Bring a dish

[JaiynDough]

What's your go to, or what's your favourite that other people bring that you don't/can't make yourself?

Going to an outdoor dinner next week and want to take something so looking for ideas.

Needs to be nice at luke warm/cold temperature as it will obviously cool.

No allergies, vegetarians or vegans involved.

Thanks.

I did cheese and pineapple on sticks at our work Xmas get together. It got absolutely demolished !

Next level potato salad https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/next-level-potato-salad

Boil some rice. Then add to it:
whatever you have in the fridge: cheese, capers, olives, gherkins, peppers, sun dried tomatoes etc. Add canned tuna.
I basically empty all the jars. Season and then squeeze a lemon in it.
I promise you it’s so so good!

Vitello tonnato

That’s my usual dish. I also add a load of frozen vegetables to pad it out and add colour.

Not sure veal, capers and anchovies are the biggest crowd pleasers 🙄

At this time of year I would make a heritage tomato and mozzarella salad with a red wine and herb dressing and fresh basil.

I might stick with a frittata/crustless quiche.

@DustyLee123 I’ve done the same, they invariably go.
I’ve also done sausages on sticks (best quality cut into thirds) since happened to have some (brought frozen to double as ice packs) for an alfresco lunch at a chateau belonging to a relative. They all vanished within seconds! And many of the guests were French.

Ooh a quiche or homemade sausage rolls would be nice. You could do a onion chutney dip

I was thinking a roasted butternut squash and kale salad.

I make these occasionally and everyone loves them:

www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/vegetarian-recipes/vegetarian-sausage-rolls?amp

Bacon & egg pie like your gran used to make
Ready roll shortcrust, half a dozen eggs, pack of bacon
Tasty, easy, best eaten cold, everyone will want more!

Neighbours from NZ used to say ‘bring a plate’ and a new neighbour did just that, brought a plate. She was mortified, poor thing. 😩

Pumpkin cut into large chunks parboiled. Slice. Make a tomato sauce. Put a few scraps of bacon or fetta in for pops of salt. Use plenty of nutmeg. Make a lasagne of it. Breadcrumbs and parmesan on top and into the oven until brown.

very easy, keeps well, filling, forgiving. Bright colour on the plate. Doesn’t have to be served hot (I don’t think).

@GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER Yep. Same stories in Australia.

Pesto pasta salad. Add feta, pine nuts, cherry or sundried tomatoes. Can also add roasted chicken thighs.

My favourite sort of dish in this scenario is ;
cooked pasta
mix through mayonnaise while warm
Chopped cherry tomatoes
sliced black olives
crumbled feta cheese
lots of fresh basil

It always gets eaten and is nice luke-warm or cold.

I also make appetisers of a slice of brie, sliced grapes and a drizzle of honey on sour dough which I cut into small squares. This is very popular!

I'd be up for a crustless quiche, so a good decision, OP.

Roast veg. There's always so much carb stuff otherwise

My mum used to do this the night before the dish was needed. Then she'd oil a ring mould (like a bundt or angelfood cake tin) and pack the salad in as firmly as possible. When it was needed she'd turn it out into a cake plate and pipe mayo/mustard/cream cheese/whatever would suit in swirls on top. Looked lush, tasted lush. Very 70s 😂

A lot of these suggestions are not things I would eat. Which is good for different ideas.

Turning up with a bit of veg or salad though feels like a bit of a cheeky fucker contribution tbh. My friend will probably make a big pot of meat or prawn curry, bbq'd or roast chicken wings etc, take bread and dips, snacks, drinks & beers.

I want to take something substantial.

I might take a crustless quiche, and if she's making a curry, make onion bhaji's and tandoori chicken thighs. If she's making something else I'll have to rethink.

I took those to a little Christmas get together about 12 years ago. It was after a keep-fit class and we only had to take a few nibbles. One young person in the group looked at the plate of cheese and pineapple on sticks and said, "How retro!"

Greek orzo salad

I make Vietnamese summer rolls. I eat meat, but prefer to make them vegan (mint, coriander, bean sprouts, carrot, rice noodles, lettuce, spring onions) and served with a simple, satay sauce. You can add prawns, teriyaki chicken, pork etc too though. They are so fresh and tasty and also gluten free. Can be made a day ahead if wrapped in cling film.

Could you take a dessert? I keep a few pre-baked pasty cases to make quick desserts. All the following use the case as a base:

• Lemon meringue pie
• Salted caramel tart
• Tarte Citron
• Pecan pie
• Chocolate tart (served with mixed berry coulis)
• Passionfruit tart

Pavlova

I often make a quiche but I've also had huge success with a selection of homemade dips and bread sticks and crudites. Hugh F-W's beetroot, cumin and walnut hummus, a lemon and coriander hummus, a broadbean dip and a vat of homemade coleslaw are winners in the summer.