‘Naice’ Christmas Eve buffet food

[cockeyedoptimist]

I will be doing a Christmas Eve buffet for 10 people.
However, I’ve been at other events with these guests in the past and heard them talk about ‘all the beige food ‘ (they are nice people honestly ! just appreciate interesting food )
hit me with your best ideas !!!! ( that don’t break the bank or involve me fiddling with lots of tiny canapés .
Smoked salmon blinis
charcuterie
tiny stuffed peppers
crustless quiche

my imagination is a bit lacking

For the veggies - how about a spanakopita or veggie sausage rolls? I’m not the biggest fan of those melted cheese things with bread to dip in

I host around that amount on Christmas Eve. I do a ham, cheeseboard ( 6 or 7 generous offerings), chutneys, a ton of smoked salmon blinis some with cream cheese some without, game pie ( our Butcher does a cracking one with all local game and an excellent hot water crust pastry), and a pan of roast potatoes. Then mince pies, Yule log and something light and lemony. Mulled wine and fizz for drinks, ginger beer and lemonade for soft drinks.
All as a buffet. Always goes down a treat.

Suitable for non Coeliacs too! Amazing, foolproof recipes.
glutenfreecuppatea.co.uk/gluten-free-christmas-cookbook/

Those mini part baked rolls with pates that people can help themselves to always go down well here.

And mozzarella/cherry tomato/basil cocktail sticks. Are a tad fiddly, but don't take too long to do

I hate turkey, lamb and anything with rosemary or cinnamon. I love a buffet because I can avoid all these things.

I think a few dishes done well and all complimenting each other is better than a massive spread of different picky bits thats a bit scattergun in approach

so i would do

an expanded cheeseboard - to include cold meats, pickles etc

pulled pork, rolls, salad, potatoe wedges, stuffing

jacket potatoes and various fillings

a greek meze with chicken kebabs, lamb, tztakiki, greek salad, olives, flat breads etc

Big cheeseboard with lots of different cheeses. Hard, soft etc and various crackers. A few nice chutneys. Make sure they don’t all contain chilli.
Personally I love a few grapes when eating cheese. Some fruit can go down nicely with cheese.

Lots of decent drink options for those who don’t drink alcohol too. Nobody wants a choice of orange juice or coke/Diet Coke. Teetotallers need good catering. Maybe look up a few mock tail recipes. Not food but just as important with a buffet. IMHO

'I prefer fewer things in big amounts than lots of bits'

Very much this - buffets with small amounts of lots of different things end up looking unappetising remarkably quickly, especially things like crisps and dips.

The hot roast rolls would be a great idea (alternative for veggies maybe roast veg and feta with houmous for spreading on the rolls.

Then a cheeseboard with no more than big wedges of four cheeses with grapes, pears, figs and 2 or 3 different kinds of crackers and maybe a cranberry or plum spiced compote.

A big dessert or 2 - trifle or creme brulee for cold and/or a chocolate pudding or crumble for hot.

If you're doing any kind of dips make sure you do a whipped feta dip with honey.

Can't believe people complain about beige food when they have been invited somewhere. Rude

These look good

Something really easy and impressive for 10+ is:

Whole poached salmon
A serving dish of tomato and mozzarella slices with some basil leaves and black olives.
Mixed green salad (three bags of caesarea would do)
Steaming bowl of buttered new potatoes

Cheeseboard, grapes, pickles, crackers

Mince pies - I like the mini ones.

Salmon: remove the gills (Google- it's easy), pop into a fish kettle, add 10 black peppercorns, handful of parsley, 1 bottle of house type white, completely cover with cold water and bring to a gentle simmer (simmer for 3 minutes), turn off the heat and leave over night. Remove from the kettle and carefully remove the skin. Set on an oval serving dish surrounded by watercress. There will be a slightly untidy groove along the top - this can be decorated with finely sliced cucumber rounds. I usually put a slice of lemon in its mouth.

Sounds lovely but do many people have fish kettles? No one I know does!

They're jolly useful and I'd have thought as there are so many people now who don't eat meat should be gaining in popularity.

If you order a whole salmon from Waitrose you can book out a fish kettle.

Lies, damn lies!

Where are the prawns?
We did a boxing day buffet and this was the sort of thing we'd have
Prawns
Salmon
Smoked salmon
Ham
Crisps
Breadsticks
Cucumber
Tomatoes
Mushrooms a la greque
Different breads like French stick, the and flavoured bread.
Other crispy snacks
Potato salad
Tzatziki
Taramasalata
Melizanasalata.
At least three cheeses

This was for 9 people

I would literally hate every item on this buffet

Well, what do you suggest then?

I do a loaded cheese board which always goes down well.

For example, in addition to the cheese/sprinkled around the board there would be a range of accompaniments such as olives, walnuts, dried apricots, honey roasted pecans, terrys chocolate orange slices, figs, grapes, crackers (obvs), apple slices, cornichons, berries (raspberries or strawberries work well), pickled onions, cured meats, rye bread, chutney etc. It looks super impressive. The chocolate orange always disappears first :P

Most recently we did a kids cheese board too. Basically babybels, cheese strings, dairylee triangles, grapes, breadsticks, carrot sticks and hummus. But all out on a board like the grownups. They loved it!

@Womblingmerrily thank you for introducing me to such a fabulous new word!!

I want turophile on a poster in my kitchen

This is my go to Mumsnet suggestion.

Chunks of pumpkin, parboiled.
An Italian tomato sauce, including bacon chips, crumbled feta or chorizo etc for a salt hit.

Slice the pumpkin and layer with the sauce as per lasagne.
Top with cheese and breadcrumbs. Into 180 degree oven until golden brown and bubbling.

Make ahead. Freeze. Very filling.

Someone last year took my suggestion, made it and said it was lovely. I was so chuffed.

Needs to include a salad for sure - just a couple of bags of salad leaves, but add some crumbled feta, and some pre-prepared pomegranate seeds on the top to make it a bit more interesting - maybe some pecans as well might be nice!

Mini Yorkshire puds with Philadelphia and sliced beef always go down a treat