Sharing plates with our mates
Potluck dining is easy on everyone — with these recipe ideas
THE EASIEST AND best gatherings are when everyone pitches in. It's sanity-saving for the host, not to mention energyand money-saving. And arguably more fun and interesting. But what do you make when asked to bring a plate?
Bestselling author and country cook Sophie Hansen offers seasonally delicious answers to that perennial question. Drawing inspiration from some of her favourite country cooks, friends, family and bring-a-plate traditions, her book What Can I Bring? offers the best recipes to share.
The common thread of all Hansen's recipes and gatherings is the community and kindness that binds us. These recipes and ideas will help glue together your own special gatherings.
PEARL COUSCOUS with ROASTED VEG
They always say the best parties happen in the kitchen, so don’t worry if you need to assemble a dish on-site. Having a job on arrival is also a great way to get warmed up for a night of socialising. The lovely Helen Cosgrove arrived at our potluck dinner with all the ingredients for her fabulous recipe in a cooler bag. Within minutes, she was in the kitchen, glass of wine in hand (thanks, Jude), chatting away while stirring roasted vegetables into cooked pearl couscous, dressing, tasting and plating up her delicious contribution.
Prep time 25 mins, Cook time 55 mins
Ingredients
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1⁄3 cup (80ml) olive oil 500g cherry tomatoes, halved 2 red onions, cut into eighths 1 red capsicum, cut into strips 2 zucchini, chopped into 2–3 cm chunks
2 cups (500ml) chicken or vegetable stock, or water
250g pearl couscous
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup (60 g) pitted black olives 200g soft goat cheese
1 handful roughly chopped flatleaf parsley leaves
Method
Preheat the oven to 140C. Mix the brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil together in a bowl. Add the tomatoes and toss to coat.
Tip your dressed tomatoes into a roasting tin, season with salt and pepper and pop in the oven for about 35 minutes — you want them to be soft and caramelised but not mushy.
Meanwhile, combine the onion, capsicum and zucchini in another roasting tin. Increase the oven temperature to 180C and season the vegetables with salt and pepper, drizzle with a little more of the olive oil and bake for about 20 minutes or until soft.
While the vegetables are cooking, pour the stock into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the couscous and give it a quick stir. Reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes, or until tender, checking regularly to ensure the couscous doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan or clump together.
Tip the tomatoes into the tin with the vegetables and gently stir together. Drain the couscous and tip into the vegetables. Add a good squeeze of lemon, the rest of the olive oil and the olives, and give it all a final stir. If serving in another dish, transfer to that now then finish with the goat’s cheese crumbled over the top and a good sprinkle of parsley.
Travel advice
This dish can be made well in advance, but keep the cheese and parsley to add right at the end. Or you can, as Helen did, pre-roast the vegetables then cook the couscous and assemble on arrival. Whatever’s easiest
Serves 6 as a side