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7 appetizers to impress your guests

7 appetizers to impress your guests

During the Holidays we love finding delicious recipes to impress our guests.  A cook’s reward is the smile on their guests’ faces!

We suggest recipes of 7 delicious appetizers that easy to make, and made from ingredients that you know!

Brie and cranberry croutons

Servings: 12 croutons
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 14 minutes

Ingredients

  • 375 ml (1 1/2 cups) fresh cranberries
  • 125 ml (1/2 cup) orange juice
  • 30 ml (2 tbsp.) honey
  • 5 ml (1 tsp.) mild smoked paprika
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 baguette of ciabatta bread
  • 30 ml (2 tbsp.) olive oil
  • 100 g (3 1/2 oz) brie, cut into twelve slices

Steps

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
  • In a saucepan, place the cranberries, orange juice, honey and paprika. Salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until the consistency of compote is obtained. Remove from heat and let cool.
  • Meanwhile, cut the baguette into twelve slices. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with olive oil. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Place a slice of brie on each slice of bread. Garnish with cranberry compote. Continue cooking in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes, until the Brie begins to melt.

Bagel crackers with beet hummus and avocado

Servings: 12 crackers
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: none

Ingredients

  • 2 avocados
  • 12 sesame bagel crackers
  • 227 g roasted beet humus

Steps

  • Finely chop the avocados.
  • Spread sesame bagel crackers with humus. Garnish with avocado slices.

Crispy bites with salmon tartare, strawberries, and goat cheese

Servings: 12 bites
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 2 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 frozen egg roll sheets, thawed
  • 250 ml (1 cup) canola oil
  • 50 g (1 3/4 oz) creamy goat cheese
  • 45 ml (3 tablespoons) 15% country cream
  • 15 ml (1 tablespoon) lime zest
  • 5 ml (1 teaspoon) of honey
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 200 g (about 1/2 lb) very fresh salmon fillet, skin removed
  • 4 strawberries
  • 1/4 red onion
  • 30 ml (2 tbsp.) olive oil
  • 15 ml (1 tablespoon) lime juice
  • 30 ml (2 tbsp.) chopped dill
  • 1 container of micro sprouts of your choice of 30 g
  • 30 ml (2 tablespoons) chopped chives

Steps

  • Cut each sheet of pastry into four squares.
  • In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Cook a few squares of dough at a time, 15 seconds on each side. Drain on paper towels.
  • In a bowl, place the goat cheese, cream, zests and honey. Salt and pepper. Using the hand blender, emulsify the preparation.
  • Finely dice the salmon, strawberries, and red onion.
  • In another bowl, mix the olive oil with the lime juice and the dill. Salt and pepper. Add salmon, strawberries, and red onion. Stir gently.
  • On each square of dough, pour a little sauce. Garnish with salmon tartare, micro sprouts, and chives.

Potato pockets with brie and fresh basil

Servings: 12 pouches
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 large white potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
  • 5 ml (1 tsp) dried basil
  • Salt and ground pepper to taste
  • 125 g (about 1/4 lb) brie, cut into 12 dice about 1.5 cm (1/2 in.)
  • 12 basil leaves

Steps

  • In a pot of boiling water, cook the potatoes until tender, then discard the cooking water.
  • Mash the potatoes, then stir in the garlic, dried basil, salt and freshly ground pepper. To book.
  • Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Oil or butter a baking sheet.
  • With the potato mixture, form 12 balls of about 6 cm (2 1/2 in.).
  • Wrap 1 basil leaf around each of the brie cubes. Insert a Brie cube in the center of each potato ball, then close the balls tightly.
  • Place the pockets on the baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, turning the pockets over halfway through cooking. Cooking time may vary depending on the size of the balls.

Honey and sesame cocktail sausages

Servings: 24 sausages
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 8 minutes

Ingredients

  • 60 ml (1/4 cup) light soy sauce
  • 60 ml (1/4 cup) honey
  • 15 ml (1 tbsp.) chopped ginger
  • 5 ml (1 tsp) minced garlic
  • 5 ml (1/2 tsp) cracked pepper
  • 1 package of cocktail sausages of 225 g
  • 15 ml (1 tbsp.) sesame seeds (optional)

Steps

  • In a saucepan, bring the soy sauce to a boil with the honey, ginger, garlic, and pepper. Let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat.
  • Add the sausages and stir to coat them well with the sauce. Cover and simmer over low heat for 6 to 8 minutes.
  • If desired, sprinkle with sesame seeds. Transfer the sausages to a serving bowl. Serve with skewers or toothpicks.

Rosette de Lyon Canapés

Servings: 12 canapés
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: none

Ingredients

  • 1 container of creamy goat cheese (Chèvre des Alpes type), 150 g
  • 30 ml (2 tbsp.) chopped chives
  • 30 ml (2 tbsp.) chopped dried cranberries
  • 15 ml (1 tbsp.) chopped sweet pickles
  • 1 rosette de Lyon (dry sausage) about 175 g
  • 12 crackers
  • 1 100 g container of Dijon microgreens (Vertigo type)

Steps

  • In a bowl, mix the goat cheese with the chives, dried cranberries and pickles.
  • Cut 12 thin slices of rosette de Lyon. Form a small roll with each of the slices.
  • Spread the crackers with the goat cheese filling. Garnish each canapé with a roll of rosette de Lyon and a few micro sprouts.

Shrimp crostini

Servings: 12 crostini
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 8 minutes

Ingredients

  • 12 slices of baguette bread
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 30 ml (2 tbsp.) olive oil

For garnish:

  • 30 ml (2 tbsp.) Thai spicy chili sauce (Thai Kitchen type)
  • 30 ml (2 tbsp.) chopped parsley
  • 15 ml (1 tbsp.) Dijon mustard
  • 15 ml (1 tbsp.) honey
  • 250 g small shrimp (size 80/90) cooked and peeled
  • 1 chopped green onion

Steps

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
  • Rub both sides of the bread slices with the garlic clove. Place on a baking sheet and brush with oil.
  • Grill in the oven for 4 minutes on each side. Remove from oven and let cool.
  • In a bowl, mix the Thai chili sauce with the parsley, Dijon mustard and honey. Stir in shrimp and green onion. Book cool.
  • Just before serving, garnish the croutons with the shrimp preparation.

Jackie Beaudoin, Leclerc Insurance and Financial Services
Source :  Pratico Pratiques