Celebration canapés for the festive season
We have compiled a selection of delicious canapés recipes, to help give you some inspiration over the festive period!
If you are feeling adventurous and are entertaining over Christmas, with some time to spare, you could use any combination of these canapés to serve and impress your guests.
TOASTED SOURDOUGH WITH AVOCADO AND A RADISH WATERCRESS
A delicious, healthy and quick snack or light lunch bursting with subtle flavours and brimming with colour!
Makes: 20
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
You’ll need:
1 small ripe avocado
1 lemon, juiced
2 tbls extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
5 thin medium sized slices of sourdough bread
2 tbls olive oil
50g mixed radishes, thinly sliced
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch watercress picked
What to do:
Preheat the oven to 180c
While you are waiting for the oven to warm up, cut the avocado in half, remove the stone, scoop out the flesh and place in a small bowl. Lightly mash with a fork, then add the lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil, season then set aside.
Place the sourdough slices on a large baking tray, drizzle over the olive oil, then put in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until crispy and toasted, remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes.
Once cooled break each piece of toast into 4 pieces, then spread with the avocado and top with radish, red onion and watercress. Serve at once.
This recipe was shared with us by www.loveradish.co.uk
TENDERSTEM CHILLI & CHICKPEA BITES
Tenderstem chilli & chickpea bites
Make these little numbers small and they are the perfect canapé. Make them medium sized and that’s lunch sorted or a meal for your children (with or without the chilli). Go larger again and you have a meat free alternative to a burger.
Makes about 16 small pattie
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes
You’ll need:
200g Tenderstem broccoli
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 red chilli, finely chopped (optional)
1 x 400g can of chickpeas, drained
1 egg
75g finely grated parmesan
finely grated zest of ½ lemon
handful of basil leaves
What to do:
Steam the Tenderstem for a few minutes until it is just tender. Remove from the heat and keep to one side.
Heat the 2 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan and gently cook the onion, garlic and chilli, if using, until the onion has softened but not coloured. Remove from the heat and spoon into a food processor.
Chop the flowery top section off each piece of the Tenderstem, cut into smaller pieces and set aside. Roughly chop the main part of the stalk and place in the food processor, along with the chickpeas, egg, parmesan, lemon zest and basil. Blitz until you have a rough paste and then transfer to a bowl. Mix in the reserved Tenderstem tops and season with salt and pepper.
Using your hands, shape the mixture into patty shapes – as small or large as you like. They can be stored in the fridge at this stage ready to cook when needed (up to 1 day before).
Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the patties for a minute or so each side until golden. You will need to do this in a few batches, depending on the size of your pan.
Remove from the pan, and serve hot, warm or room temperature.
This recipe was shared with us by www.tenderstem.co.uk
BALSAMIC STRAWBERRY AND PARMA HAM CROSTINIS
Balsamic parma ham & strawberry crostinis
A sophisticated canapé to offer your guests on arrival. These are quick and easy to make and the crostinis can be made in advance.
Makes 16
For the Crostini
1 white baguette
olive oil, to drizzle (or flavoured oil if you prefer, e.g. basil oil, chilli oil, rosemary oil)
For the Topping
150g / 2 oz strawberries
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar
ground black pepper
75g / 3oz cream cheese
75g / 3oz Parma ham
few chives to garnish
Wipe the strawberries, remove the hulls and thickly slice. Place them in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the balsamic vinegar and sugar. Allow to marinate for 1 hour at room temperature then season with black pepper.
Preheat the oven to 180C / 350 F/ Gas 4.
Thinly slice the baguette and arrange the slices on a baking sheet
Drizzle with oil of your choice and place in the oven for 15 minutes, turning once, until crisp and golden brown. Remove and cool on wire rack
Arrange the crostinis on a large serving plate. Top each with a little cream cheese, then a slice of parma ham.
Place a marinated strawberry slice on top and garnish with chives.
Recipe from www.seasonalberries.co.uk/
SHALLOT AND POTATO ROSTI WITH GRESSINGHAM DUCK AND CRSIPY SHALLOTS
These party nibbles are great for filling up hungry guests at New Year’s Eve drinks
Shallot & Potato Christmas Rosti with Gressingham Duck
Makes 25-30 canapés
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
You’ll need:
For the potato rosti:
500g potato, shredded and squeezed
4 shallots, peeled and grated
2 tsp flour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
For the crispy fried shallots:
Rapeseed oil, enough for a depth of 3 inches
10-15 shallots, peeled and sliced very thinly
1 tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
For the Gressingham duck:
2 breasts Gressingham duck
Sea salt and ground black pepper
Red currant jelly to serve
What to do:
Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6
For the potato rosti:
Mix the potato, shallots, flour, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper in a bowl. Add the oil to a heated pan. Using a teaspoon, spoon out heaped teaspoons of the mixture into the hot pan, turn to a low heat and flatten down, creating separate small discs of rosti. Fry until both sides are crisp, remove from the pan and remove excess oil on paper towels. Place to one side.
For the crispy fried shallots:
Heat the oil, test it is hot enough by dropping a piece of shallot in and checking it bubbles and crisps. Separate the shallot slices into rings and place them in a medium bowl. Make certain the shallots are not moist, otherwise they may splatter when they go into the oil. Sprinkle flour over the shallots and toss them lightly to coat evenly.
Working with a small quantity, sprinkle the shallots into the oil and stir gently to keep them separated. Fry until golden brown, about 5-6 minutes.
Remove with a slotted spoon, then put on paper towels to drain off the oil. Sprinkle with sea salt whilst still warm. Continue frying the rest of the shallots, salting each batch whilst it is still warm.
For the Gressingham duck:
Trim any excess fat from around duck breasts and score the fat in a diagonal motion several times. Season them with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place skin side down into a hot pan. After about two minutes turn over, then place into the pre-heated oven for 8 minutes. Put the potato rosti in with the duck breast for the last minute to warm. Remove the breast and rosti from the oven let the duck breast rest for 5 minutes.
To serve, remove the skin (it can be left on if desired.) Slice the breast and place pieces on top of each rosti, place a spoonful of the crispy shallots on top of the duck. Top with a little bit of redcurrant.
Note: If you do not have sufficient time to make the rosti, readymade canapé blinis could be used.
This recipe was shared with us by www.ukshallot.com
SPICY WEDGES WITH SHALLOT RELISH
These delicious wedges are the perfect party snack.
Shallot Relish with Spicy Wedges
Relish makes 3 small jars
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
You’ll need:
For the Relish:
500g tomatoes, skinned and chopped
250g cooking apples, peeled cored and chopped
150g muscovado sugar
10 shallots, peeled and quartered
1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped
2 tsp salt
1 cm root ginger, finely grated
200ml cider vinegar
For the wedges:
2 baking potatoes, chopped into wedges
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp olive oil
What to do:
Place all of the relish ingredients into a large pan and bring to the boil then simmer for 1 hour until the juices have reduced and are syrupy.
To make the wedges, heat the oven to 220°C/Gas 7. In a bowl mix together the wedges, paprika, coriander and oil along with a pinch of salt until the potatoes are well coated. Tip into a baking tray and cook for 40 minutes until crisp and cooked through.
Serve the wedges with a good dollop of relish.
NB. To store the relish sterilise jars by running them through a hot wash in your dish washer or boiling in a pan of water for 10 mins. Also great with cheese, cold meats or with sausages. The flavour will improve if kept for a few weeks. Once open keep in the fridge.
This recipe was shared with us by www.ukshallot.com
BEETROOT, SALMON, DILL & CREME FRAICHE TARTS
Beetroot & Salmon tarts
Quick and easy tarts, ideal for using up leftover poached salmon.
Serves 4, as a light lunch or 8 as party nibbles
Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
You will need:
1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry
2 packs traditional cooked beetroot, drained
350g cooked salmon (or hot smoked salmon fillets)
3 tbsp full fat creme fraiche
Small bunch of dill chopped
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
What to do:
Preheat the oven to 220°C
Unroll the sheet of pastry and cut into 4 equal rectangles. If you want to make smaller tarts for a party buffet, cut into 8 rectangles. Arrange on a baking sheet, leaving a little room around each, and score a fine line 5mm in from the edge all around each piece of pastry creating a border.
Slice the beetroot into narrow wedges. Flake the salmon into bite sized pieces. Arrange the beetroot and salmon onto the pastry, keeping within the border.
In a small bowl mix together the creme fraiche and dill and season with a little salt and pepper. Spoon a little onto the centre of each tart.
Bake in the oven for around 15-20 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden. Small tarts will take a little less time.
This recipe was shared with us by lovebeetrot.co.uk
GARLIC & THYME STUDDED CAMEMBERT WITH FENLAND CELERY DIPPERS & APPLE CHUTNEY
Great for using up that leftover Christmas cheese and chutney. This simple recipe can either be served on the table as part of the spread at a drinks party or used as a sharing starter for 2.
Warm Camenbert
Serves 2 – 10
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
You’ll need:
1 camembert cheese, in a wooden box
1 fat clove garlic, sliced
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
To serve:
½ bunch Fenland celery
Jar of apple chutney
ciabatta or baguette slices
What to do:
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Take the camembert out of its box, remove any wax paper wrapping and discard, then return the cheese to the box.
Make a few deep slits through into the top of the cheese and tuck in the garlic slices and thyme.
Place the cheese, with the lid, on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for around 15 minutes or until the cheese is soft and gooey within.
Serve the hot melting cheese with the Fenland celery to dip in and the chutney and bread alongside.
This recipe was shared with us by www.fenlandcelery.com
Hope you enjoy some of these delicious canapés … let us know which is your favourite …
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