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Six party recipes to impress people with, rated from 'easy' to 'slightly complicated'

Because sometimes ham and turkey sandwiches just don’t cut it.

PEOPLE COMING OVER?

Not content to serve up hang sangwiches and turkey ‘surprise’?

Courtesy of the folks at Bord Bia, here are a few party platter recipes that might help you through those festive gatherings (and you never know, you might even pick up the odd compliment along the way).

Unless you’ve a pantry the size of a small semi-detached house, it’s likely these will require a quick dash to the supermarket.

We’ve ordered them from ‘simple’ to ‘slightly more complicated’ – which should be a timesaver for those of you who JUST realised there are people coming…

shutterstock_14981515 Shutterstock / Martin Valigursky Shutterstock / Martin Valigursky / Martin Valigursky

Sausages with Mustard, Honey and Chopped Rosemary

Combine 1 tablespoon mustard, 2 tablespoons honey and 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary. Grill 500g sausages. When cooked toss in the mustard and honey mixture to coat.

Smoked Salmon with Herbed Cream Cheese

Spread some herbed cream cheese on blinis and top with smoked salmon. Blinis are small pancakes made from buckwheat flour. If you can’t get them use brown soda bread or small pieces of toast.

Tomato, Pesto and Goats’ Cheese Crostini

Using a small pastry cutter, if available, cut rounds from slices of white bread – you should get 4–5 rounds per slice.
Alternatively thinly slice a French stick. Brush with a little olive oil and toast in a hot oven for a couple of minutes. Mix together some freshly chopped tomatoes, chopped scallions and coriander, seasoning and a little olive oil.
Top each round of toast with ½ teasp. pesto, a spoonful of the tomato mixture and some soft goats’ cheese.

Spiced Beef with Fruity Chutney

Place a 2½–3kg joint of spiced beef in a deep casserole dish as near to its size as possible. Add 250ml water and cover tightly.

Cook in a very low oven, Gas Mark 1, 140°C (275°F) for five hours. Leave it to cool in the liquid for 2–3 hours and then remove and wrap in tin foil. Store in the fridge until you need it. Slice thinly and serve on brown or white soda bread with a fruity chutney.

Monkfish Wrapped in Bacon

Cut the monkfish into pieces about 2cm wide.
Cut each streaky rasher into 2 or 3 pieces and use these to wrap the pieces of monkfish. Place, joint side down on a grill rack and cook under the hot grill for 5–8 minutes.

Serve with a herb dressing made by mixing 150mls mayonnaise in the processor with 1 tablespoon warm water, 1 chopped garlic clove and a bunch of basil (approximately 20g).

party bites

Skewered Duck with Chilli and Scallions

  • 2 duck breasts, cut into thin
  • slices, about 4cm long
  • 18 wooden skewers
  • 100ml light soy sauce
  • 2 teasp. sesame oil
  • 2-3 scallions, finely sliced
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

Soak the wooden skewers in warm water for 30–40 minutes to prevent them burning.
Combine half the soy sauce with 1 teasp. sesame oil. Coat the sliced duck in this mixture and leave to marinade while the skewers are soaking. Then thread the duck onto the skewers.

Place on a grill pan, and cook under a hot grill for 4–5 minutes, turning halfway through.

Mix the remaining soy sauce and sesame oil with the scallions and chilli. Serve as a dipping sauce with the skewered duck.

Recipes courtesy of Bord Bia 

Read: Winston Churchill spoke of his “longing” for a united Ireland >

Read: ‘My son said to me we’ll need to put up a Christmas tree this year… please God we’ll have a house first’ >

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6 Comments
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    Mute conor hickey
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    Sep 17th 2013, 10:06 PM

    I’m 100% behind the doctors going on strike.

    They have to be suffering permanent jet lag type effects from those horrendous hours and long shifts.

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    Mute Louise Aíne Ní Fhionnaíogan
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    Sep 17th 2013, 10:41 PM

    100% percent behind the junior doctors. I would personally be scared if I knew that the doctor looking after me was nearing the end of a 36 hour shift. This is not about money. It is about providing safe working conditions for doctors and ensuring patient safety.

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    Mute Hairy lemon
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    Sep 17th 2013, 11:52 PM

    How is the best outcome from this one where doctors will work shifts of 24 hours? I wouldn’t ask my barman to do that… Why is it okay for a doctor?

    Am I missing something here??? :-/

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    Mute Dave
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    Sep 18th 2013, 12:25 AM

    The ideal outcome is implementation of the EWTD. I’m no doctor or IR specialist but given that some say they work shifts of more than 36 hours, that won’t happen overnight. A long strike will do nobody any good.

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    Mute significantrisk
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    Sep 18th 2013, 7:13 AM

    The aim of the current campaign is an *immediate* reduction to a 24 hour maximum, followed by a definite timetable for full compliance with the law (not some fantasyland HSE timeframe). Unfortunately that aspect doesn’t seem to be getting across as clearly.

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    Mute Richard O'Gorman
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    Sep 17th 2013, 10:14 PM

    If the doctors want to strike, let them and if they don’t want to come back to work, replace them. It’s time to get this little financially ruined nation back on its feet.

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    Mute pg
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    Sep 17th 2013, 10:23 PM

    Richard … It’s not about money … It’s about working 100 hours a week.. By being rostered correctly ,it will actually mean less overtime and there less money being paid out !!

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    Mute Ping Pong
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    Sep 17th 2013, 10:25 PM

    Is it a case that they can’t get enough doctors or they just won’t take them on? Genuine question.

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    Mute Tommy C
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    Sep 17th 2013, 10:26 PM

    Replace them with who Richard? They’re being given better pay and conditions in other countries. There won’t be any doctors left at this rate. I’d love to see you on your feet for at least 24 hours dealing with sick people and their families.
    Solidarity with the junior doctors 100%.

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    Mute Joey JoeJoe Shabadoo
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    Sep 17th 2013, 10:34 PM

    Get down off your barstool Richard.

    You must be drunk.

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    Mute Richard O'Gorman
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    Sep 17th 2013, 10:47 PM

    Who’s round is it.

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    Mute Fong Wannapho
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    Sep 17th 2013, 11:34 PM

    Make mine a double.

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    Mute WanderArch
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    Sep 17th 2013, 11:52 PM

    @ Ping Pong, they can’t hire enough.
    For most positions on training schemes (which guarantee a doctors position for the duration of the scheme, usually 2-4 years), there are not enough people applying, never mind getting through the rather cumbersome recruitment campaign.

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    Mute significantrisk
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    Sep 18th 2013, 7:10 AM

    Who’s going to replace us? You?

    Go way with that idiotic drivel – the country can barely hire enough of us to keep the lights on. Doctors don’t want to stay here, or come here, because foolish twaddle like that pervades the way we’re treated.

    If you think you could routinely do the work of two people for shifts measured in planetary rotations, go to medical school and try it out.

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    Mute Dom AcePlazo
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    Sep 18th 2013, 9:38 AM

    All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Mind you don’t stumble and stand on your stethoscope.

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    Mute Dave
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    Sep 18th 2013, 10:33 AM

    Lol, good one : D

    Do you ever play the comedy club or the laughter lounge

    (seriously, i have free tickets to go there)

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    Mute Dom AcePlazo
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    Sep 18th 2013, 11:11 AM

    ‘Always look on the bright side of life’

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    Mute Paul Brophy
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    Sep 17th 2013, 10:50 PM

    Work!

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