Tis d’ season

Tis the season for parties and they do come at all different times cocktail hour, late-night liming, parang parties, and or course formal holiday dinners and lunches. Whatever the occasion, appetisers or finger foods are welcomed at any time as they are easy to eat and incredibly delicious. Here are some spicy appetisers for you to serve at your next party. These are so satisfying that you can serve them along with your traditional foods and your guests will never go hungry!

Festive savoury cheesecake

For the crust

4 tbs melted butter

1½ savoury crackers

For the filling:

1 lb savoury flavoured cream cheese, softened

3 eggs

½ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup diced red bell pepper

⅓ cup mixed fresh herbs (thyme, parsley, basil, chadon beni)

2 cloves garlic minced

1 tsp pepper sauce

1 cup sour cream or yoghurt

salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325F.

Make crust by processing crumbs to a fine consistency and adding butter.

Combine then press into a bottom of an 8-inch spring form cheesecake pan.

Bake for 5 mins, remove and refrigerate.

In a mixer bowl cream cheese until smooth, add eggs one at a time and beat until smooth.

Add flour and combine, fold in seafood, chives, herbs, garlic, pepper and salt and black pepper.

Fold in sour cream or yoghurt..

Pour into prepared crust and bake for about 45 to 5o mins until firm and lightly browned.

Refrigerate until chilled, and serve with crackers.

Makes 1- 8-inch cake (serves 10 for an appetiser)

Bake or fry crab n’cassava cakes

12 ozs cassava or yuca, peeled

12 ozs crab meat, picked over

1 cup grated red onion

½ cup finely chopped parsley

½ cup chopped chadon beni or cilantro

½ cup bread crumbs

1 tsp pepper sauce

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp minced garlic

4 tbs fresh lime juice

salt to taste

vegetable oil to fry

Grate cassava very finely, this will help to release some of the starchy juices, this will help the mixture to bind.

Combine with the balance of the ingredients except the oil, mix well.

Heat oil in a non stick frying pan, form cakes with your hand about 2 to 3 inches in diameter.

Gently pan fry until golden and cooked through on each side. Drain.

For a lighter side: You can also bake these, preheat oven to 550F.

Oil a baking sheet, place crab cakes onto sheet and bake for 5 minutes, until crisp at the bottom.

Turn and place oven to broil, broil until golden, brush with oil again and remove. Serve with ginger, orange dip.

Ginger orange dip

½ cup good quality English marmalade

2 tbs Chinese chilli sauce

½ tsp grated ginger

2 tbs rice vinegar

Combine all the ingredients and stir.

Breadfruit pies

2 lbs breadfruit, peeled and cut into quarters

1 tsp salt

¼ cup melted butter

¼ cup flour

2 tbs vegetable oil

½ lb ground chicken

1 small onion minced

½ cup mixed fresh herbs, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ carrot, finely chopped

⅓ cup chopped parsley

½ cup flour

1 egg

1 cup fine toasted breadcrumbs

Boil breadfruit in plenty of water and one teaspoon salt, until tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

While hot, crush breadfruit, add melted butter, and flour combine until mixture starts to stay together, knead for a few minutes, cover and set aside.

Heat oil in sauté pan, add garlic and onion, sauté for a few minutes, add carrot and fresh herbs, except parsley. Add chicken and cook until tender, season with salt and pepper.

Cook for about 15 minutes, remove, add parsley and cool mixture.

Flour a work surface and roll out breadfruit dough to about ¼ inch thickness.

With a 3 inch cutter, stamp out circles. Place about one tbs, filling on the lower portion of the circle, and fold over, seal with a fork.

Dust with flour, brush with beaten egg and roll in breadcrumbs.

Bake in a preheated 375 oven for about 15 minutes until golden.

Makes about 10 pies.

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