7 easy canapes perfect for entertaining

Sam Hardinge – Sangoma (Spicers Sangoma Retreat)

Char grilled baby octopus

INGREDIENTSSauteed baby octopus with parsley and garlic dish

  • 500g baby octopus
  • 200ml pomegranate molasses
  • Handful chopped parsley
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper (1/4 tsp)

METHOD

1. Combine all ingredients and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours
2. Char the octopus on the barbie until cooked

Sam’s tip: Eat sitting in the sun with a cold beer in hand! 

Matt Bremerkamp – Restaurant Botanica (Spicers Vineyards Estate)

“Christmas Corn Baubles”

INGREDIENTScorn cobs on vintage wood background .

  •  4 corn cobs
  • 200g corn flour
  • 100g plain flour
  • tsp of baking powder
  • Chopped parsley
  • Finely diced red pepper

METHOD

  1. Cut the corn off the cobs
  2. Blend half the corn in a blender
  3. Mix everything together in a bowl, adding the flour last so that you get a good sticky mixture
  4. Add extra corn flour as needed (this can depend on how juicy your corn is!)
  5. Roll into balls and deep fry until golden brown
  6. Season with salt

Matt’s tip: Can be served with a sweet chilli sauce or cumin yoghurt.

Dan Jarrett – The Tamarind (Spicers Tamarind Retreat)

Oysters with Soy and Finger Lime

INGREDIENTSoysters

  • Dozen oysters
  • Drizzle of soy sauce (good quality)
  • Finely sliced pickled ginger
  • 2 finger limes (finger limes are like citrus caviar and will give the oysters a nice burst of lime)
  • About 8 cups of crushed ice (for oyster bed)

METHOD

  1. Put the crushed ice on a large platter to make a bed for the oysters and place oysters on the ice
  2. Drizzle the oysters with a dash of soy sauce
  3. Add a sprinkle of some finely sliced pickled ginger, then squeeze some finger lime over the top

 

Carla Sullivan – The Balfour Kitchen (Spicers Balfour Hotel) 

INGREDIENTSWagyu Beef sliced in a plate on table,top view.

  • 500g diced wagyu
  • Capers
  • Cornichons
  • Shallots
  • Chives
  • 4 eggs
  • 5g pepper
  • 10g salt
  • 15g tobasco sauce
  • 7g Worcestershire sauce
  • 15g chardonnay vinegar
  • 50ml vegetable oil

METHOD

  1. Remove the sinew from the underside of the cap and then trim the fat, keeping the fat aside
  2. Finely dice the meat and portion into 50g portions.  Brunoise the capers, cornichons, shallots and chives and keep separate
  3. Place the rest of the ingredients (except the oil) into a narrow jug and blend until even
  4. Whilst blending, slowly add the oil until thick – check seasoning
  5. Combine the wagyu, brunoise vegetables and dressing and then quenelle on to crackers

 

Cam Matthews – The Long Apron (Spicers Clovelly Estate)

Spanner crab & goats cheese tarts

INGREDIENTS Spanner Crabs

  • 32 store bought canapes pastry cases
  • 150g fresh spanner crab
  • 2 tbs chopped chives, plus extra to serve
  • 50g goats cheese
  • 2 tbs cream

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C  and place pastry cases on an oven tray
  2. Combine crab meat and chives in a bowl and spoon crab mixture evenly among pastry cases
  3. Sprinkle goat’s cheese over the crab mixture and pour cream evenly among each case
  4. Bake for 5 minutes or until heated through and golden brown.
  5. Remove from oven and place on a serving platter and sprinkle with extra chives to serve

Tomasz Kornacki – Peak (Spicers Peak Lodge)

INGREDIENTSvegetable set to make Tom Yum spicy soup prepare on the chopping block, herb hot and spicy ingredient in Thailand

  • A few strips of finely sliced beef fillet (100g)
  • 12 x betel leaves
  • 1 chilli
  • 1/2 stick lemongrass
  • 1 kaffir lime
  • Mint
  • Coriander
  • Ginger

For the hot and sour dressing:

  • 1 red shallot
  • Finely sliced red chilli
  • 1/2 tbs tamarind pulp
  • 10 ml ginger juice
  • 30 ml light soy sauce
  • 30 ml lime juice
  • Few drops oyster sauce
  • 1 tbs brown sugar
  • 1 tbs fish sauce

METHOD

  1. Mix all the ingredients and pour over beef to marinate for a minute or two
  2. Place a little beef salad on the betel leaf, sprinkle with fried shallots, chopped peanuts, finely sliced carrot cucumber or any other vegetables of your choice.

Tomasz’s tip: This is always a winner in hot Queensland weather as it’s light and refreshing.

 

Ash Martin – Homage (Spicers Hidden Vale)

INGREDIENTSTraditional fried croquette with glass of beer on a wooden table.

  • 75g butter
  • 75g plain flour
  • 500ml milk
  • 100 finely grated parmesan
  • 200g of glazed baked ham finely chopped
  • 4 eggs whisked
  • 250ml milk
  • 300g dried breadcrumbs
  • Vegetable oil to shallow fry

METHOD

  1. Melt butter in a saucepan over slow heat. Once melted add flour
    mixing with wooden spoon. Slowly whisk in milk.
  2. Put back on the heat and slowly cook for 5-10 minutes until thick then add parmesan
  3. Let cool for 10 minutes then add in the ham
  4. Chill for 4 hours until firm then cut or roll into small rounds
  5. In a bowl mix eggs and milk together then in another bowl add the bread crumbs
  6. Drop each piece into the egg mix and then into the bread crumbs
  7. Shallow fry at 180°C and serve with mustard