Feeding a crowd

[ColonelBrandonsBiggestGroupie]

I want to invite about a dozen people round for dinner/drinks in a couple of weeks. About a quarter of them are veggie, as am I - so I'd prefer to avoid meat unless v v easy.

What shall I cook? Would prefer a big vat of something, rather than fiddly buffet stuff.

I wondered about doing a couple of curries and the trimmings - but does anybody have a fantastic recipe for a veggie curry for a crowd, which doesn't include tinned tomatoes?

Or maybe I could do a vaguely Greek theme? But what?

Not Mexican because we had that last time.

Thank you in advance. :)

Oh and what big jugs of drinks could I do, apart from Pimms?

this is my friend's fab mushroom curry recipe (sorry, some of the amounts are not very specific!)

2 packs mushrooms
1 onion
1tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
some chopped garlic
some grated ginger
1 chilli (is desired)
tin coconut milk
2tsp turmeric
1tsp coriander
1tsp cumin
1tsp garam masala
1 tin butter beans

fry mushrooms and set aside.
heat some oil and add the cumin and mustard seed, heat until they start popping.
add the chopped onion, garlic and ginger and chilli (if using). cook for a few minutes until it smells lovely, then add coconut milk.
heat thoroughly then add mushrooms and spices and season to taste (salt and pepper)
cook for a few minutes before adding butter beans.
you can cook a bit longer to allow the sauce to reduce down if you want to

it's soooo delicious, and easy enough to double/triple if you need to.

Thai green curry? Loads of veg stirfried in green curry paste, add coconut milk and pineapple juice, rice or noodles. you could also do a red curry (think the recipe's similar?) and serve with rice and/or noodles, prawn crackers...

Big jugs... Pina Colada, Margarita, St Clements...

I make a white sangria that always goes down well. It's easily doubled over and over as well.

The night before, slice strawberries, mango, oranges and limes. Macerate overnight in the fridge with a few spoons of sugar. At party time, put fruit in punchbowl and stir in one fifth of white rum. Add one bottle Pinot grigio and two liters sprite or Ginger ale. Very yummy!

Ooh some lovely ideas. The mushroom curry looks fab.

White sangria would be great, except I can't touch rum after making myself v ill on it on my 18th! :)

I love margerita but have never made it - what does it involve?

1½ oz Tequila
1 oz Cointreau
½ oz Lime Juice

I've never had a margarita with cointreau in it. I wonder what it's like? I've always had them with

Tequila
Triple sec
Lime juice

Well, they both sound good to me! :)

Orangey, I'd have thought! St Clements made with Cointreau and bitter lemon would be lush imo

Am feeling thirsty now!

Any more ideas/recipes? Thanks.

Hopeful Sunday bump - especially for huge curry recipes please!