I love feeding a crowd, but even as a former chef and full-time food person, I still find larger numbers of people daunting.
I make big plans: I’ve had pizza parties where I spent the entire evening working the pizza oven, and finally got the last one out as the final guest left. I’ve made a complicated recipe for the first time (classic rookie mistake) which didn’t go to plan and sent me into a panic. But most of the time, I just over-cater by quite a margin. That’s not always a bad thing, as it means lots of leftovers, but it also means that I fork out a lot of cash and spend a really long time cooking.
My new mantra when I’m cooking for a crowd is threefold: I make one delicious thing that can be eaten in the hand, that won’t spoil and that can, in the most part, be made in advance – with perhaps one warm element to go with it that I can cook when people arrive; and finally, a really good drink that won’t require, say, squeezing 500 limes.
This summer, it’s going to be these sticky celeriac buns: barbecued celeriac steaks topped with a jalapeño-spiked slaw and lots of chilli sauce – bright and happy party flavours. And all washed down with a simple rosé spritz that’s cooling and easy enough on the booze that you could have a few.
Barbecue sticky celeriac buns with jalapeño coleslaw
Try to buy smaller celeriac so they will fit in your buns. If you can only find a bigger one, cut the slices in half before blanching.
Prep 20 min
Cook 30 min
Makes 6
2 medium celeriac (about 350g each)
For the barbecue sauce
2 tbsp red-wine vinegar
30g light brown sugar
1 tbsp molasses
100ml tomato ketchup
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of ½ orange
1 garlic clove, bashed
½ tsp flaked sea salt
A few sprigs fresh oregano or thyme, leaves picked
1 sprig rosemary
½ red chilli, deseeded
For the slaw
1 spring cabbage, finely shredded
2 large carrots, peeled
50g pickled jalapeños, finely chopped, plus 2 tbsp of the pickle liquid
Juice of 1 lime
1 drizzle honey
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1 tbsp toasted sunflower seeds
50g bunch coriander, leaves only
To serve
6 burger buns
Mayonnaise
Chilli sauce or sriracha
First make the barbecue sauce. Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan, then simmer briskly over a medium-high heat for eight to 10 minutes, until slightly darker and a little thicker. Set aside to cool.
Thickly peel the celeriac and cut into six 3cm “steaks” – they should weigh about 100g each. Bring a pan of salted water to a boil. Simmer the celeriac steaks for 10 minutes, until tender.
Drain, put in a large bowl or roasting tray, pour over the barbecue sauce, then leave to marinate. Meanwhile, light the barbecue or heat a griddle pan, then prepare the slaw.
Shred the cabbage and carrots, then toss with the chopped jalapeños. Make the slaw dressing in a jar: shake the pickled jalapeño liquid, lime juice, honey and olive oil, and season well. Just before serving, toss the cabbage with the dressing, sunflower seeds and coriander.
Once the coals on the barbecue are white, grill the celeriac for five minutes on each side, brushing the steaks with the excess marinade. Layer the buns with a little mayo, a celeriac steak, some slaw and a drizzle of chilli sauce.
Summer rose spritz
I spent one long summer sipping this on grassy verges in Barcelona. In Spain, this super-relaxed street-side drinking is called botellón – everyone brings a bottle, glasses and some ice, and it’s as simple as that. This is often made with red wine, which works just as well, and decent shop-bought lemonade.
Prep 5 min
Makes 1.5 litres
1 bottle good-quality rosé, chilled
750ml sparkling water
150ml agave or sugar syrup
1 unwaxed lemon, sliced
1 unwaxed lime, sliced
Put everything in a jug with lots of ice and give it a good stir.
Pour into glasses, and drink outside in the sunshine or on a warm summer evening.
