Gather family and friends for a relaxed autumn dinner for six, with slow-cooked lamb, a brownie tart scattered with toffee shards and a flask-ready hot chocolate for the fireworks.

Bonfire Night calls for food that warms you through and can be served without fuss, so the cook gets to see the fireworks too. This menu for six is built around a lamb shoulder that braises gently in the oven for four hours, leaving the afternoon free.

To start: Spinach and ricotta rolls
Golden, flaky and easy to eat with your hands, these work as a starter at the table or as a portable snack to take out to a fireworks display. Serve with the autumn fruit ketchup for dipping.

The main event: Slow-braised lamb shoulder with preserved lemon and spices
Bring the lamb to the table whole and let everyone help themselves as the meat falls from the bone.

On the side: Roasted rainbow carrot salad and griddled za’atar flatbreads
Sweet, roasted carrots in jewel colours bring brightness to the plate, while warm homemade flatbreads are there to scoop up the spiced juices.

For pudding: Brownie tart with coffee cream and toffee shards
A Bonfire Night showstopper, with shards of glassy toffee that catch the light like sparks. It serves 12, so there will be some left for the next day.

To finish: Gingerbread hot chocolate
Round off the meal with a mug of something rich and spiced, or decant it into flasks before you head out into the night.