new years day dinner - help!

[beaniedog]

hi, i am cooking dinner on new years day for 10 adults and 6 children. i need some ideas of what to cook so that i am not in kitchen all day - would rather be with my guests! i was thinking of a shepherds pie or similiar - but is that acceptable for such an occasion or am i worrying too much? i ask this because although i had a fantastic xmas dinner - i did not see much of the hosts all day - unless everyone congregated around the kitchen - which was no good for the cook!!!! thanks in anticipation!!!

[thickym]

How about a lamb chops with lentils and prunes?

I had this on Xmas eve for 8 people and it's SO simple and tastes fabulous!

I have done the recipe for 16 ppl

Get a nice lamb loin chop for each person

4 onions chopped

A whole pack of celery sliced finely

500g green lentils (rinsed in cold water)

6-8 cloves garlic thinly sliced

6-8 carrots diced

4 tins chopped tomatoes

600mls lamb stock

2 bottles red wine

2xpacks of ready to eat dried prunes

A couple of sprigs of rosemary

brown the meat in some olive oil and set aside

In the same pan, add onions carrots and celery and cover, cook gently for 10 mins.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the dish (I used a big roasting tray and just covered it with a foil lid)

Add the meat and bury it in the sauce. Give the whole lot a stir and cook at gas 4-5 for an hour and a half or until chops are tender.

Serve with either crusty bread, or like i did, creamy mash potato and fine green beans tossed in lemon juice and zest, and butter. Yummy!!

And if you prepare all the veg in advance...all you have to do is stuff it in the oven and forget about it...and do some mash at the last min.

Give it a bash...it's lovely!

[Brinjal]

I agree with redhelen. A nice gammon all the work is done before. Try and get a deboned one makes easier cutting.

[beaniedog]

thanks for your answers - sheps pie off menu now..will go for the gammon i think - give me a clue on the cider sauce though - no idea how to make it. will keep the lamb chop menu for another time - thanks fo that .... happy new year everyone .

[Silversky]

Why not try something really rustic? For example a stew with really chunky vegetables. Everyone likes a bit of stew and crusty bread. Plus it'll keep everyone warm on a winters evening.