The only thing better than lots of wonderful food is lots of wonderful food in miniature, because that way, you get to experience more of it without becoming full too quickly. Although, if you are anything like me, you have a tendency to seriously overindulge with smaller bites, but that’s the beauty of it!
In my catering days, canapés and little bites were a popular request, especially in summer and at Christmas time. Creating eight to ten types of little bites for sometimes up to a hundred people can be fairly stressful, but I always created my menus to ensure the work wasn’t too laborious, so that much of the prep could be done in advance. I devised recipes that had maximum flavour but took minimum effort to make, to create an achievable yet impressive spread for any event. Flavour is always key for me – I place less emphasis on visual perfection, as a little sprinkle of sumac or a flourish of fresh herbs can improve the appearance of many dishes and, of course, sometimes simplicity itself holds much beauty.
The following recipes are perfect for informal get-togethers with drinks, watching the football on TV with friends or a night in with a really good movie and a loved one. Sometimes I prefer little bites to an actual full-blown meal, especially if movie-watching or cocktails are involved. You can make a whole variety of options or use my suggested menu (see next page), or simplify things and just choose one or two of your favourite recipes.
A LITTLE BITES FEAST
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MENU
Sweet & spicy pineapple chicken
Turkey cucumber cups
Chicken & barberry koftas with sticky preserved lemon
Prawn, pistachio & za’atar fritters
Edamame, roasted chilli, marjoram & labneh bruschetta
Accompaniment:
Greek yogurt with harissa and lime juice
SWEET & SPICY PINEAPPLE CHICKEN
MAKES APPROXIMATELY 24
500–600g ready-cooked free-range chicken
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
finely grated zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lime
50g rose harissa
75ml clear honey, plus extra to taste
2 long banana shallots, very finely chopped
1 small packet (about 30g) of fresh coriander, leaves and stems finely chopped
1 large pineapple
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
TO GARNISH
nigella seeds
24 coriander leaves or 2 handfuls of coriander cress
Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan), Gas Mark 7.
Discard any skin, fat and bones from the chicken. Shred all the meat as finely as possible.
Combine the shredded chicken in a mixing bowl with the ground coriander, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, lime zest and juice, harissa, honey, shallots and fresh coriander and mix well for a couple of minutes. (Mixing it for this length of time will pulverize the flavours into the chicken and really bring it to life.) Season with salt and pepper to taste and, if desired, add a little more honey to balance the chilli heat.
Peel the pineapple and cut it into 3cm squares, about 1cm thick. Carefully pile a generous amount of the chicken mixture on to each pineapple square, then garnish with some nigella seeds and a coriander leaf or some coriander cress. Serve as they are or speared on cocktail sticks for easy pick-up.
TIP
Try using a whole chicken and double the quantities of the remaining ingredients to make a filling for tacos or wraps or to go inside a puff pastry case, or even to serve with salad as a main meal.
TURKEY CUCUMBER CUPS
MAKES APPROXIMATELY 12
1 large cucumber (about 30cm long), trimmed
250g cooked turkey breast, finely chopped
2 heaped tablespoons mayonnaise
zest of 1 lime
juice of ½ lime
10g tarragon leaves, very finely chopped
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons sumac
2 teaspoons nigella seeds
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
handful of pomegranate seeds, to garnish
Cut the trimmed cucumber into 6 sections, then cut through the centre of each of these sections to halve them, leaving you with 12 equal sections, each about 2.5cm long. Lay the slices on a board or platter and, using a teaspoon, gently scoop out a few of the seeds on each piece to make a small, gentle curve (not a hole) on which to lay the turkey filling.
Put the turkey into a mixing bowl and add the mayonnaise, lime zest and juice, tarragon, cayenne pepper, sumac and nigella seeds and season generously with salt and pepper. Using your hands, pummel the mixture to a smooth, paste-like consistency.
Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions, then roll each portion neatly into a ball. Place each ball on top of a cucumber slice, sitting it neatly in the depression you made in the cucumber, and garnish with a single pomegranate seed.
SWEETCORN & SESAME FRITTERS
MAKES 16–20
2 fresh corn cobs
vegetable oil, for frying
6 spring onions, thinly sliced from root to tip
2 fat garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 heaped tablespoon sumac
1 heaped tablespoon pul biber chilli flakes
finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lime
1 egg
4 tablespoons plain flour
1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
sweet chilli sauce, to serve
Cook the corn cobs in boiling water for about 10 minutes, or until cooked. Remove with a slotted spoon and, when cool enough to handle, hold the cob upright on a chopping board and use a knife to cut the kernels off the cobs.
Pour enough oil into a large, deep frying saucepan to fill it to a depth of 5cm. Heat the oil over a medium heat. Line a plate with a double layer of kitchen paper.
Put the corn kernels into a large mixing bowl. Add the spring onion (reserving a handful for a garnish), garlic, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, sumac, pul biber, lime zest, egg, flour and baking powder. Season generously with salt and pepper and mix well. The mixture should just be wet enough for you to scoop up heaped teaspoonfuls without it falling off the spoon.
Take a pinch of the mixture and drop it into the oil to test how hot it is – if the mixture sizzles immediately, your oil is hot enough. Carefully add teaspoonfuls of the mixture into the oil and fry for 2 minutes on each side, until deep golden brown. Using a metal slotted spoon, transfer to the paper-lined plate to drain excess oil. Transfer to a serving plate, garnish with the reserved spring onion and serve hot with sweet chilli sauce.
BUTTERNUT, FETA & HARISSA FRITTERS
MAKES 24
1.25kg butternut squash, quartered and deseeded
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons rose harissa
2 heaped teaspoons ground cinnamon
200g feta cheese, crumbled
75g plain flour
50ml double cream
1 small packet (about 30g) flat leaf parsley, leaves and stems finely chopped, plus extra to garnish
vegetable oil, for frying
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan), Gas Mark 7.
Put the butternut squash quarters into a roasting tin and roast for 35–40 minutes, until soft. Carefully scoop out the hot flesh from the skins into a large bowl and mash it with a fork until it is smooth with no lumps. Leave to cool.
Add the egg yolks, harissa, cinnamon, feta, flour, cream, parsley and generous seasoning of salt
and pepper to the mashed squash and mix well. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes, to make it easier to shape the croquettes.
Scoop out a dessertspoonful of the mixture and pat the mixture with another spoon to make a rough quenelle. Repeat until all the mixture is used up. (Alternatively, simply use your hands to roll the mixture into bite-sized croquette shapes.) You can either cook them immediately or transfer them to a tray and refrigerate until you are ready to cook.
Pour enough oil into a large frying pan or saucepan to fill the pan to a depth of about 2.5cm and heat over a medium-high heat. Line a plate with a double layer of kitchen paper.
Pinch off a bit of the mixture from 1 quenelle and drop it into the oil to test how hot it is – if the mixture sizzles immediately, your oil is hot enough. Carefully immerse the quenelles in the hot oil (in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan) and fry for 1–2 minutes, turning after 1 minute or so to ensure they are a deep golden brown on both sides. Reduce the heat if they colour too quickly or start to blacken. Use a metal slotted spoon to transfer them to the paper-lined plate to drain excess oil, then scatter with chopped parsley and salt flakes and serve warm.
TIP
Serve these hot with a natural yogurt dip seasoned with finely chopped fresh herbs.
GOLDEN GOATS’ CHEESE BALLS
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with an orange, honey & pul biber dip
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MAKES 12
1½ tablespoons plain flour
3–4 good handfuls of fine, dried, natural breadcrumbs (not golden)
1 egg
250g rindless goats’ cheese
vegetable oil, for frying
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE DIP
4 tablespoons clear honey
finely grated zest of 2 unwaxed oranges
juice of ½ orange
1 heaped teaspoon pul biber chilli flakes
To make the dip, combine the ingredients in a small bowl, mix well, and season with salt to taste. Set aside.
Lay out a sheet of kitchen foil or baking paper on your work surface. Line a large freezer-proof plastic tub or tray with kitchen foil or baking paper. Spread the flour on a shallow dish, and the breadcrumbs on another. Break the egg into a bowl and beat it well.
Remove the goats’ cheese from the fridge just before you need it. Divide it into 12 equal portions and roll each of these into a neat, smooth ball, laying it on the kitchen foil or baking paper once rolled. Dip each ball into the flour, then roll it carefully in the beaten egg, then in the breadcrumbs to coat it. Repeat the egg and breadcrumb stages to give each ball a thick double coating. Transfer each coated ball to the prepared plastic tub or tray as you go. Freeze the balls for 30 minutes to firm them up before frying.
Pour enough oil into a large, deep saucepan to fill it to a depth of 2.5cm and heat it over a medium-high heat. Line a plate with a double layer of kitchen paper.
When the oil is hot, carefully add the balls (in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan) and fry for about 1 minute, turning halfway through the cooking time, until nicely golden all over. Using a metal slotted spoon, transfer to the paper-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
Sprinkle with salt flakes and pepper and serve with the dip.
CHICKEN & BARBERRY KOFTAS
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with sticky preserved lemon
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MAKES 20–24
500g minced chicken (preferably skinless thigh meat)
3 tablespoons barberries
1 large onion, very finely chopped
1 large egg
50g pine nuts
1 small packet (about 30g) flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
3 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
vegetable oil, for frying
FOR THE SAUCE
6–8 preserved lemons, deseeded
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus an extra 1 tablespoon if needed
knob of butter (optional)
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
Using a stick blender or mini food processor, blitz all the sauce ingredients except the butter to a paste, making it as smooth as possible – add more olive oil, if needed, to keep the sauce smooth. Pour the sauce into a small saucepan and set over a medium-low heat. Leave the sauce to heat up, ready for the koftas as soon as they are cooked.
To make the koftas, put all the ingredients except the oil into a large mixing bowl. Combine using your hands, working the mixture for several minutes until it becomes a smooth, even paste. Shape the koftas into 4cm rounds, then elongate them slightly in the curve of your palm into thumb-width sausages. (If the mixture is too wet to shape in your hands, pass spoonfuls of the mixture between 2 dessertspoons to form quenelles.)
Drizzle enough vegetable oil into a heavy-based frying pan to coat the base and set the pan over medium-low heat. Add the koftas (in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan) and fry for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally. You want to cook them slowly – reduce the heat if they start to colour too quickly or start to blacken. The koftas are cooked when they are golden brown all over and firm to the touch – if you can pierce them with your finger easily then continue to fry for a few more minutes.
The easiest way to glaze the koftas is to increase the temperature of the pan they are in (if you have fried them in batches, add them all to the pan) and immediately pour in the sauce. Toss gently until heated through, then add a knob of butter for a glossy finish if you like. Serve immediately with skewers or cocktail sticks.
PRAWN, PISTACHIO & ZA’ATAR FRITTERS
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with harissa yogurt
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MAKES APPROXIMATELY 12
vegetable oil, for frying
180g raw peeled prawns
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons za’atar
finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lime
juice of ½ lime
½ small packet (about 15g) fresh coriander, finely chopped
2 tablespoons plain flour
2 heaped tablespoons pistachio nuts
½ teaspoon baking powder
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE HARISSA YOGURT
150g Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon harissa
good squeeze of lime juice, to taste
Pour enough oil into a large, deep frying pan to fill it to a depth of 2.5cm. Heat the oil over a medium heat. Line a plate with a double layer of kitchen paper.
Put the prawns, garlic, za’atar, lime zest and juice, coriander, flour, pistachios and baking powder into a food processor and season generously with salt and pepper. Pulse for 1 second, then repeat several times until the mixture is broken down and evenly combined, ensuring you don’t over-process – you want the mixture to be textured, with small but intact pieces of prawn and pistachio. (Alternatively, chop down the prawns and pistachios quite finely by hand and combine with the other ingredients.)
Take a pinch of the mixture and drop it into the oil to test how hot it is – if the mixture sizzles immediately, your oil is hot enough. Scoop out a rather generous teaspoonful of the mixture with a metal teaspoon and pat the mixture with another spoon to make a rough quenelle. Use the other spoon to push the quenelle carefully into the hot oil. Repeat until all the mixture is used up. Fry for 2 minutes on each side, until the fritters are deep golden brown. Using a metal slotted spoon, transfer to the paper-lined plate to drain excess oil.
To make the dip, mix the yogurt with the harissa, lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Serve it alongside the hot fritters.
YELLOW SPLIT PEA FALAFELS
MAKES 24
150g yellow split peas
½ small packet (about 15g) flat leaf
parsley, leaves and stems finely chopped
2 fat garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg
1 small onion, very finely chopped
plain flour
vegetable oil, for frying
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE TAHINI-YOGURT DIP
150ml Greek-style yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini
good squeeze of lemon juice
1 fat garlic clove, crushed
Cook the yellow split peas in boiling water for about 30 minutes or until cooked and mashable. Drain, then rinse under cold running water to cool them. Leave to drain and dry as much as possible – you don’t want too much extra moisture going into the mixture.
Put the cooled yellow split peas into a food processor, add the parsley, garlic, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, egg and onion, then season with salt and pepper. Blitz until the mixture forms a thick paste. If it looks very wet, add a little flour and blitz again.
Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl, season generously with salt and pepper and mix well. Stir in 1 tablespoon cold water at a time until the mixture has the consistency of double cream.
Pour enough oil into a large, deep saucepan to fill it to a depth of 5cm and heat the oil over a medium-high heat. Line a plate with a double layer of kitchen paper.
Pinch off a bit of the mixture and drop it into the oil to test how hot it is – if the mixture sizzles immediately, your oil is hot enough. Scoop up a tablespoonful of the pea mixture and roll it between your hands into a smooth ball. Pinch each end to a point to create a classic falafel shape. Carefully immerse the coated falafel into the hot oil. Repeat with the remaining yellow split pea mixture. Fry the falafels (in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan) for about 8 minutes, until deeply golden brown. Transfer to the paper-lined plate to drain excess oil. Serve hot with the tahini-yogurt dip.
EDAMAME, ROASTED CHILLI, MARJORAM & LABNEH BRUSCHETTA
Feasts- Little Bites Page 1
