Canapes are such a lovely way to start off any dinner party. Immediately being given some delicious bite size treats with a glass of bubbles or wine is a sure-fire way to put anyone’s mind at ease and set them up for an evening of thorough enjoyment.
Often when people think of canapes, they think tedious and fiddley recipes but that’s not always the case.
Sure, if you hire one of our chefs we will set out to impress but sometimes for a few friends a simple canape recipe is just what you need,
So here they are; 5 Super Simple Canapes
- Baked new Potatoes w’ Smoked salmon & cream cheese
- Prawn & chorizo skewers with gremolata
- Cherry tomatoes, Bocconcini, Black olive and Basil Skewers
- Mushroom and parmesan Arancini balls
- Asparagus wrapped in Prosciutto with lemon mayo
Baked New potatoes with smoked salmon & cream cheese
Ingredients
- Small New potatoes (or Chats or fingerlings)
- Olive Oil
- Fresh Thyme & Garlic
- 280g tub full-fat cream cheese
- 100ml double cream
- zest and juice 1 lemon
- Chives
- 200g pack smoked salmon slices, cut into strips
- small bunch dill, fronds picked
- 50g caperberries, halved
Method
- Roast the new potatoes on a high heat with plenty of olive oil, thyme and fresh garlic, seasoned with salt and pepper. Cook till coloured slightly and soft and fluffy in the centre.
- Meanwhile, put the cream cheese in a large bowl and whisk until smooth and light. Stir in the double cream, lemon juice and chives, and season well with salt and black pepper.
- When the potatoes are cooked scoop out some small holes with a teaspoon or Parisienne scoop making room for the cream cheese. Pipe the cream cheese into these holes and then put thin layers of smoked salmon on top, garnishing with the dill fronds.
Prawn & chorizo skewers with gremolata
Ingredients
- Chorizo
- Cooked, peeled king prawns (ask your local fish monger, they usually have cooked prawns)
For the Chimmi Churri
- zest 1 lemon
- chopped parsley
- 1 crushed garlic clove
- Smoked Paprika
- Olive oil
Method
- Fry off the chorizo in a non-stick pan until golden on the edges and cooked through. Set to one side to cool to room temp, then slice into chucks ready for the skewers.
- Take the prawns and chorizo and skewer. You can go one slice or two of chorizo depending on the size of your prawns and your personal taste.
- To make the gremolata, mix the lemon zest, smoked paprika, parsley, garlic and a glug of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the prawn and chorizo skewers to serve.
- Great served cold or just touched lightly on a BBQ to warm through.
Cherry tomatoes, Bocconcini, Black olive and Basil Skewers
Ingredients
- Super Ripe Cherry Tomatoes (Red, Yellow or both)
- Bocconcini
- Pitted Black olives
- Fresh basil
Method
- This could not be simpler; the key is nice ripe tomatoes and serving everything at room temp as opposed to straight from the fridge (the tomatoes and cheese carry way more flavour when not so cold)
- Simply skewer the ingredients in any order. To serve drizzle lightly with a touch of extra virgin olive oil and some cracked salt and pepper.
Mushroom and parmesan Arancini balls
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 15g unsalted butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 large garlic clove, crushed
- Finely chopped mushrooms (a food blender is good for this, the finer the better)
- 350g risotto rice
- 150ml dry white wine
- 1.2l hot chicken or veg stock
- 150g parmesan, finely grated
- 1 lemon, finely zested
- 150g Parmesan
For the coating
- 150g plain flour
- 3 large eggs whisked with a drop of milk
- 150g fine dried breadcrumbs
Method
- Start first by sautéing the onion and garlic until soft but brown. Then add the finely chopped mushrooms and continue to sauté. Then add the risotto rice and toast for 3-4 mins. Once the bottom of the pan is dry, add the white wine, cook this out then add the stock.
- Continue to cook and stir regularly. You want to cook the rice to the same point you would a normal risotto then even just a touch further as it helps glue the arancini together. Once the rice is close to cooked, add the parmesan and season generously with salt and pepper and the lemon zest. The mix wants to have soaked up all the liquid and have a touch of gluiness to it so that it holds its shape when you scoop the mix.
- Set to one side and cool.
- Once cool, scoop the mix into equal arancini balls and chill in the fridge until firm. (overnight would not hurt if you have the time)
- Then you just need to breadcrumb them, roll first in flour, then coat with egg and finally roll in the breadcrumbs.
- To serve, deep fry in vegetable oil until golden brown and piping hot. Serve with some gremolata or even some aioli.
Asparagus wrapped in Prosciutto with lemon mayo
Ingredients
- Asparagus
- Parma ham (or prosciutto or serrano)
- Aioli
- zest 1 lemon, juice ½ lemon
Method
- Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, tip in the asparagus and cook for 2 mins until just tender.
- Drain well. Quarter each slice of ham, into strips, then wrap one around the middle of each asparagus spear.
- Mix the Aioli with the lemon zest and juice and a little pepper and put in a small bowl.
- Serve as is or even roll the spears over a char-grill or the BBQ, then dip in the mayo!
Do you have some go-to super simple canape recipes? If so we would love to hear about them in the comments below,