lunch for 16 mixed dietary needs - heeeelp!

[taffetacat]

Doing lunch for 16 soon. 3 generations, some Jewish ( no pork or seafood I think ), some vegetarian, one picky ( no chilli/garlic ).

Last time I did beef stew, smoked fish thing incl mackerel and salmon and a spinach and gruyere tart. It was all yummy if I do say so myself but can't trot it out again for fear I'll be seen as a one trick pony.

I'd ideally like seasonal, prepare ahead stuff. Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp!

please?

anyone got any ideas this morning?

I would be inclined to just cook one thing that everyone could eat.

How about using Quorn mince and making a big pot of spagbol with garlic bread and salad?

With a choice of puddings

Roast chicken
veggie lasagne

never done veggie lasagne can you recommend one? can you make it ahead?

you can do a spinach and ricotta lasagne or make a tomato based sauce with lentils. Also you can layer thin slices of aubergine, courgette and mushroom then pour over some tomato sauce instead of the meat sauce.

All lasagnes benefit from a day in the fridge to let the flavours develop imo.

spinach and ricotta lasagne sounds yum. anyone recommend a recipe?

Thanks for replies. I think I need to do more than one thing as some are fussy eaters.

I am thinking veggie lasagne or pumpkin curry, chicken parika or goulash and then something quite plain.

Am stuck again though with the plain thing. Also for pud am thinking brownies, seville orange tart but again need one other. maybe a fruit thang?

ok this is a great recipe that never fails to impress at a dinner party, it's easy peasy to make plus you can prepare it before anyone arrives. You can stick it in the middle of the table with some new potatoes and rocket and everyone can help themselves!

I have relatives who are vegetarian, lactose and wheat intolerant so I'm used to catering for tricky eaters.

You could also do a starter of parma ham, mozzarella, tomato and basil and one with no parma for the veggie.

Hope this helps. Amy x

Yield: 4
Ingredients
tin foil
2 pounds whole sea bass
sea salt
black pepper
fennel, tops
handful basil
1/2 red onion, thinly, sliced
bay leaf
olive oil
2/3 lemon, juiced
2 ounces butter

Directions
Ask your fishmonger to gut and scale your fish.
Lay out a piece of tin foil and fold in half. Place the sea bass on top of the foil and score the flesh about 2 inches apart on both sides. Rub plenty of salt and pepper into the scores.
Lay out the fennel on the foil and place fish on top of the fennel and push to one side of the foil.
Cover liberally with the basil, red onion and bay leaves, making sure you tuck some into the belly.
Drizzle over plenty of olive oil, lemon juice and knobs of butter. Fold over the left hand half of the foil and seal the 3 sides to gently hug the fish.
Place on tray and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for approximately 16 minutes (8 minutes per pound). Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 3 to 4 minutes without opening the bag.

(But of course, GreatOrmondSt's recipe is not suitable for vegetarians....)

I would do something like a choice of two quiches, with baked potatoes, a veg dish like ratatouille that could be used as a filling for the potatoes, and perhaps a salad.

If I was doing the quiches, I would use my fail safes - a mushroom and basil tart and a sweetcorn souffle quiche. If these sound interesting, I can probably dig the recipies out, but possibly not until tomorrow evening.

sorry...my cousin is one of those vegetarians who eat fish so technically a pescatarian! :-)

By the way, Jewish people just don't eat shellfish so you should be safe serving up the above fish recipe and maybe Mistletrhush' quiches for the veggies....or a wild mushroom risotto?

There are no vegetarians who eat fish...they are known as meat eaters.

TC you can make veg lasagne in advance and freeze after cooking in the oven. Defrost thoroughly before heating through though. I prefer veg lasagne without quorn too...google a roasted veg recipe maybe?

I make a lovely veggie lasagne with puy lentils. Quorn mince is the work of the devil.

I like the quiche idea - a selection of quiches plus new potatoes and some salads would be lovely and it all 'goes' together, rather than being a mish-mash.

Or perhaps a veggie tagine, a lamb tagine, cous cous, flat breads, salads, hoummus etc?

Seville orange tart sounds yummy.

Thanks so much all.

The fish sounds wonderful. As do the quiches. A sweetcorn souffle quiche sounds gorgeous - if you could dig out the recipe mistlethrush I would be very grateful.

If some of them weren't such fussy articles, would def do the Moroccan themed thing.... may use that idea for another do......

Sweetcorn souffle quiche (not yet met any meat eater that doesn't like this one despite lack of meat!)

8 oz shortcrust pastry
11 1/2 oz sweetcorn (can)
just under 1/2 pt milk
1 oz butter
1 oz flour
2 eggs separated
salt, pepper & paprika
1 - 2 oz cheese

bake pastry blind (approx 12" flan dish)
Drain sweetcorn and make liquid up to 1/2 pt (ie drain sweetcorn into milk up to 1/2 pt then discard rest) Melt butter, add flour - cook, stirring for a minute then add liquid (normal sauce method). Cool slightly, add egg yolks. Add sweetcorn and season. (If making in advance, make to this stage, then cover closely and leave)
Whisk egg whites and fold in, sprinkle cheese over the top. Gas mark 5 (375 F) for 30mins (check at 25) or until golden.

Sounds delish. Thanks v much.

This Sweetcorn Souffle recipe looks lovely - why don't you upload it onto Mydish and support out Bake it Better campaign? A book will be made out of the best recipes will all the proceeds going to Great Ormond St. It's a great way to get your recipe published whilst helping save the lives of sick children. Here's a link bit.ly/4ITaPb

Thanks, Amy

Amy - good idea, however, I'm pretty sure that its a recipe found from somewhere else - certainly not one I've invented myself - so I don't feel that I can do that. However, I don't feel bad sharing it so that otherpeople can enjoy it.

It's ok Mistlethrush you can still upload it even if you didn't invent it. I can't imagine there will be that many people who have completely invented their own recipes anyway, unless they're culinary masterchefs! x