Platters of delicious finger food are just what is needed to keep the party vibes humming for this most auspicious time of year.
Beef empanadas
Traditional, easy-to-make pastry dough makes the difference to these small, oven-baked "pies" — they will melt in your mouth. You can make the dough and the filling a few days in advance.
Makes 20-24
For the empanada dough
6 cups flour
225g butter
1 tsp salt
2 egg yolks
1¾ cups warm milk, use up to 2 cups
For the filling
100g butter
1 large onion, diced
500g beef mince
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chilli powder, use up to 2 tsp
1 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 Tbsp chopped oregano leaves
3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
¼ cup green olives, sliced
1 egg, whisked with a pinch of salt, for egg wash
1. To make the pastry: Mix flour, butter and salt in a food processor, pulse until well combined. Add egg yolks and milk, pulse until a dough starts to form. Divide in two, flatten into disks and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough into a thin sheet and cut out round discs about 12cm in diameter. Store in the fridge, covered until ready to use.
3. To make the filling: Melt butter in a large frying pan. Add onion and cook for 8-10 minutes or until soft. Add beef, paprika, chilli, cumin and some salt and pepper to taste. Cook on a medium heat until meat is done, stirring frequently. Mix in herbs.
4. To assemble empanadas, place a spoonful of the beef mix on the centre of each empanada disc, add a slice of egg and a piece of olive. Brush the edges of the disc with egg wash, fold over and seal the edges firmly with your fingers. Use a fork to press down and finish sealing the empanadas. Place them carefully on a baking paper-lined baking tray. Lightly brush the top of each empanada with egg wash.
5. Rest empanadas in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking. Cook at 200C for 20 minutes or until golden on top. Serve warm with a dipping sauce of your choice - we used chimichurri.
- Recipe by Geoff Scott
Scallops wrapped in bacon
The delicious partnership of scallops and bacon is nicely complemented with wasabi aioli. A tasty party food option.
Makes 24
12 rashers streaky bacon, cut in half
24 scallops
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ cup aioli
1 tsp wasabi paste
1. Roll scallops in bacon and secure with toothpicks. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
2. Mix aioli and wasabi in a bowl.
3. Heat oil in a frying pan or on a barbecue. Cook scallops for 2 minutes each side.
Serve hot with aioli.
- Recipe by Angela Casley
Blini with goat's cheese, honey and microgreens
Mini pikelets or blini are tasty morsels and can be made in the morning so you simply add your toppings before the first guests arrive. Goat's cheese and honey is a combination that just melts in the mouth.
Makes 24
1 cup self-raising flour
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup rocket, shredded
½ cup milk
¼ cup runny honey
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
50g soft goat's cheese
½ cup microgreens
1. Into a kitchen processor place flour, salt, egg, rocket and milk. Whizz until combined. Set aside for 20 minutes.
2. Heat a frying pan to a medium heat. Spray with a little oil. Place teaspoons of mixture in pan and cook until just starting to bubble. Turn and cook for 2 minutes on other side.
3. Cook in batches until all mixture is used. Set aside to cool. You may have to adjust the heat of your pan if browning too quickly.
4. Just before serving, top blini with goat's cheese, drizzle with honey and sprinkle with pine nuts and microgreens. Season with salt and pepper.
- Recipe by Angela Casley
Win one of five Honest Burger vouchers
Enter to win one of five Silver Fern's Honest Burgers vouchers, worth $45 each. Honest Burgers contain premium NZ beef, lamb and venison, ideal for the barbecue this summer, and come in uniquely Kiwi flavours such as beef and horopito, and lamb with a pinch of kawakawa. Vouchers are redeemable at supermarkets throughout NZ.
Enter today to win at eatwell.co.nz/win
