Buffet idea please

[LadyContrary]

Please inspire me. I am going to a small charity event tomorrow and we have all been asked to contribute to the buffet. I don’t know the host very well so can’t be too pushy asking for ideas. I breezily queried if there was anything specific required but not covered yet or something she would particularly fancy and got the usual “just anything you like really”.

Please help me work something out. I’m a decent cook but the idea of a buffet and no facilities to keep food hot/ heat it up terrifies me.

I have max 2 hours to cook tomorrow, reasonably well stocked cupboards and any missing ingredients need to come from a local Morrison, so nothing fancy, no organic partridge wings or rabbit legs please.

Why not take a salad dish, if there are no heating facilities?

Roasted veg couscous with loads of herbs. New potatoes salad with the dressing made with greek yogurt and mayo mix with spring onions and parsley. Cold salmon tart- top puff pastry sheet with a mix of ricotta and an egg with lemon rind. Spread this over the part baked pastry and top with pieces of salmon. Grate over Parmesan cheese, cook then when cold slice up.

I'd just do a couple of quiches I think

Will there be cutlery and somewhere to sit down? If there’s no place to sit, make sure it can be eaten with fingers or a fork or spoon. I would do a Greek salad. It’s vegetarian and gluten free so more people can eat it. It’s fresh and a nice tangy treat to cut through the inevitable greasy carbs. I’d avoid couscous, if only to give the gluten free people more options (it’s always disappointing when the only salad has gluten in it), also it’s nice to have a break from all the carbs!

Cocktail sausages (with cocktail sticks)
Savoury mini muffins
Cheese straws
Frittata, cold, cut into neat squares

Pesto pasta always goes down well, I usually add pine nuts, baby spinach and grated cheddar

Some excellent ideas, thank you! My mind went completely blank when I found out today about the buffet!

Yes there will be tables and cutlery, so I’m not limited to finger foods.

I think a salad dish might be a good idea. Greek salad and some nice focaccia perhaps.

Parmesan crisps.

Grate a 200g triangular block of Grana Padano (you're not made of money, so OK, they're "Parmesan" crisps, sue me) as finely as your forearms will allow. Rope in any passing males to help. Place piles of about 1 1/2 heaped teaspoons on greaseproof paper on a baking sheet. Cook in a 180° oven for about 9 minutes, then watch them like a hawk because at some point in the next 3 minutes they will go the perfect colour. Remove gingerly onto kitchen paper and allow to cool. You can get about 40 out of a block and they will be the most unusual thing on the buffet.

Do you know if there will be any dietary requirements to be allowed for? It's a bit obvious but you really can't go wrong with a big heap of cocktail sausages glazed in honey and mustard, with baguette slices on the side, or cheese and pineapple on sticks. Or a big pork pie and some nice cherry tomatoes. These have the merit of being extremely quick and easy to prepare and forgiving of standing around at room temperature for however long the gathering lasts.

Nigella Lawson does awesome parmesan shortbread. Even I can make it, and always popular.