If you're preparing to host a Christmas or New Year's Eve party, you need to try these delicious canapé recipes to impress your guests! Celebrity chef Sophie Michell has created some unique and delicious nibbles for the festive period such as mini grilled gruyere, truffle and baked ham sandwiches, and mini crab 'thermidor' fritters – the perfect treats to wash down with a glass of quality champagne.
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Sophie explains: "Canapé recipes so often tend to be fiddly and time-consuming or boring and old fashioned! Here are my favourites that buck these trends and that I’ll be serving over the Christmas period at home. Easy and stress free, leaving me more time for another glass of bubbles with my friends and family." Click through the gallery to put Sophie's recipes to the test this Christmas…
Mini grilled gruyere, truffle and baked ham sandwiches
"Sometimes you want a substantial nibble, either before you head out in the cold, or as a mini meal at some point. If you are like us, Christmas can seem like a revolving food rota of cooking and serving meals similar to a 24-hour restaurant. This is something I pull out if we have had a huge lunch and need a supper idea (maybe served with a winter salad) or when we have had a big walk and need something hot and tasty when you get home. You can prepare them the day before and then just pan fry. I also enjoy having a chilled low key bite with a good Champagne, so I drink the Pommery Grand Cru 2006 with these."
Makes 15
1 white sourdough bread baguette (you may need two depending on the size)
- 15 slices of Truffle cheese
- 15 slices of cheddar
- 15 slices of Gruyere (or a good melting one)
- 15 slices of cooked ham
- 100g Dijon mustard
- 200g softened butter
- White truffle oil
Again this is simple. Thinly slice the baguette, you need 30 thin slices then spread one side with mustard, then layer up the three cheeses and ham. Top with another slice of bread and press. Then butter the OUTSIDE of the bread and repeat with all the ingredients.
Heat up a heavy based pan or skillet to a medium heat, then lay as many sandwiches in as possible, without overcrowding. Cook until crisp and golden brown, then flip over and cook on the other side. Keep warm in the oven on a low heat, then when all of them are cooked, cut in half and serve.
Mini crab 'Thermidor' fritters with chili sour cream
These are slightly more time-consuming to make and involve a little pre-prep, but they are SO worth it. You can also make them a few days ahead too. Fried food actually goes really well with Champagne, as the acidity of a good Champagne will cut through any oily textures and tastes. Seafood, of course, pairs excellently with Champagne too.
Makes 15
Béchamel base
- 500ml milk
- 120g butter
- 60g plain flour
- 1 tsp of chili powder
- 1 tsp of garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked sweet paprika
- ½ tsp English mustard
- 150g white crab meat
- 100g brown crab meat
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 1 small handful of chopped parsley
- 25ml brandy
- Sea salt and pepper
- 1 L of frying oil for deep frying
- 150g plain flour (for dredging)
- 2 eggs and splash of milk, whisked
- 300g of Panko breadcrumbs
Dip
- 200g of sour cream
- 1 tbsp. of Siriacha Chili sauce
Place the milk on a medium heat then start by making the béchamel base ahead. It needs a few hours to cool before you can roll them, so I often do this stage the day before. Heat up a medium saucepan and add the butter, melt it completely and then add the flour, stir well and continue cooking (without catching) for about 5 minutes. Then add the milk, small amounts at a time, whisking in between, to get rid of any lumps. Then add the garlic powder, chill, smoked paprika and brandy and simmer for 8/10 minutes. Finally take off the heat and add the crab meat, lemon zest and parsley. Then spread on top a tray to cool, and finish cooling in the fridge for a few hours.
When completely cool and set enough to hold shape, you can start rolling them, I take a large teaspoon at a time and roll into balls, then in flour. Then roll each on through the egg wash and then the breadcrumbs, roll into a ball again and repeat the egg and breadcrumb part. Roll neatly one more time then set aside.
You can either cook in a deep fat fryer at 180⁰C or heat up some oil in a medium saucepan, on a medium heat and fry in there until golden brown. Be very careful if frying in a saucepan as it’s hard to regulate the heat and it can over flow easily, plus the oil is very hot, can cause huge burns and can set on fire. For the dip, just mix the chili and sour cream together and serve in a little bowl on the side.
Parmesan crisps with goat's cheese and champagne vinegar grape relish
These lovely modern nibbles are lower in carbohydrate than most, perfect for when I am watching my sugar levels and want a little protein and a flavour burst. I also love them pre-Christmas Day lunch for an easy light canapé. Pair them with luxurious sugarless Pommery Louise Nature 2004 and you’ll feel quite virtuous!
Makes 15 canapes
- 200g of grated good quality Parmesan
Grape relish
- 2 shallots
- 400g of Green, seedless grapes
- 150ml of Champagne vinegar
- 25g caster sugar
- 250g of ash coated goats cheese
- 1 tbsp. of picked Thyme leaves
Pre-heat the oven to 180⁰C. Then take a large flat baking sheet and line with non-stick parchment paper. Then sprinkle the Parmesan in an even layer across the paper, spread out to fit the tray perfectly and then pop in the oven. Leave for 10/15 minutes, you want all the cheese to be melted and golden brown, but not too brown. Then take out and cool completely.
Whilst the cheese is melting you can do the quick chutney. Finely dice the shallots, then add to a pan with the vinegar and the sugar. Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 10 mins, then slice the grapes (discard the rounded ends) and pop into the shallot vinegar mix. Continue cooking for 5 minutes then take off the heat and cool. Then you have all of your components ready to go and can make these three or four days ahead.
Then about 10 mins before serving, you can assemble them. Simply break the Parmesan into irregular shapes, usually the size to accommodate two mouthfuls. Then top with a little goat’s cheese, then spoon on some grape chutney and sprinkle with Thyme.
Potato chips topped with chive crème fraiche and salmon caviar
This is my best late night snack (don’t judge) that I sponteously came up with one evening at home. I made them again alongside a glass of Pommery Brut Royal NV Champagne and it was a bit of a moment... they work beautifully together. People often see canapés as fussy and time consuming, and I don’t have time to mess around generally, these could not be easier and everyone loves them.
Makes 15
1 large bag of good quality salted crisps (I get mine from a Spanish deli and they are cooked in olive oil, but any of the fancier brands will work).
- 250g cream fraiche
- 250g salmon or trout Caviar (Keta)
- 1 small handful of Chives, finely chopped
- Black pepper
SO SIMPLE! Pick out some good sized, non-broken crisps and then simply spoon on a tiny bit of crème fraiche, then caviar and then top with chives. Finish with a flourish of black pepper and serve.
