Christmas Crostini With Smoked Trout Food

CROSTINI - 8 DELICIOUS WAYS!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 160°C / 320°F (all oven types).
• Brush bread with oil, sprinkle with salt, flip and repeat. Bake 5 minutes.
• Remove, then rub the surface lightly with garlic. Bake for a further 5 minutes until completely crispy, then remove and leave to cool fully before adding toppings.
• Place all ingredients except balsamic glaze in a bowl and gently toss. Taste and add more salt & pepper if desired. Spoon onto crostini, then drizzle with balsamic glaze. Done!
• Mix cream cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper. Spread on crostini, then fold salmon pieces on top. Top with 3 capers and sprig of dill each. Serve!
• Finely chop antipasto mix. Smear crostini with ricotta, pile on antipasto. Ready!
• Cook prawns: Toss prawns with 1 tbsp oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Preheat large skillet over high heat with 1 tbsp olive oil. Add half the prawns and sauté until just cooked. Remove, then repeat with remaining prawns.
• Cool, then chop into 0.75cm / 1/3" pieces and transfer to bowl. Add 1 tbsp olive oil, eschallots, coriander and lime. Toss, then add more salt and pepper to taste.
• Assemble: Smear crostini with avocado, then spoon on shrimp. Serve! No, wait - Eat one yourself, then serve. Because they'll be gone before you can even put the plate down, trust me! ????
• Spread crostini with goats cheese. Layer strawberry slices. Drizzle with honey just before serving and sprinkle with thyme leaves.
• Spread crostini with as much English Mustard as you dare(!), then cream cheese. Drape with a slice of beef, top with sprig of rocket.
• Mix chopped tapenade ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside for at least 30 minutes to let the flavours meld, then taste and add salt if required.
• Spread crostini with goats cheese. Pile on tapenade. Serve!
• Pea puree: Boil peas per packet directions until soft, then drain well. Transfer to small bowl with high sides. Add garlic, parmesan, olive oil, salt and pepper. Blitz with handheld blender stick until smooth. Stir through mint and lemon juice. Set aside to fully cool.
• Prawns: Peel then chop meat into 0.75 - 1 cm pieces.
• Assemble: Smear crostini with pea puree. Pile on prawn, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with parsley and chilli.

CHRISTMAS CROSTINI WITH SMOKED TROUT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor, pulse the trout fillets until broken up into small pieces. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, creme fraiche, horseradish, and lemon juice. Fold processed trout into cream-cheese mixture, and season with pepper.
• Using a long serrated knife, trim off top of loaf to make level. Cut bread vertically into 3/4-inch-thick slices, keeping loaf intact. Brush the top of the loaf with oil. Transfer loaf to a baking sheet, and toast in oven until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool.
• Transfer loaf, keeping shape intact, to a round serving platter or cake stand. Gently spread trout mixture over loaf (so it rests atop slices). Arrange watercress, alternating with groupings of the cherry tomato halves and cucumber slices on top, and serve immediately.

CROSTINI WITH SMOKED WHITEFISH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix the poppy seeds, sesame seeds, garlic powder, onion powder and salt in a small bowl.
• Brush the baguette slices on both sides with olive oil and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with the seed mixture. Bake until lightly browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, with a rubber spatula, mix the flaked whitefish, creme fraiche and dill in a small bowl.
• Top each crostini with a spoonful of the whitefish salad and garnish with 2 caperberry halves.

CRUNCHY CHRISTMAS CROSTINI

Steps:

• Up to a day ahead, heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Slice the ciabatta into about 25 thin slices. Lay them on a couple of baking trays and brush with the oil. Toast in the oven for 10 mins until they begin to go golden, checking after 5 mins as the trays may need turning.
• Up to an hour ahead, cut the stilton into slices a little smaller than the toasts (this is easier to do if the cheese is cold from the fridge), keep covered.
• Before serving, heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Spoon a little pile of beetroot onto the end of each piece of bread. Prop a slice of cheese up against each pile of beetroot and bake for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is starting to melt. You don't want it too melty - try to catch it just as it's starting to ooze over the edge.
• Top each cheesy canapé with a little sprig of celery leaves and serve immediately.