A Colourful Mother's Day Lunch
WORDS:: CHYKA KEEBAUGH
IMAGES:: LISA ATKINSON
Yes, I agree - our mums should be celebrated every day. There shouldn’t be one particular day - there should be 365.
So, of course, a special lunch is in order. Like most of my table settings, there is always one element that sparks my creativity, and that element was this amazing blanket. How fabulous is it? I have used a tablecloth (it really is a throw) that I would say has been lifted from a cupboard is Russia circa 1970 and it works beautifully.
I am in love with the colours in the throw, the bright magenta and pinks set off against the jade and red silhouettes of leaves and all sitting perfectly on a lush, soft pink background. I have matched in these beautiful water and wine glasses. Now your glassware doesn’t always have to match; you can get a little creative with the shapes and sizes as long as the tones work together - if you get your palette right, you can get creative with your pieces.
A simple flat pink plate was all that is needed as to not distract from the tablecloth, they almost blend in with the pale pink background. The contrast of textures is also interesting when layering your plate. Why not get creative? A detailed printed plate works under or on top of, a simple flat plate - in fact, check out this post right here if you are in need of a little plate inspiration…
And no table can be finished without a fabulous blooming centrepiece. Beautiful vases of pale pink, red, dahlias and garden roses in deeper colours to tie the look together, with the colours of the petals matching perfectly in with the tablecloth - a match made in heaven and I love it!
I am leaning towards a simple lunch of a colourful Cobb Salad for this Mother’s Day. An old classic that is having a little resurgence, full of fresh ingredients but just presenting it in a contemporary way.
A Colourful Cobb Salad
Dressing
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar or honey
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Sea salt and pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
Ingredients
4 hard-boiled eggs
4 thick slices bacon, diced
4 cooked chicken breasts
1 avocado, peeled and stoned
4 tomatoes
1 cos lettuce, finely sliced
200g cottage cheese
100g blue cheese, chopped
Method
Peel the hard-boiled eggs and cut into small dice. Fry the bacon until crisp, then drain well. Keeping the ingredients separate, chop the chicken breast, avocado and tomatoes, and allow tomatoes to drain their juices.
Whisk the dressing ingredients together until smooth. Toss the lettuce in half the dressing and arrange in a single line in the middle of each dinner plate. Add a parallel row of cottage cheese and top it with chopped blue cheese.
Arrange the chicken, eggs, bacon, avocado and tomato either side and drizzle with remaining dressing. Let everyone toss their own salad together as they eat.
Note: You can turn any of your favourite salads - Nicoise, fattoush, Caesar - into a chopped salad by chopping the ingredients and arranging them in rows.
