Open House Food

[SeaSiren]

My company is hosting an Open House and since you guys were so great in making suggestions for VM's birthday, any suggestions for the Open House would be appreciated.

 

Pirate theme, finger foods/snacks and drinks including ideas for the Adult Beverages we will be serving.

 

I don't mind cooking, but work long hours 6 and sometimes 7 days per week, plus fitting in workouts (yes, I never get out), so anything quick is better.

[Crash]

I don't know if this will be much help to you for a pirate themed party, but ainfo on what pirates ate on a website gave was not vegan. If you want to stick to a vegan menu, some of the things I would recommend are:

 

Planters Punch

Cut up Veggies and Dip

Vegan Spring Rolls

Leek & Mushroom Puffs

Savouries

Coconut Balls

Chocolate Rum Balls

 

Sorry, but some of these are not quick.

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PLANTERS PUNCH

 

1 & 1/2 oz. Rum

3/4 oz. Triple Sec

Splash each of Sour Mix, Pineapple Juice, Orange Juice

Dash each of Grenadine and Dark Rum

 

Shake & pour over ice in a Hurricane glass. Float dark rum on top.

Garnish with an orange slice and cherry

 

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SPRING ROLLS (makes 12 so make minis)

 

12 spring roll wrappers (rice paper)

6 oz. firm tofu (not silken)

2 T. or more soy sauce, tamari, or Bragg's liquid aminos

6 oz. thin rice noodles (vermicelli)

48 fresh mint leaves

1/4 head leaf lettuce

3 shredded carrots (optional)

spring roll sauce (see below)

 

You can get the spring roll wrappers at an oriental grocery store,

and they will keep on your shelf indefinitely. They are fragile; keep them

flat and handle them gently. Be sure they are made of rice. You CANNOT

substitute egg roll wrappers in this recipe. The round ones, about 8 1/2

inches in diameter, are the easiest to work with. If possible, use Flying Goose brand, although the brand with a rose on the front works well, too.

 

Slice the tofu into 1/2 inch slices. Pat dry with paper towels. Press it for an hour or so if you have time. Put the tofu slices on a nonstick cookie pan. Add the soy sauce, trying to keep it on the tofu as much as possible. Bake at 325 for about 45 minutes, turning occasionally and adding more soy sauce if they look like they can absorb more. When they are nice and brown and dry, cut them into strips, about the size of french fries. You will need one strip per spring roll. (If you don't have time to bake the tofu, cut it into strips and fry it with the soy sauce on a nonstick skillet for a few minutes, carefully turning each strip, trying to crisp it up a little on each side.) Set aside.

 

Wash and dry the lettuce. Tear it into 3 or 4 inch pieces, removing stems and crisp veins. Your lettuce needs to be on the limp side. Any crisp pieces will tear the spring roll wrappers when you try to roll them.

 

Wash and dry the mint. Remove all stems! Set aside. (If you can't get fresh mint, you can substitute fresh cilantro, but the spring rolls will taste completely different.)

 

Shred or grate the carrots. Again, they need to be small enough pieces that they are not crisp. You may prefer your spring rolls without the carrots.

 

Throw the rice vermicelli into boiling water and cook until just done, about 2 or 3 minutes. Pour into a colander, and rinse with cool water. The noodles need to be well drained and cool enough to handle. Set aside.

 

Put an inch or two of water in a pan that is big enough to hold the spring rolls. (Cool water works fine). Separate the wrappers, and stack them in the water, making sure each one is completely covered with water before putting in the next one. Leave the wrappers in the water until they are flexible (about 2 or 3 minutes). Remove the whole stack at once, and place them on a clean wet kitchen towel, covering them with another damp

towel.

 

Now you are ready to assemble them. Carefully remove one wrapper

and put it on another surface (Use a bamboo sushi mat or a damp towel. If you use a plate, dump off the excess water between each spring roll.) Working quickly, put onto the wrapper 3 or 4 small pieces of lettuce, 4 leaves of mint, a handful of rice noodles, one strip of tofu, and a few tablespoons of carrots if desired.

 

Quickly fold the bottom of the wrapper over the pile, fold in the sides, and

continue to roll up. After four or five, wrap each in plastic wrap to keep them from drying out too much. If one of them is falling apart, wrap it in plastic wrap immediately. Have a piece of plastic wrap cut and ready in case one is falling apart. (If you are serving them to company, start over with a new wrapper on the ones that are falling apart.) If a lot of them are falling apart, then something may not be drained well enough, or you may be trying to fill them too full, or some of your wrappers may be defective with too many tears and holes, or too thin.

 

Serve cold or room temperature with sauces of your choice.

NOTE: you do not EVER cook these spring rolls. When you finish rolling them up, they are done! They will keep in the refrigerator for a day or two. They travel well for lunches and outings. For an appetizer, serve one or two per person. As a main course, count on at least three per person.

 

SAUCES: These are good with a peanut sauce, but then wouldn't be fatfree. They are also good with a plum sauce. They can be serve them with the sweet sauce below OR a bottled chili sauce (like Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce, made by Huy Fong Foods, Inc.)

 

SWEET SAUCE FOR SPRING ROLLS (makes enough for about 3 dozen spring rolls)

 

4 T. sugar

1/4 c. soy sauce

1 c. broth or water

2 T. corn starch

1/4 c. cold water

1 clove garlic, crushed with 1/4 ts. salt

 

Combine sugar, soy sauce, and broth. Bring to a boil. Add corn starch

mixed smoothly with the cold water, and stir until the mixture thickens

some. Simmer, stirring for 1 minute. Stir in garlic. Serve any

temperature.

 

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MUSHROOM AND LEEK PUFFS

 

2 & 1/2 Cups Sliced Mushrooms

1 Bunch Leeks Washed Well and Sliced into Rounds

1 Tbsp Flour

1/2 Tsp Salt

Fresh Ground Black Pepper

3/4 Cup Soy Milk

Olive Oil for Sauteing

1 Box Puff Pastry* *Note: Always check the ingredients to make sure the product is vegan.

 

In a medium skillet saute leeks until wilted.

Add mushrooms and continue to cook until mushrooms are done, 5-7 mins.

Add flour and mix in so that all the vegetables are coated.

Add soy milk and stir until the soy milk has thickened (1-2 mins).

Roll out puff pastry into a 1/4" thick rectangle.

Using a pizza slicer, cut into squares.

Put cooled filling into the centre of each square and fold into shapes.

Bake at 400° for 30 mins.

 

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SAVOURIES:

 

Use Tofutti Cream Cheese or make Vegan Cream Cheese:

Roll into balls and dip in herbs, like cracked black peppercorns or seaweed flakes.

 

Vegan Cream Cheese

Ingredients

6oz tofu

2oz coconut oil, melted

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp agave syrup (substitute maple syrup)

2 tsp salt

 

Place all ingredients in a food processor or liquidizer and combine well.

Transfer the mixture to a glass jar, store in the refrigerator and use as required. It will keep for up to one week.

 

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TAHINI BALLS:

 

1 & 1/4 cups tahini (preferably hulled and preferably thick (with less oil))

1 & 1/2 cups rice syrup

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

1/3 cup cocoa powder (or 1/2 cup carob powder)

1/2 cup crushed roasted hazelnuts

1 cup rice bubbles/puffs

vanilla essence to taste

 

Mix all dry ingredients together.

In a separate bowl mix the tahini and syrup.

Add the above two together in a large bowl and mix.

Knead with hands until thoroughly mixed.

Break into bite-sized pieces and roll into balls.

Roll in coconut and refrigerate until being served.

 

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CHOCOLATE RUM BALLS:

 

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

2 cup flour

pinch of salt

2 sticks non-hydrogenated vegan margarine or Crisco

12 tablespoon Hershey's cocoa

2 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon imitation butter flavor

1 tablespoon light or dark rum

3/4 cup 10x confectioner's vegan sugar

1 & 1/2 tablespoon Ener-G mixed with 2 tablespoon tepid water

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

 

Directions:

Combine flour and salt in small bow; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream margarine, cocoa, flavorings, vegan sugar, and egg substitute in order, blending well. Add flour mixture; combine thoroughly. Add nuts and mix well.

 

Shape into small balls and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about six minutes. Cool on wire rack.

 

When room temperature, place cookies in a large ziplock bag into which about a cup of 10x vegan sugar has been placed; turn bag gently to coat cookies with the vegan sugar. Makes about 100 dainty cookies.

 

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If you want to be really authentic, here are some from the website :

 

HARD TACK:

 

Mix one teaspoon of salt with one pound of flour.

Add enough water to make a very stiff dough.

Flatten the dough to about 1/2 inch and cut it into about 4 inch circles. Punch holes in each circle with a fork.

Bake in a flat pan at 250 degrees for two or three hours.

 

DRINKS:

 

Ginger Rum (carribean)

 

Take a big glass jar. Fill it halfway up with fresh ginger, pour white rum to the top and put the lid on. Let it stand for about two weeks and "roll" the jar two times a day. After two weeks the rum turns golden, which means it is ready. Serve straight in small glasses.

 

Glögg (scandinavian, early medieval origin)

 

3 dl of water

1 spoon of cardamom

5 cloves

2 pieces of cinnamonroll

1/2 dl of raisins

10 almonds

1-2 dl of sugar

2 bottles of red wine

4 dl of vodka (brännvin if you´re in Sweden)

2 dl of port

 

Boil the water with spices, raisins and almonds.

let it boil for 5 minutes and then turn off the heat and leave

it for 1/2 an hour. then strain off the spices.

mix the water with the sugar and let the sugar melt.

pour all the alcohol into the water and heat it up.

serve hot in small cups with almonds and raisin at the bottom

perfect for the cold nights on halfdeck.

[SeaSiren]

Thank-you Crash for the wonderful ideas, they are much appreciated!