Sunday Lunch - What’s Missing?

[HostieForARoastie]

I’ve for 6 coming for Sunday lunch. No vegetarians. Doing roast chicken as I know I cook a blinding one. Broccoli is delicious but has no place on a roast IMHO, however one of my guests has a weakness for it with chicken so, absolutely, I’m serving it. Same with Yorkshires - I’m not a fan but I know others are, so Yorkies it is. Two types of potatoes because we are Irish and it’s the Irish Law.

To be clear, all of the below is being served and will be (to use the MN term) ‘cooked from scratch’. What I’m looking for is: Anything Missing?

Roast chicken (with lemon rind, thyme, pancetta mixed with butter and stuffed under the skin)
Pigs in blankets
Stuffing (chestnut based)
Cauliflower cheese
Red cabbage
Roasted carrots (& boiled carrots in case they become blacker than my soul)
Roasted parsnips
Roast potatoes
Mashed potatoes
Yorkshires
Runner beans
Broccoli
Peas (and maybe sprouts)
Gravy
Bread sauce (maaaaaaybe)

Pudding will be a Blackberry Pavlova with all the creams / ice creams etc.

I want my guests to be more than replete at the end; I want them reminiscent of a landed, red cheeked and rounded bodied Georgian countryman tasting the bounty of his green and pleasant fields, whose breaches burst as as he reaches for the port. Human and modern day Toby Jugs if you like. To speak of this meal in tones of awe and glory (I’ll be giving them enough booze to ensure this) and to have enough left over to feed us for an evening of picking days.

What have I forgotten?

OP - your chicken sounds amazing. Can I ask if you fry the pancetta before mixing with the other ingredients, or is it raw when placed under the skin?

@cocksstrideintheevening I am and thank you. Ties into @tobee comment - totally agree. The very idea that I could run out of roasties 😱

All the ancestors would be making visitations to lay hexes upon my mortal soul!

That made me snort. Im
Listening to a very boring teams call. Good job it's no camera / sound on!

More gravy. Always more gravy.

@cbuew9 raw - it’s an old Gordon Ramsay (I think - I do it from memory now). It’s a pain in the jacksie to chop up all the rind, pancetta and thyme into the teeny tiny pieces but worth it for the end result.

@Whataretheodds totally agree. Making a vat of it on Saturday night (going to roast chicken thighs and drumsticks with the assorted veg, lemons and herbs) and then more from the chickens on Sunday.

This sounds AMAZING. Are the plates large enough? 🍴

More "afters"! Cheese board served with port and coffee and petit fours

OMG - it all sounds lovely, but how on earth do you have enough hob rings for all those veg?! (or space in your oven). Or that many serving dishes?
I'd go for:
A big bowl of mixed green veg (leaves, brocolli and peas can all be cooked together and be served together)
One type of creamy veg side (either cauli cheese or creamed leeks)
One dish of roasted veg
Braised red cabbage if you must
One type of mash (I don't think this is necessary at all, but I get the Irish thing)
Roasties (obvs)
No Yorkshires (no space on the plate and not essential with chicken)
Stuffing/pigs in blankets (do you need both - they're essential just pork in different forms?)
Bread sauce
Gravy

Good luck!

@Bearpawk absolutely it’ll be tenderstem broccoli. And the cauliflower cheese is a) a request from a guest and b) a favourite of mine. Leeks going to be braised with cabbage & lardons).

The only things I see are missing are some lovely wine, a willing and helpful volunteer to do the washing and tidying up and a squishy comfy armchair to have a nap in for the afternoon!

Roasted butternut squash with the parsnips please!

@TenderDandelions oh, there will be wine. Lots of wine.

Champagne on arrival & then choices of cremant, red or white all the live long day!

@ReviewingTheSituation pigs in blankets AND stuffing. Always.

Yess sounds lush. And you're going to have amazing leftovers

No roasted vegetables (other than parsnips) on my roasts. Too healthy!!

Red cabbage doesn't go well with white meat.

@Millybob ok

Swede! With loads of butter and black pepper! What time should I come round?

You need a starter, cheese/nuts/fruit, and port if you’re going the whole hog.
The cauliflower cheese isn’t a good mix, and peas are better than green cabbage because you are serving red already. Honey roasted onions look and smell gorgeous done whole. I would roast extra chicken breasts (do them in a frying pan and then shove in the oven for a bit. It gives you extra pretty slices of breast meat on each plate.

I am fasting today, live in foreign climes so rarely get a roast and am now the hungriest person alive.

Why did I open this thread today? 😱

@OoohLaLaLa on the revised list with carrot.

I've only reached the bottom of the first page and I'm lusting after a roast chicken dinner already, with all the accompaniments.

I'm filing all those suggestions for Christmas dinner as we're having capon not turkey 😊

@TomeTome there will be a starter, pudding and a cheese board etc.

Keeping the cauliflower cheese as it’s liked by my guests and the peas have also made the cut. There will be red onions under the chicken - people can have them.

All going to be served on the table - everyone can help themselves to dishes and leave what doesn’t quite tickle their fancy.

Extra chicken breasts a good shout.

Who suggested sweetcorn?! I think sweetcorn must be an English thing, yous seem to put it with everything.

I'm surprised that you're doing pigs in blankets rather than stuffing wrapped in bacon OP

It is good isn't it? I love a pudding that can be made ahead of time and actually tastes better a day or two after it's made, perfection.

@MeinKraft I love that you’re surprised! Pigs in blankets pretty standard, no? Am guessing you’re not English given your sweetcorn comment (with which I wholeheartedly agree).