What would you make for a 3 course meal?

[TheChosenTwo]

Just that really. For 5 of us, varying degrees of fussiness which I can work around but I’m interested to know what you’d make or even what you’d want to eat…
I don’t cook very often but I’m quite competent when I put my mind to it! I just can’t seem to settle on making a decision.

Find one thing which you really want to include ideally something in season and work the rest of the menu around that.

Find things that are in tune with the season.

For example, if you want to do a roast, then lighter starter and dessert. In season, I like to start with fresh asparagus

The grouse shooting season has only just started, there are good supplied in our local game supplier, so I go with that.

One more thing, though, three courses is difficult to balance. I'd go for two substantial courses or four smaller courses.

I don't usually do a starter but if you substitute a canapé that I would serve a half hour before eating, my menu would be,

Start. Smoked salmon on thin brown bread and butter. (This is our xmas favourite). Plated up I'd add mixed leaves and a slice of lemon.

Main. I'd go for a one pot dish. Chicken thighs, skinned boned and excess fat trimmed, cooked with tinned tomatoes, chorizo, peppers, paprika etc. Served with plain rice (basmati I find easiest).

Pudding. Home made cheesecake or pavlova with lots of berries.

Starter - pittas with a feta dip recipes.sainsburys.co.uk/recipes/starters/creamy-feta-dip

Chicken tagine for mains www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/moroccan-style_chicken_47173 because it can be made ahead and flavours improve with time. Couscous is also easy to prepare ahead of time - it can be served cold and doesn’t go dry or overcook like rice or pasta.

Pudding - yogurt, honey and pistachio cheesecake realfood.tesco.com/recipes/yogurt-honey-and-pistachio-cheesecake.html made the day before
Or raspberry and pistachio meringues realfood.tesco.com/recipes/raspberry-and-pistachio-meringues.html served with cream whipped with a little bit of rosewater

Starter I would do small sharing mezze dishes such as olives, pitta or crusty bread, hummus, baba ghanoush, deli meats, stuffed peppers, feta, stuffed vine leaves etc, so more of an assembly job with emphasis on presentation with nice bowls and plates.

Main chicken marbella, a real easy crowd pleaser you can either serve or let them serve themselves. Serve with well seasoned basmati rice or a pilau type rice dish with a green salad.

Dessert, depends on the season, cheesecake, homemade or shop bought in summer. Sticky toffee pudding in winter with more sauce and cream. Would also have nice ice cream in for anyone that just wants someone something light.

Chocs or mints or even baklava in tiny portions go graze on over coffee or to soak up even more alcohol.

Starter: something that can be ready to go and prep before, maybe sliced mozerella and tomatos

Main: probs something in the slow cooker!

Pud: strawberry pavlova with shop bough meringue and a choice of cream or ice cream

I would do a mezze style starter, with bite sized nibbles, including olives, marinated prawns, halloumi cubes etc.

A one pot main course, possibly home made moussaka with a salad (and if my bottomless pit friend was coming garlic bread)

and finish with either Baked Alaska or Profiteroles both very 70s I know but they are both things that people tend to think of as difficult and are really quite straightforward.

We are having a roast today so I won’t be doing another one in a couple of days otherwise that would have been perfect!
I think I’ll go with a mezze style starter, dd1 makes amazing hummus (never know how to spell that word!) and dd2 makes brilliant pittas, I can whip up a few other bits and none of it takes long and can all be prepared in advance. Then for main I’m going to maybe go with lamb kleftiko and I’ll make a vegetable moussaka for non meat eating dd1 and lamb hater dd2.
Pudding is still up for debate!