Cranberry, White Chocolate and Toasted Pistachio Biscotti

Well, I am leaving for the airport in less than two hours and so I really should be doing stuff like packing my suitcase and cleaning the house and finishing off the laundry... Yet I didn't want to leave for two weeks without saying goodbye and sending off this year with something sweet and seasonal.

Because we are not going to be home in Vancouer for Christmas I didn't do the major baking extravaganza that usually happens around this time. I really love to get together with a few friends and make cookies and chocolate truffles and sea salt caramels to give away to my nearest and dearest. Then there is the major bake sale at Max's school that happens on the last day before winter vacation. They have a little Christmas concert where everyone jams into the gym and sings along with the kids while a couple of the talented teachers strum along on their guitars. They have coffee and juice and a ton of amazing baking and it is one of my favourite fundraisers of the year. I am pretty sad to miss it this year.

I always make these cranberry, white chocolate and toasted pistachio biscotti for the school bake sale and even though I won't be there this year I baked up a bunch of these on Sunday to give out to friends and family. These are great as they last a while and are a nice change from all of that shortbread. Also with the cranberries and the pistachios and the orange zest I can sometimes convince myself they are almost like a breakfast bar and not feel too guilty about eating a couple with my morning coffee.

I am looking forward to being back here in the new year and I have a couple of surprises to share with you too.

Thanks to all of you who have followed along and supported this site over the past year, it has been a really wonderful experience.

Happy, happy holidays and see you in January.

xo J

Cranberry, White Chocolate and Toasted Pistachio Biscotti

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup plus 2 tablespoon sugar, divided
3 eggs separated
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Zest of 1 orange
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 cup of pistachios, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 cup of dried cranberries
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped white chocolate

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a mixing bowl cream the butter and 1/2 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in one egg yolk at a time and then the vanilla and orange zest.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the creamed mixture and mix until just crumbly.

In a separate bowl beat the egg whites on high until soft peaks form and then beat in the remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form but not to the point of dryness.

Fold the meringue into the crumbly dough, mixing with a spatula until it clings together. Add the chopped nuts, cranberries and chocolate and fold into the dough until well combined.

Divide the dough in half and form into two logs on a floured work surface. The logs should be about 1/2 an inch thick and 12 inches long by 5 inches wide (approximately). Using a long metal spatula transfer the biscotti logs to a parchment lined baking sheet. Both should fit side by side on one sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until set and golden brown. Transfer from the baking sheet to a rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Then, place on a cutting board and slice each log into 3/4 inch slices.

Turn down the oven to 300 degrees.

Place the slices upright on a baking sheet and return to the oven to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes to dry slightly.

Cool on a rack and then store in a tightly covered container.

Makes approximately 4 dozen.

Day 12 of the 12 Days of Canapés - Oysters on the Half Shell with a Champagne Mignonette

So here we are at day 12. I have absolutely enjoyed working with these hors d'oeuvres over the last days and think I may need to make this an annual event here. 

We just arrived home from a wonderful pre-Christmas dinner with Glen's family in Squamish where Glen's brother Peter and his girlfriend Tanis put on a really wonderful meal. I am, however, now in the middle of  a full-on turkey coma and am heading straight to bed so this last post will be a short one.

Oysters on the half shell are fresh, seasonal and surprisingly interactive at parties. Put out a few oyster knives, a cutting board or two and a pile of dish towels and demo how to open a few of these bivalves and soon everyone is willing to give it a go. If you don't know how to properly shuck and oyster just ask your local fish monger to show you. Though not difficult it is a bit of a finesse move and really is all in the wrist.

My sweet friend Jeannot loves fresh oysters more than anyone I know and he absolutely disapproves of eating them with cocktail sauce or fresh shaved horseradish (which I love) but he will allow a small drizzle of a mignonette or a few drops of lemon juice.

I think this Champagne mignonette served with some very fresh local oysters (I served Skookums, Royal Miyagis and Kushi oysters) is particularly festive. Shuck about a dozen at a time and keep well chilled by serving on some crushed ice.

Oysters on the Half Shell with Champagne Mignonette

24 oysters, rinsed well to remove any dirt or sand

Crushed ice

1/2 cup Champagne vinegar

Zest from 1 lemon

2 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

Freshly ground black peppercorns

Fine grain sea salt

Lemon wedges to serve

To make the mignonette, place the vinegar, lemon zest, shallot and ground pepper in a small bowl and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt. Place a small spoon in the sauce and set aside.

Line a serving platter with crushed ice and open 12 oysters at a time. Lay the shucked oysters on the bed of crushed ice, nestle the lemon wedges around the oyster and serve with the mignonette sauce.

Serves 6.

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Day 11 of the 12 Days of Canapés - Aged Cheddar and Apple Panini with Dijon and Honey on Pecan and Fruit Bread

Wow, here we already are at day 11! One more canapé recipe for tomorrow and then... well actually, then I am going to be taking a few weeks off from here. It is not like posting everyday for 12 days was gruelling or anything but it just so happens that I am going with my sweet family to Mexico for Christmas until the end of the year.

My Mom and Dad have a little house by the beach in a very small town and have been spending their winters down there for the past 13 years or so. We spend every second Christmas with them (to make it fair for Glen's family) and being down there turns the whole Christmas thing into a very low key and relaxing affair. Don't get me wrong I love having a huge Christmassy holiday here with the tree and the lights and the presents and the cookies and the eggnog and the shopping at the mall (ok maybe not the shopping at the mall part). It is nice, however, to shake it up every second year.

In Mexico we don't do presents (although Santa always manages to figure out where Max is at and delivers one special gift) and we actually go out and have a turkey dinner on Christmas day which further reduces any stress or strain. My Mom and I will probably make some Christmas cookies and we may host a holiday cocktail party for their friends but otherwise it is all about reading books, hanging out with family, going to the beach and eating tacos at the corner taco stand and maybe even drinking a margarita or two.

But before we leave on Wednesday I still have a couple of posts left to do here.  So, back to our canapé of the day.

Almost everyone I know loves a grilled cheese sandwich. I have a real affection for the most basic version with some slices of orange cheddar between two pieces of white bread alongside a bowl of tomato soup, but I am also open to the endless variations on the theme.

I made these two or three bite-size sandwiches using a panini maker but of course you could just butter the outsides of the bread and grill them in a pan.

I have noticed that people always gravitate to these at a party and I think it may be because they conjure up happy childhood food memories. Once people have tried a taste they love the slightly more complex flavours that are going on here. Sharp, aged cheddar and some crunchy Granny Smith apples and a bit of honey and Dijon. You could absolutely use plain white bread or sourdough or walnut or raisin bread. Feel free to experiment. I used a pecan fruit loaf from Terra Breads in Vancouver and it is so very good here. I cut my loaf lengthwise so that I can just grill 5 or 6 big paninis and then just slice them into finger sandwiches. Perfect for an informal gathering with friends...

Aged Cheddar and Apple Paninis with Honey and Dijon on Pecan and Fruit Bread
You can assemble these sandwiches earlier in the day and then just grill them off as needed. Let them rest and cool down a bit before you slice them to keep the melted cheese from going everywhere.


1 500 g loaf of pecan and fruit bread (or the bread of your choice) sliced lengthwise
200 g aged, sharp cheddar, thinly sliced
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/8 of a cup of honey
1/8 of a cup of Dijon mustard
Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground pepper

In a small bowl mix together the honey and the mustard. Combine well and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

On a work surface place two slices on bread. Spread approximately 2 teaspoons of the honey mustard mixture on one of the slices of bread. Layer on some apple slices and some cheddar slices. Season with salt and pepper and place on a preheated panini grill. Close the lid and grill for 3 minutes or so until the bread is grilled and the cheese is melted. Repeat with the remaining bread, cheese, dijon/honey mixture and apples.

Allow to cool down a bit before slicing the paninis. The bread can be sliced into 6 or so finger size slices or into triangle wedges. Serve warm.

Makes approximately 36 mini paninis.
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Day 10 of the 12 Days of Canapés - Warm Yukon Gold Blinis with Crème Fraîche and Salmon "Caviar"

Let's pull out all the stops and do a west coast version of blinis and caviar! These are always a hit at parties and seem very elegant and impressive yet are surprisingly straightforward to make. Have you ever made pancakes? Then you can certainly make these little gems.

We are going to start with the great Canadian potato, the Yukon Gold. These yellow fleshed potatoes are prized for their sweetness, creamy texture and beautiful yellow colour. They are the base of a batter which is rounded out with some flour, eggs, crème fraîche, milk and of course salt and pepper. A quick spell in a non-stick pan (2 minutes on one side and an additional minute on the other) and these emerge golden on the outside and creamy on the inside.

I have chosen to serve these blinis with just a dollop of crème fraîche (or sour cream), a bit of salmon roe and a clean tasting Italian parsley sprig.  You could really go all out and add other traditional caviar garnishes such as capers, chopped hard boiled eggs and finely diced red onion or shallot.

Perfect for New Year's Eve!

Warm Yukon Gold Blinis with Salmon "Caviar" and Crème Fraîche
Just like making pancakes the first blini is a bit of a throwaway, so use it as your learning curve to determine the correct heat level for your pan.  No butter is needed to cook the blinis as long as you use a good quality non-stick pan. You can, of course, use sour cream in place of the crème fraîche.

For the blinis:
1 lb. Yukon Gold Potatoes, skins on
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon crème fraîche
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 to 2 tablespoons of milk
Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

For the garnish:
2 ounces of salmon roe (also called Ikura)
1/4 cup crème fraîche
Parsley leaves for garnish (optional)

To make the blinis:
Place the un-peeled potatoes in a medium pot with enough salted water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are thoroughly cooked. Drain the potatoes and when they are still warm (but cool enough to handle) peel the potatoes and press them through a fine mesh sieve or a potato ricer. Place the potatoes into a medium bowl and quickly work in the flour with a fork and then add it the crème fraîche and mix well. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the egg yolk and mixing well after each egg is added. Season well with salt and white pepper

At this stage the batter should resemble a somewhat thick pancake batter. If is is really thick then add in 1  to 2 tablespoons of milk to achieve the right consistency.

Preheat a nonstick pan over medium heat and allow it to heat up thoroughly. Spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the batter into the hot pan and allow to cook for approximately 2 minutes and the bottom is golden brown. Flip the blini and allow to cook on the other side for an additional minute.

Remove to a small sheet pan and keep warm is a 200 degree oven while you cook the remaining blinis.

To serve:
Place the blinis on a serving platter and place a dollop (or a small quenelle if you are feeling super fancy) of crème fraîche in the centre of the blini. Place another small dollop of the salmon roe on top and garnish with a sprig of parsley.

Makes 40 canapés.

Recipe adapted from the Lumière Cookbook.
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Day 9 of the 12 Days of Canapés - Cantonese BBQ Duck with Kumquat Marmalade Canapés

Here is a recipe that made an earlier appearance on this blog way back in March. I wanted to include it again for this canapés series as it is an easy two-bite wonder to balance out some of the more labour intensive hors d'oeuvres featured here.

I originally posted this recipe as part three in a series of "things to do with kumquat marmalade" and will post the recipe below for those who want to give it a whirl. You can, of course, skip making the marmalade and simply purchase a good quality store bought orange or citrus version. Then this recipe becomes all about some careful shopping and some last minute assembly.

I live about a twenty minute walk away from Chinatown in Vancouver where I was able to pick up 1/2 a BBQ duck for just under $8 (I used a whole duck for the recipe below) but your local Chinese restaurant should be able to sell you something similar pricewise. If you are heading to Chinatown you may want to pick up some five spice powder for seasoning the mayonnaise and some radish sprouts for the garnish while you are there. You can also buy the duck the day before you want to use it as it keeps well refrigerated.

Duck and kumquat have a natural affinity as the French well know (think canard a l'orange) but I love this new, easy, delicious Asian twist on an old favourite.

BBQ Duck with Kumquat Marmalade Canapés


For the kumquat marmalade:
1/2 lb kumquats
1/4 cup orange segments, skin and membranes removed
1/2 vanilla bean, split with the pulp extracted from the pod and then set both the pulp and the pod aside
1 cup of granulated sugar
Juice of 1 lemon

For the canapés:
1 baguette sliced into approximately 40 slices
1 BBQ duck, meat removed from the bones and sliced or shredded
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder (or more to taste)
Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
Kumquat marmalade or good quality store bought orange, kumquat, mixed citrus marmalade
Radish sprouts for garnish

To make the kumquat marmalade:
Wash the kumquats well and slice into 1/4 to 1/2 inch coins. Remove the seeds and discard. Place the kumquat coins, the orange segments, vanilla bean pod and the pulp, sugar and the lemon juice into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove the vanilla bean and allow the marmalade to cool. Place in a glass container and seal. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Makes approximately 1 cup.

To assemble the canapés:
Mix the five spice powder into the mayonnaise and season well with salt and white pepper.

Place the slices of baguette on a serving platter and lightly coat each slice with a thin layer of the five spice mayonnaise. Top with a small amount of the duck meat and then top with some marmalade. Garnish with radish sprouts and serve.

Makes approximately 40 canapés

Kumquat marmalade recipe from the Lumière cookbook by Rob Feenie.
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Day 8 of the 12 Days of Canapés - Spicy Rosemary Cashews

Okay, so I know that this is technically not a canapé but no holiday cocktail party would be complete without a bowl or two of these salty, spicy, herbal cashews. And if you have invited a few friends over for a cocktail before going out for dinner and are in a particularly minimalist mood you could open up a bottle of wine or Champagne, whip up a batch of these nuts and call it a day. 

These are also great to take along when you are invited to a party as a gift for the host/hostess or for something to share with your fellow party guests. You can put them in a clear cellophane party bag and tie with some festive ribbon or use a pretty glass jar with a hand drawn label and you have a lovely gift to give to friends.  

These are best served warm but still absolutely delicious served at room temperature and take all of 5 minutes to make. Every time I set a bowl of these out at a party at least a 3 or 4 people ask me for the recipe and I wish I could claim that I was clever enough to have come up with this particularly winning flavour combination myself. If I did I would be sure to be as rich and famous as Ina Garten who is the author of this recipe. Apparently this recipe was inspired by the bar nuts at the famous New York City restaurant Unions Square Cafe. Delicious!

Spicy Rosemary Cashews

1 pound roasted unsalted cashews

2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon fine grain sea salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the cashews in a single layer on a rimmed sheet pan. Roast in the preheated oven for 5 to 7 minutes until the cashews are warm and a bit toasted.

While the cashews are in the oven place the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl and mix to combine. Once the nuts are warm and toasted remove them from the oven and transfer them into the bowl with the spice butter and mix well.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 8.

Recipe from Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten

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Day 7 of the 12 Days of Canapés - Crab Salad with Green Apples and Grapefruit Vinaigrette in Endive Petals

How about something light and fresh tasting that still manages to be special and festive? I have nothing against mini meatballs, piggies in a blanket, or a nut studded cheese ball but it is always nice to round out the heavy duty, rib-sticking hors d'oeuvres with something that is lighter and brighter, crunchy and fresh.

Endive leaves are the perfect vessel for all kinds of fillings. I have seen the beautiful elongated petals filled with gingered salmon tartare, figs with goat cheese, candied pecans and a port reduction or a truly decadent lobster salad with citrus segments and frisée.

I love the combination of crab meat and crunchy green apple and to keep it light I have opted to dress this "salad" with reduced grapefruit juice and a bit of olive oil, vinegar salt and pepper. The citrus is a nice counterpoint to the rich crabmeat and the tang of the apple.

Because there are so few ingredients for this canapé it's important that they are really fresh, especially the crab meat. We are lucky in Vancouver to have access to fresh Dungeness crabs and I am thrilled that I was able to buy the amazing crab meat for these hors d'oeuvres at a new seafood shop that has opened up just one block away from my house. A quick shout out to the amazing folks at The Daily Catch located at 1418 Commercial Drive. They recently opened their lovely shop and only supply seafood that is 100% Ocean Wise which is based on the conservation program out of the Vancouver Aquarium. I met one of the owners, Ryan, the other day and he seems like a really good guy who truly cares about sustainable seafood. I am very glad that they are a part of the neighbourhood.

This wouldn't really be considered a do-ahead recipe although you can reduce the grapefruit juice an advance and make the vinaigrette. Then it is just picking over the crabmeat for stray bits of shell or cartilage, cutting the apple (and putting it in some acidulated water to keep it from browning) and slicing the endives and separating the leaves. Toss your salad components, fill the leaves and serve.

One quick note on the Belgian endive (also labelled as chicory or witloof). Endive are grown indoors, underground and completely in the dark which gives them their light cream/light yellow colouring and mild bitter flavour. Exposing them to light causes them to turn green and increases the bitterness. Buy endives that are only tinged with yellow (they are often stored in boxes and covered in blue paper to protect them from light) and tightly closed and store them away from light until ready to use.

Crab Salad with Green Apples and Grapefruit Vinaigrette in Endive Petals

4 heads of Belgian endive
Juice of 1 large, ruby grapefruit
2 teaspoons of sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Granny Smith apple
1/2 lb (250 g) fresh cooked lump crab meat (I used Dungeness crab meat) picked over for cartilage and shell fragments
1 1/2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon white wine or Champagne vinegar
Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Parsley leaves to garnish (optional)

In a small saucepan combine the grapefruit juice with the two teaspoons of sugar, Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then turn the heat down to low and allow to simmer for 4 to 5 minutes and a light syrup forms. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Once cooled you can whisk in the vinegar, olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Fill a small bowl with water and add the lemon juice. Cut the apples into quarters and then remove the core from each of the quarters. Put them in the bowl with the acidulated water to prevent them from turning brown. Using a sharp knife or a mandolin (USE the plastic finger guard!) thinly slice the cored apples into thin slices. Then using a sharp knife cut the slices into a julienne that will fit into the endive petals. Once you have sliced the apples return them to the acidulated bowl of water.

In a medium bowl place the crab meat, the grapefruit vinaigrette and some salt and pepper. Dry off the apple slices on a kitchen towel and place in with the crab mixture. Gently fold in all of the ingredients to mix well and taste for seasoning.

Cut 1/2 inch (12 mm) off of the stem end of each of the endives. Separate the leaves (you may have to cut off a bit more of the stem end as you go) and choose the 20 largest, unblemished leaves. (You can reserve the smaller ones for a salad, sliced up and tossed with a grainy mustard vinaigrette which is really delicious.)

Place the endive petals on a serving platter and place a spoonful of the mixed crab mixture in each leaf. Garnish with a grind of black pepper and a sprig of parsley.

Serve.

Makes 20 canapés.

Recipe adapted from Christmas Entertaining by Williams-Sonoma
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