MORE PLEASE - WALKING DINNER
Popcorn Chicken and Spicy Pesto Buns, Sea Bream Tostadas and Waldorf Puffs - bigger canapés for buffets/parties
A “Walking Dinner” is something I first encountered when working for a caterer in my early 20’s. It’s known in the industry for basically being substantial snacks that are bigger than canapés, easy to eat standing up and that mean people are not hungry but also don’t have to have a formal sit-down affair. Often the bites served in a Walking Dinner are “bowl food” - little portions of risotto, pasta, I’ve even seen mini roast dinners. The problem with bowl food is that it tends to require an awful lot of bowls. I prefer to adopt the approach of “self contained” - ie. a snack that has it’s own, for want of a better word, bowl. A Walking Dinner can very much be a self-service buffet, and actually that works very well because then you also don’t have to hand things out.
The part about these being substantial is important. We aren’t in the game of starving people at parties and the point is it’s still a meal, so I like to make sure my Walking Dinner options involve multiple trips-to-mouth. And the most effective way of doing that? Essentially making lots of different types of sandwiches. They are the best thing for it, and there’s plenty of ways of making them look elegant and not-sandwichy as much as making them look gloriously slutty. I’ve got 3 options for you today that I think are incredible, plus I’ve rounded up a few other ideas from the archive here and added them in too. These would make exceptional additions to a NYE menu, if you’re hosting.
WALKING DINNER IDEAS
Tomato Arancini (V)
First up - Popcorn Chicken and Spicy Pesto Buns. Popcorn Chicken in the Taiwanese style is typically served with a deep-fried holy basil leaf. I decided to riff on the basil addition by making a spicy pesto laced with green chillies and stirred through some Kewpie. It’s kind of Italo-Taiwanese, if you want to give it a name. Whatever it is it is bloody good. The chicken in particular is incredibly crisp and holds well for an hour or so after frying.
Then we have Sea Bream Tostadas. A tostada is essentially a kind of open sandwich/taco, but they look so much more chic and gorgeous. These are topped with a bright Sea Bream ceviche, avocado and jalapeño crema and divine garnishes. They cross that tricky bridge of being both refreshing and comforting.
Finally Waldorf Puffs, and a blueprint for the most ingenious of all “not a sandwich but actually it’s a sandwich” wheezes. Puff pastry cut into squares, folded and baked makes incredibly moreish and versatile base for stuffing with all your favourite things. I’ve filled mine with a divinely retro Waldorf Salad which is also a great way of using up any of that leftover blue cheese you may have. To be fair though, these would be STUNNING with so many different sandwich or salad fillings - I’ve listed a bunch below.
This is my last post of the year! I’ll be back on January 6th 2025 for with a menu for January and big plans for the year! I hope you all have the most glorious, love-filled holidays. Rosie xxx
POPCORN CHICKEN AND SPICY PESTO BUNS