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15 quick canapés

All the toppings for these easy nibbles can be made up to a day ahead. Each recipe makes 10 and is easily doubled

Reproduced from the December 07 issue of Good Food magazine. This month's issue on sale now. Subscribe now and save 30 per cent.

Corking crackers

Rare beef bites
Take 125g rare roast beef slices and cut each in half. Top crackers with spoonfuls horseradish cream, drape beef on top and garnish with watercress.

Creamy spiced chicken
Finely shred 1 large roast chicken breast and mix with 75ml Greek yogurt, a squeeze lime juice and ½ tsp paprika. Spoon onto crackers, garnish with rocket leaves and sprinkle with paprika.

Tropical crab treats
Mix 200g shredded white crabmeat with 2 tbsp crème fraîche, a handful chopped coriander, 5 chopped mint leaves and a deseeded, diced small red chilli. Spoon onto crackers and squeeze over lime juice.

Festive duck & orange
Take a 100g pack sliced smoked duck breast. Twist each slice onto a cracker along with a blood orange segment and 3 thin slices fennel (taken from the bulb's inner sections). Finish with a splash blood orange juice and chervil.

Goat's cheese nibbles
Crumble 200g goat's cheese over the crackers. Top each with 1 tsp caramelised onion relish and a small parsley sprig.

Quick croustades

Coconut prawn cups
Mix together ½ tbsp grated fresh root ginger, a deseeded, diced small red chilli, a crushed garlic clove and 2 tbsp desiccated coconut. Toss together with 200g cooked prawns and the juice ½ lime, then spoon into croustades. Moroccan mouthful
Slice 5 falafels in half and tuck each half into a croustade. Top each with 1 tsp houmous and a pinch cayenne pepper. Garnish with flat-leaf parsley leaves.

Asian salmon
Pan-fry 1 salmon fillet for 3 mins each side, then flake into large chunks. Spoon a little salmon into each croustade with a sliver fresh root ginger. Drizzle with soy sauce, a squeeze lime juice and sprinkle with a pinch toasted sesame seeds.

Warm spiced squash
Deseed and peel ½ small squash and cut into chunks. Toss with oil, ½ tsp ground coriander and ½ tsp crushed dried red chilli. Season, then cook in a 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 oven for 30 mins until soft. Whizz in a blender, then fill each croustade with the purée and top with a small piece crisp, fried pancetta.

Smoked mackerel treats
Flake 1 plain smoked mackerel fillet into large chunks and divide between the croustades. Top each with a dollop crème fraîche, a parsley sprig and grated lemon zest.

Rye bread toppings

Smoked salmon twists
Mix 1 tsp lemon juice into 100g crème fraîche. Place 1 tsp of the creamy mix onto a square slice of rye bread and top with a twisted slice smoked salmon, freshly ground black pepper and a small dill sprig.

Blue cheese nibbles
Take a 200g pack blue cheese and cut into wedges. Place on squares of rye bread and top each with a thin slice peeled ripe pear and a walnut half.

Delicious duck pâté
Cut a 150g pack duck liver pâté into thick wedges. Place on squares of rye bread and top with spoonfuls redcurrant jelly.

Ham & quince bites
Fold each slice of a 100g pack thinly sliced smoked ham in half and roll around a few rocket leaves. Place on a square of rye bread and top each with a spoonful quince jelly.

Quick quail's eggs
Cook 10 quail's eggs for 5 mins in boiling water, then peel and halve each egg. Put 2 halves onto each square of rye bread, top with ½ tsp salmon roe, cracked black pepper and parsley.

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