Virgin Dinner Party thrower! Does this menu work? <worry>

[AvadaKedavra]

Throwing my first dinner party next weekend, just for 4 people, starting small

This is roughly what I have planned:

Starter: Thai red curry soup
Main: Chicken Pomodoro
Sides: no idea yet
Dessert: Berry Pav or Citrus Pav

Does it "go"?

Any suggestions as to side dishes or just suggestions in general?

The Thai soup sounds delicious but might be quite filling as a starter so maybe only serve e.g. in cups rather than bowls. Can you explain Chicken Pomodoro a bit more please, is it chicken and fancy tomato sauce? If so, suggested sides would be green veg e.g. broccoli or green beans and possibly rice rather than potatoes, or maybe homemade bread buns? Berry pav I think here.

Or it might be simpler to go with vaguely asian starters e.g. sweet chilli dip and veg and breadsticks and philidelphia and then go for Thai red chicken curry as main, with no sides except jasmine rice, in which case I would think citrus pav nicer and serve with white wine, beer, and schloer or jasmine green tea for non-drinkers.

Am a veggie so can't comment on the chicken dish. My basic rule of thumb is to do as much as possible in advance - you don't want to spend your evening in the kitchen. Good luck.

Yes, chicken in fancy tomato sauce

Hmmm hadn't considered switching the soup to main as the curry itself. I could do that philly chilli dip that everyone goes on about with rice crackers ( or would they think I'd just opened a pack of Splendips?!)

I bought a very pretty white metal basket today in TKmaxx that I was hoping to use as bread basket though, wouldn't have the opportunity to use it then if I switched at me wanting to base a meal round a bread basket!!!

Foofi - yes I think that's a good plan to have as much as possible done already or part done, I don't want to miss my own dinner party conversation

To be honest, if you're going a bit 'ethnicy' with the starter, I'd have a similar theme for the main - otherwise they might clash a bit.

Or do the chicken (am veggie so also can't comment) with baby new potatoes and steamed vege - asparagus/sugar snaps/broad beans maybe - as main, with a more simple starter that goes with the bread!

Any ideas for starter? Veggie preferably.

is it the chicken pomodoro from the times?
that is DELICIOUS

Personally I wouldn't mix cuisines. So if you're starting with a Thai dish, I'd look for something suitably Asian/Thai for a main course.

Why not do an Italian-type starter, as I'm assuming your chicken pomodoro is Italian? So do minestrone soup, for example.

Not the Times, just a general recipe, will have to look at the Times one though if it's so delicious

BIWI - Minestrone sorry, child of the 70s and Knorr packet minestrone! WOnder if there are any other Italian style soups that aren't tomato based - as the main is.

Could change the Pav to a Tiramisu/Zabagthingyummyjiggy?

Pav or tiramisu both good.

How about long roasted red peppers stuffed with risotto for the starter? Dead easy if you do a baked risotto and looks like you've spent ages on it!

Times recipe so I don't lose it

I'd add black olives to that

I could dispense with soup and use my bread basket in the main?

Phwoar yum Janeite, that does sound poncetastically impressive good any good recipes to recommend?

If your only experience of minestrone is Knorr, then you have no right to !

Lol biwi, thought it would justify my actually I can still remember chewing on powdery lumps

I have a fab recipe - search my name and lemon and thyme risotto - tis bloomin' lovely.

many thanks

I'd ditch the Thai soup as it doesn't mix with the rest of what you are serving.

Also at the moment your meal seems very red. Silly I know, but maybe do fancy pasta or potatoes for sides and something bright and green for veg. Some nice rustic bread with olives for your basket?

A berry pav is lovely, a citrus will zing the palette, which is a great way to end a meal as well.

Which wines are you most likely to be serving? Berry is probably more of a red wine pudding and citrus a white wine pudding.

I'd ditch the Thai soup as it doesn't mix with the rest of what you are serving.

Also at the moment your meal seems very red. Silly I know, but maybe do fancy pasta or potatoes for sides and something bright and green for veg. Some nice rustic bread with olives for your basket?

A berry pav is lovely, a citrus will zing the palette, which is a great way to end a meal as well.

Which wines are you most likely to be serving? Berry is probably more of a red wine pudding and citrus a white wine pudding.