Christmas Canapes

Method Smoked Salmon Roulade with Fresh Salmon :

Layout some cling film keeping it attached to the roll for leverage.  Lay a  thin slice of smoked salmon approximately 220 mm long and refrigerate.

Slice the raw salmon 5mm thick and season with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and lightly cook the salmon without browning and place in a colander to drain. Remove the salmon from the colander and place in a bowl, add the diced smoked salmon and mix gently with a fork, add the herbs and lemon juice and further combine. Gradually add the butter and season to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne.

Spoon the mixture onto the strip of smoked salmon on the cling wrap and gently fold over.  Continue to roll and twist both ends to secure.  Place in the refrigerator to chill for a minimum of two hours. Remove the cling wrap and cut into suitable portions keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Alternative:
Parma ham with goats cheese and fresh herbs, or asparagus through the middle or red pepper etc.

Method for Miniature Yorkshire Puddings:

Oven:  200˚c

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and break the eggs into it.

Whisk the eggs and add to the flour gradually bringing in the flour, now add the milk little by little until the batter is smooth. Use a whisk if needed.  Leave for 30 minutes.

Pre heat the oven 200˚c.  Put a good teaspoon of oil into mini Yorkshire pudding trays and heat the oil in the oven until very hot in.

Pour in the batter, bake in the pre heated oven for 15 minutes or until the pudding is risen and golden. Cool on a cooling rack.

Serve with chipolata sausages and tomato chili jam or caramelized onions.

Method for Tomato and Chilli Jam:

Put all the ingredients into a food processor and mix until well puréed, then put into a large saucepan and slowly cook until all the liquid has evaporated and the texture becomes thick and chutney like.

Keep in the fridge until required.

Method for Chocolate Mousse:

You will need mini pastry tarts.

First melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over pan of hot water.  Make sure the water doesn’t touch the bowl.  Remove from the heat and add the egg yolks.  Allow to cool.

Now fold in half the cream, add the remaining cream.  Spoon or pipe the mousse into the tart cases.  Allow to set for 3 hours.  Add the confit of orange when on the trays.

Method for Orange Confit:

To make the confit of orange remove the skin of the oranges and cut into fine julienne.  Make a syrup with the sugar and water and set aside.  Take the julienne and put them in a small pan of boiling water, leave for 30 seconds. Strain and refresh with cold water then repeat the process twice more.  Now put the orange into the syrup and cook for approximately 15 minutes then remove it from the syrup and allow the orange to get cold.  Leave to one side until ready to serve.