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Elegant
tea sandwiches, also known as finger sandwiches, are a welcome addition
to any shower. Most are not only simple to make, but can also be made
well in advance. Plan on making an assortment, as they will disappear
quickly.
Watercress Sandwich
Cucumber Sandwiches
Ham Tea Sandwiches
Stilton-Pear Tea Sandwiches
Smoked Salmon Canapé's
Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches
Gruyere Parmesan Puffs
Blue Cheese Popovers
Watercress Sandwich
- 1 bunch of watercress,
steamed
- 4 oz. unsalted
butter, softened and creamed
- 1 loaf thinly
sliced white bread
These are bright, peppery,
crisp and full of iron (good for expecting mom and baby) butter white
bread with salty butter and pile high with fresh watercress. Press another
slice on top until the contents crunch. Cut the sandwich in half but not
in quarters... The dark green leaves burst out at the seams. Arrange beautifully
on a serving platter and cover with a lightly dampened cloth until ready
to serve.
Cucumber Sandwiches
- 1 large cucumber
- 4 oz. unsalted
butter softened and creamed
- 1/3 cup chopped
parsley
- 1 loaf thinly
sliced white bread
Peel cucumber and slice
very thinly. Place slices in a strainer, sprinkle with salt and toss.
Press down to remove excess liquid. Lightly butter bread and cover with
two layers of cucumber. Top with another slice of bread. Apply firm but
delicate pressure with the palm of hand. Slice off crusts and cut into
four triangles. Arrange on serving platter and cover with lightly dampened
cloth until ready to serve.
Variations:
Use mayonnaise instead of butter Cut out with decorative cookie cutters
such as a baby bottle or a rattle. Garnish top with parsley .
Ham Tea Sandwiches
- 2 tablespoons
mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Sliced white
bread
- 8 thin slices
of Ham
- 1/4 cup chopped
fresh chives
In a small bowl mix
together the mayonnaise and mustard and spread on 8 of the slices of white
bread. Sprinkle with some of the chopped chives. Place ham on four slices
of bread and cover with the other four slices of bread. Cut off all crusts.
Cut each sandwich into four triangles. Arrange on platter and cover with
lightly dampened cloth until ready to serve.
Stilton-Pear Tea Sandwiches
- 7-8 oz. Stilton
cheese, room temperature
- 1 (3 oz.) softened
cream cheese
- 2 tbsp. milk
- 1 stick unsalted
butter (room temperature)
- 1 cored and thinly
sliced ripe pear
- 32 slices of
bread
Stilton-Pear Filling:
In medium bowl, combine 7-8 oz. Stilton cheese, room temperature, 1 (3
oz.) softened cream cheese and 2 tbsp. milk; mix well.
Trim crusts from sandwich bread. Spread each slice lightly with soft butter.
Spread about 1 1/2 tbsp. of filling mixture evenly to edges of half of
bread slices. Placed one piece of thinly sliced ripe pear over top and
cover with buttered bread. Cut into squares, triangles or cut with appropriate
cookie cutters. Arrange on serving trays; cover with wax paper, slightly
dampened tea towel and plastic wrap. Refrigerate several hours until ready
to serve.
Amount: 48 tea sandwiches .
Smoked Salmon Canap‚s
- 12 slices 1/4-inch
thin pumpernickel bread
- 6 oz. thinly
sliced smoked salmon
- 3 oz. dill butter
(room temperature) - recipe below
- 24 sprigs fresh
dill
Spread each bread slice
with dill butter. Arrange a single layer of smoked salmon over each slice.
Use a flower or round shaped cookie cutter to cut out 24 canapé's, 2 from
each slice of bread. Garnish each with a sprig of dill. Arrange beautifully
on a serving platter and cover with a lightly dampened cloth until ready
to serve.
Dill Butter (for Smoked Salmon Canap‚s)
- 1 stick unsalted
butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup of cream
cheese (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon
fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon
chopped fresh dill
- 1/2 teaspoon
salt
Mix all ingredients
in a bowl until well incorporated. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches
- 6 hard-boiled
eggs
- 6 tbsp. mayonnaise
- 1 stick unsalted
butter (room temperature)
- 1/4 cup minced
onion
- 1 tbsp. snipped
fresh dill
- 2 tsp. prepared
mustard
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 32 slices of
bread (combination of thin white and wheat)
Egg Salad Filling:
In small bowl, combine 6 hard-boiled eggs, chopped; 6 tbsp. mayonnaise,
1/4 cup minced onion, 1 tbsp. Finely chopped fresh dill, 2 tsp. prepared
mustard and 1/4 tsp. salt. Mix well.
Trim crusts from sandwich bread. Spread each slice lightly with soft butter.
Spread about 1 1/2 tbsp. of egg salad evenly to edges of half of bread
slices. Cover with buttered bread. Cut into squares, triangles or cut
with appropriate cookie cutters. Arrange on serving trays; cover with
wax paper, slightly dampened tea towel and plastic wrap. Refrigerate several
hours until ready to serve.
Tip: 32 slices of bread will make 64 square or triangular tea sandwiches.
Amount: 64 tea sandwiches .
Gruyere Parmesan Puffs (Makes about 20 puffs)
- 1 cup milk
- 8 tablespoon
(1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon
salt
- Pinch of white
pepper
- 1 cup sifted
flour
- 5 eggs
- 1 1/4 grated
parmesan cheese
- 3/4 grated gruyere
cheese
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large saucepan, combine milk, salt, pepper and bring to a boil. Remove
pan from heat. Add flour and whisk vigorously. Return to heat and cook,
stirring constantly until batter has thickened and pulls away from sides
of pan. Remove pan from heat; add 4 of the eggs, one at a time, thoroughly
mixing batter before another egg is added. Stir in 3/4 cup of parmesan
and all of the gruyere. Drop the batter by tablespoons onto a buttered
baking sheet placing them 1 inch apart. Beat remaining egg in a small
bowl. Brush tops of puff with beaten egg and sprinkle with remaining parmesan.
Bake 15-20 minutes until puffed and well browned.
Blue Cheese Popovers
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoon
unsalted butter (melted). Have extra for lining tins.
- 1 cup all purpose
flour
- 1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/4 oz. blue
cheese, crumbles
- 1 tablespoon
roughly chopped fresh thyme
Preheat oven 425 F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, melted butter, salt, flour
and pepper. Whisk until all of the lumps are gone. Whisk in the blue cheese
and thyme. Transfer the batter to a container and refrigerate at least
3 hours or overnight. Generously butter mini muffin tins (best size is
about 1 1/4 diameter opening). Fill each cup to the top with batter. Bake
popovers for about 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned and puffed.
Serve warm. |
