Festive lunch... HELP!!

[Bluestone]

I need to make something for 12-15 people, but don't want to be in the kitchen all day.
Don't want to a cold buffet, nor cheeses, but need some ideas for a fairly simple/quick menu.

Starter/canapes, main, pud, drinks.

Thanks :-)

[boxtops]

Brochetta
Chili con carne
cheesecake

[friedgreentomato]

Any fussy eaters - and not likes please

[DTCwordfan]

Is this for Christmas Day?

[friedgreentomato]

seafood platters - smoked salmon, prawns, crab claws etc etc brown bread and butter

Ox cheek casserole with winter veg

Baileys cheesecake or a huge cake

[Bluestone]

This is going to sound ungrateful, but no to the chilli. It's got to be something a bit 'special/festive' (whatever that means!) but still something fairly quick. I did think about turkey, but it's the weekend of the 15th and I'm not sure the supermarkets will even have them by then?

FGT, no fish. That's about it :-)

[EcclesCake]

These are good for feeding a crowd

Butternut Squash Tagine

2tbs Olive Oil
2 Onions, thinly sliced
2tsp Ground Cumin
2tsp Ground Coriander
2 Cloves garlic, finely sliced
3tbs Harissa
1 Small Butternut Squash, peeled and cut into cubes
4 Carrots, cut into chunks
75g Dried Apricots
600ml Vegetable Stock
400g Can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed (optional)
Bunch Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped
Bunch Coriander, chopped

Heat the oil in a pan and gently cook the onion until soft. Add the ground spices and garlic and continue cooking for two minutes. Add harissa paste and cook for further 4 minutes.

Add the squash and carrots and coat in spice and onion mixture cook, for ten minutes turning frequently.

Pour over stock, add apricots and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook over a low heat for 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Remove from heat and sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Chicken and Apricot Tagine

Serves 8
15ml Olive Oil
25g Butter
16 Skinless Chicken thighs, cubed
5 Cloves Garlic, crushed
1tsp Turmeric
2tsp Ground Coriander
2tsp Ground Cumin
1tsp Ground Ginger
1tsp Cayenne
4 Onions, thinly sliced
400g Whole apricots, soaked overnight
500ml Chicken Stock
Juice of 2 lemons
Small bunch of fresh Coriander, chopped

Heat the oil and butter in a pan and add chicken pieces, sauté until browned. Stir in garlic and spices and cayenne, season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for further 5 minutes add half of sliced onion, the water the apricots have soaked in and enough chicken stock to cover. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add remaining onion and more stock if required, continue to simmer for further 20 minutes.

Add apricots and lemon juice, continue to cook for five minutes.

Adjust seasoning and garnish with coriander

This is a good dessert to finish with.... http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/jun/01/stuffed-dates-clementines-pomegranates-recipe

[Bluestone]

DT, no. Most of my family are out of the country this Christmas, so I've decided to do something a couple of weeks earlier. I still want it to be festive, but didn't really fancy doing the whole Christmas dinner thing, as I'm just assuming that will take up too much time.

[Bluestone]

FGT, that seafood platter sounds lush.... but there's three that hate anything fishy.

[friedgreentomato]

pate stuffed mushrooms served with a chutney

[EcclesCake]

Mmmm not sure the tagines are what you want then. The dessert however is Christmas on a plate, and delicious.

Why not get a couple of joints of meat and make a big dish of Boulangere or Daupinoise potatoes?

[Bluestone]

Yeah, as nice as the tagines sound, I'm not really sure they'd go with the festiveness. Definitely the pud though, that sounds amazeballs! :-)

FGT, loving the stuffed mushrooms. That is perfect, thank you :)

[MarkRae]

Have you considered getting a caterer in? Sounds like your main concerns are hassle and time and, although this might prove more expensive, it would certainly tick all the boxes... :-)

[Bluestone]

Right. I think I've got it. The pate mushrooms with chutney, couple of joints and the dauphinoise potatoes (actually, that sounds blimmin lovely!) and then I'll do a couple of choices for dessert. Think a Baileys cheesecake will definitely have to be in there somewhere! :-)

What about wines and stuff? I haven't really got a clue when it comes to that....

[Bluestone]

Definitely no to the caterer.
A, cost and B, I don't want a random in the house!

Thanks for the thought, though :)

[friedgreentomato]

Don't go over board on the wines get a merlot and a pinot grigio everyone will like something there

[MarkRae]

Fair enough.

As for wines, definitely white with all that lot.

Maybe also a couple of reds if you're going to have cheese...

[Bluestone]

That's great.

Thank you all for your help. You've been most helpful :-)

Best go and do some work now... xx

[boxtops]

Bluestone, turkeys are in the shops now.....

[DTCwordfan]

joints like leg of lamb and beef, or if you can handle the fat, duck....... cranberry sauce is dead easy to make as well - and festive red......

[DTCwordfan]

dauphinois potatoes, roasted parsnips and carrots (add a little syrup/honey to glaze), green beans and voilà.....

Sainsburys have some good mid price Merlots and New Zealand whites....