An Autumn Dinner Party - Siannie Moodie
As students we often eat out too much, or are half poisoned by hall food and have put on a stone or two due to late night Empire visits. How to solve this problem? Healthy meals, cooked by ourselves! It is honesty not that hard, and also far cheaper than eating out. And what better way than hosting a dinner party? It’s a brilliant way of bringing people together, and they can be great fun to organize. Whilst the days get shorter and colder, a cosy Autumn themed dinner party would be lovely. The vegetables that are in season just now are perfect for a homely feel, plus they are cheap and healthy!
During the party its important to have good decorations and relaxing music such as Mumford and Sons or Blackum Filose. With the following recipies the dinner party will be sure to go with a swing.
Starter: Pumpkin Soup
A warming way to start of the evening. Pumpkin lends itself to this dish with its subtle flavour and creamy texture.
2 cloves of garlic
1 large onion
large pumpkin (around 600g)
2 potatoes,
2 tsp of cumin
rosemary
stock cube
salt
olive oil.
De-seed the pumpkin, then cut into chunks and place in the oven with salt, sprigs of rosemary and a dash of olive oil. Meanwhile heat olive oil, garlic and thinly sliced onion in a large pan. Make up a stock cube in 850 mls boiling water and add to the pan. When the pumpkin has begun to turn golden brown, add the thinly sliced potato and the cumin. Simmer for 15-20 minutes then puree the soup and thin with a little water or milk (or soya milk if vegan) if necessary. Serve with slices of crusty brown bread and a dollop of fat free yoghurt.
This can be made a day or a week in advance, though it is recommend to do it earlier to save on stress levels!
Second: Roasted autumn vegetable tart with cherry tomatoes and goats cheese
For those on a tight budget sustitute cheddar cheese!
2 courgettes
1 large aubergine
2 leeks
cherry tomatoes
goats cheese
rosemary
watercress
puff pastry (readymade in Tescos!)
salt, garlic and olive oil
Roast the vegetables (bar cherry tomatoes) with salt, garlic, rosemary and olive oil until golden brown. Roast veg. always feels so autumnal! Then roll out puff pastry and cut into squares, larger ones if everyones going to be ravenous. Prick with a fork and then put in the oven for about 5 mins. Take them out, pile high with roast veg and a slice of goats cheese and a few cherry tomatoes, then back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until the goats cheese has melted over and the puff pastry is fully puffed and golden. Serve alongside some watercress, with just a squeeze of lemon to lighten the meal.
This can be prepared in advance (e.g. the roast veg) but it is best to have the tarts right out of the oven before serving.
Pudding: Autumn pancakes with fruit salad
A lighter pudding seems necessary after this huge meal! For this buy a variety of fruit, suggestions (eg apples, brambles, pears, plums). Wash and prepare any combination of the fruit, stew gently in water and sugar until soft but still retaining their shape then place on top of a crepe/pancake. Over this drizzle a bramble sauce. This is made using a packet of brambles, stewed with apple juice, sugar and mixed spice in a saucepan for 5-10 minutes then blended together. To serve, cut the crepes with different shaped cutters (such as hearts and stars, there are some funky ones in “Pots and Pans”), pile on the fruit, drizzle the bramble sauce over and top with a sprig of mint.
For the grand finale: oatcakes, grapes and cheeses
Smoked Abraham from St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese Company is recommended with good wine. End the evening with a lovely walk on West Sands with your friends!
As students we often eat out too much, or are half poisoned by hall food and have put on a stone or two due to late night Empire visits. How to solve this problem? Healthy meals, cooked by ourselves! It is honesty not that hard, and also far cheaper than eating out. And what better way than hosting a dinner party? It’s a brilliant way of bringing people together, and they can be great fun to organize. Whilst the days get shorter and colder, a cosy Autumn themed dinner party would be lovely. The vegetables that are in season just now are perfect for a homely feel, plus they are cheap and healthy!
During the party its important to have good decorations and relaxing music such as Mumford and Sons or Blackum Filose. With the following recipies the dinner party will be sure to go with a swing.
Starter: Pumpkin Soup
A warming way to start of the evening. Pumpkin lends itself to this dish with its subtle flavour and creamy texture.
2 cloves of garlic
1 large onion
large pumpkin (around 600g)
2 potatoes,
2 tsp of cumin
rosemary
stock cube
salt
olive oil.
De-seed the pumpkin, then cut into chunks and place in the oven with salt, sprigs of rosemary and a dash of olive oil. Meanwhile heat olive oil, garlic and thinly sliced onion in a large pan. Make up a stock cube in 850 mls boiling water and add to the pan. When the pumpkin has begun to turn golden brown, add the thinly sliced potato and the cumin. Simmer for 15-20 minutes then puree the soup and thin with a little water or milk (or soya milk if vegan) if necessary. Serve with slices of crusty brown bread and a dollop of fat free yoghurt.
This can be made a day or a week in advance, though it is recommend to do it earlier to save on stress levels!
Second: Roasted autumn vegetable tart with cherry tomatoes and goats cheese
For those on a tight budget sustitute cheddar cheese!
2 courgettes
1 large aubergine
2 leeks
cherry tomatoes
goats cheese
rosemary
watercress
puff pastry (readymade in Tescos!)
salt, garlic and olive oil
Roast the vegetables (bar cherry tomatoes) with salt, garlic, rosemary and olive oil until golden brown. Roast veg. always feels so autumnal! Then roll out puff pastry and cut into squares, larger ones if everyones going to be ravenous. Prick with a fork and then put in the oven for about 5 mins. Take them out, pile high with roast veg and a slice of goats cheese and a few cherry tomatoes, then back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until the goats cheese has melted over and the puff pastry is fully puffed and golden. Serve alongside some watercress, with just a squeeze of lemon to lighten the meal.
This can be prepared in advance (e.g. the roast veg) but it is best to have the tarts right out of the oven before serving.
Pudding: Autumn pancakes with fruit salad
A lighter pudding seems necessary after this huge meal! For this buy a variety of fruit, suggestions (eg apples, brambles, pears, plums). Wash and prepare any combination of the fruit, stew gently in water and sugar until soft but still retaining their shape then place on top of a crepe/pancake. Over this drizzle a bramble sauce. This is made using a packet of brambles, stewed with apple juice, sugar and mixed spice in a saucepan for 5-10 minutes then blended together. To serve, cut the crepes with different shaped cutters (such as hearts and stars, there are some funky ones in “Pots and Pans”), pile on the fruit, drizzle the bramble sauce over and top with a sprig of mint.
For the grand finale: oatcakes, grapes and cheeses
Smoked Abraham from St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese Company is recommended with good wine. End the evening with a lovely walk on West Sands with your friends!