Monday, March 1, 2010

HAPPY DAYS


There is nothing I like more than a party, particularly a family party catered by my sisters and myself, and even more particularly a party catered by us but in one of their houses (so I escape clean up duties!!!!)
My sister had a wonderful party yesterday, it had all the important ingredients: great company, great craic, plentiful vino and of course wonderful food.
When deciding on the menu for one of these parties, I always like to make a good selection of salads to complement the meat element of the spread. The salads (as well as the deserts!) are my favorite part of the meal, and I always like to prepare some old reliables, and some from the groaning list of "to try" recipes I have accumulated, and finally at least one experimental one.
The photo shows one of the old reliables a beetroot salad and an experimental one. I had tried a lovely couscous salad in the Avoca Cafe and this is my interpretation of it.
The day went very well, all the guests seemed to enjoy themselves, and a good number went home with goodie bags!!!
I'll blog about some of the deserts later on, there was my sister's pavlova and chocolate roulade, there was a fantastic cheesecake (wish I had taken some of it home for breakfast!!) a chocolate torte and Nigella's barabdos cream.

BEETROOT SALAD
2 packets of vacuum packed ready cooked beetroot
300ml greek yogurt
1 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp slivered almonds
Dice the beetroot (ware gloves if you don't fancy pink fingers!)
Combine all the ingredients, season well with salt and pepper and serve.
Easy or what!

COUSCOUS SALAD
1 Cup Couscous
1/2 Cup sultanas
1 Red pepper
1 Orange pepper
2 Sticks celery
1/2 Red onion (finely diced)
1/2 Cup olive oil
1/4 Cup cider vinegar
1 Bunch coriander (chopped finely)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp curry powder

Soak the sultanas in the vinegar for no more than 15 minutes.
Cook the couscous according to the packet instructions.
De-seed the peppers and cut into bite size cubes.
Slice the celery thinly.
Warm the spices in a frying pan (until they release their aroma) about 3 minutes.
Add the sultanas and vinegar to the pan, and then pour this mixture over the couscous.
Add the fresh coriander, onion, peppers and celery.
Season well with salt and pepper. Mix well.
Enjoy.

4 comments:

Coby said...

Your beetroot salad is wonderfully eyecatching:) I think having a couscous salad is such a great option as it's usually texturally so different to anything else on offer:) Yummy looking spread.

La Bella Cooks said...

I love the couscous salad with the cumin and coriander. The flavors just sound wonderful in this recipe. The beetroot salad looks pleasing as well. Sounds like you had quite a feast!

Jutta said...

I love cous cous salad! I make the one from The Naked Chef by Jamie Oliver. I will blog it next time I make it.

Brownieville Girl said...

I totally agree Coby, you need plenty of variety when preparing alot of salads, real danger of boring people!

Thanks Bridgett, I'm still full!!!!

Look forward to seeing that Jutta.