Buffet menu help please

[RootToVictory]

I’m doing a buffet dinner for 20. Guests are all adults, 2 veggies. My sister (whose birthday we’re celebrating) isn’t veggie but isn’t a big meat or fish eater either/ I’m keen to include lots of the things she likes- pulses and veg.

The plan is to do something Ottolenghi-ish rather than trad beige buffet.

The meat side of things is easy. I’d really welcome some recommendations for vegetarian recipes which seem main course -ish. Was thinking of aubergine parmigiana but one of the salads I’m doing has a lot of aubergine so I think it’s aubergine overkill. But something along those lines. Needs to be something that needs minimal last minute faff.

Interesting salad ideas also very welcome.

Halloumi/veg kebabs, greek style spinach/feta pastries, pissaladiere (without anchovies (can replace with capers for briny taste)

Spanokopita, samosas/spring rolls.

Love the sound of this! There is a lovely recipe in the Hugh FW book, Much More Veg, called Roast Fennel, New Potato and Tomato Stew. (I’d call it a bake rather than as stew as you cook it in the oven and it is rich and unctuous). Basically fennel, new potatoes, onions, garlic, harissa, cherry tomatoes, chick peas, preserved lemons and olives. It is absolutely lush and a bit different. You can do it all ahead and it is just as nice hot, warm or even cold the next day. We haven’t had it for a while and now I’m thinking we’ll have it tomorrow!

Salads;
Watermelon, feta, mint, chilli on a rocket bed.
Asian slaw, red cabbage, raw beetroot, carrot red onion and coriander, mix Greek yoghurt and mayo for a fresher taste.
Snip whole meal pitta breads into strips and fry in olive oil with loads of salt and pepper, use these for dips to add texture to salad.
Padron peppers fried and a mayo and chilli dip.

I make a chickpea dish with lots of red and yellow peppers tomatoes, a little chilli, it’s like a Mediterranean dhal.
I have made Ottolenghi’s Coronation chicken revamped using qourn rather than chicken, it’s delicious, I omit all the butter and use oil instead.
A vegetarian tagine is easy, use courgette rather than aubergine and chickpeas pad to it out.

Fattoush! Red onion, tomato, cucumber and parsley/coriander all cut into small dice and seasoned well with a bloody good olive oil. Add pomegranate if you like it (I bloody love it).

Carrot and Chickpea salad with a herb-heavy vinaigrette

Baked Camembert and some lovely bread

Butternut squash and beetroot roasted with honey and warm spices like cumin, coriander, paprika and cinnamon. Scattered with walnuts if nuts aren't an issue 😋

Roasted veg. and pesto tart. Ready roll puff pastry, blind bake, top with pesto, cover with roasted veggies, top with cheese and fresh herbs.

https://ottolenghi.co.uk/pages/recipes/confit-tandoori-chickpeas

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/food_and_recipes/4941260-ottolenghis-confit-chickpeas-anybody-made-it

Not difficult, responds well to being made in advance and re-heated, went down very well at my buffet last year. The thread I started then gets bumped quite frequently by people looking for advice, so I'm linking that too in case it's useful.

There's also this, which I made for a previous buffet. Far easier and quicker than it looks from the longish list of ingredients. Tasted great, looked wonderful. Would re-heat well or you could eat it at room temperature. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jun/09/meera-sodha-recipe-tomato-pistachio-saffron-tart-vegan

I do a salad that gets requested at all family buffets, based on/adapted form an old Ottolenghi recipe.

It's a mix of any of these that I have to hand: red, brown basmati, wild rice, quinoa, mixed with toasted pistachios and/or flaked almonds, fresh orange zest and juice, plump dried apricots finely chopped (not the wizened ones) or cranberries or sour cherries, spring onion or red onion, finely diced and lightly fried so it isn't too pungent, with lots of fresh mint, parsley, coriander if people like that, and some ras el hanout or other fragrant spice mix and olive oil. Toss it all together and scatter more toasted nuts, spice and rocket leaves on top.

I also do different variations of humous - home made base humous then mix greek yoghurt into one, avocado into another, blitzed red peppers or roast beetroot (pureed) into another. Scatter one with loads of zataar, another with dukkah, another with lots of chilli and cumin seeds and lemon zest.

Also a recipe based on spanokopita. Layered filo pastry with mix of spinach, feta, beaten egg, chopped sundried tomatoes and dill (if people like the flavour) nutmeg, black pepper and toasted pinenuts. Makes a great centre piece.

A big bowl of feta baked orzo https://www.mob.co.uk/recipes/feta-baked-orzo

Speedy filo quiche https://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/speedy-quiche-traybake.html

Interesting salad ideas also very welcome

mob kitchen do this pearl barley salad. 8 buy the packet of pomegranates in a box for ease and frozen mango which is easy to chop smaller when frozen. https://www.mob.co.uk/recipes/pearl-barley-super-salad If you don’t add avocado it doesn’t matter

https://streetsmartnutrition.com/summer-split-pea-salad-recipe/ This is really delicious and fits your bill with pulses - cheap to make

Tadka dahl, with rotis/chapatti and rice. Probably not the most buffet friendly though I suppose 😂

I love ottolenghi's qual's egg salad, but I just use regular chicken eggs: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/may/29/watercress-salad-ricotta-recipe-ottolenghi

Veg kebabs roasted red pepper, courgette, red onion, radishes with feta or grilled halloumi on them

Grilled corn on the cobs

Coleslaw made with onion, carrot, red cabbage and dill

Am I the only one who had to Goole Ottolenghi??!

Not sure if it would fit your brief but I do a salad using peppery salad leaves, peaches or nectarines and goat cheese. Dress with a mixture of raspberry vinegar and olive or rape seed oil. Usually goes down a treat. You can also add slices of parma ham for the meat eaters.

I ate out at the weekend and ordered a perla salad. It was so amazing, I had to recreate it at home. That would work as a big bowl for people to dig into.

Cheese and pineapple hedgehog. Just because.