Shape Magazine
For the trendiest party this season, keep things simple and sexy. Here are some fabulous and easy décor ideas, as well as the most delectable dinner menu for your summer-time party.
Décor direction
* If you have a pool or a water feature, dot it with floating candles and artificial water lilies or fresh flowers for a magical touch.
* Use Chinese lanterns or candles to light up dark corners or drape fairy lights strung in trees, bushes or even pot plants to light pathways.
* Buy strings of cheap colourful beads and hang from lights, plants and in windows.
* Music is really important. It creates the type of vibe you want for your party, so plan your music a few days ahead, upload your favourite iPod tunes so you won’t have to think about it again.
* Create a chill-out area by laying kilims, rugs and blankets in the garden, and piling with large scatter cushions.
Food, glorious food
Beetroot and feta bites
Halve boiled baby beetroot (pickled or plain), add a triangle of reduced-fat feta and top with a small basil leaf. Skewer and drizzle with olive oil.
Sesame-coated tuna with Asian drizzle
What to do:
Lightly beat one egg white with 5ml reduced-sodium soya sauce. Brush the mixture on the top surface of four times five centimetre thick tuna fillets. Dip tuna into a mixture of black and white sesame seeds.
Heat 30-45ml olive oil in a non-stick pan until smoking, cook tuna as desired.
If your tuna is slightly inferior quality, it will need to cook for slightly longer. Rest for 10 minutes, slice and drizzle with Asian dressing.
Dressing: Mix 1/4 C (60ml) mirin, 1/4 C (60ml) reduced-sodium soya sauce, 11/2 T (22.5ml) seasoned rice wine vinegar and 1-2 T (15-30ml) finely chopped chives or shredded basil.
Parma and nectarine wedges
This is pretty easy, just wrap nectarine or peach wedges with Parma or black forest ham. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with a few grinds of milled black pepper.
Lemongrass ginger thirst quencher for two
What you need:
# 3 C (750ml) boiling water
# 2 stalks fresh lemon grass, slightly bruised, sliced into 4
# 2-3 T (30-45 ml) lemon juice
# Ginger syrup
Instructions:
Pour water over lemon grass. Leave to infuse and cool. Remove lemon grass and add lemon juice and ginger syrup, to taste. Serve in tall glass with crushed ice and mint. Use a trimmed lemon grass stalk as a swizzle stick.
Ginger syrup: Add 250g sugar to 1 C (250ml) water, and 2 thick slices peeled, fresh ginger, boil until sugar dissolves.
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Shape Magazine
Herbed prawn sandwiches for 10
What you need:
# 500g peeled prawns or shrimp, chopped
# 3 T (45ml) reduced-fat mayonnaise
# 1/4 C (60ml) fat-free, plain yoghurt
# 2 T (15ml) lemon juice
# 2 T (30ml) finely chopped dill or basil
# Salt and milled pepper
# 10 slices brown, white/wholewheat/rye bread, crusts removed
Instructions:
Mix prawns, mayonnaise, yoghurt, lemon juice and herbs together. Season to taste and add a few drops of Tabasco sauce if you like. Spread onto sliced bread, scatter with watercress (optional) and close to make a sandwich. Slice as desired, wrap with a strip of baking paper or pretty tissue paper and arrange on a platter.
Spicy paella cones
Cook two 200g packets of Tastic Spicy Rice for Spanish Paella (you’ll only need one sachet of flavouring though) and set aside.
Heat 15ml olive oil in a large, non-stick frying pan and sauté two cloves crushed garlic, 125ml thinly-sliced chorizo and 5ml paprika. Add 200g small chunks of white fish and cook for two minutes.
Add 100g small calamari tubes or rings and cook for one minute. Pour in 45ml each white wine and chicken, vegetable or fish stock and zest of one lemon. Toss to mix.
Stir in rice and cook to heat through. Add 200g cooked, peeled prawns (with tails), and 45ml chopped parsley. Season and cook for another five minutes to heat through thoroughly.
Serve in small bowls or cones with cocktail forks.
Other quick ideas:
* Marinate small calamari tubes and tentacles in a lemon juice, soy and chilli dressing. Grill or stir-fry over a high heat for a few minutes. Serve in little bowls with toothpicks and lemon wedges.
* Make a large pot of spicy Tom Yum soup and serve in shot glasses or espresso cups for guests to sip on.
* Make uncooked Vietnamese spring rolls using rehydrated rice paper filled and rolled with finely shredded vegetables, cooked vermicelli noodles and fresh mint. Serve with a light ‘n spicy dipping sauce, plum sauce or sweet chilli sauce.
* Serve freshly shucked oysters topped with a drizzle of vodka and a splash of spicy tomato juice, lime zest and milled black pepper.
* Thinly slice chicken breasts and marinate in soy sauce, lemon juice and garlic for at least an hour. Thread onto wooden skewers and grill to cook through. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place a little sweet chilli sauce into the bottom of shot glasses and insert a chicken skewer. Guests can then dip their skewer into their own sauce.
* Fill wraps with your favourite low-fat ‘n creamy chicken, tuna or prawn mixture. Slice into spirals and serve on a platter.
* Serve miniature bowls of steamed Mussels on the half shell cooked in a simple broth of wine, stock, garlic and herbs.
* Skewer cubes of soft fruit (peaches, nectarines, berries) and pop into a glass of sparkling wine to use as a swizzle stick.
* Spoon store-bought chocolate mousse into your favourite shot glasses or espresso cups, sprinkle with white or dark chocolate shavings and call it your own.
* Place store-bought Turkish delight into pretty containers, scatter with rose petals and serve as dessert.
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