Dinner party meal ideas - mostly cooked beforehand

[HolibobsinApril]

So, I have 8 friends coming for dinner in a few weeks.

I'm looking for some inspiration please of what to cook for a main meal.

I have 1 person with an egg allergy
1 have one person who isn't keen on tomatoes
Want to avoid chicken casserole style dishes as that's tends to be standard with our group.

I have a kitchen diner so I dont really want to still be cooking when everyone is here. So, something that I can cook just before they arrive would be perfect.

Any ideas please?

Mary Berry's beef Latimer-cook the day before and just heat up on the day
Brazilian fish stew -cook tomato/base before hand, just add fish/lime/coconut milk/coriander for 5/10 mins and serve with bread or rice.
Thomasina Myers braised beef chilli con carne (best chilli ever). Cook in advance and serve with your preferred chilli sides rice/wraps/whatever

Moussaka. Serve with a Greek salad. I use Delia Smith's moussaka recipe and she adds egg yolks to the bechamel to enrich it, but that could easily be omitted - just make the bechamel a bit thicker, i.e. less milk, more flour - and plenty of cheese. I sometimes use courgettes sliced longways as well as aubergines, and I've also had it with thin slices of potatoes as well as aubergines (which is extremely filling, but really good).

Starters could be hummus/taramasalata/tzatziki, pita, olives, baba ganoush, stuffed vine leaves (easy to buy ready-made).

Pudding: tiny squares of baklava, Turkish delight, a lovely platter of fruit.

Curry. Look for Nigellas Mughlai chicken. Utterly delicious and best made the day before the get flavours infused.
Just reheat and cook some rice wile it's doing that.
Charcuterie and cheese board to start.
Dessert: once you are finished main course take some puff pastry ready rolled squares out of the freezer cut in half and layer with with sliced apple mixed with brown sugar. Milk wash the edges and bake for 20 minutes and serve with ice cream.

Easy

This sounds divine!! Can you come and cook it all for me please? 😁

Alison Roman - mushroom and burrata pasta bake. You can assemble the morning or day before and it is so delicious.

I'm a reasonably good cook but my Achilles heel is that my food looks rustic at best. However, it's hard to go wrong with the menu I sketched out above! I have cooked most of those things from scratch (not baklava or Turkish Delight, I wouldn't even attempt those, and neither do most restaurants, I believe). It's the sort of food I love and would order if we went to a Turkish/Greek/Lebanese/Middle Eastern restaurant.

Tagine is a good idea, or if too casseroley then something like this

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/roast-rack-lamb-moroccan-spices

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/hole-wall-salmon-stuffed-ginger-raisins

I made this for Hogmanay. It was amazing! So easy and impressive and made in advance so can just shove in the oven.

Traditional tiramisu contains eggs though.

There's a Nigella Spanish Chicken recipe which is effectively a tray bake. It's really good. Serve with salad or green veg.

An easy starter is crumbled feta and roasted red pepper salad on mixed leaves with toasted flaked almonds or pine nuts. Drizzle with vinaigrette or balsamic glaze.

For an egg free dessert this is super easy and looks very impressive.

www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/terrys-chocolate-orange-cream-pie/

I use one dark, one milk choc orange to make it a bit more rich and grown up.

Greek lamb orzo. Minimal work

I'd do a curry. This Malaysian beef curry is lovely. You can do all the prep and cooking in advance then just put a light under the rice once your guests have arrived. Then just remove the curry from the oven sprinkle Ofer some freshly chopped herbs and chillies and you're good to go.

I did this thai salmon yray bake last time I had guests, can prep and just pop in oven when they arrive. Serve with rice and maybe another easy veg

thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/mary-berrys-roasting-tin-thai-salmon-and-vegetables/

If anyone fancies a hassle free, homemade curry then this company do fabulous spice mixes! They’re super easy and really tasty. You just add water and/or coconut milk and the meat for most of them. They deliver and you can get sides, chutneys, naan, chapatti etc from there too. (The naan are huge!)
Rafi’s Spicebox
spicebox.co.uk

Slow roast pork with dauphinois potatoes is my prepare ahead dinner party staple. Take the pork out before they arrive and cover with foil and tea towels so you can make the gravy. You can do the potatoes the day before and just reheat them.

Chocolate brownies for pudding.

www.spicebox.co.uk/blog/curry-packs-without-gluten.html

sorry, try this link!

If we cook for a few people then lamb kleftiko is good as is just chuck things in a pot, leave in the oven for 2-3 hours and serve with salad and crusty bread. Is basically cubed lamb, garlic, lemon, new potatoes, olive oil and oregano with a bit of watee. And the longer it is left, the more tender the meat - just have to ensure doesn't get dry. Then do something easy for starters like olives, breadsticks and nibbles, then an easy made ahead or bought egg free pudding.

Pork loin crooked with slices mushrooms and smoked paprika. Doesn't take long to cook and finished off with crème fraîche. A Mary Berry recipe in the Aga book.

If fancy I’d probably look at a beef wellington or salmon en croute with green beans and dauphinois; leas candy a baked risotto is super easy - this is our favourite www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/oven-baked-leek-bacon-risotto

This Halloumi & Chorizo Bake is yum & can all be done in advance. We serve it with gherkins & crusty bread.
This fruit tart is also a hit with my guests

Tartiflette, you can prepare in advance and then cook in the oven. Plus it is delicious.

I love a cold mezzo starter of meats, olives, cheeses, onions, sundried tomatoes, bake at home bread, etc. with balsamic and olive oil dip.

I recently did cod with a breadcrumb, lemon zest and herb crust, minted crushed peas and roasted baby potatoes.

dessert was key lime pie with ginger buiscuit crust and chantilly cream.

Thai green curry with coconut rice and naan breads

Starter: salad buffet- with lots of different coloured salads/cold meats/ veggies. Nice bread rolls. That way everyone can take as little or as much as they like

Main: Delias Christmas recipe for venison in port & Guinness with picked walnuts. (Or beef) Celeriac & potato mash. Both can be made in advance and kept warm.

Veg option- I have an amazing lentil recipe with puy lentils & veg on the bottom, and cream/Gruyère/walnuts on the top- baked in oven. Again, can be made in advance.

Pudding- delias chocolate torte.

Now I want to eat all of these but the kids wouldn't eat it!

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g if you host a dinner party can I come? That sounds lovely!