How to Make a Crowd-Pleasing Christmas Canapé Board

This zingy foursome of moreish morsels is feast for the eyes and taste buds. Offering some of the best Irish produce, this exotic Christmas canapé board has something to please every palate…

Lemon and chilli mussels
YOU WILL NEED
* 1kg mussels
* 1 tsp chilli flakes
* 100g breadcrumbs
* 50g butter
* zest of 1 lemon

METHOD
1 In a large pan, add 2 tbsp water and the mussels; cook on a high heat until the shells have opened (3-5 minutes).
2 Mix the lemon zest and chilli flakes to the breadcrumbs and melted butter.
3 Once the mussels are cooked, remove them from the pan and pull apart the shell. Keeping the part with the mussel attached, place on a baking tray and spoon some of the breadcrumb mix over each mussel.
4 Grill until golden.

Prosciutto-wrapped pears with blue cheese
YOU WILL NEED
* 3 pears, cut into quarters
* 50g Cashel Blue cheese
* 6 slices prosciutto, torn into strips

METHOD
Add a lump of Cashel Blue cheese to each quarter pear and wrap with a strip of prosciutto.

Garlic and chorizo soup
YOU WILL NEED
* 2 whole heads of garlic, cut in half
* 500ml stock
* 1 pack Gubbeen chorizo, cut into batons
* coriander sprouts

METHOD
1 In an oven preheated to 190C, roast the garlic on a baking tray for 15 minutes or until golden.
2 Squeeze the pulp from the skin and add it to the stock; bring to the boil and, once hot, blend until smooth. Season well.
3 In a hot frying pan, cook the chorizo until lovely and crispy.
4 To assemble, pour the soup into shot glasses and top with the chorizo batons and a sprinkling of coriander sprouts.

Goat’s cheese on toast with cranberry chutney
YOU WILL NEED
* crusty bread, sliced
* Killeen goat’s cheese (Gouda-style)

For the chutney
* 50g fresh cranberries
* 1 shallot
* 2 tsp raisins
* 1 tsp vinegar

METHOD
1 Make the chutney: chop the shallot finely and place into a saucepan.
2 Add the cranberries, raisins and vinegar, and cook on a low heat until soft and reduced, then store in an airtight container until ready to use.
3Slice some cheese and lay it on top of the sliced bread.
4Melt under the grill until bubbling and golden.
5Top with chutney and enjoy warm.

Pick up the sparkling January-February 2016 issue  today for our gorgeous gourmet guide to Galway – Ireland’s new foodie capital.

Recipes & Styling: Jette Virdi Photography:Nathalie Marquez Courtney Styling Assistant:Michelle Hanley