Help on a meal for about 20

[Walkhome]

Not so much BBQ or grilling necessarily, but...
Firing up dinner on Friday for the boys on the cook team, we've got a work weekend. We usually don't do BBQ since that's what we do anyway, we do something different. We've done soups, chili, fajitas, etc.
Basically I've got a full kitchen, plenty of help, and (somewhat) unlimited funds to put together a kick ***** dinner, but I'm not feeling too creative right now.
Any ideas for me?

[raz1056]

Los Tios for margaritas and mexican food!!! No cleanup.

[pilar]

chicken & dumplings ? or just slow cook 2 turkeys

[Walkhome]

Anybody ever do lamb pops or something like that?

[bowed up]

roast, mashed potatoes, gravy(from roast juices) and green beans

[redduck]

Good old fashion fish fry is hard to beat.

[Bozo]

Inject and deep fry a couple of prime rib roasts like you'd do a turkey.
Whip up some garlic mashed taters and grilled asparagus, assorted salads and breads and you got a good meal for many.

[fishingnotcatching]

Ever try anything indian?

McCormick's yellow curry is an easyway out, I batter chicken with it and some hot pepper sauce ( the asian kind is best) some chopped pickled Japelenos and then pan or deep fry in sesame oil (or a mix of sesame and peanut)

Serve tabouleh salad or brown rice and mashed mixed veggies (boil carrots, celery, taters, corn and squash together, chopped, drain, add seasonings, like coriander or more curry, mash like taters, then serve, or make into balls, and bake until golden brown)

Or you can go online and get a recipe for curry powder yourself, but the McCormick's stuff is soo much easier and doesn't require a spice grinder.

[PalmsUp]

somewhat unlimited funds?

Have The Mens Club wrap up some buffet items and send them over with 4 or 5 servers
BTW I am free that night

[jabx1962]

Gumbo, Rice, and French Bread....

[Walkhome]

Palms, I like your style.

Thanks to everybody for the input.

[haparks]

ya buddy yuuummmmyyyy



chicken & dumplings ? or just slow cook 2 turkeys

[haparks]

yuuummmyyy



Gumbo, Rice, and French Bread....

[FlakMan]

I have a 32" paella pan and a outdoor table top height LP burner that has several fire rings that I have used to feed over 20 people before. I use a smaller 17" pan for groups of 8 or less. I chop up all the items the day before and and assemble the tapas the night before. Serve up some good wine and tapas and make it a big deal as everyone watches you cook up the paella. Great for a patio setting as folks find it something interesting as most have never eaten this way before. I lived in Madrid some years ago and learned to cook at the homes of Spanish friends.

IMO Spanish food rules!

Seafood Paella Recipe - Paella de Marisco


http://z.about.com/d/spanishfood/1/I/j/-/-/-/paella-200x167.jpg Seafood Paella is probably the most famous and popular Spanish dish around the world. It originates in Valencia, a region on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, between Barcelona and Murcia that is known for its rice dishes. There are as many versions of paella as there are cooks in Spain!

This recipe serves about 6 to 8. Increase as needed for more folks

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:


1 large yellow onion, diced
4 roma tomatoes, diced
1 whole chicken or 8 chicken drumsticks
1 1/2 lbs pork loin (fat trimmed), cut into ¾ inch pieces
1/2 lb calamar (squid) cleaned and sliced into rings
Medium grain or "pearl" rice
4-6 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon of Saffron
1 1/2 lbs raw mussels in shell (frozen or fresh)
1 lb small clams (frozen or fresh)
1 1/2 lbs raw shrimp, medium or large - de-veined with tail shell on
1 red pepper seeded and sliced
1 jalepano seeded and diced
1 10 oz. pkg frozen peas
Olive Oil, Salt to Taste
Preparation:



If you prefer to use a step-by-step recipe with photos, Seafood Paella Step-by-Step Recipe (http://spanishfood.about.com/od/maincourses/ss/paellavalencia.htm). This seafood paella recipe makes 12 servings.

Before you start preparing paella, it's best to check you have all ingredients and gather the equipment that you'll need.


17 inch (144cm) paella pan
Round charcoal BBQ or LP burner
Medium sauce pan
Sharp knife for chopping meat and vegetables
Meat cleaver (if you use a whole chicken)
Heavy gauge Aluminum Foil or aluminum cover for Paella pan
Cut the Chicken and Pork into Serving-Size Pieces - You'll need one whole chicken, cut into serving-size pieces or 8 chicken drumsticks. If you use a whole chicken, use a meat cleaver to cut the chicken into pieces small enough to easily mix while sautéing.

With a sharp knife, cut the pork into 3/4" pieces.

Clean the squid and remove the tentacles. Make sure to remove the innards and the "spine" and discard. Then, cut the squid into rings.

Tip: Try to buy fresh squid whenever possible. If fresh squid is not available, look for packages of squid in the frozen food section. The squid should NOT have batter or coating on them, since that type is used for frying.

Slice red pepper and chop onions and tomatoes, set aside.

Now that you have the ingredients cleaned and chopped, it's time to start the fire and begin cooking.

Assemble all the ingredients on a table near the pan - so that you can stay in the area and monitor the cooking.

Place the paella pan on the grate and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom and allow the pan to heat up. When hot enough, sauté the onions and tomatoes in the olive oil. Add olive oil as needed to prevent sticking. Once the onions are translucent, add the chicken and cook, stirring constantly – about 15 minutes. Add pork and squid and cook, stirring often.

Add the rice in the form of a cross. Stir for 2-3 minutes to thoroughly coat the rice with oil and mix with the other ingredients.

Add saffron to the chicken broth and stir. Slowly pour broth into pan until pan contents are covered. Spread ingredients evenly over bottom of pan.

Arrange mussels around outside edge of pan, pointing up. Place clams and shrimp in pan, distributing them evenly around the pan. Add slices of red pepper on top.

Allow to simmer, cooking rice. Add more broth if necessary. When rice is almost cooked, sprinkle peas over the pan.

When rice is cooked and you just begin to smell a slight roasting smell and almost no bubbling sounds, remove from heat and cover pan allowing paella to “rest” for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Eat with squeeze of lemon over dish.

[Benny]

Flak,
Killer recipe - greenie coming.

[Haute Pursuit]

Inject and deep fry a couple of prime rib roasts like you'd do a turkey.
Whip up some garlic mashed taters and grilled asparagus, assorted salads and breads and you got a good meal for many.

All I need is directions to your casa...LOL

[sandollr]

That's an awesome recipe .. however ...

"1/2 teaspoon of Saffron"

he's on a somewhat limited budget.

[FlakMan]

Yep at over $1000/pound premium saffron is about the most expensive spice on the market. It comes in threads so half a teaspoon is about $2.

[Walkhome]

Got Sam's frenched lamb racks.
Salt, pepper, grill on med high for around 15 mins,
beautiful. The green stuff is an olive topper that I don't think I'd do again. Too much brine taste - the lamb by itself was enough.

We also cooked this weekend:
280 lbs pork shoulders
70 lbs brisket
12 chickens

It was a busy weekend.
http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn243/austintownsend01/PA030051Small.jpg

[sandollr]

Got Sam's frenched lamb racks.
Salt, pepper, grill on med high for around 15 mins,
beautiful. The green stuff is an olive topper that I don't think I'd do again. Too much brine taste - the lamb by itself was enough.

We also cooked this weekend:
280 lbs pork shoulders
70 lbs brisket
12 chickens

It was a busy weekend.
http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn243/austintownsend01/PA030051Small.jpg


Wow!! Just Wow!! When I saw this, I had to go back and read the original post and realized it said "unlimited" budget instead of "limited" which is what I mis-read it to be the first time around.

That is some spread you put on! Good job!!

[Walkhome]

Still don't think I have enough budget to get a pound of saffron, though. Or I'd receive a severe beating from our team bookkeeper.

The lamb really wasn't that expensive, about on par if I'd made a bunch of ribeyes.

Rice pilaf and greek salad rounded out the menu.

[finfinder951]

Gumbo, Rice, and French Bread....
Ditto......Chicken-Andouille, = Yum, Yum!

[CoastalOutfitters]

for the future..

full ribeye loin from sams, cut your own thickness kinda deal
green salad , french bread , asperagus and or squash on the grill

cant beat a good shish kabob and some wild rice

[Walkhome]

That's kinda what I was thinking for next time.