Finger licking good
Sipping cocktails and handing around food helps people mingle and the conversation flow.
Start by serving savoury canapés with your cocktails, wine or champagne. Variety is essential: there are many choices, from mini poppadums to bloody mary jellies to mussels served in their shells topped with salsa.
Haphazard combinations can work really well, but give some thought to the order you bring them out. Balance is also crucial have a combination of hot and cold canapés as well as a mix of meat, fish and vegetarian. Choose the canapés so you have a contrast of flavours and texture some mild, some hot and spicy, some traditional. You may also want to balance expensive canapés, which include prawns or lobster, with perennial favourites like cheddar cheese croquettes or honey and wholegrain mustard bangers.
If you choose to serve one canapé at a time, try to bring out a new dish every 20 minutes or so timing is everything, but you don't want too big a gap.
Be creative when choosing serving plates they don't have to be conventional. Improvise using old glass mirrors, a large slate or tile, brie boxes, flat wicker baskets or tin plates covered in banana leaves. Virginia creeper leaves, vine leaves and even fig leaves also look great under canapés.
Sea shells make pretty containers, as do antique spoons, Moroccan tea glasses, shot glasses or esxpresso cups. Chinese porcelain spoons are perfect for serving a saucy canapé. Mouthfuls of melon and Parma ham and other bites can be speared on to the tines of forks for snappy presentation and easy eating.
Arrange each item dramatically on a serving plate and strew surfaces with leaves, flowers, petals or even sweets.
Tea lights on reflective surfaces add extra sparkle. Provide lots of bright paper napkins and cocktail sticks, and make sure that whoever is handing around the food also has a small bag or bowl to collect them.
If you are under pressure ask one or two of your guests to be waiters. It's a good way to involve shy friends or those who don't know many people.
The essence of good finger food is fantastic ingredients. Find a good deli or farmer's' market and buy top-quality produce, like really good smoked fish, salami, bocconcini, heirloom tomatoes and juicy olives these can easily make up half your menu.
Finger food does not need to be complicated eg, a fat prawn on some brown bread with a dollop of mayonnaise and a sprig of parsley and dill.
Serve miniature portions of your favourite recipes with a saucy herb garnish or dollop of crème fraiche. Stalks of lemon grass or sprigs of woody herb, like rosemary, are creative alternatives to the usual cocktail sticks and skewers.
About two-thirds of the way through the evening, you may want to switch to a good dessert wine and replace your savoury selection with sweet canapés such as little lemon tartlets, glazed strawberries or tiny ice creams served in egg cups.
Finger food should be no larger than one or two mouthfuls. You'll need to reckon on 5-7 pieces per person, but if your guests are coming straight from work, you may need 7-9. Make sure there are at least two vegetarian choices and a gluten-free option.
Prepare as much ahead as possible. You can arrange the bases on serving trays and have the garnish ready to go, but resist putting on the toppings until close to the time of serving.
Here are a few suggestions.
Makes 30
Serve on Chinese porcelain spoons
450g (1lb) skinless and boneless chicken breasts
50g (2oz) butter
40g (1½oz) fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ tsp green peppercorns
1 stalk of lemon grass, finely chopped
2 red chillies, finely chopped
2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
½ tsp ground coriander
400ml (14fl oz) coconut milk (we use Chaokoh brand)
2 tsp freshly chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
salt and freshly ground pepper
30 Chinese spoons
Cut the chicken in 30 even-sized cubes. Heat 25g (1oz) of the butter in a large frying pan and sauté the chicken pieces until lightly browned on all sides.
Melt the remaining butter in the frying pan, sauté the ginger, garlic, peppercorns, lemon grass and chillies. Add the lime juice and ground coriander.
Gradually stir in the coconut milk, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for eight minutes. Add the chicken pieces, continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the coriander leaves and season to taste.
* Serve on porcelain Chinese spoons with a coriander leaf on top of each one.
* May be prepared ahead to this point.
Tinned tomatoes and coconut milk are must have store cupboard ingredients. Thus can be made in a few minutes, or well ahead and frozen.
Serves 6
850ml (1.5 pints) homemade tomato or 2 x 400g (14oz) tins of tomatoes, liquidised and sieved
1 small onion, finely chopped
10g (½oz) butter
1 x 400g (14oz) tin of coconut milk (we use Chaokah brand)
250ml (9fl oz) homemade chicken stock or vegetable stock
2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander leaves
salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar
crème fraîche
fresh coriander leaves
Sweat the onion in the butter on a gentle heat until soft but not coloured. Add the tomato purée (or chopped tinned tomatoes plus juice), coconut milk and homemade chicken or vegetable stock.
Add the chopped coriander, season with salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes.
Liquidize, taste and dilute further if necessary. Bring back to the boil and correct seasoning.
Garnish with a tiny blob of crème fraîche and some coriander leaves.
Tinned tomatoes need a surprising amount of sugar to counteract the acidity. Fresh milk cannot be added to the soup the acidity in the tomatoes will cause it to curdle
Note: This soup needs to be tasted carefully as the final result depends on the quality of the homemade purée, stock, etc.
For a drinks party serve in espresso cups with tiny bread sticks.
Makes 25-30 depending on size
These are loved by children and grown-ups, and are, of course, a favourite for vegetarians, although not suitable for vegans. We make tiny ones for canapés and eat them with Sweet Chilli Sauce, Spicy Tomato Jam or Ballymaloe Country Relish as an accompaniment. Provide cocktail sticks when serving as finger food.
425ml (15fl oz) milk
1 sprig thyme 200g
7oz roux see recipe below
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 egg yolks, preferably free range and organic
200g (7oz) grated mature Irish Cheddar cheese and 25g (1oz) Parmesan or Gabriel
1 tbsp thyme leaves
Olive oil for deep frying
Seasoned white flour, preferably unbleached
Beaten egg
Fine white breadcrumbs
Sweet Chilli Sauce
Tomato Relish
Put the cold milk into a saucepan, add the sprig of thyme, bring slowly to the boil, simmer for 3-4 minutes. Strain, bring the milk back to the boil, whisk in the roux bit by bit, it will get very thick, but persevere. The roux always seems like a lot too much, but you need it all, so don't decide to use less. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes on a gentle heat, then remove from the heat, stir in the egg yolks, cheese and thyme leaves. Taste and correct the seasoning. Spread out on a flat tray to cool.
When the mixture is cold, or at least cool enough to handle, shape into balls about the size of a golf ball or 25g (1oz) approx. Roll first in seasoned flour, then in beaten egg and then in fine breadcrumbs. Chill until firm, but bring back to room temperature before cooking otherwise they may burst.
Just before serving, heat olive oil in a deep fryer to 150C/300F and cook the croquettes until crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot with Sweet Chilli Sauce or Spicy Tomato Jam.
Note: Cooked Cheddar Cheese and Thyme Leaf Croquettes can be kept warm in an oven for up to 30 minutes. They can also be frozen and reheated in an oven.
110g (4ozs) butter
110g (4ozs) flour
Melt the butter and cook the flour in it for 2 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally. Use as required. Roux can be stored in a cool place and used as required, or it can be made up on the spot if preferred. It will keep at least a fortnight in a refrigerator.
100g (3 1/2oz) walnut halves or pecans, or a mixture of both
75g (3oz) sugar
½ tsp freshly ground cinnamon
½ tsp freshly ground coriander
¼ tsp freshly ground star anise
Spread the walnuts in a single layer on a baking tray and toast them for 4 or 5 minutes just until they smell rich and nutty. Meanwhile, mix the sugar with the spices. Spread over the base of a frying pan in an even layer.
Scatter the walnut halves on top. Cook over a medium heat until the sugar melts and stars to colour. Carefully rotate the pan until the walnuts are completely coated with the amber coloured spicy caramel.
Turn out onto a silpat mat or silicone paper or an oiled baking tray.
Allow to cool and harden. (Store in an airtight container until later if necessary).
Serves 10
An irresistible munchie to nibble with drinks.
50g (2oz) butter
1 tsp salt
½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
½ tsp cracked black pepper
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp curry powder (hot)
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 tbsp sunflower oil
110g (4oz) popcorn, still unpopped of course
In a small saucepan, melt the butter and add all the seasonings. Do not let this mixture fry, but do keep it very hot.
In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over a very high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add the corn and shake.
Wait until you hear the first few pops, then quickly toss in the spiced butter, cover and shake.
Shake the pot continuously in a front to back motion until the corn stops popping.
Quickly tip into a funky serving bowl or, better still, serve in paper cornets.
Brown Soda Bread or Brown Yeast Bread
Butter
Home-made Mayonnaise
Smoked mussels
Stamp out 1½ inch rounds of bread. Spread with a little butter, put a little Lollo rosso on top and a blob of home-made Mayonnaise. Sit one or two smoked mussels on the Mayonnaise and garnish with a sprig of chervil.
Midleton Farmers' Market will be open on Friday, December 23, from 9.30am-1pm instead of Saturday, December 24. The market will reopen on Saturday, January 14, 2006.
Fire and Ice is a new restaurant in The Courtyard, just off Main Street in Midleton. It is run by chef-owner Gary Masterson and his wife Winnie.
Local seasonal produce, traditional and new food, healthy options, and tea/coffee and tempting treats for weary shoppers. Open 9am-5pm, Monday to Saturday. Tel 021-4639682
The Stephen Pearce Gallery in Shanagarry, Co Cork, is all decked out for Christmas with wonderful table settings, pottery and glass, serving dishes, table and tree decorations, candles, wreaths and garlands.
Open seven days: gallery 10am-5pm (5.30pm at weekend); pottery 9am-5pm (4pm on Friday).
Sheridan's Cheesemongers Christmas suggestions: In addition to its artisan food products and farmhouse cheeses, Sheridan's has a range of Christmas hampers and cheeseboards full of culinary delights for yourself, for entertaining or as a gift for the food lover in your life. Or for a gift to last throughout the year, treat food lovers to membership of Sheridan's Cheesemongers Cheese Club and let them enjoy seasonal cheese at its ripest with tasting notes and accompaniments all year long. For more information, see www.sheridanscheesemongers.com.
Makes 32
1lb (450g) good quality cocktail sausages (about 32 sausages)
4 tbsp Irish honey
1 tbsp English mustard
3 tbsp Irish grainy mustard (eg, Lakeshore mustard with honey)
1-2 tbsp chopped rosemary
Mix the honey with the mustard and chopped rosemary. Cook the sausages in a wide frying pan over a medium heat. Toss with the honey and mustard mixture.
Provide cocktails sticks and lots of napkins.
