Dinner party overview for 15
Updated menu, reflecting all revisions to date — British English, metric throughout.
The occasion
A dinner party for 15 guests, with a globally-inspired menu: a charcuterie & hummus starter board, a choice of three mains (slow cooker beef brisket, plain roast chicken, and a monkfish & prawn curry), a dedicated vegetarian chickpea & butternut squash curry, roast potatoes and crusty bread alongside the curry's basmati rice, vegetable sides, three salads, and two desserts.
Dietary requirements
Gluten-free
Only the 3 vegetarian guests need gluten-free food. The charcuterie board and crusty bread aren't GF by nature, so a GF cracker/loaf is set aside specifically for that trio. Everything else on the menu is naturally GF or written to be.
Vegetarian
The chickpea & butternut squash curry is their dedicated main. The cheeses on the charcuterie board, the hummus, both vegetable sides, roast potatoes, all 3 salads and the panna cotta are all vegetarian-friendly.
Egg allergy
1 of the 3 vegetarian guests can't eat eggs. The flourless chocolate cake contains 6 eggs, so this guest skips it — the coconut panna cotta is egg-free and safe.
Cheese note
At least one cheese on the board (and in the beetroot/rocket and cucumber/feta salads) should be made with vegetarian rennet, so the 3 vegetarian guests have a proper option.
Menu
Starters
- Charcuterie board — cured meats for 12, plus a vegetarian-rennet cheese and GF crackers for the trio
- Homemade hummus (Dominic's own recipe, doubled: 800g chickpeas, 150g tahini, 4 garlic cloves, 4 tbsp lemon juice)
Mains changed
- Braised beef brisket — slow cooker, 8–10 hrs on LOW the day before (adapted from short ribs; shin also works)
- Plain roast chicken — 2 whole birds (~1.8–2kg each), roasted simply, day-of (adapted from slow cooker chipotle-lime chicken)
- Monkfish & prawn curry with butternut squash, almonds and basmati rice — serves 6, from Dominic's own cookbook, potato swapped in for aubergine (replaces coconut fish stew)
- Chickpea & butternut squash curry — vegetarian, egg-free, serves 3; squash now roasted separately for extra depth before being added late
Carbohydrates new
- Basmati rice (part of the monkfish curry)
- Roast potatoes — 1.8–2.2kg
- Crusty bread — 2–3 loaves, plus a GF loaf for the vegetarian/GF trio
Vegetable sides
- Garlicky sautéed green beans or broccolini
- Roasted carrots with cumin & yoghurt-tahini drizzle
Salads (2)
- Roasted beetroot, orange & rocket salad
- Cucumber, tomato & feta salad
- Kale & apple salad with toasted walnuts
Desserts (2)
- Flourless chocolate cake (contains egg — skip for the allergic guest)
- Coconut panna cotta with citrus (agar-agar, egg-free, safe for all 3 vegetarian guests)
Removed from the original menu
Butternut squash soup shooters, seared beef crostini, roasted butternut squash with brown butter & sage, poached pears in spiced red wine, citrus & fennel salad.
Summary table
| Guest group | Count | Needs GF | Needs vegetarian | Needs egg-free |
|---|
| General guests | 12 | No | No | No |
| Vegetarian guests | 3 | Yes | Yes | 1 of 3 |
Quick reference — what the 3 vegetarian/GF guests can eat
- Charcuterie board cheeses (vegetarian rennet) with GF crackers
- Homemade hummus with GF crackers/crudités
- Chickpea & butternut squash curry (their main)
- Roasted carrots with cumin & yoghurt-tahini
- Garlicky sautéed green beans/broccolini
- Roast potatoes
- All 3 salads
- Coconut panna cotta with citrus
Off-limits: charcuterie meats, regular crusty bread (GF alternative provided), beef brisket, roast chicken, monkfish & prawn curry, flourless chocolate cake (egg — for the 1 allergic guest only).