Depends upon the degree of vegetarianism, but you could do wonderful deviled eggs (quail eggs if you can get them) and mix a bit of anchovy paste into the yolk mixture - top filled eggs with sprinkle of smoked paprika, a small Italian parsley leaf and two small capers. The Lee Bros. new cookbook has some fabulous pickled veggie recipes - pickled carrots, pickled grapes with rosemary, etc. A vegetable-based focaccia or frittata cut into bite-sized pieces would be lovely. Cheese straws. Dates stuffed with goat cheese and sprinkled with chopped pistachios. A bagna cauda platter. Endive leaves with some sort of spread/filling. I could go on and on!
I went to a wedding once where there were platters of roasted garlic and big bowls of bread at the reception, it seemed to go over well. Maybe with the addition of a good tapenade and some veggies.
I once catered a after party after our neighborhood house tour had to prepare enough for approx 125 guests. Made polenta which I spread on 2 sheet pans lined with parchment, let it set. Then I sauteed some mushrooms, shallots, thyme, cherry tomato's. Added a spoonful on top of polenta, which I had cut into bite size pieces, added a little shaved parmigiana reggiano. I transported on the sheet pans covered in plastic wrap, threw the serving platters in the back of the car and plated at the party site. You could also make an Italian salsa verde and drizzle on top..
To fiveandspice's point, I have a sweet fig relish and a savory one, posted. Just search "fig relish" to find them. The sweet one has December holiday flavors, but you could change the spice profile -- perhaps using something a bit more unexpected/exotic -- easily. If I were doing it, I'd offer both, and distinguish the two by putting a tiny sprig of thyme and a sliver of preserved lemon on the savory ones. I'd put a Crispy Spice-Brined Pecan on some of the sweet ones, and some green raisins (I can only find them at my Indian grocer) on the rest. ;o)
Little crostini with really good tapenade or some type of interesting relish/compote would also be good - for some reason what pops into my mind is a sort of sweet savory apple (or other fruit) relish. Little skewers with marinated vegetables and cheeses would be nice.
We did this for our wedding: make thick slices of cucumber, then attach a variety of toppings with a toothpick. Pair a cherry tomato with a basil leaf. Or basil and a mini fresh mozzarella ball. Or a strawberry and a basil leaf. Or kalamata or green olive with cherry tomato or mozzarella. Or mango and 3 black beans. Be creative and this can be endlessly delicious and elegant. For a finisher, I dashed all over with a light sprinkle of salt and pepper and/or smoked paprika. A dash of cayenne will brighten it up, though I usually hesitate to do that unless I'm certain of the crowd's tastes.
thanks! That's an excellent idea for art and fashion type guests. I'm prepping in a small borrowed kitchen in Brooklyn and will have to transport from there to the garment district
Summer rolls are beautiful and keep easily in a cooler. Serve with a yummy thai dipping sauce...I just posted an excellent one under my recipes here at food52 ...you could make 100-125 and cut them in half. A little time intensive with the chopping but it could be the "showcase" feature. Then I would do some beautiful platters of grilled vegetables and marinated cheeses....these keep very well for 2 hours at room temp. And don't forget a dessert
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