Dinner for 5 tomorrow night . Please help with ideas

[travellingwilbury]

I have got friends coming round tomorrow night for dinner and I have run out of ideas . It is a book club and we take it in turns every month to go to each others house and have dinner , drink wine and sometimes we even manage to talk about the book .
The problem is we have been doing this for 5 yrs now and I have run out of meal ideas .

Please help me with something yummy to eat but nothing too faffy as I have got my two boys with me all day as my oh is out all day (and I work till half one )

Thank you in advance

Oh yes and it can't be fish as we have a fish hater in our midst

[Scootergrrrl]

Beef stew can be made in advance or in the slow cooker and is yummy when it's cold. Or fajitas for a bit of DIY?

[travellingwilbury]

Thank you , I was thinking about doing something with beef and doing it today but I think I did a beef bourgignonne (sp ?) last time . This is the biggest problem I have , all the usual dinner party type food has already been done .
Fajitas could be a plan

[smartiejake]

Cranberry lamb is easy and delicious.

Get either lamb leg steaks (or you can cook a half leg and slice).

Bung the steaks in the oven with some cranberry jelly over them on about 150 degrees C (I normally cover them and cook for about an hour but you can grill them or pan fry them- I just prefer them baked as the meat will be more tender)

Par boil some little new potatoes and then roast in the oven with some olive oil and a few cloves of crushed garlic. Serve with some green veg.

For the sauce use about half a pint of lamb stock, bit of paprika and pinch of black papper, small jar of cranberry and then the secret ingredient- 3 or 4 tablespoons of worcester sauce. Simmer untill the sauce is thickish and pour over the lamb.

Tis delish! ( and very easy)

[notamumyetbutoneday]

Could you have a theme? depending on the book, eg, if the book was set in Italy, eg, could have italian food, etc? A bit thin I know but it might be something a bit different.

Otherwise I think something like fajitas people can assemble themselves is perfect.

[travellingwilbury]

It was Hanif Kuerishis novel
Something to tell you and tbh I couldn't bear to even finish it as I found it too jumpy . Its also set in London but with a muslim father and middle class english mother so I would get confused just thinking about a theme . Good idea though , maybe a book set in Spain or Italy next

I like the idea of the lamb , I think a leg would be good , any tips on how to not burn the garlic in the oven ? I always manage to burn garlic if I try and do roast pots in garlic

[notamumyetbutoneday]

Yes, matching food to that would be a little tricky!!!

Maybe garlic is being cooked for too long/at too high a temp? If pots are parboiled first they shouldnt take too long in the oven.

[travellingwilbury]

Thats what I think it is but I only cook them at 180 . Maybe doing it with the lamb at 150 will work

Think I might have a practice potato run tonight

[notamumyetbutoneday]

Yep 180 is what i do mine at too...a practice run sounds like a good idea, i always have to try at least 2 versions of a dish before it gets unleashed on guests!

[travellingwilbury]

NOt sure about doing the lamb twice , think I will just try out the pots and see if I can manage to not burn the garlic . The amount of times I have had to fish around in oil for stinky burnt bits of garlic

[sarahpea]

i have that problem with the garlic too!! i will be watching to see what is recommended to prevent this!

[SexyDomesticatedDad]

For garlic just lightly crush the unpeeled cloves - still lets outthe flavour. This way they don't usually burn and then you can squash out the lovely soft garlic 'paste' and add to gravy or mix over pots later on.

Similarly you can bake a large (elephant) type garlic too which can be served up at table to make a sort of do it your self garlic bread - with some good virgin olive oil .

[bongosmum]

add the smashed garlic to the water when boiling the potatoes, then use the water to make the gravy.

[travellingwilbury]

Thank you , I think I will def try the putting it in the water , thats one of those tips you can't quite believe you didn't think of yourself .

I will let you know how I get on tomorrow

Better go and try and clean the house now

[smartiejake]

I am dying to know wilbury- how did it go?

[travellingwilbury]

Sorry I didn't get on here yesterday

The lamb was gorgeous thank you . And I did do garlic pots as well which turned out really well . I put the garlic in the water and they tasted really nice .

[bongosmum]

glad to hear it went well!! i am planning your next menu for you!

[travellingwilbury]

Thanks bongo , I love cooking but sometimes just need some added inspiration

[smartiejake]

Great! It is just scrummy isn't it?
I got the original recipe from a magazine about 15 years ago.

I always have the same problem with the garlic burning- will definitely try the garlic in the water in future.