dinner party menu inspiration

[Pete Franklin]

Got friends over on Saturday including 2 pregnant women to feed. (trying to avoid rare meat and other things that pregnant women don't like to eat). I'm going to do my signature starter which is duck rillett pressed into cubes and wrapped in very finely pressed bread before being fried til crisp, served with maybe a sweet beetroot puree and a rocket or watercress salad. Done this one many times and it always goes down really well. So rich starter.

I need inspiration for the main. Any ideas welcome although it needs to be quite fancy and be able to prep in advance As we are out during the day. Not averse to slow cook but it needs to stand out from the starter would prefer something that would cook quite fast.

Looking forward to your ideas.

Pete.

[Pferdestarke]

I enjoy 'trios' and no, I don't mean threesomes! How about a crisp pork belly, pan fried fillet and either a home made dainty sausage roll or some good black pudding, served with thyme roasted potatoes, sugar snap peas, a home made apple sauce and a sticky reduction of red wine, pan juices, beef and chicken stock?

You could substitute the belly for slow cooked shoulder if they are fussy. This can all be prepped in advance and pulled together easily at the last minute.

Or you could just do them a Vesta chow mein each?

[Bullett]

Fish course to balance the starter.

Monkfish maybe, pan fried on creamy mash in chef rings (could prepare it then chill and pan fry to crisp it up)
Bed of wilted spinich (butter, mustard seeds, salt and pepper)
Topped off with a tomato salsa or tomatoe based sauce of some kind.

[Nefarious]

Continuing the fish theme, what sea-trout with salsa verde on buttery mash and sauted leeks?

Make the salsa verde and bone the trout ahead of time and bang some spuds in the over when you start cooking the starter. Then you've only got to fry the fish, saute the leeks and make the mash when it comes time to serve.

[Pete Franklin]

Thanks for all the input. I decided that the trio idea was up my street (although its down to a duo now). although i was keeping an eye out for some nice fish as well

Went to the local butcher/ deli/ fishmonger at lunch, no fish really caught my eye but they did have a whole salt marsh lamb ready to be butchered to my preference. so i decided on 8 rib best end which i will cut to 2 rib joints and cook to order. I also picked up a big lump of shoulder which will be slow braised and then shredded and pressed and then pan fried before serving. All this will be acompanied by the potato carrot compression that Tony21K displayed so impressively a few weeks back, some spinach and a sauce made from a reduction of the braising liquor.

The upshot of all this is that vertually everything can be pre prepped in advance. Its going to be a rich meal but I'm sure they will be able to handle it.

Edited by Pete Franklin on Friday 4th March 15:51

[Pferdestarke]

Photos. Don't forget we need more pictures.