I'm gathering ideas of food to serve at a Winter party. I'm thinking
roast chestnuts, spicy tomato soup, that kind of thing. People will
be arriving from lunchtime onwards and we'll continue into the
evening. I'd like to have food available in the kitchen throughout -
everyone will be arriving at different times in different states of
hungriness. I'll be able to keep a big pan of soup warm on the stove
on top of a heat diffuser, and I can put things in the oven at intervals.

Any suggestions?

For drinks I'll be offering mulled wine, hot port and lemon, and hot
chocolate with cinnamon and chilli, as well as the normal range of
party drinks (ie, whatever random booze people bring).

Kake

Kate Pugh > wrote:
>> I'm gathering ideas of food to serve at a Winter party. I'm thinking
>> roast chestnuts, spicy tomato soup, that kind of thing.

wrote:
> I think I'd probably have a pot of chili as well as soup.

Hm, good idea! I might go for mushroom soup instead of tomato then,
to avoid having too much too similar. I have a nice lemony one that
would be good.

> Roasted root veggies are great: parsnips, carrots, swedes (rutabaga
> in the USA), turnips, potato wedges. Cut all in large-ish pieces,
> toss with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil, roast in a fairly hot
> oven, tossing and turning once or twice.

Nice one. Just wondering what to serve them with now. Maybe couscous
cooked in vegetable stock, and tahini sauce.

> We would have a pumpkin-based dessert at this type of occasion in
> the USA (probably), but I don't know if canned pumpkin is even
> available in the UK. ?

Probably is, but I'm not really interested in desserts. If someone
particularly wants one then they can volunteer to make one

> Flan = creme caramel in the UK. I think.

Nah, I think your flan is our flan. Creme caramel is a specific
dessert, and doesn't involve anything pastry-like.

Great ideas, Pat. Anyone else?

I'm thinking of adding veggie sausage rolls to the menu...

Kake

I have a great soup that....like many of my recipes...I don't know exact
quantities of, but here ya go...

I take two pounds or so of red potatoes...any potatoes are good,
really...quartered
cover them with water....about an inch or two over the top
add vegetable boullion...in a pinch I've even just flavored the water with
soy sauce (it's all salt anyway) and pepper to taste
Peel and quarter three large onions and boil in pot with potatoes...
add a few celery stalks

While this is cooking, make about a cup of wild rice. Save this for the
very end.
Also chop up three or four carrots and boil or steam them until tender.
Save this also for the very end.

Cook this until everything is very soft. Put broth and potatoes and
everything into blender (you'll have to do a few batches in the blender).
After the potatoes and other veggies have made a nice puree, add carrots and
wild rice....serve with a thick hearty bread, and you'll be happy

On Tue, 11 Nov 2003 03:10:05 GMT, Kate Pugh > wrote:

>Kate Pugh > wrote:

wrote:

>> Flan = creme caramel in the UK. I think.
>
>Nah, I think your flan is our flan. Creme caramel is a specific
>dessert, and doesn't involve anything pastry-like.

Here, flan can either be a thing with pastry, or a big custard-thing
with burnt sugar on top, like creme caramel, I think. A pumpkin flan,
would, I think, be the big-custard kind.

--Rebecca

Jennifer A. Tyler > wrote:
> I have a great soup that....like many of my recipes...I don't know exact
> quantities of, but here ya go...
[...]

Sounds like a nice recipe, and thank you for posting it, but for some
reason I don't get too excited about potato-based soups. Lentil-based
soups are another matter, and I love cooking them. Here's the mushroom
soup I was considering. I may do mushroom and barley instead, though.


Country Mushroom Soup

A tested recipe from
http://www.earth.li/~kake/cookery/re...room-soup.html
I can't remember where this came from, or how far away it is from the
original version. It's lovely and lemony, but if you're not too fussed
on lemon-peel flavour, you may like to add less peel.

Serves 4

* 1 medium onion (about 150g, 6 oz)
* 2 garlic cloves
* 2 tsp ground roasted coriander seed
* 225g (8oz) mushrooms
* 2 pints vegetable stock (made with a cube if necessary)
* grated rind of 1/2 - 1 medium lemon
* 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme or marjoram
* salt and black pepper to taste
* 100g (4oz) fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs

1. Chop the onion, garlic and mushrooms finely. Don't chop the
mushrooms too finely though.

2. Saute the onion in the vegetable stock until softened, or use olive
or sunflower oil if you prefer. Add the garlic and coriander and stir
for about a minute.

3. Add the mushrooms and cook over a gentle heat, stirring
occasionally, for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the remaining stock, the lemon
rind and the parsley. Bring to simmering point, cover and simmer for
10 minutes.

4. Season to taste, then stir in the breadcrumbs and cook for 1 minute
longer.

5. Serve immediately, or freeze. Freezes well, and the breadcrumbs
don't absorb too much liquid while you're cooling it.