Canapés
Barbecued Pandan Chicken
Pandan chicken is a dish where chicken pieces are marinated in coconut milk and spices and is then deep fried. In this recipe I barbecue the chicken which I find even more delicous. To make a vegetarian version simply replace the chicken with tofu or you could try cauliflower. Pandan leaves are sold at East Asian food stores fresh or frozen.
6 Portions
Prep: 20 minutes plus marinating time
Cook: Cooking Time 15 minutes
Zucchini Fritters
I’ve been making Zucchini Fritters for years and never got round to writing a recipe for them. These fritters are so versatile and are scrumptious hot or cold. Serve them as a canapé, an easy starter, as part of a buffet or cold for a picnic. The perfect accompaniment is a simple Tzatziki.
20 - 25 Fritters
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 - 15 minutes
Thyme and Blue Cheese Grissini
These crisp bread sticks are extremely tasty. They're a favourite with the whole family especially my youngest daughter. Delicious on their own but even better with a dip, try with wild garlic pesto, humus or my fresh broad bean dip. Kept in a sealed container they will keep for a couple of weeks.
15-20 Grissinis
Prep: 30 minutes plus 1-2 hours rising
Cook: 10-15 minutes
Tomato Bread with Pimento and Anchovies
Tomato bread is simply slices of bread that are toasted with olive oil and then rubbed with garlic cloves and tomato halves. Simple but extremely effective, the juice from the tomatoes is absorbed into the warm bread.
4-6 Portions
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Nigiri Sushi
Nigiri Sushi is handmoulded sushi with rice on the bottom and topped with carefully prepared slices of fish, prawns and egg. Nigiri means 'squeezed' in Japanese.
Aubergine Caviar
There are times when cavier is just not suitable. Some of our friends are vegetarians
and this dip makes a perfect substitute for them. Of course, this dish goes well with
roasted pita bread
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 60 minutes
Lotus Root Chips
These make an impressive nibble for any type of entertaining. They also make a great garnish for Oriental dishes.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Chicken Satay
Chicken satays our simple but delicious, cook on the barbecue or under the grill. The
longer you marinate them of course the more flavour they will absorb but they still
taste great when cooked at the last minute. There are millions of different satays
through out the world, this recipe is just an easy combination of peanut butter and
coconut milk.
6 Portions
Prep: 15 minutes (plus 30 + minutes marinating)
Cook: 5 minutes
Paper Fried Chicken
In this recipe aromatic chicken is deep fried in parcels of rice or flour paper and then eaten paper and all. Rice paper can be found in the sweet baking section in many supermarkets and both rice and flour paper can be purchased in East Asian grocers. It is a very simple dish to prepare but brings great satisfaction.
4-6 Portions as a starter or part of a Chinese meal or as a canape
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls
This dish it seems is the most famous Vietnamese dish, finding its way onto many
modern restaurants menus around the world. It is very easy to prepare as long as you
have the basic ingredients and the filling can easily be adjusted to your own taste,
such as adding cooked prawns or shredded chicken. These rolls can also be deep fried to
make Vietnamese Spring Rolls, the pastry when deep fried is thin and crispy but much
more delicate than Chinese spring roll pastry, so don't over crowd them when cooking
them as they will stick and break open.
4-6 Portions as a starter or 20 canapes
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Crispy Prawn Wontons
These are very gnawish served with a little sweet and sour sauce. They are very simple
to prepare, relying on only three ingredients. Crispy wontons are often very popular
with children, as they aren't full of lots of spices like many Chinese dishes.
24 Wontons
Prep: 10 minute
Cook: 10 minutes
Suppli Balls
This is good recipe to use with any leftover risotto you have and they are absolutely delicious but simple to prepare.
Prep: 5-10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Salt Cod Balls with Saffron Alioli
Salt cod apears in many Spanish recipes including many salads.
20-24 Cod Balls
Prep: 20 minutes (plus 24-36 hours soaking time)
Cook: 30 minutes
Steamed Seafood Nori Rolls
A simple oriental flavoured puree of white fish and prawn meat is steamed rolled in nori. This is an easy dish to make and looks very impressive. This dish makes a great canapè or a light starter.
6 Portions
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Tzatziki
What would a Greek meze be without Tzatziki. It is very easy to make and can be stored in the fridge for a few days. It is really nice to have with Zucchini Fritters (See recipe link, below.)
600-700g
Prep: 5 minutes plus 4-6 hours
Scallop and Pork Siu Mai
Siu Mai are steamed wontons filled with lots of pork and prawn mince. They are one of the most commonly seen dim sum (yum cha) dishes, through out the world. They are very gnawish, and though they look impressive they can be prepared with ease. You can prepare far more than you need, freeze them and cook them directly from the freezer when you are ready.
36 Siu Mai
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Steamed Pandan Chicken
In this recipe the chicken is first marinated in coconut and Thai spices, it is then wrapped in pandan leaves and steamed. The result is aromatic and tender morsels of chicken. Pandan leaves impart an aromatic flavour similar to vanilla, they can be purchased fresh or frozen from East Asian Grocers. This dish also barbecues wonderfully when the weathers right.
Prep: 20 minutes plus 5-8 hours marinating
Cook: 20 minutes
Golden Money Bags (Tung Tong)
This as my favourite starter at my local Thai in Sydney, it didn't take me long before started making them for myself and my husband. When you have made them you will see how they got their name, as they resemble little money bags.
Makes 12
Prep: Preparation Time 10-15 minutes
Cook: 5-8 minutes
Spicy Yam Balls
Yam is an excellent root vegetable with slightly sticky and starchy flesh. When I first started cooking with yams I was most frustrated by the lack of recipes available and guidance to simply cook like potatoes. While yam makes good chips and work well in dishes like dauphionoise. I feel that it stands high as a vegetable on its own.
30 balls
Prep: 15-20 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Chorizo Sausage
I enjoy fresh chorizos simply sliced and pan fried as a tapa on their own but you may
like to fry up thin slices of partially cooked potatoes with the chorizo. Cooked slices
of chorizo are also good in puff pastry as a tapas dish.
6 Portions
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Vegetable Thai Curry Puffs
Thai curry puffs make an excellent snack as part of a picnic. When I lived in Sydney I
was lucky enough to have a local Thai restaurant which had a shop below it where they
sold their curry puffs uncooked in packages. Curry puffs are quite easy to make at home
and are worth the effort. Once you have prepared them you can freeze the curry puffs in
batches and simply defrost them and cook them when guests are over.
16-20 curry puffs
Prep: 30-45 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Broad Beans and New Potato Tortilla
This makes an excellent tortilla with fresh broad beans, new potatoes and fresh mint. You can vary the ingredients of the potato tortilla according to the season, a spring tortilla is good with purple sprouting broccoli. I have to admit I cheat when I make a tortilla, many years ago I used to turn them over the traditional way but after many near disasters I started to use the cheats method by placing the tortilla under the grill but by all means try turning it if you wish.
6-8 Portions
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Melon in Prosciutto
Melons appear in shop shelves everywhere in August. This dish makes the most of the
taste of fresh Cantaloupe or Honey Dew melon. While the dish is simple it makes a great
starter or serve it as a buffet dish or part of a picnic. Small portions of melon and Prosciutto make a fabulous and light canapé.
4 Portions
Prep: 10 minutes
Stuffed Crab Claws
Stuffed crab claws are popular in Chinese restaurants all over the world. The claws of the crab are covered in a prawn and fish stuffing, that adds depth and flavour to the already tasty crab meat. You can prepare the crab claws in advance (before you cook them) but cook them at the very last minute.
12 Stuffed Crab Claws
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 15 Minutes
Preserved Wild Mushrooms in Oil
Preserved mushrooms take only a short time to prepare and will keep for up to a month
in the fridge. Excellent in a salad hot or cold, they also make a great nibble
accompanied by cheeses and olives or simply serve on crusty bread. Rapeseed oil
is excellent for the purpose of this recipe, as it provides a tasty nuttiness to the
mushrooms without overpowering them.
Approximately 500 grams
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Scotch Quail Eggs with a Herb Salad
Freshly prepared scotch eggs are a forgotten dish which used to appear regularly on
pubs menus. They are eggs that are simply boiled and coated in sausage meat, crumbed and
deep fried. Here I use quail eggs which make a nice change and work well in a salad. You
can add different herbs and flavouring to the sausage meat or try a mix of prawns and
pork mince. These quail eggs also make good canapés.
4-6 Portions
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Smoked Trout and Asparagus Vietnamese Rolls
These Vietnamese spring rolls make a refreshing starter for late Spring and Summer
dinner parties, and a great addition to a picnic. For a vegeterain option simply leave
out the smoked trout and add a little more vegetables.
12-16 Rolls
Prep: 30-40 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Bacon Wrapped Prawns
These prawns are simple to make but really tasty. These make great canapés and
starters or serve them as a main accompanied with other shellfish or a little salad or
pasta.
24 canapés, 6 as a starter or 4 as a main
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Salt and Pepper Squid with Pak Choi and Rice Noodles
Squid is one of my favourite seafoods, it is excellent when deep fried and barbecued. Don't be squeamish in buying whole squid as they are very simple to prepare and very good value.
6 Portions
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Akara (Bean Fritters)
Akara's are traditionally fried in palm oil but you can use half palm oil and half vegetable oil or replace it all together with vegetable oil. If you don't wish to remove the skins from the black eye beans simply puree them in a food processor thoroughly.
4-6 Portions
Prep: 15 minutes plus 6-8 hours soaking of the beans
Cook: 10 minutes
Steamed Chinese Pork Dumplings
My family love Chines Dumplings. I wrote this recipe so my family could enjoy making and eating to them at home. They're far better that the pre-prepared supermarket varieties
available and so simple to prepare.
24 Dumplings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 5-8 minutes
Game Chips
Game chips are thin crisp chips that are traditionally served with roast game birds. Game chips also make a great snack in replacement of commercial crisps. You can use a variety of root vegetables for a change eg. parsnip, beetroot, celeriac and Jerusalem artichokes.
Prep: 5 Minutes (plus 20 Minutes to soak chips)
Cook: 10 Minutes
Crispy Wontons with Satay Sauce
There are thousands of recipes for satay sauce. This simple combination of peanut butter and coconut milk makes a tempting dip. Of course served hot you could serve it as a sauce for grilled skewered meat and seafood .
10-12 Portions
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Cheesy Wontons
Wontons are one of the most useful ingredients to have in your freezer. Not only can you prepare numerous Chinese dishes but you can also use them instead of pasta for ravioli and for hundreds of modern fusion style dishes steamed, boiled and fried. Cheese wontons are very easy and economical to prepare you can vary the cheese to your own taste. The wontons can be prepared and frozen and simply defrosted for an hour before cooking. Wontons can be purchased from Chinese food stores in the fridge and freezer.
30 wontons
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Deep Fried Oysters
Oysters deep fried hold in all their juices and flavour, oysters prepared in this fashion make a regular appearance on many restaurants menus. Oysters should not be considered a luxury food that you only eat in a restaurant, when you can purchase them at only a small cost from most fish mongers and supermarkets.
6 Portions
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Raw Broad Bean Dip
Raw broad beans make a refreshingly tasty dip accompany with grissini, bread or on bruschetta. For this recipe you really need the freshest of broad beans and a little patience or a nice sunny day to relax in while you de-pod and skin the beans.
Portions: 2-4 (the amount depends on the size of the broad beans)
Prep: 30-40 minutes
Prawns with Garlic and Chilli
A great tapas dish to make in minutes.
4 Portions
Prep: 2 minutes
Cook: 3-5 minutes
Cheese and Walnut, Prunes in Prosciutto
This combination of ingredients make tasty little nibbles, that take no time at all. The prunes are filled with cheese and walnuts and wrapped in thin slices of proscuitto or speck (a specialty of Northern Italy).
20 Portions
Prep: 10-15 minutes
Calamari Fritos: Deep Fried Squid
Deep fried squid rings are one of those dishes that most of us love, that include even my 7 year old daughter. Those who don't like it may be one of those unfortunate to have had chewy overcooked squid much are more like rubber bands than any form of food. Choose small squids as they are more tender or you can buy calamari rings from many supermarkets and fishmongers.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Spicy Lemon Grass and Coriander Grilled Prawns
Prawns are always good when cooked on the barbecue. This recipe is for really large prawns that you can butterfly open. As an alternative you can use uncooked lobster halves. I like to serve the prawns with a "Vietnamese Noodle Salad" (see recipe) but it is also good with boiled rice or a simple salad.
Prep: 15-20 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes (medium high on the BBQ see techniques)
Crisp Tortillas with Salsa and Guacamole
These make a deliciously easy canapé to prepare for friends. It not only taste good it looks good. The salsa and guacamole can be prepared up to 6 hours in advance and the miniature tortilla's can be made 1-2 days ahead as long as they are stored in a well sealed container.
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Cucumber Rounds with Smoked Salmon and Keta
These canapés are easy and quick to prepare but look and taste impressive. You can simply slice the cucumber or you can cut the slices into shapes using small shape cutters eg. stars, hearts and fluted cutters.
30-40 Portions
Prep: 15 minutes
Blinis
Blinis are small pancakes that are traditionally served before lent like Pancake day on Shrove Tuesday. They are usually served with sour cream and caviar but there are many variations, the moist common being smoked salmon and caviar.
24 Pancake
Prep: 10 minutes (plus 1 hour standing time)
Cook: 10 minutes
Vegetable Batons with Dips
This selection of fresh vegetables is served with homous and a artichoke puree. This makes an excellent and health canapé or snack before a meal when entertaining. Who says that dips have to be unhealthy. When selecting your vegetables be sure that they are fresh and high in quality, otherwise you may be disappointed. I choose to make my dips with canned artichoke hearts and chickpeas which are perfect for this purpose.
6-8 Portions
Prep: 20 minutes
Mushrooms with Parsley and Garlic
While the ingredients of this tapas dish are simple the result is impressive, with tender mushrooms richly flavoured with garlic and olive oil. Have lots of bread neat you to soak up all those delicious juices.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
A Selection of Cheese Wonton's
Wonton's are one of the most useful ingredients to have in your freezer. Not only can you prepare numerous Chinese dishes but you can also use them instead of pasta for ravioli and for hundreds of modern fusion style dishes steamed, boiled and fried. Cheese Wonton's are very easy and economical to prepare you can vary the cheese to your own taste. The Wonton's can be prepared and frozen and simply defrosted for an hour before cooking. Wonton's can be purchased from Chinese food stores in the fridge and freezer.
60 wontons
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 10-15 minutes
Nori-Maki
Sushi rolls are easy to prepare, but they do take a lot of practice to get right. It isn't necessary to be a great Sushi chef, just practise making simple sushi rolls to start with. Don't expect get it right the first time.
4 to 6 Portions
Prep: 20 minutes per type
Cook: 40 minutes for Sushi Rice
Tofu Toast
This recipe is based on the well known prawn toast and in fact if you really wish to you can replace the tofu with prawns. I find that the tofu's soft texture is excellent when prepared in this dish.
6 portions
Prep: 10 minutes plus 15 minutes refrigeration time
Cook: 10 minutes
Potato Pancakes with Smoked Venison
Venison is a national dish of Scandinavia it is often enjoyed roasted or pan fried with a berry sauce. They even make a dish with the heart.
6-8 Portions
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Gunkanmaki
These sushi are hand moulded and resemble little battleships they are simple to make. Fish eggs of all sorts make a great filling, giving the sushi lots of colour.
Prep: 10 Minutes
Cherry and Cream Cheese Wontons
This dessert is quick to prepare and easy to cook, the result is scrumptious mouthfuls of sweet creamy cherries. Of course best made when cherries are at the peak of their season.
6 Portions
Prep: 10-15 minutes
Cook: 5-8 minutes
Vietnamese Summer Rolls
This Vietnamese recipe is light and refreshing. It is an ideal summertime starter to
have at home or on a picnic.
20 Rolls
Prep: 30-40 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Cauliflower and Chickpea Koftas
There are many variations on koftas. They can be served as a starter with a spicy mint and yoghurt sauce and a side dish of mango chutney or as a main with a yoghurt and tomato sauce and served with basmatti rice and poppadums I have also provided an option for baking the balls for the health conscious or the quicker method of deep frying.
6 Portions
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15-30 minutes (dependent on if you are preparing it as a starter or main dish and choice of cooking method)
Olive Tapas
Olives make a quick and easy tapas. You can marinate them in many different herbs and spices or stuff them with slivers of roasted peppers, garlic or almonds or try capers.
6 portions
Prep: 15 minutes, Marinating Time: At least 1 day
Sesame Five Spice Quail Eggs with Wasabi Creme Fraîche
Deep-fried quail eggs in a crisp coating of sesame seeds make tasty morsels when entertaining.
The Wasabi Creme Fraîche can be made mild or strong to suit, which adds to the flavour of these tasty
little morsels.
24 Quail Eggs
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 5-10 minutes
Plantain Strips
Plantain crisps not only make a great addition to many dishes they are also good served as a snack with Thai sweet chilli sauce or guacomole. They will last for several days in an air tight container
6 Portions as a garnish 2-4 as a snack
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Prawns in Blankets
These prawns are simply wrapped in wontons and deep fried but delicious
20
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Mini Smoked Salmon Tortillas
Why serve smoked salmon just on blinis, try something new such as this recipe for smoked salmon on mini tortillas with salsa. These smoked salmon tortillas also make a great canapé and buffet starter.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 6 Portions
Scallops Wrapped in Bacon
Scallops in bacon is such a simple but amazingly tasty combination. The marinade adds
to the flavour, making them even more special.
12 Scallops
Prep: 10 minutes (30 minutes to 2 hours to marinate)
Cook: 3 - 5 minutes
Arancini
Arancini, a great dish to make with leftover risotto, is throught
to have originated from Sicily in the 10th century. They are crisp
fried balls of risotto, and in our version I use traditional
mozzarella, but you can use blue cheese, goats cheese or feta, all
give a unique taste to the Arancini.
12 - 15 Arancini balls
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 8 - 10 minutes
Greek Goat Meat Kebabs
Goat meat has a lovely light flavour far less gamey and fatty than lamb. Even without
the excess fat the meat is tender. A fresh Greek marinade makes a very tasty kebab.
These kebabs are simply grilled but they are even more delicious when cooked on a
charcoal. Of course lamb meat can be used instead of goat.
30 portions as a canapé
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Spanish Almonds
These are quick but delicious snack or tapas dish. They will last for ages stored in a
well sealed jar, that is if you aren't tempted to nibble them.
400g Almonds
Prep: 2 minutes
Cook: 2 minutes
Baby Vegetable Tempura
This is an easy recipe that only takes a few minutes to prepare, you can use your choice of vegetables if you wish and tiger prawns are also good.
4 portions
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Mock Thai Fish Cakes
Tofu is used in this recipe as an alternative to seafood. It has all the taste of Thai fish cakes, without the fish. Perfect for vegetarians.
Mozzarella and Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables on Polenta Croutons
A mixture of oven roasted Mediterranean vegetables on polenta croutons makes an exciting canapé for any party. The best bit about the canape is that it can all be prepared a day or two in advance and simple assembled before serving them. The croutons can also be frozen and simply defrosted for 30 minutes before reheating them.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Prawn Sushi
Cooked prawn makes a great topping for nigri sushi. Cooked prawns are called Ebi, they
are prepared from large prawns. To make sure your prawn is cooked so that it is well
coloured and shaped, it is best to cook them according to thes recipe.
12 Prawns
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Three Lebanese Dips & Spicy Pita Bread
Hummus, Tahini Sauce and Baba Ghannouj
Makes about 500g of Hummus, 300g of Tahini Sauce and 600g of Baba Ghannouj
Prep: 10 minutes
Prawns with Chorizo in a Chilli Tomato Sauce
This combination of ingredients are a match made in heaven, once tasted you will be
craving more. An excellent accompaniment to a tapas combination or scrumptious just
served on its own with plenty of bread to mop up the sauce.
6 Portions as a starter 12 as a canape
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10-15 minutes
Beetroot Dip
An aromatic dip prepared from beetroot roasted in spices, garlic and yoghurt. Scrumptious with fresh or toasted pita bread or raw vegetables cut into baton or small pieces (try cauliflower, carrot, cucumber, celery and broccoli). Easily prepared a few days in advance and will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.
8 - 10 serving
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 - 45 minutes
Vegetarian Spring Rolls
Spring Roll wrappers are available from most Chinese food shops, they are a very
useful ingredient as they can be used for many dishes. Spring rolls are quick and easy
to prepare. You can vary the filling dependent on what you like, duck, chicken, prawns
and crab all work well. Its a great stand by dish for unexpected guests, as you can make
use of the contents of your refrigerator. Do not over fill the rolls as this could
result in them splitting open.
24 Spring Rolls
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Cashew and Coriander Hummus
The addition of cashew and coriander to a traditional hummus creates a dedcadent and slightly sweeter version of this delicious dip.
Aproximately 500g
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: cook time
Ham Terrine
I love to do a whole leg of ham at Christmas, the colours and aroma of a freshly glazed leg is one of my highlights on the Christmas table. Unfortunately or fortunately (depends on how one looks at it) there is almost always too much good food. This is a great way to use the last bits of that tasty leg. My husband loves the final dish and will happily have it for lunch and dinner, it's also a great way to feed guest during the festive period that continues to follow the big day.
6-8 portions
Prep: 20 minutes (plus setting time)
Cook: 5 minutes
Thai Fish Cakes
The great thing about this recipe is that the fish cakes are really
easy to make and make a really tasty starter or canapé. Serve them
before a simple Thai curry and you have an impressive meal to serve
to your guests that is easy to prepare.
16 fish cakes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 - 15 minutes
Pita Wedges with Hummus
Hummus makes an excellent dip and is so easy to make, all you need is just a few ingredients and a food processor or blender. The pita bread is especially good if you cook the wedges on the barbecue, when I cook them are usually demolished before I get to them.
10-12 Portions
Prep: 10-15 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
King Scallops with Herb and Pesto Butter
The very best way to buy scallops is live in their shells, this way you can guarantee
they're freshness and taste. Scallops are easy to open: Wash them to remove any sand,
place the scallop flat side down on a board and simply run a thin sharp knife between
the shells running it along the bottom shell, keeping it as close to the shell as
possible. This will kill the scallop and the shell will open, carefully remove the
scallop from the top shell with the knife. Trim the scallop leaving simply the tender
white meat and the coral (optional). Of course you can ask your fishmonger to do this
but it means that the scallop is killed and will need to be cooked soon as the flavour
will quickly deteriorate, I like to open them just before cooking.
6 Portions or 18 as a canape
Prep: 5 minutes once scallops are opened (allow 20-30 minutes)
Cook: 3 minutes