slow cooker buffet ideas

74jax

My daughter's 18th is in a local rugby club. We can take our own food.

Can you suggest any hot food ideas when all I'll really have is a slow cooker? DD has said she'd love chilli or Bolognese, which is fine, but can you keep rice, wedges warm in a slow cooker?

She said she recently went to a party where wedges were in a plugged in paella like flat pan....... I have no idea what this, and don't want to buy one to never use again.

I could have use of six slow cookers, so could have a variety of currents items 'on the go'.

Thanks for any suggestions.

PasturesNew

A cheese fondue, or a chocolate fondue.
If I did those, I might get a small ladle in each pot though and provide some small/disposable cups so people can ladle some out and help themselves from plates of things to dip into it.... rather than clogging up the table as people stood by it and dipped.

jackyann

Rice is very difficult to keep warm safely (anyone who has done a food safety course gets told it grows bugs quicker than anything!)

I serve a cold rice salad - which looks lovely (try pomegranite seeds!) and goes fine with nice hot food and is safe.

As a veteran of rugby club kitchens I would only trust the oven to keep warm (unless you get get in well beforehand and get to know it) - many of them have a tendency to burn or not cook at all! But I think you could cook potato wedgies at home, wrap in foil and keep warm in the oven.

I am guessing that an 18th at a rugby club is a place for hearty food rather than delicacies! I'm also guessing there will be a crowd.

If the kitchen is usable and you can cook pasta there on the night, then I would consider that.
Otherwise: garlic bread (again, it will keep warm in the oven)
any of the spicy stews loved by teenagers: curry, bolognaise, a spicy beef stew like bullfighters' stew, a roast vege ratatouille or chick pea stew for the veggies (but do plenty as meat eaters like it!). I would stick to about 3 options and do plenty - for my crowd that would be mild chicken curry, spicy chilli and ratatouille.

Not cheap, but I find a cheese board goes down well (again, fairly basic, not posh!). Anyone who isn't impressed with the main choices can fill up.
Hummus is also a very popular dip - and if you make it from scratch (dead easy) is not expensive.

Keep it simple & have plenty of the basics for all the hungries.

Have a great time!

happilymarried2013

You can pick up hostess Bain Maries for about £40. Useful if you have a lot of buffet style parties at home or serve for large numbers (think HUGE Sunday dinner).

Slow cookers would be brilliant for Chilli - make tacos or burrito style meals with pic and mix toppings, if you've got access to 6 slow cookers you'll be fine. Garlic bread is okay cold/room temp as are wedges. I'd avoid rice.

Veggie chilli in one would be good, fajitas, soup (served in Thermal cups) with mountains of bread and cheese, cold pasta salad as a side.

Pasta you can keep with hot water in the slow cooker - make sure you have a slotted spoon and take the water out. You can cook it like that too.

Oooo.... six slow cookers for a buffet - how exciting!!!

Gigervamp

happilymarried2013 wrote: »

Pasta you can keep with hot water in the slow cooker - make sure you have a slotted spoon and take the water out. You can cook it like that too.

I wouldn't keep pasta in water, it will go mushy. A better option would be to cook the pasta, toss in a little olive oil to coat it, then keep warm in the slow cooker.

The oil will stop it from drying out and/or sticking together.

Wedges could be kept warm in a slow cooker, but they will lose their crispness.

flipper_72

Possibly too young an idea, but hotdogs? The sausages can be reheated in the slowcooker and served with rolls, ketchup, mustard etc.

You can pre-cook jacket potatoes then wrap in foil and keep warm in the slowcooker. Serve with chilli, curry, anything really.

Have fun, I had pie and peas at my 21st, friends loved it

missbiggles1

It might not be a traditional accompaniment to chilli/Bolognese but you could keep mashed potato warm in a slow cooker and actually it goes very well with either (and most other things).

nuatha

Pulled pork works well in a buffet, kept warm in a slow cooker and has the advantage of cold accompaniments (bread buns and coleslaw, although last time I did it most people just had a pile of pulled pork on their plate.
If its soon then a thick soup or broth might go down well (given the current temperatures)