your favourite dinner for friends?

[hatwoman]

cooking dinner for friends tomorrow and am feeling v uninspired. anyone got any good ideas/favourite stand-bys? medium-posh iykwim. chilli and lasagne don't count.

Slow roast lamb, with couscous and roasted mediterannean veg - Nice wine.
Lemon tart for pudding.

All sorted in advance dished up at the table - easy and tasty

Risotto served with roasted asparagus and 'posh salad' maybe?

Anything with dauphanoise (sp) potatoes

I was just looking at a reviwe of Petersham Nurseries with its slow-roasted lamb..yep does sound like a good idea.not so sure about risotto because of the need to do it last minute. i'm a big fan of doing it all in advance so that I can sit and drink g&t

You could do a baked risotto, which is mega-easy. I suspect any other suggestions I offer will be no good because of being veggie - but I have always really fancied trying Kleftico.

I'm also a big fan of slow roasted shoulder of lamb... there is a great jamie recipe, will try to find link.

orangina - I use the Jamie one as well

It;s delicious isn't it?!

here it is.....

enjoy!

My other favourite is the ottolenghi chicken with zaatar and sumac. Marinade in the morning, chuck in the oven for 45 minutes in the evening, serve with flat bread and salad and arlicky yoghurt.

DELICIOUS.

here

(garlicky)

Orangina, that chicken looks amazing - do you get the butcher to cut the chicken into 4 for you? I've never cut up a chicken before...

Chicken with tarragon , vermouth and cream
Jamie's belly pork
Scallops

unrequited - the dreaded Pampered Chef apparently do very good poultry scissors

big fans of jamie's belly of pork as well
we serve it in pitta bread with houmous, tarama and salad
I usually do some black eyed peas to go with it too.

yesterday we had (bought) sushi with side of spinach (onion garlic soya sauce) and sliced cucumber (marinated in rice vinegar and sugar), yummy. (I didnt sort out th edessert very well but someone suggested exotic fruits).

Spaghetti and home made meatballs with mozarella inside.

baked sea bream (really easy just put it in the oven with some herbs and lemon, drizzle of olive oil) I think I follow a gordon ramsay recipe for this one. served with boiled potatoes and tiramisu for dessert (also GR recipe).

or mexican nachos, tacos, fajitas, always good fun. Chilean wine and cheesecake orlemon tart or fruits.

Having read this, am planning the slow-roast lamb for dinner for friends tomorrow. Can you find me a recipe or describe how to do a good cous cous to accompany?

take away...seriously. We get a take away between us, different each time, chinees one time, indian another.

We MAY cook one time, but we all love just sending out for take out at the mo.

Heeka - Jamie's slow roast lamb is linked to above - it's really straightforward, I've done it before and it's delish.

Couscous - generally I use Marigold Swiss bouillon powder to make a stock to make it up with, and if you can get hold of any belazu preserved lemons, chop one or two of these very finely and stir in, as well as half a clove of crushed garlic and a large handful of chopped coriander (wait til the cous cous has soaked up all the stock as the coriander keeps its flavour better if stirred into cooler cous cous. Then you can add sultanas and flaked almonds or chopped roasted peppers. Easy to prepare in advance, personally I prefer it room temperature to chilled though.

atm I am doing a lot from the ottolenghi cookbook. amazing pork belly recipe. and a hazelnut, saffron, honey chicken one too. If weekend lunch I most often do a roast.

if sups and adult i do indian, my favourite.

unrequitedskink.... sorry, offline over the w/e.... I tend to make the ottolenghi chicken with just store/butcher bought thighs and drumsticks (find a lot of breast meat too dry).
Debi, my favourite is the chicken, plus the grilled aubergines w saffron yoghurt. Am looking forward to summer to really get into the salad-y type things....

(drool)

In total agreement with Satctobringiton, dauphinoise potatoes always, they're my speciality. Quite often do a slow cooked leg of lamb for Sundays with friends and a glass of red wine. A x