Cheat, eat and be merry
Make things easy on yourself this entertaining season with these fuss-free but totally fabulous food ideas, says NZ House & Garden’s Sally Butters.
Juniper berry & mustard salmon
A side of salmon never fails to impress and it doesn’t take much to dolly it up, in this case as a tempting, help-yourself starter for a crowd. Juniper berries are aromatic, dried little berries that look a bit like shrivelled blueberries. Historically, they were used to flavour gin. Look for them in the spice section at supermarkets (Mrs Rogers range).
1 side of salmon
Dijon mustard
Flaky sea salt
About 3 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp juniper berries, crushed
To serve
Toasted bread Horseradish cream Sour cream flavoured with
lemon zest
Heat oven to 200-220C (or whatever is a moderate to high heat in your oven). Inspect the salmon for any little bones and remove these – tweezers are handy for this job.
Place the salmon in a lined baking tray and spread the flesh with a thin layer of mustard. Add a good sprinkling of salt then scatter over the brown sugar and crushed juniper berries (crushing releases their flavour).
Bake until the salmon flesh becomes opaque – this usually takes only 8-10 minutes.
Serve at room temperature, with toasted bread, horseradish cream, and sour cream flavoured with lemon zest on the side.
Serves 8-10
Minted peas with fresh mozzarella
Frozen peas. There’s no shame in serving them, especially when you turn them into something super classy, like this snazzy side dish. Once again, quantities are flexible.
1 shallot, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, finely chopped Olive oil
4 cups baby peas Splash of white wine Zest of 1 lemon
Mint leaves
2-3 balls fresh mozzarella
Saute´ shallot and garlic in a little olive oil until softened. Add peas and a little white wine. Simmer until peas are cooked.
Drain off any liquid and toss through a little extra olive oil along with the lemon zest. Season to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature, scattered with fresh mint leaves and torn pieces of fresh mozzarella.
Serves 8
Maple-glazed chipolatas with fresh herbs
This little number is your answer to how to get out of stuffing a turkey (or chicken) on the big day – just serve these wee bangers on the side instead. Quantities are very flexible here, depending on how many you’re catering for. Olive oil
Maple syrup (the real stuff!) Chipolatas
Herbs, for example sage, thyme,
rosemary, oregano Lemon
Mix a little olive oil with a good drizzle of pure maple syrup and brush over chipolatas.
Tie a little bunch of herbs to each sausage.
Place chipolatas in a lined roasting dish with wedges of lemon, squeezing over a little of the juice.
Bake in the oven while your turkey is resting. Serve in a separate dish or on a platter alongside the turkey.