Give me ideas for a quickish meal to feed 12

[LaBelleSauvage123]

We are going away with a large group of friends and I’ve volunteered to cook on the first night. We can’t get into the holiday accommodation until 4pm so it has to be something quick. No chilli or eggs and one of our party is pescatarian, but I could do something separate for him. They’re a foodie bunch, so want to cook something nice!

Fish baked in oven with new potatoes with a cheese or parsley sauce or a lemon dressing …

This is such a quick and easy recipe for salmon en croute and only uses 4 ingredients. https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/recipe/4-ingredients-easy-salmon-en-croute?srsltid=AfmBOorBoZ65RNCjVIJEyB_bhBLeL896neeHOoy0hVcJbjRmxPSih1jj

Sorry but I would go for quality and convenience here. Head to M&S for ready cooked chickens, good bread cheese and salads, fruit frozen roulade or whatever for dessert, serve buffet style. Proper cooking later in the week.

I really like the look of the salmon recipe

Spaghetti alla puttanesca? Easy enough to make and looks "fancier" than it is! www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/spaghetti-puttanesca

Why do people suggest cooking fish, especially fragrant fish, in shared spaces? The smell is going to linger for days.

There’s plenty of ventilation - I don’t think it will be a problem.

Make a chicken or vegetable curry at home the day before, transport in the saucepan / casserole dish or large tupperware to warm up on arrival. Separately transport fresh chopped tomatoes, yoghurt/coconut cream, chopped potato / cauliflower, fresh coriander to add when warming up. Buy some sachets of pilau rice, or pre-make, freeze and microwave rice on arrival.

Do as much as you can at home.

Couple of packets of poppadoms and naan, a tub of yoghurt/ mint sauce or grated cucumber raita all made before travelling and transported in Tupperware.

Google Gujarati carrot salad, can be made at home and transported easily in a Tupperware.

Fancy burgers. They’re so easy to make but really popular. Make the burgers by squishing together mince (10%-12% fat - not 5%), salt and pepper, shape into burgers then fry until cooked. Serve with brioche or nice buns then have buffet style accompaniments - salads, cheese, coleslaw, bacon, barbecue sauce, ketchup, mustard, etc. - basically an indoor barbecue. Roast some potato wedges if you’re feeling exotic.

We’re away for two days beforehand so prep at home isn’t an option, sadly.

When and where will you do tbe food shop if you are away two days before? Only asking as that might have a bearing on availability of ingredients and therefore what you can cook

I was also going to suggest salmon en croute as it is remarkably quick and easy to make but looks impressive.
The only consideration with something cooked in tbe oven is the quality of the oven if you are going somewhere you’ve not been to before.

You could just cook salmon portions and serve topped wirh prawns cooked in garlic and butter, doesn’t take as long in the oven.

Stuffed chicken breasts wrapped in Parma ham are easy and look impressive, a simple fish alternative for the pescatarian. But again relies on the oven.

You woukd need a sauce with all of the above. Cream cheese in a pan with some stock, garlic, herbs and wine makes a delicious but easy sauce

I’m going to get an online delivery to the house.

Jamie Oliver’s cod with avocado, prawns, cream and cheese is a good one. I was a bit unsure about baked avocado but it was lovely. I made this when we had visitors to stay, tbey arrived just as I came home from work and made it while chatting to them, it’s an assembly job really. The fish took a bit longer to cook than the recipe suggests but you can keep an eye on it. I also added more cream than the recipe suggests. Even if not for the whole group, it might be an option for your pescatarian?

I'd make something beforehand and transport it frozen. By the time you get into the accomodation at 4pm, it will be partially defrosted. I've cooked and frozen rice before and it comes out great.

This curry is delicious and I often make it without meat. Take fresh coriander and dried onion to sprinkle over the top.
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/thai-pork-peanut-curry

We’re in an AirBnB for the two days before so cooking and freezing probably not an option.

Some lovely ideas here, thank you. I think the 4 ingredient salmon en croute is my favourite so far.

I’ve volunteered to cook on the first night. We can’t get into the holiday accommodation until 4pm

Apologies, I thought you were travelling from home and arriving at the holiday accomodation at 4pm- not staying in an another Air BNB beforehand.

My fault, I didn’t make it clear in my first post.

Chicken gnocchi. Get 1 breast of chicken per person chop into cubes and dry fry and drain. If for 12 you could us 10 chicken breasts. Chop 1 red/orange or yellow pepper per person. Add 3 bags of gnocchi and 3 pints of water with 3 chicken stock cubes. Add 3 pots of red pesto and about 1/2 pot of Elm Lea double cream. Then add 1/3 tube of tomato puree and chop up 3 mozerella balls. Mix it all together. Bake in oven for 40 minutes and serve with parmesan grated on top and with garlic bread. Prep time about 20 minutes. Bake time 40 mins. You will need 3 large dishes to cook it in or buy those foil dishes to cook in. Everyone I have cooked this dimple recipe for has loved it. If any left it also can be put in fridge and reheated next day in microwave.

Ooh that also sounds very good! And I could do a mushroom version for the pescatarian.

Do you cook the gnocchi in the stock first or just pour the 3 pints water into the whole thing?

Just get a takeaway or go to a local pub/restaurant you will of been travelling all day your relying on a late online delivery which could get their god knows when and will probably have bits missing. Its not much of a start to a holiday

Normally I'd say take a big beef bourguignon or similar with you...but given you can't take anything pre prepared I'd do ottolenghi's pasta alla Norma. It is so incredibly delicious, quick and easy, and suitable for all your dietary requirements, we often take it camping (pre-made for night one, I know you can't do this but still quick and easy to make on the night!!). We often say it's so much more than the sum of its parts and the effort it takes, that's how good it is! Happy to post the recipe if you like

Fajitas.

Some sort of salmon traybake could fit the bill?