Dinner party ideas - 8 people including one veggie and one diabetic

[Paq]

In my imagination there is a smorgasbord of tasty, coordinated dishes, some meat, some veggie, all presenting visual as well as literal feasts.

In reality I have no idea where to start!

I've considered an Indian theme but haven't got a lot of experience in cooking Indian food.

Would anyone like to give me some inspiration?

Indian is a great one when you're doing both, the veggie bits are so good people don't feel left out there is a veggie Indian menu in Jamie Oliver's 30 minute cook book, sorry I can't link! Has a curry, pickle, carrot salad and stuff, it was delicious but took a while longer than half an hour (maybe because I don't have a food processor?) I added tandoori chicken, marinated chicken in tandoori paste,lemon juice and natural yoghurt then grill and some lamb kebab things for those who required meat! Good luck

How many courses? If three, an approach that would keep the amount of work to manageable levels would be to have a first course and pudding that the vegetarian could eat and either do a main course that everyone could eat or offer a choice - but be prepared for some of the omnivores to take the veggie option if they get the chance.

I don't think you would need to worry about catering for the diabetic person except that it would probably be more important than usual not to be too late serving up!

Ideas:

First course - good soup, lovely bread; or selection of dips and olives with pitta bread/flatbread

Main course - lamb tagine; tomatoes, peppers and aubergines stuffed with rice (no meat in these, plenty of pinenuts); big salad or lots of wilted spinach.

Pudding: lemon souffle, fresh berries, creme fraiche. Don't set the souffle with gelatine and check the creme fraiche for that too.

I am liking the 30 minute idea, but also the lamb tagine. The word soufflé scares me - I've never souffléd before!

I've never souffled either can be a bit boaky with eggs, do you have a failsafe recipe mimsy?

How about Mexican? Bean and cheese quesadillas for starters or nachos, chilli and rice (veggie version and meat version), lots of margaritas?

Roast a chicken and serve it with veggie stuffing wrapped in puff pastry.

From memory:
Finely chop an onion, mushrooms, peppers, nuts and fry in butter. Season/add herbs - sage is good.
Leave to cool.
Check the consistency - you may need to add some beaten egg, you want it squishy yet dry.

Get some big savoy cabbage leaves, blanch, refresh, dry very well.

Roll out the pastry to an oblong. Down the middle put a big sausage shape of stuffing. Top with savoy, then spread some cream cheese, then another layer of savoy, then another layer of stuffing.

Wrap up the pastry, turn it over so the seams underneath. Egg wash and bake.

This then becomes an accompaniment for the chicken (or other roast meat) and the main event for the veggie. Serve with steamed veg, veggie gravy.

Lemon souffle recipe - caught out! No, I don't have a recipe but I do love to eat that or similar creamy lemony things. Very refreshing at the end of a meal but also very luxurious. I've had lemon posset and seen recipes -it looks very easy. How about this? A big advantage is that it's all prepared well in advance and you just get it out of the fridge when you're ready to serve. I might try the Gordon Ramsay recipe given in the comments under that Guardian article as that sounds easy peasy and fairly quick. I'd serve it with shortbread.

Glad I'm not the only souffle softy …that posset looks good (& maybe less omelettey!)