aaargh. help! twelve for dinner on Friday and I haven't a clue.

[mumonthenet]

Please sort me out. Am totally flummoxed.

Needs to be:

NOT a barbeque

Summery food to eat outside.

A sit down meal with a starter and main.

Something can make in advance and maybe just finish off when ready to eat.

A bit smart as dh client coming but not too complicated as can't be bothered

Any ideas welcome.

wasnt there someone very famous in history who had table for 12 guests

get pph on here. mezze type ting. slow cooked lamb shoulder (v impressive) with cous cous and untold salady type things. all doable in advance.

if not lamb nigella's chicken tagine is great.

windy, we're still waiting to hear from another friend .... if he comes we'll be 13 round the table (not that I'm superstitious!!)

right sophable, thanks - please give me ideas for salads . Might google Nigella's tagine.

Was thinking I could do a massive paella, although the mere thought exhausts me!

And I don't even know how to do paella. Would I mess it up?

And a starter, what starter?

am bumping this for the morning crowd. Any ideas welcome!!!

will check in later.

Rack of lamb - blast it in the oven at 250° for 15 minutes while you are cooking seasonal (pref local) vegetables - freshly shelled peas with mint / beans tossed with rocket and parmesan / tiny new potatoes.

Do a cold starter - melon and/or figs and San Daniele ham?

don't do paella, if you get one guest who knows what the real thing tastes like you'll be scuppered.

I would take the liberty of suggesting just main course and dessert for summer.

I like the lamb idea for the main course but I reckon you should do a huge salad of marinated lamb chunks roasted off in the oven, ask your butcher if they do marinated lamb kebabs and then push the chunks off the sticks and roast them till crunchy on the outside. Put some ground cumin in to the roasting pan and stir in lots of thick greek yogurt and lemon juice.

Make a vat of salad with rocket leaves, baby spinach, sliced red onions, cubes of feta cheese, shredded sun dried tomatoes and a dressing of 4 parts olive oil to one part balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper
Serve big thick Lebanese/Turkish flat breads on the side
and do you ahve a turkish/greek/leb deli nearby? If so get some of their huge white beans in cans and some very good tomato ketchup and a dash of paprika and a handful of chopped parsely and a squeeze of lemon juice and mix it up to a sticky bean salad.

Get some 3 meringue bases from the supermarket to make pavlovas. Whip up a 600ml carton plus a half size one of double cream and add icing sugar and vanilla essence. Dress each meringue with the cream and then squeeze on passion fruit and get some raspberries to decorate.

What about nibbles/canapes instead of a traditional starter (loads of canape threads on here)

Salmon en croute? Prep an hour or so before guests arrive, put it in the fridge til ready to cook. With new/roast pots and salad.

Dessert - strawberries/raspberries/blueberries then serve with meringue or lemon drizzle cake and either lemon meringue icecream (which can be made in advance and doesn't need an ice-cream maker or stirring) or Barbados cream (cream and greek yoghurt whipped together topped with muscovado sugar and left to go caramelly)

oh yum girls, what fantastic ideas.

God I want to try them all.

suzy, no greek del but am in southern portugal so maybe their white beans would do the trick?

I agree, maybe starters aren't really necessary.

Still haven't decided what to eat and am working all day today...will only have Friday to do blinking everything. aaargghhh!

For anyone still listening...
about cream,......will/can single(whipping) cream take the place of double cream whipped iyswim? Should I increase quantities?

you're in southern Portugal! Why yes, grab the local beans

Single cream won't whip properly unless you are willing to be brave and add some gelatine to it. I'll give you a hand with quantities if you go down that path.

I had 10 for dinner a couple of wks ago and did this v easy v tasty and you can pre make and finish off at the time.

greek meatballs, with a massive rocket salad and rice. very yummy

lol windygales

Are you inviting any red headed men?

How about a load of salmon fillets, top with a mix of pesto, breadcrumbs and pecorino (can't remember temp etc but have a look on deliaonline as it's one of hers). You can prepare it really early and pop it in the fridge, then pop it in the oven at the last minute. Serve with couscous salad and some green salad.

but suzy, the single cream we get here is only for whipping they make "chantilly" with it, add a bit of sugar...it's not bad...but would it work in my white choc cheesecake that I got off another MN thread?

...and am planning to make tomorrow (feck knows when, since I still have to decide the menu and do the shopping).

Starter- rocket salad - balsamic vinegar- cheese and tomato quiche (warm)

Main - pasta???? Any

Do you have slow cooker? If so, the anything done in here wiht lots of veges and potatoes

Personally, I would do hors deurves (sp???) olives, bread sticks, cheese bites, etc and then a buffet

I have also let the alcohol speak for me and done a breakfast at night - bacon, eggs, muffins, fruit salad, hash browns, mushrooms and lots and lots and lots of fizz!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thsi really would be my preferreed option 'cos it is soooooo easy. I promise you it goes down better than anything fancy I have ever tried to do!!

ta so much for all replies...they all sound fab and am considering them all

just wish I was capable of making a decision but generally think I will go the way of like you've all said...something simple and serve lots of bits, salads, olives, different breads, etc...

No slow cooker

No red headed men.

Would like a buffet can never get it to look that interesting.

Definately helps to get them all sozzled first so they don't know what they're eating, oops just remembered dh's client is coming.

and, of course, the white choc cheesecake

which I'm making mainly for me!!

SCM chants - go with the nighttime breakfast and lots of champagne - people will remember it and love it

I promise you it's a winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Susiewong - I want to make your roast lamb chunks for lunch tomorrow - will creme fraiche do instead of greek yoghurt and any details on timings/when to add the yoghurt please? It sounds fantastic!

mumonthenet. Let us know what you cooked in the end and whether it worked for future reference.