Here’s to 2016

Ring in the New Year with a delicious spread of sweet and savoury party platters that are sure to please.

Tapas Cups.

Prep 15 mins / Cook 45 mins / Makes 12.

1 kg baby new potatoes, 0.5 cm slices.
2 tbsps olive oil, plus.
1 tbsp extra 1 red onion, chopped.
2 chorizo, thinly sliced.
3 cloves garlic, crushed.
3 tsps smoked paprika.
½ tsp chilli powder.
1/3 cup dry white wine.
400 g can diced tomatoes.
1 tbsp oregano, chopped.
500 g small cooked prawns, peeled.
Parsley, to serve.

1. Preheat oven to moderate, 180 C.

2. In a bowl, toss potatoes in oil and spread over a large oven tray in a single layer. Season to taste. Bake 40 to 45 mins until crisp. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat half extra oil on medium. Saute onion and chorizo 6 to 8 mins until golden. Add garlic and spices with remaining oil, cook 1 min.

3. Deglaze pan with wine, simmer until reduced by half. Add tomatoes and oregano. Simmer 10 mins.

4. Spoon chorizo mixture into serving dishes, fill with potatoes and prawns. Top with parsley to serve.

Antipasto Bites.

Prep 10 mins / Cook 20 mins / Makes 20.

2 sheets puff pastry, thawed.
1 egg, beaten.
100 g soft goat’s cheese.
250 g cherry tomatoes, halved.
20 pitted kalamata olives.
20 small basil leaves.

1. Preheat oven to hot, 200 C. Line an oven tray with baking paper.

2. Stack pastry sheets and cut into 20 squares. Arrange on tray 1 cm apart. Brush with beaten egg. Top with another sheet of baking paper and weigh down with an additional tray. Bake 20 mins until crisp and golden.

3. Spread 1 tsp cheese onto each pastry. Top each with 2 tomato halves and an olive and basil leaf.

Crab Boats.

Prep 20 mins / Makes 18.

200 g cooked crab meat.
½ cup finely diced pawpaw.
1 stalk celery, finely chopped.
1 lime, finely grated zest, juice.
1 green onion, finely sliced.
1 tbsp dill, chopped, plus extra to garnish.
1 tbsp mayonnaise Pinch of cayenne pepper.
2 witlof, leaves separated (red, green) 50 g tub salmon pearls.

1. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients except witlof and pearls. Mix well and season to taste.

2. Spoon into witlof leaf boats to serve. Garnish with salmon pearls and extra dill.

TIP: Omelettes can be made an hour or two in advance and set aside, covered with plastic. Fill just before serving.

Smoked Salmon Omelette Wraps.

Prep 30 mins / Cook 10 mins / Serves 6 / Makes 12.

5 eggs, beaten.
2 tsps mirin.
1 tsp light soy sauce.
1 tbsp peanut oil.
1 avocado, seeded, sliced.
1 tsp lemon juice.
½ cup wasabi mayonnaise.
200 g smoked salmon slices, halved.
1 Lebanese cucumber, julienned.
3 green onions, julienned.
2 radishes, shredded Lime wedges, to serve.

1. In a large jug, whisk eggs, mirin and soy together.

2. Heat 1 tsp oil in an 18-cm frying pan. Pour in enough egg mixture to thinly coat base. Cook 1 min until set, slide onto a lined tray. Repeat with remaining mixture to make 6, adding oil as needed.

3. In a bowl, combine avocado and juice. Season to taste.

4. Spread wasabi mayo down centre of each omelette. Top with salmon, avocado, cucumber, onion and radish. Roll up tightly, leaving ends open. Halve diagonally. Serve with lime wedges.

TIP: You could also use a lamb leg for this dish.

Slow Roast Lamb Rolls.

Prep 30 mins / Cook 4 hours / Makes 12.

1 kg lamb shoulder.
2 tbsps olive oil.
4 cloves garlic, crushed.
1 lemon, grated zest.
2 tsps dried oregano.
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar.
1 cup chicken stock.
12 small dinner rolls, split, warmed.
250 g tub tzatziki.
½ bunch watercress, picked caramelised onion relish, to serve.

1. Preheat oven to slow, 150 C. Place lamb in a deep roasting dish.

2. R ub lamb all over with oil, garlic and lemon zest. Sprinkle with oregano and season to taste.

3. Drizzle with vinegar and pour stock into base of pan. Cover dish tightly with foil. Bake 4 hours until lamb is very tender.

4. R est, loosely covered with foil, for 15 mins, then shred using 2 forks. 5. Fill rolls with tzatziki, watercress, lamb and relish. Secure with toothpicks.

Sesame Coronation Chicken Salad.

Prep 20 mins (plus chilling) / Cook 10 mins / Serves 6.

750 g chicken breast fillets, thinly sliced.
1/3 cup plain flour 3 eggs, lightly beaten.
2 cups panko crumbs.
1/3 cup sesame seeds.
1 iceberg lettuce, shredded.
1½ cups red seedless grapes, halved.
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced.
1/3 cup roasted peanuts.
2 green onions, chopped Oil, for shallow-frying.

DRESSING.

½ cup mayonnaise.
1/3 cup Greek yoghurt.
1½ tbsps mango chutney.
½ lemon juice.
1 tbsp curry powder.

1 Toss chicken in flour, dip in egg and coat in combined crumbs and seeds. Chill 20 mins.

2 DRESSING In a jug, whisk all ingredients together.

3 In a large bowl, combine lettuce, grapes, celery, peanuts and onion.

4 In a large frying pan, heat oil on high. Cook chicken in 2 batches, 4 mins each, turning once, until golden. Drain on paper towel.

5 Top salad with chicken pieces and drizzle over dressing.

TIP: Add a splash of your favourite liqueur for adults.

Neapolitan Ice-Cream Sundaes.

Prep 15 mins (plus freezing and cooling) / Cook 5 mins / Serves 6.

500 ml vanilla ice-cream, softened.
1 L strawberry ripple ice-cream.
½ cup cream.
150 g dark chocolate, chopped.
300 ml carton thickened cream, whipped.
6 maraschino cherries Biscotti, to serve.

1. Spoon vanilla ice-cream into 6 serving glasses. Freeze 15 mins.

2. Top vanilla layer with 2 scoops strawberry ice-cream. Freeze until ready to serve.

3. In a saucepan, heat cream on high until almost boiling. Add chocolate, set aside 5 mins. Stir until smooth. Cool 15 mins.

4. Pour ganache over sundaes and top with cream and cherries. Accompany with biscotti.

Ginger & Mango Coconut Pots.

Prep 25 mins (plus chilling) / Cook 10 mins / Serves 12.

150 g ginger snap biscuits.
50 g butter, melted.
1 mango, sliced thinly.
125 g punnet raspberries Toasted coconut flakes.

CUSTARD.

2 X 270 ml cans coconut milk.
5 egg-yolks.
1/3 cup caster sugar.
2½ tbsps cornflour.
1 tbsp coconut liqueur.

1. In a food processor, pulse biscuits until fine crumbs form. Add butter and pulse until combined. Divide evenly between 12 dessert glasses.

2. CUSTARD In a small saucepan, heat coconut milk on high until almost boiling. In a large bowl, whisk yolks, sugar and cornflour together until pale. Gradually pour in milk, whisking constantly to combine. Return to clean saucepan and cook on medium, stirring until mixture boils and thickens, Stir in liqueur, cool 10 mins.

3. Pour custard filling evenly among 12 serving glasses and chill for 2 hours. Top pots with sliced mango, raspberries and coconut.

TIP: This tart can be made several days ahead. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

Lavender Chocolate Tart & Honeycomb Cream.

Prep 25 mins (plus chilling) / Cook 45 mins / Serves 10.

11/3 cups plain flour.
2 tbsps cocoa powder.
2 tbsps icing sugar.
100 g butter, chopped.
1 egg.
2 tsps ice water.
300 ml thickened cream.
80 g honeycomb bar, crushed.

FILLING.

1¾ cups cream.
1 tbsp dried lavender. 
250 g dark chocolate, melted.
100 g milk chocolate, melted.
2 eggs, beaten 1½ tsps vanilla.

1. In a food processor, pulse flour, cocoa and icing sugar together. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles crumbs. With motor running, add egg and enough water to bind. Wrap dough in plastic wrap, chill 30 mins.

2. Preheat oven to hot, 200 C. Roll pastry out between 2 sheets baking paper to 15 x 38 cm rectangle. Ease into an 11 x 34 cm fluted tart pan. Trim edges. Chill 10 mins.

3. Bake blind 12 mins. Reduce oven to slow, 160 C, remove filling, bake a further 10 mins.

4. FILLING In a medium saucepan, combine cream and lavender. Bring to almost boiling point. Set aside for 5 mins, then strain into a jug. In a medium bowl, combine chocolate and whisk in hot cream until smooth. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Pour into pastry case.

5. Bake 15-20 mins until centre is just set. Cool to room temperature, then chill 2 hours.

6. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream until soft peaks form. Fold honeycomb through. Cut tart into slices, serve with dollops of cream. W

PHOTOS: ROB SHAW/BAUERSYNDICATION.COM.AU.