CHANDLERS WISH

Just so you know, these ideas are experimental having spent 17 years in the hospitality industry as well as a love for entertaining, usually 30 at a time.

If your goal is to make it different then i hope these little things help



Mini yiros cups

I tried this one not long ago at a NYE party as one item and it went down very well.

I cheated, of course, there was a yiros shop so i bought all the yiros meat cooked, and the sauce...

But Butchers sell it as well, and you can by tzatziki dip and add garlic to it so i'll go for the no butcher nor yiros shop.

Make thin slices of chicken and then cut to 1 cm in strips. Cook in oil very low, with 1/4 glass of white wine and herbs from Masterfood is okay, fresh is better diced up and added, basil, rosemary, thyme, any one will do and braze the meat slowly.

I usually go high for 1 minute turning and then braze so there is a dark colour on the outside and closes the meat in, but soft inside.

Purchase a couple of Ice burg lettuces and take the small cups from the inside of each one.

With the tzatziki dip, add two tablespoons of garlic and a pinch of black pepper and mix through.

Place the meat in the cups, add the sauce and display on the plate.

The cups fold over for easy eating and it's well a yiros without the bread!!


Pork spare ribs

Great everyone loves them , I think!!

I don't buy them from a supermarket but an asian shop they are thinner and less meat and well, better in my opinion.

There you can purchase Hoi Sin sauce as well which is like plum sauce but spicer.

I never use oven trays you have to clean them, so i purchase aluminium ones that i can throw away after.

Spray the tray with oil, place the ribs in it and tablespoon the sauce over the top of each one. 20 mins on high will do it but check, the sauce can burn and go dark....

Chicken Satays

Again i prefer the Asian shops for their sauces and they have a great spicy chicken satay sauce.

And again, i go for the aluminium tray.

Purchase chicken breast and cut thin slices not thick, that's the key i think and then place them on skewers. Grill until cooked.

Place the sauce over the top and smother, then place in the oven for around 10 to heat the sauce through, and serve on a plate with ( if you can locate ) snow pea leaves, they have little swirls and look great and can be eaten, or on the variety lettuce purple and green for the effect covering the plate.

Okay Asian again:-

YOu can then make a mixture of dim sims, spring rolls, prawn balls etc and oven bake them for 15/20 keep an eye on the colour and serve with soy sauce.


COLD DISHES:-

THe best that goes down well in my opinion from experience is always the metwurst cheeze, condiments olives, sundried tomatoes etc.

But you can add: -

Vermice noodles with prawn mint and hoi sin sauce

You simply purchase the rice paper and wet in and place on a tea towel, boil the vermice noodles as per instructions.

Slice cucumber and carrot in 1/2 centimetre sticks, and around 4 cm length, slice cooked prawns in half and cut mint.

Place the vermice noodles, carrot, cucumber, mint and prawns in the rice paper, after cutting it into 3, and roll.

Serve with hoi sin sauce sauce in a small bowl for dipping.


All sauces can be obtained from supermarket but again, sorry the Asian variety are a lot more tasty, heavier in character.


Prociutto & Rockmelon

Another easy one, cut your rockmelon in a slice, and wrap prociutto around in and place on a plate. White plates are good. Sprinkle black pepper around the edge of the plate for effect and add basil in the middle of the plate and a leave scattered around the outside of the plate only around 3 or 4 for effect...

CW