Easter lunch for 14 people!

[fdp86]

Help! Fellow Mumsnetters... what have I agreed to! Have no idea how I will cook a lunch for this many people with a single oven and a normal 4 ring hob! Ideas pleeease x

Figure out what can be made the day before and what can be bought already cooked. Sains or Tesco might deliver a cooked lamb joint that you can just heat in the oven.

Slow roasted pork shoulder (rolled joint). Get a couple if not one large enough for 14. Crackling etc

Cheap, you can put it in overnight or first thing and forget about it

Big thing of new potatoes and big thing of veg. Consider a roasted veg too if you can be bothered.

Gravy.

Buy some jars of apple sauce.

Just as nice as lamb and comfort food!

I could have written this op!
I have my dps family coming Easter Monday. The day before we are with my family so cannot prepare the day before. I too have a single oven and 4 ring job!
I also have 2 vegetarians to cater for.
Do all your guests eat meat? Any other requests?
I was going to do baked cod/chicken in bacon with roasted veg and new potatoes. But now thinking that’s a bit boring!!
I’ll be watching this thread......

Do u have a steamer or a microwave? It can be a lifesaver for all veg?

Make a list of timings to help u plan on what needs to go in and what temps.

Do u have an idea of meats you want to serve?

I did just comment on another thread about a nice lamb dish for easter. It's fool proof and u can just focus the oven for that. Then the hob will just really be veg.

Most other meats like beef or chicken can be a worry of being dry or overcooked but lamb is very forgiving for such a large number.

Do u have a deep fryer for potatoes?

I'm a fan of a buffet! I would cook a large pork joint the day before, cook stuffing balls, and wrap a load of sausages in bacon. On the day, roast a massive tray of new potatoes with onions, garlic, rosemary and throw some tomatoes in near the end. Cook the tray of bacon and sausages, steam some greens, and put a selection of baguettes, pate, cheese, dips and pickles on the table to.

This lamb and feta couscous salad is quick and easy and can be served cold and mostly prepared ahead. The quantities are easily multiplied up to feed more than what the recipe states. You don't actually need your oven at all, but I'd suggest serving with heated flatbreads and tzatziki/minty yogurt.
www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/giant-couscous-with-spiced-lamb-feta-and-almonds/

Cook your meat the night before lamb is fine to serve cold (as is chicken as long as you don't overlook) slice fairly thinly and it will be fine with hot gravy. Use your oven purely for roast potatoes do 3 decent ones per person (I think boiled pots are boring!) Do carrot and swede crush and red cabbage the day before and heat in the microwave just before serving. Use the hobs for your green veg, cabbage, peas ect and gravy. As pp said perhaps buy a cheap stacker steamer? Pre make/buy pre made Yorkshire's as they only take 6 mins to heat in the oven so you can do them when you take the pots out, just plonk them down last. Serve family style as dishing up 14 plates would be slow and things will go cold, heat plates in the bottom of the over just before putting on the table. Don't scrimp on the gravy and sauces! Do a couple of big apple crumbles for pudding, make in the morning and pop in the oven as soon as your Yorkshire's are out custard and a big tub of vanilla ice cream. If I have veggies I serve fish or stuffed mushrooms, with the same accompaniments and a different sauce (not very inventive but always goes down well!) Count all your plates, glasses and cutlery now so you can organise more if needs be.

Chocolatecake12 are you sure your ‘veggies’ eat fish. Because veggies don’t eat meat or fish, unless you are certain they do I wouldn’t risk it. (There are of course plenty of pescatarians out there that call themselves veggie.) not meaning to be patronising just hoping to avoid a last minute panic. I would sub the fish for a shallot tart tatin, or stuffed butternut squash.

fdp86 are you set on a traditional roast? There are lots of lovely one pots that would be easier?

Wow thank you for all the replies. I have no vegetarians or other dietary needs so i guess that's a blessing to start with. I was thinking lamb. We own a slow cooker too so thought perhaps one lamb leg and a different joint done in the slowcooker. I do have a stacking steamer and hadnt thought of that so thanks! Just thought..... I am going to need extra plates 😂😂😂

This is such a handy guide which tells you how much you need to cook of everything for an Easter roast. www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/food/food-news/how-to-feed-a-crowd-at-easter

babydreamer has perfect advice if you are set on a traditional roast.

I'd go for hot cross bun bread-and-butter pudding though - as it sounds, sliced and buttered, 1 per person ish, 3 thin slices per bun, or buy raisin bread! Custard made with half milk half cream and for a dozen people maybe a large egg and a couple of egg yolks, bit of sugar, pour over, bake til not runny at gas 5 ish for 20-30 minutes depending on the size of dish.

id do the lamb leg as a roast.deffo but then a few lamb shanks in the slow cooker would make a mean combination,
then id just do it with loads of veg.make an onion sauce(melt some butter.stir in onion til soft, flour or conflour,milk,make a sauce) the day before and keep in Tupperware.lots of veg like carrots and things can be done the day before even.
nice pot of mint sauce.
some roasties.depending on you one could be done In the morning.then veg fresh or vice versa.then warmed up.
or to really get ahead do a potato dish that you can cook the previous day.daupghinos or boulangere potatos could be cooked the previous day then warmed quickly in the microwave or oven beforehand.
roasted parsnips.
some veg can be cooked in microwave.most even.its just steaming
dauhpinois and boulanger can be slow cookered too.

How will you be eating?

Sit down at a table or buffet style?

If I cook for that many then I put everything on the table including plates and serve a buffet style. People load up and sit down wherever they like, but that doesn't work with gravy!!