If you were having 18 people

[WinkyWinkola]

over for lunch, what would you cook?

It can't be a sit down meal as we've only got seating for 8 but I would still like it to be solid food, iyswim. Rather than just nibbles and dips.

Any ideas? Your top recipes please!

Big pot of chilli
Big fish pie
Big casserole
Big lasagne
Crusty bread by the barrowload
Fresh leaves, tomatoes, olives, sweetcorn etc

Everyone can help themselves from the kitchen worktop and sit or stand. I find it a really sociable and relaxed way to eat and people can have a few different helping.

Everything can be prepared in advance and keep hot easily.

Chilli and rice / curries, dahl, naans and rice / whole salmon (looks impressive) and salads (borrow a fish kettle from a posh friend - I do). Last summer I did a huge 24 hour slow-roast pork shoulder with apple sauce and baps and cold puddings for 40 people. There was none left.

And here are the two 's' missing from that post ......s and........s

Are you planning a kind of buffet, with people perching around the place with plates to eat?

If so, these sorts of dishes would suit:

a couple of different types of quiche
a few different salads - maybe potato salad, bean salad, couscous salad, tomato salad and a green salad.
some chicken drumsticks or similar
Coronation chicken
kebabs (I mean the skewer type)
roasted vegetables
cheese board

I would do lasagne- one meat and one veggie with an array of salads/breads.

Tip with the lasagne when you know people wont be using a knife to cut it, is to break up the dried lasagne into small pieces when layering the dish before cooking.

or you could do a whole poached salmon and boiled ham etc but that would be too complicated for me!

Whole poached salmon is the easiest - use biggest roasting tray if you don't have fish kettle, put fish in, cover in cold water, bring to boiling point on hob them remove from heat and leave to cool in the water. Take out and skin both sides. Hey Presto!

Apparently you can do a whole salmon in the dishwasher.....

I would LOVE to do this but don't have a dishwasher.

(Sorry Winky. Nothing extra to add to the excellent suggestions above. I just saw the thing about salmon and went off on my own track there.)

Something that needs a fork but not a knife I would think.

Pasta, sauce, salad.

Chilli, rice, guacamole etc.

Big load of roasted vege served with ratatouille or something - and salad.

Cous cous and a tagine with maybe some Moroccan style salads.

Kleftiko (Greek roast lamb, meltingly soft) with pittas, salads, tsatziki, hoummus etc.

Wow. Some brilliant ideas here. Thank you so much.

cous cous - v cheap! then a meat and a veggie side to go with....easy to eat outof small bowls anf filling

PlumpRSB you Have to try that dishwasher salmon thing PLEASE!

(Does that need a separate thread?)

I suspect it does LGoodLife

But I CAN'T do the dishwasher thing- the only one I have is my dh and I don't think he'd appreciate me trying to stick a whole salmon......er....where the sun don't shine?

Okay, I'm going to try a new salmon in dishwasher thread....