Winter wonderland white party food
November 22, 2022 12:49 PM Subscribe
Trying to come up with white-ish food for a winter wonderland party I'm hosting. I have good ideas for the desserts/sweets, but it is really hard to come up with savory dishes. I would love to have suggestions for appetizers, snacks, and main dishes.
Thanks for any help!
White chili; it's got most of the flavour profile of classic chili, but is based around white beans and chicken/turkey.
posted by Superilla at 12:59 PM on November 22, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by Superilla at 12:59 PM on November 22, 2022 [5 favorites]
White chicken chili, cooked in the Instant Pot so you can keep it warm and serve from there.
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 1:00 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 1:00 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Mashed potato bar! Offer different white toppings for people to choose from. White cheeses, sour cream, horseradish, aioli..
Ooh and rosemary garlic white beans are delicious. Serve with grilled toast made from good quality white bread.
I also love coconut crab salad served in baby endive leaves.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 1:02 PM on November 22, 2022 [6 favorites]
Ooh and rosemary garlic white beans are delicious. Serve with grilled toast made from good quality white bread.
I also love coconut crab salad served in baby endive leaves.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 1:02 PM on November 22, 2022 [6 favorites]
Slightly fancier than mac and cheese: fettuccine with this cauliflower Alfredo sauce.
If you don't brown them too much, these Irish potato cakes.
There are many recipes for white bean hummus and dips online - spread on crackers or pieces of baguettes.
posted by FencingGal at 1:13 PM on November 22, 2022 [6 favorites]
If you don't brown them too much, these Irish potato cakes.
There are many recipes for white bean hummus and dips online - spread on crackers or pieces of baguettes.
posted by FencingGal at 1:13 PM on November 22, 2022 [6 favorites]
Best answer: brie
baked brie
brie en croute
with sliced pears maybe
posted by phunniemee at 1:15 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
baked brie
brie en croute
with sliced pears maybe
posted by phunniemee at 1:15 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
Chicken and white bean burritos.
posted by spinifex23 at 1:16 PM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by spinifex23 at 1:16 PM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
Make congee! And then you can have little pieces of green onion and ginger as toppings and also maybe like grass pushing through snow.
posted by crossswords at 1:23 PM on November 22, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by crossswords at 1:23 PM on November 22, 2022 [6 favorites]
You could also put out bowls of popcorn.
posted by FencingGal at 1:25 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by FencingGal at 1:25 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
Alabama-style white BBQ sauce.
For a not-very-wintry treat, mix it with some shredded chicken, stick it on a bun, and top with quacks like a duck's white coleslaw for BBQ sammiches.
posted by box at 1:50 PM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
For a not-very-wintry treat, mix it with some shredded chicken, stick it on a bun, and top with quacks like a duck's white coleslaw for BBQ sammiches.
posted by box at 1:50 PM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
White-ish: Swedish meatballs with cream gravy?
posted by superna at 2:06 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by superna at 2:06 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
Brandade is relatively easy to put together and very luxurious tasting.
posted by backseatpilot at 2:08 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by backseatpilot at 2:08 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
Scallops
posted by chocolatepeanutbuttercup at 2:20 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by chocolatepeanutbuttercup at 2:20 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
Cheesy Grits with white cheese. Make grits; stir in gobs of cheese.
White fish
Pasta with alfredo sauce
Scalloped potatoes
posted by theora55 at 2:47 PM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
White fish
Pasta with alfredo sauce
Scalloped potatoes
posted by theora55 at 2:47 PM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
white asparagus as a non-starch vegetable, maybe blanched on a crudite platter with other pale veggies (white carrots, jicama, cauliflower) with a couple different white dips; white bean hummus, garlic aioli, garlic lemon yogurt, etc
posted by JuliaIglesias at 2:57 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by JuliaIglesias at 2:57 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
is fondue too much overhead? (Or, under-heat, I guess?)
posted by adekllny at 2:57 PM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by adekllny at 2:57 PM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
Salad of shaved fennel, shaved white mushrooms and shaved parmigiano reggiano with olive oil and lemon. It is delicious.
posted by HotToddy at 3:02 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by HotToddy at 3:02 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Snowy fried chicken
Yin Yang fried rice, with just the seafood sauce
posted by porpoise at 3:28 PM on November 22, 2022
Yin Yang fried rice, with just the seafood sauce
posted by porpoise at 3:28 PM on November 22, 2022
pizza bianca
vareniki or other similar dumplings
ajo blanco (almond soup), or vichyssoise.
calamari salad
salt baked whole fish (at least while it's crusted)
Anything smothered in bechamel.
gefilte fish 😉 (or smoked whitefish, remove the skin if it's too colorful).
posted by snuffleupagus at 3:48 PM on November 22, 2022 [3 favorites]
vareniki or other similar dumplings
ajo blanco (almond soup), or vichyssoise.
calamari salad
salt baked whole fish (at least while it's crusted)
Anything smothered in bechamel.
gefilte fish 😉 (or smoked whitefish, remove the skin if it's too colorful).
posted by snuffleupagus at 3:48 PM on November 22, 2022 [3 favorites]
Scalloped potatoes.
Au gratin potatoes with white cheese.
posted by jgirl at 3:52 PM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
Au gratin potatoes with white cheese.
posted by jgirl at 3:52 PM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
In no particular order...
Scallops (or vegan scallops in the form of king oyster mushroom stems) with a white sauce/garnish
Braised daikon radish
Pickled Korean radish (a nice palate cleanser)
A multitude of potential dips made with cream cheese, sour cream, or yogurt - personally I'd probably try to go for a whitefish salad to go with bagel chips but the possibilities are vast. I've also been eyeing crab rangoon dips this season as potentially retro-chic but that might have too much color to it
Goat cheese truffles; sweet or savory, you could roll them in whatever made sense and looked appropriate. Maybe sesame seeds? Coconut? Etc.
Dumplings - any filling, any cuisine, as long as they are stuffed with something delicious. I would probably go with a potato and cheese pierogi with some kind of white sauce, but there's also a place for steamed dumplings of various types/.
I feel like har gow or cheung fung/ha cheung/"crepes" could be nice if you are good at making your own dim sum.
Deviled eggs with a white filling in place of the egg yolk - think back to the dips and maybe whip up some cream cheese + whatever you want to add, spice or mix-in wise. Or a white bean hummus if it's white enough against the egg.
Marinated mini mozzarella balls or goat cheese
Burrata on an intensely flavored toast, maybe with some sort of tomato or herb hidden under the cheese
Anything parsnip
White chowder, perhaps offered in small amounts like a shot glass
Savory meringues, either egg or aquafaba; I bet these could be great with some sort of Parmesean
Weisswurst
Tea sandwiches utilizing a white (colored) bread and a white filling. Egg salad using only whites, the aforementioned whitefish spread, a whipped Boursin, etc. This could be lovely with a milk bread or a crusty white loaf, once de-crusted
posted by daikaisho at 4:40 PM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
Scallops (or vegan scallops in the form of king oyster mushroom stems) with a white sauce/garnish
Braised daikon radish
Pickled Korean radish (a nice palate cleanser)
A multitude of potential dips made with cream cheese, sour cream, or yogurt - personally I'd probably try to go for a whitefish salad to go with bagel chips but the possibilities are vast. I've also been eyeing crab rangoon dips this season as potentially retro-chic but that might have too much color to it
Goat cheese truffles; sweet or savory, you could roll them in whatever made sense and looked appropriate. Maybe sesame seeds? Coconut? Etc.
Dumplings - any filling, any cuisine, as long as they are stuffed with something delicious. I would probably go with a potato and cheese pierogi with some kind of white sauce, but there's also a place for steamed dumplings of various types/.
I feel like har gow or cheung fung/ha cheung/"crepes" could be nice if you are good at making your own dim sum.
Deviled eggs with a white filling in place of the egg yolk - think back to the dips and maybe whip up some cream cheese + whatever you want to add, spice or mix-in wise. Or a white bean hummus if it's white enough against the egg.
Marinated mini mozzarella balls or goat cheese
Burrata on an intensely flavored toast, maybe with some sort of tomato or herb hidden under the cheese
Anything parsnip
White chowder, perhaps offered in small amounts like a shot glass
Savory meringues, either egg or aquafaba; I bet these could be great with some sort of Parmesean
Weisswurst
Tea sandwiches utilizing a white (colored) bread and a white filling. Egg salad using only whites, the aforementioned whitefish spread, a whipped Boursin, etc. This could be lovely with a milk bread or a crusty white loaf, once de-crusted
posted by daikaisho at 4:40 PM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
Japanese style cream stew
Steamed white asparagus with parmesan shavings and lemon juice
Hand roll sushi, made with soy paper, seasoned rice, spiralized daikon, scallops, sprinkled with a little dashi powder for extra flavor
Cheese balls with sour cream and onion flavoring, mini rice cakes for spreading
posted by Mizu at 6:40 PM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
Steamed white asparagus with parmesan shavings and lemon juice
Hand roll sushi, made with soy paper, seasoned rice, spiralized daikon, scallops, sprinkled with a little dashi powder for extra flavor
Cheese balls with sour cream and onion flavoring, mini rice cakes for spreading
posted by Mizu at 6:40 PM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
Bisquits and gravy, cheese cake, white filled ravioli with alfredo sauce. Melted white cheddar and sourdough sandwiches, steamed parsnips, or parsnip and potato salad, seasoned with dry mustard rather than yellow mustard. Pizza Alfredo, with white mushrooms, and white fish.
posted by Oyéah at 7:12 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Oyéah at 7:12 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
Best answer: In our family, we have this recipe that we joke about because it's so white and soft, and served with rice. It doesn't look like a very healthy meal, and you don't want very strong side vegetables like broccoli, because they will overwhelm the dish. But for your purpose, it's perfect.
For 4 people
8 filets of a soft flat fish, like plaice. These must be very fresh. Though you can use fish that were frozen on ship. Thaw them before cooking.
250 ml creme fraiche (full fat)
250 ml whole cream
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 sprigs of fresh French tarragon, finely minced or a teaspoon dried tarragon
1 tbsp dijon mustard
a couple good grinds of white pepper
1 tsp salt
a bit of butter for the casserole dish
Grease an ovenproof dish with some butter, roll up the fish filets and arrange them so they fit tightly.
Mix the other ingredients in a bowl. I taste a bit of it to check the seasoning. Pour the sauce over the fish and bake in a medium hot oven for 25 minutes. Serve with white rice.
This is much more delicious than you imagine. My grandmother usually made far more than two fillets per person, because we couldn't stop eating it. And it is famous for convincing people who think they don't like fish that actually they love fish.
Some people don't like tarragon, I suppose you could go with dill instead.
posted by mumimor at 8:09 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
For 4 people
8 filets of a soft flat fish, like plaice. These must be very fresh. Though you can use fish that were frozen on ship. Thaw them before cooking.
250 ml creme fraiche (full fat)
250 ml whole cream
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 sprigs of fresh French tarragon, finely minced or a teaspoon dried tarragon
1 tbsp dijon mustard
a couple good grinds of white pepper
1 tsp salt
a bit of butter for the casserole dish
Grease an ovenproof dish with some butter, roll up the fish filets and arrange them so they fit tightly.
Mix the other ingredients in a bowl. I taste a bit of it to check the seasoning. Pour the sauce over the fish and bake in a medium hot oven for 25 minutes. Serve with white rice.
This is much more delicious than you imagine. My grandmother usually made far more than two fillets per person, because we couldn't stop eating it. And it is famous for convincing people who think they don't like fish that actually they love fish.
Some people don't like tarragon, I suppose you could go with dill instead.
posted by mumimor at 8:09 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
Carmelized onion dip is mostly mayo and sour cream with a bit of garlic and the aforementioned onions. The ratios are such that the dish is effectively white.
posted by mmascolino at 8:38 PM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by mmascolino at 8:38 PM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
Mumimor, my grandma passed down almost that exact recipe for white fish fillets, except the crème fraiche and whole cream are swapped with a little buttermilk and regular milk. She lived in Portland Maine and did this with cod or whatever the freshest white fish of the day was. She seasoned the fillets with salt before rolling them up and then everything else is identical. It’s my dad’s favorite way to have white fish and every time we had it growing up I’d be like “this plate isn’t colorful enough!!!” So my mom would sometimes give me lemon slices and celery leaves as like, a mocking garnish. We always had it with crusty bread and a salad beforehand, and there was almost never any leftovers. I agree it would be a good dish for this AskMe! Maybe to make it party-worthy, toothpick the rolls so they stay together when transferring to a plate and remain more compact?
posted by Mizu at 9:02 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Mizu at 9:02 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
Feta. Clam chowder. Panna cotta. Salt cod mousse.
posted by vrakatar at 10:35 PM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by vrakatar at 10:35 PM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
Hi Mizu, that's amazing! I've been searching for the recipe online for ages after my gran died, and then luckily I found the scrapbook she kept it in. I thought we were the only family in the world who had "white fish" as we call it (as opposed to "red fish" which was a Portuguese style stew with tomatoes and onions). The title in the scrapbook is "Fish Without Bones", which is also funny.
I think my gran seasoned the rolls too, but we are more wary of salt today than she was.
For me, fitting the rolls tightly in the dish works fine enough for keeping them together, but perhaps that's because I mostly use very soft fillets. It's very good with cod, but more springy.
I love it that you also found it too white. Parallel lives.
posted by mumimor at 12:24 AM on November 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
I think my gran seasoned the rolls too, but we are more wary of salt today than she was.
For me, fitting the rolls tightly in the dish works fine enough for keeping them together, but perhaps that's because I mostly use very soft fillets. It's very good with cod, but more springy.
I love it that you also found it too white. Parallel lives.
posted by mumimor at 12:24 AM on November 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
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Chicken risotto
Chicken pie
Mashed potato
Kedgeree with un-dyed fish
Coleslaw but sub some white root veg for the carrot. Adjust the dressing to compensate for the change in flavour profile.
posted by quacks like a duck at 12:55 PM on November 22, 2022 [7 favorites]