pitta.