Would love to hear food/recipe ideas for a smallish summer party, not barbecue.

[Mintyy]

Its going to be an evening do, adults only, about 20/25 people.

Obviously we can't all sit down so it will have to be an eat on your laps type thing, but I don't really want to do a boring old conventional buffet.

I'd like to do two or three cooked main courses (prep ahead), one of which will have to be vegetarian, with salads and bread. I think. Or does anyone have any better ideas?

What do people love that you make?

Pulled pork baps, sausages in a roll, chicken drumsticks in a chipotle marinade and a non spicy marinade - maybe lemon and thyme. I think homemade fresh relishes, salsas and fresh chutneys really elevate everything - they taste so much better than shop bought. Mango and chilli salsa, tomato salsa, pistachio and coconut, tomato relish, garlic/lemon/chilli mayo - there are loads of ideas for these kind of things on the web. Haloumi works well for veggies or tandoori paneer, cauldron sausages aren't too bad.

I'd do some sort of risotto for one dish but I'm watching this with interest

I always poach a whole salmon and make a cucumber and grape lime jelly to go with it, turkey drogheda, a cooked ham, stand pies, cheese, pâté, salads and cheesy baked potatoes. Yum.

I hate fuss and hate buffets, so I would do either -

2 Thai curries - one veggie and one meat or fish
Big bowl of rice
Some Thai style salads
Spring rolls etc (would buy these)
Maybe some sweetcorn fritters

2 chillis - one meat and one veggie
rice
green salad
guacamole
grated cheese
soured cream
tortilla chips
bread

Or
cheese
bread
crackers
grapes
nuts
celery
radishes
pickles
homemade coleslaw
green salad

For pud I'd do a couple of cakes and a couple of trifles, and maybe some meringues with berries and cream for self assembly.

Oh I forgot puds. Ginger and pineapple pavlova, chocolate mousse, strawberries and cheese and biscuits.

Sorry for some reason I didn't see the not BBQ - only my second glass of wine!
I like a buffet to have a theme so all the food works together, I'd choose Indian or Middle Eastern - Have done middle eastern and it was a thing of beauty. Relied heavily on Yotam Ottolenghi's recipes. Moro's falafel was outstanding, veggie dishes - red pepper stuffed with feta, mint, preserved lemon, pine nuts and onion - everyone loved that! Burnt aubergine with pomegranate. Lamb shawarma from Yotam is brilliant. A good spicy carrot salad, good old hummous. The idea is that you don't make masses of anything you just make more dishes and serve with good quality bread.
I'll do South Indian for the next one.

I did a Greek one once -

gigantes beans
tsatziki
hoummus
Greek salad
flat breads etc

Melon, figs, baklava, Greek yoghurt and honey and pistachios for pud.

I second the theme, and my favoured would be middle eastern, I too think yotams lamb sharwama is perfect, with pitta, a carrot salad and harisa, it's really finger food at it's best. Id serve the sharwama, a tabbouleh, baba gahnoush, hummous, and falafel. Perhaps with a few bowls of spiced oven baked chickpeas to act as peanuts, in bowls dotted about.

I'd do fresh and light for a summer do....pasta with salmon, mange tout and asparagus with Philly.....a minted pea and mixed bean salad.....and a wild rice with mixed mushrooms etc.... Nice easy desert of fresh fruit with meringues, ice creams, creams. Think fresh and light

I'd do fresh and light for a summer do....pasta with salmon, mange tout and asparagus with Philly.....a minted pea and mixed bean salad.....and a wild rice with mixed mushrooms etc.... Nice easy desert of fresh fruit with meringues, ice creams, creams. Think fresh and light

Oh wow! these all sound gorgeous. Are you sure you wouldn't like to come to London and do these for me?

I like the idea of a theme too. Leaning towards Greek. I don't want it all to be an enormous FAFF on the day.