Dinner party for 4 people.
A very easy soup to prepare is Onion Consomme. It is light, with a tang of wine and peppers. The entree of Artichokes with Warm Peppery Vinaigrette is something a little different. None of the ingredients compete with the subtle taste of the artichokes, and the presentation is wonderful. The main course of Lemon and Garlic Grilled Spatchcocks is another unusual dish. The marinated baked flavours are outstanding and the dish is not heavy or overfilling. Strawberry Gratin for dessert is refreshing to eat, and very easy to prepare. It is a nice way to round off a perfect meal.
Soup
Onion Consomme
Ingredients
60g butter
2 large onions, chopped
2 x 410g cans beef consomme
4 cups water
½ cup dry red wine
1 stick celery, chopped
½ medium red pepper, sliced
½ medium green pepper, sliced
Method
Melt butter in large saucepan, add onions, cook over low heat, stirring often, for about 20 minutes or until onions are soft and well browned. Stir in consomme, water and wine. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine sieve, discard onion, return consomme to pan, add celery and peppers. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Entree
Artichokes with Warm Peppery Vinaigrette
Ingredients
2 medium globe artichokes
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Peppery Vinaigrette Ingredients
1 small red pepper, sliced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoons cracked black peppercorns
½ teaspoon sugar
Peppery Vinaigrette Method
Add pepper to small saucepan of boiling water, drain immediately and combine with remaining ingredients. Heat without boiling.
Method
Trim stems from artichokes, discard any tough outside leaves. Shorten outside leaf tips with scissors. Add juice to large saucepan of boiling water. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until leaves of artichokes pull away easily. Drain well; cut artichokes in half and place on serving plates. Serve with peppery vinaigrette.
Main Course
Lemon and Garlic Grilled Spatchcocks
Ingredients
16 bamboo skewers
4 x size 5 or 6 spatchcocks, halved lengthways
reduced fat tzatziki dip, to serve
Marinade Ingredients
2 large lemons, juiced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Method
Soak skewers in water for 15 minutes.
Thread 2 skewers through each spatchcock half. Place in a large shallow ceramic dish.
To make marinade
Whisk ingredients in a jug and season with salt and pepper.
Method
Pour marinade over spatchcocks and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Grease and preheat grill on medium heat. Cook spatchcocks turning occasionally and basting with marinade for 30 to 40 minutes or until cooked through.
Serve with tzatziki, rocket, and lemon wedges.
Dessert
Quick Strawberry Gratin
Ingredients
500g fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
30ml cointreau
1 cup custard
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Method
Arrange strawberries in 4 shallow, ¾ cup capacity, ovenproof dishes. Combine cointreau and custard, pour over strawberries and sprinkle with sugar.
Preheat grill on high, place dishes into baking tray and grill for 3 or 4 minutes until golden.
Note
To make custard, blend 1 tablespoon custard powder with 2 tablespoons of low fat milk. Transfer to a saucepan and add ¼ cup caster sugar, 1 vanilla bean, split, and 450ml low fat milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until custard thickens.
