December 2002
Welcome to the silly season! The time for entertaining friends and returning favours. So how will you entertain guests this summer? Barbecues are great because the men do the cooking. And they're such a casual affair which can start at 12 noon around the pool and go through a long hot afternoon. They're easy to throw together too - a few tasty snags, some marinated chicken or seafood skewers, a couple of salads, a loaf of crusty bread.
Sit-down dinners are out - unless it's a take-away meal from a reliable local noodle bar or Asian take-away. After all, who has time these days to shop, prepare and cook for a three or four-course meal for eight to ten, not to mention setting the table and matching the wines? Expensive too.
The most effective way to entertain is the stand-up cocktail party because you can invite a large number of people. It's also more economical and the average domestic kitchen can cope if most of the food is prepared ahead. And if you keep it casual your guests will probably end up in the kitchen lending a helping hand anyway. All part of the fun. A themed party is one way to go. You could make it south-east Asian, for example.
Try to think of interesting (but workable) ways to present the food: white cardboard noodle boxes are great for serving stir-fry noodles (be they hokkien, rice or glass noodles); white Chinese soup spoons are ideal for a mouthful of Thai red or green curry (set them out on a platter); bamboo sticks are perfect for satays and other marinated bite-size items; white Chinese tea cups are ideal for a tangy soup (tom yum goong, Chinese sour soup); small bamboo skewers are perfect for serving a steamed or fried wonton or gow gee. Have a look around your nearest Asian grocery store and you'll find plenty of inspiration.
At present anything 'neuvo latino' is hip. Since Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan and the Buena Vista Social Club swept the world, chefs in New York and London have been turning their attention to Central and South American cuisine. Something yet to catch on here are Ceviche bars. The king of ceviche (raw fish marinated in citrus juices), and also the inventor of 'neuvo latino' is New York restaurateur Douglas Rodriguez who opened his second New York restaurant - a ceviche bar and cafe called Chicama - earlier this year. According to Rodriguez, ceviche is what sushi was ten years ago. It's also light and high in protein and vitamin C. Chicama's star attraction is its 15-seat ceviche bar in the dining room.
Two styles of ceviche are served - mixtos and tradito. The former is marinated longer, allowing the acidity to 'cook' the fish, firming its flesh and turning it slightly opaque.
Most are bright and clear tasting, particularly the Thai version - squid and tuna in a citrus bath enlivened with lemongrass, ginger and lime leaves. Balanced by red onions, tomato and coriander, the flavours are fresh, clean and tangy, perfect for Aussie summer entertaining.
For more ideas check out the Internet or books like Mesa Mexica by Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger (William Morrow), Brazil - A Cook's Tour, by Christopher Idone (Clarkson Potter) and Leith's Latin American Cookery by Valeria Sisti (Bloomsbury).
Now put on a salsa CD, shake yourself a Margarita or Caipiroska, and get with it!
- Specify time of the party on your invites, suggesting a finishing time: eg 5pm - 8pm, or 6pm - 8pm.
- For cocktails at home, 40-50 is a manageable number, though you'll need help with waiters (who can be hired through various agencies).
- Ideal length for a cocktail party is 2-3 hours - stop pouring drinks when you want the party to wind up (Sydneysiders need a nudge!)
- For a 2 hour cocktail party, work around 10-15 bites per person, and be sure to offer a variety of flavours and textures.
- Make sure you have plenty of good quality paper napkins on hand - Deeko is a good brand.
- Quail's eggs are very popular in Brazil, where they are hard-boiled, peeled and left overnight to marinate in a vinaigrette dressing to which a small chopped red chilli and cinnamon sticks are added then served with French bread as an appetiser
A vibrant, colourful, fresh-tasting seafood salad. In Cuba and Equador it is traditionally served with freshly popped salted popcorn, making it even more of a festive dish.
Serves 8 - 10
400g
salmon fillets, cut in 1cm dice
400g harbour or school prawns, peeled, cleaned
and cut in 1cm dice
400g Tasmanian scallops, cut in 1cm dice
approx 750ml fresh lime juice
250ml orange juice
1/2 red onion, cut in 1cm dice
1 mango, flesh removed, cut in 1cm dice
1-2 medium ripe tomatoes, cut in 1cm dice
2 jalapeno chillies, finely chopped
1 cup freshly chopped coriander
2-3 tbsp sugar, or to taste
pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper
2 oranges, peeled and segmented
Place all the seafood ingredients in a non-corrosive bowl and toss gently to combine. Pour in enough citrus juice to cover the fish. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to marinate in the fridge for 2-3 hours. The fish must look opaque - if not, return to the fridge and leave to marinate longer. Add the red onion, mango, tomato and jalapeno chillies and stir gently to combine.
Before serving, drain off as much juice as possible. Add the coriander, sugar, salt and pepper to taste and mix through the orange segments. Serve in margarita glasses.
