Salads to savour

These sideshows are built for breezy entertaining. Lots of prep-ahead options, with flavour-packed dressings and clever combos that complement any main event.

- PHOTOGRAPHY by JOHN PAUL URIZAR · STYLING by MICHELE CRANSTON

Crispy spiral potatoes with rosemary garlic butter

SERVES 6 PREP & COOK TIME 1 HOUR

6 long stems of woody rosemary, plus extra to serve

6 medium waxy white or pink-skinned potatoes

¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil

100g butter

2 cloves garlic, finely grated

tomato chutney, to serve

1 Prepare rosemary by removing bottom leaves from stems, keeping tops intact. These will be used as skewers.

2 Using a metal skewer, pierce each potato lengthwise, loosening entry point by reinserting skewer a few times. With skewer in place, use a small paring knife to spiral-cut potato, starting 1cm from the top and slicing around in 1cm-thick spirals down to 1cm from the base. Remove metal skewer; carefully replace with rosemary stem, ensuring sprig end sits out the top.

3 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Place potatoes onto a baking paper-lined oven tray. To prevent rosemary leaves from scorching, wrap in foil. Drizzle potato with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 45 minutes until golden and cooked through, turning halfway during cooking. Stand for 5 minutes, then gently squeeze toward the centre and pull to reveal the spiral.

4 Meanwhile, melt butter and garlic in a saucepan until foaming. Spoon garlic butter over potatoes, scatter with extra fresh rosemary and salt.

5 Arrange in a wreath and serve with tomato chutney.

Mango & iceberg slaw with Thai-style dressing

SERVES 4 PREP TIME 20 MINUTES

¼ cup (60ml) rice vinegar

1½ tablespoons fish sauce

1½ teaspoons caster sugar

juice of 1 lime

1 long red chilli, sliced thinly

⅓ cup (45g) salted peanuts, toasted

1 small (90g) red onion, sliced thinly

½ bunch coriander, leaves picked and finely chopped

¼ iceberg lettuce, finely shredded

¼ small red cabbage, coarsely grated

½ bunch mint, leaves picked