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Being The Best Hostess: Canapés
Words Whitney Williams
Canapés are the perfect gourmet appetizers to wow any dinner party. They provide a unique exquisite feel, making your guests love you right before the mains hit their plates! The best thing is that you can take simple, everyday ingredients and turn them into mouth watering bites without breaking the bank.
These easy canapé recipes require no culinary experience – yet your guests will have you feeling like the winner of Masterchef! You also don’t need to spend hours slaving away in the kitchen – especially when you still have dinner to prepare and guests to mingle with! They provide an interesting way to keep your party flowing and guests happy. Make these canapés recipes for your next dinner party!
Salmon Cucumber “Sushi” Rolls
These canapés are a healthy spin on salmon and cucumber sushi. Instead of nori, we use thin cucumber strips. They are a refreshing appetiser set to bring colour to any canapé tray!
Ingredients:
1 cucumber
90g smoked salmon, sliced into strips
10 tsps cream cheese Dill Salt + pepper
Serves 10
Instructions:
Cut off the ends of your cucumber and, using a potato peeler, peel your cucumber into long thin strips. Stop peeling your cucumber when you reach the seeds and repeat on the other three sides.
On a cucumber strip, spread out a teaspoon of cream cheese and lay out your smoked salmon.
Roll the cucumber strip up from one end to the other and use a toothpick to secure the end in place.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and garnish with dill.
Serve and enjoy!
Strawberry Basil Delights
Strawberry and Basil are a delicious pairing and these canapés enhance the beauty of the two. Both are set on a bed of goats cheese and sourdough toast with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. The flavour is sweet, tangy and creamy all in one – a nice way to start any party!
Ingredients:
50g strawberries, cut into slices
3-4 basil leaves, chopped
125g goats cheese
Balsamic vinegar to drizzle
Sourdough bread, sliced and cut into bite sized chunks
Serves 15-20
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 200C/400F.
Place your sourdough chunks on a baking tray and toast for 5-10mins, till browned. Let cool.
Once the toast is cool, spread your goats cheese onto the chunks.
Drizzle chunks with balsamic vinegar and top with strawberry slices.
Sprinkle on your basil leaves. 6. Serve and enjoy!
Cajun Shrimp Guacamole Bites
These are perfect for a cinco de mayo party! The fiery kick of the shrimp coupled with the coolness of the guacamole is a delicious combination. This recipe also makes use of plantain crisps for added sweetness! Super simple and easy to make.
Ingredients:
150g raw shrimp
1 avocado
1 lime
2 tbsps Cajun seasoning
10-12 plantain crisps
1-2 tbsps coconut oil for frying
Serves 10-12
Instructions
In a small bowl, mix your Cajun seasoning with the prawns.
In a frying pan, add your coconut oil on medium high heat.
Add in your shrimp and cook on for 2 minutes. Flip your shrimp and cook for another 2 minutes. Once done, set aside.
In another small bowl, mash your avocado. Add in the juice of one lime and your salt and pepper. Mix together.
Construct your bites: add a teaspoon of guacamole to each plantain crisp. Now top with your shrimp. Garnish with chopped spring onions.
Serve and enjoy!