PARTY FOOD & DRINKS - 1001 Recipes You've Always Wanted to Cook (2015)

1001 Recipes You've Always Wanted to Cook (2015)

Illustration

Chicken Crostini

PARTY FOOD & DRINKS

Make your party go with a swing with our wide-ranging selection of savoury canapés and finger foods, and punches, cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks. Whether it’s a smart summer soirée or a Christmas drinks party, we’ve got the right nibbles and tipples for you.

To make the whole business of cooking for crowds easier, nearly all the recipes can be prepared or cooked in advance and frozen or chilled until you need to serve them. There are homely sausage rolls and traditional party food such as poached salmon and devils on horseback, as well as more contemporary ideas, such as jelly shots. And if you like spicy flavours, we have chicken satay bites, prawn poppadoms and even upmarket oysters with chilli sauce.

At the heart of a really good party are the drinks, and you can go adventurously beyond the usual bottles of red and white into more exotic flavours with our fruit cups, sherbets, fizzes, sparkles and juleps as well as the old favourites - sangria for warm summer evenings and mulled wine for festive fun.

PARMESAN PUFFS

125g/4oz streaky bacon rashers (slices)

75g/3oz/6 tbsp unsalted butter

75ml/3fl oz/5 tbsp each milk and water

75g/3oz/¾ cup plain (all-purpose) flour

2 medium (US large) eggs, beaten

4 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan plus extra to sprinkle

salt and ground black pepper

cayenne pepper to dust

1 Cook the bacon in a frying pan until crisp and set aside.

2 In a large pan, heat the butter, milk and water. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and beat in the flour until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool.

3 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Gradually beat most of the beaten eggs into the flour mixture to give a dropping consistency. Set aside any leftover egg in a bowl.

4 Stir the Parmesan into the mixture and crumble in the bacon. Drop teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets, spacing them well apart. Brush with the leftover beaten egg and sprinkle lightly with Parmesan.

5 Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until golden and puffy. Serve immediately, sprinkled with a little salt and pepper and dusted with cayenne.

preparation 20 minutes cooking time 20 minutes

Makes 24

DEVILS ON HORSEBACK

2 tbsp mango chutney

8 ready-to-eat prunes, stoned

4 thin streaky bacon rashers (slices)

8 rounds of bread

50g/2oz/4 tbsp butter

salt and ground black pepper

1 Preheat the grill (broiler). Push a little mango chutney inside each prune.

2 Stretch the bacon rashers with the back of a knife and cut each one in half. Roll the bacon around the prunes and secure with a wooden cocktail stick (toothpick).

3 Cook under a medium grill, turning once, for a few minutes until the bacon is crisp and golden brown.

4 Meanwhile, cut the bread into 5cm/2in rounds with a pastry cutter. Fry the bread in the butter for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until golden brown on both sides.

5 Serve the bacon-wrapped prunes on the fried bread.

preparation 10 minutes cooking time 15 minutes

Makes 8

PROSCIUTTO MELONE

900g/2lb cantaloupe or Charentais melon, chilled

8 thin slices Parma ham

ground black pepper

1 Cut the melon in half lengthways and scoop out and discard the seeds. Cut each half into four wedges.

2 With a sharp knife, cut away the melon flesh from the skin. Arrange the melon slices on four serving plates.

3 Drape the Parma ham slices over the melon and grind a little black pepper over. Serve immediately.

preparation 10 minutes

Serves 4

SAUSAGE ROLLS

450g/1lb puff pastry

flour to dust

450g/1lb pork sausagemeat

1 small onion, grated

a few fresh sage leaves, finely chopped

milk to brush

beaten egg to glaze

salt and ground black pepper

1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7.

2 Roll out half the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 40 × 20cm/16 × 8in rectangle. Cut lengthways into two strips.

3 Mix the sausagemeat with the onion, sage and seasoning. Divide into two portions and dust lightly with flour.

4 Shape the portions into long rolls, the length of the pastry, and lay one along each pastry strip. Lightly brush the edges with milk. Fold one side of the pastry over the sausagemeat and press the long edges together to seal. Repeat with the remaining pastry and sausagemeat. Trim the ends.

5 Brush the pastry with beaten egg and cut each roll into 5cm/2in lengths. Make two slits in the top of each one.

6 Place the sausage rolls on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and cook for 10 minutes until golden brown and puffed up. Serve hot or cold.

preparation 25 minutes cooking time 30 minutes

Makes 28

CHICKEN SATAY BITES

Illustration

1 tsp ground turmeric

3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

grated zest and juice of 1 lime

1 hot chilli

1 tbsp vegetable oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into long strips

cucumber strips to serve

For the satay sauce

200g/7oz/1⅓ cups salted peanuts

2 tbsp peanut butter

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

juice of 1 lime

1 x 200ml/7floz can coconut cream

1 Put the turmeric, garlic, lime zest and juice, chilli and oil in a blender or food processor. Blitz to a paste.

2 Transfer to a shallow dish and stir in the chicken strips to coat them. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

3 To make the satay sauce, put all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz until thick. Put in a serving dish, cover and chill until required.

4 Preheat the grill (broiler) until hot. Soak 24 bamboo skewers in some water for 20 minutes. Thread the marinated chicken strips on to the skewers.

5 Cook the chicken under the hot grill for 4-5 minutes on each side until it is cooked through and golden brown.

6 Serve with the satay sauce and some cucumber strips.

preparation 30 minutes plus chilling and soaking cooking time 8-10 minutes

Makes 24

FRUITY CHICKEN SKEWERS

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks

4 tbsp fruity chutney

1 tsp vegetable oil

grated zest and juice of 2 limes

150g/5oz/scant ⅔ cup natural yogurt

¼ cucumber, grated

a small handful of fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped

salt and ground black pepper

1 Put the chicken in a bowl with the fruity chutney, oil and half each of the lime zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper and thread onto 24 bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water for 20 minutes.

2 Place a griddle pan over a high heat and cook the chicken for 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through and golden brown.

3 Meanwhile, stir together the yogurt, cucumber, remaining lime zest and juice and the coriander. Season well.

4 Serve the cooked chicken skewers with the yogurt mixture.

preparation 15 minutes cooking time 10 minutes

Makes 24

TEX-MEX WRAPS

2 cooked chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 carrot, grated

1 avocado, peeled, stoned and diced

a small handful of shredded lettuce

4 flour tortillas

4 tbsp fresh tomato salsa

4 tbsp soured cream

salt and ground black pepper

1 Put the chicken, carrot, avocado and lettuce in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix together.

2 Divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas. Top each one with a spoonful of salsa and another of soured cream.

3 Roll the tortillas up tightly or fold them over and serve.

preparation 10 minutes

Serves 4

CHILLI CHICKEN GOUJONS

340g/12oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs

50g/2oz/1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs

50g/2oz/½ cup plain (all-purpose) flour

1 tsp dried chilli flakes

grated zest of 1 lemon

1 medium (US large) egg, beaten

2 tbsp oil

For the dip

6 tbsp natural yogurt

6 tbsp light mayonnaise

¼ cucumber, seeded and diced

4 tbsp chopped fresh mint

a few drops of lemon juice

1 To make the dip, put the yogurt, mayonnaise, cucumber, mint and lemon juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix well together. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.

2 Cut the chicken into strips. Put the breadcrumbs in a bowl with the flour, chilli flakes, lemon zest and salt. Mix well together.

3 Put the beaten egg on a plate and dip the chicken strips into it, then coat in the breadcrumb mixture.

4 Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the coated chicken, in batches, for 7-10 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.

5 Transfer them to a serving plate and serve with the dip.

preparation 15 minutes cooking time 20 minutes

Serves 4

CHICKEN CROSTINI

1 small ciabatta loaf

2 tbsp olive oil

175g/6oz cooked chicken breast

125g/4oz sunblush tomatoes

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

For the green sauce

3 tbsp each chopped fresh dill, mint, chives and parsley

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

4 anchovy fillets

2 tbsp capers

2 tbsp toasted pinenuts (pignoli)

12 green olives, pitted

grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 Put all the green sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender and blitz until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover and chill in the refrigerator.

2 Preheat the grill (broiler) to high. Cut the ciabatta into thick slices, then cut each slice in half. Arrange them on a foil-lined grill (broiler) pan and brush lightly with oil.

3 Grill (broil) for 1 minute on each side or until lightly toasted.

4 Cut the chicken into slices and place a slice on each toasted ciabatta slice. Top with a spoonful of green sauce.

5 Cut each sunblush tomato into 4 slices. Place a slice on top of each crostini and serve.

preparation 20 minutes plus chilling cooking time 2 minutes

Serves 16

PARTY ROLLS

10 slices smoked salmon

100g/3½oz/¾ cup soft cheese

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill

1 large courgette (zucchini)

2 tsp red chilli pesto

200g/7oz Parma ham

2 tbsp tomato chutney

1 bunch of fresh chives, chopped

ground black pepper

1 Arrange the smoked salmon on a board. Spread thinly with some of the soft cheese, sprinkle with dill and roll up.

2 Use a vegetable peeler to peel the courgette into long, wafer-thin ribbons. Spread with some of the soft cheese and dot with pesto, then roll up.

3 Lay the Parma ham on a board. Spread thinly with the remaining soft cheese, then tomato chutney and roll up.

4 Cover the rolls and chill in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.

5 A few minutes before serving, sprinkle the rolls with chives and grind over some black pepper.

preparation 20 minutes plus chilling

Serves 10

MOZZARELLA BITES

250g/9oz small mozzarella balls, drained

75g/3oz thinly sliced Parma ham, cut into strips

15 stuffed olives, halved

30 small borettane onions in balsamic, drained

125g/4oz roasted (bell) peppers, cut into small pieces

1 Wrap each mozzarella ball in a strip of Parma ham.

2 Thread a halved olive on to a cocktail stick (toothpick), then add an onion, a pepper chunk and a mozzarella ball.

3 Repeat until all the ingredients are used up.

4 Serve the mozzarella bites immediately or cover and chill in the refrigerator until required.

preparation 15 minutes

Makes 30

PARTY EGGS BENEDICT

oil to grease

16 quail’s eggs

4 slices white bread

3 tbsp ready-made hollandaise sauce

4 thin slices ham

16 small sprigs of dill

1 Half-fill a pan with water and bring to a simmer. Break the quail’s eggs into the simmering water, a few at a time, and poach for 2-3 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny.

2 Remove them carefully, one at a time, with a slotted spoon and kitchen paper to absorb the water.

3 Meanwhile, lightly toast the bread on both sides. Cut out 16 circles of toast with a round cutter. Spread each one with a little hollandaise sauce. Cut out 16 ham circles and place on top of the hollandaise.

4 Use the cutter to stamp neatly around the yolks and lift them with a palette knife onto the toasts.

5 Serve warm garnished with sprigs of dill.

preparation 20 minutes cooking time 5 minutes

Makes 16

SPICY TORTILLA CHIPS

2 ripe avocados

½ red onion, finely chopped

1 tomato, seeded and chopped

grated zest and juice of 1 lime

1 red chilli, finely diced

a small handful of fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped, plus extra to garnish

1 x 200g/7oz bag lightly salted tortilla chips

salt and ground black pepper

1 Halve, stone and peel the avocados. Finely dice the flesh and place in a bowl.

2 Add the red onion, tomato, lime zest and juice, chilli and chopped coriander to the bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix everything together.

3 Spoon a little of the mixture on to the tortilla chips. Sprinkle with chopped coriander and serve.

preparation 15 minutes

Makes 30

SMOKED SALMON BLINIS

Illustration

24 cocktail blinis

8 tbsp half-fat crème fraîche

125g/4oz thinly sliced smoked salmon

juice of 1 lemon

4 tbsp snipped fresh chives

1 Top the blinis with the crème fraîche. Cut the salmon into smaller pieces and place on top. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

2 Sprinkle the salmon blinis with some chopped chives and serve immediately.

preparation 5 minutes

Makes 24

BRUSCHETTA

1 long thin baguette

2 garlic cloves, halved

1 x 400g/14oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

zest and juice of ½ lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp pomegranate seeds

2 courgettes (zucchini)

8 small mozzarella balls

2 tbsp fresh green pesto

3 marinated or grilled (broiled) red (bell) peppers, chopped

4 tbsp black olive tapenade

salt and ground black pepper

basil leaves to garnish

1 Cut the baguette into 24 thin slices and toast them lightly. Rub one side of each toasted slice with a cut clove of garlic. Discard the garlic.

2 In a bowl, mash together the beans, parsley, lemon zest and juice and oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon on to eight toasts and top with pomegranate seeds.

3 Peel the courgettes into long ribbons and wind each one around a mozzarella ball. Place on eight toasts and drizzle with the pesto.

4 Top the remaining eight toasts with the red peppers and tapenade.

5 Arrange the bruschetta on a platter. Season lightly with salt and pepper and sprinkle with basil leaves.

preparation 25 minutes

Makes 24

SWEET CHILLI PRAWNS

30 cooked peeled large prawns (jumbo shrimp)

125ml/4fl oz/½ cup sweet chilli sauce

grated zest and juice of 1 lime

4 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

3 courgettes (zucchini), trimmed

30 baby cherry tomatoes

1 Put the prawns, 2 tbsp chilli sauce, the lime zest and juice and the coriander in a bowl. Mix together to coat the prawns, then cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

2 Use a potato peeler to pare along the length of the courgettes to make 30 long thin strips.

3 Thread each courgette strip on to a cocktail stick (toothpick) in a concertina shape, then add a prawn and a cherry tomato. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until required.

4 Put the remaining chilli sauce in a small bowl. Arrange the prawn skewers on a serving plate and serve with the chilli sauce for dipping.

preparation 20 minutes plus overnight marinating

Makes 30

FISH GOUJONS

450g/1lb firm white fish fillets, skinned and boned

1 medium (US large) egg, beaten

50g/2oz/1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs

vegetable oil for deep-frying

tartare sauce to serve

1 Cut the fish fillets into 20 pieces. Dip them in the beaten egg and then in to the breadcrumbs.

2 Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 180°C/350°F. If you don’t have a cooking thermometer, test it by frying a small cube of bread - it should brown in 40 seconds. Add the fish to the hot oil and fry until golden. Drain on kitchen paper.

3 Serve the goujons on cocktail sticks (toothpicks) with the tartare sauce.

preparation 15 minutes cooking time 10 minutes

Makes 20

PRAWN POPPADOMS

1 tbsp sesame oil

24 raw peeled tiger prawns (shrimp)

4 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

150ml/¼ pint/scant ⅔ cup thick Greek yogurt

24 mini poppadoms

24 tiny sprigs of fresh basil or dill

1 Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the prawns and cook for 3-4 minutes, turning halfway through, until they turn pink. Stir in 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce.

2 Blend the remaining sweet chilli sauce with the yogurt and spoon on to the mini poppadoms.

3 Top each one with a prawn and a herb sprig. Serve hot.

preparation 10 minutes cooking time 3 minutes

Makes 24

PESTO PEPPER CROUTES

1 long thin baguette

olive oil to brush

12 tsp fresh red pesto

24 small fresh basil leaves

4 grilled yellow (bell) pepper pieces, each sliced into 4 strips

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.

2 Cut the baguette into 24 slices and lightly brush both sides of each slice with oil.

3 Place the bread on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

4 Spread ½ tsp pesto on each croûte and top with a basil leaf. Cover with a pepper strip and serve.

preparation 20 minutes cooking time 15 minutes

Makes 24

CRAB CROUSTADES

125g/4oz fresh or canned white crabmeat

2 tsp Thai fish sauce

3 tbsp light mayonnaise

1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

a small handful of fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped

16 mini croustade cases

ground black pepper

1 Put the crabmeat, fish sauce, mayonnaise, chilli sauce and coriander in a bowl. Mix together and season with pepper.

2 Fill each mini croustade case with a little of the crabmeat mixture and serve.

preparation 15 minutes

Makes 16

POACHED SALMON

1 x 2.5kg/5½lb whole salmon, cleaned and gutted

4 tbsp white wine

1 bay leaf

salt and ground black pepper

cucumber slices to garnish

lemon quarters to serve

mayonnaise or hollandaise sauce to serve

1 Fill a fish kettle or large shallow pan with water and add the white wine, bay leaf and some seasoning. Bring to the boil, then lower the salmon into the kettle or pan.

2 Bring back to the boil and cook for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat.

3 Cover the kettle or pan and leave the salmon to cool in the poaching liquid until it is completely cold.

4 Lift the salmon out of the liquid and carefully remove the skin and bones.

5 Place on a serving platter and garnish with cucumber slices and lemon quarters. If wished, arrange the cucumber along the length of the fish, overlapping like scales.

6 Serve cold with mayonnaise or hollandaise sauce.

preparation 15 minutes cooking time 10 minutes plus cooling

Serves 8

FRESH OYSTERS

You can eat oysters with lemon juice and a dash of Tabasco, or try one of the following sauces. Allow 4-6 oysters per person, and always make sure they are really fresh. You can shuck them yourself or ask your fishmonger to do it for you. Serve the oysters on crushed ice or rock salt.

SHALLOT VINEGAR

2 shallots, finely chopped

8 tbsp red wine vinegar

a pinch of sugar

1 In a small bowl, mix together the shallots, red wine vinegar and sugar to taste. Stir and set aside to infuse for 1 hour.

2 Serve with the oysters.

preparation 5 minutes plus infusing

Dresses 24 oysters

LIME CHILLI SAUCE

1 red chilli, diced

grated zest and juice of 1 lime

2 tsp grated fresh root ginger

5 tbsp rice wine vinegar

fresh coriander (cilantro) sprigs

1 tsp sugar

1 In a small bowl, stir together the chilli, lime zest and juice, ginger, wine vinegar and sugar. Chop a few sprigs of coriander and add to the dip.

2 Serve with the oysters.

preparation 5 minutes plus infusing

Dresses 24 oysters

ASIAN SAUCE

2 tbsp sesame oil

4 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp grated fresh root ginger

juice of ½ lemon

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 spring onions (scallions), diced

1 In a small bowl, stir together the oil, soy sauce, ginger, lemon juice, garlic and spring onions.

2 Serve with the oysters.

preparation 5 minutes plus infusing

Dresses 24 oysters

ELDERFLOWER CORDIAL

2kg/4½lb/9 cups sugar

75g/3oz citric acid

2 unwaxed lemons, sliced

20 fresh elderflower heads, shaken and stalks trimmed

1 Put the sugar and 1.2 litres/2 pints/5 cups water in a pan. Heat gently without boiling, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

2 Bring to the boil and then remove from the heat.

3 Stir in the citric acid, lemon slices and elderflowers. Cover the pan and leave to infuse overnight or for up to 24 hours.

4 Pass the liquid through a sieve lined with muslin (cheesecloth) into a bowl. Pour into sterilized bottles and store in the fridge

preparation 5 minutes cooking time 10 minutes plus infusing

Serves 30

FRESH FRUIT PUNCH

250ml/8fl oz/1 cup orange juice

250ml/8fl oz/1 cup pineapple juice

150ml/¼ pint/scant ⅔ cup peach juice

juice of 5 lemons

750ml/1¼ pints/3 cups sparkling water or tonic water

ice cubes

225g/8oz fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

1 orange, cut into slices, then quartered

1 Put the orange, pineapple, lemon and peach juices and the blackcurrant cordial in a large punch bowl.

2 Stir well, then add the sparkling water or tonic water and plenty of ice.

3 Divide the strawberries and orange slices between eight tall glasses and top up with the fresh fruit punch. Serve the punch immediately.

preparation 5 minutes

Serves 8

CLEMENTINE JELLY SHOTS

Illustration

5 gelatine leaves

16 clementines

125g/4oz/½ cup caster (superfine) sugar

4 tbsp vodka (optional)

1 Put the gelatine in a bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside to soak for 5 minutes.

2 Zest 2 clementines and put the zest in a large pan. Squeeze the juice from the zested and whole clementines and add to the pan with the sugar and the vodka (if using).

3 Lift the softened gelatine out of the soaking liquid and add to the pan. Heat gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Strain into a large jug with a pouring spout and make up to 1 litre/1¾ pints/4 cups with cold water. Pour into 12 small shot glasses and chill in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours.

4 Take the jellies out of the refrigerator 5 minutes before serving to allow them to soften slightly.

preparation 10 minutes plus chilling cooking time 5 minutes

Makes 12

GINGER FIZZ

½ cantaloupe melon

1 lemon

2 pieces stem ginger in syrup

a few ice cubes

300ml/½ pint/1¼ cups dry ginger ale, chilled

1 Cut the melon into slices and remove the skin. Discard the seeds and roughly chop the flesh.

2 Peel the lemon, removing the white pith. Chop the lemon roughly, discarding any pips.

3 Chop the ginger and put in a blender with the melon and lemon. Blitz until smooth.

4 Pour into two tall glasses and add some ice cubes. Top up with dry ginger ale and serve.

preparation 10 minutes

Serves 2

FRUITY MINT JULEP

12 fresh mint leaves plus sprigs to garnish

2 tsp icing (confectioner’s) sugar

75ml/3fl oz/5 tbsp bourbon

250g/9oz crushed pineapple

275g/10oz crushed ice

1 Put the mint leaves in a jug. Add the icing sugar and crush the leaves.

2 Add the bourbon and crushed pineapple and stir well.

3 Add the crushed ice and divide between two tall glasses. Serve garnished with mint sprigs.

preparation 10 minutes

Serves 2

ELDERFLOWER FIZZ

20 tbsp chilled elderflower cordial

3 bottles sparkling wine, e.g. cava or Prosecco, chilled

1 Pour 2 tbsp elderflower cordial into each of ten champagne flute glasses.

2 Top up each glass with sparkling wine and serve.

preparation 10 minutes plus chilling

Serves 10

CRANBERRY COOLER

ice cubes

150ml/¼ pint/scant ⅔ cup cranberry juice

lemonade

1 Half-fill two tall glasses with ice. Divide the cranberry juice between them.

2 Top up with lemonade, stir well and serve.

preparation 2 minutes

Serves 2

PIMM’S AND LEMONADE

ice cubes

200ml/7fl oz/¾ cup Pimm’s No 1

600ml/1 pint/2½ cups chilled lemonade

¼ cucumber, thinly sliced

1 orange, thinly sliced

6 strawberries, hulled and sliced

a few fresh mint leaves

1 Put some ice cubes in a large jug (pitcher) and pour in the Pimm’s and lemonade.

2 Add the cucumber, orange, strawberries and mint and stir well.

3 Serve immediately in four tall glasses.

preparation 10 minutes

Serves 4

FRUIT PUNCH

250g/9oz fresh pineapple

1 ripe papaya

1 large ripe mango

2 ripe guavas

2 passion fruit

a few ice cubes

300ml/½ pint/1¼ cups lemonade

300ml/½ pint/1¼ cups orange juice

1 Peel and core the pineapple, then roughly chop the flesh.

2 Peel the papaya and scoop out the black seeds. Roughly chop the flesh.

3 Slice the flesh off the central stone of the mango, then peel and chop the flesh.

4 Peel the guavas and discard the seeds. Chop roughly.

5 Halve the passion fruit and scoop out the seeds and pulp.

6 Put all the fruit in a blender and blitz until thick and smooth.

7 Transfer to a large jug and stir in some ice. Top up with lemonade and orange juice and serve.

preparation 10 minutes

Serves 4

SUMMER BERRY SHERBET

150g/5oz strawberries

150g/5oz raspberries

2 tbsp strawberry or raspberry syrup

1 egg white

4 ice cubes

1 Hull the strawberries. Wash all the fruit and pat dry with kitchen paper. Put them in a blender.

2 Add the fruit syrup and blitz briefly until smooth.

3 In a bowl, whisk the egg white until thick and foamy but not stiff. Add to the blender with the ice cubes.

4 Blitz for a few seconds until slushy. Pour into two glasses and serve.

preparation 10 minutes

Serves 2

SUMMER FRUIT CUP

340g/12oz ripe melon

340g/12oz raspberries

1.2 litres/2 pints/5 cups chilled lemonade

450ml/¾ pint/1¾ cups Pimm’s

ice cubes

fresh mint sprigs to decorate

1 Quarter the melon and discard the peel and seeds.

2 Put the flesh in a blender and blitz until smooth. Sieve into a large serving jug.

3 Wash the raspberries and pat dry with kitchen paper. Add to the jug and top up with lemonade and Pimm’s.

4 Add lots of ice and stir together. Serve in six glasses, decorated with sprigs of mint.

preparation 10 minutes

Serves 6

VEGGIE COCKTAIL

225g/8oz canned pimientos

juice of 2 lemons

1 onion, chopped

2 tbsp horseradish sauce

1 litre/1¾ pints/4 cups tomato juice

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

dash of Tabasco sauce

finely chopped spring onions (scallions) to garnish

1 Put the pimientos in a blender with the lemon juice, onion and horseradish sauce. Blitz until smooth.

2 Transfer to a jug and gradually stir in the tomato juice. Season to taste with the Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco.

3 Chill in the refrigerator. Serve in six tall glasses, garnished with spring onions.

preparation 10 minutes plus chilling

Serves 6

CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL

125ml/4fl oz/½ cup Grand Marnier or orange liqueur

4 tbsp grenadine

1 large orange, cut into 8 slices

8 sugar cubes

1 bottle champagne, cava or Prosecco, chilled

1 Divide the Grand Marnier and grenadine among eight champagne glasses.

2 Add an orange slice and a sugar cube to each glass.

3 Top up the glasses with the champagne, cava or Prosecco and serve immediately.

preparation 5 minutes

Serves 8

MULLED WINE

2 oranges

6 cloves

1 bottle fruity red wine

50ml/2fl oz/¼ cup brandy

1 cinnamon stick, broken, plus extra to garnish

a pinch of mixed spice

2 tbsp granulated sugar

1 Cut one of the oranges into six wedges and stud each one with a clove. Squeeze the juice from the other orange.

2 Put the clove-studded orange wedges in a stainless steel pan with the orange juice, red wine, brandy, cinnamon stick, mixed spice and sugar.

3 Warm gently over a low heat for 10-15 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes.

4 Strain into a serving jug and serve in heatproof glasses.

preparation 10 minutes plus infusing cooking time 10-15 minutes

Serves 6

SANGRIA

2 lemons, sliced

2 oranges, sliced

1 bottle red wine

50ml/2fl oz/¼ cup brandy

750ml/1¼ pints/3 cups lemonade

ice to serve

1 Put the lemon and orange slices in a large jug.

2 Add the red wine, brandy and lemonade to the jug and stir together to mix well.

3 Serve the sangria in tall glasses with plenty of ice.

preparation 5 minutes

Serves 8

ORANGE SODA

4 medium oranges

1 lemon

2 tbsp sugar syrup

a few ice cubes

soda water, chilled

1 Cut off the peel from the oranges and lemon, removing as much white pith as possible. Chop the flesh roughly, discarding any pips, and put in a blender and blitz until smooth. Sweeten with sugar syrup to taste.

2 Divide between two glasses and add a few cubes of ice. Top up with soda water and serve immediately.

preparation 5 minutes

Serves 2

PLANTER’S TEA PUNCH

2 tsp Indian tea leaves

5cm/2in piece cinnamon stick

2 tsp caster (superfine) sugar

1 large ripe mango

juice of 3 oranges

a few ice cubes

2 cinnamon sticks to serve

1 Put the tea leaves in a heatproof jug with the cinnamon and sugar. Pour in 225ml/8fl oz/1 cup boiling water and set aside to infuse for 5 minutes.

2 Strain through a fine sieve and set aside to cool.

3 Peel and stone the mango and chop the flesh. Blitz in a blender with the orange juice and cold tea.

4 Serve in two glasses with ice and cinnamon sticks.

preparation 10 minutes plus infusing and cooling

Serves 2

VIRGIN MARY

8 ripe tomatoes

a pinch of celery salt

dash of Worcestershire sauce

dash of Tabasco sauce

150g/5oz/scant ⅔ cup low-fat natural yogurt, well chilled

4 ice cubes, crushed

2 small celery sticks to serve

1 Quarter the tomatoes and put them in a blender.

2 Season with celery salt, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce. Add the yogurt and blitz until smooth.

3 Fill two large glasses with crushed ice, pour the tomato mixture over the top and serve with the celery sticks.

preparation 5 minutes

Serves 2

GIN SLING

2 lemons

3 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar

150ml/¼ pint/scant ⅔ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

150ml/¼ pint/scant ⅔ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

150ml/¼ pint/scant ⅔ cup gin

ice cubes

soda water

1 Rub half a lemon around the rim of each of six glasses. Put 1 tbsp sugar on a saucer and press the rim of each glass into the sugar.

2 Put the lemon and lime juices in a cocktail shaker or screw-topped jar with the remaining sugar and the gin and shake vigorously.

3 Cut the remaining lemon into six slices.

4 Serve the gin sling over ice, topped up with soda water.

preparation 10 minutes

Serves 6

ICED COFFEE

150ml/¼ pint/scant ⅔ cup cold espresso or strong black coffee, chilled

3 tbsp coffee-flavoured liqueur

125ml/4fl oz/½ cup single (light) cream, chilled

1 tbsp sugar syrup to taste

crushed ice

1 Stir the coffee and coffee liqueur together in a jug. Cover and leave to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

2 Stir in the cream and sweeten to taste with sugar syrup.

3 Put some crushed ice in two tall glasses and pour the coffee over. Serve immediately.

preparation 5 minutes plus chilling

Serves 2

TOP 10 COCKTAILS

PINK GIN

2-3 drops Angostura bitters

25ml/1fl oz/2 tbsp gin

1 Put the bitters in a glass and turn it until the sides are well coated. Add the gin and top up with iced water to taste.

preparation 2 minutes

Serves 1

WHISKY SOUR

juice of ½ lemon

1 tsp sugar

25ml/1fl oz/2 tbsp rye whisky

1 Mix the lemon juice, sugar and whisky, and shake well with some ice.

preparation 2 minutes

Serves 1

RUBY CRUSH

1 bottle sparkling wine

300ml/½ pint/1¼ cups Calvados

1l/1¾ pints/4 cups cranberry juice, chilled

450ml/¾ pint/1¾ cups sparkling water, chilled

1 Pour the sparkling wine, Calvados and cranberry juice into a glass serving bowl.

2 Add the sparkling water and some ice.

preparation 5 minutes

Serves 10

BRANDY ALEXANDER

25ml/1fl oz/2 tbsp brandy

25ml/1fl oz/2 tbsp crème de cacao

25ml/1fl oz/2 tbsp double (heavy) cream

a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

1 Mix together the brandy, crème de cacao and cream. Shake well. Dust with nutmeg.

preparation 2 minutes

Serves 1

DRY MARTINI

50ml/2fl oz/¼ cup French vermouth

25ml/1fl oz/2 tbsp dry gin

1 stuffed olive

1 Shake the vermouth and gin together with some crushed ice. Pour into a glass and float an olive on top

preparation 2 minutes

Serves 1

DAIQUIRI

juice of ½ lime or ¼ lemon

1 tsp sugar

25ml/1fl oz/2 tbsp white rum

1 Shake the fruit juice, sugar and rum with some crushed ice. Pour into a frosted glass.

preparation 2 minutes

Serves 1

PINA COLADA

75ml/3fl oz/5 tbsp white rum

125ml/4fl oz/½ cup pineapple juice

50ml/2fl oz/¼ cup coconut cream

1 Blend the rum, pineapple juice and coconut cream with some crushed ice. Pour into a glass or a hollowed-out pineapple half.

preparation 2 minutes

Serves 1

WHISKY REFRESHER

100ml/3½fl oz/⅓ cup whisky or bourbon

500ml/17fl oz/2 cups lemonade

1 Fill four tumblers with crushed ice. Pour in the whisky and lemonade.

preparation 2 minutes

Serves 4

MARGARITA

1 tsp lemon juice plus extra to dip

salt

125ml/4fl oz/½ cup tequila

25ml/1fl oz/2 tbsp curaçao

1 Dip a chilled glass into lemon juice and then salt. Shake the tequila, curaçao and lemon juice and strain into the glass.

preparation 2 minutes

Serves 1

BUCK’S FIZZ

juice of 1 small orange

150ml/¼ pint/scant ⅔ cup champagne

1 Put the orange juice in a champagne flute and top up with chilled champagne.

preparation 2 minutes