Every now and again that time comes when we love to impress our friends with some delicious and a little bit fancy dishes. But can this be achieved on a budget?
TODAY cook Julie Goodwin shows us how this is possible.
Canapes
Mini Crostini with toppings
Makes 40 mini crostini
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
10 slices white bread, crusts removed
1/4 cup olive oil
Pinch salt
Method
1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius and line a baking tray with Glad Bake.
2. With a rolling pin, flatten the bread.
3. Using a small cookie cutter cut 4 circles from each slice.
4. Lay on the tray and brush generously with olive oil.
5. Turn over and brush other side.
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Suggested toppings
1. Smoked salmon pate
- Combine 100g smoked salmon, 100g cream cheese, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill and 2 tablespoons chopped shallots (green onions) in a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Place in a piping bag and pipe onto crostini, topping with a sprig of dill.
2. Tomato and Basil Crostini with Parmesan Crisp
- Seed and finely chop 4 ripe Roma tomatoes and1/2 bunch fresh basil.
- Toss with some salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Place small pinches of freshly grated parmesan on a lined tray and bake at 160 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes or until melted and lightly golden.
- Cool in the tray.
3. Chicken liver pate
- Remove aspic/jelly from store-bought pate and pipe onto crostini.
- Top with a cherry tomato quarter and a grind of black pepper.
4. Onion jam and goats' cheese
5. Rare roast beef and horseradish
Thai style fish cakes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: About 5 minutes per batch
Ingredients
500g boneless, skinless white fish fillets
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons cornflour
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon red curry paste
2 tablespoons chopped coriander root and stem
1 small red chilli, finely chopped
8 green beans, sliced
4 shallots (spring onions) sliced
Peanut oil, for frying
Sweet chilli sauce to serve
Method
1. Process the fish in a food processor, then remove to a bowl.
2. Add the egg, cornflour, fish sauce, curry paste, coriander roots, chilli, beans and shallots and mix well.
3. Form into small flattened meatballs and fry in peanut oil over a medium-high heat until golden brown on both sides and cooked through.
4. Serve with sweet chilli dipping sauce.
