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.