3 course dinner party menu - what are you serving?

magicmushroom

Hi all!

I'm sure this is a thread that pops up a lot but our ideas change all the time and there are also new users all the time.

So the scenario is - you're having a dinner party for the in-laws 2 weeks before Christmas.

What's your fail safe but dazzling 3 course menu?

Diamond Doll

I'd keep it very simple.

Bruschetta for starters, with really fresh ingredients, amazing olive oil and tonnes of garlic. Served with salad.

Tagliatelle bolognese for main course ... I make really amazing bolognese sauce!

Chocolate and honeycomb icecream for dessert. Using a recipe my mum always used ... it involves Crunchie bars!

It's not fancy, but all delicious.

katydid

If it's the in-laws I'd have to stay fairly conservative; smoked mackerel pate with brown bread for starters. For mains, boeuf bourguignon with garlic mash, and for dessert, lemon meringue pie.

pwurple

In-laws have extremely restrictive diets and basically eat the same thing every day, so I'm going to swap in my buddies instead.

A bright strong-flavoured starter: a salad with pear, walnuts and blue cheese with a maple dressing.

Main would be fish, roasted whole, with basil butter. Crispy roasted potatoes, and sautéed fennel with leeks.

Chocolate mousse. This one is easy to dress up by using pretty glasses, and by piling raspberries and chocolate curls on top. Sparklers in too if we are going for wow.

All completely simple to prep, but hella tasty!

Halloween Jack

Pan fried scallops, followed by osso bucco if I can get the veal.

Not huge on deserts so course the third will be a cheese plate;) (if pushed would go with profiteroles as I occaisionally help my girlfriend make them)

Mrs Fox

I'd do dishes where I can prepare most of the main element ahead.

Starters: Individually potted chicken liver pate, with toasted brioche, cornichons & red onion marmalade.

Mains: Coq au Vin or au Riesling, with fresh large flat pasta.

Dessert: Poached pear with good quality vanilla ice cream.

Shenshen

My in-laws would not eat anything I would cook - they are quite elderly, and for the last couple of decades, have lived off things like onions boiled in milk. I'll pretend it'll be for my mother and brothers instead.

For a starter, I would make creamy smoky red lentil pate, layered with roasted red peppers and green asparagus, and home-made soda bread.

For mains, I'd make thali - probably matter paneer, vegetable jalfrezi and aloo tikki. Poppadums, naans and chutneys on the side.

I'm not the biggest dessert person, but this time of the year I'd make my very own, patented mousse au Lebkuchen.

MissFlitworth

Shenshen wrote: »

I'd make my very own, patented mousse au Lebkuchen.

Ooh. Ooooh. Share recipe? On cooking chat thread, maybe, so as not to derail here?