’Tis the season for sparkling parties and sun-soaked celebrations! With these irresistible canapé recipes, you’ll have the perfect festive bites to keep the cheer flowing and your guests coming back for seconds (and thirds). 

 

Tuscan toast 

Serves 8 as a snack 

Ingredients 

3 red peppers 
¼ cup olive oil 
3 shallots or 1 red onion, finely chopped 
4-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
2 sprigs origanum, picked and chopped 
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar 
1 Tbsp brown sugar 
¼ cup pitted black olives, sliced 
2 Tbsp capers or caper berries, drained + extra for serving 
Handful parsley, chopped 
Salt and milled pepper 
1 olive or plain French loaf, sliced 
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved 
Olive oil, for drizzling
 

For the ricotta topping  

1 tub (250g) ricotta 
⅓ cup sour cream 
1 lemon, zested and juiced 
Handful chopped parsley  

Method 

1. Place the peppers on an open flame or grill in the oven on high to scorch and blacken the skin of the peppers. Once blackened, place the peppers in a bowl and cover with cling wrap. Set aside to sweat for about 10 minutes.  
2. Uncover and peel the peppers. Cut the peppers into strips, discarding the skins and seeds.  
3. Heat oil over medium-low and sauté onion for 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté another 2-3 minutes.  
4. Add origanum, vinegar and sugar, and cook for 3 minutes to reduce.  
5. Stir in peppers, olives and capers, then simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, add parsley and season.  
6. In a dry pan, toast the bread slices until golden and crisp. Remove and rub garlic cut-side down on bread to infuse flavour.  
7. Combine the ricotta topping ingredients, mashing with a fork as needed.  
8. To assemble, top the toast with ricotta mixture and peppers. Drizzle with olive oil, scatter with extra caper berries and serve.  

 

Recipe & styling: Lichelle May
Photography: Zhann Solomons 

 

Tempura prawns with granadilla cream cheese   

Serves 6  

 

Ingredients 

250g cream cheese
½ cup granadilla pulp
1 cup flour
1 cup soda water
1 tsp salt
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
100g prawns, cleaned, with tails attached
100g panko breadcrumbs
1 French loaf, cut into 2cm slices  

 

Method  

1. Combine the cream cheese and the granadilla pulp. Set
2. Whisk together the flour, soda water and salt to form a smooth batter.
3. In a deep pot, heat the vegetable oil to medium heat.
4. Dip the prawns in the tempura batter, then the panko breadcrumbs. Deep-fry them until golden and crisp. Drain on paper
5. To serve, spread a generous layer of granadilla cream cheese on each slice of bread, top with a tempura prawn and serve immediately.

 

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za 

 

Lemony lamb frikkadels on beetroot raita 

Serves 4-6  

 

Ingredients  

1 pack (500g) lamb mince 
1 onion, finely chopped 
2 cloves garlic, minced 
¼ cup breadcrumbs 
1 egg, whisked 
Zest and juice of 2 lemons 
1 tsp ground cumin 
1 tsp ground cardamon 
½ tsp cinnamon 
Handful chopped mint, parsley and coriander 
Salt and black pepper 
Vegetable oil, for frying 
 

For the raita   

3-4 cooked beetroots, grated 
1 cup double-cream plain yoghurt 
1 Tbsp olive oil 
Squeeze of lemon juice 
½ tsp ground cumin 
1-2 green chillies, deseeded and chopped (optional) 
 

For serving   

Chopped salad (we used a combination of cucumber, tomato and red onion) 
Handful rocket or micro herbs    

 

Method   

1. Combine mince, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, whisked egg, lemon juice and zest, spices and herbs in a bowl. Season. 
2. Roll into golf ball-sized portions and chill in fridge for 30 minutes. 
3. Heat a glug of oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry frikkadels in batches for 10-12 minutes until golden-brown and cooked through. 
4. Remove and drain on kitchen towel. 
5. Place raita ingredients in a food processor and blitz until smooth. Season to taste. 
6. To serve, spread raita over a platter and top with salad, rocket or micro herbs and frikkadels.  

 

Recipe, styling & photography: Fresh Living magazine 

 

Pork bombas with fresh tomato & garlic 

Makes 16-18 

 

Ingredients 

Glug olive oil
½ (about 110g) smoked Spanish chorizo, cubed
1 small onion, finely chopped
½ packet (375g) frozen pork bangers, defrosted
1½ tsp smoked paprika
Salt and milled pepper
½ cup sherry or balsamic vinegar
 

4 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
1½ Tbsp olive oil
Oil, for deep frying
Flour
2-3 eggs, whisked
Breadcrumbs (or panko crumbs), for coating
 

For the tomato garlic 

3-4 tomatoes, grated
Glug olive oil
2 cloves garlic, grated
Salt and milled pepper 

 

Method 

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
2. Fry chorizo cubes until crispy and oils are released. Remove and set aside.
3. Add onion and fry for 5-8 minutes until soft.
4. Remove pork sausages from casing and fry with onion, breaking up with a wooden spoon as it cooks, until browned.
5. Add paprika and sherry or balsamic vinegar and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
6. Add cooked pork mince and chorizo to a food processor and pulse to a course texture. Cool completely.
7. Boil potatoes until fork tender and pass through a sieve, or mash using a potato ricer.
8. Add olive oil, season and roll into balls (about 20-30g each).
9. Using your index finger, make an indent halfway through the centre of each potato ball.
10. Fill with about 2 tsp pork and chorizo filling and close potato around filling, smoothing into a ball. Allow to set in the fridge for 20 minutes.
11. Combine tomato and garlic ingredients, season well and set aside to infuse.
12. Dredge each ball in flour, egg and breadcrumbs.
13. Heat oil until shimmering hot and deep fry until golden brown and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper and season.
14. Serve hot with tomato and garlic dipping sauce.

 

Recipes and styling: Gail Damon
Photographs: Zhann Solomons 

 

Fondue sliders with beer and cheese sauce 

Makes 12  

 

Ingredients  

12 store-bought mini cocktail buns 
1 pack (12) butchery meatballs 
2 Tbsp olive oil   

 

For the sauce   

3 Tbsp butter 
3 Tbsp flour 
1 cup milk 
½ cup pale ale beer 
Salt and milled pepper 
1½ cups grated Cheddar 
1 cup grated mature Cheddar 
 

For serving   

Dijon mustard 
Handful fresh salad leaves 
6 gherkins, sliced 
12 slices Emmental (optional)    

 

Method   

1. Flatten meatballs into patties, slightly larger than the buns. 
2. Heat oil in a pan and fry patties to your liking. Set
3. For the sauce, heat butter in a pot until bubbling. Stir in flour and cook for a minute until smooth. 
4. Gradually whisk in milk, then add beer, whisking
5. Season and cook for 3 minutes. 
6. Add cheese and stir until melted. 
7. Top halved buns with mustard, leaves, gherkins, patties and Emmental Add generous dollops of sauce and serve hot.

 

Recipe, styling & photography: Fresh Living magazine 

 

Brownie bites with berry buttercream & candy floss  

Serves 8 

 

Ingredients 

550g Ina Paarman’s chocolate brownie mix 
125g butter, softened 
250g icing sugar, sifted 
2 Tbsp milk   

 

For the coulis   

1 cup frozen mixed berries 
2 tsp lemon juice 
Sugar, to taste   

 

To serve   

1 cup fresh berries 
½ tub pink candy floss   

 

Method 

1. Bake the brownie batter according to box instructions. Cool completely. 
2. Use a cookie cutter to cut small circles out of the brownie tray. Arrange on a serving platter. 
3. Whisk butter and icing sugar together for about 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add milk if needed to slightly loosen the mixture. 
4. Place frozen berries in a pot over medium heat. Add lemon juice and bring to a simmer for 10-15 minutes until thick and syrupy, stirring constantly. Add sugar to taste and allow to cool completely.
5. Add spoons of the berry coulis to the buttercream and swirl through. 
6. Using a piping bag or spoon, dollop buttercream on each brownie. Drizzle with extra berry coulis. 
7. Finish off by adding a bite of candy floss just before serving, to avoid melting.

 

Cook’s note: Don’t throw away the off-cuts! Once you’ve cut out your brownies, combine the remaining bits to form a base for cake pops.  

 

Recipes and styling: Chad January 
Photography: Zhann Solomons 

Also read: 3 festive charcuterie board ideas