Emma Sharp, Contributor

Chocolate Profiroles make the perfect little bites for any event.

About six weeks ago I was asked by Nicola Bicknell and Nicky Byron, new owners of Island Art and Framing, to cater for their grand opening. They wanted my speciality - hors d'oeuvres - and required enough food for four hundred people! I'm a purist in cooking - yes it should look appetising, but first and foremost it must be made from scratch and taste 'scrumdilidocious'! But me alone making canapés for that many? That's a task which takes longer than you expect. I needed help.

Organisation and Planning

A lot of organisation and planning, patience and love go into preparing four thousand hors d'oeuvres!

Two weeks before the event I set to work on fodder which keep or freeze well. With some much appreciated help, I spent two days baking cocoa breads, cupcakes and choux pastry, cooking pancakes and tomato ketchup, making icing, and marinating chicken. It was insane, and I'm sure neither of my assistants wants to knead dough ever again in their lives! "I'm afraid we need one more batch", is all I kept saying as I counted the numbers.

A couple days before D-Day itself, we turned up the heat. We had to give ourselves enough time to complete the job, as well as keep the food fresh. We stuffed mushrooms, peeled and marinated shrimps, cooked rice, seasoned tuna, rolled sushi, shaped burgers, made sauces, filled and dipped profiteroles, iced cupcakes ... would you like me to go on?

Before I knew it, Wednesday night had arrived and I was moving like a crazy woman to get platters of perfection out to the art collectors who were pouring in to see the exhibits of furniture and paintings.

Method to Madness

There's a method to my madness on how service is going to go when people are arriving at different times. To give them a chance to savour everything, I split each hors d'oeuvre into four batches. I send out one lot in succession with the others, and keep doing this until all is devoured.

It is important that hors d'oeuvres are passed around by waiters and NOT put on tables - this is tacky, allows the food to get cold and leaves some guests hungry. (Cheese boards, however, may be left on tables for people to help themselves). If food is offered it will be eaten. Not only that, but everyone is busy talking and enjoying themselves, so it's wonderful to be brought an array of mini morsels and by the end of the evening one couldn't possibly complain about leaving 'hangry'!

Baked Mushrooms

Baked Breadcrumb & Garlic Mushrooms

20 small white button

mushrooms, stems removed

and kept, mushroom caps left

whole 2 tbs. olive oil

Half cup freshly made

breadcrumbs (Use sliced bread)

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tbs. freshly chopped oregano

or thyme (extra for garnish)

Sea salt and black pepper

METHOD

1. Finely chop the mushroom stems.

2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the mushroom stems and cook for a few minutes until they soften.

3. Add the garlic and herbs, and fry for a minute, then pour in the breadcrumbs and cook for another couple minutes.

4. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the pan and cool.

5. Fill the mushroom caps with the breadcrumb mix and place on a baking sheet.

6. About half an hour before you are ready to serve, preheat the oven to 400F. When the oven is hot, place the baking tray in the oven for 20 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked through and golden on the top.

7. Sprinkle the mushrooms with herbs and serve on a platter.

Makes 20.

Thai Shrimp

25-35 Jumbo Shrimps,

raw and peeled

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 inch fresh ginger, grated

1 hot red chili pepper

or scotch bonnet pepper,

seeded and finely chopped

2tbs. sugar

4tbs. Thai fish sauce

4tbs. freshly squeezed lime juice

Lime wedges for garnish

METHOD

1. Combine garlic, ginger, pepper, sugar, fish sauce and lime in a bowl.

2. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the peeled shrimps and cook for 2 minutes.

3. Drain immediately and place in the bowl with the marinate.

4. Cover and refrigerate for 1-24 hours.

5. Serve heaped up on a platter with lime wedges around the outside.

Makes 25-35

Emma's Hors D'oeuvres Menu

Thai Shrimp - Photos by Emma Sharp

Baked Breadcrumb & Garlic Mushrooms

Thai Shrimps

Spicy Tuna Rolls with Spicy Dipping Sauce

Mini Pancakes with Chive Sour Cream & Smoked Salmon

Tandoori Chicken with Raita

Mini Burgers in Home-made Cocoa

Breads with Home-made Tomato Ketchup

Marmalade & Mustard Sausages with Sweet Syrup Sauce

Mini Chocolate Profiteroles filled with Créme Patisserie

Mini Lemon & Poppy Seed Cupcakes with Lemon Butter Icing

Cheese, Biscuits, Grapes & Cherries