Please help with Caribbean cook ahead recipes to serve 50!

GIRLPOWER_2

Hello,

I have, in a moment of madness decided to do a 'at home' 40th birthday party for my husband next Friday with an expected 50 guests.

I can only get next Wednesday off work and on the Friday will land home about 90 minutes before the guests arrive.

The invites have gone out 'Caribbean Theme - Wear a grass skirt'

Plan is -

Caribbean style food
Limbo Competition
Rum punch
Bob Marly style music

I can decorate the house (with what yet I have no idea) on the Thursday night, the problem I have is what food to do considering I have to purchase, prepare and cook on the Wednesday.

I have access to 2 x 6 ltr slowcookers, double oven, microwave and gas bbq.

Any suggestions gratefully received including a recipe for the punch.

Thank you
Nikki

Penelope_Penguin

GIRLPOWER wrote: »

I can decorate the house (with what yet I have no idea) on the Thursday night, the problem I have is what food to do considering I have to purchase, prepare and cook on the Wednesday.

Lots of recipe ideas in this thread (I'll merge this one later).

My Barbadian friends do a mean barbeque - how about making a marinade on Wed and putting chicken and ribs in to soak on Friday before you go to work?

Alternatively, you could spit roast a whole goat :T

Happy Birthday to your OH :beer:

GIRLPOWER_2

Thanks PP, Can you let me have a link to the thread please.

And if you could leave this one for a few days before merging that would be fab.

Penelope_Penguin

GIRLPOWER wrote: »

Thanks PP, Can you let me have a link to the thread please.

Sorry - got distracted by DS Post above edited for the link.

thriftmonster

Rice and peas - as an accompaniment might work - it's rice with blackeyed beans and could be cooked in advance, stored in the fridge (before all the food police descend with warnings about reheating rice) and then nuked till scalding on the day.

rachbc

loads of chicken drumsticks or wings in a jerk marinade (walkerswood brand is fab)- leave to marinade on thurs eve and whack in a hot oven/bbq when you get back from work. Pepper pot stew done in the slow cookers would improve with a couple of days in the fridge and warm up well.

Macaroni pie (http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art30484.asp) and rice and peas to fill people up and soak up the punch. I'd make the mac pie on the wed but do the rice on fri - maybe measure it all out and have it ready togo - will only take 20 mins to cook one you get in.

Aren't grass skirts more hawaiin than caribbean though...

GIRLPOWER_2

What a good idea. Thank you.

I'm now thinking -

Jerk Chicken
Slow cooked bbq ribs
beef curry
rice and beans
Some sort of bread?????

BBQ bananas

Rum punch

Any suggestions on when to cook them?

rachbc

is you want bread type stuff then roti (flatbread) or fried dumplings are the way to go

GIRLPOWER_2

rachbc wrote: »

Macaroni pie (http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art30484.asp) and rice and peas to fill people up and soak up the punch. I'd make the mac pie on the wed but do the rice on fri - maybe measure it all out and have it ready togo - will only take 20 mins to cook one you get in.

Aren't grass skirts more hawaiin than caribbean though...

I love the sound of the macaroni Pie - would you cook this completely on Wednesday and just reheat on Friday? This would be great for veggies as well.

GIRLPOWER_2

Im going to give the fried dumplings a test run but they sound great. Would the dough sort in the fridge for 2 days?

rachbc

I'd make the whole think on wed but you could cook the paste, greate the cheese etc and have it ready to assemble - its so much easier and tasier than mac cheese!

Not sure on the dumpling dough tbh, maybe save a bit when you do your test run and asee - I love fried dumplings and may just have to drive accross town and get some for my lunch now!