One-pot meal for big family lunch

[NoChristmasNickname]

I'm having 18 people to lunch the day after Boxing Day and want to do an easy one-pot type meal - a stew or casserole or something. I thought of doing a curry or a chilli, but one person doesn't like garlic, and at least two don't like spicy food. I don't want anything too "ordinary" like shepherd's pie or lasagne as I want to do something that's a bit more unusual or with a bit of a wow factor.

So I'm a bit stumped.

I don't mind doing additional bits like breads or rice or whatever to go with it, but I want it to be one big main course I can pretty much do in one pot or dish.

Any ideas?

sausage and lentil/borlotti bean casserole? with nice bread and a green salad.

fish pie?

a sausage casserole would be good. Or something like beef stroganoff with rice.

Beef Salsa Pot this is gorgeous if your friends can manage a bit of spiciness.

sausage and bean casserole would be good with mash.

or chicken thighs with potatoes and carrots in a pot with tinned tomatoes. add a few sprigs of thyme and it works a treat.

How about beef in beer with pickled walnuts?

Or beef in beer with chestnuts?

Both are lovely Christmassy casseroles which go well with rice or big chunks of good crusty bread.

Or what about doing a fabulous cororation chicken and serve with rice salad and green salad.

Or a lamb tagine served on a bed of couscous - really easy but very different.

Pork - this dish is very simple - you will just need to multiply the ingredients

www.deliaonline.com/recipes/marinated-pork-with-coriander,1774,RC.html

scroll down to the bottom of the page to find Good Food Mag's Top 5 One Pot dishes.

here

I think that stroganoff would be lovely, or delia's old fashioned shin of beef stew with dumplings? It is really easy, one pot, inc veg, and v plain, no garlic etc, but v tasty. I hae done it with red wine instead of the cider, and was delish!

Stew and dumplings? I cooked this last time we had a large family gathering went down v well

i served it with boiled pots . can give you my recipe if you are interested

Some fab ideas - thanks. Will spend some time looking through them all.

I don't have a stew and dumplings recipe, so would love your recipe manchita, please.

Delia does a one pot spanish pork with olives which is lovely - you could google it?

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yeah, me too. dd would probably at least try this stuff, but ds - forget it. he is a "bland meat and two veg" little guy.

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yeah, i guess we just haven't taken them to restaurants enough...

chicken with shallots, sundried tomatoes chicken stock and cream.

Serve with couscous or rice and crusty bread.

It's so easy and quick to make.

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