Phil Vickery's canapés
With ten days to go until the big day, Phil Vickery is here with four simple but delicious canapés. From salmon fish cakes to stuffed dates, there's something to keep every festive guest happy.
Easy Salmon fish cake with mango chilli dip
Makes: 1 large fishcake
Ingredients
4 tbsp olive oil1 onion, peeled and finely chopped2 cloves garlic, crushed1 red pepper deseeded and chopped finely3 medium potatoes, peeled, chopped and boiled and mashed350g smoked salmon bits, finely choppedSaltFreshly milled black pepper2 tbsp olive oil2 eggs4 tbsp plain flour150g -200g panko breadcrumbs
Method
Heat the four tbsp of oil and soften the onions, garlic and peppers for 10 minutes
Mash the cooked warm potatoes
Add the salmon to the warm potatoes, then add the onions and peppers and mix well
Season well with salt and pepper, add a little more oil to moisten slightly
Chill well, then when cold form into small balls
Coat in the flour, egg and breadcrumbs.
Fry in small batches in 3-4 cm hot oil
Serve with cocktail sticks
Mango chilli dip
Ingredients
1 large ripe mango, flesh all removed from stone¼ tsp dried chilli flakesJuice of 2 large limes125ml coconut milk2 tbsp very finely chopped Thai basilSalt
Method
Liquidise everything together well
Leave to stand for 10 minutes, re stir and serve
Roquefort hazelnut basil empanadas
Serves: 6-8
Can be made the day before and gently re heated.
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil½ small onion, very finely chopped200g Roquefort cheese75g hazelnuts finely chopped2 tbsp chopped basil3 heaped tbsp mayonnaise1 egg, beaten500g short pastry, rolled out nice and thinSea salt and freshly ground black pepperBeaten egg, to egg wash
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C, Gas 6 and grease a baking sheet
Heat the oil and add the onion. Cook for 5 minutes.
Place in a bowl and cool
Add the cheese, nuts, basil and mayonnaise and mix really well
Roll out the short pastry nice and thin
Cut out 16 or so 6cm roughly diameter circles from the pastry and cover to prevent them drying out
Lightly brush one pastry disc with egg wash, around the edges
Place small spoonful of the cheese mixture onto one side, then fold over the pastry and pinch edges to seal well
Repeat to make more turnovers
Brush turnovers with egg wash and sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper, then place on baking sheet
Cook in the oven for about 15 -20 minutes, or until golden
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Salt, vinegar and paprika popcorn
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
250g popping corn2 tbsp olive oil½ tsp pouring salt1 level tsp smoked paprika2 tsp dried garlic powder2-3 tbsp malt or any vinegar
Method
Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan, take care not to burn
Add the corn, and turn the heat down slightly
Cover, then leave to cook until all the popping has ceased
Turn out the hot popcorn, then sprinkle with the salt, paprika and garlic
Really mix well whilst hot
When ready to serve drizzle over a little malt vinegar
Wrapped, stuffed medjool dates with chorizoServes: 6-8
Ingredients
16 medjool dates, stoned removed, but not cut open fully1 medium cooking chorizo16 slices air dried ham
Method
Heat a small frying pan
Cut the chorizo in to ½ cm strips, the length of the date
Fry gently in the frying pan, no oil is needed
Once nice and crisp remove and cool
Place a strip of chorizo in all the opened dates
Lay a slice of air dried ham on a chopping board
Place the date at one end and roll up. You may only need half a slice of ham to wrap just one and a half times.
Repeat until all are done.
When ready to eat heat a non stick frying pan and add a couple of tablespoons of any oil.
Place the wrapped dates in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes gently.
Turnover and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Serve warm.