Help me with a menu

[GinSolvesEverything]

We are taking 10 friends away for a weekend soon for a big birthday. 12 of us in total.

I'm going to do dinner for us all on the first night, and am trying to menu plan. Wanting things to be easy to prep in advance / quick to assemble and finish.

It's warm where we are, and am limited to seasonal produce for the most part.

So far am thinking oysters (fresh oyster farm v close to house) and platter type things to start.

Main will be a couple of eye fillets, miso marinade?
Then 2x salads - one with chargrilled veg (aubergine/asparagus/capsicum etc) and feta. Not a clue for the second one. Perhaps an Asian slaw?

Was going to do a load of hasselback potatoes, but they don't really go with the other Asian flavors. Need some kind of carb tho and don't want rice.

Pudding is more tricky. Can't really take ice cream as the house is too far from the shops. Could possibly do a huge pav or something but that could also be a bitch to take with us.

Any suggestions?

[justaweeone]

What about a noodle salad and something like a limoncello tiramisu/ trifle
Or brownies served with berries and Chantilly cream

[User1234567891011]

Ramen (homemade, not from the pack haha!)

[LadyMonicaBaddingham]

Why not combine your Asian 'slaw idea with a big pile of soba noodles mixed through? They work really well cold in a salad and could provide the carb as well the second salad.

Huge fruit plate for sharing after, maybe with some small meringues that could be squished together with cream if you like..?

[hazelnutlatte]

Wow your menu sounds amazing, I clicked on the thread to suggest lasagne or something as that's what I'm cooking when I'm going away with a group of friends soon, but your menu is on a completely different level!
You might have inspired me to up my game a bit

[Blondie1984]

Will you get the oyster farm to shuck them for you? Just because the soaking and shucking can be quite a time consuming task - especially if you are doing enough for that many.
In terms of your platter - parma ham, smoked salmon, mortadella, salami, with sundried tomatoes, cornichons, olives and good bread

Miso marinade steak sounds great for your main - and the noodle salad that a previous poster mentioned

For the dessert, how about cheesecake?
I would also do a cheese board and some seasonal fruit

[Blondie1984]

Oooh and actually if you did some big field mushrooms with the same marinade as the steak that could be delicious as a side dish

[pieceofpurplesky]

Dessert needs to be fruity to go with that menu. Something like a summer trifle is easy (pears/sponge/Malibu!) or panacotta with a prosecco or gin jelly on top!

[GinSolvesEverything]

Sorry was away for a couple of days!

Soba noodles is a fab idea, and I can do most of the prep for that in advance.

Am still not 100% sure on pudding, but will be fruit of some sort I think. As we are hosting (paying for the house and doing most of the meals), I'm going to ask each couple to bring ingredients for a cocktail, and also lots of nibble / platter food. So cheeses, dips, charcuterie things etc. Cheeseboard will therefore be covered with that.

I've made an amazing chocolate stout mousse before, and you do little orange meringues with them. Could do that I suppose, but transporting them could be a nightmare....