Dinner party recipe ideas

[MustardScreams]

Having a dinner party for a few close friends next week, need some recipe ideas! Weather is meant to be pants so bbq is out the window.

I usually do slow roasted shoulder of lamb with Middle Eastern sides and flatbreads etc, or curries but I want something with a bit of a wow factor. Very confidant cook so happy to try anything.

Any pud ideas also welcomed. Thanks

Delia's chicken basque is lovely, and great for this time of year.
Dessert wise I'd go for a strawberry pavlova, since strawberries are at their best right now.
I'd also do a chessboard, but then I'm a cheese fanatic.

In summer dressed crab with a nice salads, lemon mayonnaise and homemade brown bread always gets a positive response.
I cheat and order them from ‘Fish for thought’ never had unreliable service. It couldn’t be easier.

Pudding I’d do a cheesecake or for fun something like knickerbocker glory made with fresh fruit salad and really good gelato.

Dressed crab and speciality bread sounds ace.

Ottolenghi’s chocolate tart with orange, hazelnut and rosemary is delicious for a dessert.

@chemenger that chocolate tart is perfect! Thank you. Think I’ll serve it with fresh berries as a nod to summer.

For a smaller group I'd do a whole turbot roasted with bay and lemon - serve with a potato galette and some kind of greens - tenderstem, kale, spring greens, something like that.

For a bigger group, I'd do chicken marbella with couscous and a panzanella salad.

In each case I wouldn't bother with a proper starter, just some bowls of olives and maybe some chilli rosemary nuts while people have a cocktail on arrival.

Dessert I'd do a big pile of strawberries with cream and brown sugar meringues.

@MustardScreams you won’t regret making the tart. Don’t leave out the hazelnut brittle, it really adds to the tart and you will have lots left over to nibble on.

@CherryPavlova I love the crab idea, sadly 2 of the guests are fussy buggers and don’t eat shellfish.

Goats cheese and thyme stuffed chicken breasts www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3925/goats-cheese-and-thyme-stuffed-chicken

https://vikalinka.com/georgian-chicken-tabaka-with-spicy-blackberry-sauce/

I recently made this with poussins (recipe from the cookbook kauskausis) and it was fabulous. The sauce is amazing. Guests were asking for the recipe on the way out

@bwydda that sounds great, and really easy to prepare. What did you serve it with?

Might do a couple of spatchcocked guinea fowls as I think they’d go ridiculously well with the blackberry sauce.

I did it with a herby cous cous salad type thing. The blackberry sauce was the stand out part of the meal- I think it's go great with guinea fowl- it really is delicious.