Help with menu planning
 

I have for some reason agreed to host a dinner party for my wine collector friend to meet my master sommelier friend. I am sure they will both bring absurdly expensive wines to demonstrate their bona fides to each other. I will benefit from that. :) But I don't know what to make.

I am starting to panic and it's still 2 weeks away.

It doesn't have to be anything ornate - in fact, I'm a firm believer in "less is more" and "simple is better". But I don't know what to make. I would love to do something like what my master sommelier friend did when we went to his house for dinner last week: a delightful macadamia-crusted halibut with a farro, sweet potato, cranberry, goat cheese, and torn kale warm salad. Where would you turn for inspiration on what to make?

I would turn to Julia Child. Her Navarin of Lamb was always a winner particularly in the winter. Goes well with good wine. All you need is some great bread, a salad and lovely dessert.

My wife and I are RSVPing. Thank you for the invitation. We’ll bring some chicken and andouille gumbo as our contribution. 😁😂😜

I have a thing about making lamb in that, I think lamb is very tasty but then I think of killing adorable little baby sheep and it makes me sad (I should probably be a vegetarian tbh). But I'll take a look through Julia's book because I agree that something French would be a good choice. Thanks!

Not too spicy please, we don't want it to overwhelm the delicate bouquets of the wines.

In that case, we’ll bring the Creole version instead of the Cajun version.

Is there a particular wine that you think your friend might want to showcase? Maybe you could use the wine as a direction to take the menu. Are you thinking multiple courses? How many people?
I was thinking an impressive salmon dish. Or beef tenderloin or crown roast of pork.

Take a look at her recipe for Beef Bourguignon. Osso Buco is another good choice, but you likely wouldn't like to. prepare a veal dish. Everyone I have served it to has loved it. Serve with risotto. Marcella Hazan has good recipe

I'm with you on less is more. Simple preparations of ingredients of the utmost quality. Things you can't mess up as the night (and drinking) go on :D

I'd start with cold shellfish maybe with caviar and accoutrements if you want to splurge.
A roast tenderloin, a prime rib, or if you want to get fancy, a beef wellington.
Creamed spinach and hasselback potatoes for the sides.
A baguette, a loaf of bread, or dinner rolls from your best local bakery, and while you're there pick up something decadent with chocolate for dessert, or petit fours for variety.

King crab legs

prime steak - grilled medium rare

assd sides

just get it at Costco or Whole Foods

Depending on how fancy you want to get...

amuse buche: chopped scallop maki roll
Appetizer: chicken lollipops with some sort of aioli
Main: Beef brisket on a pilaf bed
Dessert: some sort of (or a variety of) merangues

It allows the sommelier or your other friend to showcase their skills (if desired). Just remember to communicate the menu to your friends ahead of time so they aren't caught off guard if they want to bring something.

This. What a shame it would be if your friends bring magnificent wines and your wonderful food doesn't complement it. If these are the types of friends the OP is comfortable asking, perhaps they'd provide some direction (red meat, spicy foods, etc.) based on what they're bringing.

Or This :). At the very least communicate what you're serving so they can pick the wine.


Another idea, if you think they may bring several different wines. Instead of a traditional dinner, do a multi-course tasting menu. There's more prep for you ahead of time but it can be really fun to serve some small plates and try them with superb wines. We plan to do that this year, and communicate only one course to each guest (who are not fancy wine collectors) and ask them to bring an interesting wine to try with it.