Cuisine

FOOD & DRINK

CAREFREE ENTERTAINING | TEMPTING TARTS | BUBBLES, SWEET & FORTIFIED

Recipes & food styling Ginny Grant / Photography Tony Nyberg / Styling Fiona Lascelles

HERE’S WHAT I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS: the chance to gather outside of my bubble in any shape or form. Nothing else. Of course, being with others would be even more welcome if accompanied with a drink, a meal or a barbecue, especially the latter. When the sun is out, I want a languid timeframe. I don’t want to rush anywhere; I want to linger, to talk, to listen and to laugh with those who are nearest and dearest. And I want lots of these occasions lined up so we can enjoy these social moments while we can. No number of video sessions involving dress-ups or costumes can change the intimacy of that.

And with that in mind, the recipes here are for easy and flexible entertaining so you can appreciate time together with minimal fuss. Here are a few recipes for the barbecue, a simple but seasonal sponge cake and a low-cooked salmon, lightly cured overnight, that will work for any time of day. And, as always, I’ll suggest some vegetarian alternatives.

BARBECUED GREEN SHELL MUSSEL & GREEN BEAN SALAD WITH PRESERVED LEMON & ALMONDS SERVES 4–6 / PREPARATION 20 MINUTES / COOKING 10 MINUTES

Shellfish is a delight on the barbecue, taking on hints of the wood smoke to flavour the dish. If you are using a gas grill, a handful of soaked wood chips wrapped in foil and perforated with a few holes will help with the flavour. Try to conserve as much of the mussel liquor as possible, as you’ll need it for the dressing.

2kg green shell mussels, scrubbed 500g green beans, trimmed

2 cloves garlic, peeled

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ preserved lemon, finely chopped ¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted

1 good handful basil leaves, shredded

Heat a barbecue to a medium heat and add the mussels (discard any that are open or have broken shells). Cook until they just begin to open and put into a bowl to catch the juices. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the shell and chop in half if large.

Put the beans in a bowl. Mash the garlic to a paste with some salt and add to the beans with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Combine well.

Grill the beans on a hot plate until tender, approximately 5 minutes, then put into a bowl with the chopped mussels, preserved lemon, remaining olive oil and 1–2 tablespoons of the reserved mussel liquor. Add the almonds and basil and serve.

VEGETARIAN/VEGAN VERSION WITH TOFU Ingredients as above (omit the mussels) plus 350–400g firm tofu (in place of the mussels) 2 teaspoons freshly chopped thyme leaves 1 avocado, sliced

1–2 tablespoons white wine or apple cider vinegar

Pat dry the tofu, slice and marinate in the garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil and thyme for at least 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and grill for 3–4 minutes. Cook the beans as above, then toss with the tofu, preserved lemon and avocado, using vinegar in place of the mussel liquor in the dressing. Add the almonds and basil and serve.

SALMON, SUMAC, PICKLED STRAWBERRIES & PINK PEPPERCORNS SERVES 8–10 AS A STARTER / PREPARATION 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES PLUS OVERNIGHT CURING & COOLING TIME / COOKING 20–30 MINUTES

Pretty in pink is the bright little moment here, a supercolourful platter that screams summer, while the sweet and sour strawberry pickles cut the richness of the salmon. This is also good with smaller pieces of fish. Cucumber in any form is always my go-to side for this.

CURED SALMON

1 side of salmon, skin on and pin-boned 3 tablespoons flaky sea salt 2 tablespoons brown sugar olive oil for coating salmon

2 teaspoons ground sumac fresh dill, chervil or chives, to garnish

Trim the salmon if necessary along the thinner belly end (this makes a delightful snack for the cook). Mix together the salt and sugar then rub this cure all over the fish, ensuring the thickest parts get the most covering. Wrap tightly in foil, put onto a tray and refrigerate overnight. Unwrap the salmon and scrape off the salt mix. Pat dry with kitchen paper.

Heat the oven to 125°C.

Rub the salmon all over with oil, then sprinkle with the sumac. Put onto a lipped baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake the salmon for 20–30 minutes, depending on its thickness; when cooked, the flesh will still be translucent and a knife inserted into the thickest part should offer no resistance (if you have a thermometer it should read 52°C). Cool to room temperature then flake into pieces (or if you do this a day ahead, refrigerate, then use a very sharp knife to cut the salmon into thin slices, and bring to room temperature before serving).

Put the salmon onto a platter and top with the strawberries and some sprigs of dill, chervil or chives. Serve with the cucumber rocket salad alongside.

STRAWBERRY & PINK PEPPERCORN PICKLE 1 tablespoon pink peppercorns

½ cup white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

250g punnet strawberries

For the pickle, lightly crush the peppercorns and put into a pan with the vinegar, sugar and ¼ cup water. Bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar, then allow to cool before using. This can be made ahead and kept in the fridge until required. Cut the strawberries into thin wedges and put into a bowl. Pour over the pickle liquid and leave for an hour, turning occasionally. Drain but reserve the pickle liquid (it can be reused for another batch of strawberries and to dress the salad). The pickled strawberries will last for at least a week in the fridge but they will lose some of their vibrant colour.

CUCUMBER ROCKET SALAD

1 telegraph cucumber, cut into thin strips using a peeler 50g rocket leaves

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the salad, combine the cucumber and rocket in a bowl with the olive oil and 1–2 tablespoons of the strawberry pickle liquor. Season to taste.

VEGETARIAN VERSION WITH HALOUMI

1–2 packets haloumi (depending on how many you are feeding)

Omit the salmon. Cut the haloumi into slices, pat dry and sprinkle with sumac. Pan fry in a little oil until golden. Dress the salad, top with the haloumi and strawberry pickles. Alternatively, bake some feta with a little thyme and salt and pepper along with some sumac, and crumble over the salad.

VEGAN VERSION WITH CASHEW CREAM ½ cup raw cashews

Omit the salmon. Soak the cashews overnight in cold water, drain then blend with ¼ cup water or plant-based milk (or enough to make a creamy paste) along with some salt and sumac. Smear onto a platter, and serve with the salad and strawberry pickles.

EGGPLANT KEBABS WITH SRIRACHA RED LENTIL PURÉE (recipe page 70)

SLOW-COOKED BARBECUED LAMB LEG WITH MISO & HOROPITO & SUMMER VEGETABLES (recipe page 70)

FOOD & DRINK

en-nz

2021-11-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-11-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

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