Summer Party - what to cook?

[karmakameleon]

DH and I are leaving the country for a couple of years so having a big party to say good bye to all our friends. Because we're so busy organising the move want to stick with simple dishes that won't take much effort to cook so I thought I'd do a slow roast shoulder of pork as the main event and serve it with bread rolls and some sort of apple sauce or chutney.

I was hoping that someone may have a good recipe for an chutney that would go with it. Also I'm not sure what to serve with it as just the pork rolls doesn't seem like enough. And final problem is that I am really stuck for a vegetarian option so was looking for some suggestions. Ideally it would be something similar to the pork rolls so I don't have to do a completely different dish, but if not anything easy and straightforward would do?

And most importantly, what do I do for pudding? Bonus points if you can use up a dozen frozen egg whites and a jar of cherries in brandy that won't be making the move with us.

I did this last summer for 40 people- check you have a raosting tin and an oven big enough!

I also did a big platter of massive shell on prawns/langoustines, with 3 different dipping sauces.

Plus salad, wee little sausages which the adults and children ate.

For puddings, I did a lemon and passionfruit cake, a 3 tier cake stand overflowing with chocolate brownies ( Nigel Slater recipe, cut up very very small as very rich ), and a massive berry platter with vanilla cream alongside.

I'd say your egg whites and cherries are calling out for a special pavlova. Make the two big meringues, then whip cream, slather over the top of one, whack soem cherries in brandy on top with a little of their juices, then other meringue on top with a few blobs of cream and maybe some fresh cherries piled up in the middle?

What about a really nice quiche or tart for the veggies, e.g. asparagus and creme fraiche tart here

Potato wedges or roasties with the pork rolls.

Meringue with the berries. White choc cheesecake ( dizzy's recipe... It's a MN classic) and a big pile of brownies (Anthony Wirral Thompson recipe is fab)

Agree that some wee sausages would be nice, big bowl of salad perhaps?

No idea on veggie ideas other than lettuce

Oh and can I come?

I'd just do apple sauce and stuffing with the roles to be honest - save yourself the hassle of making chutney. I like coleslaw with hot pork roles - quick and easy to make a vat.... also like the idea of potato wedges.

Do your vegetarian friends eat cheese? Cheese & coleslaw one of my fave sandwiches and I'm not vegetarian.

Second pavlova for your egg whites. Would recommend cooking on baking parchment to prevent sticking (based on bitter experience)

Angel Food Cake to use up your egg whites, if you have a suitable pan. Very light and fluffy (and rich).

Taffeta, how big does my oven have to be?! I have a roasting tin I put my Xmas turkey in, will that be big enough?

Liking the idea of coleslaw on the side and the cheese and coleslaw sandwiches as the veggie option. Nice and easy.

Will just coleslaw be enough salad type things, or should I do one other? I always want plenty of veg, so doesn't seem enough to me, but not everyone is as keen.

DH is very keen on the sausages so they've made the menu too.

And of course, cherry pavlova kills the both egg white and cherries in brandy birds with one stone, so we'll be having that too. Think I'll do something chocolatey too, but not sure what yet.

OK, here's the bit where you laugh. I ordered a whole shoulder - and I mean a whole shoulder with the blade and everything and then measured it at the butcher's and took my roasting tin in too first so they could see the dimensions. I then measured the oven. Big double oven, very lowest shelf. It just fit!

Make the brownies they really are amazing... especially if served with good vanilla ice cream

here is dizzy's white choc cheesecake too

I had a fab recipe for a chocolate and cherry roulade somewhere too.... its not the easiest thing in the world to make but worth the effort.

Taffeta, that makes perfect sense. Called the butcher earlier and he said that I should come round to look at the shoulder and make sure I was happy with the size, so I'll take my roasting dish and oven measurements with me then!

Geordieminx, the chocolate and cherry roulade sounds good. If you have that recipe I might just give it a go.