Recipes / Food - Drink

[kindlekitten]

try tacos for your get together. all of the cutting up of stuff can be done well in advance. you can please vegies and omnivores equally, people can pick and choose what they like on their plate and it is low carb

[Ea]

Originally Posted by Javed

VC. Seems like a great idea. Do the beans expand, crack or explode at all? Looking forward also to hearing how the chickpeas go in the freezer. Usually I make enough chickpeas for about five days and keep them in the fridge. This is particularly good as I can either add them to meals or just eat them straight by the handful as a great snack. Freezing them may be another option to keep stock levels up.

I find beans tend to expand and crack a little and get a bit mushy, but it all depends on how firm you like your beans. They turn out no worse than canned beans. I do freeze beans, but only portions. Not like with chickpeas where I just usually boil the whole bag (½ kg) at once.

[Ea]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

try tacos for your get together. all of the cutting up of stuff can be done well in advance. you can please vegies and omnivores equally, people can pick and choose what they like on their plate and it is low carb

Thank you Though I think I'd like something more like a 'real' meal - tacos is more buffet style to me

[vivaldirules]

Originally Posted by Ea

I've my study group over for dinner next Wednesday, and I'm out of ideas (and I won't make chili con carne or bologna sauce with spaghetti - even if I'm good at it). So I hoped all you foodies had some ideas

It has to be relatively easy (not too much last minute work) and not too expensive.

I was thinking
- slow cooker (perhaps beef a la beuf bourgignon) - means little last minute work
- de Puy lentils (two of them have never eaten lentils, but I think they'd like to try) - but how? Warm, cold, salad?
- vegetables - finally there's locally grown fresh vegetables available and it would be a shame not include some - and everyone loves new potatoes.

Oh, and light of the starchy food.

Lentils and new potatoes are the two most important ingredients in VR's killer lentil soup. And it only takes about an hour to cook after you cut up the the veggies, which can be done in advance. It will make a big pot for lots of people. But it may be just a bit more effort than you want to spend. Also, it's hot which may or may not be a great idea for a summer meal for you.

[FlorenceArt]

When I was on holiday in Turkey we had a lot of lentil soup, it tasted great! I wonder if it also tastes good when iced? Also, lentils are very good in salads, but I don't have a recipe, sorry

[obs20]

Originally Posted by Ea

I've my study group over for dinner next Wednesday, and I'm out of ideas (and I won't make chili con carne or bologna sauce with spaghetti - even if I'm good at it). So I hoped all you foodies had some ideas

It has to be relatively easy (not too much last minute work) and not too expensive.

I was thinking
- slow cooker (perhaps beef a la beuf bourgignon) - means little last minute work
- de Puy lentils (two of them have never eaten lentils, but I think they'd like to try) - but how? Warm, cold, salad?
- vegetables - finally there's locally grown fresh vegetables available and it would be a shame not include some - and everyone loves new potatoes.

Oh, and light of the starchy food.

I'd go with the slow cooker. It's only one pot to clean and you can get away with cheaper cuts of meat. A little thought to the presentation is all you need.

[SameOldStory]

Boeuf Bourguignon and an Italian vegetable dip. Everyone should be happy.

[Ea]

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

Lentils and new potatoes are the two most important ingredients in VR's killer lentil soup. And it only takes about an hour to cook after you cut up the the veggies, which can be done in advance. It will make a big pot for lots of people. But it may be just a bit more effort than you want to spend. Also, it's hot which may or may not be a great idea for a summer meal for you.

I must admit I think it's a bit too wintry. What one needs now that the weather has finally discovered it's summer and the temperatures are over over 20 C/68 F (some days ) is something lighter and simpler I think (and it's a bit of a shame to drown Puy lentils and new potatoes in a soup... )

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

When I was on holiday in Turkey we had a lot of lentil soup, it tasted great! I wonder if it also tastes good when iced? Also, lentils are very good in salads, but I don't have a recipe, sorry

No idea if iced lentil soup is good - I'll let you do the experiments LOL Iced soups aren't that commonly eaten here anyway, and I wouldn't surprise anyone with it if I wasn't completely sure they'd like it. Actually I've never had iced soup myself.

Originally Posted by obs20

I'd go with the slow cooker. It's only one pot to clean and you can get away with cheaper cuts of meat. A little thought to the presentation is all you need.

My thought as well.

Originally Posted by SameOldStory

Boeuf Bourguignon and an Italian vegetable dip. Everyone should be happy.

I'm sorry - but I'm not quite sure what is 'Italian vegetable dip'. A sour cream dip with Italian herbs served with raw vegetables - as a side dish for boeuf bourguignon? That sounds rather odd.

I was actually just thinking of cooking beef à la boeuf bourguignon, but without wine, and in a slow cooker. It could then be served with fx new potatoes, and .... whatever. I do want to fit in Puy lentils somewhere (not for dessert though )

[FlorenceArt]

Originally Posted by Ea

Actually I've never had iced soup myself.

Really? Not even gaspacho? What a shame! There are several kinds of iced soup at Picard (the famous French frozen food store ) that I love: peas and mint, cucumber and mint, tomatoes and peppers (I think).

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

Really? Not even gaspacho? What a shame! There are several kinds of iced soup at Picard (the famous French frozen food store ) that I love: peas and mint, cucumber and mint, tomatoes and peppers (I think).

you mean gazpacho?

[Ea]

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

Really? Not even gaspacho? What a shame! There are several kinds of iced soup at Picard (the famous French frozen food store ) that I love: peas and mint, cucumber and mint, tomatoes and peppers (I think).

I've just never had (or made) the opportunity. I do know about gazpacho. Perhaps it's because of the colder climate here - we rarely need food to cool us off (cold drinks take care of that). We do have a cold dessert soup, which everyone eat in the summer - but the thought of "cold soup" still makes me pause

[Ea]

Danish buttermilk dessert soup (koldskål)

1 egg yolk
1/2-1/3 decilitre sugar
1 litre (1 quart) of buttermilk
1/2 ts vanilla sugar (or to taste)
1-2 ts lemon juice
Optional: a couple large spoonfuls of vanilla ice cream or greek yoghurt

Beat egg yolk and sugar until it's frothy. Stir in buttermilk, add vanilla sugar and lemon juice. Add vanilla ice or yoghurt if desired (makes it extra nice and creamy - but it's only for special occasions). Chill until you serve it.

Serve it in soup plates/bowls, with - if you can find it - small, very plain, hard, wheat biscuits. It's best if they're not sweetened. The biscuits are passed around separately and you ad them to your plate of 'koldskål' (they'd get soggy if you put them in before serving).

In the strawberry season, it's very nice to serve it with strawberries.

All Danish homes has a recipe for this - this is mine (and my parents')

[SameOldStory]

Originally Posted by Ea

I'm sorry - but I'm not quite sure what is 'Italian vegetable dip'. A sour cream dip with Italian herbs served with raw vegetables - as a side dish for boeuf bourguignon? That sounds rather odd.

My mistake. I thought that you were just having a group of friends over for a small get together and wanted suggestions for something to eat. Things that are easy to make in advance for a smörgåsbord type of dinning.

Before I was married I would attend small "get togethers" where everyone sampled a variety of foods and had a good time. The key word was Variety, and it most defiantly was not Dinner.

My Italian vegetable dip (with assorted vegetables on a platter) and Boeuf Bourguignon would defiantly not work for Dinner.

Sorry I misunderstood.

[Ea]

Originally Posted by SameOldStory

My mistake. I thought that you were just having a group of friends over for a small get together and wanted suggestions for something to eat. Things that are easy to make in advance for a smörgåsbord type of dinning.

Before I was married I would attend small "get togethers" where everyone sampled a variety of foods and had a good time. The key word was Variety, and it most defiantly was not Dinner.

My Italian vegetable dip (with assorted vegetables on a platter) and Boeuf Bourguignon would defiantly not work for Dinner.

Sorry I misunderstood.

No problem - actually, it means I understood the implicit meaning of your suggestion, and I'm quite happy to know I did that correctly - just got the context wrong

But yes, I was thinking "dinner" - just things that doesn't need a lot of last minute work, and preferably could include Puy lentils somewhere in the menu. And since we'll be only five, a buffet style dinner wouldn't feel right. Maybe it's a cultural thing but it would feel odd not to have a shared dinner.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by SameOldStory

My mistake. I thought that you were just having a group of friends over for a small get together and wanted suggestions for something to eat. Things that are easy to make in advance for a smörgåsbord type of dinning.

Before I was married I would attend small "get togethers" where everyone sampled a variety of foods and had a good time. The key word was Variety, and it most defiantly was not Dinner.

My Italian vegetable dip (with assorted vegetables on a platter) and Boeuf Bourguignon would defiantly not work for Dinner.

Sorry I misunderstood.

yeah, tacos wouldn't either. serving dishes on the table, pass around the different offerings, fill your plate with what you want. you know, family style, like at Mom's