“When there are many small dishes to prepare in one evening, I use RICARDO products as a shortcut. Given that they’re made from quality ingredients–I should know, as I am part of our food product development team–I’m certain my recipes will be a hit!”
- Béatrice
1. Clementine Spritz
This revisited spritz cocktail is made with Aperol, sparkling wine and clementine juice. For a pretty frosted effect, rub half of the rim of the glass in sugar flavoured with clementine zest.
Drinks and cocktails
Clementine Spritz
When planning to serve several small dishes to share over the course of the evening, it’s essential to plan well and ensure a great time spent with your guests rather than in the kitchen. Here are a few tips to get organized before your guests show up.
Focus on simplicity
Cooking several small dishes requires a lot of prep. To keep from getting too overwhelmed, choose recipes that are easy to make, with few steps and ingredients and, most importantly, require little to no assembly. Meatballs, tartare or roasted veggies served on a plate are a few great ideas to help get you started.
Assign tasks
No one person should be stuck doing everything! To ensure your evening runs smoothly, divide the task among you, the host, your partner, and any guests offering to help. Have each person handle a task suited to their skills, like reheating dishes, presentation, serving drinks, clearing plates, washing dishes, etc.
Prepare the table in advance
The day before, set up the table where the dishes will be served. Now’s the time to set the tablecloth and decorations, and also to ensure you have enough utensils, accessories, plates and platters beforehand. Fill the plates Some dishes can be placed on their serving plate in advance without having their texture change or spoiling due to refrigerator humidity. For example, crudités can be placed on a serving platter, as well as salmon gravlax and any garnishes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until it’s time to serve.
Reheat rather than cook
Reheating a dish requires less attention than cooking it. You can cook and reheat party bites in advance, which will be more practical during service and keep cooking smells away from your guests. Be sure to follow recipe instructions on how to reheat dishes properly.
Keep drinks cool
To keep everything cool when pouring drinks, store wine, tonics and sodas in the refrigerator. Also, be sure to have enough ice in the freezer for cocktails.
“By serving small sharing plates, everything is cooked ahead of time. All that’s left is presentation at the last minute before placing the serving platters on the table. With a glass of white wine and help from my friend Juliette, it gets done in a flash!”
- Béatrice
2. Fennel and Citrus Tuna Tartare Bites
These amuse-bouches may look super chic, but they’re also super easy to make. Simply mix the tuna tartare with grapefruit and lime zest, as well as the juice of the citrus fruits. Add finely diced candied fennel for a touch of crunch and reuse the oil you’ve cooked the fennel in for a light touch of aniseed flavour.
Holiday Hors D'oeuvres
Fennel and Citrus Tuna Tartare Bites
3. Fried Halloumi Bites
As soon as you put them on the table, these little fried halloumi hors d’oeuvres will find takers. No one can resist these cubes of hot cheese covered in crunchy panko breadcrumbs. Serve them with a marinated roasted pepper dip.
Holiday Starters and Sides
Fried Halloumi Bites
“With Brigitte and Ricardo as parents, I’ve always been accustomed to hosting wholeheartedly. When I invite my friends over, I make sure everything from the food to the decor is ready before their arrival so I can enjoy the evening with them from the get-go.”
- Béatrice
4. Hot Caramelized Onion Dip
A party is never complete without crudités and dip. This one is made with caramelized onions, cream cheese, cheddar and sour cream. Serve it still warm in the cooking dish. Also delicious with chips!
Dips and salty spreads
Hot Caramelized Onion Dip
5. Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan and Caesar Dressing
Brussels sprouts and Caesar dressing make the perfect duet in this simple and original dish. First, mix the sprouts with oil and Parmesan, then roast them in the oven until the cheese is crispy. Spread the dressing on the bottom of a plate and lay the sprouts on top with croutons and capers.
Vegetables and gratinees
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan and Caesar Dressing
“Even though we entertain often, this is the first time Louis-Félix and I are hosting for the holidays. I was so excited to put up decorations in my new home. On the table, I like adding festive and stylish touches using fir branches, as well as plates and accessories with gold accents.”
- Béatrice
Épaulé Jeté, Catherine and Pierre Breton, Vouvray, Vallée de la Loire, 2021 – $25.95
Wines from the Vouvray appellation are elegant and reasonably priced. This wine, organically farmed and made from Chenin blanc grapes, has a good dose of roundness and freshness, with notes of honey, green apple and pear. It pairs perfectly with halloumi bites, gravlax or tuna tartare bites.
Le P’tit Poquelin, Maison B Perraud, Vin de France, 2021 – $26.05
This thirst-quenching wine, made from 90% Gamay and 10% Shiraz, is elegant and plentiful. Its fruity and slightly natural profile goes well with meat-based dishes, such as our miso-honey pork meatballs. It’s a red wine without any added sulfites, bringing depth while still remaining light and accessible.
“Wine is Louis-Félix’s department. He truly enjoys selecting the perfect ones that pair well with the menu.”
- Béatrice
6. Miso-Honey Pork Meatballs
Served with little toothpicks, these meatballs make a perfect amuse-bouche. They’re coated in a honey, ginger, soy and miso sauce for an Asian-inspired treat.
TO FREEZE
Miso-Honey Pork Meatballs
7. Lemon and Dill Salmon Gravlax with Pomegranate
For a menu made up of several small plates, take a few shortcuts. In this case, use the RICARDO Lemon & Dill Gravlax and garnish it with pickled shallots, slices of Lebanese cucumbers and pomegranate seeds to create a colourful festive plate.
8. Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes
To save a bit of time while you prepare your evening, use a chocolate cake mix to bake these scrumptious cupcakes. Stuff them with a hazelnut spread and cover them with chocolate ganache. Then sprinkle them with crushed hazelnuts, just like on the famous chocolatey confections.
Holiday Desserts
Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes
“Dessert is always the last service before the party really gets going. We had already begun dancing before these even came out of the kitchen.”
- Béatrice
Looking for a few more holiday ideas? Be sure to consult our selection of recipes: