Get your canapés on!

can·a·pé [noun] a small, prepared and usually decorative food, held in the fingers and often eaten in one bite.

Whether it’s a quick drop-in informal party or an organized festive affair, tis the season! What ‘cha cooking? Looking for something a little different to serve up this season?

We asked Owner/Chef John Paul Adamo of Hockley Valley Resort for two – quick, sure-to-please apps. He shared two of his favourites from his signature restaurant cabin.

Our Criteria:

1) easy to prepare, no fancy schmancy kitchen tools requiring a kitchen brigade to prepare

2) fun, no stress and a pleasure to plate and serve, and

3) hearing “..can I have that recipe before I leave tonight?” would be a bonus…
Bon appetite!

Tuna Crudo Crostini

Serves 12-14

Ingredients:

• 8 oz sashimi grade raw albacore tuna loin – cubed
• ½ bunch chopped chives
• 1 minced shallot
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ small bunch picked chervil
• 1 serrano chili or similar minced
• 1 large lemon, juiced
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ small cucumber peeled, seeded and small diced
• 1-2 oz + more if needed of good quality extra virgin olive oil
• 1 oz harissa or red pepper paste
• Salt & Cracked fresh pepper to taste
• 1 Baguette sliced into crostini – baked and rubbed with raw garlic

Method:

Slice baguette, brush with olive oil and toast – rub with garlic clove once bread comes out of the oven and set aside.
Combine all ingredients into a chilled bowl 10 minutes before serving make sure you reserve some chives for garnish.
Spoon tuna mixture onto garlic crostini, platter and sprinkle with chives – Serve.

Zucchini Frittelle

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

• 4 Organic Free Run Eggs
• 1 ½ cups – All purpose flour + more as needed
• 2+ fl oz – Sheldon Creek Milk (or other whole organic milk)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• ¼ cup – grated parmigiano cheese or more as desired
• 2 tbsp. & 1 tsp – Baking Powder
• ½ bunch – Chopped Chives *1 small/med Zucchini – grated on a box grater
• 1 onion – minced
• 1 clove garlic – minced
• ½ – 1 oz White wine – as needed

Fryer or pot of Canola oil for frying – 350F

Tip: Fresh chopped mint can be added to this batter as an alternate to chives, as it’s a wonderful combination with zucchini.

Method:

• In a heavy bottomed pan sweat off onions and zucchini being sure to take out as much moisture as possible.
• Add garlic and continue to cook out – deglaze with white wine and season with salt and pepper – empty zucchini mixture onto a toweled tray and set in your fridge to cool.
• In a bowl, crack eggs and whisk with milk, fresh cracked pepper, grated parmigiano cheese and chopped chives – add cooled zucchini to egg mixture.
• Combine flour, a pinch of salt and baking powder.
• Add wet ingredients to the dry and fully incorporate – do not over mix – mixture should be thick enough to spoon into fryer.
• Using a wet tablespoon – spoon out a small amount of batter into fryer – fry one (test) frittelle until golden brown and center is cooked – taste and adjust seasoning.

*Finish frittelle with freshly grated Parmigiano or a Monforte Toscano – and serve while still hot.