When a Lebanese man and a Portuguese woman fall for each other, the love affair is bound to include food. That’s exactly the case for Melissa and Emile Eblen, whose legendary get togethers are a celebration of life.
“Food is a big thing for us,” laughs Melissa. And it always has been – both she and Emile spent a lot of time in the kitchen, even as kids.
For Melissa, it was all about trying to replicate her granny’s cooking, especially her cal verde and tuna soup.
Emile, meanwhile, was also influenced by his family’s recipes, although he found his true culinary calling on the coals. In fact, his talent with tongs earned him an entry on The Ultimate Braaimaster last year – which he admits took him by surprise, especially when he was announced the runner up. “I know the basics – when the coals are ready, how to rest the meat – and I love mixing up my own spices. But I never thought I’d get so far in a competition like that!” he laughs.
Braaing is, in fact, the secret to the Eblens’ effortless entertaining. They agree that the formal plated style of hosting, with hors d’oevres, mains and dessert served separately, is rather old school – and so much more stressful than lighting the fire as guests arrive, allowing them to mill about and snack and, most of all, give you time to chat with them. “We’ve found that the key is to make sure you dish up before your guests have had time to lose their appetite,” Emile says.
The best way to make sure you’re able to do that, he continues, is by keeping things simple. Emile is a big fan of homestyle cooking. “There’s really no need to reinvent the wheel. Just stick with what works.” And what works, for him, is mixing a few flavours together, making sure the meat, or fish, is well seasoned, then tasting as he goes. “People often don’t taste their own food, and that’s a problem – you don’t actually know if it’s good,” he points out. He’s not a stickler for ingredients, nor does he follow recipes rigidly. Although he might consult a cook book for inspiration, he finds that international chefs develop recipes for taste buds which prefer food that’s far more bland. “We love spice!” Emile says. “We put chilli on everything.”
Of course, drinks are just as much a part of the perfect day as the food. “Keep them flowing!” Melissa advises. Her own preference is for bubbles – although, since she’s pregnant with a sibling for Juliana (8) and Daniella (5), she’s sticking to water at the moment.
She’s also in charge of music, typically choosing an 80’s inspired playlist including the likes of Fleetwood Mac and Elton John.
Melissa gives just as much consideration to the crowd, taking care to invite people she knows will get on. Since the Eblens are family-oriented, they like to start their gatherings early in the day, so that there’s time to swim and for the kids to play together.
The Eblens’ home lends itself to this kind of laidback get-together. They designed the house with an eye to making entertainment easy, with the kitchen flowing seamlessly into the gorgeous outside area which is, undoubtedly, the hero area. “We love being outdoors – we even nap out here sometimes – so we wanted to make it as homely as possible,” Melissa says.
The home includes two braai areas – one with a full outdoor kitchen (it even has a smoker and a herb garden, so that Emile can pick the flavourings he needs while he’s cooking), while the other is a more casual set up for the nights when the family feel like eating something cooked al fresco – which they do at least once a week. “The girls like braais as much as we do,” Melissa says.
Her final tips for a gathering where guests feel feted, spoiled and loved? “Pick the right day,” Melissa says. It may sound simple, but weather can have an enormous impact – there’s nothing worse than having your outdoor party sabotaged by a storm. More than that, the weather will also influence what you serve. A spread of tapas guests can pick at is great on a sunny day, for example. She adds that it’s important to make sure the kids are happy. She loves putting out floaties in the pool, or letting the children wander up to the creek near her house to catch crabs. Above all, keep it casual – that’s the key to being a chilled, gracious hostess, rather than one who fusses over whether everyone’s glass is topped up, the children are hungry and the guests are happy.
Turn your outdoor area into a haven for entertaining
Heather Salomon, an interior designer and the creative force who designed Melissa and Emile’s stunning outdoor area, gives these tips for creating a space that’s perfect for entertaining:
Harmonise nature and design
Embrace the natural elements of your outdoor space and integrate them into your design.
Flexible seating arrangements
Versatility is key when it comes to outdoor entertaining. Invest in high quality, relaxed soft cushioning to make your table seating and sofas alluring. Use other functional pieces like ottomans and benches that can be easily moved around to cater for varying activities and group sizes to effortlessly transform the space from an intimate gathering to a spacious soiree with minimal effort.
Illuminate and accentuate The interplay of light and shadow – from downlights, candles, lamps on servers and accent lighting from the cocktail bar – not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also extends the usability of the space well into the evening. This is the essence of creating a space filled with ambiance.
Say goodbye to the formal plated style of hosting and light the fire for effortless entertaining
Giant Tiger Prawns with a garlic butter basting sauce
Melissa and Emile love to serve up prawns alongside a fresh green salad. They get their giant tiger prawns from Pescador Superior Seafood at Leaping Frog Shopping Centre.
Preparation: Butterfly and clean prawns
Ingredients: 1 clove of garlic, Robertson peri peri spice to taste, Salt to taste, prawn spice to taste, ½ a block of butter, lemon juice to taste, 250ml cream
To make: Crush garlic with salt. Add some butter to a pan and fry garlic on a low heat. Add spices and fry for about 2 min. Add the rest of the butter. Once melted, add lemon juice and cream. Cook for about 10 min on a low heat. Once thickened, take off heat.
Allow to cool down and blend the sauce.
Take the prawns over hot fire or gas and place them shell down. Brush the sauce on the prawns and keep basting to get the full flavour in. Once the prawns change colour they are done.
To serve: Warm the left over sauce from the basting and use it to pour over the prawns as a sauce.
Homemade bread side
Making bread is a labour of love but so worth it once your guests smell the aroma of freshly baked bread.
Bread ingredients: 2 cups bread flour, 1 packet instant yeast, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 30ml oil, 1 cup water, a tsp parsley
To make: Mix all ingredients together until the consistency is not sticky to your hand. Add more flour if needed. Once right, knead for 10 min.
Grease a large bowl with oil or cooking spray and place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a dish towel or cling wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.
Knead again for 10 min, then rest for an hour.
Filling ingredients: 1 packet diced bacon, 1 onion (chopped), 150ml balsamic vinegar, Gouda cheese.
Method: Fry the bacon and remove from pan. Using the fat from the bacon, fry the onions. Once golden brown, add the balsamic vinegar and reduce. Return the bacon to the pan and mix and set aside.
Roll out the bread dough flat until thin. Top with a 1/3 of the bacon and onion mixture and add grated Gouda cheese. Then fold dough in half and top again with 1/3 of the bacon and onion mixture. Repeat this once more so that you have three layers and your bread is in a rectangular shape. Place in the oven at 170°C for about 25 to 30 min. Serve warm.
Text: LISA WITEPSKI • Photographer: Nicole Moore. Details: nicolemoorephotography.co.za • Make-up: Makeup by Ryno, 071-688-0242.
