cook for a crowd: a little guide to stress-free entertaining

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COOK for a CrowdA little guide to stress-free entertaining

at www.cookfood.netPlan ahead: Get a Home Delivery or Click & Collect

Buffet

Drinks Party

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).

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).

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Dinner Party Feeding a Crowd

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).

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).

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TOP TIPS (from years of using COOK to entertain)

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• How many people? • 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.

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 tried-and-tested ideas for hosting family or friends without causing yourself a nervous breakdown.

We do the COOKing, you do the inviting. Seems like a good deal.

Have fun,

Edward, COOK Co-founder

Hello,

• 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.

• What type of bash? • 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.

QUESTIONSTHE BIG

A COOK beginner? Here are the essentials:Hot, savoury dishes can be cooked from frozen (also from defrosted).

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

The COOK Kitchen • Sittingbourne • Kent • ME10 3HH www.cookfood.net facebook.com/thecookkitchen @thecookkitchen

Email [email protected] call our Customer Care Team on 01732 759010

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).

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

Find out more at cookfood.net/bcorp

DINNER PARTYGive 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)…

£7.28 per head

just add cavolo nero

To serve 8:

Beef Bourguignon

Creamy Mash

Chocolate & Raspberry

Roulade

FOR 8

4

£5.98 per headjust add flatbread, yoghurt,

& pomegranate seeds

To serve 8:

Moroccan Spiced Harissa Chicken

Minted Couscous

Chocolate & Almond

Torte

just add rocket salad & olive breadsticks

£5.98 per head

Sea Bream withMediterranean-Style

Vegetables

Mango & Passion

Fruit Cheesecake

To serve 8:

£9.99 per head

just add kale

To serve 8:

Slow-Cooked Lamb Shanks

Dauphinoise Potatoes

Individual LemonTarts

Menu 1

Indian Feast Chicken Korma

Lamb Dupiaza

Roasted Vegetable & Chickpea Curry

Bombay Potatoes

Gobi Curry

Plain Naan Bread

Menu 1

£182.38

FEEDS 40

(£4.56 per head)

Just add3.2kg basmati rice

Big Puddings for Big Occasions

6

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.

7

Steak, Mushroom & Merlot Pie

Peas & Leeks with a Lemon & Herb Butter

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

Just addboiled new potatoes

Menu 4 Posh Pies

Lasagne Al Forno

Garlic Ciabatta

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).

Just addsalad

Menu 3

Chicken Dijon

Plain Basmati Rice

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.

Just addtenderstem broccoli

Menu 2

£89.25

FEEDS 20

(£4.46 per head)

£60

FEEDS 12

(£5 per head)

£65.76

FEEDS 16

(£4.11 per head)

More ideas: Coq au Vin, Pork Dijon, Beef Bourguignon,

Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Alexander

Want veggie options? Just ask in store or browse cookfood.net

Buy The Menus All the details and prices of featured menus

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.

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

new potatoes, green salad

& french bread

Just add

Buffet 25for

Side of Salmon with Cherry Tomatoes & Red Pesto

Beetroot & Feta TartEdamame Bean Salad (medium)

Lebanese Salad (medium)

Eton MessChocolate & Salted Caramel

Pavlova

Buffet 12for

green salad & new potatoes

Just add

£168.77

£70.50

Salads & Gammon Don’t forget defrost times!

Chocolate Truffle TorteRaspberry

Pavlova

Lemon Cheesecake

Quiche Lorraine


Lebanese Salad


Sensational Sausage Rolls

Roasted Pepper & Goat’s Cheese

QuicheRoast Salmon PâtéChicken Liver Pâté

£6.75 per head

£5.88 per head

Coronation Chicken

Salads & Gammon Don’t forget defrost times! 9

French Onion Tart


Beetroot & Feta Tart

Coronation Chicken

COOK Slaw

Lebanese Salad

Edamame Bean Salad


Quiche Lorraine

Medium serves 8 / Large serves 16

QUICHES £17.95TARTS £10.00

SALADS Medium from £8.50

Large from £16.95

Quiches Best cooked from defrosted.

Serve hot or cold.

Side of Salmon with Cherry Tomatoes & Red Pesto £20.00

Want veggie options?

Just ask in-sto

re or

browse cookfood.net

10

DRINKS PARTY

DRINKS PARTY

FOR 12

FOR 20

Smoked Salmon & Dill Filo Canapés

x 3 packs

Tomato, Basil & Mozzarella Crostini Canapés

x 3 packs

Mini Mac Cheese Canapés x 3 packs

Goat's Cheese & Red Onion Marmalade Muffin Canapés

x 3 packs

Little Quiche Lorraine Canapés x 3 packs

Chicken Liver Pâté with 1 x bag of

Mini Crispbread Crackers (makes 30 canapés)

Large Belgian Chocolate Brownie (cut into 30 small squares)

Smoked Salmon & Dill Filo Canapés

x 3 packs

Tomato Basil & Mozzarella Crostini

Canapés x 3 packs

Mini Mac Cheese Canapés x 3 packs

Goat's Cheese & Red Onion Marmalade Muffin

Canapés x 3 packs

Sweet CanapésSavoury Canapés

Perfect Party Nibbles

Pâtés £4.99 each Chicken Liver Roast Salmon Smoked Mackerel

Traybakes from £3.99

To help your bash go with a swing,

we’ve got a great selection of time-saving

party food.

Our handmade pâtés are little pots of wonderment from which you can conjure up delicious canapés. Just spread on crackers and garnish with a teaspoon of chutney and fresh herbs. Each pot of pâté will make about 30 canapés.

D.I.Y

D.I.Y

£80.88£6.74 per head

£119.83£5.99 per head

2 hours of canapés = 144 canapés needed

2 hours of canapés = 240 canapés needed

Sensational Sausage Rolls £5.99

French Onion Tart £10.00

Smoked Salmon & Dill Filo £6.99

Tomato, Basil & Mozzarella Crostini £5.99

Mini Mac Cheese £6.99

Little Quiche Lorraines £6.99

Canapés

The CanapéCalculator:Pre-dinner:

4 per person per hour

Drinks Party: 6 per person per hour

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 & Tomato Chutney Filo £6.99

Goat’s Cheese & Red Onion Marmalade Muffins £6.99

12

x2

x4

Beef Bourguignon 17.95 (4pt)

Creamy Mash 2.45 (2pt)

Chocolate & Raspberry Roulade 12.50 (8-10pt)

Menu 1

Total: £58.20

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.

Dinner Party for 8

For more menu ideas browse cookfood.net

Big Puddings for Big Occasions

Portion sizes are in brackets Vegetarian Gluten Free Dairy Free Microwaveable Must be microwaved 2013/2014 Great Taste Award Winners

‘Warm me up’ spicy Nice and spicy

Chocolate & Raspberry Roulade

12.50 (8-10pt)

Chocolate Roulade 12.50 (8-10pt)

Chocolate & Salted Caramel Pavlova 12.50 (8-10pt)

Raspberry Pavlova 12.50 (8-10pt)

Apple Crumble Tart 15.00 (10pt)

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

Chocolate Truffle Torte 15.00 (10-12pt)

Lemon Cheesecake 15.00 (10-12pt)

White Chocolate & Raspberry Cheesecake

15.00 (10-12pt)

Elderflower & Strawberry Cheesecake 15.00 (10-12pt)

Eton Mess 11.00 (6-8pt)

Lemon Meringue Pie 8.50 (6-8pt)

Sea Bream with Mediterranean-Style

Vegetables 19.95 (4pt)

Mango & Passion Fruit Cheesecake 7.95 (6-8pt)

x2

Menu 3

Total: £47.85

Moroccan Spiced Harissa Chicken

13.95 (4pt)

Minted Couscous 2.99 (2pt)

Chocolate & Almond Torte 7.95 (6-8pt)

Total: £47.81

Menu 4

x2

x4

Slow-Cooked Lamb Shanks 12.99 (2pt)

Dauphinoise Potatoes 2.99 (2pt)

Individual Lemon Tarts 3.99 (2pt)

x4

x4

x4

Menu 2

Total: £79.88

x7

x7

x4

x5

x5

x10

Chicken Korma 6.99 (2pt)

Lamb Dupiaza 9.95 (2pt)

Roasted Vegetable & Chickpea Curry

5.95 (2pt)

Bombay Potatoes 2.50 (2pt)

Gobi Curry 2.50 (2pt)

Plain Naan Bread 1.50 (2 naans)

Indian Feast for 40

Total: £182.38

Chicken Dijon 13.95 (4pt)

Plain Basmati Rice 1.95 (2pt)

Total: £89.25

x5

x10

Slow-Cooked Casseroles for 20

x4

x4

Lasagne al Forno 13.95 (4pt)

Garlic Ciabatta 2.49

Lasagne Lovers for 16

Total: £65.76

Steak, Mushroom & Merlot Pie 22.50 (6pt)

Peas & Leeks with a Lemon & Herb Butter

2.50 (2pt)

Posh Pies for 12

Total: £60.00

x2

x6

Feeding a Crowd

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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.

Drinks Party for 20

Total: £119.83

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


5.99 (12 per pack)

Mini Mac Cheese Canapés 6.99 (12 per pack)

Little Quiche Lorraine Canapés 6.99 (12 per pack)

Goat’s Cheese & Red Onion Marmalade Muffin

Canapés 6.99 (12 per pack)

Chicken Liver Pâté 4.99

Mini Crispbread Crackers 2.99 (makes 30 canapés with pâté)

Large Belgian Chocolate Brownie 10.00

(makes 30 canapés)

x3

x3

x3

x3

x3

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.

More Ideas...

Pick up our full menu in-store NOW

or browse cookfood.net

x3Smoked Salmon & Dill Filo Canapés 6.99 (12 per pack)


5.99 (12 per pack)

Mini Mac Cheese Canapés 6.99 (12 per pack)

Goat’s Cheese & Red Onion Marmalade Muffin Canapés

6.99 (12 per pack)

Drinks Party for 12

Total: £80.88

x3

x3

x3


from 27.50 (price based on weight)

Quiche Lorraine 17.95


17.95

Roasted Salmon & Dill Tart 10.00

Large Lebanese Salad 16.95

Large Coronation Chicken 19.95

Sensational Sausage 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

Buffet for 25

Drinks Party

Side of Salmon with Cherry Tomatoes & Red Pesto

20.00

Beetroot & Feta Tart 10.00

Medium Edamame Bean Salad 8.50

Medium Lebanese Salad 8.50

Eton Mess 11.00

Chocolate & Salted Caramel Pavlova 12.50

Total: £70.50

Buffet for 12

x2

Great British Buffet

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OUR FOUNDING STATEMENTTo COOK using the same ingredients and

techniques you would at home, so everything looks and tastes homemade. Today, nothing’s changed.

The COOK Kitchen • Sittingbourne • Kent • ME10 3HH 01732 759010 • [email protected]

Edward & Dale, founders

Your local COOK shop:

“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

Find all of our puddings in-store or online at cookfood.net/puddings BIG Puddings for BIG Occasions

Strawberry & Elderflower Cheesecake Passion

Fruit Tart

Eton Mess

Billionaire’s Shortbread

ChocolateTruffle Torte

Chocolate & Raspberry Roulade

Lemon Meringue Pie

cook for a crowd: a little guide to stress-free entertaining

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