The main dish, or main course, of a meal is the most substantive dish of all the meal courses. The main dish is usually preceded by the soup and salad courses, and followed by the dessert course. The main course usually consists of some type of meat or fish, except in the case of a vegetarian meal.
     Main courses vary from region to region, and from country to country. Within these parameters are a few top favorites each featured from a different type of meat. When cooking with beef, the top 5 dishes are; beef bourguignon, beef brisket, beef wellington, beef roulades, and filet mignon with mushroom wine sauce. The top picks for fish to use as the main entrée are; salmon, trout, turbot, red snapper, bass, and swordfish. Some of the favorite recipes used to prepare and feature chicken are; baked chicken with orzo, apple chicken, spicy lemon chicken, braised chicken and cabbage, and chicken paprikash.  Three of the most popular ways to prepare and eat pork are; pork and peppers, apple pork, and honey apple pork chops. When cooking with shellfish as the main dish, some of the top picks are; grilled shrimp and couscous salad, lobster parfait, mussels Mediterranean, crab cakes, scallop chowder, Manhattan clam chowder, and spicy calamari. Lamb is becoming a popular food choice, and has many preparations that can be served as the main dish. Some of these are; herb crusted lamb chops, lamb and eggplant kebabs, roast leg of lamb with rosemary and garlic, and lamb shanks with roasted vegetables. The choices are endless, and main dishes can be prepared from almost anything you have around the kitchen.
     When preparing a vegetarian main dish, some things should be taken into consideration. Firstly, you should take time to find out what types of food your dinner guests to not eat. Some vegetarians do not eat any animal products including eggs, milk or cheese. When cooking for your guests, it is important to remember not to cook with any king of lard or animal fats, as these go directly against what they are trying to avoid eating. Gelatin is a hidden ingredient in a number of foods, but is made from the bones and ligaments of animals. If you are serving a food that requires some type of gravy, it would be wise to purchase a vegetarian gravy mix, as most traditional gravy mixes are made from some type of animal fats. Always be diligent to read labels and ingredients on the foods you are serving out of respect to the guests you will be hosting.
     Paring your main dish with drinks and other courses that complement your food is a wise choice that will add a whole new element to your meal. When your guest move from one flavor sensation to another smoothly, and it all works together to build up to the main course, you know you have achieved a successful meal. The main dish should be the culmination of the meal, and the highlight of the dining experience.