OK - I have a dinner party for 36 people next thursday night - what to cook please??

[lisalisa]

By way of explanation before anyone thinks I am cuckoo - !!!!

It's for the yr 6 parents of my daughter's school. The yr 6 is very special as the school is new and it is the first yr 6 to graduate - many of the parents helped build the school - physically - and lots of fathers were still decorating the classrooms days before the children started reception!!! When they began school - 4 yrs old and in bunches and big smiles weilding paintbrushes us mums were at the door sobbing and feeling so proud simulateneously. Most of the mums were pregannt with these graduates together and remember when eachother's chldrne first walk/spoke/vomited on them. So it is hugely emotional.

The ofifical graduation is next tuesday but as some childrne are going on to different high schools dh and I thought it would be lovely to do a farewell dinner party for all at which the headmistrees is guest of honour ( as a surprise to her).

But....... i need a menu! No pork, bacon or shellfish please as we are jewish and the parents attending largely are too. Also no dishes that combine milk and meat for hte same reason ( althhough I can do a pretty good job of converting them to milk free) . Any recipes where I can do a lot of prep the night before ( or nights before and freeze in advance ) would be especially good please.

Oh and I plan on 3 courses and will probaly have lots of people offering to bring things too.

Thanks!

Would you consider posh pizza? Served with a nice salad. Or even posh pie and mash, it's east to do and very fashionable way of catering at the moment.

I would do profiteroles for dessert as can make the day before and refridgerate and they can be made en masse.

I have just made a trout pate for a picnic starter for tonight (looks nervously at gathering black clouds) and it was so easy - from Nigella's Express book. Just bung everything in food processor and whizz. Haven't really tasted it yet though !

Jamie Oliver's beef stew is lovely

milky idea -start with two types of soup-sweet potato and creamy tomato, or gespacho if its a hot day and put home-made croutons on the table. main course I would do salmon, and quiche (brocolli and goat's cheese is pretty sophisticated and yummy), cheese platters, big green salads, and a few other summer salads, pasta with sweet potato and leeks (got the recipe off google!) all served buffet style. dessert-evelyn rose berry pavlova and vanilla ice cream, followed by chocolates and coffee and tea. hope this helps-good luck!

This thread is v useful for me as I have to cook for 22 next week.Does anyone have an idiot proof recipe for the Beef Bourginon?And the dauphinoise Potatoes?

thanks

Hi Lisalisa. With that number to cater for I'd definitely steer clear of anything that needs much doing to it on the night or I'd get really stressed and I guess everyone's not coming for the food itself (hope!). I'd go for great music, lots of candles and lots of lovely drinks - perhaps big jugs of Pimms and lots of wine and beers to get everyone into the spirit. I'd do kettle chips, olives and lovely canapes instead of a starter (e.g. Waitrose do little cocktail blinis which you can top with various things - I love the Smoked Salmon Blinis recipe on www.goodtoknow.co.uk ) so that people can mingle round and chat and nibble. A good main course is Nigella's Chicken & Chickpea Tagine from How to Eat - you can make this up to 3 days in advance and I serve it in bowls with chopped coriander thrown on at last minute, with pile of cous cous beside it with toasted pine nuts on top. Pudding wise a recent discovery is Nigel Slater's "really great trifle" - you can Google the recipe - easy and delicious and perhaps bowls of berries or fresh chopped pineapple and maybe a couple of Gu Chocolate and Orange tarts for extra cheating puds. Hope this helps (or feel free to ignore!) & hope it goes well.

Smoked Chicken
Dirty Rice - vegetarian version
Watermelon & Feta Salad
Spicy Tomato & Corn Salsa
Black Eyed Beans with Chipotle Creole Sauce

Meringues
Berries
+/- Fresh Cream

Gosh - so many great ideas hedre.

Thinking of the format - I had in mind a sit down plated dinner rather than a buffet and low lights and soft music. Maybe a buffet woudl be beter but not sure whether it would lend itslef to the intimate feel we want.

I do like the idea of suop to start and the carrot and coriander is a good idea.

I also really like the beef bourginnoise and dauphinnoise potatoesa nd can use a non milk cream to make them. Then was thinking of baby green beans in individual parcels tied with a chive and perhaps carrot strips and then having green salads on the table.

Desert - still don't know although the banoffee pie suggested sounds great!!! So do all teh berry recieps suggested although that may be vbery expensive considering there's 36 guests.

I think when everyhone's arriving and before we sit down I'll do crisps and olives and wine.

Anyone have any ideas for some great drinks? I'm thinking of frosted glasses that sort of thing

Large slicing tomatoes, mozzarella and torn basil, with a light dash of olive oil as a starter. Can be prepared beforehand and is summery.
Elderflower cordial with still or sparkling water with borage in ice cubes is a great drink for your drivers.

Have you ever read Slummy Mummy in The Times? No offence meant but your post sounds so very organised. Wishing you good luck, what a lovely idea.

No, what is slummy mummy?m

Do sparkling wine in flutes.

For non alcoholic drinks fresh orange with bitter lemon is lovely and raspberry and pear juice with lemonade topped with fresh raspberries is delicious.

For dessert I would do a raspberry creme brulee as it can be made in advance and just burnt as it goes out.

Can you make creme brulee with the non dairy cream?

Ooh creme brulee collision - yes but whenever I've tried to make it its been disastrous!!! Any failsafe receipes ? Can include cream and I'll just make the substitute.

I've done a fillet of beef that is sort of semi-roasted, semi-braised that comes out beautifully moist. Ite's essemnitall yut in the over with sone wine and (I think) madeira, under a tent of foil, cooked at a high temparature for a wee while and then the oven is turned off and it is left there, if I recall correctly (it's ages since I last did it). It's then rolled in chopped herbs and sliced. It's a recipe from one of the old Masterchef series - I can look it out for you if you want.

Easy pudding you could make the night beofre: Grape cream. Lots of seedless grapes, some sour cream or (preferably Greek) yoghurt) and muscovado sugar mixed together so that the yoghurt and sugar dissolve together and coat the grapes. Better done the night/morning before. Looks pretty in glass bowls.

caterers.

If you don't have past experience with creme brulee, do pannacotta (although it has gelatine in which might be a show-stopper [ignorant])

This time of year, you have to serve Eton Mess, which is rasberries, broken up meringue pieces, and freshly whipped cream (which maybe just the smidgiest of orange liquer whipped in?).

Simple, not too expensive, seasonal and DELICIOUS.

You have to go berry picking the day before to get the benefit really.

As for dinner - I would actually do roast beef, and ALL the trimmings. Or lamb .

Do this well and it cannot be beaten.

apetizer:
marinated olives (parsley/coriander/garli/cumin/olive oil/lemon juice/orange and lemon zest)

Soup & stew maybe too much together at this time of year?

suggest:

starter
filo nests (or vol au vent)
filled with aspargus/mushroom stir fry (made earlier). On a bed of roquette leaves (washed earlier), drizzle of balsamic & white truffle oil. 2 sprigs chive on top.
All you have to do is assemble. no cooking.

Stew - meat/fish/chicken
I have loads of yummy fool proof sefaradi recipes from my mum if you are interested.
All you have to do is reheat. T

candied fruit
dates stuffed with almond paste.
Almond filo cigars drizzled with honey and toasted sesame seeds
same here. All made in advance and no cooking/reheating.
They leave a fabulous aroma in the house if you make them that same same afternoon

You can tell I'm really bored......

and hungry and nostalgic

Awwww slim - want to come?

Yes - soup and stew may be a bit much you're right. Still - its not that warm at th emoment and soup is sooo easy!

I do like the vol au vent idea actually - especially with mushrooms in side and on rocket leaves. don't think truffle oil is kosher though - at least never seen it in kosher shops. Woudl olive oil do instead?

I wish, but am on the other side of the planet!

Olive oil sure. Then you should add shallots or better crispy fried onion to the mix for more flavor.

Oooh getting better - so vol au vent with mushroom stir fry and on bed of rocket with olive oil and balsamic and onions fried mixed in? Mmmmm - now that is good! Thanks Slim. Where are you btw?

singapore.

what a lovely celebration!
Hope you have a great time.

To start - the vol au vent thing is good - but I would do a goats cheese tart with caramalised onion on a bed of rocket

For main - fillet of beef en crut or roast poussin - I personally prefer the poussin, that way you don't have the problem of some guests not liking rare or med rare beef.
You can prep the whole thing the night before so you just have to put them in the oven

For desert - something light with chocolate like a mouse - can be done the night before and make it look spectacular with some spun sugar - if you can't work sugar just sprinkle icing sugar and decorate with a couple of raspberries and some mint leaves.

As a palate cleanser - a lime granita will impress and cleanse for the desert.

Mmmm nosleepsmallhouse - your name made me laugh - i hav ebeen in that position too!

The goats cheese is v yummy, yes but I can;'t have milk and meat served at same meal due to dietary laws.

I htink I wil do a poussin option just in case I have guests who do'nt like red meat - most I've asked do so far.

Chocolagte mousse is good but I'm kind of set on banoffee pie now - that just sounds very decadent.

Lime granita sounds divine - do you hvae a reicpet?