THEGAYUK

Tag: Canapes

  • RECIPE | Herby Turkey Samosas

    Antioxidant Rich  / Digestion Helper

    Makes 32 small samosas – good for a crowd

    An abundance of lively fresh herbs, anti-oxidant power houses sweet potatoes & red onions, heart helper garlic, lean turkey mince and super spice turmeric fused to fill my delicious nutritious baked samosas. Utilizing flour tortillas in place of pastry, and feel free to go with your personal preference of tortilla.

    Turmeric can rapidly increase the antioxidant capacity in your body, which will really work along side the sweet potato, red onion, coriander, parsley, and mint as all these are abundant in anti-oxidant ammo!

    CORIANDER – A great source of vitamin K (great for bones and teeth). It’s also high in antioxidant vitamins A & C, which promote healthy immune system function. Coriander is also beneficial for people suffering with skin disorders (eczema and dryness). Coriander is also good for stimulating our digestion system.

    PARSLEY – The vitamin C content is higher than oranges (53% of your recommended daily intake in 30g of fresh parsley). Within the same 30g you will get 553% of your daily intake for vitamin K (healthy bones). It’s packed full of antioxidants, vitamin A, folate, iron. and can help neutralize carcinogens. Containing a high amount of enzymes, parsley benefits digestive activity .

    FRESH MINT – One of mint’s best attributes is it’s anti-oxidant properties. Fresh mint also may help healthy digestion due to it being an anti-inflammatory. Mint also stimulates digestive enzymes which absorb nutrients from food, consuming fat and converting it into usable energy, which may help with weight management.

    RED ONION – Any dark fruit or vegetable is going to be anti-oxidant rich, but with the red onion it also contains a bioflavanoid called Quercetin. Quercetin has been found to contain anti : fungal / bacterial / inflammatory, and cancer fighting properties. One study suggests that half an onion a day could reduce the risk of stomach cancer by 50%. (SOURCE:

    Ingredients.

    2 packs of 8 white flour tortillas

    60g fresh coriander, finely chopped

    60g fresh parsley, finely chopped

    10g fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

    2 red onions, finely chopped

    5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

    200g frozen petit pois

    3 small sweet potatoes, peeled & chopped

    500g turkey mince

    1 tbsp turmeric

    1 tbsp chilli flakes

     

    Method.

    Preheat your oven to 200c / 180c (fan) / Gas Mark 6

     

    1. In a small saucepan get your sweet potatoes in boiling water and cook until soft. Mash with a tsp of coconut oil if you have it, alternatively a tablespoon of olive oil- along with some salt & pepper. Set aside.
    2. Next fry your onions in a little olive oil, with the turmeric and chilli flakes, over a medium heat until they are translucent and soft (around 5-7 minutes).
    3. On the final minute of cooking the onions add the garlic. Remove from the heat and set aside.
    4. Brown the turkey mince until completely cooked through and then add the peas continuing to cook for a couple more minutes.
    5. In a large mixing bowl now combine your cooked sweet potato mash, onions, turkey & peas, and now add your fresh chopped herbs. Mix well with a spoon to combine thoroughly.
    6. On a clean surface, lay a tortilla down and run a knife vertically down the centre, creating two semi-circles. Place a tablespoon of the filling in the centre of each semi-circle. Dab water around the edges of the tortilla. Fold the tortilla vertically and squish the edges together to seal the samosa. You could also crimp the edges, pressing hard, if you have any difficulty sealing the edges. Repeat this step until all your tortillas have been transformed into samosas.
    7. Brush both sides lightly with olive oil, place onto baking sheets and into the oven for 20 minutes, turning once at halfway mark.

     

     

     

  • RECIPE | Smoked Salmon & Cucumber Cups

    Makes around 40 |  Prep 20 mins | No Cook

    When I think of a canapé, I immediately think of smoked salmon in some form, and my favourite form is its most simple. Blended with cream cheese, dill and lemon- really classical (and easy!), but topped with toasted pine nuts for an interesting added texture and flavour, their natural buttery-ness works wonderfully.

    The smoked salmon spread can keep in the fridge for a couple of days in advance but assembling is best up to an hour before serving.

     

    Ingredients.

    100g smoked salmon

    135g soft cream cheese

    10g dill, washed

    1/2 lemon, juice only

    50g pine nuts

    2 cucumbers, skin peeled, cut in half lengthways, seeds removed with a teaspoon

     

    Method.

    1. Dry fry the pine nuts in a pan to toast them, keep your eye on them as their high oil content means they can catch fast. Once sufficiently toasty and golden, remove and set aside.
    2. In a food processor, blend the smoked salmon until smooth.
    3. Add the cream cheese, washed dill, and lemon juice and blend once more.
    4. Spread the smoked salmon mix into the cavity of the cucumbers where the seeds were. (I save some of the spread to go on a bit of toasted rye in the morning!)
    5. Scatter over the pine nuts, evenly distributing. And slice into bitesize pieces. Serve.

  • RECIPE | Chestnut Squares

    Makes around 24 (using a roasting tin 10 x 8 inches) |  Prep 15  mins | Cook 30-35 mins

    No flour is used in these squares of utter indulgence. Dark chocolate & festive chestnut puree pair together to make these rich and dense squares of every chocolate fans dream. Don’t be fooled by their modest appearance, the flavour is intense and may induce your eyes to roll in the back of your head. You could easily put this into a circular cake tin and serve sliced as a dessert with some ice cream and berries etc.

     

     Ingredient.

    200g dark chocolate, blitzed or finely chopped

    150g unsalted butter, chopped

    3 large organic eggs

    2 x 250g Clement Faugier Chestnut Vanilla Spread (I got mine from Sainsbury’s)

    Topped with snowflake sugar decoration (also in Sains.)

     

    Method.

    Pre-heat your oven to 200c / 180c (Fan) / Gas Mark 6

     

    1. Place a heatproof bowl on top of a small saucepan that has simmering water in it (ensuring the bowl and water do not touch).
    2. Place both chocolate and butter in the bowl and warm through to melt and combine. Once that’s done, take off the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
    3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs together and then begin whisking in the chestnut spread.
    4. With chocolate and butter mix now lukewarm, begin to whisk it into the eggy chestnut mix until thoroughly combined.
    5. Line your roasting tin (mine 10 x 8 inches) with greaseproof paper so that the paper overhangs the top of the tin, and pour the chocolate mix into the tin.
    6. Place into the oven for 30-35 minutes.
    7. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in its tin before lifting out and slicing into squares.

  • RECIPE | Honey Mustard Frittati

    Makes 12 |  Prep 15 mins | Cook 25 mins

     

    I use grated parsnip for a seasonal and festive flavour in these mini frittatas, which is classically delicious with the honey and mustard.

    If you would like to substitute the parsnip, or perhaps make more than one batch with different varieties, then think seasonal, and replace the 200g parsnip with the same amount of; grated fresh raw beetroot (they’ll turn pink!), finely shredded kale, leeks, or wild mushrooms. For a meatier mouthful, add some diced chorizo or pancetta when cooking off the vegetables.

     

    Ingredients.

    1 onion (around 125g), finely chopped

    2 small parsnips (around 200g), grated

    2 big garlic cloves, finely chopped

    2 tsp honey

    1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

    1/2 pack (15g) parsley, finely chopped

    6 organic large eggs

    1 tsp baking powder

    2 tsp coconut oil, or oil of choice

     

    Method.

    Preheat your oven to 190c / 170c (fan) / Gas mark 5

     

    1. Heat your coconut oil in a frying pan and begin to cook off your onion and parsnip, I cook these out slowly, so a low to medium heat for about 10 minutes.
    2. For the final minute, add in your garlic and stir around the pan. Remove from the heat.
    3. On a 12 muffin baking tray, grease the individual moulds with a little coconut oil or oil spray.
    4. Evenly distribute the cooked vegetables between each muffin mould.
    5. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, parsley, honey, mustard and baking powder.
    6. Decant the egg mix into a pouring jug so you can now easily distribute the egg mix into each muffin mould.
    7. Use a fork to gently stir each mould.
    8. Place in the oven for 20 minutes (you may need 5 minutes longer depending on your oven, but look for golden, firm tops to the frittatas).

     

     

  • RECIPE | Celeriac Amaze-Puffs (topped with king prawn or wasabi peas)

    Makes 36 | Prep 30 mins | Cook 15 mins

    Seasonal and sensational. Puff pastry is the stage for a creamy zingy celeriac slaw topped with plump king prawn or wasabi peas as a vegetarian option. These look really pretty and paired with their deliciousness will disappear rather quickly!

    If you don’t want to make as many as 36 canapés, then the celeriac mix itself will keep in the fridge for a few days and would go wonderfully with leftover meats on Boxing day.

    Ingredients.

    1 celeriac (you’ll want around 350g of celeriac once you have removed the tough skin via peeler/knife)

    3 tbsp full fat greek yoghurt

    3 tbsp olive oil mayonnaise

    2 tsp dijon mustard

    1 garlic clove, finely chopped

    1 lemon, juice of

    1 pack cooked and peeled king prawns

    1 pack wasabi peas

    36 frozen vol-au-vent pastry cases

     

    Method.

    Preheat your oven to 220c / 200c (fan) / Gas mark 7

     

    1. Cook the vol-au-vent cases as per packet instructions and leave to cool.
    2. Before removing the celeriac’s tough outer skin, make the sauce. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yoghurt, mayo, mustard, garlic clove, and half of the lemon juice. Add a bit of pepper and salt to taste.
    3. Now remove the outside of the celeriac, I try and use a peeler for the majority of this task but you will need a knife for its hard root.
    4. Give the prepared celeriac a little rinse in water and begin to grate it.
    5. Add the grated celeriac quickly to its sauce in the mixing bowl, otherwise it will turn brown.
    6. Add the remaining lemon juice and stir it all together to combine. Cover and refrigerate until required.
    7. Spoon the celeriac mixture onto the cooled vol-au-vent cases and top with either king prawns or wasabi peas. Serve.

  • RECIPE | Green Tea Chocolate Chunks

    Prep- 20 mins | Cook- 5 mins (Chill 3+ hours)

    with cacao nibs, goji, and poppy seeds. (Makes around 30 chunks)

    These bright and festively coloured chunks are heaven, and the topping is made up of an  antioxidant medley! I love the way they look and make a great dessert option as part of canapés / finger food. Feel free to experiment with toppings; dried fruit, nuts, chia, candied peel etc. would all work wonderfully here.

     

    Ingredients.

    400g white chocolate (must contain cocoa butter), chopped finely or blitzed in a food processor

    125ml whipping cream

    30g unsalted grass-fed butter, finely chopped

    2 tbsp Matcha green tea powder, premium grade or organic

    1 tbsp poppy seed

    1 tbsp goji berries

    1 tbsp cacao nibs

    gold shimmer spray, optional

     

     Method.

    1. Line a roasting dish or similar with greaseproof paper well enough so that the paper overhangs the edges of the dish (I used a roast pan sized 24.5cm x 19.5cm and 5cm deep)
    2. In a completely dry sauté pan or a deep frying pan , add the cream and over a medium heat warm through until you see small bubbles appear (DO NOT BOIL!).
    3. Remove from the heat immediately and add butter and white chocolate and stir swiftly to combine for a couple of minutes.
    4. Put back onto a low heat and continue to stir making sure everything is thoroughly combined.
    5. Once smooth, sift in your matcha green tea and stir well.
    6. Pour your green chocolate into your prepared dish, shimmy the pan slightly to evenly distribute and tap the dish down on your work surface a few times to eradicate any air bubbles.
    7. Top with cacao nibs, poppy seeds, and goji berries, pressing down lightly to secure them.
    8. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
    9. Remove from the fridge and spray with gold shimmer spray in your own design (if using).
    10. Lift the slab out of its dish using the greaseproof paper, and place onto a chopping board.
    11. Use a knife dipped in warm water to portion your chocolate slab into chunks. Keeps for 3-4 days in the fridge, and refrigerate until serving.

     

     

     

     

     

  • RECIPE | Dipped Marshmallows

    Prep 10 mins | Cook 5 mins

    These look great for a novelty kind of canapé and will be well received if kids are present at the party (or for those just young at heart), these could also make a little token gift as they keep and store well (think gingham lidded jars). Any freeze dried fruit would work, or for a hit of nostalgia get some popping candy on there too.

     Ingredients.

    200g marshmallows

    100g milk chocolate

    20g freeze dried strawberries

     

     Method.

    1. If you want to serve the marshmallows on sticks then you can use cocktail sticks, lolly pop sticks or cut up some colourful straws. Impale each marshmallow.
    2. Break / chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl on top of a saucepan of simmering water (make sure the bowl does not touch the water).
    3. Have your freeze dried strawberries laid out on a plate.
    4. Once the chocolate is melted, begin to dip the tops of marshmallows into the chocolate and then swiftly into the freeze dried strawberries (or popping candy), set aside, and repeat until all marshmallows have been dipped. If not serving straight away, store in an air-tight container.

  • RECIPE | Beetroot Ricotta Crackers

    Prep 25 mins | No Cook

    Enough beetroot mix for 50-60 crackers

    Bold (and in season) beetroot paired with mellow, sweet ricotta and maple syrup make a delicious combination in both visual and flavour. Salty & toasty black sesame crackers make a perfect podium for the shocking pink topping.

    If you don’t want to make as many as 60 canapés, the beetroot mix will keep in the fridge for a few days and would be lovely as a dip for crudites, breadsticks or tortilla chips (blue tortilla chips would look amazing alongside the beetroot mix).

     

    Ingredient.

    300g cooked beetroot, juices drained and patted dry

    250g ricotta

    2 tsp maple syrup (or honey)

    50g pistachio kernels, blitzed or finely chopped

    60 black sesame crackers (or use an assortment)

     

    Method.

    1. In a food processor, blitz the beetroot and ricotta until smooth.
    2. Add the maple syrup and season, blitzing again for a few seconds. If you’re not assembling immediately then cover and place in the fridge until required.
    3. Use a teaspoon to put the beetroot mix atop crackers, and finish with a bit of pistachio dust.

  • RECIPE | Cauliflower Cheese “Snowballs” with a fiery goji berry dip

    Makes 20-25 |  Prep 15 mins | Cook 30 mins

    Scrummy mouthfuls of mellow gruyere and cauliflower matched with a smoky, spicy tomato and goji berry dip. I serve the dip inside a red cabbage leaf as the colours really compliment each other, and it’s a cheerful way to present dips in general, I think so anyway.

    You could still make the dip without goji berries if you don’t have them, but replace with something like a pitted date, or a tablespoon of honey for sweetness.

    Ingredients.

    snowballs

    150g gruyere, grated

    100g fresh breadcrumbs

    300g cauliflower florets, blitzed into tiny pieces

    2 organic eggs, beaten

    1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

    100g panko breadcrumbs

     

    dip

    1 large tomato (80g)

    125g sundried tomatoes

    2 tbsp goji berries, covered in a little water and left to plump for 10 mins

    1/2 lemon, juice only

    1 red chilli, deseeded

     

    Method.

    Preheat your oven to 210c / 190c (fan) / Gas Mark 6-7

     

    1. First make the dip. Drain any water from the goji berries, combine all ingredients in a food processor and blitz until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until required.
    2. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and oil very lightly with coconut oil or similar.
    3. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the snowballs except for the panko breadcrumbs and mix thoroughly, season with pepper.
    4. Lay the panko breadcrumbs on a plate.
    5. Using your hands, take a small amount of the cauliflower cheese mix and roll into a ball.
    6. Roll the ball around on the plate of panko breadcrumbs and place on your lined baking tray.
    7. Repeat the rolling process until all the mix has been used up.
    8. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes.
    9. Remove from the oven and serve with the dip straight away, although these are pretty damn tasty the morning after from the fridge!

  • RECIPE | Cannellini & Fennel Dip

    For me and my kitchen stress head it’s all about taking it easy in the kitchen and not overloading yourself with too much to do before your guests arrive. Getting up early and prepping is key. I decided to make my own bread which is laced with pureed beetroot, later turned into my Camp Crositini served alongside a warm Cannellini & Fennel Dip.

    We have aniseedy fennel with garlic, rosemary, lemon parmesan, white beans and smoked cheese, blitzed then baked in the oven making this one hot yes!

    Ingredients.
    2 fennel bulbs, outer leaves removed and cored cut into chunks
    4 cloves garlic
    440g cannellini beans, cooked
    1 sprig rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped
    1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
    45g parmesan, grated (with extra for topping)
    45g smoked cheese, grated (with extra for topping)

    Method.
    Preheat your oven to 200c / 180c (fan) / Gas Mark 6

    On a baking sheet combine the fennel chunks and 2 of the garlic cloves with a drizzle of oil. Season. Roast for 30 minutes, having tossed around once during. Set aside and raise the oven temperature to 230c / 210c (fan) / Gas Mark 8.
    In a frying pan, pour 120ml of olive oil in over a medium heat. Add the remaining 2 garlic cloves and cook until golden.
    Add in the beans and rosemary, cooking for a couple of minutes more. Remove from the heat.
    In a food processor, blitz the beans and garlic, fennel and garlic, lemon juice, smoked cheese, parmesan, and 60ml more of olive oil, until smooth.
    Transfer the blitzed mix into a small casserole dish, sprinkling with some extra grated cheeses. Bake until bubbling and gold for around 30 minutes.

  • RECIPE | Devilled Eggs with Smoked Bacon

    These cute n creepy hors d’oeuvres’ will definitely put smiles on your guest’s faces. Simple, inexpensive, and being fun to make add to the delight of this dish. The classic flavour combination of egg and bacon brought into the realm of a dinner party by adding whole grain mustard, spring onions and black olive. You could do a half n half batch by adding some cayenne pepper on top of some of the eggs for variety.

    Serves 8 (as canapés)
    Prep 30 mins
    Cook 10 mins (egg and bacon)

    The recipes suits 8 people for canapés (1 egg each), but you may want to make more as they’re one bite wonders and extremely more-ish. In the event of leftovers, you’ve already got breakfast sorted!

    EGGS – 1 egg provides the following of your recommended daily intake; 22% selenium (selenium deficiency, which some people who are HIV positive may have, has implications on immune function, depression, cardiovascular disease, cancer, hypothyroidism, infertility in males), 15% B2, 9% phosphorous (bones & teeth, digestion, hormones), 9% B12, 7% B5, 6% vitamin A, 5% folate. Although eggs are high in cholesterol they do not adversely affect blood cholesterol. In fact, eggs help raise the “good” cholesterol, HDL. Eggs are also a fab source of protein containing all the essential amino acids in right doses. (SOURCE: http://authoritynutrition.com/10-proven-health-benefits-of-eggs/ )

    Ingredients.
    80g light mayo
    8 eggs, hard boiled and halved
    3 rashers smoked bacon, cooked until crispy and finely chopped
    2 spring onions, finely sliced
    1 tsp wholegrain mustard
    small bowlful of black olives

    Method.
    1. Carefully scoop the hard-boiled yolks out of the egg halves. I found it easiest to loosen one edge of the yolk with a teaspoon and the whole yolk would follow.

    2. In a bowl, mash together with a fork the; yolks, mayo, bacon, spring onions, wholegrain mustard and a little black pepper.

    3. Scoop your fluffy egg and bacon mix back into the hollow of the egg halves. You could also pipe the mix back into the hollows if you’re feeling pedantic about presentation.
    4. At this point you have now made devilled eggs and they can be served straight away or kept in the fridge for a few hours until required.

    optional

    5. To add a Halloween twist and make them into spider eggs, have your bowlful of black olives and your chopping board out and slice whole olives into halves to create the bodies of the spider. Slice small lengths of olives to create the legs. I found it easiest to place the spider legs on top of the eggs, and then place the spider body on top of the legs to complete the look.