6 canapé recipes to impress your guests, by Skye Gyngell

Don’t settle for filo cups and cocktail sausages — these six cool bites are fuss-free and guaranteed to impress guests, says Skye Gyngell 
Skye Gyngell's top canapés for party season
Skye Gyngell21 November 2019

‘I don’t like fiddly food, or anything overworked — so I like the flavour, authenticity and simplicity of these canapés,’ says chef Skye Gyngell.

The perfect canapé can be tricky to get right, but not if you keep the basics in mind. ‘You don’t want them too big, just one or two mouthfuls,’ she advises, ‘and you shouldn’t do too many, either.’ Avoid anything too fussy, as ‘some canapés can be awkward — you’ve got a glass in one hand, and you probably have a napkin. You might be wearing lipstick, and you want to feel confident when you eat them. You don’t want to feel like they’re going to break in your hand, or shatter all over your lips!’

Gyngell’s canapé recipes are relatively simple and have ‘a neutrality, which I think is important. They need to be completely delicious, but they also have to pair with whatever you’re drinking.’ You can assemble them as you go, so they don’t have to sit around for hours, she says — leaving you time, more importantly, to enjoy the party.

Salt cod croquettes with aioli

Salt cod croquettes

Ingredients

600g cod fillet

2 litres of milk

2 bay leaves

10 peppercorns

1 lemon, rind and juice

1 large potato, mashed

¼ finely diced red onion

Small parsley bunch, finely chopped

2 eggs, beaten

Fresh breadcrumbs

For the aioli

3 egg yolks

3 garlic cloves, crushed

Juice of 1 lemon

250ml extra-virgin olive oil

Recipe

Rinse the cod to remove salt. Place in a saucepan, cover with milk and add the bay leaves, peppercorns and lemon rind, then poach for 20 minutes. Strain the fish, place in a bowl and pound with a pestle. Season with lemon juice, zest and salt. Add the potato, onion and parsley. Mould into ovals and coat in flour, then egg and breadcrumbs. Bring a pan of oil to 180C, then fry until golden brown. For the aioli, place the egg yolks, garlic and lemon juice in a food processor, then add the oil slowly as you blend until thick. Refrigerate, then serve with the croquettes.

Meringue with chestnut and cream

Meringue with chestnut and cream

Ingredients

6 organic free range egg whites

360g caster sugar

¾ tsp vanilla extract

Small jar of sweetened chestnut puree

4-6 tbsp double cream

70 per cent chocolate, for grating

Icing sugar, for dusting

Recipe

Preheat the oven to 150C and line a baking tray. Place egg whites into an electric mixer, add a pinch of salt and whisk slowly. As the whites break down, increase the speed, adding the sugar gradually and the vanilla extract and whisking until stiff peaks form. Shape into 20 meringues on parchment paper, leaving room for them to expand in the oven. Place on the middle shelf, lower temperature to 120C and cook for 30 minutes, then leave to cool. To serve, spoon chestnut puree and a dash of cream on to each meringue. Finish with grated chocolate and icing sugar.

Beetroot with apple and fennel puree

Beetroot with apple and fennel puree

Ingredients

3 beetroots, sliced

Vegetable oil

1 small fennel bulb

1 apple

Sprigs of chervil

Recipe

Wash beetroot, pat dry and slice into fine rounds. Heat oil in a pan to 180C, add beetroot in small batches and fry until golden. Remove and dry on paper towels. Chop the apple and fennel and place in a pan with a pinch of salt and just enough water to cover. Boil over a medium heat, then simmer until tender. Allow to cool slightly, then puree until smooth. To serve, spoon the puree on top of the beetroot and top with chervil. A treat for your vegan guests.​

Crostini with ricotta and slow-cooked chard

Crostini with ricotta and slow-cooked chard

Ingredients

4 stalks of chard

½ tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed

¼ tsp dried red chilli

1 baguette sliced into squares

70g ricotta

Recipe

Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the chard for two minutes. Strain, cool then chop finely. Melt the butter and the oil together over a medium heat. Add the chard and garlic, stir well, then cook on low with the lid on for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with the chilli and salt, then set aside to cool to room temperature. For the crostini, preheat the oven to 180C. Brush each slice of bread with extra virgin olive oil, then bake for 5-7 minutes. To serve, spread ricotta on the crostini and top with a spoonful of chard. Serve at once.​

Grilled spice-rubbed quail with chilli jam

Grilled spice-rubbed quail

Ingredients

For the quail

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

2 quails cut into four (a butcher can do this)

For the chilli jam

1.5kg roasted tomatoes

1 tsp mustard seeds

150ml red wine vinegar

75g ginger, peeled and chopped

7 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped

5 red chillies, deseeded and chopped

140g caster sugar

4 tbsp fish sauce

Rough puff cheese straws

Rough puff cheese straws

Ingredients

Block of puff pastry

250g parmesan, grated

250g cheddar, grated

50g smoked paprika

Recipe

Turn the pastry on to a floured surface and knead into a rectangle. Roll the dough in one direction three times the width, keeping the edges straight. Fold the top third down to the centre. Fold the bottom third up and over. Give the dough a quarter turn and roll out again to three times the length. Repeat and refrigerate. Scatter dough with cheese, paprika and black pepper. Cover with parchment and press with a rolling pin. Flip and repeat. Cut into strips, twist and chill. Bake at 200C for 10 minutes until golden.

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