Menu Inspiration

[JayBM]

Well it looks as though I've managed to talk myself into hosting my mum's 60th birthday in December. Current plan is to have a sit down meal for 10-12 people, and I'm hoping the culinary powers of PH can help me design a suitable menu.

Only restrictions are that I would like one course to be fish/seafood based and there is one non meater eater coming so will need a alternative for that course.

Current thoughts are:

* Amuse bouche - ?????
* Starter - Langoustine Risotto or ??????
* Main - Duck; perhaps a pan fried breast with confit leg?
or
- Venison; Roasted saddle with a red wine and chocolate sauce

Served with Dauphinoise Potato, Cabbage and green beans

Veggie option - some type of cheese based tart?

* Pre-dessert - Boiled Egg and soldiers (shamelessly borrowed from Martin Blunos)
* Dessert - Lemon Tart or ???????

More than happy to take suggestions/advice on a single course or the whole menu

Thanks
Jay

[escargot]

10-12 people is a lot to cook for so unless you're used to it, I would be working along the lines of stuff that can be prepped or cooked in advance. Once my Internet is back working in the office (and I'm off this bloody iPhone) I'll stick up some ideas.

[BeeRoad]

Dauphinoise is rather rich with confit duck, perhaps Boulangere instead?

[Tumbler]

JayBM said:

* Starter - Langoustine Risotto or ??????

The trouble with Risotto is you have got to watch it all the time, meaning you won't be able to sit down with everyone for the Amuse bouche.

So would you consider a terrine? Maybe Duck, you could prepare this tbefore. Plus there are a couple of really nice reasonably priced wines out there at the moment to pair with it.

I've used this before http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Duck-...

I like Amuse bouch, but maybe Canapes and Champagne? Again you can prepare this in advance and could make most of them fish based, this will give you some time to chat and enjoy the celebrations.

Tarts always seem a bit on the heavy side after a big meal, so just a good clean lemon mousse?

Sorry that sounds like I'm picking holes, but dinner parties for anything above 8 tend to be hard work, so you need to reduce the pressure on yourself.

I would add in a Champagne sorbet and a cheese board.

I do love the idea of Venison though

Edited by Tumbler on Monday 15th November 15:34

[Tumbler]

Veggie option

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3938/roasted-bu...

[JayBM]

I've cooked for 8-10 a number of times but normally on a less formal basis; think thai dishes rather than what I'm aiming for here.

Boulangere is a good call if I go the duck route although I think I'm leaning towards the venison.

Tumbler said:

JayBM said:

* Starter - Langoustine Risotto or ??????

Sorry that sounds like I'm picking holes, but dinner parties for anything above 8 tend to be hard work, so you need to reduce the pressure on yourself.

Edited by Tumbler on Monday 15th November 15:34

Pick away, there will be absolutely no offence taken .

The plan with the risotto was to par cook the rice and the finish it off with the langoustines 10 mins before. But I do like the idea of the terrine, both in terms of the actual dish and the fact I can prepare it the days before. It would also be easy enough to make a seafood terrine for the non-meat eater.

The idea of canapes and champagne is an excellent one and will be used. Also loving the champagne sorbet and there will indeed be a cheese board to end it.

I like the look of the veggie suggestion.

More suggestions/advice will be warmly received

Edited by JayBM on Monday 15th November 15:57

[V8mate]

You don't want a starter and a main course which both require unrelenting hob time.

Unless you weren't planning on sitting down to eat yourself.

[Mobile Chicane]

Starter ideas which would work well to precede venison:

Gravadlax in a variety of cures - dill, beetroot etc - which are easy to do and look colourful on the plate.

Bell Inn Smokies in individual ramekins (you do need the proper Arbroath Smokies for these).

[Rude-boy]

For the veggie I would try to avoid the goat’s cheese tart/nut roast/veggie lasagne route. My foodie veggie g/f is fed up when we go out to restaurants particularly that there is rarely anything interesting for her to eat. Consequently some of the best meals I have had out in the last 5 years have been the ones where they have taken the trouble to do something nice for her, elevating the whole effort in my mind.

For the venison I had some last year with a lovely chocolate sauce...

Amuse bouche - capital idea and perfect to make an evening out of a meal. We usually start out guests off with a glass or two of bubbles and a few such as permento (sp?)tarts, prawns with a clear honey and ginger dip, mature manchego with membrillo, etc.

Her latest toy is an espuma which has had some great results in testing. A particularly good one was a foie gras espuma on melba style toast, although the 'veggie' part of her was almost in tears making it!

Our next one is for 7 for NYE and we have already put in the order for 6 duck with a friend who promises to try only to shoot the ones which are the right size for a goodly portion for one and make sure they are all clean head shots - i have spoken with his retriever

[Cactussed]

As said on here, 10-12 people without an army of people to help you is going to entail you spending the whole time in the kitchen, unless you do stuff that you can pre-prepare.

I'd try and enlist 1 competent person to assist (any more and it'll turn into mayhem again).
I'll have a think about recipe ideas.

[Bullett]

How about a saffron/mussel soup in place of the risotto? or something more like a bouillabaisse.

Are you sure venison or duck will go down ok, people can be funny about both of these meats.

No chocolate desert? very popular.

[zakelwe]

Yeah I totally agree, two things to think about

1. You will worry a lot
2. You will be running around like a hare brained slave.

Easier to cut down 2. rather than 1 so at least you have a chance of enjoying it.

I'd suggest rather than choose a menu that will really knock their socks off but you are running around like a blue arsed fly, making people feel the tension and potentially getting stressed and having arguments, instead box clever and do it so that you can sit down and chat and act as if it is nothing at all.

For instance the cheese course, takes 10 mins to prepare. You can spend 2 days getting just the right cheeses and crackers etc 3 weeks before hand so it seems effortless and perfect to boot, do the donkey work first!

Here's a fish starter that seems easy and most people would like

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/fo...

Prep 10min
Cook 15min

Result.

The trick is that you do this bit in the morning

"Combine the cream, wine and stock in a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer, uncovered, until it has reduced to about half the volume — 10 minutes or so. Stir in the crab, heat through, season to taste and stir in the lemon zest"

and then this at the last minute

"Tip into a gratin dish and top with the breadcrumbs and cheese melts. Place under a hot grill until the cheese melts. Serve at once with salad and some good bread"

Rather than a gratin dish though see if you can source some crab shells to serve it in though for that special presentation, once again put the effort in before hand and not on the day, and if it has to be the day then the morning.

Saving time on that dish will allow you saved time against your main dish so you can afford to get it just right.

Finally, if to show by example once I made 30 crepe suzettes for 5 hungry college girls one of who I really fancied. It took me all afternoon making them and storing them seperated so they did not stick. The sauce was then made and I even had flaming brandy. It was fantastic!!!

4 hours work was scoffed in less than 5 mins. Sigh

And that was just one course.

Andy

[Cactussed]

zakelwe said:

cooking stuff

... one of who I really fancied. Other cooking stuff.

Did it work?? <nudge nudge, wink wink>

[escargot]

The office broadband never did get provisioned - sodding bloody BT.

Anyway, my menu would be:

- amuse bouche doodahs would be mini crayfish tail & smoked salmon cocktails in shot glasses. Easy to prep in advance and punches above it's weight.

- Salmon terrine with rocket and watercress salad

- cassoulet with duck legs, belly pork, Toulouse sausage & pancetta (rustic for sure but done well - wonderful) a vege option can also be made using mushrooms and chestnuts etc

- cheese

- lemon posset and also a chocolate tart for those with a real sweet tooth/big belly.

All of the above can be prepared and cooked in advance/slow cooked so you'll only have to worry about plating up.

Edited by escargot on Monday 15th November 20:12

[JayBM]

Thanks for all the suggestions and advice it's certainly appreciated. I've gone from struggling with ideas to having choices galore. I'm going to spend the next few days digesting all of the above and come back with an amended menu for some more advice

If there's one thing all the above has definitely made clear is the more work I can do ahead of time the more relaxed the actual day should be.

Thanks again
Jay

[SVX]

escargot said:

The office broadband never did get provisioned - sodding bloody BT.

Anyway, my menu would be:

- amuse bouche doodahs would be mini crayfish tail & smoked salmon cocktails in shot glasses. Easy to prep in advance and punches above it's weight.

- Salmon terrine with rocket and watercress salad

- cassoulet with duck legs, belly pork, Toulouse sausage & pancetta (rustic for sure but done well - wonderful) a vege option can also be made using mushrooms and chestnuts etc

- cheese

- lemon posset and also a chocolate tart for those with a real sweet tooth/big belly.

All of the above can be prepared and cooked in advance/slow cooked so you'll only have to worry about plating up.

Edited by escargot on Monday 15th November 20:12

- the only suggestion I have as for mains, would be a de-constructed coq au vin - I can post a recipe/method if you are interested.

[JayBM]

Sorry to bump this back up; I'm now pretty much settled on the menu. Which may or may not be very similar to the one suggested by Mr. Escargot .

I've had a look online at the various cassoulet recipes and think I have a fair idea of the general concept however I was wondering/hoping you had the recipe for your suggested one?

I'm planning on having a practice this week.

Thanks in advance
Jay

[ettore]

To add a bit of confusion, I would also add that Belly Pork is a brilliant crowd pleaser that is very tolerant of the kind of dodgy timings that can accrue when you have 10/12 people. Bit of fancy mash and some greens and the jobs an (easy) goodun'.

[escargot]

Rick Steins cassoulet recipe is excellent: http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/recipes/3969/casso...

It does say to use home salted belly pork, this is dead easy to make (basically, cover the belly pork in lots and lots of sea salt for 24 hours).

[JayBM]

escargot said:

Rick Steins cassoulet recipe is excellent: http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/recipes/3969/casso...

It does say to use home salted belly pork, this is dead easy to make (basically, cover the belly pork in lots and lots of sea salt for 24 hours).

Thank you Hope the hand is feeling better today!