EGG – egg salad
Method
1. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop. Keep aside
2. In a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise, water, mustard, herbs, paprika and chopped onions. This is the dressing
3. Into this add the chopped egg and combine well by mashing with a fork or wooden spoon.
4. Chill the egg salad in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Serve as cold canapés
Ingredients
Eggs, 3
Mayonnaise, ¾ tbsp.
Water, Boiled and cooled. 2 Tspn
Dijon Mustard, ½ Tspn
Dill/Parsely/Cilantro/Celery, 2 tspn
Paprika, 1/3 Tspn
Onion, half
Chicken
SALMON – salmon filled lettuce boats
Method
1. Spread capers over a plate lined with paper towel. Arrange lettuce leaves on a large serving platter.
2. Heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Stir the capers for 1minute or until golden and crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel
3. Combine the salmon, avocado, creme fraiche, spring onion, dill and lemon juice in a bowl. Season
4. Divide the salmon mixture among the lettuce leaves. Sprinkle with the capers and lemon zest. Season with pepper.
Ingredients
1 tbs drained baby capers
12 small baby cos lettuce leaves, washed, dried
Olive oil, to shallow-fry
150g portion hot-smoked salmon, skin removed, flaked
1/2 avocado, cut into 1cm pieces
2 tbs creme fraiche
1 spring onion (shallot), thinly sliced
1 tbs chopped fresh dill
1 tbs lemon juice
Lemon zest, to serve
Hot canapés
PASTRY – cheese twists Ingredients
375g/13oz ready-rolled puff pastry
3 slices Parma ham, cut into strips
100g/3½oz gorgonzola, crumbled
1 tbsp celery seeds
1 free-range egg, beaten
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
1. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the puff pastry to a thin sheet.
2. Lay the strips of Parma ham onto one half of the pastry, then sprinkle over the gorgonzola.
3. Fold the pastry over the ham and gorgonzola, then roll out again to a thin sheet.
4. Trim the edges of the filled pastry, brush all over with the beaten egg and sprinkle over the celery seeds.
5. Cut the filled pastry into 1cm/½in strips.
6. Twist the strips and transfer each to a baking tray. Press the ends of the pastry twists down to secure them to the tray and prevent them from unravelling.
7. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden-brown. Set aside to cool slightly, then serve.
BEEF – party pies
Ingredients
2 teaspoons Alfa One rice bran oil
1/2 small brown onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 small carrot, peeled, grated
300g lean beef mince
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon plain flour
3/4 cup beef stock
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
5 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, partially thawed
1 tablespoon milk
Tomato sauce, to serve
Method
1. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and carrot. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until carrot has softened. Add mince. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up mince, for 6 minutes or until browned.
2. Add tomato paste and flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add stock, worcestershire sauce and thyme. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring, for 6 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 180°C/200°C fan-forced. Grease two 12-hole, 1 1/2 tablespoon-capacity round-based patty pans. Using a 6.5cm cutter, cut 24 rounds from half the pastry sheets.