Dinner time!

[lizcam]

So in the last year I have been hosting a dinner for my son's friends almost once a week. It's called "Kid's Night". This is a group of 20 somethings (and Donna and I and Roger when he's here) and the count now is over 20 able bodied geeks who eat until they can't move and then lay all over the apartment holding their bellies and groaning untill I say, "Get the F%$# out!". It's fun and anyone on here is invited if you're in the neighborhood.

This coming Sunday will be pulled pork (no snide comments you silly Brits), baked beans, corn on the cob drowned in butter and cheese, cheesey biscuits (again, leave it you Brits) potato salad and cake with peaches and icecream for dessert topped off with cidar. Lately I've had Cheese Fest (Leopard Pixie came to that one), Sausage Fest, and Potpie night. The thing is, I'm running out of easy to fix meals for large amounts of people. Remember, I work 14 hours a day 5 days a week so I need something simple, cheap and fast to feed 20+ people

I'm up for suggestions if any of you have any. It would be wonderful to learn some new dishes and surprize a bunch of under-employed, starving students.

 

[Spoontoes]

This coming Sunday will be pulled pork

Ooooer misus!

cheesey biscuits (again, leave it you Brits)

More tea vicar?

Sausage Fest

Fnarr fnarr, Finabaaaar!

Sorry coculdn't resist - plus you missed a warning on that last one, *nudge nudge* *wink wink* say no more eh?eh?eh?

 

[lizcam]

Thanks for getting that out of the way. I knew someone would.

 

[uglybug]

Pasta. It could be easy pasta like spaghetti and meatballs/ sausage or a big deep dish lasagna. Corn beef and cabbage or is that to Irish? I use a pressure cooker to cut the cooking time in half on that one. Cook a turkey the day before carve it all up and serve it leftover style in gravy.

 

[Einion]

That sounds like a job for chilli*. Add boiled rice, grated cheese, sour cream, some tortilla chips and maybe guacamole if it's not too much hassle to make = easy full belly.

In terms of labour though, given there are all these big strong lads around maybe, just maybe, they could be roped into doing some work for their feed (shock to their system though it might be!) :cute:

*Have a basic easy-as-pie recipe if you're interested, couldn't be simpler other than you have to start the day before.

Einion

 

[lizcam]

Actually I don't mind cooking the day before. It gives me something to do between calls. I'd like the recipe if you wouldn't mind.

 

[10 ball]

That sounds like a job for chilli*. Add boiled rice, grated cheese, sour cream, some tortilla chips and maybe guacamole if it's not too much hassle to make = easy full belly.

In terms of labour though, given there are all these big strong lads around maybe, just maybe, they could be roped into doing some work for their feed (shock to their system though it might be!) :cute:

*Have a basic easy-as-pie recipe if you're interested, couldn't be simpler other than you have to start the day before.

Einion

Lets have it then Einion - I'm a sucker for chilli

 

[Spoontoes]

Indeed! I'm a huge chilli fan, this is a top idea.

 

[Dragonsreach]

Lets have it then Einion - I'm a sucker for chilli

Ditto, quite like a chilli with flavour. Often do one with cubed beef instead of mince (Ground beef to the Yanks) gives a nice touch.

Liz we used to do a "Hasta La Pasta" for the scouts.
Any kind of Wholemeal pasta (Fusili, Penne etc or both if you want. In fact if you mix and match with colours looks even better), Chopped Hot Dogs, Corned beef (in Cubes), Chopped ham (or Spam) again in cubes, onions, sliced peppers all three colours, pineapple, Kidney beans, Butter beans, Chick peas, Cherry tomatoes, garlic to taste. Cooked in one huge pan.
Of course we often kept the spicy stuff for a leader mix, Chillies, Ginger etc.
We used to do simple tomatoe sauces to go over, but nothing to stop having a selection of simple sauces in small pans for differing tastes.
We used to serve it with plenty of Crusty bread after a long hike and never had any left, but if you can get some Cheese or Onion Focaccia bread even better.

Follow that with Baked Pears, drizzled with honey and grated Green & Blacks chocolate, topped off with Ice cream.


(Damn I'm hungry now!)

 

[RuneBrush]

I am currently feeling hungry for a proper full on spread - it's only 10am here, I have a long wait until dinner time.

 

[noneedforaname]

Who doesnt enjoy eating a full on spread fnar fnar

 

[Einion]

Okay, this is the simplest chilli I know of in terms of cooking method and I was very surprised at how good it is (as was Guy Fieri when he tasted something similar on Triple-D).

Amounts are approximate because I don't measure except when baking, so feel free to play with the proportions. This makes about four servings so Liz you'd probably need to multiply by 5.

-----

Ingredients
1 large or 2 medium onions
1 stick of celery
1 large carrot
4-6 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
~1/4 tsp cinnamon
Lots of freshly-ground black pepper
1 tsp salt + additional to taste
1-2 squares good dark chocolate (60% cocoa or higher)
Few shakes Worcester sauce*
1 tsp molasses or black treacle*
400g ground beef (~1lb)
1 x 420g tin red kidney beans or pinto beans (~1lb)
1 x 400g tin tomatoes (~1lb)
2 tbsp tomato puree

How you add the chilli flavour is entirely optional (fresh, powdered or whatever) as well as how much to include, so add as much or as little as you like. I tend to use one crushed Scotch Bonnet/habenero plus 1 heaped tsp mild chilli powder if I have it (e.g. ancho {paprika will do fine here if it's all you have}), or three large drops of Dave's Insanity sauce.

*Technically these are both optional but it's better with them in that out; they supply additional umami flavour that isn't being added by browning the meat etc.

Method
Finely chop all the veg, squash the garlic (reduce it to a paste if you feel like it).

Dump all ingredients except for beans and chocolate into a large pot and add enough water to cover, bring to the boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours or so first day. Stir occasionally

Start the reheat the following day at least a couple of hours before you intend to eat, stirring occasionally until it's at temperature, then reduce to a slow simmer (blup - - - blup stage), uncovered, for 2 hours. Like most things of this kind more cooking time won't hurt it, long as it doesn't catch on the bottom of the pot. If it gets too dry, add in more water.

About 10 or 20 minutes before service add in the drained beans to heat through.

The chocolate should be added right at the end too. Don't overheat the chilli after this point as you run the risk of scorching the cocoa which can make the chilli bitter.

Taste it just before you serve and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Notes
If you don't like beans in your chilli just leave them out and double the amount of beef.

You can bulk this out very successfully with a couple of handfuls of wholemeal breadcrumbs; which I find aren't noticeable at all in the finished dish. If you toast or dry-fry them before use they can help with achieving a 'deep' flavour.

If you're a fan of cumin make sure to add in some more near the end to intensify its flavour; I add at least a teaspoon, sometimes a lot more if I'm in the mood. Similarly you can grind more black pepper in at the end.

-----

Einion

 

[10 ball]

Ooooooh will try this, thanks Einion.
Dark chocolate? Very interesting that's a new one on me

 

[Chrome]

Will definitely try that!

Would it be possible to exchange the molasses and/or black treacle with dark syrup though? Not sure if it's the same thing though it sounds pretty similar.

 

[lizcam]

Thanks Enion. My recipe is similar but I add a tablespoon of instant coffe as well.

 

[10 ball]

I do the coffee thing as well, everyone thinks I'm mad ........ but theres another out there - yippeeeeee!

 

[Dragonsreach]

Thanks Enion. My recipe is similar but I add a tablespoon of instant coffe as well.

Heathen! Why put garbage into good food? Adding Instant coffee is just wrong, stuff's no better than ash!

I'm surprized that I don't see anyone suggesting Honey in the chilli, I thought that was an American Standard. (or is it just a Texan thing that Steecult told me about)

 

[lizcam]

Honey? Never heard of it. Chocolate (I use cocoa powder), Coffee (I don't drink the stuff so use instant), Various herbs and spices yes. But I've never heard of honey (or molasses/treacle either for that matter). But then I don't live in the "chili belt" either. Born in Wisconsin and raised in California, neither place is known for it's chili. Cheese and fussy quasi-health food? That's another story.

 

[lono]

Dark chocolate is excellent in chilli. The combination of cocoa and spices is an ancient one going back to Aztec times, and you know what, those Aztecs know their stuff! The richness of the cocoa bean brings out the depth of spices and it works amazingly well. I've never tried coffee, but I suspect that it would work in a slightly similar fashion.

Have to agree with the disdain for instant coffee though. It may be an acceptable drink to some folks' pallets, but to call it 'coffee' is an insult to the noble coffee bean in my opinion! But I shouldn't really get on a coffee rant. I'll just start to lament that I can no longer do the caffeine thing due to the way my body utterly overreacts and goes hyper for days. So, I miss out on that most pleasurable experience of drinking a really fine espresso with a magnificent crema on top.

Mike, if you've not checked them out, http://www.hasbean.co.uk/ is a wonderful site for coffee. Steve who runs it is amazingly passionate and ready to chat about and offer plenty of advice. He roasted for the guy who won the title of 2011 World Barista Champion, so he really knows what he's doing.

Also, I can totally see you as a tip top Scout Master!

 

[lono]

Also, Liz, it depends how much effort you want to put in and what sort of standard you are after, but I have a few recipes that may be good.

I make a braised oxtail that tastes amazing and is very rich and filling. If you comboed it up with bread and some good mashed potato it'd be an excellent winter warmer. It's easy to make, and actually benefits from being made a day ahead and left to rest. It does require a lot of veg dicing though, so it's quite time consuming. Also, you have to cook it for six hours and slug in a good amount of red wine. Happy to jot down the recipe if it's of interest though.

Another that I've done for a group is my char siu. This is the delish reddish pork you get in Chinese takeaways. Home made though, it's so much better. You could do this along with a noodle salad and rice etc. The marinade does most of the work, but it does require a few bastes with glaze as it's cooking.