Middle eastern? Just add pomegranate, rosewater and preserved lemon

It was the best person I know from Dubbo town's birthday and to celebrate we had a middle eastern birthday extravaganza. And a middle eastern birthday extravaganza is worth putting a dining table in the middle of the room, don't you think? Sure there was no way to get in and out once seated, but on the plus side if there was to be an occasion where there were more people invited, I could make a back row on both the couches (and all of a sudden dinner for 14!).

Now for the recipes:

Cocktails 
Apple tea iced with gin 
Bellini of sparking wine, peach and rosewater syrup 

Pre dinner
Thyme crackers ( 2 cups of flour, fresh thyme, salt, sugar, 3 tablespoons of cold butter, cup of cream kneaded together then washed with egg white - bake at 180 degrees for about 15 minutes).
Baked ricotta - like this  but with preserved lemon mixed through for an extra punch
Eggplant (roasted in oven for an hour whole, peeled then mushed with garlic and lemon juice, pomegranate and parsley)
Preserved lemon dip - preserved lemon and sour cream.

Dinner
Lamb stuffed with anchovies, rosemary, preserved lemon, and garlic - roasted for 50 minutes at 200 (rested for 10). Served with a green sauce which was like a salsa verde - though more Middle Eastern....
Carrots with maple syrup dressing (and cinnamon, allspice and red wine vinegar).
Roasted beetroot with labna, pomegranate and walnuts
Pumpkin salad with tahini dressing
Cauliflower baked and then dressed with pomegranate (what else?!!?) and other good things

Dessert 
Fresh cherries followed by almond cake but this time, with a dash of rosewater in the mix.