Tom Kitchin recipes: Langoustines with garlic and parsley butter, John Dory cooked whole

Some of my all-time favourite meals have been those big feasts with friends, where different dishes are laid out on the table for everyone to taste and talk over. In my opinion, enjoying a meal is as much about socialising as it is about the food. These days we all live such hectic lives that we sometimes forget to stop and enjoy the simple things, like family dinners round the table or evenings in with close friends.

In my case, the best chance to catch up with my friends is always over a good meal. Sharing and talking about the food, discussing the wine and reflecting on the day is a great way to relax and spend time with the important people in your life. As a chef, it's not always easy to find time to see the people I care about, but I try to make up for it by cooking for them as often as I can. My wife Michaela and I love having people over for a Sunday lunch, but I also enjoy cooking with my friends in their houses. They tend not to mind, and we often end up cooking together most of the time – I'm not very good at staying out of the kitchen.

If you are planning a special meal with friends, it's nice to get together to plan the menu, go to the shops or visit your local butcher or fishmonger. There's something exciting about the build-up – sourcing the ingredients, deciding what to make, then preparing it together while catching up on life. Many of our friends are not in the restaurant industry, but most of them enjoy cooking – and thankfully they all share our love of food.

My ideal starter food for a night in with friends I've not seen for a while is a platter of langoustines – very simple, but it never fails to impress. I serve them piping hot in a large dish and sprinkle garlic and parsley on top. I often make a simple garlic mayonnaise to go with them, along with some rustic bread.

Before everybody tucks in, I always ensure that little finger bowls with lukewarm water and a slice of lemon are placed on the table to allow people to refresh and clean their fingers. It also makes them feel as although they're in their own private restaurant. Food like this is what I call proper food for socialising. It breaks down barriers when people are eating in this way, and adds a bit of fun to the dinner table.

I usually start by breaking off the claws and slowly begin to remove the meat. When you separate and split the langoustine grip, the meat comes out almost on its own. I usually then use the sharp bit of the claw as my helper to try to get to the other delicious meats on the langoustine, making sure that nothing is left in the shell. You can also use a shellfish tool if you find those easier to handle.

Once I've removed the claws and eaten the meat, I remove the head and slowly remove the shell from the tail. The tail meat is what many consider the most enjoyable part of the langoustine. Together with the bread and some crisp white wine, I think this is a match made in heaven.

We sometimes spend ages making our way through a few langoustines, but that is half of the enjoyment, and as the lighter nights arrive it's a great way to spend an evening. Sometimes it's a fiddly job to get the meat out of the shells, but at the same time it is so incredibly rewarding once you succeed.

As a main course, I would serve a whole John Dory on a bed of seasonal vegetables. Fish like this works best when cooked on the bone, as it brings such a lovely moisture to the meat.

When you're buying fish, take a good look before you make your choice. A John Dory is always easy to spot because of its defined mark on the side – usually about the size of a thumbprint. If you have the chance, feel the fish with your fingers and check that the gills are shining and the eyes are clear. John Dory has an amazing green colour when it's really fresh. I always recommend eating any fish on the same day as you buy it, to ensure it is as fresh as possible. Always put it in the fridge as soon as you come back from the shops if you can't use it straight away.

Although I always cook according to the seasons, what I really cherish with dishes like these is the fact that many can be eaten all year round. When I cook the John Dory recipe, for example, I always select the vegetables according to the season. It means I can apply the same simple methods to tasty dishes all year, but with a slightly varied seasonal twist.

LANGOUSTINES SERVED WITH GARLIC AND PARSLEY BUTTER

Serves four

2 tbsp olive oil

12 whole langoustines

salt

pepper

100g butter

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tbsp flat parsley, chopped

finger bowls – for guests to wash their hands (lukewarmwater and a slice of lemon) fresh rustic bread (optional) garlic mayonnaise, to serve on the side (optional)

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.

Heat a large non-stick frying pan or roasting tray and add the oil. Place the langoustines in the pan, then season with salt and pepper and cook in the oven tfor four to five minutes. Once cooked, remove and rest in the pan for two to three minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter and add the garlic and flat-leaf parsley to the butter.

To serve

Place the langoustines in a serving dish and pour the garlic butter over. Serve with fresh rustic bread and garlic mayonnaise (optional), with a finger bowl of lemon and water on the side.

JOHN DORY COOKED WHOLE

Serves four

olive oil

1 fennel bulb

1 tomato

1.4kg John Dory

bunch basil

20g butter

100ml white wine

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/ 350F/gas mark 4. Line a baking tray with foil and smear with olive oil. Cut the fennel and tomatoes into slices and place on the foil.

Season the John Dory and place on top of the vegetables, then cover with a dash of olive oil, the basil leaves, the butter and the white wine. Place in the oven and cook for 14 to 18 minutes, basting with the cooking liquid all the time.

Check if the fish is cooked by inserting a needle into the thickest part of it. Leave for ten seconds and hold it to your lips – if it's warm, it's cooked.

To serve

Place the John Dory on a serving dish and cover with the cooking juices and vegetables from the foil.

This article was first published in the Scotland on Sunday, May 9, 2010