Complicated mix of dietary requirements - help!

[RockingMyFiftiesNot]

I've a group of friends coming to dinner next weekend.
I've entertained them as individual couples before but never all together. It's a celebration, so would like to make it a special 3 course meal.
I'm a confident cook and am quite used to catering for various dietary requirements. But now I've sat down to think about this group and the combination of requirements, I'm struggling a bit. Partly because I've other things going on at the moment so don't really have a clear head.

Help appreciated with starter, main course, dessert to accommodate:
Gluten free
No nuts (bang goes my usual almond based GF cakes): 'no nuts' is for someone who is avoiding them due to cold sores, not a life threatening allergy)
No heavy dairy (no cream or butter or cows cheese). Vegan butter (Flora) works well but never find vegan cream that good. they are ok with Greek yoghurt. Another guest doesn't like goats cheese.
No chocolate.
One guest really dislikes meringue in any form, this is also the nut free person as I could have done an almond GF cake and a Pavlova as alternative for dessert.
I've a feeling I've missed something, sorry in advance if so am not at home with my list.

I don't mind having slightly different versions of dishes but don't want to serve completely different things to avoid their embarrassment and to be honest less work for me. I appreciate I might have to make two desserts but would rather not if possible .

I'm not out to impress but do want it to-feel special as it's a celebration .

I've had a couple of thoughts but not feeling like they are very special (will share later, don't want to influence suggestions)

Any help appreciated, thanks

Go vegan were possible. Covers most, and nut free

Indian would be easier

Starter - selection of Indian tapas type options

Main - curry and rice and homemade naan (gluten free bread flour). Could do a meat curry and veggie option

Desert - sorbet

Thanks @Caspianberg . That's a possibility. What did you have in mind for Indian tapas?

I agree an Indian menu would work well as a solution to the dietary issues, my reservation is that as a group we go for an Indian meal on an almost monthly basis so would rather not do this - but very definitely a back up plan.

Middle Eastern type mezze instead?

Salads, falafels ( check gluten free flour), houmous, tzatziki, kebabs, spinach and feta spanakopita ( gluten free filo). People can avoid the dairy items if they prefer, actual allergies catered for.

Thanks @Caspianberg that would also work well in terms of dietary requirements. I guess I was envisaging more of a formal 3 course meal than a 'family style' supper.
Will continue to work on that but may need to think about less formal options.

For dessert, I'd go poached pears. Is Marscopone okay? Because if so, it makes a wonderful accompaniment to poached pears but I'd imagine light creme fraiche would work. . My recipe cooks the pears in late harvest wine with cinnamon.

For main, surely any kind of full roast with sides would work? For wow factor, I like a rib of beef. Rack of lamb could work too but might be too many people to make practical.

Thanks SpaceOp. Poached pears is a good shout, I was thinkjng something fruity. The person who doesn't have heavy dairy can't have marscapone or Creme Frische but will have a particular brand of Greek yoghurt (which I don't understand), but could do the marscapone for the others.
I could make some GF shortbread too.

I was beginning to think some kind of roast. Maybe I make a 'posher' gravy with Madeira.

Thanks for the suggestions

To add to list of items can't be used - knew I'd forgotten something:

Mushrooms; mustard of any type: cumin

Wow that is definitely challenging! Particularly the No chocolate & nuts as many non-dairy or non-gluten go for chocolate & nuts instead.
I'd recommend checking out Becky Excell (has a webpage/FB/Instagram) she makes standard food into GF, but also often gives options on how to make it DF/Vegan etc.
Does the No nuts include nut milks etc?

I make a lemon chiffon tart with gf biscuits from the supermarket (not uk, sorry). Gf, df. Not vegan (do you need vegan). Then I serve with raspberries or rhubarb.

So there aren’t any vegetarians? That helps. Oven-baked paella with either seafood or chicken! for main course?

Or oven-baked risotto. (So no stirring)

Or a tagine of some kind.

A leg of lamb can be made dressy with good veggies beside it.

Barboil chunks of pumpkin, slice and layer like lasagne with a basic tomato sauce. Crumbs of some sort over the top and I like some good Greek goat or sheep feta crumbled over for a salt hit. Into the oven for half an hour.

Cabbage cut into wedges and drizzled with oil and baked until tender. that’s yummy.

Beans or broccoli steamed and served with a squeeze of lemon. Or a Christmas type Brussels sprout.

I would do buffalo cauliflower wings to start

Pulled pork maybe as a main (not very special) or a nice beef casserole/roast beef dinner.

fruit Pie/crumble for dessert

I am rubbish but I could eat all of those now!

For Gluten check individual products are sold as "gluten free" as they can contain gluten due to their ingredients

Dairy free products can be avoided by using substitutes oils or only adding creams etc after extracting a serving e.g. with mash pick a nice masher boil well use the salt pepper and water for non dairy then add the rest.

Starters could be a which can be preprepared salad smoked salmon / prawn / quail or egg salad. With a nice vinaigrette etc I have used yoghurt as a base to carry additional flavours on salads.
The advantage is they can be prepared and left to one side.

Yes, a really good gravy would work. And definitely choose a joint that has the "wow" factor - this is not the time for a topside! . A side of salmon is also suitably wow and would, if I understand it, meet all your requirements.

Alternatively, go with salmon for the starter. Something with beetroot maybe rather than with dairy? I'm sure I've seen some lovely smoked salmon/pickled beetroot recipes over the years but possibly they all use creme fraiche or cream cheese in which case, perhaps not.

In which case, I am understanding that it's cows milk that's the problem? So what about a fancy salad with rocket leaves, figs (possibly roasted?), with roquefort cheese and a honey or balsamic dressing? Add parma ham if you want to.

@TheSandgroper

I make a lemon chiffon tart with gf biscuits from the supermarket (not uk, sorry). Gf, df. Not vegan (do you need vegan). Then I serve with raspberries or rhubarb.

This sounds perfect, thank you.

Just a fyi,most stock cubes or similar also contain gluten, so would need to just check and get a gluten free variety if needed for any gravy or stocks.

Apple strudel ( gluten free filo), and then can get dairy free and normal ice cream to go with it ( or the particular yogurt that person eats)

@APurpleSquirrel

Wow that is definitely challenging! Particularly the No chocolate & nuts as many non-dairy or non-gluten go for chocolate & nuts instead. I'd recommend checking out Becky Excell (has a webpage/FB/Instagram) she makes standard food into GF, but also often gives options on how to make it DF/Vegan etc. Does the No nuts include nut milks etc?

Yes very challenging as my 'go tos' are ruled out by other requirements! I'd rather avoid nuts altogether. Will check out the sites you mentioned, thanks.

@oneglassandpuzzled

So there aren’t any vegetarians? That helps. Oven-baked paella with either seafood or chicken! for main course?

Or oven-baked risotto. (So no stirring)

Or a tagine of some kind.

Some lovely ideas thank you. Might do an oven baked risotto or small portion of Paella as a starter.

@TheSandgroper

A leg of lamb can be made dressy with good veggies beside it.

Barboil chunks of pumpkin, slice and layer like lasagne with a basic tomato sauce. Crumbs of some sort over the top and I like some good Greek goat or sheep feta crumbled over for a salt hit. Into the oven for half an hour.

Cabbage cut into wedges and drizzled with oil and baked until tender. that’s yummy.

Beans or broccoli steamed and served with a squeeze of lemon. Or a Christmas type Brussels sprout.

Thank you, lovely ideas.

@Softpebbles

I would do buffalo cauliflower wings to start

Pulled pork maybe as a main (not very special) or a nice beef casserole/roast beef dinner.

fruit Pie/crumble for dessert

I am rubbish but I could eat all of those now!

Thank you. Crumble might be an option with GF flour, the only time I tried to make GF pastry it was a disaster so don't want to risk a pie.

@SolasAnla

For Gluten check individual products are sold as "gluten free" as they can contain gluten due to their ingredients

Dairy free products can be avoided by using substitutes oils or only adding creams etc after extracting a serving e.g. with mash pick a nice masher boil well use the salt pepper and water for non dairy then add the rest.

Starters could be a which can be preprepared salad smoked salmon / prawn / quail or egg salad. With a nice vinaigrette etc I have used yoghurt as a base to carry additional flavours on salads.
The advantage is they can be prepared and left to one side.

Thank you. I'm quite comfortable shopping for suitable ingredients , it's just ideas for the meal as I've never had such a big combination of requirements.

Agree with a make ahead starter, like a salad as you mention or a soup. Thank you .

I'm very much leaning towards a salad starter - maybe roast figs if I cam get them with Parma ham and Roquefort. I can use goats cheese instead for for the non-heavy dairy person and could add toasted walnuts for all except the person who doesn't have nuts (not allergic so can serve at the same table).
The non-dairy person doesn't have 'heavy dairy' which seems to mean doesn't have most things made from cows milk apart from a particular brand of Greek yoghurt.

Thanks these suggestions are really helping me decide what I do/don't want to do.

Who the fuck goes to dinner at someone's house and says they can't eat cumin?

You just eat the bloody cumin, don't you. Rude.

@Caspianberg

Just a fyi,most stock cubes or similar also contain gluten, so would need to just check and get a gluten free variety if needed for any gravy or stocks.

Apple strudel ( gluten free filo), and then can get dairy free and normal ice cream to go with it ( or the particular yogurt that person eats)

Thanks, sound advice. The GF Person uses Knorr stock cubes. I wasn't able to find GF filo last time I looked but will try again. I might just buy the Swedish Glace ice cream and serve to all as it has a lovely flavour . Thanks for your help

Maybe an orange polenta cake for pud