Canapes are one of my favourite things to do. I love the range of styles, flavours and colourful plates of canapes you can prepare! The preparation process, although time-consuming and fiddly, is essential for every superb chef to have a repertoire of canapes available. My personal best was making over 3000 canapes for the opening of a new kitchen company in Oxford. There was a wide range of canapes and some of the pictures are below.
THAI CHICKEN AND LEMONGRASS STICKS WITH SWEET CUCUMBER DIPPING SAUCE
MAKES 20
Ingredients
- INGREDIENTS
- 11 lemon grass stalks
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 red chilli seeded and chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- FOR SAUCE
- 125 ml 4floz rice vinegar
- 125 g 4oz granulated sugar
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 red chillies deseeded and finely chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cucumber deseeded and finely diced
- 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander
Instructions
- METHOD
- For lemon grass sticks, remove and discard the tough outer skin from the lemongrass.
- Set 1 stalk aside to flavour the chicken. Cut each of the 10 remaining lemon grass stalks in half lengthwise, keeping the stalks attached by the root. Trim to 12.5cm (Sin) lengths.
- Place the reserved lemon grass stalk, chicken, garlic, chilli, coriander, sugar and salt in a food processor, pulse to a smooth paste. Divide into 20 equal-sized pieces. With wet hands, roll into oval shapes. Wrap each chicken oval on to the slimmer end of each lemon grass length. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavours to blend.
- For sauce, bring vinegar and sugar to a boil in a pan on a medium heat.
- Simmer gently until syrupy for 5 minutes. Pour syrup onto the garlic, chillies and salt in a separate bowl and cool. Stir in cucumber and coriander when cool. Let stand for 15 minutes at room temperature to allow the flavours to combine.
- Preheat grill. Alternatively, preheat a ridged cast iron griddle, grill pan or barbecue. Grill chicken lemon grass sticks until cooked through, 5 minutes on each side. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature with sweet cucumber dipping sauce.
- THINK AHEAD
- Prepare and skewer chicken up to 12 hours in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Make sauce without cucumber and coriander up to 3 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Add cucumber and coriander up to 3 hours before serving
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MOROCCAN SPICED SWORDFISH BROCHETTES
Equipment
- Essential equipment 20 wooden skewers (15cm/6in) pre-soaked in cold water
Ingredients
- 350 g 12oz swordfish steak, 2.5cm (1in) thick
For the marinade
- 1 red pepper quartered and seeded
- 1 red chilli seeded and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp Harrisa spice
- 1 tsp runny honey
- Grated zest and juice of ½ lemon
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt and
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tbsp oil optional
Instructions
- Cut the swordfish into 20cubes (2.5cm/1in).
- For the marinade, grill and peel the pepper quarters. Place peeled pepper quarters, chilli, garlic, fresh herbs, ground coriander, Harissa, honey, lemon, oil, and salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. Pulse to a thick paste.
- Toss swordfish and marinade together in a glass bowl to coat each piece well. Cover and refrigerate for atleast 30 minutes.
- Thread 1 swordfish cube on to each pre-soaked skewer.
- Preheat grill. Alternatively, preheat a heavy frying pan with oil. Either grill or fry swordfish brochettes until cooked through, for 2-3 minutes on each side. Serve hot or warm.
GET AHEAD
- Marinate swordfish up to 4 hours in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Skewer up to 2hours in advance. Store in an artight container in the refrigerator.
- Skewers can be grilled or seared 1 hour in advance, placed on an oven tray, covered with foil. and reheated in a hot oven for 5 minutes to serve.
Notes
If swordfish is not available, monkfish, king prawns or other firm fish can be used.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
