Check out these tips for the ultimate girls night in from Everyday Gourmet’s, Justine Schofield.
The setting
I adore alfresco eating, particularly when my girlfriends are over for dinner. Nothing better than having a laugh, great food and wine with your friends while enjoying daylight savings.
The menu
It’s still quite warm so I make the most of lighter, seasonal dishes. Preparing at ahead is crucial, particularly if your girlfriends are around.
Nothing worse than being stuck in a kitchen missing out on all the gossip!
When preparing an Alfresco meal, I like to pre-marinate my meats or fish the day before so they’re ready for the BBQ (like spiced chicken and whole snapper), I love to do dips to start with (like my Bulla Crème Fraîche, goats cheese and balsamic dip) and a few contrasting salads.
For this it’s all about getting all get a few dressings done ahead of time so all you need to do is simple dressing the vegetables just before serving.
Homemade dressing can really take a salad the next level.
Two of my favourites are green goddess dressing which is a combination of sour cream, lemon and loads of fresh herbs all blitzed together and I also love the good old classic French dressing– a combination of mustard, vinegar and oil.
The drinks
Why not? Our favourite is a White Russian.
A combination of vodka, coffee liqueur and thickened cream. This is pretty much the cream enhanced version of the Black Russian.
The cream really gives the cocktail a lovely velvety, luxurious finish. The recipe is so simple which means making up the recipe for a crowd is a breeze.
Simply stir in equal amounts of vodka and coffee liqueur over large ice cubes and then pour over another equal part of the cream so you achieve a marbled effect.
Your friends who are not drinking can still enjoy this one!
Simply add freshly brewed coffee over ice and then pour over the cream.
The playlist
Usually starts off quite placid with a bit of Spanish guitar then after a few cocktails the ‘best of’ 80’s and 90’s come out and we ALWAYS end the night with a dance and passionate group sing-along to Horses by Darryl Braithwaite.
The movie
My best friend’s wedding.
Sweet treats
My friends love fruit crumbles and every time they come over they often request that for dessert. The last one I made was a stewed quince crumble and I served it with a generous dollop of spiced whipped cream.
Absolutely delicious.
