Catering for guests need not come at a cost

Powerhouse veggie platter. Photo supplied.
Powerhouse veggie platter. Photo supplied.
Summer entertaining can get quite expensive, so Annabel Langbein has thought about ways to feed those expected and unexpected guests without it costing a fortune.

‘‘I really got into the idea of being on a shoestring because it can be very expensive over summer and christmas.''

If the family are big meat-eaters the food bill can end up being quite expensive.

So that's another reason to add more vegetarian dishes to the menu, which can be done without compromising on taste, she said.

‘‘One of my favourites at the moment is the powerhouse vegetable platter.''

She suggests combining white beans and beetroot to make a kind of hummus, then topping that with roasted vegetables and hazelnuts and a sprinkling of sumac.

‘‘Sumac is a really pretty, lovely tangy spice, doesn't cost a lot and once you bring it into your life you realise, ‘I can put it on that or that'.''

TAKE IT FREE RANGE: You can roast the veges and make the hummus several days in advance. Bring back to room temperature to serve.


Annabel Langbein's powerhouse vege platter

Prep 20 mins
Cook 40 mins
Serves 4

This is one of my favourite recipes from my new Endless Summer annual. Not only does it look spectacular on the platter, but you can just feel the goodness surge through your veins.

It's a meal in itself, or a great partner for grilled lamb or haloumi.

GF VE 

Ingredients

1kg beetroot, peeled and cut into 3cm wedges

4 large carrots, peeled and cut into finger-sized batons
1 large red onion, cut into 1cm wedges
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp each sugar and salt
ground black pepper, to taste
400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup natural yogurt, plus extra to serve
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup each chopped parsley leaves and chopped mint leaves
2 tsp apple glaze or pomegranate molasses
1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped
1/2 tsp sumac (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 180degC fanbake. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper for easy clean-up.

Place beetroots on one tray and carrots and onion on the other. Drizzle each traywith 1 tbsp oil, toss to coat and season with sugar, salt and pepper.

Spread out on trays and bake until tender and just starting to caramelise (35-40 minutes].

To make a creamy beetroot hummus, place half the cooked beetroots in a foodprocessor with chickpeas, garlic, yogurt, lemon juice and remaining oil. Blend toa smooth puree. Season to taste.

To assemble, spread hummus on to a platter. Toss the remaining beetroots with the carrots, onions and herbs and pile on top.

Finish with a drizzle of apple glaze or pomegranate molasses, a dollop of extra yoghurt and a sprinkle of hazelnuts and sumac, if using, to serve.

This recipe is an extract from Annabel's new summer annual Annabel Langbein A Free Range Life: Endless Summer (Annabel Langbein Media, $24.95), available from Paper Plus, the Warehouse and all good supermarkets and bookshops


Freebie

We have six copies of Annabel Langbein A Free Range Life: Endless Summer to give away. Send your contact details with Annabel in the subject line to playtime@odt.co.nz by January 12.


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