When camping with friends I like to make platters of delicious pre dinner treats to have with our cocktails or champagne. Some food is pre packaged at home and is reheated in vacuum sealed bags, others are cooked just before serving and some it is just a matter of opening the packet. Add some interesting biscuits and you have a fabulous platter of delicious treats. The key to a great platter is variety and placement of the food. Nothing screams delicious treat more than a visually spectacular platter.
You can make some simple dips by mixing cream cheese with herbs or relish. My favourite is made mixing beetroot relish as you end up with a beautiful pink dip.
Here are some ideas for delicious pre dinner treats to to cook up to have with drinks
- Pan fry some slices of haloumi until it is golden brown on both sides in garlic oil
- Vacuum seal some Peking duck breasts, reheat in a pot of simmering water, when heated remove from the bag, slice and serve on a biscuit or Chinese pancake.
- Green prawns marinated in garlic, lime and peri peri sauce with olive oil, fry in a pan until cooked
- Pan fry some chorizo and then fry some scallops in the same pan and serve the scallops on top of the chorizo
- In a pan with a lid add a small wheel of Brie cheese. Place some halved cherry tomatoes and sliced shallots on top. Then you need to drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Put the lid on and heat for a few minutes until the tomatoes soften and the cheese melts.
- Slice some chorizo and fry off in a hot pan until nice and crispy. Remove from pan and cook some scallops in the chorizo’s oil until they are golden brown on both sides. This does not take long . Serve scallops on a slice of chorizo
Try these platter ideas for delicious pre dinner treats that need no preparation. - Put together your favourite combinations and you can create your own delicious platter. Just remember add some biscuits or other crackers to your final platter.
- Dips
- Olives
- Cheese
- Relish
- fruit paste
- Pate
- Salami
- Prosciutto
- Smoked salmon with capers or fish roe
- Semi dried tomatoes
- Quince paste
- Pate
- Any cooked seafood