Perfect party food for Christmas

Devils on Horseback

The mix of salty and sweet in this tasty bite is real crowd-pleaser. If you don't have prunes, try swapping in dried dates.

• 3 tbsp mango chutney
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• pinch of cayenne pepper, plus more for garnish
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 16 pitted dried plums (prunes)
• 8 bacon strips, each cut in half crosswise
• 4 slices of firm white sandwich bread
• butter for spreading

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Mix the chutney, mustard, and cayenne, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Make a small slit in each dried plum and stuff with a little of the chutney mixture. Wrap each with a bacon strip and secure with a toothpick. Place the wrapped dried plums on an oiled baking sheet.

3. Bake for 10–12 minutes, turning them after 5 minutes, until the bacon is crisp.

4. Meanwhile, toast the bread. Remove the crusts, and using a 2in (5cm) cookie cutter, cut out 12 rounds. Butter the toast rounds and top each one with a bacon-wrapped plum. Sprinkle each with a little cayenne pepper and serve warm.

Take from The Illustrated Kitchen Bible: 1,000 Family Recipes from Around the World by Victoria Blashford-Snell, copyright 2008.

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Spicy Feta Squares

These crunchy little snacks are packed with the rich and salty flavours of Greek feta cheese.

• 9 tbsp unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the baking sheets
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 9 oz (250 g) feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• scant 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter 2 large baking sheets. Process the butter in a food processor until soft and smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. Add the feta cheese, milk, and baking powder and pulse 2 or 3 times until combined.

2. Add half the flour and pulse until evenly blended. Add the remaining flour and pulse again. Turn out onto a clean work surface and knead briefly until the dough is smooth and soft. (If you do not have a food processor, beat the olive oil and milk into the butter with an electric hand mixer. Stir in the cheese, then work in the flour and baking powder with your hands.)

3. Divide the mixture in half. Press each portion into a large square about ? in (3mm) thick. Sprinkle with poppy seeds and cayenne pepper. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1in (2.5cm) squares. Transfer to the baking sheets, about 3/4 in (20mm) apart.

4. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned. Transfer the squares to a wire cake rack. Serve warm or let cool.

Recipe courtesy of The Illustrated Kitchen Bible: 1,000 Family Recipes from Around the World by Victoria Blashford-Snell, copyright 2008. Used by permission of Dorling Kindersley Limited. All rights reserved.

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• 5 simple Christmas starters

Creamy Feta Dip With Mint

No Christmas party is complete without a few tasty dips. This one is a creamy, moreish delight...

• 8 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise
• 8 tbsp plain yoghurt
• 8 tbsp soured cream
• 85g crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tsp finely chopped fresh mint
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper

Place all ingredients in a medium bowl.Stir with a whisk to combine. Cover and refrigerate one hour to overnight.

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• 5 simple Christmas starters

Spinach Artichoke Dip

This dip is a delicious treat and may be frozen up to 3 days before serving.

• 400g marinated artichokes
• 8 tbsp chopped onion
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 400g spinach, cooked and drained
• 8 tbsp parmesan cheese, plus 4 tbsp
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 8 tbsp mozzarella cheese

1.Mix ingredients together and put into an ovenproof casserole.
2.Top with additional parmesan cheese.
3.Bake at gas mark 4 for 15 to 20 minutes until cheese is slightly browned on edges.

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• 5 simple Christmas starters

Mexican Nachos

Spice up the party with these classic snacks...

• 2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 6 ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped
• ¼ tsp ground cumin
• 125g cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 20g red chillies (not Bird Eye) or 25g green chillies, seeded and finely chopped, plus extra, if wished
• ¼ tsp dried oregano
• 175g Mexican chilli flavour corn snacks
• salt and freshly ground pepper

1.Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion over a medium heat for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, chillies, tomatoes, oregano and cumin, then season. Simmer, uncovered, for about minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and reduced.
2.Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Arrange the corn snacks on an ovenproof plate and spoon the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the grated cheese.
3.Cook in the centre of the oven for about 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted. Serve at once. Soured cream and guacamole make good accompaniments. Garnish with finely shredded green chilli for a hotter taste if you dare.

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•  5 simple Christmas starters

Fast Mince Pies

Mini Sausage Rolls

A staple at any Christmas party and apparently a hit at the Royal Wedding.

Make your job easy by buying some ready-rolled shortcrust pastry and your favourite sausages to make this a very quick job.

Click here for full recipe

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• 5 simple Christmas starters

The Perfect Fairy Cake

Some recipe classics never go out of fashion and fairy cakes top the list

They are the stuff of childhood memories: just one nibble on a fairy cake can transport you back in time and even today, no self-respecting children's birthday party would be without them.

Click here for the full recipe

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• 5 simple Christmas starters

Flame-smoked Aubergines

They take 7 minutes each when held (with tongs) over a naked gas flame.

You can smoke at least two at a time on most basic stoves.

1. Wait until the flesh is completely soft and gives easily when poked with a fork.

2. Douse the blackened skins – slit at regular intervals – with extra virgin olive oil, crushed garlic, lemon juice and basil or coriander leaves. Serve with a little diced tomato, a few well-dressed chickpeas and some thin strips of golden, fried, salty Haloumi.

3. Provide warm bread with Arabic flair by frying some flour tortillas on both sides in olive oil until round, black spots appear. Lightly oiled, grilled courgette strips, layered with thick garlicky, lemony Greek yoghurt. Organic carrots braised with gently fried cumin seeds, slowly cooked sliced garlic, a fearless helping of olive oil and a little water or saffron stock.

4. Simmer the lot together for about 20 minutes in a lidded pot leaving the carrots whole with their leafy tops attached.Make up a mass of wilted spinach, sprinkle with olive oil, a grating of fresh nutmeg and a few fat flakes of salt.  

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•  5 simple Christmas starters