A well-chosen selection of canapes is a delicious and practical way to help the fizz go down at parties, says DIANA PILKINGTON
WHETHER it’s a Christmas gathering or a New Year’s Eve bash, chances are you’ll have some entertaining to do over the festive period.
And what better way to delight your guests than by serving up platters of canapes that look pretty, tickle the taste buds and, crucially, are a practical way to feed a crowd?
In the new edition of her book Canapes, Victoria Blashford-Snell writes: “Serving canapes to your guests is a fun way of showing off - not only your organisational skills, but your knowledge of cooking and of pairing up assorted flavours, including different influences from other cuisines.”
Add to this the fact that there’s minimal washing-up to do - “All your guests require is a drink, a cocktail napkin, and a warm welcome,” she points out - and you have the recipe for a smooth festive bash.
Here’s a summary of some of the author’s tips for making your canapes party go with a swing...
:: As a general rule, allow five pieces per guest for pre-lunch or dinner drinks. Allow six per guest for first-course canapes. Go for 10 pieces for each guest at a drinks party. If it’s a canape-only evening event, allow 14 pieces per guest.
:: When large groups are involved, allow for more canapes per person as some people may bring another guest along.
:: If you’re playing host to different age groups, try and cater for all tastes with a combination of hot and cold canapes, including classic recipes as well as more adventurous ones.
:: A mix of poultry, fish, seafood, red meat and vegetables is a good idea. Don’t go overboard on fried options among your hot canapes, and include some gluten-free and vegetarian choices in your cold ones.
:: For a stress-free event, prepare ahead where possible. Lots of canape bases will keep well if made in advance and stored properly, so include some of these options. Test out new recipes beforehand so they don’t go wrong on the day.
:: Include a nod to the season in your menu where possible.
:: When putting together your canapes, be generous with the filling but be careful not to overfill your bases as this can make them tricky to eat.
:: Choose platters that can be passed around guests easily, and be creative with presentation. Textured materials like coarse sea salt and banana leaves can jazz up a plain platter. Nightlight candles in small pots look good too.
:: To avoid mess, use a fresh bowl every time you need to top up dips, and have a stash of cocktail napkins and separate bowl for cocktail sticks in your armoury.
These canape recipes from the book will go down a treat at any winter party...
CLASSIC CHEESE QUESADILLA WITH GREEN CHILLI, CORIANDER, AND AVOCADO SALSA
(Makes 24)
For the salsa:
2 ripe avocados
Half a red onion, very finely chopped
Half a red chilli, seeded and chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1tbsp olive oil
Dash of Tabasco sauce, or to taste
For the quesadilla:
4 flour tortillas (18cm)
175g grated Swiss
Gruyere cheese
30g coriander, finely chopped
1 bunch of spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
1 green chilli, seeded and finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
For the salsa, skin and stone the avocado, then finely chop or mash with the rest of the salsa ingredients and season to taste.
Place 2 tortillas on the work surface. Divide the cheese, coriander, spring onions, chilli, and salt and pepper evenly between them. Press the 2 remaining tortillas on top to make a sandwich.
Heat a large frying pan with a drizzle of oil. When heated, sear the tortilla sandwiches over medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until crisp and light golden in colour, flipping with a fish slice or a palette knife halfway through.
Cut each quesadilla into 12 wedges and serve with the avocado salsa.
ASIAN PORK BALLS WITH CHILLI-LIME DIPPING SAUCE
(Makes 20)
For the sauce:
Juice of 1 lime
1tbsp caster sugar
2tbsp fish sauce
1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1tbsp grated fresh root ginger
For the meatballs:
200g minced pork
30g shallots, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1tsp soft brown sugar
1.2tsp freshly ground black pepper
10g coriander leaves, finely chopped
10g mint leaves, finely chopped
1tbsp grated fresh ginger
2tbsp Thai fish sauce
Vegetable or sunflower oil to fry
1tbsp chopped fresh coriander, to garnish
For the sauce, mix all the ingredients together with 2 tablespoons of water and taste for seasoning.
Place the meatball ingredients into a large bowl and mix well together. Then mould a ball, about the size of a walnut, for testing. Heat a frying pan with 2 tablespoons of oil and fry the ball on both sides for 2 minutes or until cooked through. Taste to check the flavour - you may wish to add more fish sauce or salt to your mixture.
Roll the remainder of the mixture into small balls. Fry briskly but gently on both sides to cook through. At this stage you can keep them warm in a medium oven until ready to serve. Serve with the chilli-lime dipping sauce scattered with torn coriander.
Comments