Fool proof dinner party menu for 6

[princessamidala]

Entertaining some work colleagues of my husband.

Need to impress these cool trendy young professionals.

I'm a relatively good cook. However would like possibly some prepare ahead meals.

Looking for suggestions for starter, main & dessert.

[toomuchcoffeetoomuchwine]

Starter - home-made Gravadlax. Dead easy, you make it 3 days in advance so no on-the-day stress and looks impressive. BBC good food has a good recipe here www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2793665/gravadlax-

Dessert - make homemade meringues up to a week in advance and store in air-tight tin then serve with berries and cream. If you mess the meringues up you have plenty of time to come up with an alternative and again it looks impressive but all done in advance.

[LePetitPont]

Ooh you could go all retro chic and make (ahead) trifle for dessert - limoncello and raspberry is delicious and summery.

[princessamidala]

Bump

[sashh]

Rustic terrine
fish in filo parcels
chicken in red wine with baby veg and baby baked potatoes
chocolate or lemon mouse
warm Camembert for those who want a savory in stead of a sweet ending

terrine
you need metal loaf tin - silicone will just bend

2 packets streaky bacon, 2 or 3 packets of 'nice' sausages - Cumberland, Lincolnshire and pork work well
chicken mini fillets, or chicken breast cut in to chunks
peppercorns
chicken livers

Line the loaf tin with the bacon
take a sausage, remove the skin and mold in to some sort of lump shape - press in to the lined tin - do the same with another sausage, throw in some chicken, peppercorn, more skinned sausage and chicken livers until the tin is full.

Bake in the oven for 30 mins - pour off the exxcess fat and leave to 'set' - can be done the day before - serve cold.

Fish filo parcels
filo pastry
cream cheese
salmon timings
salt and pepper

mix the salmon with the cream cheese and seasoning, put a dollop in the middle of 2 pieces of filo and wrap into a fancy shape - can be done the day before, cook for 10-15 mins before serving

Chicken thighs - 2 per person, bones are OK but get skinned ones, slice an onion, get a bottle of red wine and make some veg stock with a cube.

slice the onion, dust the chicken with flour and put both in a slow cooker with 1/2 bottle of wine and the stock - put this on in the morning and it will be fine in the evening.

prep your choice of veg. Rub baby potatoes with olive oil and salt - they will need about 40 mins.

puds can also be done the day before.

So on the day you will already have pudding, parcels ready to go and terrine.

On the day just do the chicken and prep the veg.

put parcels in the oven and serve pate
put potatoes in the still hot oven and serve the parcels
clear the plates for parcels and switch on the steamer/put on the veg to boil, this with give your guests a 20 min break before the main which after 2 starters is fine.

Obviously serve the main and then the pudding - put Camembert in the oven while puds are served.

serve cheese