If you were making a celebration Greek birthday meal for 10...

[Mumwithbaggage]

What would you serve? I have ideas obviously as I volunteered to cook but you guys are always amazing!

It's dd2's30th/ds's29th. Two pescatarians (though one - dd1 - usually tries the meat option), one nut allergy. All others happy to eat whatever.

Thinking mezze to start (happy to part shop and part make) then maybe 3 main dishes.

Thank you!

Beef stifado if there are meat eaters! And I love a moussaka….

Huge slow roasted lamb shoulder
tsatsiki
flatbreads
feta & beetroot salad
couscous & roasted veg
fresh mint

Halloumi, Tzatziki, taramasalata & pitta to start
Baked feta or feta in filo for the pescatarians (or prawns maybe?)
Kleftico or Stifado for the main. If you fancied a traybake style Mousakka or macarounia dou forno.
A side of lemon potatoes cooked in stock. Or a Greek salad?

If you can get some loukmades for afters they are amazing. They were pretty readily available where I used to live in North London :)

Thank you - my mouth's watering! Never made Kleftiko but enjoyed eating it lots! So many things to choose from!! Not sure about loukmades locally (far SE), but googling has made me very hungry!

Lamb legs half price till 18th Nov with Nectar at Sainsbury's!

Spanakopita for any vegetarians

@JennyChawleigh as long as I don't eat it all before it gets to the table!

Sounds like it’ll be lovely whatever you do, can I come

Greek meals can also be completely composed of "small plates", with no defined main course. I would do this, as it gives people more choice- so the meat eaters can go for the kofta and souvlaki, while the veggies would lean more towards spanakopita and gemista (stuffed vegetables). Dolmades (stuffed vine leaves) would always be good in this scenario- Lidl does decent tins of them in Greek week.

Ooh, love this.

I wouldn't go for different courses. I'd go traditional greek with some big centrepiece and then loads of salads/sides/dips. You could put many of the dips and sides out earlier, then bring the main to the table after a bit.

For the main I'd definitely go lamb - a traditional kleftico or slow cooked lamb shoulder that can just be served with all the salads/dips and flatbreads.

Individual spanakopita are great and excellent to serve alongside for any vegetarians. Ditto, baked feta.

Dips/salads etc:
Baba ganoush
Tabbouleh
Greek salad (but possibly not if doing baked feta and spanakopita)
Olives
Tzatiki
hummus
Kefthedes
Dolmades
Some kind of courgette fritter - I forget what they're called but are amazing!

Obviously you want baklava for dessert!

I’d ditch the main course if there are a couple of veggies, and go for a huge spread of different meze including some meat and fish options. Served with a huge Greek salad and good, home made pitta bread.

If you like the idea of different courses, serve the cold meze (olives, dips etc) followed by the hot meze.

To add: are you familiar with Greek week at Lidl OP, and might Greek week fall before this feast? It has many wondrous things, including their sunflower seed breadsticks that I cannot stop eating if they're in the house.

Lots more lovely ideas! Could eat it all!

@crackofdoom good shout! Will pop into Lidl and have a look.

I'll update with my menu when I've chosen!

Youvetsi is always a winner. Absolutely delicious and so easy to make before hand, just add the orzo 20 mins before serving and feta at the end. I’ve made it for a few dinner parties and everyone loved It. Served with Greek salad and tsatsiki. Pastishio is always popular too.
Mini lamb koftas, halloumi and dolmades to start. Psari Plaki for the fish dish, again you can make most of this before had, just add the fish at the end and cook for 25 mins (with the caveat that I hate fish, so I’ve made this but never actually eaten it! Guests said it was good and ate it all though).
I have never yet found a Greek dessert I really love so if anyone could suggest one of those, I’d love to hear it…..

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/baklava_cheesecake_94719

Greek food is the best.

I’d go with tzatziki, houmous and spicy feta dips to start, with pitta. I like to brush pittas with butter, garlic and oregano and bake them / so much easier than standing over the toaster.

I’m veggie but I think kleftiko has to be there as a main.

A big plate of vegetarian stuffed peppers and tomatoes (and if anybody has a tried and tested traditional recipe for this I’d be so grateful.

Greek salad

lemon roasted potatoes

orange cake for dessert

So I'll be making/buying tzatziki (making obvs), baba ganoush, feta dip, olives and bread - possibly other stuff if I see it - followed by very slow cooked leg of lamb with kleftiko flavours (legs of lamb half price in Sainsbury's at the moment), briam, baby roast potatoes with lemon and rosemary, spanakopita (little ones) and Greek salad - probably feta on the side to keep some people happy. More tzatziki. May cook the halloumi that's in the fridge if I'm feeling kind.

@MsRinky love the look of that cheesecake but as youngest dd's bf has a nut allergy will probably go for a birthday cake and a cheeseboard.

Thanks for all the fabulous ideas everyone!