A fancy meal, like revenge, best served cold
July 4, 2015 11:29 AM Subscribe
We are going to see a show in box seats at the Hollywood Bowl, a venue where one can bring a picnic meal as well as wine. We want to have a multi-course (5 courses or more) vegetarian picnic meal as fancy as our surroundings. Any suggestions for dishes? Special snowflake details inside!
Special snowflake details: must be vegetarian. She is allergic to corn and tofu. Must be able to survive transport for a bit over an hour in a cooler bag.
Dishes we've considered so far: gazpacho, stuffed grape leaves, hummus, tabouleh and babaganoush, salad. I feel like there must be lots of other options that we're just forgetting. Ideas?
Special snowflake details: must be vegetarian. She is allergic to corn and tofu. Must be able to survive transport for a bit over an hour in a cooler bag.
Dishes we've considered so far: gazpacho, stuffed grape leaves, hummus, tabouleh and babaganoush, salad. I feel like there must be lots of other options that we're just forgetting. Ideas?
If you want to purchase something, post this on chowhound.com's LA board. There are lots of local restaurants who do Hollywood Bowl picnic boxes -- ranging from inexpensive to very high-end schmancy. And this being LA, there are lots of vegetarian options.
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:42 AM on July 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:42 AM on July 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: We are cooking. We want this to be a meal hand-crafted by us.
posted by rednikki at 11:57 AM on July 4, 2015
posted by rednikki at 11:57 AM on July 4, 2015
Best answer: If I was assembling myself and wanted to do 5 courses, I'd do:
1. Mini cheese plate - a baby brie and a tiny wedge of stilton/bleu, 4 crackers, 8 grapes
2. Tiny mezze platter - hummus, tabbouleh, babaganoush, dolmas, one giant or two small pita.
3. Hyashi chuka (cold ramen) with ingredients of your choice.
4. Strawberry skewers (berry + cube of pound/short/angel food cake on a toothpick, container of sweetened whipped cream cheese OR sweetened condensed milk OR dulce de leche OR cajeta OR chocolate syrup)
5. Brownies
You want two desserts, obviously, because you'll want a little pick-me-up either mid-show or as you're leaving.
To maximize your tiny scrap of table space, pack everything in narrow rectangular containers, one container per course, and don't pack more than two people reasonably need to eat as part of an entire meal.
posted by Lyn Never at 11:59 AM on July 4, 2015 [3 favorites]
1. Mini cheese plate - a baby brie and a tiny wedge of stilton/bleu, 4 crackers, 8 grapes
2. Tiny mezze platter - hummus, tabbouleh, babaganoush, dolmas, one giant or two small pita.
3. Hyashi chuka (cold ramen) with ingredients of your choice.
4. Strawberry skewers (berry + cube of pound/short/angel food cake on a toothpick, container of sweetened whipped cream cheese OR sweetened condensed milk OR dulce de leche OR cajeta OR chocolate syrup)
5. Brownies
You want two desserts, obviously, because you'll want a little pick-me-up either mid-show or as you're leaving.
To maximize your tiny scrap of table space, pack everything in narrow rectangular containers, one container per course, and don't pack more than two people reasonably need to eat as part of an entire meal.
posted by Lyn Never at 11:59 AM on July 4, 2015 [3 favorites]
Al Wazir Chicken on Hollywood and Gower makes the best Hummus in the city. It's like nothing you've ever had before. The pita bread brand they use is really excellent, too.
posted by jbenben at 12:00 PM on July 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by jbenben at 12:00 PM on July 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
If you're looking to be a little fancier, maybe swap out my cheese plate for a tiny quiche or savory souffle. Very good cold/room temp, finger-food-able, fancy.
posted by Lyn Never at 12:00 PM on July 4, 2015
posted by Lyn Never at 12:00 PM on July 4, 2015
Ah, I wasn't sure if you were going tonight for the fireworks. I also wanted to suggest the Hyashi chucka that Lyn Never mentioned, but really any kind of cold Japanese noodle dish with udon or soba will be great, too.
posted by Room 641-A at 12:08 PM on July 4, 2015
posted by Room 641-A at 12:08 PM on July 4, 2015
Best answer: Grilled eggplant/zucchini/red onions (slice thick, hemispherically, helps keep them together)/peppers. Marinate in olive oil and garlic first, maybe a squeeze of lemon. Grill--eggplants like lots of char. Equally delicious hot or cold--throw a splash of olive oil on after cooking.
You could make a vegetaria Shooter's Sandwich. Google a recipe, sub lots of mushrooms for the steak.
Bake a loaf of bread? If you wrap it right out of the oven it should still be warm when you get there.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:09 PM on July 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
You could make a vegetaria Shooter's Sandwich. Google a recipe, sub lots of mushrooms for the steak.
Bake a loaf of bread? If you wrap it right out of the oven it should still be warm when you get there.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:09 PM on July 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I knew I was forgetting something. Make a Spanish Tortilla. Simple, delicious, rich, and meant to be eaten at room temperature.
posted by Room 641-A at 12:17 PM on July 4, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Room 641-A at 12:17 PM on July 4, 2015 [3 favorites]
You could also make your own pickles--there was a thread in the past couple of days about pickle salads and stuff.
(Picnics seem to me to scream for grazing meals of a million nibbly things. Pickles fit right in.)
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:21 PM on July 4, 2015
(Picnics seem to me to scream for grazing meals of a million nibbly things. Pickles fit right in.)
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:21 PM on July 4, 2015
Best answer: Frittata! If eggs fit in your vegetarianism. Ditto profiteroles, savoury or sweet--if savoury, perhaps stuffed with a duxelle or mushroom mousse.
I just saw a recipe for eggplant involtini on ATK today, I think that would translate to room temperature very nicely.
Actually, this is simpler--I am seeing a vegan, we went out for a picnic last week. I made:
- rapini. blanched, then sauteed with diced fresh tomatoes and lots of garlic
- hummus, very lemony and garlicky
- mixed green salad with orange supremes and green onion; vinaigrette was olive oil, white wine vinegar, orange juice, mustard to emulsify
- no-knead bread
- strawberries. Quartered, dusted with sugar, and left in a strainer in the fridge over a bowl for a couple of hours. Then tossed with a little 25 year old balsamic vinegar (I don't usually have it; it was a gift. You can sub either a balsamic reduction or vin cotto for much cheaper) and fresh cracked black pepper
He brought drinks and figs. Spectacular meal if I do say so myself.
You could make a salad of grilled watermelon, feta, and mint. Little bit of balsamic and olive oil to bring it together.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:55 PM on July 4, 2015 [3 favorites]
I just saw a recipe for eggplant involtini on ATK today, I think that would translate to room temperature very nicely.
Actually, this is simpler--I am seeing a vegan, we went out for a picnic last week. I made:
- rapini. blanched, then sauteed with diced fresh tomatoes and lots of garlic
- hummus, very lemony and garlicky
- mixed green salad with orange supremes and green onion; vinaigrette was olive oil, white wine vinegar, orange juice, mustard to emulsify
- no-knead bread
- strawberries. Quartered, dusted with sugar, and left in a strainer in the fridge over a bowl for a couple of hours. Then tossed with a little 25 year old balsamic vinegar (I don't usually have it; it was a gift. You can sub either a balsamic reduction or vin cotto for much cheaper) and fresh cracked black pepper
He brought drinks and figs. Spectacular meal if I do say so myself.
You could make a salad of grilled watermelon, feta, and mint. Little bit of balsamic and olive oil to bring it together.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:55 PM on July 4, 2015 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Vietnamese rice paper rolls with dipping sauce. So cool! So refreshing! So pretty!
Cold fruit soup -- peach? Plum?
Layered parfait made from whipped cream, berries, and Latte Miele cookies, layered overnight so cookies soften.
posted by apparently at 4:18 PM on July 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Cold fruit soup -- peach? Plum?
Layered parfait made from whipped cream, berries, and Latte Miele cookies, layered overnight so cookies soften.
posted by apparently at 4:18 PM on July 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Tomato pie would be a great early course.
I'm also a huge fan of the Brown Butter Coconut Cookies from Smitten Kitchen. They travel pretty well.
I also love summer salads that combine quinoa, lentils or red rice with a bunch of vegetables. Cook summer squash, tomato, peas, green beans, or whatever other vegetables you like, quickly so they are still fresh and have some bite. Toss that with any grain you like (hot or cold). You can also add things like chickpeas, lentils, beans, etc. I also like feta or goat's cheese. Then toss in a simple vinaigrette, tons of fresh herbs, and some lemon. Super delicious, easy to take anywhere, and very summery.
posted by guster4lovers at 4:39 PM on July 4, 2015
I'm also a huge fan of the Brown Butter Coconut Cookies from Smitten Kitchen. They travel pretty well.
I also love summer salads that combine quinoa, lentils or red rice with a bunch of vegetables. Cook summer squash, tomato, peas, green beans, or whatever other vegetables you like, quickly so they are still fresh and have some bite. Toss that with any grain you like (hot or cold). You can also add things like chickpeas, lentils, beans, etc. I also like feta or goat's cheese. Then toss in a simple vinaigrette, tons of fresh herbs, and some lemon. Super delicious, easy to take anywhere, and very summery.
posted by guster4lovers at 4:39 PM on July 4, 2015
Best answer: This is amazing... Strawberry Goat Cheese Bruschetta.
Substitute fresh basil for the thyme, it is a perfect summer course. Assemble on site, everything keeps well separately until you are ready to enjoy.
posted by prettymightyflighty at 6:21 AM on July 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
Substitute fresh basil for the thyme, it is a perfect summer course. Assemble on site, everything keeps well separately until you are ready to enjoy.
posted by prettymightyflighty at 6:21 AM on July 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: What about a fancy pasta salad? Not some gloppy thing with tons of mayo, but something like this (which is so, so, so good). Or when I'm having vegetarians over for dinner, I like to roast veggies (eggplant, summer squash, and garlic cloves are my standbys) and then toss them with short pasta (like penne), olive oil, capers, and fresh grated parmesan. Very summery and, if you use good ingredients, really delicious. It would probably be even better with grilled veggies.
posted by lunasol at 1:12 PM on July 5, 2015
posted by lunasol at 1:12 PM on July 5, 2015
Best answer: Or! Other Ottolenghi recipe: potato salad with pesto (you might want to skip the eggs though, that could get messy in a picnic).
posted by lunasol at 1:14 PM on July 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by lunasol at 1:14 PM on July 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. It was difficult to narrow down. There are a lot of recipes that we didn't use for this outing but that we'll be trying out soon.
OK, here's what we went with:
Cheese plate with (home-) roasted filberts and brazil nuts, and dried apricots
Strawberry bruschetta with goat cheese
Green salad
Watermelon gazpacho with basil oil
Sandwiches of roasted yellow peppers and red onions, cucumber, tomato, basil and mozzarella with olive tapenade spread on fancy bread
Pesto potato salad (minus the quail eggs)
Dessert was going to be the browned-butter coconut cookies but I ran out of time. We didn't have room for dessert anyway, so that was OK. I made those today since I had already browned the butter. They are fantastic!
Dinner was accompanied by Minimus Wines' "153 Days" orange wine (not made with oranges, it's white wine left on the skins which imparts an orange color) and sparkling water.
The concert was lovely, the orchestra sounded great, and the witty and charming Bramwell Tovey conducted which is always a treat.
Afterward the governor declared our kitchen a disaster area, so hopefully the assistance will come through soon for that.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 1:50 PM on July 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
OK, here's what we went with:
Cheese plate with (home-) roasted filberts and brazil nuts, and dried apricots
Strawberry bruschetta with goat cheese
Green salad
Watermelon gazpacho with basil oil
Sandwiches of roasted yellow peppers and red onions, cucumber, tomato, basil and mozzarella with olive tapenade spread on fancy bread
Pesto potato salad (minus the quail eggs)
Dessert was going to be the browned-butter coconut cookies but I ran out of time. We didn't have room for dessert anyway, so that was OK. I made those today since I had already browned the butter. They are fantastic!
Dinner was accompanied by Minimus Wines' "153 Days" orange wine (not made with oranges, it's white wine left on the skins which imparts an orange color) and sparkling water.
The concert was lovely, the orchestra sounded great, and the witty and charming Bramwell Tovey conducted which is always a treat.
Afterward the governor declared our kitchen a disaster area, so hopefully the assistance will come through soon for that.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 1:50 PM on July 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
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posted by Room 641-A at 11:33 AM on July 4, 2015