New Year’s Eve and A Trio of Appetisers from the Lavender and Lovage Kitchen!

New Year’s Eve

and

A Trio of Appetisers

from the

Lavender and Lovage Kitchen!

Happy New Year!

Bonne Annee!

Happy Hogmanay!

Wee Whisky Doused Hogmanay Dundee Cakes

Is it really the end of 2011? At the risk of sounding like my granny, this year seems to have flown by and I really cannot believe that we are in the twelfth year of the new millennium……I would like to wish you a VERY Happy New Year and I hope that 2012 is a happy, peaceful and healthy year for all of you. I am in a rush, as usual, and so I will leave you with a Trio of Appetiser recipes now, whilst I rush off and “scrub up” for the festivities ahead……we are bringing in the New Year with friends and I need to get a move on as I am still in Post Christmas Sloth mood……..See you NEXT year, as my dad always says to me at this time of year!

Have fun and see you in 2012!

Karen

A Trio of Appetisers

from the

Lavender and Lovage Kitchen!

Little Smoked Salmon Cucumber Cups With Peppered Crème Fraîche

Mini Cheese and Olive Welsh Rarebit Bites for Festive Frolics!

Oooh La La! French Savoury Ham, Cheese and Olive Cake

RECIPES:

Little Smoked Salmon Cucumber Cups With Peppered Creme Fraiche

Delightful and EASY little smoked salmon and cucumber appetisers, and healthy too, with NO pastry! These are a breeze to make but they tick all the taste boxes, as well as being elegant. Cucumbers do vary in size, and I have suggested a medium cucumber, which is about 10″ to 12″ long………however, any size will do!! Adjust the crème fraîche to how many cups you yield from a cucumber, I managed to make 30 cups and used 10 tablespoons of crème fraîche for that amount, 1 teaspoon per cup. Serve these with cocktails and pre-dinner drinks, or as part of a buffet. The cucumber cups and crème fraîche can be prepared beforehand, but these should only be assembled 1 hour before serving (at the most) and covered in cling film to ensure the smoked salmon does not dry out. Allow 2 to 4 per person, depending on what else is served.

Ingredients:

1 medium cucumber, cut into 1-inch slices
10 tablespoons creme fraiche
zest of one large lemon
fresh ground black pepper, to taste (about 2 teaspoons)
225 g smoked salmon (8 ozs)
salt (optional)
lemon slices, to garnish (optional)
dill (optional) or parsley, to garnish (optional)

Directions:

Cut the cucumber into 1 1/2 inch slices, and carefully hollow out the centre (with any seeds) with a pointed teaspoon, so you are left with a shallow hollow.
Mix the lemon zest and black pepper with the crème fraiche and adjust seasoning to taste, adding the black pepper bit by bit to ensure a favourable taste! (We like ours quite peppery!) I have not suggested salt as the smoked salmon is salty, but do add salt to taste if you wish.
Spoon a little seasoned crème fraiche into each cucumber cup, about 1 teaspoon per cup.

Cut the smoked salmon into 6-inch long strips and about 1/2 inch wide, and curl them around to make a little circle, then place the circle of smoked salmon on top of the crème fraiche.
Garnish with lemon slices if you wish, or with dill or parsley. Makes about 30 according to size of cucumber.
You can prepare the cucumber cups and crème fraiche several hours beforehand- cover them and store them in the fridge; assemble them just before you are ready to serve them.

Mini Cheese and Olive Welsh Rarebit Bites for Festive Frolics!

A delectable tangy topping of Cheddar cheese, chopped olives, sun-dried tomatoes with cherry tomatoes – melted on little toasted bread rounds. Perfect for all types of parties, buffets, nibbles, Hors D’oeuvres, starters and aperitif snacks! I make up my toasted bread rounds ahead of time and store them in an airtight tin; the cheese rarebit mixture can also be made ahead, you just need to spread it on top of the toasted bread rounds and then pop them in the oven for 5 to 8 minutes. Perfect, tasty and very elegant. I usually use green olives, as I prefer the flavour when mixed with the cheese and tomatoes – but you could use black olives if you wish. I also use pimento stuffed olives to great effect, I am sure that almond stuffed olives would also be wonderful. Try to use a good quality thick sliced loaf of bread for the toasted bread rounds – it makes such a difference to the finished taste. This recipe is easily doubled or trebled for larger gatherings.

Ingredients:

4 -6 slices bread, white or 4 -6 slices brown bread
4 ounces grated cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon English mustard powder
2 tablespoons good quality mayonnaise
2 ounces green pitted olives, finely chopped
6 extra olives, cut into half ( to garnish)
2 sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
6 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
salt
pepper

Directions:

Stamp 12 x 2″ rounds out of the sliced bread – the spare bread can be kept for fresh breadcrumbs.
Pre-heat the oven to 230C/475F and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

Lay the bread rounds on the lined tray and bake for about 3 to 5 minutes or until a pale golden brown. Remove from the oven.
Mix the grated cheese, chopped olives, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, mustard powder and mayonnaise together – season with salt and pepper to taste, remembering the olives are already quite salty!
Spread the mixture over the top of the pre-toasted bread rounds and bake in the pre-heated oven for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until the mixture has melted and is bubbling.
Take the mini rarebits out and place half a cherry tomato into the toppping of each round – put them back into the oven for about 1 to 2 minutes to soften the tomato, make sure they do not brown too much.
Take them out of the oven and finish off by placing half an olive in the middle of each cherry tomato as a final garnish.
Serve warm or at room temperature with cocktails, wine and other Hors D’oeuvres for festive feasts, frolics, parties or buffets!
The toasted bread rounds can be stored for up to a week in an airtight tin, and the cheese rarebit mixture can be made ahead and stored for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Oooh La La! French Savoury Ham, Cheese and Olive Cake

Another one of my savoury “cake” recipes from France. Serve this as alternative sandwich bread or as a light snack spread with cream cheese or butter. This cake recipe will also make fantastic little appetisers if the loaf is cut into small cubes and served with olives, cubes of cheese and savoury spreads. Please note that the texture of this savoury cake is NOT like a sweet dessert cake – it will be slightly holey with a robust and slightly chewy texture, almost like sour-dough.

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 2/3 cups plain white flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup port
1 1/2 cups pitted green olives or 1 1/2 cups pitted black olives
2 cups chopped ham
2 cups gruyere or 2 cups emmenthaler cheese
salt
pepper

Directions:

Heat oven to 200C or 400°F.
In a bowl beat the eggs until pale yellow and frothy.
Stir in flour, baking powder, olive oil, melted butter, wine and port.
Chop the ham, cube the cheese and slice the olives.

Stir in ham, cheese, olives, salt and pepper to taste.
Pour into greased bread tin, loaf tin or cake pan (11 X 4 inches would be a good size).
Bake for about 50 minutes, or until well risen and golden brown.
Serve cold in slices or as sandwich bread.
This can be frozen in slices or as one whole loaf.

Comments

Neesie Natters :

31 December 2011 at 6:39 am

You never cease to amaze me Karen.I wasn't even looking for a recipe but yet again you've tickled my tastebuds!
The smoked salmon and cucumber cups with peppered crème fraiche look so appetizing. AND I have all the ingredients here… voila

Have a wonderful New Year and I wish you nothing but the best for 2012. oxox

Neesie Natters :

31 December 2011 at 6:39 am

You never cease to amaze me Karen.I wasn't even looking for a recipe but yet again you've tickled my tastebuds!
The smoked salmon and cucumber cups with peppered crème fraiche look so appetizing. AND I have all the ingredients here… voila

Have a wonderful New Year and I wish you nothing but the best for 2012. oxox

Marie :

31 December 2011 at 8:01 am

Happy New Year Karen! All the best to you and Malcom in 2012! xxoo
PS delicious looking treats as always!

A Trifle Rushed :

31 December 2011 at 9:32 am

What delightful treats.
Happy New Year to you Karen, I hope 2012 brings you much happiness, and I hope we get a chance to catch up soon. Jude x

Liz :

31 December 2011 at 10:06 am

Dundee cakes look lovely! All the best for 2012.
Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

two hippos :

31 December 2011 at 10:21 am

Wishing you a very Happy New Year, fabulous recipes!

Baking Addict :

31 December 2011 at 2:03 pm

A delightful trio! Happy New Year 2012 and I look forward to reading more of your blog next year.

La Table De Nana :

31 December 2011 at 2:24 pm

Happy New Year..looking forward to spending the new year in your company~

Cathy at Wives with Knives :

31 December 2011 at 5:21 pm

Happy New Year, Karen. I would love to try each and every recipe. I'm looking forward to my visits in 2012.

Solange :

31 December 2011 at 5:59 pm

What lovely canapes, can I come?
Bonne Annee 2012 I have a good feeling about this one or may be it is the glass of champagne by my computer.
S/x

Ruth Ellis :

31 December 2011 at 7:40 pm

The savoury cheese and olive cake looks and sounds delicious – another one added to my pile of 'when I can eat dairy again' recipes! Hope you have a very happy new year Rx

Janice :

31 December 2011 at 7:55 pm

Those look very tasty indeed! Have a great time, Happy New Year.

Choclette :

31 December 2011 at 8:18 pm

Oh Karen, those rarebit bites look so tempting, it's made me wonder what we could nibble on. Hope you have a grand evening and a great New Year.

Working london mummy :

31 December 2011 at 9:58 pm

have a wonderful time these appetizers look wonderful . Happy new year xxx

Heather :

1 January 2012 at 4:24 am

a very happy new year to you my new friend of 2011! How fun it has been to get to know you through your blog and wonderful food. You're right— I did get the Cattern Cakes and Lace book for christmas! it is beautiful and i cant wait to try out some of the recipes, thanks for introducing me to it! Here's to more food and art in 2012!~~

Brownieville Girl :

1 January 2012 at 9:46 am

Just to let you know that I'm availed to attend all parties where you are serving these delicious canapés!!!

Wishing you a wonderful 2012

Kentish Keg-Meg :

1 January 2012 at 10:46 pm

Just seen this post and the Welsh rarebit bites. Mmmmm love these.

Maya Russell :

17 February 2013 at 7:25 am

The salmon cucumber cups look so easy to prepare & I love salmon! Great summer buffet recipe.

Maya Russell :

17 February 2013 at 7:27 am

The salmon cucumber cups look so easy to prepare & I love salmon!
I think it’s a great summer buffet recipe.