Mark Doe of ‘Just Cooking’ cookery school in Firies, gives some great tips for entertaining at Christmas…

Having friends and family over for a few drinks and nibbles is the perfect stress free way to entertain.

Finger food can be as impressive as a full dinner party and there is less preparation, cooking and washing up on the night!

Firstly here is my list of tips to a perfect finger food party.

Continued below…

1. Invite your friends over later than you would for a dinner party. This means they will have eaten before arriving.

2. Let your guests know that you are having a informal nibbles and drinks party, so do don’t expect a 3 or 4 course meal.

3. Serve the finger food in stages, don’t serve it all at once.

4. Bread sticks and a dip make a great start to the evening, and a cheese board with biscuits is great for your guests to nibble on all night.

5. Work on around 4-5 types of nibbles and start with the more filling ones. For example some bread sticks with a fresh pesto dip is easy and filling.

6. I would always finish the evevning with something sweet. This adds a great suprise at the end of the evening and also lets your guests know that the food has come to an end.

Preparation is key to a stress free evening.
Happy cooking

Mark

See below for great finger food recipes

Cranberry And Sage Sausage rolls

• 375g bought ready-rolled puff pastry

• 200g sausage meat

•50g dried cranberries

• pinch dried sage

• 1 small egg, beaten

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

2. Cut the pastry into 10 rectangles, about 7x10cm/2¾x4in.

3. Mix together the sausage meat, cranberries and sage.

4. Lay the sausage meat on the pastry pieces.

5. Roll the pastry over the sausage, brushing the join with the beaten egg to seal.

6. Place on a greased baking sheet, sealed-side down, and brush them with the egg to give a nice shiny glaze when cooked.

7. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes until golden and crispy, and eat as soon as they are cool enough or leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

Baked Camembert With Crisp Bread

Serves 16 as a finger food and 8 as a starter or cheese course

• 2 x 250g packs Camembert in boxes.

• 6 sprigs thyme, plus extra to serve

• 50g toasted walnuts of hazelnuts

• 4 tsp honey

• Crisp bread to serve (see recipe)

Method

1. Remove the cheeses from their boxes and peel away the wrappers.

2. Place the lids under their bases for support.

3. Return the cheeses to their boxes.

4. Score the top of each cheese in a criss-cross pattern with a sharp knife and use the tip to push the thyme into the cheese.

5. Preheat the oven to 190°C, gas mark 5.

6. Place the cheeses, in their boxes, on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until soft  in the centre.

7. Scatter the tops of the cheeses with the toasted walnuts, some more thyme leaves and a drizzle of honey.

8. Serve with the crisp bread  to dip.  Simply return the cheese to the oven if it starts to become solid again.

 

Crisp bread

Makes approx 20 pieces

• 1 par baked demi bagauette

• olive oil

• Sea salt flakes

• Freshly ground black pepper

 

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200c/gas mark 6/400f.

2. Thinly slice the baguette at an angle. Place in a bowl, drizzle with some olive oil and toss, so that the bread slices are all evenly covered with the oil.

3. Place on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, bake in the oven until crisp and golden (approx 3-4 minutes).

4. Remove from the oven and leave to cool and crisp up on the tray.

• Stuck for a Christmas gift idea? ‘Just Cooking’ gift vouchers or Mark’s cookbook make a great stocking filler.