Help - birthday lunch party!!

[Cambionome]

Hoping for some good ideas! I am having a small lunch party for my (big) birthday soon. There will be 15 - 20 people, all adults (I think). Several vegetarians.

Any thoughts on interesting but simple and easily prepared food? I don't want to spend ages preparing stuff - especially at the last minute - but would like to provide some home made stuff rather than just basic shop bought quiche etc.

It will be a buffet but we will probably have plates/knives and forks rather than just finger food.

Thanks!

Falafel, lamb meatballs, flatbreads, couscous salad, tahini dip, selection of humous and crunchy pickles. www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/12344/moroccan-lamb-meatballs-with-harissa-and-couscous

A whole cooked cold salmon, you could bake it in the oven wrapped in foil, easy, and no mess, stuff the cavity with celery leaves & slices of lemon.

Salad Nicoise, do a large platter with the ingredients laid out in segments, don't forget a bowl of mayonnaise!

Coronation chicken, always popular.

Greek feta and spinach pie (Spanakopita?)

Ratatouille puff pasty flan, maybe add mozzarella to this.

Thanks for the suggestions so far - very keen on the idea of couscous salad and the whole salmon.

I want to avoid a lot of meat because mainly veggie will suit more people, I think.

in a pan peppers,garlic,tomatos,red onions (salami,chorizo optional)courgette,saute down, then stir through couscou with some toasted pine nuts.
make a bigger batch of this and then split half off and in the other half not in couscous add some passata or dolmio jar and some red pesto then stir through pasta.with dollops of mozzarella into a ddish sprinkle on grated cheese and pine nuts then bake.

you can also use the same base mix to fill mini pastry shells.

jus-rol pastry,roll out and put a mixture of toppings for a more upmarket pizza slice.

mini yorkshires with beef and horseradish.
slices of cucumber topped with smoked salmon and dollop of cream cheese.

sliced baguettes is always popular with nice butter

kachumba salad.

some meat like chicken drumsticks

mushrrom potato veggies kebabs.mix it up with chicken.

roasted veggies

new potato salad.
hassleback potatos

pudding big bowls of eton mess.
fridge cake
butterfly cakes
millionaires shortbread.

in a pan peppers,garlic,tomatos,red onions (salami,chorizo optional)courgette,saute down, then stir through couscou with some toasted pine nuts.
make a bigger batch of this and then split half off and in the other half not in couscous add some passata or dolmio jar and some red pesto then stir through pasta.with dollops of mozzarella into a ddish sprinkle on grated cheese and pine nuts then bake.

you can also use the same base mix to fill mini pastry shells.

jus-rol pastry,roll out and put a mixture of toppings for a more upmarket pizza slice.

mini yorkshires with beef and horseradish.
slices of cucumber topped with smoked salmon and dollop of cream cheese.

sliced baguettes is always popular with nice butter

kachumba salad.

some meat like chicken drumsticks

mushrrom potato veggies kebabs.mix it up with chicken.

roasted veggies

new potato salad.
hassleback potatos

pudding big bowls of eton mess.
fridge cake
butterfly cakes
millionaires shortbread.

anothr simple but gorgeous pudding is ginger log cake.

Are you going to have a birthday cake? If you are serving that at the lunch, I’d keep the puddings simple, light and summery. Strawberries with cream served separately, or tropical fruit salad with mango, papaya, kiwi fruit, pineapple etc.

Cheese boards are always popular, and look fab with grapes, celery and some interesting breads.

I second the baked salmon, cous cous and salad. For vegetarians I suggest falafels and hummus.

For starters (if you don't mind the faff) little Greek spanakopita are great (spinach and feta) and make some with a vegan filling too if needed, plus olives etc. Summery but hot food

Thanks everyone - really helpful!