New years day lunch. ( i know.... im just being organised)

[redderthanred]

Am hosting new years day.
Was going to do a bit sit down dinner, but then people have had enough of that by then.
SO.
Was thining about doing a massive lion of pork or something. Just roasting that and then people can help themselves, pick at it, sit and eat off laps ( and makes my life so much easier)
With what though:
Mini roasted new potaotes ( garlic and rosemary??)
Fresh bread
Couple of salads
Coleslaw
Rice salad????
Cheese board
crackers
dips and stuff to did in
Cheese and pineapple on sticks ( tis the law in my family)
Pate
Crisps.
Nuts

Need things for children and adults and some with simple tastes.. lots of men who like MEAT!

ANything else i can do??????
Also, i want to have the food then, and then maybe add more to it later for tea.. but just keep up the buffet type thing.

Deserts. mum is going to make a strawberry mouse and i may make some kind of brownie or chocolate something.

sounds lovely
apple sauce is a must
some nice pickles and chutnies
cocktail sausages and chicken drummers are always popular too

some 1lb pork pies from the butchers/bakers?
some 'nice' sausage rolls?

Boiled and then roast ham? That could then carry through, too. Also all the accompaniments for the roast port would go, too.

oh yes. oodles of apple sauce. ( probably make my own)
pickes and such like.
Probably that gree goddess salad dressing.
Lots of smelly chesse.

I would actually do a large pork belly or two rather than a loin - the benefit being that if slow cook it, if it lands up being in the oven for a bit longer, it's not a big deal. If you did two, and want a meal that people pick at, that would work well too as they could come out the oven at different times.

I'd be tempted to do salads, lots of lovely bread (maybe some nice warmed garlic bread or ciabattas etc as well as french loaves), pickles and chutneys, some cheese and leave it at that. Plus the apple sauce your'e talking about etc.

Very easy, and delicious.

If you did want a hot veggie dish, maybe a ratoutoule (sorry, can't spell)?

I did a whole pork shoulder in the summer for 40 people, cooked it slow for 24 hours. It was stunning. You shred it with forks and then serve on a massive platter with bread rolls and apple sauce.

The children enjoyed it too, and I also did cocktail sausages for them. Porkfest.

I also pushed the boat out and got a sushi platter and did a big platter of king prawns with a choice of dips.

I'm not sure about the whole pickles/chutneys/cold cuts/cheeses things. Maybe its just us, but this is what we eat from 26-31 December, so if I was going somewhere to eat on New Year's Day I might be a bit argh at having it again .

oh and loving the cheese and pineapple on sticks. Hope you are going to make a giant hedgehog out of them.

god yes. Foil covered grapefruit and everything.

It is actually the law that there can never be a buffet without them.

The cheese thing is just for later really. Its just going to be a grazing type thing. Well that and the fact that i love cheese.

Also thought about doing some roasted haloumi/pepper combo.