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Entertaining this festive season? Whip up these clever little three-ingredient canapes in less time than it takes to open a packet.
Warm olives with macadamias and chilli
INGREDIENTS
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600g olives (a mix of large Sicilian/black/red if you can find them)
200g raw, unsalted macadamia nuts
1 tbsp chilli flakes
olive oil (optional)
METHOD
Preheat oven to 220C (220C fan).
Whack all ingredients into an oven-proof dish (bonus points for using the one you'll serve them in) and pour in a splash or two of olive oil if you need a little extra slip.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the olives start to shrivel and the nuts begin to burnish.
Serve immediately, with a little bowl for the pips.
Mango, prosciutto and finger lime
INGREDIENTS
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2-3 ripe mangoes
1-2 packs of prosciutto or jamon
3-4 finger limes (or 4-5 fresh limes if you'd prefer)
coarsely ground black pepper
canape spoons, to serve
METHOD
Cut open the finger lime through the centre, horizontally, and squeeze out the 'caviar' into a small cup or bowl. Reserve. Alternatively, cut your limes into squeezable wedges, 6-8 per lime.
Slice cheeks off mango as close to the pip as possible. Use a large metal spoon to scoop out the flesh in one big cheek. Turn on the flat edge and cut into 5-6 long, even slices. Cut the remaining two slices off the leftover pip (or just save these for snacking).
Arrange a mango slice on each canape spoon.
Peel off a slice of your chosen cured meat, fold into a rosette and place atop the mango.
Use a teaspoon to scoop a little finger lime on top of each, or pop a lime wedge alongside each mango slice.
Sprinkle liberally with black pepper (which is a seasoning, not an ingredient, if we're being pedantic!).
Triple cream, raspberry and champagne
INGREDIENTS
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1 wheel of triple cream brie (Brillat-Savarin or equivalent)
1 punnet raspberries
1 splash of bubbles (champagne or sparkling – it's really just for effect)
40cm or so of unflavoured tooth floss
4 toothpicks or bamboo skewers
METHOD
Poke your skewers into the cheese just below the very top. Use the skewers as a guide to garotte your cheese lid off, using the taught piece of tooth floss to slice it cleanly.
Give the cheese a little time to soften (this could be as little as 20 minutes if it's one of those hot Aussie Christmas days).
Peel off the cheese lid, and use a fork to mash a few raspberries at a time into the centre of the cheese. Pour in a little of your chosen bubbles at a time, and keep mashing until you're happy with the brie-bubbles-berry ratio.
Serve with crackers or crusty bread. Or maybe just some teaspoons.
BONUS RECIPE
Christmas caprese wreath
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INGREDIENTS
1-2 packs of canape toothpicks/bamboo skewers
3-4 punnets of cherry tomatoes (a mix of colours and shapes here is fun, too)
2-3 jars of bocconcini, sliced in half
1 jar of cherry/baby bocconcini (optional)
1 bunch basil
olive oil
salt and pepper
METHOD
Give your chosen cheese a chomp and sprinkle a little salt over it if it's a little on the bland side (which it invariably will be, if I'm honest).
Spike tomatoes, bocconcini, basil and baby bocconcini (if using) onto the skewers in varying patterns, with a couple of basil leaves, tomatoes and cheese pieces on each.
Arrange on a large round plate with the toothpick/skewer handles facing out, so that guests may marvel at your Christmas creativity and cheer.