Gourmet Occasions

Menus for warm weather (prices start from R150 per person for a three course meal)

Asian Picnic
Entrees
Prawns and scallops with kaffir-lime leaves and ponzu
Barbequed duck and beetroot rice paper rolls
Main
Ocean trout and noodle salad
Chinese five spice pork or beef with charred baby corn
Pan fried green-onion and chilli bread
Dessert
Coconut and passion fruit tart
Lemon vodka cocktails

Simple light lunch
Entrees
Grilled pear, mozzarella and prosciutto salad
Main
Poached snapper with shaved asparagus and tomato and fennel-seed salad
Dessert

Summer compote of watermelon and blackberries

Vegetarian lunch party
Entrees
Warm olives with eggplant dip
Main
Mixed vegetable plate with sheep’s milk yoghurt dressing
Little pea and cauliflower tarts with radicchio salad
Dessert
Roasted peaches and raspberries in almond-liqueur syrup
meringue cake

Light birthday lunch
Entrees
Corn soup shots
Main
Rosemary-smoked tuna, roasted tomato, pepita and feta salad
Lamb cutlets with fennel tsatsiki and tabouli
Dessert
Mango and strawberry

Simple outdoor lunch
Entrees
Shaved veal with tuna and chive mayonnaise
Main
Cumin-roasted spatchcock with coriander and red-onion salad
Dessert
Apricot bread and butter pudding

Cocktail party
Mini pappadams with cucumber raita and tomato and capsicum relish
Carrot, zucchini and ginger pikelets with barbequed duck
Smoked salmon rolls with pickled green papaya
Pork and prawn dumplings with dipping sauce
Chilli-ginger prawns
Spicy lamb with mango chutney on Turkish bread
Teriyaki chicken skewers with sesame dipping sauce
Coconut macaroons with lime butter

Smart dinner party
Main
Smoked trout linguine
Veal, bocconcini and prosciutto parcels
Sweet potato boulangere
Dessert
Ricotta and berry tart

Sunday BBQ lunch
Entrees
Chicken liver pate with toasts and cornichons
Main
Barbequed haloumi and asparagus with lemon salsa verde
Char-grilled calamari with hummus and roasted vegetable salad
Barbequed whole rump with panzanella
Rocket and pumpkin salad
Dessert
Macadamia, coconut and star-anise praline with tropical fruits

Festive celebration
Entrees
Smoked trout mousse with cucumber salad
Main
Roasted turkey or chicken breast with macadamia herb stuffing
Roasted vegetables
Watercress and avocado salad
Dessert:
Butter cake with candied-fruit filling and grand marnier syrup
Miniature tarts with lime curd, mango and raspberries

Simple Asian dinner
Entrees
Spiced calamari on lime-carrot salad
Main
Thai style red beef curry
Dessert
Mascarpone mousse with bananas and peanut brittle

Greek buffet
Feta and cumin-seed fritters
Yellow split pea dip
Green vegetable pie
Roasted lamb with oregano, lemon and potatoes
Tuna, tomato and olives with skordalia
Cauliflower, celery and pickled red onion salad
Zucchini salad with mint
Spinach and herb risoni
Orange and cheese filo tart
Strawberries in ouza syrup with walnut shortbread pears

Lunch for friends
Main
Leek and artichoke tart with pomegranate-molasses dressing
Moreton bay bugs with pappardelle, saffron and tomato
Dessert
Pistachio spice cake with stone fruit in vanilla syrup

Simple vegetarian lunch
Entrees
Bruchetta and pumpkin, gorgonzola and sage
Main
Salsa agreso with penne, asparagus and butter beans
Dessert
Baked figs with raspberries

Summer brunch
Bloody mary
Peaches and lychees in rosewater syrup with thick yoghurt and pistachios
Semolina and cardamom galettes with fresh figs
Smoked trout with preserved lemon and chervil dressing
Merguez sausages with saffron-onion confit
Pan-fried Turkish bread with tomato, eggplant and goat’s cheese
Date and almond couscous
Rocket and orange salad with cinnamon dressing

Simple dinner party
Main
Marinated leeks with prawns and feta
Baked lamb topside with roasted ratatouille and green sauce
Dessert
Plum, walnut and pinenut tarts

Formal lunch
Entrees
Roasted tomato gazpacho with basil oil
Main
Poached whole ocean trout with dill and mustard mayonnaise
Mixed pea and bean salad
Dessert

Vanilla bean ice cream sandwich with berries and red-wine syrup

Lazy summer picnic
Potato, anchovy and rocket tart with salsa rossa
Bean salad with hazelnut and red capsicum dressing
Kingklip kebabs with preserved-lemon and mint marinade
Vegetable filled Italian loaf

Sweet basil ricotta with berries and peaches