insideKENT Magazine Issue 63 - June 2017 | Page 94

FOOD+DRINK
SUMMER COCKTAIL PARTY cont.
What to eat:
Of course, the most obvious choice here is to
have a barbecue and that’s exactly what you
should do to provide the foundations of your
summer spread – forget boring bangers and
burgers though and opt for chicken breasts,
prawn skewers, minute steaks and salmon fillets
instead.
Make sure you marinade them too. For the fish
and chicken go for a Caribbean-style marinade
using (per four portions) 3tbsp lime juice, 2tbsp
olive oil, 3tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley,
2tsp finely chopped rosemary, one large red
chilli, finely chopped, and four thinly sliced
spring onions; and, for any red meat try a
Korean-style marinade made with (per four
steaks) 3tbsp sugar, 6tbsp soy sauce, 2tbsp
vegetable oil, 2tbsp toasted sesame oil, 1tbsp
peeled, grated ginger, three grated garlic cloves
and one finely chopped shallot.
Often, the very best thing about barbecued food
is all of the accompaniments you can easily
prepare to compliment them. Make sure you
have plenty of dips and crudité set out for your
guests to pick at throughout the party – stirring
some roasted cherry tomatoes and red peppers
into guacamole produces a lighter version that
cuts through some of the rich avocado with a
hint of sweetness and tang; and anchoïade is a
really bold, gutsy dip made using anchovy fillets,
garlic, onion, tomato and herbs that works with
crudité and with slices of crusty baguette too.
Bite-sized finger food is always well appreciated
by milling partygoers, but that doesn’t have to
mean straight-out-of-the-seventies vol-au-
vents are your go-to solution. Blinis are the new
vol-au-vents and can be piled high with beetroot
and quail’s egg; smoked salmon and crème
fraiche; and artichoke and lemon dip. Potato
salad and salsa verde (recipe below) is a crowd
pleaser that will go with all of your barbecued
meats and fish; and, in my greedy opinion, no
party is complete without a cheese board
groaning under the weight of a huge Brie. You’ll
think you’re full, but a few cocktails down the
line as day turns into night, somehow you’ll
always find room for cheese.
Salsa Verde
94
Salsa Verde (makes 1 jar)
INGREDIENTS:
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 2tbsp red wine vinegar
• 8 anchovies
• 30g flat-leaf parsley
• 30g basil
• 10g mint
• 4tbsp capers, rinsed and roughly
chopped
• 120ml extra virgin olive oil (more if
you like)
METHOD:
1. Soak the shallot in a bowl with the
vinegar for 45 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, mash the anchovies in a
pestle and mortar, then gradually
add the herbs and capers to form a
coarse paste.
3. Stir in the shallot with half of the soaking
vinegar, then slowly whisk in the oil until
you reach your desired consistency. Add
vinegar and salt to taste.