Creating the taste of summer
This will make your life so much easier and give you time to party too
Judith Cullen
ASK a chef or cook about entertaining and they all have the same advice: keep it simple.
‘‘Forget about making lots of different dishes with conflicting flavours,’’ Dunedin food and travel consultant Judith Cullen says.
However, it is still important to think ahead and have produce at hand.
‘‘There is nothing worse than a supermarket visit every day.’’
To make that easier during summer Cullen always has large jars of marinated olives, horseradish and mustard aioli, basil pesto, sundried tomato pesto, and black olive tapenade on hand.
‘‘They take me through the summer as a basis for ricotta dips, labna or accompaniments for cheese, thinly sliced ham or barbecued meat or tossed through pasta.’’
Raid your own garden or visit the local farmers market for fresh produce.
‘‘I ensure I have a good variety of salad ingredients, like tomatoes, capsicums, cucumbers, zucchini, radishes, snow peas, a variety of lettuces, avocados, boxes of new jersey benny potatoes, fresh herbs and nuts and seeds.’’
If hosting a large gathering, she advises to select one large piece of meat, such as a butterflied leg of lamb or beef fillet, a side of salmon or spatchcocked chickens (cut and opened out flat) rather than small cuts that can easily be overcooked on a barbecue.
‘‘Unless it’s just a pile of good sausages with a delicious homemade chutney.’’
Then all that is needed is one large salad, bread or potatoes or maybe another salad if you have vegetarian guests.
To finish up, a platter of cheeses with fresh fruit does the
trick and maybe some Christmas baking.
‘‘This will make your life so much easier and give you time to party too.’’
Cullen also makes a very simple focaccia bread when she is on holiday, which can accompany dips, barbecue meats or make a sandwich.