Resident foodie Katy Hofstede-Smith is welcoming spring with some entertaining.
As the first glimmers of spring break through the winter and I’ve finally started to recover from the hosting feat of Christmas, I begin to feel like emerging from my winter hibernation and hosting again. Successfully hosting friends and family over a weekend or long Easter break involves flexible, adaptable food that can be made in advance, and no food is better at doing this than pies. Homely and comforting, classic and elegant, a good homemade pie makes guests feel welcomed and special, whilst being easy to make and store.
A homemade rough puff or shortcrust pastry can whipped up easily and quickly to transform a simple meat or vegetable and gravy filling into a meal. It can be reheated when needed and, by increasing the amount of accompanying vegetables, can stretch to feed a crowd.
For a lunchtime or Easter gathering, open pies or tarts feel more elegant. A shortcrust base filled with a simple smoked or poached salmon mousse, topped with a few slices of smoked salmon and a pinch of dill feels decadent but is very quick and easy to prepare. Whilst slightly retro in feel, a beautiful red onion chutney topped with crumbled goats cheese couldn’t be quicker to make and is always a crowd pleaser. To transfer these to a dinner party dish, reduce the size and serve individual pies to guests for either a starter or lighter main course.
When it comes to dessert, old favourites are there for a reason. But whilst I love the classics, my current favourite is a rich gooey homemade salted caramel topped with a light but deep flavoured chocolate ganache. If that doesn’t make your guests feel as though you’ve slaved away on their behalf to show them how special they are to you, I don’t think anything will!
Katy