With Thanksgiving nearing in the US and Christmas not far behind, today I thought I would share a simple recipe for festive canapes with red pepper jam. They are easy and quick to make yet taste delicious and look quite festive too so if you are ever stuck for celebratory menu ideas, I hope that these festive canapes will come in handy.
These canapes are really quite easy. The two bottom elements: crackers and cheese can be picked up during your weekly shop. The final element is homemade but dead easy. All you need to do is to sauté some finely diced onion and red pepper until softened, then douse them with red wine vinegar and sugar, give them a little but of time to get acquainted with each other until deliciously sticky, sweet and sour glaze forms and binds it all together. That’s all there is too it. Once you have got the three elements ready, assemble these cute looking canapes just before serving and watch them disappear off the plates.
MORE ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS
ONION: Finally diced white onion (although technically it’s called brown, I think) forms the base of this simple red pepper jam. You can use shallots instead, but I would recommend not using a red onion as its colour will impact the look of this dish.
RED PEPPERS: Red peppers are the main star of the show, the key is to cut them into uniform dice so that all the pieces cook at the same time. You can use yellow peppers at a push, but red ones are so much more festive.
SUGAR: Sugar in combination with red wine vinegar is what produces sweet and sour glaze that takes diced red peppers to the next level. I used caster sugar, but you can use any sugar you like, it doesn’t really matter that much.
RED WINE VINEGAR: Red wine vinegar is added alongside sugar to create an interesting tension between sweet and sour. You can play around with the ratio of sugar to vinegar to arrive at a sweet spot that pleasing to your palate.
HERBS: Herbs are totally optional, but I personally think that a few thymes or a fresh oregano leaf make these festive canapes look even more festive.
FAVOURITE CHEESE: You can use any spreadable cheese you like, not too pungent though as you don’t want its flavour to outshine the jam completely. If you are vegan and try this recipe. Skip the horseradish and replace it with a touch if miso – a teaspoon is plenty – for a subtle je ne sais quoi.
CRACKERS: Crackers are not only a great vehicle for the cheese and red pepper jam combo, but they also provide much needed crunch. Pick any crackers that catch you eye, just whatever you do, do not assemble this amuse-bouche in advance as even the best crackers will go soggy.
HOW TO MAKE IT?
1) DICE PEPPERS
Cut your peppers in a small, uniform dice (approx. 0.5 cm or 0.2 inch).
2) SAUTE
Sauté finely diced onion in olive oil until translucent, then add diced peppers and sauté until softened.
3) ADD VINEGAR & SUGAR
Add in sugar & vinegar.
4) REDUCE
Allow excess moisture to cook out and carry on sautéing until a sticky sweet and sour glaze binds the peppers. Season to taste, store overnight for the flavours to develop.
RED PEPPER JAM
- 30 ml / 2 tbsp mild olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 red peppers
- 50-65 g / 4-5 tbsp sugar, I used caster sugar
- approx. 135 ml / ½ cup + 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- salt & pepper
- a good pinch of chilli flakes, optional
REMAINING INGREDIENTS
- 40 favourite crackers
- favourite cheese – see NOTES*
- fresh thyme or oregano, to garnish
RED PEPPER JAM
- Heat the oil up in a large, heavy bottom pot.
- Add finely diced onion and a generous pinch of salt. Sauté on low-medium heat until translucent, stirring frequently.
- Meanwhile clean all the peppers and dice them into small, uniform dice.
- Once the onion is translucent, add peppers to the pan with a generous amount of seasoning and a pinch of chilli (if using).
- Sautee until they are no longer raw, but still have a bit of a bite to them.
- Next add in all of the vinegar and 4 tbsp of sugar to begin with (add another if the mixture is too acidic for your palate).
- Carry on sauteing, stirring frequently, until all excess liquid cooks out and the remaining vinegar and sugar turns into a sticky glaze that coats the peppers and makes them glossy (about 15-20 minutes).
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Cool down and store in the fridge overnight for the flavours to improve.
ASSEMBLY
- Just before serving (so that the crackers stay crispy), top each cracker with your favourite cheese and red pepper jam. Decorate with fresh thyme or oregano if you wish.
*I made a dairy-free cashew cheese based on this recipe of mine. I removed horseradish and added a small amount of red miso paste instead (about 1 tsp). If making 40 crackers, I recommend making two portions of this cheese. For best results, make the day before and apply using a piping bag.