Food recommendations - cooking for a crowd

[anothernameagain000]

Looking for some inspiration really. Am doing a big family Christmas gathering (not on the day - a few weeks before). It’s a traditional thing and usually the host does something like a bit of a cold buffet but with then say a lasagna and chicken dish. Am trying to think of what to do so it’s a little different (but average guest age is probably about 70 so not sure I can go too experimental). For about 20 people - what would you do??

@pom - how many people would something cooked in you’re average slow cooker feed do you think? Happy to get one (I only don’t have one as I work from home and fear that the smell would make me permanently hungry)

Stovies. You can scale that up pretty easily.

Get a chilli in a slow cooker rice in a rice cooker. Stays hot for hours. And a cheese and meat board job done

@lizzie - had to just google stovies (born and bred Londoner) they look gorgeous - do you have a recipe as they seem to vary

Hi OP. Traditionally you'd use the leftovers of your side of beef but i have used steak bought and fried just for stovies.

I slice potatoes and white onion. Ratio about 3 potatoes: 1 onion. I fry in some butter ( but traditionally it would've been lard) until they're soft. Add the cooked meat, I add a stock cube and about a litre of water. Simmer. Serve with oatcakes.

I have the biggest one Argos sell, and regularly get easily 20 portions of say stew if I fill it full.
Last Christmas I did the biggest piece of gammon that would fit, and it served 8 of us two days running and there was plenty to go around.
It's surprising how much they hold.