The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word TIMBALES
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
T
I
M
B
A
L
E
S
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "dishes" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case dishes = timbales.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does TIMBALES mean?
TIMBALES noun- A drum-shaped mould used to cook food.
- An individual serving of food so cooked.