Please HELP me with what to cook for kitchen supper with friends on Saturday

[TeddyBear7]

Hi MN - H E L P !!! I have friends coming over for dinner on Saturday and I'm in a panic as I'm not very imaginative in the kitchen. I can produce wonderful dishes by following recipes but I have no clue how to put together a good menu plan. I keep telling myself, "Calm down, it's only an informal kitchen supper," (thank goodness) but I would like to at least t* r y^^ to produce something edible if not tasty. My friends are Italian and enjoy fish. I thought perhaps salmon but I've only ever had it very plain, baked in foil. Open to other ideas except shellfish* as I'm allergic and on top of the cooking stress I don't want to have to spend the evening in A&E. Does anyone have any interesting ideas? And what about veg? And what could I do for starter and dessert? I prefer to prepare as much as possible in advance so I can enjoy my time with my friends as opposed to flapping around burning everything.  xxx

Salmon on puy lentils type of thing? I do a really easy choc/orange cheesecake using an actual chocolate orange just type in on google for recipe, can be done the day before

Ooh thank you! Is there a recipe for the salmon on lentils? And what could I do to go with it?

For a starter I'd probably get a load of the nicest anti pasti I could find.

My absolute favourite fish dish is monkfish wrapped in parma ham. It's really simple but if you get good ingredients it's delicious. I usually serve it with rosemary and sea salt roast potatoes and some sort of seasonal green veg.

It's this recipe...
cindyduffield-cookingthebooks.co.uk/monkfish-roasted-with-parma-ham-and-sun-dried-tomatoes/

www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/rosemary-roasted-jersey-royals/

I'd do a lemon tart for dessert.

All that can be easily prepped in advance and just put in the oven.

Salmon pate with toast or goat cheese salad .

Daube of beef with boulangere potatoes and mixed green veg
or
Chicken and mushrooms in red wine sauce with rice.

Chocolate pots or lemon posset with shortbread or almond biscuits.

You could go Thai- fishcakes to start then a green curry with rice. Easy to get most of it ready in advance.

Agree with antipasti starter, then and chorizo stew with either garlic bread or pan fried garlic gnocchi and green veg or salad. Then a salted caramel cheesecake to finish.

Thanks so much - I will google these and run them past DH.