Canapes (cooking). Canapes What is canapes in cooking
What is a canapé? Anyone who has not come across this name asks a similar question. After all, not everyone knows that this is a variant of the usual sandwiches on the holiday table. But they are only smaller and more varied.
Canapes
It seems like nothing special, but delicious canapés will not only decorate any table, but will also become an excellent snack that will surprise you with its originality. You just have to turn on your imagination.
So what is a canapé and how to serve it? This is a miniature sandwich made from toasted bread with a variety of fillings. This appetizer can also be presented on a skewer.
A skewer is not only a decoration for a snack, but also very convenient from a practical point of view. The size of the canape is small. So you can put it in your mouth at one time, and by holding a skewer, you can do this in one motion and not get your hands dirty with the filling.
Rules
There are several rules regarding canapés:
Since the sandwich is small, its weight should be no more than 80 grams;
The filling can be varied: meat, vegetable, cheese, fish, pate, sweet options are also possible;
Canapés can be served without skewers, but then they should be eaten with your hands;
The croutons themselves should be made thin, no more than 7 millimeters thick, they should either be fried (it is best to use olive oil) or dried in the oven;
The shape of the canape can be very diverse: round, oval, triangular, and rectangular;
For the base, bread can be replaced with vegetables, fruits, crackers, chips, cheese, and cookies;
To make mini sandwiches look more vibrant, you can combine different colors;
Conclusion
Now you know how to make canapes. The recipes with photos presented in the article will help you prepare similar snacks at home. Good luck!
A little history. Today we will talk about when and under what circumstances such a dish as a canape was invented, and what makes it similar to an element of upholstered furniture - sofa, sofa.
Rarely a feast, buffet or coffee break today is complete without canapés - mini-sandwiches consisting of a wide variety of ingredients placed on skewers.
The history of the dish, which is rapidly gaining popularity all over the world, began in France. By the 17th century, this country had developed rules and norms for table setting, according to which the main courses were preceded by mini-appetizers, the purpose of which was to awaken the appetite.
Originally from antiquity
However, the French word "canapé", meaning "tiny", "miniature" has its own interesting story. The fact is that its roots go back to Ancient Greece, where the word konopeion meant a bed protected from mosquitoes by a special canopy.
Centuries later, this type of furniture and the word itself, modified to “conoreum,” were borrowed by the Romans. In the end, the word, in a truncated version, migrated to the French language.
It is not surprising that it was the French, known for their creative and original approach to preparing dishes and setting the table, who were the first to come up with the idea of putting pieces of various delicacies on skewers, achieving unexpected flavor combinations.
But why were these treats called “canapés”? The thing is that some people thought the dishes on skewers looked like a French sofa.
The nuances of preparing canapés
Important detail: the bread for canapés should be slightly stale; you can use bread or croutons. Why is this necessary?
Firstly, this ensures the strength of the entire structure: if bread crumb were used, dishes on skewers would turn into an unappetizing-looking mess even at the table setting stage.
Secondly, the addition of toast, croutons, and bread makes the snacks pleasantly crispy.Canapés should have a bright, memorable taste, representing the epitome ofintroduction of the principle of minimalism in cooking.
In our future publications we will introduce you to various recipes and nuances of preparing dishes such as canapés in more detail. We also remind you that on our website you can cook according to all the rules of culinary excellence.
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To prepare 7 of the simplest and most delicious canapés, you will need very few ingredients. Such an appetizer will take more time than simply chopping gastronomic delicacies or preparing a salad for a party. But the spectacular visual result is worth it!
The history of canapés
Canapés are the French version of improved sandwiches. The sandwiches themselves are the invention of Nicolaus Copernicus, who in his youth showed ingenuity by stopping an epidemic in the besieged Olsztyn Castle. In this place, the famous astronomer served as commandant, at the insistence of his uncle, who was a bishop at that time. Copernicus noticed that people eat bread that ends up on the floor only after lightly brushing off the dirt. The scientist suggested spreading butter on the bread so that the dirt would be more clearly visible. Such a simple method was able to stop the infection in the territory closed by enemies, later defeated by the Teutons, and continued its triumphant march into the kitchens of different nations.
The tables of the French nobility were replenished with canapés, small pieces of dried bread, buttered and supplemented with layers of different products:
- cold pate;
- ham;
- meat;
- various cheeses;
- spreads;
- pieces of vegetables;
- fruits;
- fish;
- seafood, etc.
In order for these products to hold better, canapés were prepared on skewers, which were called antle. Such mini-sandwiches are very popular these days, appearing on tables during family celebrations and corporate buffets.
By the way, a reception with serving, which we now more often call a buffet, is called a canapé.
We prepare 7 favorite canapés from simple products
We could prepare 7 of the simplest and most delicious canapés on skewers, but in the recipe with a photo of serving each type of canapé you won’t see any skewers, because we chose restaurant serving rather than buffet style. We use the chefs' secret, which allows us to preserve the design of the canapé - add a piece of butter to the top product of the next layer or to the underside of the bread, crispbread or crouton. This butter will be the glue for our canapés, further enhancing their taste.
Let's prepare canapés from white butter homemade bread with trimmed crusts and the following products:
1. butter, fresh cucumber, boiled chicken egg, finely ground salt and canned tuna in its own juice;
2. butter, nori sheet, crab sticks, boiled egg and green onions;
3. butter, pickled cucumber, boiled egg and green onions;
4. butter, cheese, fresh apple, lemon, green onions;
5. butter, curd spread, fresh cucumber, finely ground salt, purple onion;
6. butter, curd spread, rye bread, baked beets, capers;
7. butter, cheese, olives and green onions;
Try making these canapes - they will always be an elegant accent on the festive table. And it's very tasty! Have a pleasant gastronomic experience!
Category -Canapes[French canape] 1) A small sofa with a raised headboard.
2) Snack sandwiches, reminiscent in appearance of small cakes, prepared on toasted bread (black or white) with a ruddy, hard crust, on which is not butter (as usual), but a thick layer of some product - sprat, sardines, pate , boiled chicken, hot smoked fish, supplemented with fresh vegetables - a slice or slice of cucumber, tomato, celery leaf, dill sprig, onion.
Sometimes a spoonful of some sauce - mayonnaise, bechamel, sour cream - is added to the canapes to add viscosity or increase softness. Canapés are prepared in advance, several dozen or hundreds of pieces at once. They are made in the shape of squares and small skewers are stuck into them vertically so that you can take the canapés without deforming the soft lining.
Canapes for a buffet table: a light snack for one bite.
Tiny sandwiches with anything, colorfully decorated, with appetizing sprigs of greenery or half a bright vegetable can be found at official receptions a la buffet. A real snack cake. It’s not difficult to prepare them; any product can be used – from meat to seafood delicacies; you can decorate the dish to suit every taste, turning on your creativity. Canapé is also a type of reception where only these mini toasts, fruits and tea are served as appetizers.
What is a canapé?
Canapés, from the French word “canape”, are small sandwiches weighing no more than 50-80 grams. These are thin croutons spread with a variety of pastes, or pieces of bread with small pieces of meat, fish, cheese, vegetables, or salad dressing. Usually canapés are decorated with bright serving skewers or thin forks. They are served on large dishes, laid out in even rows according to variety: separate canapés with cold cuts, separate sweet ones, with seafood, cheese, and so on.
These tiny forms of mini-sandwiches are prepared for one purpose: the canapé goes into your mouth immediately, entirely, without biting off a piece of a large whole snack. This is convenient for holding a reception similar to a European buffet, when it is not possible to use a knife and fork. Canapés first appeared in Italy for official receptions at the end of the 19th century.
Skewers, or cocktail sticks, are inserted into canapés for the convenience of guests so that they do not get their hands dirty when taking a sandwich. Later, in the restaurant ethics of decorating banquets and buffets, skewers began to play the role of decoration, since their shape and color can be the most bizarre. If there are no skewers in the canapés, they are picked up by hand, placed on their own serving plate or immediately put into the mouth.
How to prepare canapés?
Making mini sandwiches is a creative and fun process. Cooking in itself is a high art, and preparing for a festive buffet helps to reveal a cook’s talent in a wide range. Canapes are decorated according to the theme of the reception, prepared from any products that the budget and market supply allow. However, there are several mandatory components in the technology for preparing mini-toasts, without which classic canapés are unthinkable: olives, grapes, cheese and crackers.
It is best to take olives without seeds, grapes with whole, undeformed berries, unsalted crackers, and hard, non-crumbly cheese. All these products complete the main composition of canapés; they “sound” like the bright last chord in the final “oratorio”. It is through them that the sharp sting of the skewer passes, connecting the entire ensemble of canapés together.
For classic canapés, take a long French loaf as a base and cut it into thin, even pieces, or cut out identical bases for future sandwiches from a regular sliced loaf using a sharp round or oval metal cookie cutter.
Drizzle a few drops of olive oil onto each piece of bread and place them on a greased baking sheet in one row. Dry in the oven for ten minutes at a temperature of two hundred degrees. The main condition is not to dry out the pieces of loaf. Once the base for the canapés is golden brown, you can turn off the oven, cool the crispy pieces of bread and begin the creative process of forming mini toasts.
Spreads and fillings for canapés
It is impossible to list all the options for canapé recipes, their diversity is so great. The most common spreads and fillings can be:
Butter, a piece of boiled egg, a spoonful of black or red caviar; slices of tomatoes, a mixture of grated cheese, garlic and mayonnaise, garnished with olives and a sprig of herbs;
butter, a mixture of fried mushrooms, boiled eggs and herbs, garnished with a piece of protein, a whole mushroom and a sprig of parsley;
meat or fish pate, a slice of lemon, herbs;
chopped herring with herbs, olive, dill;
butter, a slice of salted salmon, trout or other fish, grapes, cracker.
All types of fish and meat delicacies can be used as fillings and spreads: balyki, boiled pork, carbonate, ham, ham; pieces of any fruit combined with the main component, say, apples with herring or pineapples with cheese. Canapés of just fruits look great - a pile of a piece of banana, peach, plum, mango, or grape will be a wonderful addition to the champagne served at the buffet table.
The higher the pile of their products on one small bread base, the more interesting the canapés are. To prevent the entire intricate pyramid from falling apart, it is attached to a skewer, carefully piercing it through the entire tall composition. The main task of the chef is to ensure that the culinary “construction” is safely sent into the guest’s mouth, without losing ingredients during the operation.
Interesting Facts
The word “canape” has another unexpected meaning - it is a piece of furniture, a small sofa made of valuable wood. The style was created in France during the reign of Louis XV, a century later it became widespread in the USA and Europe; in Russia this type of furniture became especially popular during the reign of Elizabeth II.
Recently, one American print publication conducted a survey among its readers to find out which products scare people with their appearance. It turned out that, among others, canapés based on black bread and a spread of chopped eggs and ham evoke associations and memories of international terrorism.
It’s better to prepare canapés and snacks that would not fall into the “very scary food” category, but would only evoke positive holiday emotions.
Zhanna Pyatirikova
Kanapeshki, as they are affectionately called, are universal. They are suitable for absolutely any table. Be it a banquet, buffet, birthday, children's party or just a sudden evening visit from friends. And preparing canapés is a truly creative and exciting process, because you not only need to be able to combine products correctly, but also assemble them in a beautiful sequence.
Let's learn the intricacies of making canapés, how to choose ingredients and how to beautifully decorate them.
What is a canapé
Canapes are a cold appetizer. Unlike regular sandwiches, you usually need more of them, since canapés are designed for one bite, and such a snack is usually very popular among guests. They can be served with alcoholic drinks, tea or coffee.
Bright and original, canapés can decorate any holiday table. It is very easy to prepare them yourself. Canapés can be either strung on skewers or made in the form of small appetizers or tartlets.
Canapes are quite capable of becoming the final touch and complementing the table setting and beautifully laid napkins, thereby completing the creation of a festive, cozy or romantic atmosphere. 
How to cook canapés correctly
Canapés are usually strung on special skewers. In themed stores they are presented for every taste, color and budget. If you don’t have time to buy skewers, and your friends show up unexpectedly, then you can safely replace them with toothpicks.
Skewers are not the only existing option for preparing canapés. Small tartlets are a great alternative.
One of the main conditions is not to overdo it. Canapes are designed for one bite, so they should not exceed 4 centimeters in diameter. You don't want to put your guests in an awkward position. In addition, small and neat canapes look much more impressive.
Preparation for preparing canapés must be done carefully. The ingredients may not be exotic at all, but they must be neatly chopped and the same size. Assorted canapes will immediately spoil the overall impression of the table.
As a rule, the base for canapés is made from bread or cookies. The bread is usually lightly fried to give it a golden brown crust. It secures the canapes and prevents the food structure from falling apart. However, there are also lighter options, for example, from fruits that do not contain bread. You should still remember that the “foundation” of the snack should not be a soft or sticky product.
You can decorate the canapé with a sprig of herbs or wrap the ingredients in a leaf of lettuce, basil, or mint. So, the snack will immediately look “more elegant”. You can also add cream cheese. It will make the snack taste softer.
There is no universal form of canapes. They can be in the form of a square, triangle, rhombus. Give free rein to your imagination. It would be a good idea to use special cutting molds.
Play not only with shape, but also with color. Canapés can be in the same range or full of bright colors.
Before serving, the canapés can be placed in the refrigerator for a short time so that the products stick together better.
Canapés look best when served on a wide plate and laid out in several rows in one layer. Depending on the theme of the party, this classic variation may change. So, you can lay out canapés in the shape of a heart. 
Ideal products for canapés
To prepare canapés, salmon, various types of cheese, ham, vegetables, and fruits are used. But pork, beef, tuna and other types of meat and fish, as a rule, rarely act as ingredients for canapés.
We present to your attention the products that are most often used when preparing canapés and are a win-win option. However, this list is not exhaustive, because you can mix the ingredients however you like. And each new snack tastes completely special and unlike the others.
Cheeses
Perhaps one of the most popular ingredients for canapés. You can choose just one type of cheese, or you can use several at once on one plate. This way you will only complement it, because all varieties combine well with each other and will harmonize effectively with other ingredients. Being a hard product, cheese is also excellent as a base for canapés. Cheese canapés are a good complement to wine.
The cheese goes well with bread, tomatoes, avocado, ham, and grapes. 
Salmon
Salmon is in no way inferior to cheese in popularity. This fish is used to make more festive appetizer options. Salmon makes very tasty and interesting canapés. And they look beautiful even without additional decorations. It is worth adding cream cheese to salmon canapés. Take rye bread as a base. These products go together amazingly. And on top of such a canape you can decorate with a sprig of greenery.
Salmon goes well with cucumber, cream cheese, herbs, bread, lemon, and avocado. 
Ham
Ham acts as an alternative to meat when preparing canapés. It must be cut into thin slices. A rolled ham will look beautiful. For such canapes you will definitely need skewers to beautifully secure this product. With ham, the canapés are hearty and tasty. Give preference only to a product from a brand that inspires trust, in order to avoid unnecessary and unhealthy ingredients in its composition.
Ham goes well with cucumber, cheese, bread, olives and tomatoes. 
Shrimps
Don't discount seafood either. This is a very original alternative to the usual cheese and ham. True, preference is best given to shrimp. They are quite filling, since they contain almost only protein. In addition, they hold their shape well and are the perfect size for canapés. You can use not only regular shrimp, but also a larger variety - tiger shrimp.
In addition, they taste well with different foods. For example, with cheese, grapes, bacon, lemon. 
Olives and black olives
Olives belong to the category of those ingredients that can decorate absolutely any dish. They add a spicy taste and look beautiful. Therefore, by adding these ingredients to your canapes, you can kill two birds with one stone. What to choose is up to you. Rely on your taste. Canapés in which olives and black olives alternate as ingredients will look impressive on the same dish.
Olives go well with bell peppers, salmon, and cheese. In general, they are, in fact, a universal ingredient. 
Fruits
You can make individual canapés from the fruits, or add them as an ingredient to a more satisfying option. At the same time, you should not overuse it: one fruit will be quite enough to give it a piquant and interesting taste. Grapes, bananas, apples, and oranges are usually chosen for canapés.
Berries are not suitable for canapés as they are too small. The only exception is strawberries, which can be safely used as an ingredient. The rest of the berries can become a beautiful decoration for canapés, laid out on top. 