These quick-to-make party snack recipes take the stress out of hosting.
One of the great pleasures of summertime eating is relaxing the schedule. The long evenings present the opportunity for slower dinners, filled with grazing. A cracker there, a slice of fruit there... you can fill the evening with handfuls
These recipes, filled with new-season vegetables, bright citrus flavours and hints of chilli, will have you cosied up next to the sharing plates. Who’s hungry for dinner? Probably not you.
This vibrant starter sees fresh snapper marinated in lime and lemon juice and tinged with a touch of chilli. Finish with a sprinkling of chopped coriander.
This vegetarian bruschetta could come together while you’re managing a barbecue. Summer vegetables are at the forefront of this recipe, complete with a sprig of basil and a squeeze of lemon.
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Advertise with NZME.After being deep-fried, the cauliflower in this recipe adopts a soft texture, providing contrast to its crunchy exterior. The glaze produces plenty of flavour for this dish and is one you could for other summer dishes. It mixes honey, lemon, olive oil and lemon pepper seasoning.
Serve this sharing plate alongside some crusty bread or serve with seaweed. The plate looks more polished with a few final additions – Angela Casley recommends lemon zest and toasted pine nuts (which also supply a little snap).
The trick to bringing out flavour for bruschetta is rubbing the crunchy bread with fresh garlic. This recipe sees the bites topped with large red chillies, though you could also swap these for capsicums and king sweeties if you prefer those flavours.
Edamame, Avocado & Goat’s Cheese Dip
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Advertise with NZME.Goat’s cheese creates a salty and tangy flavour for this smooth dip. You could use these as an accompaniment to a cheeseboard or spread atop your preferred bread (use the leftovers for on-the-go breakfasts).
This homemade herb butter, a mix of butter, garlic, lemon, tarragon and parsley, is one you could add to your summer rotation. In this recipe, it provides extra flavour for juicy, barbecued prawns.
This quick-to-cook trevally is a special serving. The fish is pan-fried for just 20 seconds a side, before being sliced thinly and placed on a blend of avocado and wasabi. Alter the ratios of the latter to your preference. The searing of the fish brings out a pleasant range of flavours.
This melty starter will garner oohs and ahhs from your guests. It’s really simple to prepare. The wheel of cheese is wrapped in baking paper and cooked for 15 minutes before being served alongside stonefruit, honey and thyme. You could tuck in with crackers, or if you’d like something lighter, lettuce leaves.
The inclusion of walnuts in this pesto creates a deep earthy flavour. It’s blended with parmesan and then served with a cut of blue cheese too (for full-on umami flavours).
If you take anything away from this collection, please let it be the delights of confit garlic. It’s the easiest condiment to make and will be an asset to your home cooking – you just have to let it simmer away in an oven for 15 minutes until the cloves are tender. It will also produce a jar of garlicky olive oil to make use of later.
It’s likely party season will involve lots of cheese wheels. Think of the vegan in your life and serve this simple bruschetta recipe. It makes use of kūmara, drawing great complexity from its sweetness, and new-season tomatoes.
