Summer Lunch
Bringing together 13 women for lunch beachside in Cronulla. We started with drinkies & nibbles on the front verandah before squeezing around the table to eat together, that's what its all about.
Summer Lunch Menu
Starters:
Melitzanosalata - Eggplant Dip
Spicy Pepper & Feta Dip
Hummus with Spiced Chickpeas and Honeyed Yoghurt
Crudité (carrot, celery, radish, and beans)
Pita Bread (homemade) we ran out of time to make this so replaced this with a sourdough from FLOUR
Old El Paso Tortilla Chips gf - rated 84/100 on Yuka & a Gluten free alternative to the sourdough
Main:
Greek Stuffed Capsicum (Yamista) stuffed with rice, ground Beef, herbs & spices in tomato passata
Greek Potatoes w mustard, oregano & lemon
Salad - radicchio, fennel, beetroot, figs, pecorino, red wine vinaigrette & extra virgin Olive oil
Dessert:
Orange Cake with Whipped Cardamom Cream
BE BRAVE - it starts with an invitation to lunch, just do it. From there pick a few dishes that YOU love. I started with my favourite salad then I added the Yamista because it is DELICIOUS, also it tastes better if it’s made the day before. Let the flavours become mates.
A bit about me - I love food. I fell for my now-husband when he cooked for me in my Coogee apartment 24 years ago, he remembers the dish, Butterflied BBQ Quail, cauliflower purée, Chinese broccoli, and roasted grapes. He still recalls hand-feeding me crispy Snapper and that was it for me. Done - hook line and sinker - then off we went to London together. He’s a beautiful chef and I’ve learned so much from him. ……. back to Saturday’s lunch.
Lucky for me, James helped with some of the cooking offering tips along the way. For example, when I struggled to get the chickpeas to crisp up in the pan, he suggested using the air fryer - it worked a treat! He also recommended adding Gomaschio (sesame salt) to the spiced chickpeas for the nutty flavour it adds to the dish.
James decided to add the Spicy Pepper & Feta Dip and the Melitzanosalata to the menu. Without his help, I would have simply stuck with hummus as the starter—and that would have been fine too.
This is the second lunch I’ve made for friends, I started this because:
a) I want to get to know these people better
b) I would LOVE to be invited to a lunch
Also…..
I’m making my own fun. You can’t complain about never being invited to anything if you don’t get the ball rolling yourself. So, I’m putting it out there and creating the life I want to be a part of.
Mum’s place on The Esplanade Cronulla, looking over the ocean, is the perfect spot for nibbles & drinks.
Hommus w honeyed yoghurt & spiced chicken peas. A Karen Martini dish, we added fresh crudités and fresh baked Sourdough from local cafe Flour and for a GF option the corn chips.
Yamista - Greek stuffed peppers - so delicious and easy to prepare the day before.
Always make something that YOU love chances are everyone will love it too.
Salad of fennel, radicchio, beetroot (quiet a cooking method to this baked beet) fresh sweet & juicy figs, pecorino, red wine vinegar & e v olive oil.
To finish - Orange & Almond Meal cake, candied oranges, cardamom & vanilla cream.
TIP: I spooned the cream into a piping bag and asked one of the guests to be the piper - she loved being asked to help.
Would you like recipes for this menu? Would you like more curated menus for special occassions?
It’s about creating spaces where we can come together, share stories, and enjoy the simple joys of good food and great company. I’m grateful for these moments, and as I continue to put myself out there, I’m learning that the life you want to be a part of starts with making it happen yourself.