Four tastebud-tingling hors d’oeuvres to master in time for the party season
1. Miso Devilled Eggs (makes 24)
Peel 12 cool, hard-boiled eggs and slice each one in half vertically. Use a teaspoon to scoop the yolks out and push them through a fine sieve into a bowl to create a smooth paste. Add 150g mayonnaise, 1 tbsp white miso paste, 1 tsp Dijon mustard and a splash of white wine vinegar. Stir to combine, use 2 teaspoons to spoon the mixture back into the eggs and top with bacon or a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds.
2. Prosciutto-wrapped Dates with Blue Cheese (makes 18)
Preheat the oven to 180c/gas mark 5 and line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Slice 18 fat Medjool dates in half, fill each half with blue cheese of your choice (Dolcelatte, Gorgonzola or Roquefort all work well), squidge the dates back together and wrap each one in prosciutto. Bake for around 12-15 minutes until caramelised and allow to cool down a bit before spearing each one with a cocktail stick and serving warm or at room temperature.
3. Mini Prawn Poppadoms (makes 20)
Heat a drizzle of vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan or wok. Add 200g raw, peeled king prawns and stir-fry for a couple of minutes before adding 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce or mango chutney and 3-4 finely-sliced spring onions to the pan. Continue to stir-fry for around a minute, then remove the pan from the heat. Arrange 20 mini poppadoms (you’ll find them in amongst the ‘crisps’ section in the supermarket) on a serving plate, sprinkle a little finely-shredded lettuce into each one then top with the prawn mixture. Top each one with a coriander leaf and spritz with fresh lime juice just before serving.
4. Mini Potato Rarebits (makes approx. 25)
Preheat the oven to 190c/gas mark 5. Tumble 500g baby potatoes onto a roasting tray, drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, season well and roast for around 50 minutes (tossing occasionally) until crisp and golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Meanwhile, put 140g mature Cheddar cheese (grated), 50ml whole milk (or beer!), 1 tsp English mustard, 1 egg yolk and a splash of Worcestershire Sauce into a food processor and blitz until combined. Preheat the grill to medium-high, slice each roast potato in half lengthways and spread around 1 tsp of rarebit mixture on top of each half. Grill for around 2-3 minutes until golden and bubbling and serve warm, sprinkled with freshly-snipped chives.
