Treat guests right with delicious party food.
Great ‘apps’ will get guests in the mood to schmooze
WITH THE HOLIDAYS gearing up, there are a few guarantees: mall traffic, lineups at the LCBO and soirées. When it comes to the latter, the difference between a successful party and, say, one that leaves your guests looking for the exit are well-planned and delicious appetizers. Creative small bites are guaranteed party pleasers and the perfect excuse to leave the knives and forks in the drawer. But don’t put out a lacklustre array of store-bought dips and frozen munchies that are rich in calories but light in flavour, when crafting your own appetizing party fare is far from a high-flying kitchen feat.
When it’s your turn to play host, embrace these tips from Donna-Marie Pye, co-owner of Relish Cooking Studio in Waterloo and author of cookbooks such as Canada’s Best Slow Cooker Recipes. >>
Plan ahead
Hosting a gathering can be challenging enough without the need to slave over the stove and be social all at once. “You want to be part of the party as well, as opposed to being stuck in the kitchen,” says Pye.
So as much as possible, choose appetizer recipes that can be made in advance and reheated if needed.
”You can also save time by serving up a mixture of homemade and store-bought items,” Pye explains.
“For example, you can serve homemade cornbread with a high-quality jarred chutney, or stuff premade pastry cups with a filling you prepared yourself.”
Mix it up
Take heed of the old saw: “Variety is the spice of life.” Pye likes a mixture of both hot and cold appetizers. The cold so people have something to nibble on as soon as they arrive and the hot to take off the winter chill.
Chilled appetizers can include items made with smoked salmon, chopped vegetables (or crudités in French parlance), accompanied by homemade dips, spiced nuts, jazzed up popcorn (try truffle oil) and dried fruit like dates or figs wrapped in prosciutto. “The combination of sweet and salty is always a party favourite,” notes Pye.
Hot appetizers can include everything from mini cornbreads to bite-sized quesadilla triangles to blanched asparagus wrapped in Serrano ham.
“Try to stay away from overloading platters with too many cliché items like cream cheese and tortilla chips,” advises Pye.
Say cheese
“People naturally gravitate towards a cheese plate,” she says.
She suggests including a variety of hard, soft and a-little-bit-stinky cheese varieties to please different tastebuds. But you don’t need a huge number of options. “Three or four types should be plenty if they are higher-quality cheeses,” notes Pye. Take it up a notch by serving them with chutneys and relishes.
Perfect antipasto An antipasto spread is a great way to get an appetizer menu off to a good start. Pye says a winning mixture includes various olives, soft and hard cheeses, savoury Italian salami or prosciutto, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced baguette, and fig jam or other chutney.
“This is simple yet full of so much great flavour.” Sweet stuff Try to include one or two sweet appetizers for a contrast from the savory items.
In this case, Pye will serve up mini butter tarts made with phyllo pastry or fruit kabobs that include angel food cake and chocolate-dipped fruit. Brownie bites are also sure to satisfy a crowd. Trending now are chocolate plates where an assortment of top-notch chocolate pieces are displayed in much the same way you would cheese.
Pye says that a highquality balsamic vinegar and dark chocolate are a dynamic duo.
Lighten it up
You don’t want people to leave your party feeling like they have just experienced an onslaught of fatty calories.
Be sure to include plenty of lighter and nutrient-dense foods like vegetables, fruits, fresh herbs, legumes and whole grains. Get creative with these items and nobody will leave wondering: “Where’s the bacon?”
Free food
Gather 10 people these days and it’s very likely one or more of them is going to have some sort of dietary restriction. You don’t want any of your guests to feel like they need to bring their own nibbles, so be sure to put out some appetizers that meet the needs of friends or family who are glutenfree, dairy-free or vegan. For instance, serve a dairy-free dip like hummus with glutenfree crackers or pretzels.
Presentation matters
“Taking a bit of time to artfully present your appetizers can make all the difference,” says Pye. She believes that a little extra flourish from items like fresh herbs or black sesame seeds can really bring the wow factor to an appetizer plate.
“Anything to add a splash of colour should work great.” Wooden platters of different shapes and sizes, bright napkins and vessels stuffed with foraged twigs can also decorate a table.
Pye also likes to have some fun with her serving style. For instance, she will serve her spiced nut mixture in wine glasses instead of humdrum bowls.
“Look around the house and you’ll be surprised what unique items you can use to serve appetizers with.” >>
>> Roasted Beet Hummus
Earthy, sweet beets lend hummus a more adventurous flavour, not to mention a fetching hue that will add a vibrant touch to an appetizer table.
Note: You can also simply steam or boil the beets until tender and extras can be frozen for future get-togethers. Serves 10 to 12 3 medium sized beets (about 1 pound) 1 can (540 ml/19 oz.) chickpeas, drained
and rinsed 2 tablespoons (30 ml) tahini 1 teaspoon ( 5 ml) cumin powder 1 teaspoon ( 5 ml) lemon zest Juice of 1/2 lemon 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) salt Soft goat cheese, optional Chopped chives, optional
Preheat oven to 350 F. Wrap each beet tightly in aluminium foil; place foil packets on a baking sheet and bake for one hour, or until beets are very tender.
Set aside until beets are cool enough to handle and then scrub off the skins with a brush or paper towel.
Add beets to a food processor along with chickpeas, tahini, cumin, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic and salt. Purée until smooth.
Place beet hummus in serving bowls and garnish with crumbled goat cheese and chives, if using.
Mini Olive Cornbreads The umami punch of olives and Parmesan send these bite-sized gems over the top. If you don’t have buttermilk, add one tablespoon fresh lemon juice to a one-cup measure. Add milk, stir and let sit for two minutes. For gluten-free, swap out the whole wheat flour for a gluten-free blend. Consider serving these warm with a herb infused butter. Serves 12
1¼ cups (300 ml) yellow cornmeal ¾ cup (175 ml) whole wheat flour 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sugar 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh thyme or chopped rosemary 2 teaspoons (10 ml) baking powder ½ teaspoon (2 ml) baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 2 large eggs 1 cup (250 ml) buttermilk ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil ½ cup (125 ml) grated Parmesan cheese ½ cup (125 ml) finely chopped kalamata olives
Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, stir cornmeal, flour, sugar, thyme or rosemary, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, lightly beat eggs and whisk in buttermilk and olive oil. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix gently. Fold in cheese and olives. Divide among 24 greased or paper-lined mini muffin cups and bake for 10 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out mostly clean. Let cool several minutes before unmoulding.
Smoked Trout Cups
You can also use smoked mackerel or smoked salmon in this recipe. The wonton cups can be made a couple days in advance, but fill them just before serving so they don’t become soggy.
Serves 12
24 wonton wrappers 1 tablespoon (15 ml) grapeseed oil or
canola oil 1/2 lb. (225 g) smoked trout, chopped 1 apple, chopped 1⁄3 cup (75 ml) chopped walnuts 2⁄3 cup (150 ml) reduced-fat sour cream Juice of 1/2 lemon 1 garlic clove, minced 2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped dill 1 tablespoon (15 ml) prepared horseradish ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 F. With a pastry brush, lightly coat both sides of wonton wrappers with oil. Press each into the wells of 24 mini muffin cups, making sure the bottoms lie as flat as possible. Bake for eight minutes, or until golden and crisp, being careful not to burn them. Let cool on a wire rack.
In a large bowl, stir together smoked trout, apple, walnuts, sour cream, lemon juice, garlic, dill, horseradish and black pepper.
To serve, divide fish mixture among wonton cups.
Smoky Spiced Nuts
These addictive crunchy delights are sure to disappear quickly from an appetizer table.
(Recipe courtesy of Relish Cooking Studio)
Serves 8 to 10
3 cups (750 ml) whole unsalted cashews 2 cups (500 ml) walnut halves 2 cups (500 ml) pecan halves
½ cup (125 ml) almonds 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil 1⁄3 cup (75 ml) pure maple syrup ¼ cup (60 ml) light brown sugar, lightly packed Juice of 1 orange 2 teaspoons (10 ml) hot smoked paprika 4 tablespoons (60 ml) finely chopped fresh rosemary Zest of 1 orange 4 teaspoons (20 ml) kosher salt, divided 4 tablespoons (60 ml) minced fresh rosemary leaves, divided
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Brush a baking sheet with vegetable oil. Combine the cashews, walnuts, pecans, almonds, vegetable oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice and paprika and spread out on the baking sheet. Add 2 tablespoons of the rosemary, orange zest and 2 teaspoons of salt and toss to combine. Make sure the nuts are in one layer.
Roast the nuts for 25 minutes, stirring twice during cooking, until the nuts are glazed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with remaining salt and rosemary. Toss well and set aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking as they cool.