3 Recipes To Bring To A Summer Potluck, From Zesty Mussels To Seasonal Salads

Saturday Dec. 30, 2023

Viva

Kingfish, mussels, lemon and orange combine for a perfect potluck dish. Photo / Babiche Martens

Is there a better time of year to gather with your loved ones and sit down for a meal? These recipes for a summer potluck, courtesy of Angela Casley, have you covered.

A breezy backyard meal is a lovely social setting — perfect for lounging through a hot

Kingfish and mussels with lemon and orange crust

Serves 4

Don’t forget to squeeze and freeze all the wonderful excess citrus on offer at the moment. If you have trees, use the fruit that has fallen to the ground. Serve with a salad, mash or rice. Of course, if you have access to other fish, do use it — the result will be the same.

Crust

½ cup shredded coconut

2 spring onions

½ cup coriander

2 Tbsp olive oil

Advertise with NZME.

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 Tbsp each lemon and orange zest

Pinch salt and freshly ground pepper

500g fish fillets

Mussels

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 spring onion

1 Tbsp curry powder

½ cup white wine

Advertise with NZME.

12 mussels in the shell, scrubbed

½ cup cream

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 180C.
For the crust, blitz together the coconut, spring onion, coriander, oil, garlic, zest, salt and pepper.
Cut the fish into 4cm pieces and place in an ovenproof dish. Clump the crust ingredients on top of the fish. Set aside.
For the mussels, heat the oil in a large pot. Add the garlic, spring onion and curry powder, cooking for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a simmer. Place in the mussels, put on the lid and steam for a few minutes until they open. Remove the mussels and add the cream to the pot. Bring to a boil. Spoon the liquid around the fish and place into the oven for 15 minutes or until cooked through.
Remove half the mussels from the shells, leaving a few in for decoration, keeping them warm while the fish cooks.
When the fish is cooked, dot the mussels around and spoon over any juices.

Halloumi, tomatoes and corn: A winning trifecta. Photo / Babiche Martens

Halloumi and fatoush salad

Serves 4

This is a simple fresh salad that can be enjoyed anytime. Adding freshly fried halloumi to any salad makes it just that much better. Serve this as a meal on its own or alongside barbecued chicken and baked potato.

2 cups rustic torn bread

2 Tbsp olive oil

4 tomatoes

1 Lebanese or ½ telegraph cucumber

1 cup corn from cob, cooked

1 cup chopped parsley

200g halloumi

Freshly ground pepper

Dressing

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp balsamic or chardonnay vinegar

Heat an oven to 180C. Place the bread on a baking dish, toss in the oil, then bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove and cool.
Roughly chop the tomatoes and place in a colander. Sprinkle with a little salt, leaving for 10 minutes to allow any excess juice to drip. Cube the cucumber, remove the corn from the cob and place in a bowl. Add the tomatoes and parsley.
Cut the halloumi into 2cm cubes and fry in a hot pan for 30 seconds on each side to brown. Add to the salad with the dressing.

Make the most of fresh heirloom tomatoes. Photo / Babiche Martens

Heirloom tomato and ricotta bean salad

Serves 4-6

It is a great time of year when heirloom tomatoes are back. In this salad, they’re paired with creamy avocado, ricotta and plenty of lemon. Make sure to have a few fresh bunches of herbs to really elevate this dish.

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp lemon zest

2 Tbsp lemon juice

400-500g heirloom tomatoes

395g tin borlotti beans, drained

1 avocado, sliced

100g ricotta

1 Tbsp chopped dill

Salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp good quality olive oil

½ cup Italian parsley

Heat the oil in a frying pan to a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cooking for 4 or 5 minutes to soften. Add the lemon zest and juice, then remove from the heat. Cool.
Chop and slice the tomatoes and place in a large bowl. Add the beans, onions, avocado, dill, and salt and pepper to taste. Gently mix them together and place them on a platter.
Drizzle with balsamic and olive oil, then add a sprinkle of parsley.