Ideas for Good Friday lunch for 9

[TaffetaCat]

Family gathering on Good Friday. BIL will only eat fish on Good Friday, the other 8 people are flexible. 3 children who will eat fish, but maybe not enjoy it massively.

I am stuck now. I have decided on Rhubarb and Cinnamon Cheesecake for pud, with some Easter nests as well for the DC.

I am half thinking of a paella maybe? A seafood one. But don't have a paella pan, only a casserole dish thats big enough for 9. Gah.

Ideas much appreciated.

I would poach or bake a whole salmon in a foil parcel with herbs and, at the same time, bake some chicken breasts in a rich tomato sauce. Dolly the whole thing up with plenty of side dishes, spring veggies, new potatoes and salads etc. Then the fish-lovers can tuck into the salmon and anyone not struck on fish can have chicken instead.

If you want to do paella, could you do it in two frying pans? I've done that before for large numbers and it worked quite well. Just need to make sure that the hob plates are far enough apart so that the pans fit next to each other!

Alternatively, I'd do fish pie for everyone but maybe with an option of a shepard's pie for fussy children.

Thanks guys. I think I've decided against paella as 2 of the children don't like rice. Fish pie I make all the time, so its not really a treat, iyswim.

I am liking the whole poached salmon idea with some meaty stuff on the side.