Green-colored food - St. Patrick's Day

[Janet H]

The Luck of the Irish has abandoned me. I've been asked to plan the food for a large gathering with an everything green theme. Green food, green drinks, etc and no food coloring. I have some prep help but there will be about 60 attending and this will be a buffet style service. They will be expecting something special - not your average cabbage rolls and green jello meal.

I dug out a barley risotto recipe that has been nice in the past and a fennel salad but I need so much more and the meat dishes have me totally stumped.

Any ideas?

 

[Aunt Bea]

How about a main dish of green pasta. Spinach lasagna or ravioli with pesto etc...

Turkey Pasta Florentine Bake | HungryLittleGirl

Avocado ice cream might be fun and sort of a surprise.

Avocado Ice Cream Recipe : Alton Brown : Food Network

Silversage's cake made with ground pistachios.

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f41/for-andy-92424.html

All sorts of vegetable options. I can't think of a meat or fish choice unless it is meat cooked with a green sauce or stuffed with spinach, think florentine.

Rolled Pork Florentine : Recipes : Cooking Channel

Sounds like a fun evening, good luck!

 

[blissful]

Pulled pork in a tomatilla based sauce?
Guacamole spread on toasted french bread slices or crudites?
Green ketchup?
Basil Pesto on spinach egg noodles?
Lasagna with cheese layer w/spinach and spinach noodles?
Just thinkin'

 

[Kayelle]

The Luck of the Irish has abandoned me. I've been asked to plan the food for a large gathering with an everything green theme. Green food, green drinks, etc and no food coloring. I have some prep help but there will be about 60 attending and this will be a buffet style service. They will be expecting something special - not your average cabbage rolls and green jello meal.

I dug out a barley risotto recipe that has been nice in the past and a fennel salad but I need so much more and the meat dishes have me totally stumped.

Any ideas?

Janet, is no food coloring a requirement by those who asked you?

 

[Steve Kroll]

Let the meat age at room temperature long enough, and it will eventually meet the "green" criteria.

 

[Zhizara]

Pesto, Cream de Menth grasshoppers, green veggies, green salad, guacamole etc.

You're stuck for meats unless you smother it with pesto or maybe wrap in banana leaves. If that kind of wrapping would be allowed, you might be able to get away with sushi wrapped in kelp..

I'd love to hear what you end up with!

Steve, that's sooooo gross. Did you do that????

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

If you go to Amorettiblog.com Saint Patrick’s Day Brunch, last year around this time I developed an entire St. Patrick's Day buffet of recipes with green food, most of which is not normally green, and all using natural ingredients with no food coloring of any kind. Enjoy!

 

[Whiskadoodle]

I suppose if no cabbage rolls that means no stuffed green peppers either.

If you cut a green bell pepper across the middle in thin slices, you get shamrock shapes, and you can vary them by using some with 3 feet or nubs on the bottoms, or foursies. Might be good to garnish or top something.

green bean bundles tied with a wilted/ softened scallion top ( I saw a picture of this once) or maybe it was asparagus.

How about an egg strata dish, yes, it's usually a brunch dish, but if you striate it with enough spinach or broccoli or asparagus, it might work.

Sparkly lemonade/ lime ade punch with spearmint leaves to garnish

I vote for green or choc mint ice cream with crème de menthe for dessert. If you have enough freezer space to pre-scoop .

May the luck of the Irish smile on you !

 

[Dawgluver]

Thinking about the proteins, shrimp in avocado halves drizzled with Marie Rose sauce or a shrimp and avocado salad; fish, pork loin or chicken breast with chimichuri sauce; any type of meat with Thai green curry sauce.

Avocado pie is outstanding. For drinks, Grasshoppers are so good. We used to make Swamp Water, you could make it up in a big batch: http://www.drinksmixer.com/drinkrq15244.html. Frozen Lime daquiris, also could be made in a big batch.

 

[Vanitas]

There are some great suggestions here already!! What about a nice pea soup, or even a cream of broccoli? Or wraps with spinach tortillas?

For dessert, I'd highly recommend green tea cake. I had the pleasure of trying it for the first time recently and it is EXQUISITE!!! And I'm not even a tea person!

Can't wait to see what you come up with!

 

[Kayelle]

There are some great suggestions here already!! What about a nice pea soup, or even a cream of broccoli? Or wraps with spinach tortillas?

For dessert, I'd highly recommend green tea cake. I had the pleasure of trying it for the first time recently and it is EXQUISITE!!! And I'm not even a tea person!

Can't wait to see what you come up with!

I just love the look and sound of that Green Tea Cake! I don't normally bake but I'm giving that a go.

I also agree you can never go wrong with a wonderful split pea soup!

 

[Addie]

I am sure it is done the country over, because here in Boston, the bars serve green beer on tap. How gross! Makes me glad I don't drink.

 

[taxlady]

What a bunch of great ideas. I will my 2 cents worth. I once made a potato salad with far too much parsley. It was quite green and the extra parsley didn't seem to affect the flavour. I suspect lots of parsley would work with a number of things. Another suggestion: tabbouleh.

 

[Dawgluver]

I just love the look and sound of that Green Tea Cake! I don't normally bake but I'm giving that a go.

I also agree you can never go wrong with a wonderful split pea soup!

That tea cake does sound lovely! And maybe some fresh (or made from frozen) pea soup instead of dried peas, with a bit of mint.

 

[ShellyCooks]

How about a Waldorf salad made with green apples (do not peel the apples), lots of celery, and pistachio nuts. Use lime juice and put lime zest in the mayo dressing. Please let us know how your "green" dinner turns out!!

 

[taxlady]

Ooh, mayo made with EVOO is green.

 

[CWS4322]

Ooh, mayo made with EVOO is green.

2 T mayo + 2 tsp wasabi paste makes green mayo, too!

 

[CWS4322]

Let the meat age at room temperature long enough, and it will eventually meet the "green" criteria.

It's garbage day--thanks for reminding me to clean out the fridge!

 

[Whiskadoodle]

Gah ! A verbal description would have been more than adequate, Steve.

Listen, how about Irish soda bread Muffins. Perfect for a large group.

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en......1ac.1.62.img..0.23.1782.W2rtRKAuWM4#imgdii=_


Just reading, I like either of these recipes

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en...06%2F02%2Firish-soda-bread-muffins%2F;600;450


Irish Soda Bread Muffins easy treat to make, give | cleveland.com


Maybe you could do a Reuben (one dish) Salad, like a cobb salad or chopped salad and serve muffins on the side. Easy.

 

[taxlady]

Do green muffin papers count as green food? Otherwise, I don't see how they are green.