Celebration dinner get-together ideas. Medium difficulty but effective.

[DrinkFeckArseGirls]

I say get-together as not quite a party. I invited one of my very good friends with his partner for tomorrow evening to celebrate his 50th. At the moment I have no menu (and no gift ).
They like meat and no fish. Will drink mainly white though. They're both lactose intolerant. I don't eat dairy and rice/pasta/bread but happy to cook something that will involve them as long as I can leave them out on my plate (so no risotto).

Tagine with cous cous as a side

www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/moroccanlambtagine_6696

Ok, I like it. I was thinking lamb. Thanks,CanIHave. I have no organ oil though, Antony .

And started? I was thinking mushrooms? Could be on a toast, I can make for me my own nut bread (I doubt they'd like my brand making ) or just have shrooms on their own.

this is amazing and really easy It looks really impressive when you bring it to the table too.

ARGAN oil!

I just use olive oil.

That’s sounds a good starter if making your own bread

Or I’d do a soup?

Broccoli & Stilton

Actually forget the soup forgot the no diary

Dairy!

Thanks, Lonny. That sounds like something I could do for DD and me, we certainly likee such flavours but I really don't fancy carving (butchering) a chicken in front of guests. Made that mistake at Christmas with a duck .

Starter of garlic mushrooms, perhaps with chopped bacon or diced fried black pudding scattered over for added interest.
Main of roast rack of lamb with Greek style herby roast potatoes, and mixed green vegetables eg broccoli, asparagus, green beans, romanesco cauliflower.
Pudding of Swedish Glace (non dairy) with slices of grilled pineapple glazed with liqueur.

With rack of lamb you simply cut between the "chops", no carving needed. You could cut the rack up in the kitchen (or are you eating in the kitchen?) before serving, or even cut it into sections of a couple of chops for each person before cooking.

What about this jewelled couscous with roast lamb?

Though jewelled couscous is supposed to have pomegranate seeds.

What about this version?

Coq au vin. I make it with turkey thighs chopped through the bone into slices, and the meat falls off the bone for easy removal before serving if you want. Tastes even better on day 2.

It's a shame they don't like fish as I would do smoked mackerel or salmon or scallops & black pudding as a starter as it feels a bit special.

No starter, just champagne, spiced rosemary nuts and cheese goujons (you can buy these frozen and they just need heating up)

Roast leg of lamb with basil, tomatoes and pecorino (no appreciable lactose content), roast potatoes, sharply dressed green salad with walnuts

(Recipe here: www.kaveyeats.com/2019/11/roast-leg-of-lamb-with-basil-pecorino-garlic-wine.html)

Birthday cake!

Cheeseboard and port

Squish I made coq au Riesling last night - alas no leftovers as it was so tasty we finished it off!! I was so looking forward to having some today for lunch...

Go buy a raclette.

Meats, cheese, mushrooms, peppers and cook at the table.

Or how about

Starter of a selection of ham(s) other rooked meats, nive bread and a few olives.

Main, lemon + spice chicken with new potatoes and a mushroom sauce

Cheesecake - just because there is cheesecake thread with loads of recipes - maybe not if lactose intolerant, but you could probably do something similar with yofu.

For the chicken, get chicken thighs with the skin on, 2 per person (3 if they are big eaters).

Put therm in as shallow pyrex dish / or baking sheet.

Make a rub of

salt (or garlic salt)
black pepper
paprika

rub into the skin then sprinkle with lemon juice, put in the oven for 30-40 mins.

do simple new potatoes and veg in the same pan.

I do a mushroom sauce by fring finely sliced mushroom in butter, then adding cream cheese or creme fraiche but you could use passata or stock, maybe ass a teaspoon of whole grain mustard.