For your next drinks party ... seeded crispbread (knackebrod) and three moreish toppings, plus baby Swedish meatballs in their own cheese baskets
Seeded crispbread (knackebrod)
- Combine 1 cup fine ground cornmeal, ¾ cup cornmeal flour (ground cornmeal is still gritty, cornmeal flour has the consistency of flour), ½ cup mixed sesame seeds, ½ cup flax seed (we used a mix of brown and golden), ½ cup sunflower seeds, ½ cup pumpkin seeds, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, ½ tsp pepper and ¼ tsp cayenne pepper.
- Whisk 1 egg into ½ cup sunflower oil and stir into the dry ingredients. Add 1 large cup boiling water, stir to combine and leave to absorb for 5 minutes.
- Pile mixture into the middle of a large baking tray (approx. 37 x 40cm) lined with baking paper and press out to evenly cover the tray. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and bake in a 180C oven for 1 hour or until golden, dry and firm. Cool to crisp, break into large chunks and store in an airtight container. Get the recipe
Fish, pickled onion and mustard sauce
- Make pickled onion: Heat ¼ cup of tarragon or cider vinegar with 1 tsp sugar and 2 peppercorns until just boiling. Strain over 1 small chopped red onion, leave to cool then chill.
- Make a mustard sauce: Whisk 3 Tbsp mayonnaise with 2 Tbsp sour cream, the zest and juice ½ lemon, a splash of white or cider vinegar, ½ tsp sugar and a little pepper to taste. Whisk in 1 Tbsp each of American, Dijon and wholegrain mustards and chill.
- Top pieces of seeded crispbread (top) with pickled red onion, chunks of smoked fish, a spoonful of mustard sauce and spicy micro greens. Get the recipe
Chicken liver and port pate
- Heat 1 cup port with 2-3 cloves smashed garlic and a bunch of thyme and oregano, then gently simmer until reduced by three quarters. Strain and cool.
- Blitz 500g cleaned chicken livers with 1 tsp sea salt flakes and a little freshly ground black pepper until smooth. Pass through a sieve into a mixing bowl.
- Whisk in the port, then slowly whisk in 250g melted, cooled unsalted butter. Pour into a greased, lined loaf pan (11 x 21cm), cover loosely with foil and cook in a water bath in a low 110C oven for 50 minutes or until the pate is just firm to the touch in the middle. Remove from bath and leave to cool on a rack.
- Garnish pate with thyme and top evenly with a little melted butter or melted quince/guava jelly. Cover and refrigerate to chill thoroughly.
- Remove pate from pan, slice into serving wedges and serve with seeded crispbread (top) and a fruit paste or syrup. Makes 35-40 small bites. Get the recipe
Shrimp salad
- Steam (or blanch) 400g of shelled, raw prawns (or shrimp) until just cooked. Cool and cut into chunky pieces.
- Whisk ⅓ cup creme fraîche (or sour cream) with a little salt and pepper and the zest and juice of ½ lemon. Mix in the prawns and a large handful of chopped dill and chill. Before serving, mix through 2-3 Tbsp pickled onion plus a little of the pickle juice (see below), to taste.
- To make pickled onion: Heat ¼ cup of tarragon or cider vinegar with 1 tsp sugar and 2 peppercorns until just boiling. Strain over 1 small chopped red onion, leave to cool then chill.
- To serve as canapes, pile spoonfuls on to small chunks of seeded crispbread (see top of page), crackers or potato chips. Garnish with fresh dill. Makes 35-40 small bites. Get the recipe
Swedish meatballs
- Mix 200g each of beef and pork mince with 1 small grated onion, 1 tsp each of ground allspice and sea salt flakes, a little grated nutmeg and black pepper.
- Whisk 1 egg into ⅓ cup cream and mix into ⅓ cup breadcrumbs to absorb. Mix evenly through mince, chill, then roll into 35-40 small meatballs. Bake in a hot oven or pan-fry until just cooked through.
- To serve as canapes, add a meatball to a cheese basket (see below), top with a tsp of mustard sauce (see below) and garnish with chives.
- To make mustard sauce: Whisk 3 Tbsp mayonnaise with 2 Tbsp sour cream, the zest and juice ½ lemon, a splash of white or cider vinegar, ½ tsp sugar and a little pepper to taste. Whisk in 1 Tbsp each of American, Dijon and wholegrain mustards and chill.
- To make cheese baskets: Mix grated parmesan and cheddar cheese with a sprinkling of black sesame seeds and a little pepper. Place circles of cheese mix on to a baking paper-lined oven tray, add a piece of black olive to the centre of each and bake in a 180C oven until just golden. Remove cheese rounds and gently press into mini muffin pans to cool into crisp baskets. Get the recipe