+ Other recipes are split between preparation time and cooking/baking time. So the prep time is the hands on time and the rest of the time whilst the dish is in the oven is free time!
+ Some recipes are super-fast and others have an element to them which is faster than the usual way of prepping or cooking the dish.
+ The equipment list is not exhaustive but a guide to the main pieces of kitchen equipment you will need to prepare the dish. Everyday smaller utensils required are not included in the list.
+ If you have any cooking questions, please do Tweet me @lorrainepascale. I receive lots of Tweets and cannot guarantee to answer to every one, but I will do my best!
‘Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.’ Plato
I would love to profess that friends drop by unexpectedly, so I have to rustle something up quickly for an impromptu feast, but the reality is that never really happens. What does tend to happen is that, in true Lorraine Pascale style, I am always rushing around, slightly disorganised and with the clock ticking away, having known for weeks that some people are coming round and always leaving it to the very last minute to get everything together! These simple canapés (and of course cocktails) are the perfect solution to this modern-day madness of rush, rush, rush. So easy to prepare and super-tasty too, with that ever-important ‘wow’ factor on the plate.
Canapés + cocktails
Crispy, crunchy chicken strips with honey mustard dip
Crunchy black pepper halloumi dip sticks with harissa hummus
These really easy canapés have saved the day, not only when (in the very rare event) people drop by my house unannounced, but also when I fancy a quick snack of an evening. It is great to get creative with these: see what is in your cupboard and fridge, throw some ingredients together and experiment! I have used the oven to crisp up the crostini, but they can be put in the toaster or under the grill to get the same effect. If you crisp them up first, they won’t need as much time to cook.
Time from start to finish: 20 minutes
Makes: 24
Equipment: Large baking sheet, 3 small bowls
Crostini bases
1 French baguette
Extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
Tomato, basil & mint
2 large ripe tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
Small handful of fresh basil and mint leaves
Pinch of sugar (optional)
White bean, prosciutto & rocket
100g tinned cannellini beans
2 slices of prosciutto
Small handful of wild rocket
Goat’s cheese, figs & mint with balsamic drizzle
100g soft goat’s cheese
2 fresh figs
Small handful of small fresh mint leaves
Drizzle of balsamic vinegar
1 squidge of honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
+ Preheat the oven to 190°C, (fan 170°C), 375°F, Gas Mark 5.
+ Trim the ends off the baguette and cut it into 24 diagonal slices, about 2cm thick. Place on a large baking sheet, drizzle with oil and bake for 7–8 minutes.
+ In the meantime, prepare the toppings.
+ For the tomato one, roughly chop the tomatoes and place in a small bowl. Drizzle a little oil over, rip up the basil and mint leaves and add them along with salt, pepper and sugar to taste. Toss everything together.
+ Then, for the white bean topping, put the cannellini beans in a small bowl, add a good drizzle of oil, season with salt and pepper and then mash roughly with a fork. Cut the slices of prosciutto in half.
+ Finally, for the goat’s cheese crostini, mash the goat’s cheese with a fork in a small bowl and season, then cut the figs into eighths.
+ Remove the crostini from the oven. They should be just crisp. Cut the garlic clove in half and rub the cut edge all over their tops.
+ Now, to assemble, simply spoon the tomato mixture onto eight of the crostini. Arrange the rocket on eight more, dollop the crushed beans on top, then lightly scrunch up the prosciutto and arrange on top of each one. Finally, spread the goat’s cheese over the remaining eight crostini, arrange a couple of pieces of fig on top of each, scatter the mint leaves over and drizzle with a little balsamic and honey.
+ Arrange the crostini on a large serving platter or cake stand and serve.
Crispy, crunchy chicken strips with honey mustard dip
Being a tactile person at heart, eating food with my fingers is pure luxury for me. I have a favourite surf-and-turf restaurant I frequent with the family and I regularly order their crispy chicken tenders for a starter. The piquant honey mustard dip has me getting right on in there with a spoon and eating up every last morsel.