Tag Archives: dinner party

Duck & Pork Terrine

This duck and pork terrine is a favourite of mine that I have been making for years. It is easy to make and looks impressive. It is excellent for an entree or starter at a dinner party. And perfect for a picnic lunch, served with a fresh garden salad.

Ingredients

Bacon rashers (remove rind) to line the terrine pan*
2 bay leaves
2 thin slices of orange
2 Tablespoons of duck fat or butter
1 onion (200g), half finely diced and half roughly chopped
15g minced garlic
70g bacon, diced
500g pork mince
565g duck breast, skin removed, roughly chopped
165g of chicken tenderloins, diced (small)
3 Tablespoons of green peppercorns
4 Tablespoons of pine nuts (or pistachios)
3 teaspoons of dry sage leaves
1 teaspoon of dry thyme leaves
1 teaspoon of salt
1 egg

*the amount will depend on the length of the rashers. If using long rashers, you will need about nine.

Method

Line a terrine or loaf pan with baking paper. Place the two bay leaves into the base of the pan and top with the slices of orange. Line the pan with bacon rashers, overhanging the pan. Set aside.

Heat half the butter or duck fat, and sauté the roughly chopped onion to soften, do not brown. Remove from the pan and allow it to cool.

Heat the remaining butter (duck fat) and sauté the bacon for a minute; add the finely diced onion and sauté for another minute. Add the garlic and sauté for a further minute. Remove from the pan, and put the ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

Blend the sautéed roughly chopped onion and pork mince in a food processor. Mix well until the pork is finely minced. Add the pork to the mixing bowl with the bacon, onion and garlic.

Add the duck to the food processor and chop for a few seconds (depending on your food processor). You will want the duck minced but not as finely as the pork (keep it a little chunkier). Put the duck into the mixing bowl with the pork.

Add the diced chicken to the mixing bowl. Add the peppercorns, pine nuts, sage, thyme, salt and the egg and mix well.

When the meat is well mixed, add it to the terrine pan, pressing n firmly. Fold the rashers of bacon over the top of the terrine. Cover tightly with aluminium foil and place it into a deep roasting tin. Pour in enough hot water to come halfway up the terrine and bake for 2 hrs or until a skewer comes out hot from the middle of the terrine. Top up the water while baking if needed.

Once removed from the oven, press the terrine as it cools. Use some cardboard (cut to fit the loaf tin). Place it on top of the terrine (still wrapped in foil), then top with something heavy. I used canned tomatoes. Cool the terrine to room temperature, and then refrigerate overnight.

Serve with french bread and caramelised onion or cornichons.

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Devilled Quail Eggs

I first made these delicious little devilled eggs as finger food at one of our parties at least 12 years ago. We always have quail eggs on hand because we loved having them in our laska soups, and coming up with other ways to use the eggs was not difficult.

I have also made Scotched Quail Eggs, which are supper delicious and served quail eggs with five spice!

Devilled Quail Eggs are a tasty starter at a dinner party and great picnic or finger food. And because they are served cold, they can be made ahead of time.

Ingredients

Tin of quail eggs
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Method

Cut the quail eggs in half and remove the yolks, placing them in a bowl. Mash the yolks with the cumin, mayonnaise, dijon mustard, lime juice, cayenne pepper, and mix well.

Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

When very smooth, put the egg mixture into a piping bag or similar and pipe the yolk mixture back into egg white halves.

Garnish with the egg halves with finely caviar or finely chopped coriander, tomato, cucumber and cracked black pepper.

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Smoked Salmon and Potato Cakes with Horseradish Cream

I often make this recipe as an entrée at dinner parties. It is always well received by my guests and is one of my favourites. Change up the flavours by substituting fresh dill for the chives.

Very easy to make. Create the potato and salmon cakes hours before your guests arrive (even the day before) and have all the toppings and garnishes ready to go. Super easy! In fact, the last time I cooked this dish was while we were camping at Moana Caravan Park in our camper trailer with our small outdoor kitchen… one gas burner.

Camping at Moana, South Australia

Ingredients

For the salmon and potato cakes

500g of peeled potato, chopped
200g salmon fillet, finely chopped
3 spring onions, finely sliced
1 egg, beaten
Black pepper and salt to taste

For the toppings and garnish

Capers*
Olive oil*
20 – 40 grams of smoked salmon per plate to serve.
Chives, finely sliced
Horseradish cream (I used Masterfoods Horseradish cream or make your own).

Method

Boil the potato – do not overcook. Mash the potatoes roughly, leaving some lumps.

Mix the potato, egg, spring onions, salmon and pepper and salt. Mix well, then form into six patties/cakes.

Place the cakes on a plate on top of some baking paper, and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Heat a little oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the cakes until they are cooked through and golden brown.

Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan and heat the capers. *Use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of capers per serving (entree or main). Use 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil per serve.

To serve

As entrée (serves 6)

Place each potato cake in the centre of each plate. Sprinkle the capers and olive oil around the plate. Top each potato cake with salmon, a dollop of horseradish cream and sprinkle with finely chopped chives.

For the main serve (serves 2-3)

Place two or three potato cakes on each plate, top with smoked salmon, a dollop of horseradish cream, sprinkle with finely chopped chives and some capers and olive oil. Serve with a green salad.

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Chickpea Fritters with Chicken Salad

You don’t need hours in the galley to impress your family or friends. I cooked this for Dwayne and myself for lunch when we arrived at Koh Phi Phi Don after sailing there from Ao Chalong in Phuket (did you know we live on a boat?) This recipe is delicious and straightforward. The salad, with flavours of soy, sesame, lime, coriander, and mint is refreshing and delightful for lunch or dinner. I think this is one of those meals you can cook for your family or dress it up a little for an exciting dinner party entree or main course. Play around with garnishes and add a little colour with a sprinkle of chopped red chilli.

*This recipe can serve up to four people depending on the size of chickpea fritters.

Chickpea fritters with Chicken Salad - simple delicious recipe. chickpeas, chicken, lime, soy, sweet chilli, coriander, mint, sesame oil and sesame seeds

Ingredients
For the fritters

1 x 439g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained.
6 Tablespoons besan flour (or use plain flour)
3 eggs, lightly whisked
5 Tbs milk
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
Salt & pepper
Oil for frying

For the chicken salad

375ml (1 ½ cup) chicken stock
250 ml (1 cup) water
8 fresh kaffir lime leaves, roughly torn
2 single chicken breast fillets, excess fat trimmed
1 Tbs sesame seeds
1/3 cup loosely packed chopped fresh coriander (I have also use Thai basil place of coriander)
¼ cup loosely packed shredded fresh mint
1 Tbs light soy
1 Tbs fresh lime juice
2 tsp sweet chilli sauce
½ tsp sesame oil

Chickpea fritters with Chicken Salad - simple delicious recipe. chickpeas, chicken, lime, soy, sweet chilli, coriander, mint, sesame oil and sesame seeds

Method

For the chicken salad, combine stock, water and lime leaves in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and simmer, occasionally turning, for 10 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from heat. Transfer chicken to a heatproof bowl with one tablespoon of the stock mixture. Cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, mash half a can of chickpeas using a fork. Add the eggs and milk, and mix well. Add the flour, spring onions and season with salt and pepper, and mix. Add in the other half a can of chickpeas and mix until well combined. Set aside to rest while you make the salad.

To make the chicken salad, finely shred the chicken and place in a bowl. Add the coriander, mint, soy sauce, lime juice, chilli sauce and sesame oil to the chicken and gently toss until just combined.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add a couple of spoonfuls of the batter into the pan and spread into a round shape. Repeat to make three (or 7*) more fritters. Cook for four minutes or until golden underneath. Turn and cook for a further four minutes or until cooked. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil.

To serve place one fritter on each plate and top with a small amount of chicken salad. Top with another fritter and then top with the remaining chicken salad. Sprinkle with finely chopped red chilli if desired and serve immediately.

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Delicious fritters made with Chickpeas, topped with a fresh flavoursome chicken salad - soy, lime, sesame, mint and coriander!
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Lime Panna Cotta

OMG! I love this dessert. Zesty and fresh, creamy and delectable! AND so easy to make. It really is a decadent indulgence which has been a hit at my dinner parties. On a boat? Believe me this is so easy to make as long as you can refrigerate the panna cotta. Another tip is make one large panna cotta instead of individual ones if it is easier for you to store in your fridge.

PannaCottaLime

Ingredients

600ml cream
200ml milk
3/4 cup caster sugar
4 kaffir lime leaves, torn up*
1 teaspoon finely grated lime rind
1/4 cup lime juice
3 gelatine leaves or 10g powdered gelatine
Lime zest and lime slices, to serve

PannaCottaLime5

Method

I use small 85ml metal moulds and the mix fills six of them.

Place cream, milk, sugar, lime leaves and lime rind in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for seven to eight minutes. Do not allow it to boil or even simmer (just bring it close to a simmer). Keep a good eye on it and stir continually. Remove from heat. Add lime juice and gelatine (if using the leaf gelatine squeeze out excess water before adding it to the cream mix). Stir to combine. Set aside for ten minutes to help flavours to develop.

After ten minutes strain mixture through a sieve into a pouring jug and discard the solids.  From the jug pour the mixture into prepared moulds and refrigerate overnight.

Run a knife around the edge of each metal mould and dip base of each mould briefly in hot water. Turn each panna cotta out onto a serving plate. Top with a slice of lime and a sprinkle of lime zest and serve.

*I think of one kaffir lime leaf as the entire leaf i.e. the double. I separate the two leaves from the stem, so in the end I have eight leaves. I wash the leaves then bunch them up and twist them to tear them, leaving them mostly intact.

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Lime Panna Cotta