Help, 9 people coming to dinner !!

9 replies

albert · 31/08/2004 08:40

DH kindly informed me last night that on Thursday night I will be cooking for 9 international colleagues, one of whome may be veggie. Gulp, I'm only used to cooking for him and DS so 9 is rather daunting. It will have to be a finger buffet of some sort because we don't have enough space around the table for a sit down (or chairs!) Please, any easy/quick and intersting dishes you can tell me about? I also have no idea on quantities. We live in Italy so I can't dash into M&S to load up on their yummies. Any advice would be hugely appreciated. tia

OP posts:

acnebride · 31/08/2004 08:47

Good lord, take them to a restaurant!!

If it's a buffet, could you just go to a deli and buy loads and loads of cold stuff, and give them hot jacket potatoes (2 each to be safe)? Then they can pick what they want and however much they want.

Original poster

albert · 31/08/2004 08:50

Yeah, I thought restaurant was a good idea too but they are here until next Monday so DH thought a 'family' meal would be a nice change for them! Will definately hit the deli though!

OP posts:

acnebride · 31/08/2004 08:57

cool! must say there are loads of fantastic cooks on here so you'll prob get other ideas too...

anorak · 31/08/2004 08:58

In Italy surely you can buy gorgeous antipasti and bread for them? Platters of sliced meats, cheeses and bite-sized veg, marinated mushrooms, hardboiled eggs, seafood, olives, etc. People are always impressed by how appetising it all looks and they only pick out the items they like.

Twiglett · 31/08/2004 09:49

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blossom2 · 31/08/2004 10:10

Albert,

thats alot of people to cook for. But here's a really easy salad & dessert.

Salad - green peppers, tomatos, onions, parsley or basil, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and a little lemon juice. Just chop all the veg, then mix everything together and season to taste. Really easy & tasty, you can put prawns if the Veggie eats fish.

Dessert - lots of fruit (any will do), cream or creme fraiche, sparkling wine/champagne.
make some sugar sauce (sugar & water in pan over gentle heat, until sugar disolves) or caramel. squeeze juice of orange, lemon & grapefruit.
Chop the fruit into a bowl, pour caramel/sugar sauce over fruit. Put creme fraiche on top and pour over some wine/champers. Its lovely and very easy.

HTH and i hope you have fun ....

JanH · 31/08/2004 10:28

How far away are collision and her DH? Could you kidnap him?

Original poster

albert · 31/08/2004 13:26

Thanks for those ideas, I think the deli wins it with a little help from Delia, we'll be fine. Actually I think it'll be fun and if we just keep the glasses topped up I'm sure no one will complain. Would love to kidnap collision but she is too far away.

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hatter · 31/08/2004 14:23

I know you're in Italy but English summer fruits (strawberries, bluberries, raspberries etc) in a huge glass bowl, served with creme-fraiche and (bought!) short-bread biscuits is very very easy, looks lovely, and everyone likes it.

And roast veg salads are a piece of piss - load them with olive oil and basil and stick in an hot oven for half an hour and serve with cous cous and natural yoghurt. Can be done way in advance and so easy that even I think they're not worth paying for.

Flip