6 minute read
NO-COOK CANAPES
quick canapés no-cook nibbles
Make this season stress-free with simple throwtogether canapés. These recipes are also easy to halve or double for more or fewer people
recipes ESTHER CLARK photographs JONATHAN GREGSON
Chicken caesar & crispy prosciutto bi tes
Figs with goat’ s ch eese , pi st achi os & h o n e y
V e gan garlic & herb
Figs with goat’s cheese, pistachios & honey
For added luxury, try using a truffle-infused honey.
MAKES 16 PREP 10 mins NO COOK EASY V
8 ripe figs, halved 100g log rind-on goat’s cheese 30g honey 20g pistachios, finely chopped a few small thyme sprigs, roughly chopped
1 Arrange the figs on a tray, cut-side up. Slice the goat’s cheese into eight rounds, then cut each round in half. 2 Gently push the goat’s cheese pieces into the cut sides of the figs, then season with a little salt and pepper, drizzle with the honey and scatter with the pistachios and thyme.
GOOD TO KNOW gluten free PER SERVING 96 kcals • fat 3g • saturates 1g • carbs 14g • sugars 14g • fibre 3g • protein 2g • salt 0.1g
Crab & sriracha mayo rainbow rolls
Make these rolls up to a day ahead. Try swapping out the crab for smoked salmon or leftover turkey, if you like.
MAKES 28 PREP 40 mins NO COOK EASY
200g white crabmeat 2 tbsp mayonnaise 2 limes, zested and juiced 1½ tbsp sriracha 14 rice paper wraps handful each of mint and coriander leaves, roughly torn 2 large carrots, trimmed and cut into matchsticks 1 large cucumber, trimmed and cut into matchsticks 2 large, ripe avocados, peeled, stoned and thinly sliced 8 radishes, thinly sliced 2 tsp sesame seeds
1 Tip the crabmeat into a bowl with the mayo, lime zest, half the lime juice and the sriracha. Mix to combine and season to taste. 2 Fill a wide, shallow dish a few centimetres deep with warm water. Working with one rice paper wrap at a time, soak it for a few seconds until flexible, then lay on a board. Scatter some of the herbs down the centre, then top with a little of the crab mixture, some veg pieces and sesame seeds. Squeeze over some of the lime juice. Try to keep the filling in the centre and don’t overfill. Tuck the ends of the wrap over the filling to slightly enclose, then roll up from the sides, keeping the roll as tight as you can. Put on a plate covered with a damp sheet of kitchen paper. Repeat to make 14 rolls. Will keep chilled for 24 hrs. Before serving, halve them and arrange on a platter.
PER SERVING 62 kcals • fat 4g • saturates 1g • carbs 4g • sugars 1g • fibre 1g • protein 2g • salt 0.2g
Vegan garlic & herb ‘cheese’ balls
Use cashew cheese to make these moreish party bites. Serve any leftovers with crackers and chutney for a vegan cheeseboard.
MAKES 20 PREP 30 mins plus 4 hrs chilling NO COOK EASY V
300g vegan soft cashew cheese 100g walnuts, finely chopped ½ bunch of chives, finely chopped 1 tbsp garlic granules small bunch of parsley, finely chopped 2 tsp Aleppo chilli flakes or sumac
1 Mix the cashew cheese, walnuts, chives, garlic granules and a pinch of seasoning together in a bowl, then cover and chill for 1 hr. 2 Tip the parsley into a shallow bowl and the chilli flakes or sumac into a second shallow bowl. Roll the chilled mixture into 20 small balls, then roll in the parsley or the chilli flakes, or sumac, until fully coated. Transfer the cheese balls to a tray and chill for 3 hrs, or until ready to serve. Any leftovers will keep in a jar, topped up with olive oil, for a week.
GOOD TO KNOW vegan • gluten free PER SERVING 97 kcals • fat 8g • saturates 1g • carbs 3g • sugars 2g • fibre 0.4g • protein 3g • salt 0.4g
Chicken caesar & crispy prosciutto bites
Combine the flavours of chicken caesar salad with crisp crackers for a perfect party mouthful.
MAKES 20 PREP 25 mins NO COOK EASY P
2 cooked skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces 2 anchovies, finely chopped 15g parmesan, finely grated 4 tbsp mayonnaise 1 tbsp soured cream 1 tsp Dijon mustard ½ tsp garlic granules 1 tbsp chopped chives, plus extra to serve ½ lemon, juiced 20 small crispbreads or melba toasts 6 cooked smoked bacon rashers, finely chopped 1 Tip the chicken pieces, anchovies, parmesan, mayonnaise, soured cream, mustard, garlic granules, chives and lemon juice into a bowl, then mix together to combine. Season with salt and black pepper. Will keep covered in the fridge for up to two days. 2 Spoon teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the crispbreads, then top with the chopped bacon and more chives.
PER SERVING 96 kcals • fat 5g • saturates 1g • carbs 6g • sugars 1g • fibre 2g • protein 7g • salt 0.4g
TWIST IT
PEAR WITH GOAT’S CHEESE, PISTACHIOS & HONEY If ripe figs are hard to find, use 2 ripe pears instead. Peel the pears, cut into 8 wedges, then remove the cores. Put the cheese on toothpicks, then use to stud the pears, scatter with the pistachios and drizzle with honey.
Blocks of gold
What makes European butter, especially French Butter, unique
With 25 billion litres of cow, goat, and sheep milk collected yearly, France accounts for more than 17% of all milk production in Europe. The country’s temperate climate, abundant rainfall, available farmland, and commitment of its farmers make France a sustainable location to produce milk.
But how to choose the butter? Around the world, there are different percentages of fats in butter, with European standards including 85-87 percent fat. Furthermore, a product can only be called butter when it has a minimum 82% fat content.
The slightly more complex reason behind the success of French butter lies in the actual butter making. Culturing, when the cream is left to ferment before being churned, is reserved for select French butters, resulting in a tangy, slightly acidic butter popular with both pastry chefs and home chefs alike.
Another way to identify French butter? It has no artificial colours or additives, allowing for natural changes in colour with the seasons. Furthermore, with plenty of rain to keep the consistent production of grain and grass, cows produce a distinctive sunshineyellow butter in the summer months.
The content of this media represents the author’s point of view only and is the sole responsibility of the author. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made from the information contained herein.
