I'm Awfully Fond of a Do....
Gorgeous good for you canapes to make your do; easy to do.
How good was the concept of a fondue. What a brilliant idea, aside from the odd table cloth being set alight of course. To sit around a cooking vessel with people you like; probably wearing something cool like a kaftan or flares; and dip delicious skewers of raw num nums into the pot of goodness to cook. And then to be able to voice approval of your own cooking by saying things like “wow man, this is groovy”.
Of course I’m too young (just) to have been there in flares dipping my skewers but mum had a set at home on top of the fridge and we did get it down from time to time as a bit of a novelty. It was orange (very 70’s) with a fat wooden handle and the skewers were long and extremely dangerous if being wielded by an older sibling. Of the few times we did ‘fondue’ I remember loving the sense of being able to choose what I ate. The joy of the small bite, tasting different flavours and then being able to go back for more of what you fancied.
I don’t think I’m alone in enjoying this style of eating. The rise of “the sharing plate” is a reflection of our delight in getting to taste bits and pieces of more than one dish. It allows the diner to hedge their bets, if they pick a dud; they can push it to the middle of the table and reach for something else! Pass the dumplings please!
The platter is another type of sharesies experience that’s commonplace at many social occasions now. There are people making a living out of glorious, lush trays overflowing with cheeses, meats, fruits and other fabulous finger foods. This is also a great way to simplify entertaining, I’m all about that this time of the year!
Sharing plates, fondue, hot rocks, platters, hot pots, as different as the flavours may be they all have one thing in common, they take the pressure right off the host; who is usually accountable if it’s not a good dining experience; and put the onus back in the hand that feeds you, your own. Didn’t like the devilled eggs? then choose again. Cheese Hedgehog not your bag? move on. Olive stuffed celery makes you windy? pass. What a delight as the hostess with mostess to be able to be so carefree! To sip my bubbles and not worry who’s eating what.
This easy carefree style is what I’ve chosen for Christmas Day at ours this year. With the madness of covid and the added stresses family have been under I have taken the yolk of all day preparation for a sit down meal and smashed it with an axe. Platters, drinkies and an open invite to all is the menu and I’m so excited!
These little bits that I’ve made are some of what will be on offer for me and mine on the 25th. All of them include good stuff from my garden and as many health enhancing ingredients as I can get in them. The Tarts are a taste of summer with a delicious crunchy base, the green cups are gluten free and diabetic friendly and the rice paper rolls are bursting with fresh Asian flavours so there will be something to keep most tummies happy. All of them are super simple and packed with flavour. Enjoy x
Roll Over Chick - Chicken & Cashew Summer Rolls
Makes about 20
Ingredients
For the Chicken
500grm Chicken tenderloins, cut lengthwise into 3 - 4 pieces
2 Tbls soy sauce
1 Tbls olive oil
3 Cloves of minced garlic
For the Dipping Sauce
1 Tblsp of soy sauce
1 clove of minced garlic
1/2 cup coconut cream
1/4 cup lime juice
1 Tbls maple syrup
1 thumb size pieces of ginger, peeled and grated finely
For Filling the Rolls
8 kaffir lime leaves, spines removed and finely chopped
1 thumb size pieces of ginger, peeled and grated finely
1 1/2 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 1/2 cups red cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 small red onion, finely sliced
1 cup of toasted cashew chopped roughly
about 20 x 22cm rice paper sheets
1 red chilli, sliced
2/3 cup coriander leaves
2/3 cup mint
Method
Mix the soy, oil and garlic and add to this the chicken to marinade for 3 hours or overnight.
For the dipping sauce add the coconut cream, soy, garlic, ginger, lime juice and maple syrup to a pot and heat gently for a couple of minutes - put aside to cool.
Right, lets get the filling bits ready. In a medium bowl add the lettuce, kaffir lime leaves and ginger, mix gently and set aside.
In another bowl add sliced red onion and red cabbage, set aside.
Have your sliced chilli, coriander and mint ready to go.
In a fry pan on medium heat add 1 Tblsp of oil and batch fry your chicken until cooked. Set aside to cool.
Assembly
Fill a shallow dish or sink with hot water and soak a rice paper sheet until it’s soft. Put it on a clean surface. About a third of the way up the sheet, lay out a few pieces of chilli, some coriander leaves and mint leaves, top with chicken a scattering of nuts and then the lettuce and cabbage. Fold the bottom of the roll, then the sides before rolling up and placing on a platter with the dipping sauce to serve.
Tip - Don’t place them so they are touching, they get pretty sticky. Also the rolling takes a bit of practice - go at it with a sense of humour (and a wine?) and all will be well x
Rock the Casbah - Middle Eastern Chicken Lettuce Cups & Lemon Yoghurt
Makes about 24
Ingredients
2 tsp butter
1/2 cup (75g) coarsely chopped almonds
2 tsp sumac
pinch of chilli flakes
4 Tbls very finely chopped red onion
1 tsp red wine vinegar
3 fresh dates, stoned and chopped
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken - cooled
1/2 cup coriander roughly chopped
1/2 cup plain yoghurt
zest of 1 lemon
24 cos lettuce hearts / small iceberg lettuce leaves or similar
seeds from a pomegranate
Method
In a fry pan over medium heat melt the butter and toast the almonds for about 5 minutes until golden. Remove from the heat and add the sumac and chilli and season with salt.
Put the red onion in a bowl and mix through the red wine vinegar to slightly pickle it. Leave it for a few minutes and then add the chicken, dates and coriander.
In a small bowl combine the yoghurt and lemon zest and season with salt.
Arrange the lettuce on a plate and top with a dessert spoon of the chicken mixture. Top each with a sprinkle of nuts, dollop of lemony yummy yoghurt and then a flourish of beautiful pomegranate seeds.
What a Good Tart - Asparagus & Feta Tarts with a Walnut Crust
Makes about 24
Ingredients
For the tart shells
100g oats
60grm walnuts
1/4 tsp salt
30g parmesan finely grated
1 small egg
30grm butter melted
For the filling
1/2 small shallot very finely chopped
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp lemon juice
100grm asparagus finely sliced on the diagonal
zest of a lemon
75grm feta crumbled
1/2 cup mint finely shredded - leave a few whole to garnish
1/4 cup parsley finely chopped
edible flowers to garnish - I used sage flowers.
Method
For the tart shells
Pre heat oven to 180. Place the oats and walnuts on an oven tray to toast - Don’t take your eyes off them! This will take about 8 minutes until they are golden brown. Move them as they are cooking and when they’re done take them out and let them cool.
Add your cool oats and walnuts to a food processor and pulse until they resemble a coarse flour. Add the salt, egg, parmesan until just combined. With the motor still running add the melted butter.
Put a heaped teaspoon into a mini muffin tin (I used a cake pop mould) and using clean, damp fingers push the mixture into the corners and sides to line each hole. Bake for 10 minutes at 180 until golden brown. Set aside to cool in the tin before removing
For the filling
Put the shallot in a bowl, add the red wine vinegar and leave for several minutes. Add the mustard, lemon juice, asparagus, lemon zest and feta. Mix this gently together. Stir in mint and parsley and then season.
Spoon the mixture into the tart cases to fill and then garnish with mint leaves and edible flowers to serve.