Christmas Canapés

We recently had our new Lacanche Chalonnais range cooker installed in the Westlock kitchen in our Felsted showroom. As well as the traditional simmer plate and gas burners on the top, we also have an electric plancha so in honour of its arrival, we thought we should try it out.

We made these super easy blinis using this recipe and then cooked them on the plancha which we wiped over with a little olive oil on a paper towel. We topped them with smoked salmon and some dill and mustard mayo and freshly chopped chives. The recipe for the blinis made quite a few so we cooked them all and then froze the remainder to use at a later date.

I learnt to make these wild mushroom crostini from the chef at Manicomio in Duke of York Square. They are so easy and so delicious. To make them melt a big knob of butter (this is the best butter for cooking) and gently fry some finely diced onion. Once the onion is translucent add the garlic and the mushrooms – I like to use wild mushrooms but this works just as well with chestnut mushrooms if that’s what you’ve got in the fridge. Turn up the heat and then splash in some white wine. Let the wine evaporate – your kitchen will smell amazing. Remove from the heat and stir in finely grated parmesan – add as much as you like. Next add salt and pepper and some fresh parsley. Pile onto warm slices of ciabatta and serve straightaway. Great as a canapé but also as a quick lunch.

These garlic and tarragon scallops are the BEST! And they are so easy too. Melt some butter in a pan add some crushed garlic and then the scallops. If the scallops are damp be sure to dry them off before you add to the pan. The scallops only need a minute each side if they are this size above, or a minute and a half if bigger. You can add a little white wine if you like, or leave with just the butter and garlic. Add some sliced tarragon at the end and season with salt and pepper.

And of course, all canapés must be served with champagne… enjoy!