Easy entertaining: Cheat’s cuisine

Your party guests have arrived and it’s all under control with this light and tasty meal you just happen to have prepared – earlier.

Menu

• Entrée: Mediterranean pita bruschetta
• Main: Moroccan lamb kebabs
• Sides: Mixed vegetable quinoa and Warm green salad
• Dessert: Berry meringue crunch

Shopping list

• Fruit and vegetables
  1 pot fresh basil (for garnish)
  1 punnet cherry tomatoes
  1 bulb of garlic
  3 lemons (plus one for garnish)
  1 pot fresh mint
  1 bunch fresh parsley
  5 cups silver beet
  130g pack spinach
  4 medium tomatoes
• Chilled/frozen
  1/2 cup blackcurrants
  2 x 150g pots fromage frais
  1 1/2 cups raspberries
  400g stir-fry vegetables
  3 1/2 cups low-fat natural yoghurt
• Meat
  800g diced leg of lamb
• Bread
  4 large or 6 mini pita breads
• Bottled/canned
  chargrilled mushrooms
  garlic oil
  garlic purée
  16-20 mini meringues
  Morroccan spice mix
  1/4 cup pitted olives
  Peppadew diced peppers
  2 tablespoons pesto
  225g quinoa
  sun-dried tomatoes
• Miscellaneous – check your cupboards before you add any of these items to your list
  balsamic vinegar
  castor sugar
  orange juice
  olive oil
  tomato purée
  vegetable stock

Time plan

The day before

• Marinate lamb

In the morning

• Prepare garlic tomatoes (bruschetta)
• Cook quinoa
• Make up meringue crunch, chill

2 hours before

• Prepare bruschetta
• Thread kebabs

1 hour before

• Finish quinoa
• Make up warm green salad

20 minutes before serving

• Preheat griddle of grill
• Cook lamb, dress warm green salad
• Prepare starter