Catherine Fulvio’s Top 3 Canapés

With the festive entertainment season in full swing, keep your guests happy with Siúcra & Catherine Fulvio’s top 3 canapé recipes. 

Beef Negimaki with Chilli Dip

Makes 12 small rounds

Ingredients:

• For the marinade
• 4 tbsp. Siúcra Rich Brown Sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2cm ginger, grated
• 1 tbsp. mirin or sherry
• 4 tbsp water
• 300g striploin beef, sliced thinly
• 3 spring onions, finely sliced lengthways
• 1½ yellow peppers, thinly sliced

For the dip:

• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• ½ yellow pepper, finely chopped
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• A fine grating of fresh ginger
• 2 limes, juice only
• 3 tbsp. Siúcra Caster Sugar
• 4 mint leaves, shredded
• 100ml water
• Mint sprigs, to garnish

Method:

To prepare the dipping sauce:

1. Heat a saucepan with a little oil, add the chilli, yellow pepper and shallots and sauté lightly without browning.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.
3. Remove from the heat and add the lime juice, stir in the sugar and mint leaves.
4. Stir until the Siúcra sugar has melted, then set aside.

To prepare the marinade:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl

To prepare the rolls:

1. Lay the beef between plastic wrap on a flat surface and flat out until thin. Place the yellow pepper and spring onion lengthways on the beef.
2. Roll up and tie with string at intervals. Carefully place in a shallow tray and pour over the marinade. Leave for about 30 minutes.
3. Drain and heat a large frying pan.
4. Fry for about 2 minutes on each side. Keep warm and allow them to rest for 3 minutes.
5. Slice into 4cm disks, cut off the string and secure with a cocktail stick. Arrange upright on a platter and serve with the dipping sauce. Garnish with mint sprigs.
6. Serve warm.

Mini Prawns Skewers with Lemon Chilli Dip

Makes 12 mini skewers

Ingredients:

• 24 raw prawns, deveined
• 2 lemons, halved and sliced thinly

For the spicy dip:

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• 3 tbsp. Siúcra Caster Sugar
• 1 lemon, juice and zest
• 100ml water
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Lemon wedges, to serve
• Soak wooden skewers in water to prevent them burning

Method:

1. To prepare the dip, heat the butter and oil in a saucepan and add the red chilli, spring onion and sugar.
2. Sauté for about 3 minutes before adding the lemon juice and water and simmer for a further 2 minutes.
3. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper. Leave to cool.
4. To cook the prawn skewers, thread prawns and lemon slices onto the skewers.
5. Brush the skewers with oil.
6. Preheat a chargrill pan and grill until cooked on each side.
7. Arrange on a platter, drizzle a little of the dipping sauce over.

Mini Christmas Cranberry Crackers

Makes 12 crackers

Ingredients:

• 4 sheets filo pastry
• 60g melted butter

For the coulis:

• 100g fresh or frozen cranberries
• 50g raspberries
• 60g Siúcra Granulated Sugar

For the filling:

• 150g dried cranberries, soaked in 100ml orange juice for 10 minutes.
• 50g Siúcra Granulated Sugar
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 orange, zest only
• Siúcra Icing Sugar, to dust
• Siúcra Roll Out Icing, for holly leaves
• Green colouring (optional)
• 150ml cream, to serve
• 4 tbsp. Siúcra Icing Sugar
• String, for tying

Method:

1. To prepare the coulis, place all the ingredients into a sauce and bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool before blending until smooth.
2. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Line 2 baking trays with parchment.
3. To prepare the crackers, divide the pastry into 2 sheets and stick together with melted butter.
4. Cut the filo pastry with a pizza cutter or clean pair of scissors into 6 equal rectangles and do the same with the other sheet. Cover with a damp tea towel while shaping the crackers.
5. Drain the cranberries and combine with the sugar, cinnamon and orange zest.
6. Brush each rectangle with butter, spoon in some filling and roll into a cracker shape, sealing the edge with butter. Tie each end with string.
7. Place on the baking tray and repeat until all finished.
8. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes until golden.
9. To shape the leaves for decorating, colour the roll out icing if you are using green colour paste. Now roll out on a clean surface that is lightly dusted with icing sugar, cut 3 leaves for each cracker.
10. Once the crackers are cool, dust with icing sugar and place 3 leaves on each cracker.
11. For the cream, whip the cream and sugar lightly until soft peaks form.
12. To serve, snip the string off the crackers, dust with icing sugar and serve with the coulis and cream