Something I think we can all agree on is that nobody wants to be slaving over a hot stove when they're having people over during summer.
As with all home entertaining, the trick is to get as much as possible done in advance so you have more time to spend with your guests and to enjoy yourself – and this is doubly true in glorious summer weather.
I'll pre-boil sausages and sous vide a tray of steaks to medium-rare just to make them easier to barbecue. Any sweet treats should be made well in advance, and shouldn't require any assembly to serve. I once had someone bring a disassembled croquembouche to a kids' birthday party at our house, and then start making caramel to put it together – a lovely gesture (and delicious), but lordy!
The easiest-ever summer lunch party you can have is one where you can just pull everything out of the fridge and serve. Here are a couple of recipes that fit that bill. All you'll need to do when your guests arrive is toast some bread!
COLD OYSTERS KILPATRICK
Serves 4
They might not be in fashion these days but I love a Kilpatrick oyster. This chilled version gives them a lighter twist. Add a dash of vodka to the mix and it's nearly a Bloody Mary.
• ½ cup chilled tomato juice
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp finely minced red onion
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp Tabasco, or to taste
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
• 12 oysters, shucked and chilled
• 50g very finely sliced lardo or pancetta, cut into thin strips
• 1 tbsp finely chopped curly parsley
For the Kilpatrick dressing, combine the tomato juice, olive oil, onion, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco, then stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top each oyster with a few slivers of lardo or pancetta and dress with the Kilpatrick dressing. Scatter with chopped parsley and serve.
VEGETABLE TERRINE ON TOAST WITH WHIPPED RICOTTA
Serves 4
This colourful terrine proves that there's more to summer entertaining than just cranking up the barbecue.
• ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• juice of 1 lemon • 6 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
• 4 roma tomatoes
• 100g green beans, trimmed
• 2 yellow zucchini, cut lengthways into ½cm slices
• 2 green zucchini, cut lengthways into ½cm slices
• 1 small eggplant, cut lengthways into 1cm slices
• 2 yellow capsicums • 2 red capsicums
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 1½ tsp gelatin powder
• toasted Turkish bread, to serve Whipped ricotta
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• juice and rind of ½ a lemon
• 2 tbsp milk
Take a large baking dish and add half the oil, the lemon juice, the thyme and season well with salt and pepper. Peel the tomatoes by cutting a cross in the bottom and plunging them into boiling water for a few seconds. Remove the skin, quarter the tomatoes and remove and discard the seeds, leaving just the tomato flesh. Blanch the green beans for about 1 minute.
Transfer the tomatoes and beans to the baking dish in individual piles, and toss to coat in the oil and lemon. Heat your oven to 180°C. Toss the zucchini and eggplant in the remaining oil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for about 30 minutes until tender, then transfer to the baking dish along with the tomatoes and beans, turning to coat in the oil and lemon as well. Blacken the capsicums directly over a gas flame and place in a plastic bag to sweat.
Peel the capsicums, discard the seeds and cut the flesh into large sheets. Transfer to the baking dish with all the other vegetables. Season well with salt and pepper. For the chicken stock, sprinkle half of the stock with the gelatin and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Heat the remaining chicken stock in a small saucepan and add the combined stock and gelatin, stirring until all the gelatin has dissolved.
Drizzle the stock and gelatine mixture all over the vegetables and toss to coat. Line a terrine mould with cling film and add the vegetables in individual layers. Place a weight on top and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Remove from the mould and slice with a sharp knife. For the ricotta, combine the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Serve the terrine on toasted Turkish bread drizzled with olive oil, with a big scoop of the whipped ricotta.