Finger foods are fun fare for a party. Plus, think of the side benefits—no worries about using the wrong fork, no need to set out extra utensils, and easy cleanup for the host. Guests and host can just pop these carefree mini morsels in their mouths and focus on enjoying good company. For extra ease in planning and preparation, these recipes can be made ahead and refrigerated for a few days or frozen for a few weeks.
Photo by Gwénaël Le Vot
BEEF WELLINGTON BITES
MAKES 16
2 pounds top sirloin (or beef tenderloin), trimmed, cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 shallots, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed per instructions
¼ cup Dijon mustard
1 egg, lightly beaten
Mustard sauce (recipe below)
Preheat oven to 400 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Season beef cubes with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add beef cubes, and brown on all sides, about 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Clean skillet, and add butter. Over medium heat, saute mushrooms and shallots until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in rosemary, and remove from heat.
On a lightly floured surface, unfold puff pastry. Using a rolling pin, roll each sheet to about ⅛-inch thick, keeping as square as possible. (Keep work surface floured, so pastry does not stick.) Divide each sheet into 8 equal portions. Brush each portion with Dijon mustard. Add one tablespoon of mushroom mixture and one piece of meat. Fold exposed pastry sides over the meat, and seal completely. Place meat packets on parchment-lined baking sheets, seam side down. Brush with egg wash. Bake 15–18 minutes or until golden brown.
Mustard sauce
¼ cup whole-grain mustard
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
½ shallot, minced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, slightly chopped
In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together. Serve with Beef Wellington bites.
LOBSTER MAC ’N’ CHEESE POPPERS
Photo by Karen Hermann
MAKES 48
2 tablespoons butter, plus additional for muffin pan
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (optional)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Kosher salt
White pepper
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ pound pasta, cooked (small shapes work best)
5 lobster tails, cooked and chopped into bite-sized pieces (shells discarded)*
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat insides of two 24-cup mini-muffin pans with butter.
In a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter, and saute jalapenos until soft. Whisk in flour, and continue stirring 2–3 minutes. Do not let brown. Add milk, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and starts to boil, 4–5 minutes. Remove from heat; add cheeses, and stir until melted. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add cooked pasta to cheese sauce; stir to combine.
Scoop tablespoons of mac and cheese into muffins cups, packing them lightly. Insert a piece of lobster meat into each cup. In a small bowl, combine Parmesan and bread crumbs; sprinkle on top. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until ready to bake.
Bake until mac and cheese is starting to brown on top and bubbling, about 15 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes. Use a small knife to loosen around the edges, and transfer to a serving platter.
*Instead of lobster, you can substitute cooked small shrimp, lump crab or bay scallops.
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Recipe tip
How to cook lobster tails – Using a kitchen shear, cut down the middle of the lobster shell, just to the tail. Fold open the shell, and pull the lobster meat up and out, but do not detach it from the shell. Fold the shell back together, and lay the lobster meat on top. Place shell on a foil-lined baking sheet. With a sharp knife, make a slit down the center of the lobster meat, removing any vein that may still be there (as with shrimp). Brush meat with melted butter and a squeeze of lemon. Broil until meat is opaque in color, about 7–8 minutes (shells will turn bright red).
MINI CHICKEN EGG ROLLS
Photo by Gwénaël Le Vot
MAKES 40
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped green onions
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken*
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 16-ounce bag coleslaw mix with carrots
¼ cup teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
4 ounces canned water chestnuts, chopped
40 wonton wrappers
Vegetable oil for frying
Sweet-and-sour sauce or Thai sweet chili sauce, store-bought, for dipping
In a large skillet, over medium heat, heat oil. Saute onions until soft, 1–2 minutes; add garlic, and cook 1 minute longer. Lower heat to medium-low. Add chicken, ginger, coleslaw, teriyaki sauce and soy sauce. Mix well; cover and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in water chestnuts. Drain, and let cool to room temperature.
On a clean, dry surface, using one wonton wrapper at a time, place 1 tablespoon of filling on wrapper. Roll up, tucking in sides and sealing the open edge by brushing with a little cold water. Set aside on a parchment-lined platter.
In a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat 2 inches of vegetable oil. In small batches, fry egg rolls until they are a deep, golden brown, less than 1 minute. (These will brown very quickly, so monitor closely.) Drain on a paper-towel-lined platter. Serve with dipping sauce.
* This recipe can also be made with cooked pork, beef or shrimp. For a vegetarian version, simply omit the meat.
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Recipe tip
How to roll egg rolls – Position the wonton wrapper with corners pointing north (top), south (bottom), east (right) and west (left). Place filling in the middle of wrapper. Fold bottom up and over, and tuck under filling. Fold right side over, then fold left side over. Roll upwards tightly. Brush top corner with cold water, then finish rolling upwards completely. Place, seam side down, on parchment-lined platter or baking sheet.
PETITE POTATO SKINS
Photo by Karen Hermann
MAKES 24
12 small potatoes, scrubbed and dried (use red, white, fingerling or a combination of potatoes)
Vegetable cooking spray
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 slices thick bacon, cooked and crumbled
1½ cups sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
½ cup sliced green onions
Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Spray potatoes all over with cooking spray, and place on baking sheet. Bake 35–45 minutes, until done. Let cool until easy to handle. Cut in half lengthwise. Using a teaspoon or small scoop, scoop out pulp, leaving a ¼-inch-thick shell.
Spray the inside of potato skins with cooking spray, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet, cut side up, and bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and fill insides with bacon and cheese. Return to oven, and bake until cheese is melted, about 2–4 minutes. Remove from oven, and transfer to serving dish.
In a small bowl, combine sour cream and horseradish. Top potato skins with green onions, and serve with sour cream mixture.
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Recipe tip
How to keep potato skins from tilting while they bake – Use a regular-sized or mini muffin pan to hold your stuffed potato skins upright while they are in the oven. And don’t throw away the filling you scooped out—you can use that to make potato pancakes, to substitute for bread in recipes like salmon croquettes, or to make hush puppies or potato soup.
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BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN is a chef and food writer with a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University and is certified in wine studies from the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, Calif. Her articles have been published in several regional magazines and in her blog, “The Flying Foodie.”