‘I always think that canapés should box slightly above their weight – in other words, they need to be vividly flavoured to succeed. Here, the combination of crisp brioche, salty feta, pickled walnuts, figs, honey and thyme is just that. If you like, there’s a recipe for pickling your own green walnuts on page 275 of Rick Stein’s Christmas. You can also make this with slices of goat’s cheese from a log instead of the whipped feta.’
Serves 36
INGREDIENTS
- 4 slices of brioche
- 35g butter, melted
- 4-5 fresh figs, each cut into 6-8 slices depending on size
- 2 or 3 pickled walnuts, chopped into small pieces
- 4-5 tsp clear honey
- Fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked
Whipped feta
- 100g feta
- 90g Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C.
- Brush both sides of each slice of brioche with melted butter. Cut each slice into 9 squares. Place them in a single layer on a couple of baking sheets and toast in the oven for 4–5 minutes. Turn them over and cook for another 3 minutes until crisp and golden.
- Whip the feta ingredients together with a stick blender until smooth.
- Top each square of brioche with some whipped feta, a slice of fig and a piece of pickled walnut. Finish with a tiny drizzle of honey and couple of thyme leaves.
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