Cheeba Needs Help...

[ChEEbA]

Ok...essentially, I probably dont NEED it, but I'm interested in your input.
As most of you know, I'm on the long path to becoming a chef...so, just like the furniture removalist will be automatically conscripted to help with any friends moving, it seems that the guy who cooks gets catering duties.

Here's the scene - This chick is turning like 43, and is gonna be having a party, with about 20 heads, tops.
There's GREAT seafood available around the area, in fact, some of our countries BEST...So, I wanna do SOMETHING with seafood...that's the given.
Now, they're looking at small dishes/fingerfood.

So I've brainstormed the following over the last hour:

*Tropical fruit kebabs with my own fruit salad dressing (this time made with some excellent local honey to substitute for brown sugar), served beside will be a fresh mini cherry pudding with cointreu over the top. Clearly, this list isn't in order...that'd be for dessert.

*Pre-marinated tandoori lamb cutlets bbq'd, spicy mint and cucumber raita (its like a yhogurt sauce) on top, served with a mixture of freshly diced tomato, onion and cilantro....soemthing I've tried at many an indian restaurant as a side dish..VERY nice stuff.

*Thai style "warm" spicy rare bbq'd beef salad on hokkien noodles, with "asian" type vegetables, light amount of sweet chilli dressing. I'd also LOVE to add some yellow grape tomatoes if I can get any up there...and pomegranete seeds. Maybe some orange chunks, and fresh thai basil and mint ripped up in there too...still thinking.

*Some baked vol-au-vents, as yet undecided fillings...but I'd like at east three different fillings (open to suggestion here).

*I'm thinking for the seafood, a mixed kebab with some local swordfish, tuna, mussels, baby octopus, pineapple, capsicum, in cajun spices, lemon juice, I will be pushing some slices of kaffir lime leaves into the gaps, because I think that stuff goes BADASS with seafood.

*Baked Scallops, garlic and ginger, wholeseed mustard, cheese melted over the top, served still bubbling...a little soy over the top., I may serve these in the middle of a large dish, with prawns all round.

I know it looks like a fair bit...but I want there to be a good selection, there's a lot of people, and its paid for...so yeah, I could use some suggestions and comments...

[AUSTIN316426808]

You guys have crawfish over there? Cause my granddad had a recipe for it.

[filmmaker2]

Well, put me down for the warm beef salad on noodles, your description did the trick for me.

[newb]

As an appetizer i've always like crab dip.


Yield: 3-1/2 cups

1-1/4 c cottage cheese
3 oz cream cheese; softened
1/2 c shredded LF cheddar; sharp
2 tb minced onions
1 tb lemon juice
1 ts worcestershire sauce
1 ts dry mustard
1 clove garlic; minced
3-4 ds hot pepper sauce
1 lb crabmeat (imitation works);
-chopped or broken

1. In food processor or blender, whirl cottage cheese and cream cheese
until smooth. Transfer to large bowl and stir in remaining ingredients.

2. Spoon into sprayed casserole dish and bake, covered, at 350F for 25
mins. Remove from oven, stir, and let cool, uncovered, for 5 mins. Serve
with crackers or tortilla chips.

[ChEEbA]

Austin:
I think we've something very close to that here called a yabbie, kinda like a big ol' battle prawn? haha
In fact, it may even be the same thing, only from our waters.
Yep, hit me with the recipe. I may not be able to use it for this thing (I think they're somewhat seasonal around these parts), but I still wanna check it out.


Newb:
I could see that working. Hot pepper sauce...is that like, tobasco, tapatio, that kinda thing? Yep...I think I'm gonna add this to my list, put it in a 3-way bowl along with my garlic sauce, and guacemole, Thankyou.


C'mon people...I know there's some people here who like...eat, right? I'd like some more input.
- B.

[Preacher]

Do ya smoke fish over your side of the world?

I make a mean cold rissotto with prawns and smoked mackerel flaked into it. Its a hit at parties.

I also make a great potato salad with whole grain mustard an roquefort cheese in the dressing.

And some of your vol-au-vents (although I think vol-au-vents should be wiped off the face of this planet) should have cream cheese mixed with lemon juice and garlic with a king prawn placed on the top). But I would prefer that on top of some lightly toasted french bread.

Good luck with the event.

Latas
P

[newb]

Originally posted by ChEEbA
Austin:
I think we've something very close to that here called a yabbie, kinda like a big ol' battle prawn? haha
In fact, it may even be the same thing, only from our waters.
Yep, hit me with the recipe. I may not be able to use it for this thing (I think they're somewhat seasonal around these parts), but I still wanna check it out.


Newb:
I could see that working. Hot pepper sauce...is that like, tobasco, tapatio, that kinda thing? Yep...I think I'm gonna add this to my list, put it in a 3-way bowl along with my garlic sauce, and guacemole, Thankyou.


C'mon people...I know there's some people here who like...eat, right? I'd like some more input.
- B.

Yes....tabasco sauce is fine.

[SKOOFx]

The original post is making me soooo hungry...ohh an.. <licking lips>

[ChEEbA]

The original post is making me soooo hungry...ohh an.. <licking lips>
Ha...sorry man, it's what I do...
But check this out - you're there, you're kinda toasted, you're having a gret time...you're eating all this stuff...and you see a dish among the others, you go get some, it's totally great...what is it that you're eating?

Seriously...I'm thinking of just keeping this thread alive as long as I can, just to get present and future catering ideas....so c'mon, I know there someone reading this that aint posting - let's hear some interesting shit, huh??

- B

[novakru]

not the most interesting idea but after the main food is gone and people have been drinking a bit,it's always nice to have something sweet and salty(especially after drinking BEER)

I have no idea what these are called but someone had them at a party:

Salted peanuts rolled in peanut butter about the size of a golf ball(actually a little smaller)
Then rolled in powered sugar and dipped in milk chocolate.

[newb]

Speaking of beer...i understand when your serving seafood, a beer on the hoppy side would compliment it nicely.

[ChEEbA]

Salted peanuts rolled in peanut butter about the size of a golf ball(actually a little smaller) Then rolled in powered sugar and dipped in milk chocolate.
WEIRD! I'll totally check that out though...I wanna hear some more from you too...


Speaking of beer...i understand when your serving seafood, a beer on the hoppy side would compliment it nicely.
Its rural/coastal Australia...beer is a given. I'm taking a nice Western Australian 2001 merlot for the birthday girl too...and I may bring along a case of Coopers too, IMO our finest.

[MoonLit Meadow]

Okay, I'm not a cook at ALL...and this is SO not gourmet...;) And I don't even know if it compliments seafood...lol...but anyway.

How about some kind of tray with different types of cheese and/or nuts? haha. I don't know, I like to snack on that type of stuff when I'm at a party...yeah, I'm sure this sounds lame but...I'm trying? ;):p

[SKOOFx]

My gf's mother makes the most amazing stuffed artichokes in the oven..with cheese...

u jsut peel the artichoke..and suck on layer...getting all the cheese and good stuff in your mouth..soo good.

shrimp is always a safe bet...
grilled...with lemon and garlic......

[AUSTIN316426808]

Originally posted by ChEEbA
Austin:
I think we've something very close to that here called a yabbie, kinda like a big ol' battle prawn? haha
In fact, it may even be the same thing, only from our waters.
Yep, hit me with the recipe. I may not be able to use it for this thing (I think they're somewhat seasonal around these parts), but I still wanna check it out.


1lb Crawfish
1 c Onions -- chopped
1/4 c Onion tops -- chopped
1/2 lb Butter
3/4 c All-purpose flour
1 qt Milk
1/2 c Corn
1/2 c Potatoes -- diced


Saute onions in butter. Stir in flour and cook over low heat stirring often so flour wont burn,about 5 minutes. Add milk, stir and cook until flour is dissolved. Add corn and diced potatoes. Stir and cook about 2-3 minutes. Add: 1 lb. crawfish 1/2 Tbsp salt 1 Tbsp pepper Simmer, stir often until crawfish is done.

He wasn't a chef or anything but he loved to cook and had his own recipes. Although this isn't one, not sure who/where he got it from.

[Marroe]

You need to find somewhere locally to get buffalo sauce(there has to be somewhere). It may be a little hoosier of me to suggest, but people go nuts for buffalo chicken strips, or wings, at parties...and it's always good with celery, and ranch dressing. :)
Regular hot wings just won't do...

Pasta salad would be another thing that always goes quick, and pretty much everyone likes. I made like 5 pounds of it with 6 bucks worth or grocery's yesterday, haha...see? good on the budget too.

[ChEEbA]

So...what do you put in your pasta salad then?


Also, thanks Austin...I'm gonna try that soon. By onion top, do you mean what we call spring onions here? Kinda like chives, but fatter? Big green hollow spicy kinda things?


People...if there's any more suggestions, I'd like to hear 'em.

[zomb5150]

Is there room for one more at this party? the foods sounds excellent.:D

[MoonLit Meadow]

Originally posted by zomb5150
Is there room for one more at this party? the foods sounds excellent.:D

It WAS excellent...BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURP;)

[novakru]

I am having a halloween party,you mind flying over to cater it?:D

[ChEEbA]

Probably cant make it with the studies and all, but I can always be your catering liason?
Just message me and let me know what kinda thing you're after, and we'll talk about some possible solutions.