A Party Pineapple Favourite

100 Hostess Party Favourites, forward by Margaret Fulton, promoting Tupperware NSW 1971

“Some Guidelines for a Successful Dinner Party: be ready at least 15 minutes before your first guest is due to arrive. Make sure that your dining room is a comfortable temperature and the atmosphere is fresh.

Create a bright feeling throughout your home with flowers in the sitting room and bedroom which is kept free for coats and as a place where your lady guests can tidy up. Have available a guests’ towel.

Do not stay in the kitchen while your guests are arriving, stay with them until everyone is settled.

Have some soft music playing in the background. It is a good idea to have wall lights, table lamps or candles for illumination, rather than a central light. Put some small tables around the room with ashtrays on them.

Introduce your guests to each other and start a conversation with them before you circulate. Only break into conversations if you wish to get people to mix.

Allow yourself to relax and enjoy yourself and you find your guests do the same” Margaret Fulton.

Beef and Pineapple Amandine

Standard 225ml measuring cup is used. All spoon measurements are level.

675g topside steak cut into 2.5cm cubes; ½ cup seasoned flour; 50g butter; ½ cup diced spring onions; 1 x 440g can well-drained pineapple chunks; 2 tblspn finely sliced preserved ginger; 1 beef cube dissolved in 1 cup water; ½ cup sweet vermouth; ½ cup toasted almond halves

Toss beef in seasoned flour. Melt butter, sauté meat till brown on all sides. Remove, sauté ginger, spring onions and pineapple chunks for a few minutes. Stir in liquids till boiling. Return beef. Cover, simmer or oven bake in moderately hot oven (190°C) in a casserole for 1 – 11/2 hours. Garnish with almonds. Serve with buttered rice.

Serves 4 – 6.