Your Favourite Dishes For Larger Numbers

medtran49 said:
lime juice, s and p, EVOO dressing,

All make the dressing. Extra virgin olive oil .


Chipotles in adobo are smoked and dried jalapeños rehydrated and canned in a sweet and tangy purée of tomato, vinegar, garlic, and some other spices, for a ruddy sauce that packs wicked heat but with plenty of balance and body. Per Serious Eats.

View attachment 112134

There are various brands.



Wowsa. You do know that's for a case of 12, right? They don't have singles?

I would imagine there are probably similar products for quick paella. It's pretty much the same thing honestly.
Click to expand...
No I missed that!
That was the only option for it. Hey ho.

I like the song of the chilli stuff 👍

edit: going to the large supermarket tomoz, I'll have a look there.
 
Oh, build your own Jacket Potato Bar!

Kalua Pork can be made a head, warmed for service, super simple. Pot of steamed Rice, some Mac Salad and a green one for laughs and giggles. Make it a theme night - luau in Somerset! Don't forget the plastic leis, Mai Tais, Blue Hawaiis, etc.

Breakfast: make ahead casseroles, serve yourself bar with accompaniments; Croissant Breakfast Sammies made ahead, wrapped in tin foil, popped into the oven to warm and Bob's your uncle; Frittatas can be do ahead as well... recruit helpers too, eh?

Lunch: build your own sammie/salad/and soup bar - all can be done ahead
And medtran49 beat me to it, build your own Taco Bar or Taco Bowl if you like.

Don't forget dessert:
S'Mores Bar using those little butane burners that we can get at the Dollar Stores
Hot Cocoa Bar, MMM!

Seems like I'm leaning towards DIY/serve yourself/make ahead ideas...

I think that I'd be renting some restaurant equipment, ie, warming trays, large folding tables for buffet-style service, cutlery, dishes, etc - that is unless you have all of these things ...
 
Oh, I meant to preface my above post ... when we get together with all of my in-laws (BIL, SIL, nieces, nephews, etc.), there's a total of 34 of us, but we do Team Cooking. Two of my In-laws (in different States) have homes large enough to accommodate us all at one time for long periods of time. We plan activities, theme nights, game nights, you know ... the ages range from 3-88 years of age right now.
 
Couple more
Goulash/Gulyas or however you want to write it
Chicken paprikash

But also potato mashed, like
Carrot, onion, potato (hutspot)
Raw endive or spinash/bacon/potato
Colcannon

Shepards pie

Quiche, maybe with salad and rice

Bread rolls with options, like banh mi
Lettuce, cucumber, mayo/mustard/hot sauce, cold meat, pickles. Assemble your own.

And with curries, also think of Thai curries, Jamaican goat curry etc
 
kaneohegirlinaz said:
Oh, build your own Jacket Potato Bar!

Kalua Pork can be made a head, warmed for service, super simple. Pot of steamed Rice, some Mac Salad and a green one for laughs and giggles. Make it a theme night - luau in Somerset! Don't forget the plastic leis, Mai Tais, Blue Hawaiis, etc.

Breakfast: make ahead casseroles, serve yourself bar with accompaniments; Croissant Breakfast Sammies made ahead, wrapped in tin foil, popped into the oven to warm and Bob's your uncle; Frittatas can be do ahead as well... recruit helpers too, eh?

Lunch: build your own sammie/salad/and soup bar - all can be done ahead
And medtran49 beat me to it, build your own Taco Bar or Taco Bowl if you like.

Don't forget dessert:
S'Mores Bar using those little butane burners that we can get at the Dollar Stores
Hot Cocoa Bar, MMM!

Seems like I'm leaning towards DIY/serve yourself/make ahead ideas...

I think that I'd be renting some restaurant equipment, ie, warming trays, large folding tables for buffet-style service, cutlery, dishes, etc - that is unless you have all of these things ...
Click to expand...
Sounds like a lot of fun!
The Jacket potato bar would work so long as I serve my parents up for them 👍

My dad's old school, there are foods he hasn't tried (and won't) and boy will he make a fuss if the foods something from his outside his normal orbit!
So tacos are sadly a no, fortunately curry's and casseroles (stews) are a yes, it's a strange mix of 1950's attitudes of anything new being "foreign muck" and yet some likes that you just wouldn't expect from that era.

There'll be other older Brit's (and probably Americans) on here who will know what I'm talking about with the stick in the mud generation of meat and two veg.
Personally I'd much rather have your interpretation without limitations!

Once a long time ago I did a build a burger lunch, made three different types of burgers and lots of different toppings, a lot of time went into it all.

I made sure everything was in reach on the table (there is an expectation of being served, not having to move about or do anything yourself 🙄), all they had to do was pick which burger patty they fancied and I cooked it for them.
Oh the complaints. My mothers parting shot on leaving was "I understand that seemed like a nice idea but let's not do anything like that again"
Hmph!

Needless to say as the years carried on I've cooked less and less for them until the last couple of years and some serious rudeness when I stopped completely.

So it's tricky. I really want everyone to have a nice time (this is after all a farewell to the mother we knew) and I would normally go down the "tough, like it or lump it" route but just this time I don't want my efforts or the atmos ruined by complaining! I need a good last supper 😂

We're definitely on the same wavelength when it comes to large style cooking 👍
What you're saying is exactly the sort of fun I'd plan!

I did look into hiring tables but it was cheaper to buy them!
The rest of it, cutlery, crockery, warming plates, hostess trolley etc etc I have.

Some of it was quite dusty, it's been a while!!

What are breakfast sammies?

I'm definitely doing the croissant, pain aux raisin etc style breakfasts 👍

As for help, my youngest son is a dream on that front, he's fast, strong and we've worked in the kitchen together many many times so we know how to get on together when the pace picks up, plus his knife skills are pretty good 👍
 
badjak said:
Couple more
Goulash/Gulyas or however you want to write it
Chicken paprikash

But also potato mashed, like
Carrot, onion, potato (hutspot)
Raw endive or spinash/bacon/potato
Colcannon

Shepards pie

Quiche, maybe with salad and rice

Bread rolls with options, like banh mi
Lettuce, cucumber, mayo/mustard/hot sauce, cold meat, pickles. Assemble your own.

And with curries, also think of Thai curries, Jamaican goat curry etc
Click to expand...
Good ideas there, goulash, shepherds pie and thai curry (so long as I was went light on any lemongrass) would all hit the mark 👍

Not sure about quiche just cos of the dairy free thing, I've never made vegan quiche 🤔 Some experimental kitchen might be in order. Quiche freezes and reheats ok doesn't it?

I'm thinking yes on the bread rolls cold meat and pickles thing but with sides of salmon, dill sauce and potato salad instead, maybe a fresh pea pesto with it.

Thanks everyone there's some fantastic suggestions here, really shows off how much lovely foody knowledge there is on this forum!
 
SandwichShortOfAPicnic said:
My dad's old school, there are foods he hasn't tried (and won't)
Click to expand...
Your dad must have gone to the same school as mine. Breakfast at 7.30, lunch at 12m, dinner at 5.30, no foreign muck, overcooked veg, etc. My mum once asked me : " why are you eating that? Don't you like English food?" and I said "no, it's boring". :laugh: :laugh:
 
karadekoolaid said:
Your dad must have gone to the same school as mine. Breakfast at 7.30, lunch at 12m, dinner at 5.30, no foreign muck, overcooked veg, etc. My mum once asked me : " why are you eating that? Don't you like English food?" and I said "no, it's boring". :laugh: :laugh:I had a feeling you'd understand 😂
Click to expand...

I had a feeling you'd understand!

Oh the travesty of overcooked veg.
Give them a good long boil until there's nothing but sogginess left!

He's better on that one now though. He likes a stir fry and that introduced him to crunchy veg, not on purpose you understand but because water chestnuts and bamboo shoots refused to submit entirely 😂
 
SandwichShortOfAPicnic said:
Not sure about quiche just cos of the dairy free thing, I've never made vegan quiche 🤔 Some experimental kitchen might be in order. Quiche freezes and reheats ok doesn't it?
Click to expand...
Why does a dairy free quiche need to be vegan? Mine are not. They are vegetarian minus dairy, but not without eggs. You can add soy cream, but the dairy free (JusRoll) pastry ready made and add what fillings you want minus dairy cheese and dairy cream. Obviously cook the fillings in oil, not butter unless it's vegan butter to avoid the dairy.
 
SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
Why does a dairy free quiche need to be vegan? Mine are not. They are vegetarian minus dairy, but not without eggs. You can add soy cream, but the dairy free (JusRoll) pastry ready made and add what fillings you want minus dairy cheese and dairy cream. Obviously cook the fillings in oil, not butter unless it's vegan butter to avoid the dairy.
Click to expand...
Ah yes I confess I don't view veganism in the strictest way and if I was a vegan would eat eggs. Probably because I've kept chooks and think they have a rather nice life. All their food and shelter supplied, mites and other potential health problems kept in check by their human, pop and egg out if they feel like it, scratch around in the sun.
Unlike a lot of animals, looked after properly in a home environment I don't feel they suffer in anyway.

I can't imagine a quiche without cheese and gluten free pastry getting close enough to expectations of what a quiche should taste like.
Whilst I've made the adjustments to non dairy myself I don't fancy watching peoples nose curl at my efforts because "there's something not quite right about it" which you can expect if the cheese and dairy favour is missing.
 
badjak said:
Yeah, sorry, wasnt thinking about dairy free,
But you could make free style pies?

Or pissalidierre (too lazy to check spelling), foccacia etc

Spanish tortilla or frittata maybe
Click to expand...
No worries, I don't expect anyone to remember other people's dietary requirements, probably because I think I've done well if I remember someone's name 😂

Plus you have come up with some great other suggestions.
I am still thinking of experimenting with a dairy free version of quiche but perhaps just for my lot.
 
SandwichShortOfAPicnic breakfast sammies aka sandwiches - we like a well stuffed buttery croissant, with ham, cheese, eggs, etc - your choice of fillings - make ahead, wrap in tin foil, pop in the oven to heat - buffet style grab `n go.
Yes to Quiche, Frittata, breakfast casseroles, again, make ahead - reheat.
Dont think Mum & Dad would care for huevos ranchero or chilaquiles - "foreign muck"
What about a Roast Turkey Lunch - most can be made ahead.
And I kinda figured you had what you'd need to accommodate to crowd.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom