What would you make for a quick lunch with a friend?

How long is lunch ?

Myself I like an open sandwich as I find two slices too bloating , on a lovely dark rye bread

Topped with leaves, pickles, and protein of choice

Posher and more interesting then a sandwich, not so fussy as putting the ingredients of a salad out , for me its really the best of both worlds

I have a bread maker so I usually make a fresh loaf and lay it out with butter, ham or chicken, cheese, carrots, houmous, cucumber, pepper, grapes and tomatoes/avocado/mozzarella.

I second a tuna Niçoise salad, we've had it a couple of times, recently, it's been lovely in this weather and is delicious. You could boil the eggs and cook the potatoes (optional) and green beans and make the dressing the night before, and then just chop up the rest of the salady bits on the day and combine with a tin of tuna in olive oil (I use the oil from the tuna in the dressing). Just make sure you take the pre-prepared stuff out of the fridge before lunch to take the chill off.

I had a friend round for lunch the other day and had part baked baguettes (which I obviously baked before he came so they were warm) and then salad, hummus, olives, a charcuterie platter thing, and cheeses - all from M&S except the bread. For pudding I had a cheesecake and pouring cream, but we ended up with Magnums out of the freezer. I’m a pretty good cook and would do a proper meal for a dinner, but CBA for lunch!

Chicken caesar salad, fresh fruit.

@Whowhatwerewolf, I completely agree. That's important to point out.
She used to be a chef and we are in New York, so lots of good places to get the right supplies. But I definitely wouldn't fancy this made with the regular salmon from the supermarket.
What impressed me was that it was SO easy but also addictively delicious. I've made the avocado dish and eaten it over rice so many times since. It really does taste far more amazing than the sum of its parts.

Me and my freind used to pop home some lunchtimes for a fish finger sandwich in some nice crusty bread. Food of the gods.

I’d go a cold roast chicken and salad

That sashimi meal sounds delicious @Ruthietuthie but if a friend served that at home I'd need to know that she had bought the salmon from a reputable fishmonger and been assured it had been commercially frozen and was suitable for raw consumption. If she just bought regular salmon from a supermarket that's not safe as there's a real risk of parasites.

I’d love to come to lunch with you.

It’s the slightly wobbly egg ‘custard’. 😱

Sandwich
Crisps
Houmous and cucumber
Pork pie
A fruit option
A sweet option - a nice cookie or slice of cake

Bloody hell, some people really don’t like quiche! I love a quiche. I make a variety, mushroom, bacon, smoked salmon. Just slightly warm from the oven, yum.

Quiche and salad. If you don’t want to make one M & S ones are lovely.

Ask her what she wants or likes? Esp if going back to work afterwards and it’s hot

I went to a friend recently where she served a tray of small bowls (cereal bowl size).
One had rice, one had a crushed cucumber salad (like the Din Tai Fung one, and finally a bowl of marinated Korean style avocado called Mayak avocado. Apparently, it was cubed avocado with soy sauce, a little sesame oil, grated garlic. It was ADDICTIVE and I am usually not an avocado fan. She also had a plate of salmon sashimi.
It was AMAZING. Also easy to prepare (no cooking while I was there - she just had the rice in a rice cooker) as she had it all ready before so we could chat. And so light and fresh on a hot day but, as there was steamed rice, just out of the rice cooker, it was still enough for a hungry person.

Posh sandwich and crisps. I'm up North, but ham and pease pudding on a decent bread roll, is lovely.

Quiches are revolting.

I had a friend around for lunch on Thursday. Tomato tart, green salad, rhubarb fool. It’s too hot for anything more.

Agreed. I’d eat out of politeness only.

Caprese salad
Crusty bread

Have some crisps and olives in bowls

Although chicken skewers also would be lovely

I was going to say this. Just ask her what she'd like. I'd hate a lot of the stuff mentioned on here.

Some great ideas here OP, but the most important thing is to check upfront whether your friend has any allergies or specific dislikes. Make sure you know whether there’s anything that’s a no-go before planning and shopping.

Some version of a salad nicoise would be good- boiled potatoes, tuna, green beans, lettuce, tomato, soft boiled eggs
I sometimes do rice or pasta instead of potatoes, and basically any salad bits.
if you don’t like tuna you could put salmon instead or mackerel. Dressing.

Some nice lunches friends have made for me:
salmon, new pots, veg
Tuna nicoise salad
Ploughmans
Omelette & salad

i would prob do a layered grilled courgette thing with mint, olive oil & lemon marinade and Parmesan topping, serve with burrata and ripped basil, maybe some of those big beefy tomato slices & crusty bread

or

Turkish kofte with yoghurt sauce & salad and flatbreads

Quesedillas.