Top 8: the pick of the Christmas nibbles - including ones for that awkward vegan
Vol-au-vents: among the evergreen Christmas party faves
Let’s start celebrating the festive season with good cheer and a generous spirit. For many, it could be a cold Christmas, so watch out for neighbours, family and friends and invite them to share a warm fire with a warming drink and a few nibbles.
This shouldn’t have to mean a lot of work, so we looked for alternatives to homemade to serve with drinks. During the year, we reviewed the best:
...so drivers and carers can enjoy flavours along with the treats we have chosen to accompany them.
We picked a few nibbles low on fat without compromising a sense of luxury or flavour. Add these to a big bowl of homemade popcorn dusted with Parmesan (or the cheaper Grana Padano) – not low on calories but with a lot less fat than many alternatives. The secret is to have the cheese grated ahead so it can be sprinkled on while the popped corn is hot and will cling to it. It’s hard to beat a stick of organic carrot or celery dipped into something creamy – keep sticks short to avoid double dipping. Mix ricotta (low in fat, high in protein) with grated beetroot, barely cooked spinach with ground cumin, or flavour with cooked chorizo and paprika.
These cured dried mini sausages can be served in a bowl with cocktail sticks. These seem expensive per kilo, but our handful went a long way. Serve plain, dusted with Parmesan or with Roquefort. We bought at On the Pig’s Back, English Market (also at Douglas Woollen Mills, Cork) and NeighbourFood. Olives from The Real Olive (€12/kg) (see outlets at toonsbridgedairy.com) would be a perfect accompaniment.
Vegans will relish this dish of delicious, ready-made low-fat, raw foods. The ingredients pack a big flavour punch and include kraut and flaxseed crackers, creamed fermented cashew dip, creamy chilli, sundried tomato paté, salad leaves, mung bean and lentil sprouts, flavoured with kimchi pico de gallo (tomato, onion, red pepper, garlic, lime) and fermented cabbage relish. Just slide onto a plate with a serving spoon and fork. At English Market, Cork, and farmers’ markets – see mygoodnessfood.com.
Twelve vol au vents made from light puff pastry are generously filled with a creamy mix of ricotta cheese and a roux well-flavoured with chorizo. The balance is just right with added paprika and black pepper, and none of the flavours will overpower your wine of choice. We used an air fryer (10 mins) to cook and got an excellent result. Use a large oven too, but not a microwave.
This vegan, gluten-free mix in a pouch is a handy one. It can be mashed onto crackers or bread, served in a bowl to dip into, or blended for a paté. Full of flavoursome, gentle curry spicing with ginger and lemongrass, the carrot and tomato purées and coconut milk add richness. A handy storecupboard ingredient too, especially for leftover turkey. Produced in Dublin.
Crisp, thin pastry is strong enough to enclose a decent amount of shredded duck breast with onion and spring onion flavoured with Five Spice. There wasn't quite enough of the accompanying sweet chilli sauce for tasters. Easily heated in an air fryer or regular oven for nine minutes. Best not microwaved as the pastry won’t crisp up.
Suitable for vegans and also gluten-free, this blend of sweet potato, chickpeas, and red pepper has a good flavour balance from tomato and garlic purées with warm spicing of coriander, cumin, paprika and just enough chilli. Unlike many samples which are grainy, these are light and creamy. Just right for those who don’t enjoy hot spices.
Vegan-friendly, these large spring rolls crisp up well in the oven (or air fryer) for 12 minutes with plenty of filling which includes carrot, red pepper, beansprouts, water chestnuts, cabbage, spring onion flavoured with plum purée which keeps the mix moist. The overall flavour is of Five Spice, with an underlay of ginger and soya sauce which tasters liked. Try serving with a creamy hummous diluted with yogurt or a hot sriracha dip.
From the widest and best selection of supermarkets, these 12 squares of quiche are light and tasty and easy to manage. In two flavours in each box – smoked bacon, cheddar and Emmenthal cheeses, and cheddar and red Leicester cheeses, both flavours were equally popular with all tasters. Heat for 10 minutes in the oven or air fryer. The potato croquettes (€4) and mozzarella sticks (€5.75) have genuine flavours and textures. Children loved them.
