And so another public holiday rolls around bringing with it an extra long four day weekend…cue a marathon of festivities with family and friends enjoying far too much wine and copious amounts of food!
Kicking things off in the office, we hosted an Easter themed morning tea with a spread of hot cross buns, hundreds of chocolate eggs and the obligatory mimosas. I was surprised to see alternative hot cross buns flavoured with apple and cinnamon or chocolate chip – I prefer the classic English style packed with juicy fruits, popped in the toaster and covered in lashings of strawberry jam.
On Good Friday I was invited to the family BBQ in Maroubra where my in-laws treated us to an afternoon and evening packed full of food. As one of the entres, I helped my cousin bake the cob loaf which is a dish definitely not for the faint hearted! Made by hollowing out the centre of the bread and then pouring a mixture of mozzarella, cream cheese, spinach and seasoning inside, the cob is baked in the oven to melt the cheese and crisp up the removed bread pieces for dipping. The result is the most irresistible, mouth-watering pool of cheese perfect for dunking bread, crackers or even veg sticks. Once the cheese was all finished, it was time to break open the remains of the crust which had soaked up all that tasty filling.
As Catholics they traditionally don’t eat meat on Good Friday, so the theme of the night was seafood. First up were tiger prawns so fresh that they were a deep red in colour and only needed a squeeze of lemon to compliment the flavours. Onto the BBQ and the octopus was expertly seared in a light sauce. I think this was some of the best octopus I’ve ever had as it can be easy to overcook and turn chewy, but this meat was deliciously succulent.
Finally sitting down to the beautifully laid dinner table, first course was mussels. These were cooked simply in a tomato marinara sauce to let the taste of the scrumptious mussels come through.
Main course was salmon seared on the BBQ to achieve that crispy skin. Everyone made their contribution of sides including exquisite salads and even a creamy, golden potato bake which I simply couldn’t resist.
To finish off this indulgent evening of sensational food, my uncle served up his famous homemade lemon cheesecake topped with raspberries and whipped cream. Just when I thought I couldn’t fit another bite in, I proceeded to have almost three slices of the cake! This was the perfect end to a truly exceptional night of food which I don’t regret a minute of. I am truly thankful for my family’s hospitality and the unforgettable Easter feast we shared together.
Dani Aneka 