Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Willow]

I decided to invite my parents, siblings and their children to lunch for my dads birthday. Only one nephew can't make it so there's 17 for dinner. I'm not sure where I'm sitting everyone as table at max squashed in sits 10 and kitchen island 5 (so thats all the children).

 

I was hoping to do a sit down roast but don't want OH to have to spend ages carving so thought a boned roast pork joint (local butcher scores the fat so makes superb crackling). Roast beef is out because my mum likes it cremated and one of my sisters and OH like it lightly seared on outside. No idea how big a joint to feed that many (3 children are teen boys so adult appetite)

 

I need ideas on veg that ideally can be made in advance or don't need looking after ? Help

[Cinnamon]

Or one of those multi bird roasts,which are boned too - not cheap but it goes a long way & is very celebratory.

 

I would stick to traditional veg - roast potatoes,sprouts,carrots & so forth.

You can cut get sprouts ready prepped for you.............& don't even think about making your own yorkshires,when the ready made ones are marvellous

[Jools]

Something like Potato & Celeriac Gratin which can be made the day before then just reheated.

 

Or Jamie's enormous platter of roast veg - again, prepared the day before.

 

I'm hungry now!

[bigmommasally]

Do you really have to do a roast? A beef bourgoinon or chicken chasseur in a slow cooker would take the pressure off of cooking a big joint just right, carving, serving and keeping it all warm, and also free up oven space. You could still serve it with roast veg and yorkies.

Have you got a garden table and chairs that you can bring indoors to give extra seating?

How ever squashed it is, I'm sure everyone will have a great time, big family gatherings are brilliant and the stuff memories are made of.

 

Have fun

[craftyhunnypie]

Do you have a hostess trolley at all - that would be good for keeping stuff warm?

I too would have done a few crock pots of casseroles & maybe a huge lasagne for the kids - then help yourself roasties, mash & easy veggies ( carrots, peas, sprouts). I might do a big cauli cheese. A roast is stressful for that many people!

Good luck!

Emma.x

[Willow]

I love Jools roast veg. I'm definitely going to do that ! And Sarah's idea of the multi bird roast is brilliant, I'll pop over to the butchers tomorrow and see whether they could do me one (but might be a bit short notice).

 

I had inspiration on the seating front. I've been clearing my old bedroom and had an old pine table in there as a sewing table. I'll just bring that down and sit people at that as well. Fortunately the way my downstairs is configured I have space to put the table in what would normally be a throughfare between kitchen and hall but is right beside the dining area as well (hard to describe but the two tables will be close.

 

re why do a roast ? not sure really but I want to

[Chickendoodle]

I always find hob space is a problem - have you got or can you beg borrow or steal an electric steamer. They have 3 layers and you can do quite a lot of veggies in them out of the way of the cooker.

 

Do puds the day before - white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake is always a winner in my house

http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/580382

[CatieB]

The hostess trolley is a good idea and will take away a lot of the last minute stress. Could you borrow one if you don't have one, or even look second hand? I have recently picked up one from my local free ads / gumtree (i dont remember which) for £20 or £25 -the dishes go for more on Ebay.

 

If you wanted to do beef you could do two smaller joints so that you could cook them indivdually to different requirements (rare, well done) etc - well done could be cooked earlier and kept warm or even kept in gravy so that it is melt in the mouth when served. Whilst we like rare beef, the reheated beef in gravy is one of my DH favourite meals which we usually have on the second day - I know it sounds terribly 1970's but is really nice. You could adapt something like this?

[Cinnamon]

A roast Ham joint would work well too - I now do this for Christmas every year,as most of the prep is done the day before.

You boil it the day before,for several hours,then leave it in the liquor overnight,then glaze it & roast for just 40 mins or so....its delicious & the leftovers are amazing.

I have a 'proper' recipe,if you want it

I like the look of that roast veg platter too.

[Rhapsody]

How about slow roast leg of lamb? Impossible to ruin and easy to carve...

[Alis girls]

I take it the multiroast is a bird within a bird within a bird - get my drift? Never had one - any good?

[WitchHazel]

I think it would be a challenge to get a multi bird roast to feed that many people??

 

Cinnamon's ham suggestion sounds a good way to feed lots of people.

 

Another option would be to do a slow roast pork shoulder joint. This is cooked forever, but has benefits that (a) it doesn't need carving (it falls apart and people help themselves to chunks), (b) you don't have to worry about cremated vs seared © it requires very little attention, (d) If you have a huge roasting tray, you can do a lot of your veggies underneath it. Jamie Oliver has a recipe for both bone-in http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pork-recipes/bone-in-shoulder-roastand bone-out http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/jamie-oliver/bone-out-shoulder-roast-recipe They both work superbly.

 

A separate steamer for some veg is a good idea.

 

Other veg that can be done with minimal fuss would be carrot and swede mash. Cut approximately equal weights of swede and mash into small chunks. Boil until soft. Drain (water good for gravy). I put lots of butter in, some pepper, and whizz it with a hand held blender. You can make it the day before and heat through in a saucepan. Or you can put it in a warm bowl and cover it with foil. It'll retain it s heat for a while.

 

Delia's red cabbage is another make-the-day-before-and quickly-reheat option.

[chickencam]

I couldn't agree more on the mashed carrot and swede and red cabbage ideas, they can both be done in advance as can mashed potato. Delia also has a very celebratory parsnip puree which can be done in advance, then just boil a few frozen peas and dinner is served. Boned and rolled leg of lamb joints are very easy to carve, you would probably need a couple though and that could be costly. The slow cooked casserole option tough would be the easiest with all the work done in advance.

[Willow]

Thank-you everyone !

 

I did Jamies roast veg although I threw everything in together and forgot the clementine juice (after buying a pack of clementines especially as well ) they still tasted great.

 

I went with the Hazel and the butchers recommendation of roast shoulder of pork. I forgot the clock change so didn't put it in the oven quite as early as planned but cooked through and tasted good. We were down to 13 as one sister and family couldn't make it and I found one brother and his wife didn't eat pork so we have leftovers

 

Roast dinner for that many proved easier than expected (roast veg makes it much easier)

 

I'll remember the idea of two beef joints so they are cooked different amounts as that would solve a problem.