COOK for a Crowd: A little guide to stress-free entertaining

COOK for a Crowd A little guide to stress-free entertaining

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TOP TIPS Dinner Party

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Decide your main course first: meat, fish, chicken, vegetarian… Do you want to serve at the table or from the kitchen? Make a decision then figure out everything else.

Go cold with the starter: it means you can prepare it in advance. Our handmade pâtés do the trick. (Or just go with drinks and canapés instead of a formal starter – see p10).

Ceramic dishes: these fit our four portion

meals perfectly and you can bring them to the table to serve (shhh, mum’s the word).

Drinks Party

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Serve a mix of hot and cold canapés

You can prepare all the cold ones half an hour in advance and it means you don’t need to be constantly checking the oven.

Sweet canapés towards the end of the night always go down well. Cut up our

traybakes into bite-sized pieces and arrange them on a board (see p10).

Recruit your offspring – this is age/behaviour

dependent but your kids can make ideal (and very cheap) waiting staff. Alternatively, find a couple of presentable local teens.

Serving plates make all the difference:

natural wood or slate is our preference (and you can usually pick up decent ones for a few pounds at the cheaper homeware stores).

(from years of using COOK to entertain)

Feeding a Crowd

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Heating casseroles on the hob: it’s a

simple way to feed a big group. Defrost them first overnight and add a splash of water at the start to prevent drying out. Cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes or until piping hot.

If you’re cooking multiple lasagnes or pies in the oven, rotate them half way through to make sure they all cook evenly (you'll need to add at least 10 minutes to the cooking time, to account for the oven being full).

Small freezer? Fear not, it’s fine to let most of our dishes defrost in the fridge before cooking as long as you eat within 48 hours (check the instructions).

Buffet

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Set aside enough fridge space for defrosting. Put large salads in the fridge

overnight and take them out in the morning to bring them down to room temperature (and give them a really good stir before serving).

Little hand-written blackboards or cards resting by each dish is a lovely homemade touch that helps everyone figure out what’s what.

Prepare your puddings in advance:

remove them from their packaging while still frozen and onto the dishes you’ll be serving them on. Decorate with a few fresh berries. Defrost in the fridge and bring them out about half an hour before serving (unless it’s really hot, when 15 minutes or less will do).

Plan ahead: Get a Home Delivery or Click & Collect

at www.cookfood.net

Hello,

THE

BIG

I do like a party. At COOK, we have partied hard on your behalf (all the photos are from various COOK bashes).

Real parties, real dancing with real headaches the next day. Of course, we always do the cooking ourselves.

It means we can suggest lots of triedand-tested ideas for hosting family or friends without causing yourself a nervous breakdown.

You can use our food for an intimate dinner or for feeding the masses. The more people you’re catering for, the more you have to factor in things like fridge and oven space.

We do the COOKing, you do the inviting.

Seems like a good deal.

• What type of bash? •

Have fun,

Edward, COOK Co-founder

QUESTIONS • How many people? •

Formal – casual – standing – buffet…we can help with pretty much anything (we’ve provided food for plenty of weddings over the years). We can do as much or as little as you like – and doing nothing doesn’t make you a bad person, just a brilliant host.

• Special diets? •

Ask our shop staff or browse cookfood.net for vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free options.

We can also help you avoid particular ingredients.

A COOK beginner? Here are the essentials: We cook using the same ingredients and techniques you would at home, so everything looks and tastes homemade.

All our food is blast frozen to lock in flavour (and you buy it frozen).

Hot, savoury dishes can be cooked from frozen (also from defrosted).

Cold dishes need defrosting in the fridge (check the label).

Email edwardanddale@cookfood.net or call our Customer Care Team on 01732 759010 The COOK Kitchen • Sittingbourne • Kent • ME10 3HH www.cookfood.net facebook.com/thecookkitchen @thecookkitchen

This little logo means we believe in business as a f orce for good in society.

Find out more at 3 cookfood.net/bcorp

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FOR 8

DINNER PARTY

Give yourself time to enjoy your guests’ company rather than being chained to the kitchen. We’ve prepared everything using the same ingredients and techniques you would at home so it will look and taste like you’ve made it yourself (and we won’t tell if you won’t)…

Beef Bourguignon Creamy Mash

Chocolate & Raspberry Roulade

: To serve 8

£7.28 per head

just add cavolo nero

Slow-Cooked Lamb Shanks Dauphinoise Potatoes Individual Lemon Tarts

: To serve 8

£9.99 per head just add kale

Sea Bream with Mediterranean-Style Vegetables Mango & Passion Fruit Cheesecake

To serve 8: £5.98 per head just add rocket salad & olive breadsticks

Moroccan Spiced Harissa Chicken Minted Couscous Chocolate & Almond Torte

To serve 8:

£5.98 per head

just add flatbread, yoghurt, & pomegranate seeds

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When your guests number 10 or more, cooking turns into catering. With our food you can pull off a miraculous meal for the multitudes without breaking a sweat.

Menu 1 Indian Feast

Chicken Korma Lamb Dupiaza

Roasted Vegetable & Chickpea Curry Bombay Potatoes Gobi Curry du Plain Naan Brea en

Just add

M

3.2kg basmati rice

FE E DS

1

40

£182.38 (£4.56 per head)

Big Puddings for Big Occasions

Menu 2 Slow-Cooked Casseroles Defrost our casseroles, decant into a big pot, add a splash of water and heat until piping hot. The easiest way to cater for a crowd.

FE ED S

20

£89.25

(£4.46 per head)

Chicken Dijon Plain Basmati Rice Just add tenderstem broccoli

Menu 3 Lasagne Lovers Certain to please all ages.

Cook in our ceramic dishes and rotate halfway through (add 5 to 10 minutes to the cooking time too).

More ideas:

Coq au Vin, Pork Dijon, Beef Bourguignon, Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Alexander

FE E DS

16

£65.76

(£4.11 per head)

Lasagne Al Forno Garlic Ciabatta Just add salad

Want veggie options?

Just ask in store or browse cookfood.net

Menu 4 Posh Pies

A big, plump, golden pie looks spectacular and each one serves six.

Steak, Mushroom & Merlot Pie

FE E DS

12

£60

(£5 per head)

Peas & Leeks with a Lemon & Herb Butter Just add boiled new potatoes

Buy The Menus

All the details and prices of featured menus 7 are on the roll out at the back

A sumptuous spread can be a thing of beauty. It can also be a big headache. Here’s our stress-free version.

Raspberry Pavlova

Chocolate Truffle Torte

Coronation Chicken

Lebanese Salad Roasted Pepper & Goat’s Cheese Quiche

Lemon Cheesecake

Sensational Sausage Rolls Quiche Lorraine

Roast Salmon Pâté Chicken Liver Pâté

£168.77 £6.75 per head

Buffet for 25

Honey-Roasted Gammon Studded with Cloves

Quiche Lorraine Roasted Pepper & Goat’s Cheese Quiche Roasted Salmon & Dill Tart Lebanese Salad (large) Coronation Chicken (large)

) Sensational Sausage Rolls (2 packs Roast Salmon Pâté Chicken Liver Pâté

Chocolate Truffle Torte Raspberry Pavlova Lemon Cheesecake

Just add

new potatoes, green salad & french bread

Roasted Salmon & Dill Tart

Honey-Roasted Gammon Studded with Cloves

£70.50

Buffet for 12

£5.88 per head

Side of Salmon with Cherry Tomatoes & Red Pesto Beetroot & Feta Tart Edamame Bean Salad (medium) Lebanese Salad (medium) Eton Mess Chocolate & Salted Caramel Pavlova

Just add

green salad & new potatoes

Salads & Gammon Don’t forget defrost times!

S QUICHE

£17.95

Roasted Pepper & Goat’s Cheese Quiche

TARTS

£10.00

French Onion Tart

Beetroot & Feta Tart Quiche Lorraine Quiches Best cooked from defrosted.

Serve hot or cold.

Roasted Salmon & Dill Tart

SALADS

Medium from £8.50 Large from £16.95 Lebanese Salad

Side of Salmon with Cherry Tomatoes & Red Pesto £20.00

COOK Slaw

Coronation Chicken Edamame Bean Salad

s? ion t p ie o or

g re et veg in-sto ood.n t k f s k an W Just a e coo Medium serves 8 / Large serves 16

ws bro

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To help your bash go with a swing, we’ve got a great selection of time-saving party food.

DRINKS PARTY FOR 12

2 hours of canapés = 144 canapés needed

Smoked Salmon

£80.88 & Dill Filo Canapés 4 £6.7ad

x 3 packs

per he

Tomato Basil & Mozzarella Crostini Canapés x 3 packs

Perfect Party Nibbles Sensational Sausage Rolls £5.99

Mini Mac Cheese Canapés x 3 packs

Goat's Cheese & Red Onion Marmalade Muffin Canapés x 3 packs

French Onion Tart £10.00

DRINKS PARTY

D.I.Y

FOR 20

Our handmade pâtés are little pots of wonderment from which 2 hours of canapés = 240 canapés needed you can conjure up delicious canapés. Just spread on crackers and Smoked Salmon & garnish with a teaspoon of chutney and fresh herbs. Each pot of £119.89 3 Dill Filo Canapés pâté will make about 30 canapés. £5.9 x 3 packs

per head

napés

Savoury Ca

Sweet Canapés

Tomato, Basil & Mozzarella Crostini Canapés x 3 packs

Mini Mac Cheese Canapés x 3 packs

Traybakes from £3.99 Pâtés £4.99 each Chicken Liver Roast Salmon Smoked Mackerel

Goat's Cheese & Red Onion Marmalade Muffin Canapés x 3 packs

Little Quiche Lorraine Canapés x 3 packs

D.I.Y

Chicken Liver Pâté with 1 x bag of

Mini Crispbread Crackers (makes 30 canapés)

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Large Belgian Chocolate Brownie (cut into 30 small squares)

Canapés

A perfect little canapé shows you care.

All of ours are prepared by hand, come in packs of 12 and cook from frozen in 20 minutes or less.

Goat’s Cheese & Red Onion Marmalade Muffins £6.99

Goat’s Cheese & Tomato Chutney Filo £6.99

Mini Mac Cheese £6.99

Little Quiche Lorraines £6.99

Tomato, Basil & Mozzarella Crostini £5.99

The Canapé Calculator: Pre-dinner:

4 per person per hour

Drinks Party:

6 per person per hour

Smoked Salmon & Dill Filo £6.99

BUY THE MENU

Lasagne Lovers

All the details of the products in the featured menus are listed below. There are plenty more options. Pick up our full menu, browse cookfood.net or ask a member of staff for ideas.

Feeding a Crowd

Dinner Party for 8 Beef Bourguignon x2 17.95 (4pt)

Chicken Korma 6.99 (2pt)

Lamb Dupiaza x7 9.95 (2pt)

Chocolate & Raspberry 12.50 (8-10pt) Roulade

Roasted Vegetable x4 & Chickpea Curry 5.95 (2pt)

Total: £58.20 Menu 2 Slow-Cooked Lamb Shanks 12.99 (2pt) x4 Dauphinoise Potatoes x4 2.99 (2pt) Individual Lemon x4 Tarts 3.99 (2pt)

Total: £79.88 Menu 3 Sea Bream with Mediterranean-Style Vegetables x2 19.95 (4pt) Mango & Passion Fruit Cheesecake 7.95 (6-8pt)

Total: £47.85 Menu 4 Moroccan Spiced Harissa Chicken x2 13.95 (4pt) Minted Couscous x4 2.99 (2pt) Chocolate & Almond Torte 7.95 (6-8pt)

Total: £47.81

Chicken Dijon

x7

x4

Creamy Mash 2.45 (2pt)

12

Slow-Cooked Casseroles for 20

Indian Feast for 40

Menu 1

Plain Basmati Rice 1.95 (2pt)

x10

Total: £89.25 Lasagne Lovers for 16

Bombay Potatoes x5 2.50 (2pt) Gobi Curry 2.50 (2pt)

13.95 (4pt) x5

Lasagne al Forno 13.95 (4pt) x4 Garlic Ciabatta

x5

2.49 x4

Total: £65.76

Plain Naan Bread x10 1.50 (2 naans)

Posh Pies for 12

Total: £182.38

Steak, Mushroom & Merlot Pie 22.50 (6pt)

For more menu ideas browse cookfood.net

x2

Peas & Leeks with a Lemon & Herb Butter x6 2.50 (2pt)

Total: £60.00

Big Puddings for Big Occasions Find all of our puddings in-store or

online at cookfood.net/puddings

Chocolate & Raspberry Roulade 12.50 (8-10pt)

Chocolate Truffle Torte 15.00 (10-12pt) Lemon Cheesecake 15.00 (10-12pt)

Chocolate Roulade 12.50 (8-10pt)

White Chocolate & Raspberry Cheesecake 15.00 (10-12pt)

Chocolate & Salted Caramel Pavlova 12.50 (8-10pt) Raspberry Pavlova 12.50 (8-10pt) Apple Crumble Tart 15.00 (10pt) Portion sizes are in brackets Microwaveable

Elderflower & Strawberry Cheesecake 15.00 (10-12pt)

Vegetarian

Must be microwaved ‘Warm me up’ spicy

Eton Mess 11.00 (6-8pt) Lemon Meringue Pie 8.50 (6-8pt) Gluten Free

Dairy Free

2013/2014 Great Taste Award Winners Nice and spicy

BUY THE MENU

All the details of the products in the featured menus are listed below. There are plenty more options. Pick up our full menu, browse cookfood.net or ask a member of staff for ideas.

Great British Buffet

Buffet for 12

Buffet for 25

Side of Salmon with Cherry Tomatoes & Red Pesto 20.00

Honey-Roasted Gammon Studded with Cloves from 27.50 (price based on weight)

Beetroot & Feta Tart 10.00

Quiche Lorraine 17.95

Medium Edamame Bean Salad 8.50

Roasted Pepper & Goat’s Cheese Quiche 17.95

Medium Lebanese Salad 8.50 Eton Mess

11.00

Chocolate & Salted Caramel Pavlova 12.50

Total: £70.50

Roasted Salmon & Dill Tart 10.00 Large Lebanese Salad 16.95

Large Coronation Chicken 19.95 Sensational Sausage x2 Rolls 5.99 Chicken Liver Pâté

4.99

Roast Salmon Pâté

4.99

Chocolate Truffle Torte 15.00 Raspberry Pavlova 12.50 Lemon Cheesecake 15.00

Total: £168.77

Drinks Party

Drinks Party for 12

Drinks Party for 20

Smoked Salmon & Dill x3 Filo Canapés 6.99 (12 per pack)

Smoked Salmon & Dill x3 Filo Canapés 6.99 (12 per pack)

Tomato, Basil & Mozzarella Crostini Canapés x3 5.99 (12 per pack)

Tomato, Basil & Mozzarella Crostini Canapés x3 5.99 (12 per pack)

Mini Mac Cheese x3 Canapés 6.99 (12 per pack)

Mini Mac Cheese x3 Canapés 6.99 (12 per pack)

Mini Crispbread Crackers 2.99 (makes 30 canapés with pâté)

Goat’s Cheese & Red Onion Marmalade Muffin Canapés x3 6.99 (12 per pack)

Little Quiche Lorraine Canapés 6.99 (12 per pack) x3

Large Belgian Chocolate Brownie 10.00

Total: £80.88

Goat’s Cheese & Red Onion Marmalade Muffin Canapés x3 6.99 (12 per pack) Chicken Liver Pâté

4.99

(makes 30 canapés)

Total: £119.83

More Ideas...

NOW Pick up our full menu in-store or browse cookfood.net

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“The food was fantastic and the guests all loved it. If we’d bought the ingredients individually it would have cost almost the same so we saved ourselves so much time.

Thank you COOK!” Max, Winchester

Eton Mess Lemon Meringue Pie Chocolate Truffle Torte

Strawberry & Elderflower Cheesecake

Billionaire’s Shortbread Chocolate & Raspberry Roulade Passion Fruit Tart

BIG Puddings for BIG Occasions

Find all of our puddings in-store or online at cookfood.net/puddings

Your local COOK shop:

OUR FOUNDING STATEMENT To COOK using the same ingredients and techniques you would at home, so everything looks and tastes homemade. Today, nothing’s changed.

Edward & Dale, founders

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The COOK Kitchen • Sittingbourne • Kent • ME10 3HH 01732 759010 • edwardanddale@cookfood.net