Words and images by Fiona Hugues
I recently tragically lost my little terrier buddy Whinny. She’d been my faithful companion for 11 years and was my preferred company to spend apéritif hour with. At the end of the day we’d wander our grounds and ponder changes in the garden, and she’d flush out and promptly banish any unwelcome hidden rodent visitors. Now with her no longer at my side, and summer entertaining getting into full swing, I’ve complied my top few simple recipes to help you tolerate your own un-banishable guests without a faithful hound to deter them. Ultimately, it’s my strategy to have a charming time pre-dinner in the hour or so that prequels dinner with company, desirable or not.
Apéritif is a French word derived from the Latin verb aperire, which means ‘to open’ and is sometimes shortened to the chic word, ‘apéro’, which is far easier to pronounce even remotely properly. An apéritif itself is an alcoholic beverage usually served before a meal to stimulate the appetite and is often served with an hors d’oeuvre or amuse-bouche (which literally translates to small bites that ‘entertain the mouth’).
So go forth dear readers, open your doors, open a bottle, or two, and with my ridiculously simple recipes here for stimulating hunger and amusing your guest’s gobs, I reckon it’s a perfect formula for happy holidays that you and I can gladly put up with.
THE DRINKS
FRENCH 75
The French 75 is a suave but classic cocktail made from gin, champagne, lemon juice, and a little sugar and a dash of Absinthe if you’re that way inclined. Also known as a 75 Cocktail, or in French, simply a Soixante Quinze (Seventy-Five) it’s one of my favourite things to serve in a fancy flute at this time of year mainly because I’m a sucker for anything tart and lemony.
This drink dates to World War I and was apparently created in 1915 at the New York Bar in Paris by barman Harry MacElhone. The combination was said to have such a kick that it felt like being shelled with the powerful French 75mm field gun. Admittedly, the thought of serving someone the equivalent of a bullet does have its wicked merits during the fraught schedules of holiday season, so my friends, serve wisely.
2–3 drops absinthe, optional (in the classic original version from Harry’s Bar in Paris)
30ml gin
15ml lemon juice
15ml simple sugar syrup*
champagne, chilled (or sparkling dry white wine)
If using, put 2–3 drops of absinthe into a chilled champagne flute.
Place the gin, sugar syrup and lemon juice in an ice filled cocktail shaker and shake vigorously.
Pour into the primed absinthe glass and top with the champagne and a curl of lemon peel.
*A simple syrup is also called sugar syrup, which is just equal amounts of sugar and water. Stir and heat together for about 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves and a clear syrup is created. Then leave to cool. Voilà – that’s it. Store in a bottle in the fridge for a couple of weeks if it lasts that long.
KIR ROYALE
Rolling on to another cocktail born in war times into a classic story of stealing someone’s shit then duplicitously owning it – the Kir was created by a lowly bartender named Faivre in the Burgundy region of France during the 1940s. During World War II, the Nazis stole a lot of the red wine within the region, so in a wildly shifty move blackcurrant liqueur ‘cassis’ was added to white wine to make it more like red wine. This proved an accidentally delicious concoction that rapidly gained popularity. Ownership of the creation was promptly nicked by an undoubtedly slimy Catholic priest and politician, a chap by the name of Félix Kir. He was also the mayor of Dijon, so rather naturally, I presume, named the bevvy after himself and served it at all his pompous soirées.
Quite how the fancier Kir Royale with champagne bubbles was created is still debated, but it’s marriage of the sparkling wine’s effervescence with the sweet and tangy crème de cassis created a new level of refinement which still tickles fancies today. Internationally the Kir Royale gained prominence and recognition as an apéritif, served before the best meals to stimulate the appetite and set the stage for delicious dining ahead, and it is still served widely today at all the best French soirées.
Pour one part crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) into a flute and top with five
parts chilled champagne.
Add a dash of bitters if you hanker for more flavour complexity.
Salut!
FANCY AF CHIPS (WITH CAVIAR & CREAM)
It seems everyone who’s anyone is bumping some illicit and expensive substance in Auckland these days. Personally, it’s not my rig, but not to be one to miss out and not silly enough to be arrested or bankrupted, here’s my alternative to swinging with the who’s who whilst not being an arrogant dick about it in the process. This, in my opinion, is a low-key cool version of all that wanky hoo-ha. It’s a simple combination that tastes delicious and is ethically sustainable too. A pimped stock standard crinkle cut chip? What’s not to love?
thick-cut crinkle cut chips, salted
½ cup crème fraîche
½ tsp onion powder
1 tsp champagne vinegar
black lumpfish roe
chopped chives
In a small bowl combine the crème fraîche, onion powder and vinegar. Season and adjust to taste. Spoon small amounts of the cream onto each chip and top with a dash of lump fish roe. Sprinkle with chives and lay on a pretty platter.
GOOD GRACIOUS GILDAS
I’ve stolen from the Spanish here because the mouthful of delight a Gilda delivers is too good not to share. Named after the title character played by Rita Hayworth in the 1946 film noir Gilda, it’s the OG basque pintxos (tapas/snack) and is simply three ingredients: a Guindilla pepper, an anchovy, and an olive, all skewered together.
Most good food specialty store now sell jars of Guindilla peppers, so there’s no excuse not to indulge in this perfectly salted and brined accompaniment to your classic apéro cocktails. The Gilda is designed to eat in one bite and generates an immediate reaction from the palate, making it an unforgettable ‘party in one’s mouth’. (A MasterChef contestant I once worked with said that and it still makes me slightly cringe, but the quote seems appropriate here.)
Conservas Ortiz anchovy fillets (if you can get them, in my opinion, the best anchovies)
green pitted Spanish olives
Guindilla peppers
Satisfyingly impale one of each of the three ingredients on a small cocktail skewer or toothpick.
Job done.
FUMÉ FISH PÂTÉ
During the summer I’m usually gifted a smoked fish or two. This is my preferred way to enjoy it, full of crème fraîche, pungent dill and all the lemony notes to cut through the smoky tones. Feel free to tweak it to suit your palate or bach pantry. I sometimes add seed mustard and/or a dash of cayenne rather than horseradish for heat.
200–300g boneless flaked smoked fish fillets
1 cup crème fraîche
small handful of dill, chopped
lemon juice and finely grated zest
I tbsp horseradish crème (or less if using fresh grated)
salt & pepper
cornichons (baby gherkins), chopped
good water crackers to serve
In a small bowl mix together all the ingredients well to combine and taste.
Adjust seasoning, heat and/or sour notes with lemon juice to suit. Serve chilled with crackers or smear on a baguette for a very good sandwich.
ORTIZ TOMATO CROSTINI
My Frenchman detests an anchovy on any given day but this combination of sunshiny tomatoes with the best anchovies in the world he will gladly tolerate. Simple and insanely delicious, this is my number 1 summer tasty treat. Do yourself a favour and use the best ingredients you can afford; it really does make a difference here.
x1 tin of Conservas Ortiz anchovy fillets
half a baguette, cut into 1cm slices
one large heirloom tomato
½ garlic clove, crushed
1–2 tbsp red wine vinegar
extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
To make the crostini, brush the slices of baguette with a little olive oil and bake on a lined tray at 180°C fan forced until slightly golden and crisp. Set aside to cool.
In a small bowl grate the flesh of the tomato and strain off some of the excess juice with a strainer – you don’t want your crostini to go immediate soggy. Season the grated tomato flesh with the garlic, red wine vinegar and salt and pepper and leave in the fridge for flavours to get to know each other for at least half an hour.
When ready to serve, spoon the tomato mixture onto the crostini and top with an anchovy fillet.
Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.
