Sandwiches Appetizers and small dishes

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

 CAVIAR CANAPÉS

caviar
thin slices from white/French bread or thin baguette
butter

for garnish (optional):

whipped smetana or crème fraîche
tiny wedges cut from thin lemon slices
chives
tiny dill sprigs

If you are lucky or wealthy enough to obtain real caviar, choosing whether to serve it plain and unadulterated or with some additives, depends mainly on the quality of the caviar, as well as your individual preference.

If the caviar is of top quality, it is best to enjoy it plain, perhaps served apportioned in tiny spoons.

Caviar less fine may be served spread on bread. Cut thin slices of good-quality white bread into small rounds, squares, etc, or cut baguette into thin slices. Soft wheat bread may be lightly toasted, but not browned, to make it crispier.

Spread the bread slices with a thin layer of soft butter. It might be best to first butter the whole bread slices, and then cut them into smaller pieces.

Using a tiny teaspoon, place some caviar on each bread slice, spreading it gently, without crushing the eggs, to cover the bread.

Either serve the canapés ungarnished, or top some of them with a couple of thin tips of chives, a tiny piece of lemon slice or a dill sprig, or pipe on top tiny dots of smetana or crème fraîche that has been whipped similar to whipped cream, to give it a firm consistency.

Serve the caviar canapés as appetizers, perhaps accompanied with some good-quality, genuine champagne as the choice beverage.

Recipe source: family recipe.

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

 CHEESE AND APPLE ROLLS

small, soft wheat rolls
cheese slices (eg mature Cheddar, Gouda)
thin apple slices
cinnamon

Halve the rolls. Cover the halves with cheese and apple slices and sprinkle some cinnamon on top. Warm the rolls in oven until the cheese starts to melt. Serve warm for breakfast with tea or coffee.

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

 CHICKEN LIVER CANAPÉS

chicken livers
slices of white bread or soft wheat rolls
butter
lettuce (eg butterhead)
mayonnaise
apple cut into small cubes
roasted onion flakes
(curry powder)

Fry the chicken livers in butter until done but still slightly pink inside. Let the livers cool and when firm enough, cut them in slices.

Butter the bread slices or halved rolls, place some lettuce and sliced liver on top. Mix the mayonnaise and the apple cubes, season with a dash of curry powder if you like. Spoon the mayonnaise on top of the bread, sprinkle with onion flakes. Serve the canapés as a cocktail or evening snack.

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

 CLUB SANDWICH

rectangular slices of wheat bread
butter
poached or grilled chicken
crisp bacon slices
cheese slices (eg medium sharp Cheddar, Gouda etc)
lettuce
tomato slices
mayonnaise  —  plain or flavoured
(arugula)
(thin cucumber slices)

First prepare the ingredients for the filling. You can use cold leftover chicken. Slice the chicken. Slowly fry the bacon until browned and crisp. Rinse and dry the lettuce and tear it in smaller pieces. Also rinse and dry the arugula, if using it.

Thinly slice the cheese and tomato (and cucumber, if using any). Either use plain mayonnaise or flavour it with tomato paste, garlic, mustard, curry powder etc.

Use good-quality bread that is not too soft. Let the butter soften in room temperature. Heat a large skillet. Butter the bread slices very thinly on both sides. (Soft butter is easier to spread very thinly than cold, hard butter.)

On medium heat, fry the bread slices slowly on both sides until nicely browned and crisp from the surface. Do not let the slices become dry and hard, though.

While the bread slices are still hot, place the filling on them. Put some lettuce (with arugula) on the bottom, top with a couple of warm bacon slices, some cheese slices, the chicken, tomato slices, mayonnaise (and cucumber slices).

Place another bread slice on top and press down gently but firmly. Insert two toothpicks in the sandwich to hold the bread and filling in place and cut down diagonally between them to form two triangle-shaped sandwiches (see the picture above). Serve immediately.

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

 EGG AND ANCHOVY CANAPÉ

This is a classic canapé popular in Finland and Sweden.

The open-faced sandwich is usually made with Swedish sprat fillets preserved in special spiced brine. These "Swedish anchovies" may be replaced with bottled or canned genuine anchovies.

To understand the difference between these two anchovy products, read more about them here.

thin slice of wheat or rye bread
butter
lettuce
1 hard-boiled egg
4 - 5 Swedish anchovy fillets canned in oil or brine
or
3 - 4 canned Swedish anchovy fillets
(pepper)

Butter the bread slice. Place some lettuce on top. Slice the egg with an egg slicer and arrange on top of lettuce.

Drain the anchovy fillets and place on the egg slices to form a criss-cross pattern (see the picture above). If you are using Swedish fillets, you may cut them lengthwise in two to three thinner strips, depending on their width.

Sprinkle some pepper on top, if you like. Serve for lunch or as a late night snack with light beer, mineral water or tea.
Serves 1.

Recipe source: traditional Finnish recipe.

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

EGG AND SHRIMP CANAPÉ

white bread slices
butter
lettuce (eg butterhead)
2 hard-boiled eggs
cooked and shelled small northern shrimps (Pandalus borealis)
mayonnaise
lemon
fresh dill

Peel and slice the eggs. Cut off the crusts from the bread slices and butter them. Season the mayonnaise with some lemon juice and chopped dill.

Place some lettuce on the bread and arrange the egg slices in rows on the opposite corners of the bread. Spread a thick layer of mayonnaise between the eggs and top it with a big pile of shrimps. You can also mix the shrimps with the mayonnaise, if you like, and spread this mixture between the rows of egg.

Garnish with a lemon wedge or slice and some dill sprigs or chopped dill. Depending on its size, serve the canapé as a cocktail, lunch or evening snack.

Recipe source: family recipe/traditional Nordic recipe.

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

GINGERBREAD AND BLUE CHEESE CANAPÉS

small, round gingerbread cookies (Ø about 3 cm)
100 g blue cheese
3 tbsp light cream
red grapes  —  preferably seedless
parsley

Soften the blue cheese with a fork or a spoon and mix with cream into a smooth paste. Quarter the grapes lengthwise and seed them, if necessary. Spread or pipe the cheese mixture on the cookies and garnish with the grape quarters and a twig of parsley.

Serving suggestion:
Serve gingerbread canapés as appetizers, dessert or as a part of cheese platter. These canapés are especially suitable to be served with the Finnish and Swedish mulled wine glögg at Christmas time.

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

GRAVLAX CANAPÉ

thin slice of white or rye bread
butter
lettuce (eg butterhead)
thin slices of gravlax
chopped fresh dill

Butter the bread slice. Arrange some lettuce on top and cover with gravlax slices. Sprinkle generously with chopped dill.

Serve the canapé as hors d'œuvre, a light lunch or as an evening snack with beer, white wine, mineral water or tea.

Recipe source: family recipe.

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

 PICNIC SANDWICHES

Here are some filling suggestions for sandwiches to take along when going for an outing or on a picnic.

slices or soft but firm bread

various spreads:

butter
mayonnaise
salad dressing
sour cream
cream cheese
etc

various fresh fillings:

lettuce (eg butterhead)
tomato
bell pepper
radish
cucumber or gherkin
bean sprouts
fresh fruit (apple, pear, peach, strawberry, banana...)
etc

various cold meat & cheese fillings:

roast beef
cooked tongue
ham
pastrami
sausage
liver pâté
crisp bacon
cooked chicken
cheese (Emmental, Cheddar, Brie, goat cheese, blue cheese, cottage cheese...)
etc

various seasonings:

pepper
mustard
horseradish paste
fresh herbs (arugula, basil, dill...)
etc

Butter two slices of bread with the spread of your choice. Top with desired fillings and seasonings. Press slices together and wrap firmly in wax paper.

When eating, peel off wrapping little by little, gradually exposing the sandwich as you eat, preventing the filling from dripping or squeezing out.

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

 SALMON AND SHRIMP CANAPÉ

white bread slices
lettuce (eg butterhead)
2 hard-boiled eggs
cooked, shelled shrimps
thin gravlax or cold-smoked salmon slices
lemon
mayonnaise
fresh dill

Season the mayonnaise with some lemon juice. Butter the bread slices and cut off the crust from the edges. Place some lettuce on the bread, then egg slices and an abundant heap of shrimps on top.

Garnish with salmon slices, a dollop of mayonnaise, lemon wedges or slices and dill sprigs. Depending on its size, serve the canapé as a cocktail, lunch or evening snack.

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

 VEGA CANAPÉ
Beef tartare canapé

Note that Finnish eggs are among the safest in the world to be eaten uncooked. To find out why, read here.

As a young girl, my grandmother Maila used to enjoy these canapés, eating them with her father, who also had a schnaps to accompany them.

thin slices of dark rye bread (or white wheat bread)
butter
ground beef of tartare quality *)
chopped onion or shallot
raw egg yolk
salt
black pepper or allspice

In this dish the delicious taste of raw beef should not be concealed. If you cannot abide the thought of swallowing uncooked meat without first drenching it in Worcestershire or Tabasco sauce, cognac, olive oil, Dijon mustard or something even more horrible, then you should avoid this dish altogether.

Cut off the crusts from the bread slices if you like, then spread the slices liberally with butter. With clean hands, take some ground beef and press it flat onto the bread slices to cover them.

Sprinkle some salt and pepper on the meat. Top with thinly sliced onion rings or chopped onion. This is the best, unadulterated way to enjoy a beef tartare canapé, which I prefer (see the picture on right).

Raw egg yolk may be served in addition: place a piece of egg shell, shaped like a small cup, on top of the beef, on the centre of the bread. Place a whole egg yolk in the "cup". Alternatively, serve the yolk in a separate dish.

The egg yolk may also be broken and just a part of it poured in the "cup", or you may just smear the beef with some egg yolk before topping it with the spices and onion. Serve immediately.

These canapés may be served with beer and schnaps, mineral water or tea.

*) Use very freshly ground lean beef of highest quality. Usually top round is used, but you may have a deluxe version of this dish by using sirloin or even tenderloin. You may also buy a whole piece of beef and either grind it yourself or scrape the piece, little by little, with a sharp knife to get very finely minced meat.