How can I jazz up shop-bought things for easy party food?
Alison, Canterbury
“We’re all short of time, and who has the patience to make 50 devilled quail’s eggs?” says Amy Poon, who runs Poon’s London, “but ready-made canapes and dips can be a bit lacklustre.” Luckily, she adds, “they are hugely improved by a homemade sauce or a handful of herbs”. That’s not to say you have to get all fancy: dips, for example, are vastly better with just a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of flavoured oil (chilli- or garlic-infused, say) and a sprinkling of chopped coriander or parsley.
A seasoned soy sauce is just the ticket to “liven up shop-bought cooked prawns for a marinade”. Poon gets a heatproof bowl and adds 100ml light soy, a half-teaspoon of sugar, half a chopped red chilli, a finely sliced clove of garlic, a tablespoon of chopped coriander, some seasoning and sesame oil. Combine with two tablespoons of heated neutral oil and you’re good to go.
