Let's Party!!!

Black Forest Trifle



Things don’t always happen as you want them to. But the best we can do is plan... and have a backup plan in case the first plan fails. However, having a back up to the backup plan may be overdoing it. If your back up plan fails too, then I believe you should just accept defeat and move on.

There are people who somehow stumble through their days without a list, or let alone having any sort of plan in their minds. I am not one of them. In any one day, I will always have my list of things to do clearly written down. I enjoy the ticking off. It doesn’t make me more organised, it is just my strategy for making sure no matter how many directions I get pulled throughout the day, I can always go back to my list and still have an idea of where I really should be heading.

Now when I’m planning a party for close to 20 people, I go into full military operation mode; and I plan my timetable at least the weekend before, which includes:

·    Plan and finalise the menu - make sure all components complement one another. Also take into account the appetites of your guests and whether the food is suitable for the weather etc. You are inviting your guests over for a reason. That reason is to enjoy themselves and walk away with happy bellies (ie not so stuffed they feel like they need to starve themselves for the next week; or worse, so hungry, they go away and get Maccas afterwards).

·    Plan the shopping. I usually do shopping in 2 goes, so that I don’t overload myself and my fridge. And if I forget something the first time, I can always get it during the second trip.

Have I scared you off already?

      ·    Plan when to do the cooking, including any make-ahead food, so that I am not running around in circles on the morning of the party.

      ·    Plan presentation of the food. Because the last thing I want to worry about 30 minutes before guests arrive is finding out I don’t have enough plates to fit all the food.

My motto is... If I’m calm preparing for the party, then I will be calm during the party and the atmosphere will be a lot better. A few tea lights burning here and there will help too.

It’s really not that scary, and I really enjoy the whole process. I hope I have at least inspired you rather than scare you away...

This is my menu for a recent lunch party I held for 17 people:

Appetisers: 

Rice paper rolls



 Corn chips and vegetable platter with homemade guacamole and red kidney bean dips

(the vegetables were really a “hope over triumph” measure, in case someone wanted to be healthy... they shouldn’t be penalised)

Smoked salmon potato cakes with dill mayonnaise

Vietnamese rice paper rolls

Prawn cocktails


Mains:

Potato rostini

Ginger & wholegrain mustard cocktail sausages (I used pork and veal sausages)

Chinese BBQ pork

Caprese pasta salad

Potato Rostini

Desserts:

Black forest trifle (this is fabulous even if I do say so myself)

Rhubarb and Muscat Jelly

Mango pudding (made by a dear friend Albert Lau)

Rhubarb and Muscat Jelly



Drinks:

Chambord and lemonade

Lemon lime bitters (the REAL deal, not from concentrate)

Beer and wine

Recipe: Smoked salmon potato cakes with dill mayonnaise
(more recipes to come later!)

Smoked Salmon Potato Cake with Dill Mayonnaise

 For the potato cakes

3 Large Eggs

125 ml whole Milk

2 spring onions finely sliced

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

60 g instant mashed potato mix

40 g Plain Flour

½ teaspoon Baking powder

½ teaspoon Lemon Juice

For the topping

Mayonnaise

200 g Smoked Salmon

small bunch fresh Dill

Method

For the potato cakes

In a jug, whisk together the eggs, milk, spring onions and olive oil. Weigh and whisk in th e potato mix, flour, baking powder and lemon juice. Batter should be the thickness of double cream, ie can be dolloped without flowing everywhere.

Heat a non-stick fry pan on medium heat and dollop tablespoons of the mixture onto the hot frypan. Cook as you would normally with pancakes, but for this one, it doesn't have to have bubbles coming through before you flip. Usually 30 seconds a side is adequate.

For the topping

Add a dollop of mayonnaise on top of each pancake after they have cooled. Cut off strips of smoked salmon and arrange the curls on top of each pancake. Top with a feather of dill.

Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson

Photos courtsey of friend Jonathon Wong