There's more to summer entertaining than backyard barbecues. Make your closest friends feel like A-listers with a fashionable dinner party that will have everyone talking.
Chic Eats Serve a five-course meal for eight without breaking a sweat! Much of the prep work for these memorable dishes can be done in advance, which means you won’t be stuck in the kitchen come party time.
Spicy Citrus Shrimp 240 mL (1 cup) olive oil 1 head garlic, separated, peeled and roughly chopped 240 mL (1 cup) orange juice 1 red pepper, cut into 2.5-cm (1-in.) pieces 30 mL (2 tbsp) fresh-squeezed lemon juice 60 mL (1/4 cup) balsamic vinegar 30 mL (2 tbsp) lemon zest, grated 60 mL (1/4 cup) fresh basil 10 mL (2 tsp) hot sauce 1 kg (2 lb.) jumbo shrimp, deveined, with shell on
Place all ingredients (save shrimp) in the glass jar of the Oster Fusion blender. Cover jar with lid. Turn blender on, then select Food Chop from the Pre-Programmed Settings menu. Press Stop once marinade is well mixed. Transfer marinade to a large bowl and add shrimp. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 to 8 hours. ......Preheat grill to high. Remove shrimp from marinade and grill for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side until opaque. Serve immediately.
Yellow Gazpacho 2 jalapenos, roughly chopped 8 medium yellow tomatoes, cut into 2.5-cm (1-in.) pieces 2 yellow peppers, cut into 2.5-cm (1-in.) pieces 4 scallions, roughly chopped 1 cucumber, seeded and cut into 2.5-cm (1-in.) pieces 240 mL (1 cup) fresh basil 30 mL (2 tbsp) fresh tarragon 30 mL (2 tbsp) balsamic vinegar 20 mL (1 tbsp) Worcestershire sauce Salt and pepper to taste
Place all ingredients in the glass jar of the Oster Fusion blender. Work in batches if necessary. Cover jar with lid. Turn blender on, then select Food Chop from the Pre-Programmed Settings menu. Press Stop once desired consistency has been reached. Chill until ready to serve. Garnish with croutons and chopped scallions.
Grilled Swordfish with Coconut-Lime Sauce 1 398-mL can unsweetened coconut milk 60 mL (1/4 cup) sweetened cream of coconut 120 mL (1/2 cup) fresh-squeezed lime juice 2 jalapenos, roughly chopped 5-cm (2-in.) knob ginger, peeled and roughly chopped 20 mL (1 tbsp) lime zest, grated 475 mL (2 cups) canola oil 120 mL (1/2 cup) plus 60 mL (1/4 cup) unsweetened shredded coconut 120 mL (1/2 cup) cilantro leaves, chopped 8 225-g (8-oz.) swordfish steaks Salt and pepper to taste
To make the sauce, place coconut milk, cream of coconut, lime juice, jalapenos, ginger and zest in the glass jar of the Oster Fusion blender. Cover jar with lid. Turn blender on, then select Medium/Blend from the Manual Controls menu. Blend until smooth. With the motor still running, slowly add oil to the mixture through the lid’s food chute. Blend until emulsified. Pour mixture into a bowl and fold in 120 mL (1/2 cup) coconut and cilantro. Season to taste. Set aside. ......Preheat oven to 175 C (350 F). Spread remaining coconut onto a cookie sheet and toast, stirring twice, until golden. Set aside to cool. ......For the swordfish, heat grill to high. Brush both sides of each steak with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill fish for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until just cooked through. Spoon some of the sauce onto each plate and top with swordfish. Garnish with toasted coconut and mango-pepper salsa (below).
Mango-Pepper Salsa 2 mangos, peeled and cut into 2.5-cm (1-in.) pieces 1 red pepper, cut into 2.5-cm (1-in.) pieces 1 small red onion, peeled and cut into 2.5-cm (1-in.) pieces 60 mL (1/4 cup) fresh-squeezed lime juice 60 mL (1/4 cup) rice vinegar 60 mL (1/4 cup) cilantro 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
Attach the processor bowl to the Oster Fusion blender according to instructions. Place all ingredients in bowl and cover. Press the On/Off button, then select Max Pulse from the Manual Controls menu. Pulse six times or until fruits and veggies are chopped.
Individual Pavlovas 3 egg whites 175 mL (3/4 cup) sugar 5 mL (1 tsp) cornstarch 5 mL (1 tsp) white vinegar 5 mL (1 tsp) vanilla extract 1 mango, peeled and cubed 1 starfruit, sliced 240 mL (1 cup) pineapple, cubed 475 mL (2 cups) strawberries, sliced 240 mL (1 cup) blueberries 240 mL (1 cup) raspberries 240 mL (1 cup) blackberries 475 mL (2 cups) whipped cream
Preheat oven to 175 C (350 F). In a large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks appear. Gradually add sugar, beating constantly, until stiff peaks start to form. Fold in cornstarch, vinegar and vanilla. ......On a parchment-lined cookie sheet, spread mixture into eight rounds, each about 10 cm (4 in.) in diameter. Use the back side of a large spoon to slightly hollow each disk’s centre. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off oven, keep door closed and let pavlovas set and cool inside oven for about 1 hour. ......Remove cookie sheet from oven and invert pavlovas onto a work surface. Peel parchment from bottoms and arrange them on a large platter. Serve alongside bowls of mango, starfruit, pineapple, mixed berries and whipped cream, and let guests top their own treat.
THE ROYAL TREATMENT Summer traditions be damned. Your inner circle deserves better than frozen burgers and a cooler of beer. Give them the treatment they deserve with a chic dinner party that pulls out all the stops. ......Despite appearances, this swanky set-up won’t cost you a fortune. Big, bold seasonal blooms are an inexpensive way to add drama to your table, as are oversized placemats made with watermarked tissue paper, which you can pick up for just a few bucks at specialty paper stores. Don’t forget to take stock of what you already have as well: Bangles can be easily repurposed as napkin rings and are the perfect accessory for Monique Lhuillier’s fashion-inspired collection for Royal Doulton.
......When it comes to the menu, a sit-down meal is a must, but that doesn’t mean you’ll have to spend hours in the kitchen preparing it. Presentation is the key. Turn simple shrimp appetizers (recipe at right) into works of art by serving them in martini glasses set on saucers as shown above in pieces by Monique Lhuillier for Royal Doulton. Come dessert, transform store-bought sweets into delectable chocolate treasures with a hinged gift box (above).
Above, at left: Joie martini glasses and Atelier saucers by Monique Lhuillier for Royal Doulton. Above, at right: Atelier dinner and charger plates also by Monique Lhuillier for Royal Doulton.
FASHION PLATES For the ultimate in elegance, dress your table with fashion-designer extraordinaire Monique Lhuillier’s new tabletop collection for Royal Doulton. You’ll join the likes of Angelina Jolie and Hilary Swank, both of whom have worn her creations on the red carpet. The Royal Doulton line includes dinnerware, flatware, barware and giftware inspired by the luxe fabrics of Monique’s gowns. Each of the five dinnerware patterns bears evidence of its fashionable heritage:
Atelier Graceful platinum bands and raised enamel dots surround an embossed lizard border in white pearl.
Dentelle The scalloped border and platinum dots remind one of the exquisite hems of Monique’s bridal gowns.
Étoile Platinum Platinum bands, pure-white stitches and delicate raised dots adorn the pearlescent, linen-like border.
Femme Fatale Inspired by Monique’s evening gown collections, the lavish texture of the embossed lizard pattern is sultry yet sophisticated.
Pointe d’esprit A delicate embossed tulle design, embellished with bows, creates a subtle contrast with the soft-grey border.
Above, at left: Étoile flatware and Atelier wine glasses, goblets and bud vases, all by Monique Lhuillier for Royal Doulton. From front to back of photo, Femme Fatale, Étoile Platinum, Pointe d’esprit and Dentelle dinnerware also by Monique Lhuillier for Royal Doulton. Cosmo dining table in Espresso and Misty chairs by Casalife. Above, at right: Clockwise, from top left, Étoile, Joie, Atelier and Ruban stemware and barware by Monique Lhuillier for Royal Doulton.
PARTY FAVOURITES Any event planner who’s up to snuff knows that a sought-after swag bag is the sign of a great party. Spoil your friends with a celeb-worthy haul. 2’s VIPs walked away with an Enjoy Soy Massage Candle by O’My, an Umbra Ice photo frame, Sephora bubble bath in Tangerine Grapefruit, Fossil metal bangles (available at The Bay) and a Flip Video Ultra camcorder.
CHOP TALK Lighten your workload in the kitchen with the Oster Fusion blender. The handy two-in-one appliance boasts both the chopping precision of a food processor and the ice-crushing power of a blender. Its mighty reversible motor draws ingredients toward the six-point blade to ensure consistent results no matter the mix. Get all of your menu’s chopping and mixing needs—from salsas to soups to sauces—out of the way before your guests arrive, then keep the blender ready for made-to-order cocktails at the push of a button.
HOT PICK! Drink responsibly! Keep your guests hydrated all night long with Mother Nature’s best: Ice River Springs natural spring water. No environmental party fouls here—the Ontario H20 comes in paper-based Tetra Paks, which collapse for easy recycling and help maintain its fresh, natural taste. That’s not all—the lightweight cartons also require considerably less energy to produce and store than any other packaging. Cheers to that!
DON’T I KNOW YOU? Recognize any of 2’s party guests? Look closely. That’s right, these VIPs are all Couple Makeover (CM) alumni! A lot has changed for these couples since the last time they graced 2’s pages, as each pair had a great reason to celebrate at this VIP bash: Trailblazers Chris and Ellison (CM: Turks and Caicos) are expecting a baby this fall; Ryan and Carolyn (CM: Whistler) got engaged shortly after their makeover adventure and said their vows in February; Robyn and Patrick (CM: New Orleans) just moved into their first home; Marissa and Donks (CM Turks and Caicos 2) aren’t far behind—their loft is under construction; and last but not least, Yanique and James (CM: Florida) recently got hitched in Jamaica. Big congrats to everyone! Catch all six seasons of 2’s Couple Makeover web TV series here!
Above, from left: Central Park leather sectional sofa, storage corner and loveseat; black Elato bottles; silver Dios vases; Pashmina shag rug; Stream glass and wood coffee table; grey Petros bowl and Kira shelving unit; all by Casalife. Atelier low vase by Monique Lhuillier for Royal Doulton.
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