ISO Unique Hors d'oeuvres

[simonbaker]

We are catering a large party in mid april for strictly hors de veors. I am looking for some unique ideas &/or recipies.
I'm not looking for any dips, kabobs, stuufed mushrooms or sauces.
It's an upscale party with cocktails & socializing. They want "clean" items. A recipie they gave us & want is : Crustless white bread, rolled thin, roll a fresh asparagus spear in it, drizzle it with butter, roll it in sesame seed & bake.
I would sure appreciate any help you can give me on this. Thank you.

 

[merstar]

These are delicious and elegant - I've made them many times:
SALMON CANAPES
Eat@ Recipe Swap & Recipes : SALMON CANAPES

Here are a few more ideas from my to-try file:

CUCUMBER SLICES WITH SALMON MOUSSE
Cucumber Slices With Salmon Mousse Recipe - Food.com - 163562

CARAMELIZED ONION AND GRUYERE TARTS (Adapted slightly from Eric Ripert)
Tracey's Culinary Adventures: Caramelized Onion & Gruyere Tart (and a Giveaway!)

SONORAN GRILL SHRIMP-STUFFED AVOCADO
sonoran grill shrimp-stuffed avocado recipe

GRILLED FIGS STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESE AND MINT (from Fine Cooking)
Grilled Figs with Goat Cheese & Mint recipe

GRILLED FETA IN GRAPE LEAVES
Recipe: Grilled feta in grape leaves - latimes.com

TOASTS WITH CHOCOLATE, OLIVE OIL, AND SEA SALT
have cake, will travel |

STUFFED FIGS DRIZZLED WITH CHOCOLATE
(A friend of mine made this, and it's delicious)
Stuffed Figs Drizzled With Chocolate Recipe - Food.com - 68911

 

[buckytom]

i'm not sure how "clean" it is, but the first horse dee-oover i thought of was a shrimp and water chestnut wrapped in bacon, then grilled. serve it skewered on a toothpick.

 

[Yakuta]

Summer Rolls (Shrimp, Chicken, Vegetarian)
Sushi Rolls (Crab and Avacado or anything else you like)
Beef tips and blue cheese puffs (Cook the beef tips slightly and then suff it in a little puff pastry pillow with some crumbled blue cheese and bake)
Mini eggrolls
You said no to kebabs, but I love to make something called mini bun kebabs. Make cocktail size meatballs (seasoned with indian spices), press them down slightly and bake them. Serve them in mini hawaiin bread rolls with a cilantro mint chutney spread. It's super elegant and go fast
chicken tikka bites on skewers (you can serve them room temperature)


I like to serve lots of finger foods at my parties as well so I also will follow this thread to see what other elegant ideas are there.

 

[Rocklobster]

Phyllo triangles stuffed with cheese and chutney. Brie and mango chutney work well.
Phyllo triangles stuffed with chocolate. Sprinkle confectioners sugar on them befor serving.

 

[CWS4322]

Swedish Gravlox rolls--take a head of lettuce, select leaves similar in size, wilt slightly, put a thin layer of the mustard-dill sauce served with Gravlox on and then a slice of Gravlox, roll the lettuce up as if it were an eggroll. If they don't stay "rolled", you can tie them with a strand of dill. If you don't want to make Gravlox or don't think the salmon would be fresh enough, you could use smoked salmon and a cream cheese/dill sauce.

Smoked oyster and beef in lettuce might also be a possibility for a "finger size" roll or you could use rice rolls...

What about stuffed grape leaves?

 

[acerbicacid]

I like to make mini savoury choux buns for a finger buffet. The fillings can be anything you want, I use amongst others, chopped ham and cream cheese, smoked salmon or smoked mackerel pate, etc. etc.

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

I like to make mini savoury choux buns for a finger buffet. The fillings can be anything you want, I use amongst others, chopped ham and cream cheese, smoked salmon or smoked mackerel pate, etc. etc.

Good stuff Ace, I do mini Yorkshire puds and fill the dip with all sorts, smoke salmon with a poached quails egg and a blob of hollandaise is a belter,mini scotch eggs using hb quails eggs is a belter to.

 

[Alix]

Halve grape tomatoes (or cherry), put a smear of guacamole on and top with a bit of bacon, pancetta or proscuitto. If you are using cherry tomatoes, you can scoop out most of the seeds and fill with guac. (Make your own guac with lots of fresh lemon juice and its even better)

 

[acerbicacid]

Hi Bolas,

I really like the idea of quail eggs being used as mini scotch eggs. Hope you dont mind but they will be on my next buffet table.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I would do a Gazpacho shooter, make sure it is ice cold. They are quick to set up. A little vodka in some would not hurt.

 

[simonbaker]

Wow what a great response already. Thank you everyone!!!!!!!!!!!
Please keep them coming.

 

[merstar]

More from my to-try list:

TALLEGIO TOASTS WITH SOUTH INDIAN TOMATO CHUTNEY
Tallegio Toasts with South Indian Tomato Chutney Recipe : Aarti Sequeira : Food Network

ZESTY LEMON OLIVES
Zesty Lemon Olives - Fine Cooking Recipes, Techniques and Tips

PROSCIUTTO AND GRUYERE PINWHEELS
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/13664

PANKO-CRUSTED CRAB CAKE BITES WITH ROASTED PEPPER-CHIVE AIOLI
Panko-crusted Crab Cake Bites with Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli Recipe | MyRecipes.com

GOAT CHEESE, LEMON & CHIVE TURNOVERS
Goat Cheese, Lemon & Chive Turnovers - Fine Cooking Recipes, Techniques and Tips

ROASTED PEPPER AND MOZZARELLA BITES
Erin's Food Files » Roasted Pepper and Mozzarella Bites

MOROCCAN PHYLLO ROLLS (from Joanne Weir)
Eat@ Recipe Swap & Recipes : For an Appetizer: Moroccan Phyllo Rolls from Joanne Weir (haven\'t tried this)

 

[CWS4322]

Wow what a great response already. Thank you everyone!!!!!!!!!!!
Please keep them coming.

I hope you post the ones you make and the recipes!

 

[CWS4322]

The LCBO Food and Drink magazine has 391 hors d'oeuvres on its website:

Recipe Search Results=

The recipes I've made from this magazine have all worked and are very tasty.

 

[CWS4322]

One of the things I would do is check the appetizers/hors d'oeuvres offered at the upscale restaurants in the area and avoid anything that would be similar. The reason being that I'd want to "brand" my catering services as offering something that one can't get at a local restaurant. I'm just a "hobby" cook, but from a marketing perspective, and I assume you want to market your catering services, I'd want to be different from the local restaurants and what one could get from a local restaurant. I am assuming that attendees at this event might lead to potential gigs in the future. And, I'd probably make sure that my servers aprons or shirts would have my company's name on them--not a huge advertisement, but subtle. And, make sure each server has business cards in case asked for them. Or maybe the napkins could have your company's name and contact information on them....another thing you might want to do is "hire" servers who are volunteers with a local charity and donate what you would pay the servers to the charity. I don't know if the "do" is for a charity or not, but doing something like that is sometimes attractive to organizers or patrons who attend. Our dog rescue charity does hospitality for dog shows--it looks good for the kennel club and it gives our charity credibility as a responsible dog rescue organization.

 

[simonbaker]

I hope you post the ones you make and the recipes!

I will.

 

[CWS4322]

Have you decided which ones you're going to make yet?

 

[simonbaker]

Have you decided which ones you're going to make yet?

The lady booking the party wanted to go inexspensive. We gave her some great ideas but she kept it real simple:
Fresh asparagus blanched in red wine rolled in prochutto (sp)
Egg shaped pastries filled with sundried tomato soft cheese & garnished
Fruit & almond iced tea
Miniature strawberry/banana shortcakes

125 people.

Thank you everyone for your wonderful input on this matter. There were some great ideas submitted that I will use for future events.

 

[CWS4322]

Ah--after all the great suggestions, too. Which ones did you pitch (that were too expensive for the budget)?