We love nothing more than a cocktail and canapé (or two!) and this week Anna, from @annasfamilykitchen, shares some of her favourite recipes to get you into the party spirit!

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Asian Duck & Watermelon Pancake Canapés

This is one of the recipes I created to pair with Mirabeau Wine’s sparkling rose. They’re a lighter, more summery version of crispy Asian duck pancakes using roasted duck legs (they have the best flavour) from which their meat is combined with a fresh Asian dressing and loaded into pancakes (or mini tortilla wraps) together with watermelon, cucumber & spring onions.

Ingredients to make 16 duck canapés or 8 large wraps

4 duck legs
1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice
Salt and Pepper
1/2 cucumber cut into batons
5 spring onions cut into shreds
1 small watermelon cut into batons, seeds removed
8 Asian pancakes or tortilla wraps
8-16 chives to decorate
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For the dressing:⠀
Juice of 2 limes⠀
1 tsp fish sauce⠀
1 tbsp honey⠀
3 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 clove garlic crushed
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil⠀
1 tbsp sesame oil⠀
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Method:
Put the duck legs on a rack above a roasting tray. Pierce the skin of the duck all over, season and sprinkle over the Chinese Five Spice. Put in an oven at 180 fan, (200 conventional) for 90 minutes.

Mix together the dressing ingredients and set aside.

Shred the duck meat off of the bones using two forks. Spoon over 4 tbsp of the dressing.

If making canapés, cut the Asian pancakes in half. Arrange 1 tbsp of the duck, 3-4 of the watermelon batons, spring onions and 3-4 cucumber batons into the centre of the pancakes. Roll and secure with a chive.

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Strawberry Daiquiri

This has to be one of my favourite cocktails – if you can’t wait until the sun is over the yardarm, for a mock-tail version, leave out the rum and replace with a splash of apple juice. Children will love them – it’s a bit like a more sophisticated and fresher strawberry slushie!! And for a Strawberry Sorbet, spoon into tubs and pop in the freezer.

Ingredients for 4:

200ml light rum
1kg strawberries hulled
Juice of two limes
1 tsp white sugar
300g ice

To serve:
4 whole strawberries, left whole sliced in half up to the stalk
Fresh mint

Method:
Put the rum, strawberries, lime juice and ice into a blender and blitz until smooth. Pour into 4 Martini Glasses and garnish with a sprig of mint and the reserved strawberries on the side of the glass.

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Bourbon, Basil & Lemonade Cocktail

I created this cocktail for @britishhoneycompany using their Keepr’s Smokey Honey Bourbon. It’s a refreshing long drink perfect for sipping whilst you tend to your barbecue!

Ingredients for 2:

Juice of 3 lemons
50ml Keepr’s Smoked Honey Bourbon
10g fresh basil (keep a few leaves aside for garnish)
2 tbsp Keepr’s Honey
1 cup ice
300ml soda water

Shake together the Bourbon, the basil (saving a few leaves for garnish), ice and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into two glasses. Top up with soda water and finish with fresh basil and a lemon peel garnish.

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Asian Oven Baked Scallops.

These are such a treat but require just 5 minutes prep and then 5 minutes in the oven. If you can’t source scallops in the shell, simply stack the ingredients in little piles on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, or you could pan fry the scallops for a minute on each side and then add all the remaining ingredients to the pan for 1-2 minutes.

You can eat the roe or trim it off – your choice – in this photo I’ve gone with 50/50.

Ingredients for 6 as a canapé:

6 King Scallops
30g fresh rice noodles
20g samphire or fine asparagus tips
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
Juice of half a lime
1 tsp honey
½ tsp grated garlic
½ tsp grated ginger
¼ red chilli finely chopped
1 spring onion cut into shreds

Wash the scallops under cold water and pat them dry.

Add 2 tsp rice noodles to each scallop shell or ramekin then top with a few pieces of samphire (or an asparagus tip) and a scallop.

Mix together all the remaining ingredients apart from the spring onions in a bowl and drizzle a tsp of the dressing over each scallop.

Put in the oven at 200 (180 fan) for 5 minutes. Finish by topping with the spring onion shreds.

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Mushroom Arancini

These have to be one of my favourite nibbles. They’re made using balls of cooled mushroom risotto combined with mozzarella which are then coated in breadcrumbs. To take them to another level, finish with a drizzle of truffle oil or squeeze of lemon. It’s definitely worth making a batch of mushroom risotto for dinner and keeping some of it back to make these a day or two later.

Ingredients (makes 24):

Chilled Mushroom Risotto
150g Mozzarella
50g plain flour
2 eggs beaten
100g Panko Crust
100ml Vegetable oil
Truffle Salt or Truffle Oil (optional)

Ingredients for the risotto (feeds 4 as a main or makes 24 Arancini):
2 onions finely chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
30g dried Porcini mushrooms soaked in 100ml boiling water
250g mushrooms sliced
300g Arborio risotto rice
150ml white wine
1.4l hot stock
40g grated Parmesan or Pecorino
15g butter
Juice of half a lemon
1 tbsp truffle oil
Fresh thyme

Method:

For the Risotto:
Colour the onion in a pan with some oil for 10 mins before adding the garlic & mushrooms. Stir for a minute then add the Arborio rice. After 1 minute add the wine & let is bubble. Using a fork remove the soaked porcini from their stock. Add the liquid to the pan reserving the soaked porcini. Add the stock a ladleful at a time until the rice is cooked (about 25 mins). Stir through the mushrooms, reserved porcini & most of the Parmesan or Pecorino. Add a knob of butter, squeeze in the lemon & stick a lid on the pan for 5 mins. Season & serve with extra grated cheese & truffle oil.

Chill what you don’t eat overnight.

Set up an assembly line with separate bowls for the flour, beaten eggs, breadcrumbs & a plate lined with baking paper. Mix the chopped mozzarella into the risotto.

To Make the Arancini:

Roll the chilled risotto into balls slightly smaller than a ping-pong ball. Roll each ball into the flour, then then the panko. Place on the parchment. Heat the oil in a pan or use a mini deep fat frier. Fry 6 at a time for 4-5 mins. Place on kitchen towel. The arancini can be made ahead & reheated in an oven for 10 mins.

 

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Follow @annasfamilykitchen for more amazing recipes