Easy ideas for creating the ultimate entertaining platter
Creating beautiful platters filled to the brim with delicious food is an easy way provide nibbles when entertaining. While I love having people around, I also love to make it as fuss free as possible since it’s about spending time with your friends, not fluffing around in the kitchen. Platters are the easy way to do it!
Today I thought I’d share with you how to create the ultimate entertaining platter and some quick easy nibble ideas.
Creating a delicious & good looking platter:
I like to put together a mixture of sweet and savoury items on my platter for a variety of tastes and textures. I find a mixture of sweet, savoury, salty and crispy items as well as some delicious hummus provides a mixture that people love.
Hummus for dipping/spreading: On my platter I’ve used Lisa’s Beetroot Hummus and Lisa’s Toppings Hummus with Dukkah & Roasted Pistachio. Lisa’s have a wide range of hummus dips. I always used to just pick the same ones, but I’ve been trialling a few new flavours lately, so take a look through the whole range to find something that suits the type of platter you want to create. I chose Lisa’s Beetroot Hummus because I love its delicious flavour and it also adds colour, whilst the Lisa’s Toppings Hummus with Dukkah & Roasted Pistachio has all the great taste of original hummus but with a yummy crunchy topping. You can find out more about Lisa’s Hummus here and you can easily pick them up at your local supermarket.
Fruit: I love grapes, strawberries and dried (or fresh) figs on a platter as these all go well with cheese. Figs can be cut up and added to crackers along with cheese – it’s such a delicious combination. Fresh figs are also delicious when in season.
Chocolate: As far as I’m concerned, most things are better with a little chocolate and adding some squares of top quality chocolate adds a nice touch to a platter.
Cheese: It’s up to you if you have cheese on your platter or what cheeses you use, but I tend to use two to three including a blue and a strong cheddar, and for the third option I go for something creamy like a brie.
Other platter fillers: For the rest of the platter, nuts, olives, gherkins and cherry tomatoes add colour and interesting flavours and textures. Then to finish off, simply add your favourite crackers and you’ve got a delicious platter that contains something to please everyone.
Decoration: Adding a swirl of greenery or flowers through the middle of your platter looks pretty and if you use something like jasmine, it smells amazing too. Other ideas are fresh herbs like rosemary.
I also create mini wrap bites and bruschetta as no fuss entertaining snacks that look impressive but are easy to make.
Here’s a couple of my favourite recipes:
Simple Hummus Herb and Dukkah Bruschetta
This bruschetta is one of the easiest things to make. The hummus comes with a sachet of roasted pistachios mixed with Dukkah, you just sprinkle this on top which adds a delicious flavour boost and texture too. Plus it looks good too!
Ingredients:
Sourdough bread stick, or French bread
Lisa’s Toppings Hummus with Dukkah & Roasted Pistachio
Fresh Rosemary (if you can get it in flower even better)
Cut the bread into slices. You can either brush with olive oil and lightly grill or leave fresh.
Spread with a generous amount of Lisa’s Hummus and sprinkle over the roasted pistachio and Dukkah. Top with some freshly washed rosemary leaves and flowers.
Chargrilled Capsicum and Feta Mini Wraps
6 tablespoons Lisa’s Chargrilled Capsicum Hummus
4 preserved roasted capsicum, split open and patted dry
100g feta cheese
2 large wrap breads
Spread wrap breads with the hummus. Slice the capsicums in half and cover the wraps with the roasted capsicum. Slice the feta into thin slices and place on top. Gently roll up the wraps, aiming to get a tight roll. Slice each wrap into rounds. Top with some fresh herbs.
Chargrilled Capsicum, Tomato and Avocado Bruschetta
Sourdough bread stick, or French bread
Lisa’s Chargrilled Capsicum Hummus
Cherry tomatoes
Avocado
Fresh lemon
Fresh herbs
Cut the bread into slices. You can either brush with olive oil and lightly grill or leave fresh.
Spread each slice with a generous amount of hummus. Top with a slice of avocado which has been coated in a little lemon juice. This stops it from going brown. Add a cherry tomato half to each one and top with some fresh herb leaves.
I hope this helps you in creating the ultimate entertaining platter and nibbles over summer. Happy entertaining guys and good luck with the competition!
WIN WIN WIN
Thanks to Lisa’s Hummus, I’ve got a $50 supermarket voucher and a 1 year subscription to Taste Magazine to give away so you can be inspired and create your own delicious platter at home.
To be in the draw to win, just comment below with what flavour of Lisa’s Hummus you’d use on your platter and head over and follow them either on Facebook or Instagram. I couldn’t get hold of my last winner so I have extended the competition!! Competition will be drawn on 15th December 16th November 2016 and is open to NZ residents only.
CONGRATULATIONS to Karen Mabey. Check your emails 🙂
This post was made possible thanks to Lisa’s Hummus.
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