If you're planning a party this Saturday, take care of your canapés, finger food and mocktails the easy way by preparing them in advance. These six simple recipes can all be made well before your guests arrive.
Ginger cordial with star anise ice cubes
Refreshing and aromatic, this ginger cordial is a good thirst quencher and also accompanies Asian foods extremely well. Serves 10
Ingredients
20 star anise
225g stem ginger in syrup
2.25l sparkling mineral water
Method
Freeze the star anise with water in ice cube trays for four to six hours.
Blend the stem ginger with all the syrup and a little of the mineral water until really well puréed, for about one minute. Divide between glasses, top up with the remaining water and stir well. Add some star anise ice cubes to each and serve.
Advance preparation: purée the ginger, cover and chill up to seven days ahead. Dilute to order.
Mediterranean puffs
When time is short, this is a recipe where you can buy all the basics ready to do a quick assembly line job. If you want to speed things up, use shop-bought pesto and tapenade. Makes 30
Ingredients
400g puff pastry
Flour, for rolling
Butter, for greasing
1 small egg yolk
1 tsp water
tsp salt
2 tsp poppy seeds
2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1 x the basic chunky pesto recipe (see below)
1 x the basic chunky tapenade recipe (see below)
50g sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
75g Parmesan grated
75g cheddar, grated
You will also need a 5cm fluted cutter
For the chunky basil or coriander pesto
125g basil or coriander leaves
125g pine nuts, toasted
5 small cloves garlic, crushed
5 tbsp olive oil
125g Parmesan grates
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
Make the chunky pesto by roughly chopping the basil or coriander together. Put into a bowl with the pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan and seasoning and mix together. Make the pesto no more then one hour before using, otherwise the basil or coriander will discolour.
For the chunky tapenade
125g pitted black olives
2 heaped tbsp fresh parsley leaves
2 tbsp capers, drained
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp olive oil
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Roughly chop the olives, parsley and capers together. Put them in a bowl with the mustard, olive oil and seasoning and mix together.
Method
Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to make an oblong 30cm x 36cm x 5mm thick.
Stamp out 30 discs using the cutter. Lift onto lightly greased baking trays, leaving space between each to allow them to rise. Do not re-roll the off-cuts as they will not rise evenly.
Mix the egg yolk, water and salt together, brush the tops of the pastries with this glaze and sprinkle with the poppy and mustard seeds. Don't let the egg drip over the sides as this will stop the pastry from rising. Chill for 30 minutes.
Bake in a preheated oven gas mark 5/375°F/190°C for 10-15 minutes until well risen and a rich golden colour. Cool on a wire rack.
Put the pesto, tapenade and sun-dried tomato mixtures into three bowls, divide the Parmesan and cheddar between them and then separately pulse each in a blender until you have a thickish paste.
Split the pastries in half, fill 10 of each with the different mixtures, put onto baking trays and reheat at gas mark 5/375°F/190°C for 10 minutes or until hot. Serve.
Advance preparation: stamp out the pastries, cover and refrigerate up to one day ahead. On the day, glaze, bake and then fill up to six hours before. Reheat to order.
Freezing: freeze either uncooked and unfilled up to four weeks before, or cooked and unfilled for up to three weeks before.
Mozzarella salad with olives, anchovies & parsley
Mozzarella should be teamed with distinctive tasting ingredients. This olive-parsley salad has that in abundance. Serves 10
For the olive-parsley salad
50g pitted black olives, chopped
2 rounded tbsp diced red onion
2 rounded tbsp chopped parsley
20g capers
2 dessert spoons olive oil
2 small cloves garlic, crushed
Freshly ground black pepper
25g anchovies, roughly chopped
40g sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
4 mozzarella, each sliced into 5
2 tbsp olive oil
Method
Toss all the ingredients together for the olive-parsley salad, add the anchovies and sun dried tomatoes and mix well.
Put the mozzarella on a platter, spoon over the olive mixture and drizzle over the oil. Serve.
Advance preparation: Crush the garlic, chop the olives, onion and parsley and store separately, covered in the fridge up to one day before. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes and anchovies and store separately, covered in the fridge, up to one day before. Combine the olive-parsley salad up to four hours ahead and assemble the salad up to 30 minutes before, cover and chill.
Sticky red curry chicken wings
Sticky, shiny fire-engine red and Thai-flavoured, these chicken wings can be barbecued or roasted. Makes 10
Ingredients
110g palm sugar, or dark brown sugar
110g tomato purée
50g Thai red curry paste
2 tsp salt
10 chicken wings
Vegetable oil, for greasing
Method
Heat the tomato puree and palm sugar together in a pan over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved, for about four to five minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the curry paste and salt. Cool, pour over the chicken wings and toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate and allow to marinate for a minimum of four hours.
Transfer the chicken to a lightly oiled roasting tin and spread them out. Roast in a preheated oven at gas mark 5/375°F/190°C for 35-40 minutes until cooked and slightly charred.
Alternatively, place the chicken wings on an oiled barbecue rack 10cm to 15cm above medium-hot coals and cook for about 12-15 minutes, turning once. Serve hot or cold.
Advance preparation: cook, cover and chill up to one day before. If serving hot, reheat at gas mark 5/375°F/190°C for 20 minutes until piping hot.
Jasmine infusion
Scented edible flowers and herbs, such as jasmine, borage, elderflower and applemint, can be used to make this delicate infusion. Use sugar-encrusted swizzle sticks as decorative stirrers. Serves 10
Ingredients
Handful of unsprayed jasmine flowers, plus a few extra for decoration
1.5l boiling water
10 sugar swizzle sticks
Method
Put the jasmine flowers in a cafetière, pour over the boiling water and allow to infuse for five minutes before plunging. Pour into glasses, add a jasmine flower for decoration and serve with the sugar swizzle sticks.
Seared salmon, asparagus & potato salad
Ideally serve this slightly warm, but if that's not possible, serve it cold and make sure that you take it out of the fridge a good 30 minutes before serving. Serves 10
For the mustard dressing
1 tbsp sweet mustard
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp caster sugar
1kg small new waxy potatoes, left unpeeled
750g skinned salmon fillet
1 tbsp olive oil + extra for greasing
2 tsp Maldon, or flaked sea salt
tsp paprika
350g asparagus, each spear cut diagonally into 3
1 rounded tbsp chervil (if unavailable, substitute with parsley)
1 rounded tbsp mint leaves
1 rounded tbsp basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Whisk all the dressing ingredients together and season.
Rub the salmon on both sides, first with the oil and then with a mixture of the salt and paprika. Sear it on a very hot preheated, oiled chargrill on either side, for about eight to 10 minutes in total, until crisp and golden on the outside and still slightly pink on the inside. Transfer to a tray to cool and break into neat, forkable pieces.
Boil the asparagus for about three minutes in a pan of salted water until al dente, drain in a colander under running cold water to preserve the colour. Dry on kitchen paper. Alternatively, cook on the char-grill for four to five minutes.
Arrange the potatoes, salmon and asparagus in a dish. Drizzle over the remaining dressing and then scatter over a mixture of herbs. Serve.
Advance preparation: make the dressing up to two days before; cook the salmon, potatoes and asparagus up to one day ahead, cover and chill.
Assemble up to four hours before, except for the herbs, cover and chill. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving and scatter over the herbs.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The specs: 2017 Dodge Viper SRT
Price, base / as tested Dh460,000
Engine 8.4L V10
Transmission Six-speed manual
Power 645hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 813Nm @ 5,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 16.8L / 100km
Results
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m; Winner: AF Al Baher, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m; Winner: Talento Puma, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
3pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,950m; Winner: Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
3.30pm: Jebel Ali Stakes Listed (TB) Dh500,000 1,950m; Winner: Mark Of Approval, Patrick Cosgrave, Mahmood Hussain.
4pm: Conditions (TB) Dh125,000 1,400m; Winner: Dead-heat Raakez, Jim Crowley, Nicholas Bachalard/Attribution, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
4.30pm: Jebel Ali Sprint (TB) Dh500,000 1,000m; Winner: AlKaraama, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,200m; Winner: Wafy, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,400m; Winner: Cachao, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
RACE CARD
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 – Group 1 (PA) $65,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
7.05pm: Handicap (TB) $65,000 (Turf) 1,800m
7.40pm: Meydan Classic – Listed (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,600m
8.15pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy – Group 3 (TB) $195,000 (T) 2,810m
8.50pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (T) 2,000m
9.25pm: Meydan Challenge – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,400m
'Outclassed in Kuwait'
Taleb Alrefai,
HBKU Press
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Sheikh Zayed's poem
When it is unveiled at Abu Dhabi Art, the Standing Tall exhibition will appear as an interplay of poetry and art. The 100 scarves are 100 fragments surrounding five, figurative, female sculptures, and both sculptures and scarves are hand-embroidered by a group of refugee women artisans, who used the Palestinian cross-stitch embroidery art of tatreez. Fragments of Sheikh Zayed’s poem Your Love is Ruling My Heart, written in Arabic as a love poem to his nation, are embroidered onto both the sculptures and the scarves. Here is the English translation.
Your love is ruling over my heart
Your love is ruling over my heart, even a mountain can’t bear all of it
Woe for my heart of such a love, if it befell it and made it its home
You came on me like a gleaming sun, you are the cure for my soul of its sickness
Be lenient on me, oh tender one, and have mercy on who because of you is in ruins
You are like the Ajeed Al-reem [leader of the gazelle herd] for my country, the source of all of its knowledge
You waddle even when you stand still, with feet white like the blooming of the dates of the palm
Oh, who wishes to deprive me of sleep, the night has ended and I still have not seen you
You are the cure for my sickness and my support, you dried my throat up let me go and damp it
Help me, oh children of mine, for in his love my life will pass me by.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Off-roading in the UAE: How to checklist
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
The biog
Favourite food: Tabbouleh, greek salad and sushi
Favourite TV show: That 70s Show
Favourite animal: Ferrets, they are smart, sensitive, playful and loving
Favourite holiday destination: Seychelles, my resolution for 2020 is to visit as many spiritual retreats and animal shelters across the world as I can
Name of first pet: Eddy, a Persian cat that showed up at our home
Favourite dog breed: I love them all - if I had to pick Yorkshire terrier for small dogs and St Bernard's for big
