Easy Christmas Nibbles

At this time of the year we are always looking for simple savoury ideas to

serve with a glass of wine. Below are a few ideas to see you through the silly season.

Anchovy Crisps

A friend of mine bought me these little anchovy toasts the other day, for which you do not need a recipe. Simply stamp out circles of white sandwich bread; spread liberally with softened butter to which you have added mashed anchovies (to your taste). Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and bake at 150 degrees Celsius (fanbake) for approx 15 mins.

Check to see these little savouries are not browning too much, and if still soft to the touch, reduce oven temperature to 120 degrees Celsius (fanbake) and continue to cook until crisp and dry.

Puff Pastry Morsels

I’m sure some of you must have seen this, on a tv ad..... again no recipe required. Buy good quality butter puff pastry, stamp out neat circles and glaze carefully with beaten egg. Cook at 180 degrees Celsius (fanbake) for approx 10-15 mins, until well risen and golden brown. (The pastry needs to be cooked through). Remove and cool on a wire rack. With the handle of small knife, make a small hole in the top of each of the pastry circle puffs, place a small dollop of cream cheese in the cavity, top with a fold of cold smoked salmon. Squeeze over juice of a lemon, a grinding of black pepper and a garnish of chopped chives. (Variation on a theme - you could fill the cavity with goats cheese and quince paste; cream cheese and chutney and even an Indian theme - spiced potato and coriander, drizzle with a little bit of yoghurt)

Cheese Biscuits

These are a great nibble staple! I recently had these cheese biscuits at a function, and the person who bought them had used gluten free flour. Using GF flour the biscuits seemed to run into each other but this wasn’t a problem as they were cut into neat squares. The recipe below comes from Jo Seagar’s book, “You shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble, darling”

Ingredients:

150g butter
250g grated cheese
1 and 1⁄2 cup flour
Salt, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne

Method:

Mix all ingredients in food processor
Shape into two 20cm long rolls
Wrap in plastic film
Place in freezer for 30 mins (This makes the biscuits easier to slice)
Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius (fan bake) and place a sheet of baking paper on an oven tray
Slice logs thinly (approx 1 cm) into rounds, place rounds on baking tray and glaze with a beaten egg
Top with grated parmesan cheese, nuts of your choice, or seeds of your choice. Here I have topped some with parmesan, some with pistachio nuts and the rest with sesame seeds.
Bake 15 -20 mins until golden brown
Cool 2-3 mins on the tray then slide onto a wire rack to cool

When someone is unexpectedly coming for a drink with little or no warning I suggest the following…

Egg pâté

Two fresh organic eggs in boiling water … cooked for 8 mins, cooled and then peeled
Grate eggs into a bowl
Add a tbsp mayonnaise ( preferably Best Foods )
Add a small tsp curry powder
Add flakey sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Add lots of finely chopped chives
Combine together and check seasoning
Place in a bowl and serve with oven baked croutes or savoury biscuits

Baked Croutes

Preheat oven to 150 C fan bake
Cut thin sliced bread into squares or use a cutter to stamp out circles
Brush with melted butter, or spray with olive oil
Cook croutes until lightly coloured and crisp
(The par-baked rolls available in the supermarket can be sliced thinly , brushed with butter or oil and cooked as above - delicious and another great pantry staple!)