Cathcart Helen - Party-perfect bites: delicious recipes for canapés, finger food and party snacks

party-perfect
bites party-perfect
bites delicious recipes for canaps, finger food and party snacks Milli Taylor photography by
Helen Cathcart To Mum and Dad, for raising me with such a healthy appetite for all good things in life. For more information about Millis catering, see www.milliscatering.co.uk Designer Barbara Zuiga
Editor Kate Eddison
Production Controller Sarah Kulasek-Boyd
Art Director Leslie Harrington
Editorial Director Julia Charles
Publisher Cindy Richards Food Stylist Milli Taylor
Prop Stylist Jo Harris
Indexer Hilary Bird First published in 2014 by
Ryland Peters & Small
2021 Jockeys Fields London WC1R 4BW
and
519 Broadway, 5th Floor
New York NY 10012 www.rylandpeters.com Text Milli Taylor 2014
Design and photographs
Ryland Peters & Small 2014 ISBN: 978-1-84975-568-9
eISBN: 978-1-78879-011-6 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 The authors moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library. US Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data has been applied for. Printed and bound in China Notes Both British (metric) and American (ounces plus US cups) are included in these recipes for your convenience, however it is important to work with one set of measurements and not alternate between the two within a recipe.

All spoon measurements are level, unless otherwise specified. All herbs used in these recipes are fresh, unless otherwise specified. All eggs are large (UK) or extra-large (US), unless otherwise stated. When a recipe calls for the grated zest of citrus fruit, buy unwaxed fruit and wash well before using. If you can only find treated fruit, scrub well in warm soapy water before using. Ovens should be preheated to the specified temperatures.

We recommend using an oven thermometer. Recipes were tested using a fan-assisted oven. contents I cook all sorts of food for different events, but my most positive feedback is always from my canap parties. Dont get me wrong; a classic devilled egg will always go down a treat, and who doesnt love a cheese straw? However, it does feel about time we shook things up a bit and got more adventurous with our party food. Ive taken inspiration from supper clubs to street food and everything in-between. I hope in this book I can introduce you to some new flavours and ingredients and youll have as much fun creating them as your guests have eating them. * Full of flavour make that one mouthful pack a punch. * Fun dont get worked up about whats authentic and correct; this is the time to play around with flavours. We eat with our eyes Canaps should look appetizing. We eat with our eyes Canaps should look appetizing.

You can go the whole hog with the micro-herbs and fancy toppings, or keep the food simple and decorate your plate. Not every plate of food has to have decoration, although a garnish can help indicate what is in the canap. For example, if Im serving some spicy fishcakes I may put a bunch of fresh coriander/ cilantro and chilli/chile on the side of the plate. Sometimes simple is best. If your food looks intricate and pretty, let it stand alone on a plain white plate. Think beyond your kitchen plates.

A banana leaf polished with a little vegetable oil can look lovely with tropical food on it. You can use anything from tin serving trays to chopping boards, as long as they are clean and food safe. But think practically. Your plates need to have a flat surface so your creations dont fall over and they should be light enough to hand around. If youre serving skewers, make sure there is an empty pot or glass for people to dispose of their used skewers. Planning your party Some of us are planners, some of us are not.

Some love a spreadsheet, while others just hope it will all be alright on the night. Even if you fall into the latter camp, be aware that the more you plan and do ahead, the less you will have to do on the day, and the more fun you can have at your own party. There are three main aspects to party planning: * What food you are going to serve. * What your guests are going to drink. * The other stuff... What food will you serve? Quantity If you are thinking of serving pre-meal canaps, perhaps as an alternative to a starter, then you should allow three to five canaps per person.

For a drinks party of around three hours, I would offer 11 canaps per head. You could start with a few canaps, then offer bowl food to ease the workload. There does not have to be a different variety for each canap. For example, if you wanted to provide 12 canaps per head, it could be four types, three of each. I tend to cater for at least one and a half of each canap per person, so that if someone takes two, another person wont go without. Choosing which canaps to prepare Pick a mix of hot and cold bites, including some things you can make ahead.

Balance the menu in terms of fresh/fried, light/filling and different flavours. Offer a variety of fish, shellfish, meat, poultry and vegetable canaps. Use local and seasonal ingredients, not only to reduce the food miles, but because they cost less and taste better. Be generous. You may not cook each of your guests a fillet steak/beef tenderloin for dinner, but at a canap party, just one steak can make 20 canaps. It feels like a luxury to be offered prawns/shrimp, fillet steak/beef tenderloin or caviar, even if in such small quantities.

If you know good store-bought products that can make your life easier, use them. Always. No one expects everything you offer to be home-made. I often order miniature bagels from my local bakery, and if throwing something impromptu, I will pick up some mini croustades from the shop and fill them at home with something fresh and delicious. Will anyone be bringing children? Keep kids happy with mini sandwiches, crudits and happy with mini sandwiches, crudits and cocktail sausages. Dont forget dessert! You would end a dinner on a sweet note, so do the same with canaps.

Last impressions are as important as first ones. What will your guests be drinking? Running out of booze at a party is a real no-no. To ensure this doesnt happen, buy more than you think you need, by purchasing from a company with a sale-or-return option. Many companies also offer free delivery and free glass and ice bucket hire with a deposit. If you are sticking to a budget, here are my tips: * Consider pitchers of cocktails or spritzers in the summer, and mulled wine in the winter. * Look for deals a few weeks before the party some dont stick around for long. * Look for deals a few weeks before the party some dont stick around for long.