Dinner party menu ideas?

JodyBPM

I'm having a dinner party in a few weeks and my guests are a bit fussy. One doesn't eat meat or fish, but will eat shellfish. One doesn't eat shellfish, fruit, olives or anything even slightly spicy. One doesn't like mushrooms. The other three of us eat fairly normally.

Any ideas for a menu?

I'm looking for 3 courses, fancier rather than functional, budget not overly limited. Ideally I'd like to serve all one thing rather than singling the vegetarian out for a separate item, but my choices may be limited.

I was thinking perhaps an antipasti platter to start, which would have meats, cheeses, olives, anchovies, sundried tomatoes, peppers, breadsticks etc. As long as I arrange carefully, people can just pick the bits they like/can eat and avoid the rest. An alternative might be baked camembert, perhaps.

Main course I'm really stuck on? I was thinking fish before I realised the non meat eater only ate shellfish, not regular fish. Anyone have any ideas?

Pud, I'm thinking something like warm homemade chocolate brownies, served with a good quality vanilla ice-cream.

I may or may not do a cheese board after, and then chocs and liquers.

Anyone got any suggestions/recipes? I've just realised that most of my dinner party favourites rely on either meat/fish or being spicy!

BigAunty

For the main,

Baked orzo with mozzarella and oregano

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/sep/06/welcome-to-the-feast-11-yotam-ottolenghi-best-recipes

tea_lover

Maybe something like garlic or lime prawns (or is that too much like a starter?)

With those restrictions, I'd probably go for a big vegetable lasagne - but realise that's in no way fancy

Or maybe roasted veg tarts.

ETA: sorry, just seen prawns are out. Veg lasagne it it then!

Buzzybee90

JodyBPM wrote: »

I'm having a dinner party in a few weeks and my guests are a bit fussy. One doesn't eat meat or fish, but will eat shellfish. One doesn't eat shellfish, fruit, olives or anything even slightly spicy. One doesn't like mushrooms. The other three of us eat fairly normally.

Any ideas for a menu?

I'm looking for 3 courses, fancier rather than functional, budget not overly limited. Ideally I'd like to serve all one thing rather than singling the vegetarian out for a separate item, but my choices may be limited.

I was thinking perhaps an antipasti platter to start, which would have meats, cheeses, olives, anchovies, sundried tomatoes, peppers, breadsticks etc. As long as I arrange carefully, people can just pick the bits they like/can eat and avoid the rest. An alternative might be baked camembert, perhaps.

Main course I'm really stuck on? I was thinking fish before I realised the non meat eater only ate shellfish, not regular fish. Anyone have any ideas?

Pud, I'm thinking something like warm homemade chocolate brownies, served with a good quality vanilla ice-cream.

I may or may not do a cheese board after, and then chocs and liquers.

Anyone got any suggestions/recipes? I've just realised that most of my dinner party favourites rely on either meat/fish or being spicy!

That's almost everything drawn out! What about a vegetable risotto? Not very fancy but I can't think of much...

Izadora

JodyBPM wrote: »

Anyone got any suggestions

Have two separate dinner parties?

Starters and puddings are definitely easier to find something which will suit everyone but I can see why you're struggling with the main.

I've often ended up doing something where the sides are all the same and just the meat/veggie part of the dinner's different. But, as I'm often the only veggie, it doesn't bother me singling myself out with a slightly different dinner.
Seeing as the majority of things I cook have mushrooms in them I really can't think of anything suitable but good luck!!

MrsC....tobe

Antipasti starter, cheese fondue main, and a nice chocolate dessert as chocolate follows cheese fantastically. I miss my cheese fondues as DH doesn't drink and it's wine based, must find an excuse to have one without him!

aileth

Creme Brulees are brilliant for desserts. You can make them the day before, cover them in the fridge, then sugar on top and quick blast under the grill.

My favourite for fussy eaters is doing tapas. Of course there's a bit more effort as you're doing a lot more dishes, but you can pre-prep most the day before, and there will be something that everyone can have.

You can do traditional spanish tapas, or greek, or italian, chinese, anything you can turn into tapas, even English you could have mini steak and ale pies, mini fish and chips, etc, the list goes on.

tea_lover

aileth wrote: »

You can do traditional spanish tapas, or greek, or italian, chinese, anything you can turn into tapas, even English you could have mini steak and ale pies, mini fish and chips, etc, the list goes on.

So, a buffet then?

Pyxis

Am a bit puzzled as to why your guest eats shellfish but not fish.
If it's just that she doesn't like to have a fish's 'body' on her plate, would she eat 'hidden' fish, as in a luxury fish pie? Or goujons?
If you think a fish pie is ok, you could make individual ones in pots, and leave out the shellfish for the other guest that doesn't eat that.

If all fish is out, why not try a luxury moussaka, you know, with soufflè cheese sauce layers, again in individual pots, but using veg instead of lamb in the non-meat person's one, and lamb in everyone else's.

aileth

tea_lover wrote: »

So, a buffet then?

I find my guests are less offended if I call it tapas rather than a buffet

Bouquet, bucket, teehee.

BarryBlue

Finicky eaters are a nightmare when it comes to having a dinner party. Frankly, the best bet is to not invite people who have such quirky tastes, certainly not together. The problem with someone whose diet is so restricted is that everyone else is expected to go without whatever they don't eat.

We know a couple where one is a vegetarian so when they visit we will prepare, for instance, several curries. One will be chicken and the others veggie dishes, so everyone is happy.

Having two people with such requirements is a nightmare, especially as there appears to be no common ground. I don't see why you and all your guests should have to eat vegetables only so the answer is to invite them on different dates.