Dinner party menu for 10 help

[PhoebeMcPeePee]

I've got 10 for dinner (well 8 plus us) this Saturday & no idea what to cook. I usually do some sort of sharing plate to start such as anti-pasti or meze but I really need to do something different. Main course - not a big fish fan although love seafood, no game & can't stretch to decent steak for 10 people
Any suggestions?

Ottolenghi's lamb shamwarma, with some simple salads. If you are skint do a curry or beef cheek in red wine with creamy mash and spring greens.

Lemon posset for desert. Quick, simple, cheap and can be made hours in advance in pretty glasses and shoved in the fridge. Serve with some shop bought short bread it similar

This is a menu which doesn't require much work at the last minute so will let you chat to your friends.

Lambs lettuce & celery salad with a blue cheese & classic vinaigrette (plates ready & waiting on table when they arrive with extra vinaigrette in a bottle for people to add)
Paella - chicken thighs, prawns, chorizo, clams but don't need to have all of them
Chocolate cake/mousses with fruit & creme fraiche or ice cream. Could do an orange polenta cake & creme fraiche.

Cook the paella so it is still quite moist & the prawns are still not completely cooked & put it in the oven with some foil covering it at a really low temp to finish it off.

As it is cold outside I 'd do a nice hearty stew, probably goulash or a French lamb stew, served with nice bread and French beans if doing goulash or if a lamb stew there will be plenty of veg in it too.

I'd do mini caramelised red onion and goat's cheese tart as a starter

How about a couple of different soups for your first course, so you can offer a choice. They can be made well in advance, look good served from tureens at the table, are economical. Leek and potato, bortch, butternut squash, bean and bacon, all warming and welcoming on a winter night.

I agree with the casserole idea, I'd do it with dauphinois potatoes and not bother with a vegetable.

What are you thinking of doing for pudding?

I agree with Chestnut about lemon posset, I did it the other week for guests, tis the easiest thing in the world to do and you can make it the day before. I piped a swirl of cream on top of mine and served it with a piece of posh shortbread.

Also I have done slow cooked belly of pork (full bellies) x 2 for a lot of people. Easy peasy. You could do a heap of veg/mash with it or do salads and new pots.

I will find the recipe for you and link it.

Pulled Pork for main, there's a great recipe on the bbc good food website and it's all done in advance . Do garlic potatoes, or jackets with sour cream and 2 veg

I would go Greek.

Humous/pitta/tatziki/olives/breadsticks/taramasalata
Feta and filo pastry triangles (crumble feta, cut filo into strips and fold over and over making a triangle like a samosa)
Beef kleftico (basically beed stew. Loads of recipes online) with potatoes and a green veg.
Tiramisu (easy to make in advance)

Yum yum.

slow cooked belly of pork

lemon posset - I would double the ingredients for 10 people.

Definitely some sort of casserole or tagine for main course - even better if you can make it a few days in advance. Individual tarts fpr starter - cut discs of ready made puff pastry and top with just about anything. I have a fab recipe for gooey chocolate puddings - the batter can be made hours in advance and put in ramekins, they are then baked for ten minutes when you need them.

pulled pork.

I have done this recipe twice for different guests. I would get two largish pieces and bung them in for 8 hours. Serve with soft rolls, corn on the cob and coleslaw. The only extra thing we did is at the end after the pork was shredded was add a drizzle of BBQ sauce over the meat. It was really delicious.

I'd like the Greek menu best, although I'd use lamb for the kleftico. Or a casserole with mashed potato and steamed green veg.