Finger buffet ideas please

[Barmaid]

I am sure I posted a thread about this in 2009 and there were some great ideas, but I can't find it.

The OH has just asked if I will host a Christmas party. Originally it was about 12 people, now it is more like 20. Some are friends, but some are business contacts so it needs to be reasonably sophisticated. I am thinking "finger buffet".

I've got some ideas but please, I need more!

So far

Mini yorkshires with roast beef and horseradish (hot)
Cucumber discs topped with crispy duck, hoisen sauce and spring onions
Baby tomatoes stuffed with pesto and topped with mozzarella
Mini quiche and/or pizza (hot)
Novelty sausages on sticks with dipping sauce (hot)
Crudites and dips (guacomole, aioli, sour cream and chive).
Mini cheese, onion and rosemary flatbreads

Desert

Mini:

eclairs
mince pies
meringues

I've also got a shed load of spiced apricot chutney that needs using and some beetroot chutney. Not sure what they would go with.

Can anyone think of anything I could do (finger buffet style) that will use a shed load of eggs as well?!

This "party" does come with a caveat. It will not happen unless OH finishes the decorating.........

[jd_here]

Waitrose will save you a heck of a lot of work

[Psybbo]

Creamy mushroom,onion and bacon (dash of whiskey in sauce) filled vol-au-vents

[EcclesCake]

Vietnamese spring rolls with a dipping sauce
Peppadew peppers stuffed with a tuna, caper & anchovy farce
Beetroot chutney and smoked venison on squares of pumpernickel
Cumin spiced chicken skewers with apricot chutney

I'll keep adding as they pop into my head

[JMR27]

Scotch pancakes with smoked salmon, creme fraiche + chives

[Barmaid]

lol jd. Waitrose will, but I actually enjoy cooking. I'm not a great cook but its a hobby nonetheless.

Sibton - those vol au vents sound delicious.

Eccles - fantastic ideas. Not sure about the first two (not confident to make spring rolls) and peppadew peppers sound a bit big. Second two sound fantastic. Although forgive my ignorance, what is pumpernickeL?

Keep em coming, please!

[EcclesCake]

Mackerel pate with horseradish on pumpernickel
Chunks of mozzarella wrapped in prosciutto and blasted in a hot oven with a pesto dip
Chicory leaves with chopped sweet & salty almonds, blue cheese and pear

[JMR27]

Sticky dates with lemon feta and walnuts

[Barmaid]

JMR - of course I'd forgotten how delicious they are. I normally do them with horseradish cream and some finely diced beetroot on top as well as chives. They are definitely going on the list.

[EcclesCake]

The spring rolls are dead easy, just soak rice paper wrappers in water, no cooking of faffing.

The peppadew peppers are the size of a cherry tomatoe.

Pumpernickel is rye bread.

[JMR27]

Easy one - bite-size pieces of halloumi served warm on sticks - add lemon wedges for squeezing on top

[JMR27]

Strawberry tarts
Buy brandy snap baskets and fill with fruits + cream or mousse

[EcclesCake]

Lamb kofta with a tamarind raita
Soup served in shot glasses/espresso cups

[tenrec]

Marshmallows

[nungate]

You could have mini pork pies, suasage rolls etc and some cold meats with your chutney's - you could also have some pickled onions as well. With your eggs how about hard boiling them, skinning some tomatoes and mash them together with some salt and pepper and serve on top of croutons, or blinis?

[Barmaid]

Wow, some fantastic ideas coming through. YOu lot are brilliant - thank you.

Nungate, really liking the idea of the egg/tomato toast type thing. I could get slightly inventive with that!

JMR - love halloumi and that's a great idea. I want the sticky dates thing now! Do you have a recipe, please? Your dessert ideas are lovely - that's where I seem to be lacking right now!

Tenrec - that is a good idea too. Made me think I should get the chocolate fountain out. Hell - it could be fun!

Eccles - thanks for your advice. I'm still not clear on the spring rolls. So I buy rice paper, cook the veg and wrap in the paper and stick in the oven? If it's that easy, that's a dead cert!!!! Liking the idea of soup - what would you recommend?

[redcrx]

heres a simple one, start with an orange and some tin foil............

[jackthehat]

Nooooo.....it's got to be a cottage loaf covered in tin-foil.
A very fetching 'retro' nod to 1970's buffets.

(It used to be my job, that did! :o))

[Barmaid]

lol, I did say "you're getting sausage rolls and cheese with pineapple on sticks" but then saw that I could get something out of this (ie the whole downstairs finished) so I upped my game a bit.

[Eve]

Chilli goes nice with halloumi for a bit of bite to it and maybe some mediterraean sausage.

You could do toast or crispbreads with some pate and the apricot/beetroot chutney on.

I love brandy snap baskets and fruit kebabs always look lovely.

You can use up eggs with quiches and mini egg custards, meringues etc... for dessert. Maybe some hard boiled eggs chopped up in salad. Spanish omelette is good too.

[JMR27]

Hi Barmaid here you go:

Sticky Dates with Lemon Feta and Walnuts

200g Greek feta cheese
grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon and freshly squeezed juice of half the lemon
20 Medjool dates, halved and stoned
100g walnut halves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh mint leaves to serve

Cut the feta into 40 little blocks or mash it, as preferred. Put in a bowl with the lemon zest and juice and add salt to taste. Let stand for 30 minutes, turning occasionally.
Put a block or a small amount of mashed feta at one end of each date half, then add a walnut half to overlap the cheese. Grind a little black pepper over the top and finish with a mint leaf.
Put the finished dates in the freezer for 5 minutes before serving as this intensifies the sweetness of the dates.