Dinner party recipe ideas

[MustardScreams]

Having a dinner party for a few close friends next week, need some recipe ideas! Weather is meant to be pants so bbq is out the window.

I usually do slow roasted shoulder of lamb with Middle Eastern sides and flatbreads etc, or curries but I want something with a bit of a wow factor. Very confidant cook so happy to try anything.

Any pud ideas also welcomed. Thanks

[IHaveBrilloHair]

Delia's chicken basque is lovely, and great for this time of year.
Dessert wise I'd go for a strawberry pavlova, since strawberries are at their best right now.
I'd also do a chessboard, but then I'm a cheese fanatic.

[CherryPavlova]

In summer dressed crab with a nice salads, lemon mayonnaise and homemade brown bread always gets a positive response.
I cheat and order them from ‘Fish for thought’ never had unreliable service. It couldn’t be easier.

Pudding I’d do a cheesecake or for fun something like knickerbocker glory made with fresh fruit salad and really good gelato.

[AdaShelby]

Dressed crab and speciality bread sounds ace.

[chemenger]

Ottolenghi’s chocolate tart with orange, hazelnut and rosemary is delicious for a dessert.

[MustardScreams]

@chemenger that chocolate tart is perfect! Thank you. Think I’ll serve it with fresh berries as a nod to summer.

[Xiaoxiong]

For a smaller group I'd do a whole turbot roasted with bay and lemon - serve with a potato galette and some kind of greens - tenderstem, kale, spring greens, something like that.

For a bigger group, I'd do chicken marbella with couscous and a panzanella salad.

In each case I wouldn't bother with a proper starter, just some bowls of olives and maybe some chilli rosemary nuts while people have a cocktail on arrival.

Dessert I'd do a big pile of strawberries with cream and brown sugar meringues.

[chemenger]

@MustardScreams you won’t regret making the tart. Don’t leave out the hazelnut brittle, it really adds to the tart and you will have lots left over to nibble on.

[MustardScreams]

@CherryPavlova I love the crab idea, sadly 2 of the guests are fussy buggers and don’t eat shellfish.

[Ricekrispie22]

Goats cheese and thyme stuffed chicken breasts www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3925/goats-cheese-and-thyme-stuffed-chicken

[bwydda]

https://vikalinka.com/georgian-chicken-tabaka-with-spicy-blackberry-sauce/

I recently made this with poussins (recipe from the cookbook kauskausis) and it was fabulous. The sauce is amazing. Guests were asking for the recipe on the way out

[MustardScreams]

@bwydda that sounds great, and really easy to prepare. What did you serve it with?

Might do a couple of spatchcocked guinea fowls as I think they’d go ridiculously well with the blackberry sauce.

[bwydda]

I did it with a herby cous cous salad type thing. The blackberry sauce was the stand out part of the meal- I think it's go great with guinea fowl- it really is delicious.