Quick and Easy Festive Entertaining Recipes
Take the stress out of the festive season prep with these simple yet scrumptious recipes.
Easy bacon, pesto and haloumi bites
Ingredients
- 8 thin rashers streaky bacon, halved crossways
- 2 tablespoons basil pesto
- 16 large fresh basil leaves, plus small sprigs to serve
- 225g Symon's Organic haloumi, cut into 16 pieces
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Method
- Step 1
Preheat oven to 220C/200C fan-forced. Line a baking tray with sides with baking paper.
- Step 2
Place 1 piece of bacon on a board. Spread with a little pesto. Top 1 end of bacon with 1 basil leaf and 1 piece of haloumi. Roll up bacon to enclose cheese, securing with a toothpick. Place on prepared tray. Repeat with remaining bacon, pesto, basil and haloumi. Drizzle with oil.
- Step 3
Bake, brushing bacon with pan juices halfway through cooking, for 20 minutes or until bacon is golden and cheese is tender. Stand for 5 minutes. Serve with extra basil.
Watermelon salad with feta and cucumber noodles
INGREDIENTS
- 3 lebanese cucumbers
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
- 700g watermelon, peeled, cut into triangles
- 100g fetta, crumbled
- 1/4 cup fresh mint sprigs
METHOD
- Step 1
Use a vegetable spiraliser to cut cucumber into noodle-like strands.
- Step 2
Whisk oil, vinegar and mustard in a small serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Place bowl in the centre of a large round serving platter. Place watermelon and cucumber around dressing on platter. Sprinkle with fetta and mint. Serve.
Recipe and photo from taste.com.au
Charred capsicum and zucchini with whipped goat’s cheese
Time to get out the grill and put those fresh veggies to good use. This is a terrific recipe that makes a lovely party platter in a matter of minutes.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 eggplant
- 500g zucchini
- 500g capsicum
- 500g asparagus
- 2-3 red onions
- For the Marinade:
- 1/2cup olive oil
- 1/4cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4cup apple cider vinegar
- 4-5cloves garlic smashed
- 2-3 Tbsp oregano chopped, (or 2 Tbsp dry oregano)
- onion salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
For the Whipped Goat Cheese:
- 1/2cup feta or goats cheese
- 1/4cup whipping cream
- 1clove garlic
- Salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cut eggplants, onions, and zucchini in 2.5cm thick slices.
- Salt the eggplant slices, and leave in a colander for 20 minutes so the bitter juices drain out. Rinse and pat dry.
- Wash the capsicum, and leave whole.
- Wash the asparagus, and cut the woody ends.
- Mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, garlic and chopped oregano, with onion salt and black pepper, and brush all vegetables liberally with the marinade.
- Grill veggies on medium heat, turning them over once or twice.
- Remove the charred outer skin from the capsicum by rubbing off- slice the capsicum in half, remove seeds and then continue slicing lengthwise into 2.5cm slices. Set aside until ready to assemble.
- Remove the remaining vegetables to a plate and drizzle with the remaining marinade and more fresh oregano. Add more garlic if needed - they should have a distinct garlicky, tangy taste.
- With an electric mixer beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add the goat cheese, and smashed garlic, and a pinch of salt, then beat until fluffy.
- Arrange the vegetables decoratively on a platter and serve with the whipped goat cheese on the side.
Recipe adapted from www.victoriastable.com