Vegetarian hors d’oeuvres for holiday entertaining

Well there’s no denying it – the holidays are upon us whether we are ready or not! I’m in France right now and have more or less wrapped up my holiday entertaining although no doubt I will be trying my hand at a few festive treats over the next couple of weeks but I’m very much in “vacation mode” (as in, no cooking, my “macaron elbow” – seriously, it is a thing! – needs a rest from heavy duty baking and cooking!

If you’re still on the lookout for some recipes to round out your holiday offerings, my latest article over on JamieOliver.Com might be of interest – it’s all about vegetarian appetizers and hors d’oeuvres (minified, of course!) which would be great for any holiday party – whatever you celebrate! The great thing about all of these recipes is that they can be made in advance (or have many elements which can be) so all you have to do is simply assemble them when it’s party time.  Advance preparation is so important over the busy holiday season when it’s often hard to balance spending time with your guests and prepping the food in the kitchen. These three recipes are perfect because they allow you to relax and enjoy your guests’ company (and a cocktail!).

First up – mini festive frittatas and horseradish devilled eggs.  Both these dishes will please everyone at your holiday party (not just vegetarians!) and can be assembled and/ or mostly prepped beforehand. The frittatas are easy to customise for everyone – if you chop all the fillings in advance, you can even make different batches (bacon is great in these if you eat meat!) through the party – to bake them you simply add the fillings to mini-muffin tins and pour in your egg mixture then bake.  The devilled eggs can be made entirely in advance and simply brought to the table when you need them.

Next up, a dish inspired by one I first tasted at the legendary Adelaide Hills restaurant, The Uraidla Aristologist in the early 1990s. These cheese-filled bread cases are a dish I’ve made these before in the form of mini croque-monsieur bites – they are easy to customise according to people’s likes or dietary restrictions (see also grown up grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches). This dish is fun to eat and also, a great conversation starter because of its unique appearance!

Want the recipes for these festive vegetarian hors d’oeuvres? Head on over to JamieOliver.Com!

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I’m in France for the holidays! Keep up with me on Instagram, Flickr and Twitter!