Cocktail Sticks Recipes

CHEESE & FRUIT STICKS

Steps:

• We sometimes forget how good the simple things are. This is an easy snack to rustle up and great for getting the kids to eat fruit. Just chop up your kids' favourite fruit and firm cheese and thread the pieces onto cocktail sticks or skewers. Tony's kids all like apples, pears and grapes and love cheddar, but feel free to try your own combinations.

QUICK & EASY PARTY NIBBLES

Steps:

• Bloody Mary shots with horseradish: For 10 shots mix 700ml tomato juice with 50ml vodka, juice from 1 lemon and a good splash of Tabasco and vegetarian Worcestershire sauce in a jug. Season then chill. To serve, pour into 10 shot glasses, add a thin cucumber stick to each as a stirrer, and top with a small spoon of creamed horseradish.
• Quails' eggs with sesame dukka: Toast 1 tbsp each of cumin and coriander seeds and 85g hazelnuts, then whizz in a food processor until finely chopped. Mix with 50g sesame seeds and salt to taste, then serve in small bowls with 24-36 hard-boiled quails' eggs, halved, alongside for dipping.
• Mini avocado tarts: Buy mini croustade cases from the supermarket, then put a small spoonful of sour cream in each case. Finely dice ripe avocados and mix with a little lime juice, some poppy seeds and finely snipped chives, then pile on top of the sour cream.
• Parsnip chips with maple-mustard dip: Peel a parsnip per person, then cut into chunky chips and roast with sunflower oil and seasoning at 220C/200C fan/gas 7 for 20-30 mins until crispy and golden. Mix a 200ml tub crème fraîche with 2 tbsp grainy mustard, 2 tbsp maple syrup and some seasoning and serve the hot parsnip chips alongside for dipping.
• Halloumi dippers with chilli pineapple salsa: For the salsa, finely dice 200g fresh or canned pineapple and mix with 1 finely chopped red onion, 1 finely chopped red chilli and juice of 1-2 limes to taste. Use a 250g pack halloumi per 5-6 people, slice into chunky strips, thread onto small soaked wooden skewers and grill, turning, until crispy. Serve with the salsa.
• Greek kebabs with houmous & tzatziki: Cook and cool bought falafel, then skewer each one with a chunk of cucumber, small cube of feta and a cherry tomato. Serve with pots of houmous and tzatziki on the side.
• Crunchy poppadoms with mango chutney: To feed a crowd, finely shred 3 peeled carrots, dice ½ a cucumber and finely slice 4 spring onions. Mix together with a squeeze of lemon juice and 1 tbsp toasted mustard seeds. To serve, pile into bought mini poppadom crisps, top with a small dollop of mango chutney and scatter with coriander leaves.
• Fig & blue cheese skewers: Skewer wedges of fig and cubes of blue cheese onto small cocktail sticks or skewers, then drizzle with a little runny honey and scatter with thyme leaves to serve.
• Christmas pudding truffles: Melt together 200g dark chocolate and 200ml double cream, then crumble in 100g leftover cooked Christmas pud (buy a vegetarian one), then chill. When firm enough, use a melon baller or roll into balls, then dip the tops in some melted white chocolate, scatter with edible decorations, then chill to firm.
• Mini cranberry & orange scones: Knock up a batch of scone dough (from a packet or find recipe on bbcgoodfood.com), adding some dried cranberries and orange zest into the mix before stamping out 4cm rounds and baking. When cool, split and spread generously with orange or jaffa curd (we used Waitrose) and top with a small dollop of clotted or thick double cream.

CANAPéS & COCKTAILS

Steps:

• Spicy prawn skewers Marinate 150g cooked prawns in zest and juice 1 lime, 1 tbsp soy sauce, ½ finely chopped chilli, 2 tsp grated fresh root ginger and 1 tsp clear honey for 20 mins-1 hr. To serve, lay each prawn on a baby spinach leaf and thread a cocktail stick through (makes 28).
• Stuffed prosciutto balls Mash 100g feta with ½ finely chopped chilli, 2 tsp chopped mint and zest and juice ¼ lemon. Roll into 24 small balls. Quarter 6 prosciutto slices lengthways, then wrap each prosciutto strip around a feta ball (makes 24).
• Cucumber salmon Cut 1 large cucumber into 20 thick slices and scoop out some of the seedy middle, leaving a dip. Mix 200ml crème fraîche with zest 1 lemon and freshly ground black pepper, then spoon 1 tsp into each dip. Top with a piece smoked salmon, lemon zest and some black pepper (makes 20).
• Festive crackers Take 20 small crackers (we used Morrisons Gouda cheese & mixed seeds cracker bites) or 20 homemade crostini. Spread 1 tsp red pesto onto each cracker, top each with a piece of mozzarella from a 125g ball and garnish with basil leaves (makes 20).
• Curried chicken poppadums Arrange a 75g tub mini poppadums on a plate and slice 85g cooked chicken so there's 1 piece per poppadum. Mix together ½ tsp curry powder, 100ml crème fraîche and zest ½ lemon, put 1 tsp in each poppadum with ½ tsp mango chutney, then finish with a slice of chicken and some chopped coriander. Best assembled just before serving so the poppadums stay crisp (makes 20).
• Christmas mojitos Put 140g fresh or frozen cranberries, a handful mint and 2 tbsp brown sugar in a bowl. Crush with the end of a rolling pin, then add a couple of handfuls of crushed ice and stir to mix. Add a shot of vodka to 6-8 tall glasses, divide the cranberry crush between them, then top up with cranberry juice and sparkling water (serves 6-8).

ANTIPASTI SKEWERS

Steps:

• Cut the feta into small cubes. Tear the Serrano ham into long pieces. Thread a cube of feta, a piece of ham, a drained pickled cherry pepper and an olive into 12 long cocktail sticks.