Daily Archives: February 20, 2013

Frugal Buffet for twenty people

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Hello Dear Reader,

You wrote to me and asked for advice. You told me you are holding a buffet for twenty relatives and you would usually spend £70 on bought in food and wanted some advice for doing this without breaking the bank. The great thing about a buffet is that you can be generous and people will feel they’ve had a good nosh and you’ve been really hospitable. I’ve put together a whole host of relatively cheap ideas.

Salad Nicoise

  • 2 tins of tuna chunks
  • 2 tins of potatoes - you can just use the value brand, they’re fine
  • 1 punnet of cherry toms - cut in half
  • 115g/4oz extra fine French beans, topped, cooked and drained - I just use frozen or tinned
  • 4 little gem lettuce hearts, quartered lengthways
  • 1 red onion, finely sliced
  • 4 eggs, cooked for 6 minutes in boiling water from room temperature, halved
  • 6 anchovy fillets cut lengthways into thin strips - Optional!!!!!!
  • 16 pitted black olives in brine - Optional!!!!

  • Dressing - 3-2-1 Ratio

    6 tablespoons of oil - olive or rapeseed.
    2 tablespoons of any vinegar
    1 heaped teaspoons of Dijon mustard
    Put in jam jar, put on lid and shake - Pour over salad.

    Adapted from BBC food.



    Greek Salad.


    Ingredients



    • Handful black olives - you can leave these out
    • 3 medium tomatoes, diced into 2cm/¾in cubes
    • 1 cucumber peeled, diced into 2cm/¾in cubes
    • 1 red pepper, de-seeded, diced
    • ½ red onion, sliced finely
    • 50ml of oil
    • pack of feta, diced
    • 1 small, firm cos lettuce,- or iceberg - I go for what’s on offer chopped into rough cubes lengthways
    • or 2 tbsp dried oregano)
    • 50ml/3 tbsp red wine vinegar

    Preparation method

    1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.

      Adapted from BBC food



      Bean and rice salad

      Total time:
      Ready in 25 minutes
      Serves:
      4

      Ingredients

      200g long grain rice
      vegetable stock
      400g can Kidney Beans
      400g can Mixed Bean Salad
      1 Red Pepper
      1 bunch Salad Onions
      2 tbsp olive oil
      1 tbsp white wine vinegar
      1 tsp Dijon mustard
      4 Eggs

      Method

      Cook 200g long grain rice in vegetable stock for 15-20 minutes, then drain. Meanwhile rinse and drain a 400g can Kidney Beans and a 400g can Mixed Bean Salad and place in a large bowl.
      Mix in 1 Red Pepper, diced, and 1 bunch Salad Onions, chopped. Whisk together 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar and 1 tsp Dijon mustard and stir into the beans along with the cooked rice, then season.
      Boil 4 Eggs for 4-5 minutes, quarter and serve on top of the salad.

      Adapted From Waitrose Food.


      Quiche - Double or Treble the recipe to make enough for everyone - who doesn’t like Quiche?

      Ingredients

      For the pastry
      For the filling

      Preparation method

      1. To make the pastry, sift the flour together with a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Rub in the butter until you have a soft breadcrumb texture. Add enough cold water to make the crumb mixture come together to form a firm dough, and then rest it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
      2. Roll out the pastry on a light floured surface and line a 22cm/8½inch well-buttered flan dish.
      3. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
      4. Remove the pastry case from the fridge and line the base of the pastry with baking parchment and then fill it with baking beans. Place on a baking tray and bake blind for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and parchment and return to the oven for another five minutes to cook the base
      5. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3.
      6. Sprinkle the cheese into the pastry base and add the sliced tomatoes if you are using them. Fry the bacon pieces until crisp and sprinkle over them over the top.
      7. Combine the eggs with the milk l and season well. Pour over the bacon and cheese. Sprinkle the thyme over the top and trim the edges of the pastry.
      8. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool and set further.
      9. Trim the pastry edges to get a perfect edge and then serve in wedges.

        Adapted from BBC food.


        Butter Bean Dip


        The beany - butter bean pâté

        Ingredients

        • ½ a 425g/15oz can of butter beans, drained
        • ½ lemon, grated rind and juice
        • ½ clove garlic, crushed
        • 1 tbsp fresh mint finely chopped - if I don’t have this, I’ve used a teapspoon of mint sauce.
        • 1 tbsp olive oil - I use any oil
        • 1 tbsp water (approx)
        • salt and black pepper, to taste
        • sprigs of mint, to garnish - optional
        • bread of your choice

        Preparation method

        1. Place the butter beans and lemon juice in a food processor and blend until smooth.
        2. Add the rest of the ingredients, adjusting the amount of water to give a smooth pate. Season and spread onto your chosen bread. Add the mint to garnish.


          I’ve tried and tested this BBC recipe and it’s delicious.


          Hummus


          Ingredients

          For the garnish

          Preparation method

          1. Heat chickpeas and four tablespoons of water or vegetable stock in a saucepan.
          2. When warmed through, place the chickpeas and two tablespoons of the stock or water in a food processor. Blend until roughly combined. Add the garlic, tahini and lemon juice and a couple of large pinches of salt and blend again.
          3. Add the olive oil and blend again until hummus is the desired texture.
          4. Serve on a flat dish topped with a drizzle of olive oil, some parsley, fried pine nuts and a sprinkling of paprika.


            This is also from the BBC Food website and the recipe I always use.











          Sorry about font and upper case - Blogger has a mind of its own today - I would also have a selection of homemade hot food to go with this. I would also make a lasagne - here’s my recipe and step by step instructions. I would make a meat lasagne and a vegetarian lasagne. I would also make two loaves of home made bread which I would slice and leave for people to help themselves. Alternatively, I would buy three packs of Value pitta bread, warm through and cut into strips.



          I would also make two sweet dishes. I would include an indulgent version of a Key Lime Pie - Here’s my recipe and instructions. The other dessert I would make is Tarte Citron, here’s my recipe and instructions.


          I hope that has given you some cheaper ideas. Three different types of salads, some bread and dips, lasagne and two desserts. I’m sure all of this can be made for under £25 - so £1.25 a guest and I’m sure no one will think you to be stingy. Remember, if anyone asks if they can bring something suggest soft drinks as juice and cordials can be expensive and certainly say yes if they offer wine.

          I hope that’s been some help. If you want any other ideas, don’t hesitate to ask.

          Love Froogs xxxxxxxxxxx