It’s that strange, in-between time of year when Christmas is over yet the reality of January hasn’t quite set in. And while I am thrilled not to think about roast turkey, or its leftovers, for another 11 and a half months, I am also quite pleased that New Year’s Eve brings one final opportunity for festive cocktails and canapés before real life resumes. I spent much of early December honing my canapé-making skills and I wanted to share a couple of favourites that are incredibly easy to throw together for a New Year’s Eve party.

First up: red chicory leaves make a brilliant base for canapés. They look pretty, don’t wilt, can be cut into perfect bite-sized pieces and are easy for guests to pick up. I fill them with a piece of salty cheese like goat’s, blue or manchego, drizzle with a little honey and scatter with chopped, roasted nuts such as pecans or hazelnuts.

This year, I also used crisps as a canapé base with great success. They’re inexpensive, far less faff than homemade blinis or filo cups, and they give a good salty crunch. Ridged crisps work best structurally and I’d avoid flavoured options. In this week’s recipe, I top them with smoked salmon tartare (use fresh salmon if you’re confident of the quality), but you could opt for a traditional curl of smoked salmon, caviar (if you’re feeling flush) or simply some snipped chives for a veggie option.

METHOD

Finely chop the smoked salmonand put in a mixing bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, the chopped shallot and a grind of black pepper. Add some fresh lemon zest if you have it, and mix together. (You can chill the mixture at this stage until ready to serve.)

Just before your guests arrive,arrange the crisps over a platter.Add a small dollop of soured cream to each and top with the smoked salmon tartare.

Sprinkle with somechopped chives,if you have them.

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