Culinary Canvas (a St. Louis-based premier creative catering company) Executive Chef, Todd Segneri, has identified a few favorite passed apps that are easy, but elevated bites to serve at any party. New Yeaer's Eve is all about celebrating your loved ones, new beginnings, and food, of course, so your spread should be rave-worthy.
Brussel Sprout Lollipops
The perfect make-ahead dish for that one-bite wonder. Roast and skewer the Brussels sprouts the night before, top with flavor enhancements the night of, and toast in the oven.
Three variations of flavors | Yields 10
Ingredients
10 ea. Brussel sprouts
10 ea. lollipop sticks
½ cup onion cranberry confit
¼ cup diced onion
1 T butter
1 tbs olive oil
¼ cup craisins
½ cup apple maple bacon jam
¼ cup of cooked bacon
2 T brown sugar
2 T maple syrup
2 T chunky apple sauce
½ cup caramelized garlic parmesan
12 ea. garlic cloves (minced)
2 T olive oil
¼ cup shredded parmesan
Method
- Roast whole sprouts tossed in olive oil, salt, and pepper in a preheated 400-degree oven for eight minutes. Roast sprouts until tender inside and has a toasted color.
- To make onion-cranberry confit flavor: sauté diced onion, butter, and olive oil with craisins for two minutes.
- To make apple maple bacon jam flavor: Add pre-crisped bacon to a pan (medium-low heat) to melt with brown sugar, maple syrup, and chunky apple sauce.
- For garlic parmesan flavor: Sauté minced garlic cloves in olive oil and toss roasted sprouts. Top the sprouts with the shredded parmesan cheese.
- Place sticks through the core of sprouts, coat generously with desired flavors/toppings, and serve.
- Garnish with green onions (optional: boil green onion until bendable and tie into a bow or put onto skewer stick) or with red pepper flakes.
Spring Rolls
Spring rolls are an easy-to-prep dish that takes about 20 minutes to assemble.
Yield: 10
Ingredients
10 ea. rice paper spring roll wrappers
8 T cooked thin rice noodles seasoned with soy and sesame seeds
5 T shredded carrot
5 T shredded cucumber
5 T shredded Nappa, or tender lettuce variety
2 T chopped coriander leaf (cilantro)
2 T chopped cashews or peanuts
Method
- Soak and soften spring roll paper in hot water, lay flat on clean, dry surface.
- Divide ingredients and place on the lower center of each wrapper.
- Fold over both sides of the spring roll paper to the middle and let the wrappers dry and get tacky.
- Roll from the bottom up to complete the spring roll.
- You may cut it in half to expose the colors inside and serve it with dipping sauce (we suggest ponzu or sweet chili sauce).
Pesto Skewers
Take any roasted vegetable or protein to the next level. On the day of, roast your desired meat or veggie, toss them in various pesto, and skewer them for easy bites.
Yield: 10
Ingredients
10 oz chicken breast (large diced), oiled and seasoned with salt and pepper
10 oz red potato (large wedge), oiled and seasoned with salt, pepper, herb(s), and rosemary
5 ea. whole artichoke hearts cut in half brushed with pesto oil
1 cup basil pesto oil (of your preference)
Method
- Sear artichokes cut side down in a hot cast iron or fry pan for a few seconds, until well caramelized, turn off the heat and flip over to heat through.
- Toss in basil pesto oil and skewer or serve individually on a small fork.
- Roast chicken pieces in a 375-degree oven for eight to 10 minutes, until fully cooked and browned evenly.
- Toss in basil pesto oil and skewer or serve individually on a small fork.
- Roast potato wedges in a 375-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until fully cooked and browned evenly.
- Toss in basil pesto oil and skewer or serve individually on a small fork.
Portobello Mushrooms Florentine
Prepare your mushrooms ahead of time by roasting them to remove moisture. Stuff with a pre-prepared mixture of artichoke and spinach the day of, top with cheese, and broil in the oven for a toasty crust.
Yield: 10
Ingredients
10 ea. small portobello mushrooms, stems removed carefully not to crack caps
2 T melted butter
15 T Creamy Spinach Filling (recipe below)
Ingredients for Creamy Spinach Filling
1 ea. small white onion diced
1 T chopped garlic
1 cup white wine
1 lb spinach leaf
1 lb cream cheese
Pinch of paprika
Pinch of cayenne
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
10 tsp coarse seasoned bread crumbs (optional)
Method
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Make filling: sweat onions and garlic at a medium-low temperature, add spinach and wine, stir until wine reduces and spinach is cooked down, add seasonings, and stir in softened cream cheese with reduced heat until smooth. Cool mixture to room temp.
- Toss mushroom caps with melted butter.
- Fill mushroom caps with Florentine mixture. (Optional, may dip in seasoned bread crumbs)
- Bake filled (breaded) mushrooms for eight to 10 minutes, until fully cooked and golden browned.
Stuffed Medjool Dates
The perfect sweet, savory, and unexpected snack. Prep these ahead of time and pop them in the oven.
Yield: 10
Ingredients
5 ea. strips of bacon
10 ea. pitted and halved dates
10 tsp Cranberry Cheese Filling (recipe below)
Ingredients for Cranberry Cheese Filling
4 tsp cream cheese
4 tsp crumbled blue cheese
2 tsp mayo
2 tsp cranberry aioli
Method
- (If applicable) Remove the pit of the date.
- Make the cheese filling that will be stuffed into the center of the dates: blend cream cheese, blue cheese, mayo, chopped craisins, and black pepper to taste.
- Fill half of the date and press the other half on top to make it whole again.
- Roll the date up with half the length of a bacon strip, cut and roll the second date with the remaining bacon strip, and repeat for the rest of the dates.
- Skewer each rolled-stuffed date on a bamboo skewer and bake in a 350-degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until fully cooked and the bacon is done to your desired crispiness. (Optional) Toss in olive oil, maple syrup, or your preferred glaze or marinade.
