Dinner Party on Friday - help - I haven't cooked properly for over five years!

[shopalot]

I used to cook for friends but since the children I am so out of practice. I have invited two couples over who can really cook. So now I am feeling nervous. To make matters worse the list of what one of the couples doesn't like is endless Wish I hadn't invited them now!

Has anyone got any suggestions for a delicious, posh, not too expensive and reliable recipes. Pretty Please...

Pudding is easy. But starter is difficult - no fish. I really want to impress my dh more than anyone!!

what about Delia's roasted peppers with some really nice bread to mop up the juices? Prep in advance, low effort and delicious. I rarely do starters for dinner parties though, why not ditch it and add a cheese course if you want 3 courses (again much less effort but can look great if you get some fresh figs, some fab biscuits and interesting cheeses)
mains - do you want to cook ahead? I have a delicious moroccan slow cooked lamb dish that goes down well and just sorts itself out in the oven

That sounds good. I have a slow cooker and a 70's original hostess trolley. Just need the confidence now!!!!

Which delia peppers do you do. Is it the piedmont roasted peppers?

you need:
1kg lamb, 1 tbsp flour, olive oil, 2cm ginger, 2 cloves garlic, 1/2 red chilli, 3 spring onions, 2tbsp ground cumin, 1tsp ground coriander, 1tsp ground cinnamon, 600ml chicken stock, vine cherry tomatoes, thyme, 12 dried apricots, 6 pittde prunes, 50g raisins, 4tbsp chopped coriander, flaked almonds

preheat oven to 160, roll lamb in flour and fry to brown, remove lamb, add ginger, garlic, chilli and spring onions, cook for 2 mins, add spices and return lamb to pan. Stir in stock then put in ovenproof dish and cook for 1 hr in oven.
Roast cherry toms drizzled with olive oil for 30 mins. After 1hr is up add the tomatoes, apricots, prunes, raisins and 1/2 coriander to dish. cook for another 30 mins
Serve with cous cous and sprinkle whole dish with flaked almonds.

yes think so. It's the halved pepper with half tomato, garlic,basil and anchovy inside (obviously leave out anchovy for fish phobics)
or if you're going for the moroccan main what about a simple sharing platter with flat bread and hummus and stuff for starter??

Thanks so much shoppingbag.... I will definitely give the lamb a go. It sounds delicious. Thanks for taking the time to write it all out for me. I think the sharing platter is a great idea. Food for thought. Thank

no problem, let me know how it goes, I'm sure it will be fab.