For Starters

Rave reviews are guaranteed when these make-ahead nibbles are on the menu.

Filo tartlets with Asian beef salad

Melting mouthfuls of beef are tossed in a delicious combination of Asian flavors. Seed the chile for the garnish, if you prefer.

Ingredients:
8 oz. beef filet steak, 1-inch thick
1 Tb. light soy sauce
1 Tb. lime juice
1 Tb. fish sauce
¼ tsp. sugar
1 cup cilantro leaves
1 cup mint leaves, plus extra to garnish
¼ red bell pepper, finely diced
1 tomato, seeded and diced
1 tsp. sesame seeds
1 tsp. grated lime zest
20 filo tartlets
1 sliced red chile to garnish

Directions:

1. Sear the steak in a hot pan on both sides, 6 minutes total. Cool and cut into 20 slices.
2. Toss the steak slices with the soy sauce, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, herbs, pepper, tomato, sesame seeds and zest. Divide steak slices among the filo tartlets. Garnish with red chile and mint.

Asian pork balls

Meatballs are a great party food—they’re versatile, packed with flavor and delicious served with various dipping sauces.

Ingredients:

For the Sauce
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tb. granulated sugar
2 Tbs. fish sauce
1 red chile or jalapeño chile, seeded and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 Tb. grated fresh ginger

For the meatballs
7 oz. ground pork
1 oz. shallots, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 tsp. brown sugar
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tb. finely chopped cilantro
1 Tb. finely chopped mint leaves
1 Tb. grated fresh ginger
2 Tbs. fish sauce
Vegetable or sunflower oil to fry

Directions:

1. For the sauce, combine all ingredients with 2 Tbs. water and taste for seasoning.
2. Place the meatball ingredients into a large bowl. Mix well and mold 1 ball into the size of a walnut for testing.
3. Heat a frying pan with 2 Tbs. of oil and fry the ball on all sides for 2 minutes or until cooked through. Taste to check flavor. You may wish to add more fish sauce or salt. Roll the remainder of the mixture into small balls.
4. Fry briskly but gently to cook through. At this stage you can keep the meatballs warm in a medium oven until ready to serve. Serve with the chile-lime dipping sauce and torn cilantro.

Sweet potato and ginger rösti with cilantro pesto

Full of flavor, these little cakes are an original slant on the classic rösti. Make in advance, then assemble just in time to enjoy.

Ingredients:

For the rösti
14 oz. orange sweet potato, peeled
3 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
1 large egg
1 Tb. all-purpose flour
1 Tb. grated fresh ginger
¼ oz. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbs. sunflower or vegetable oil

For the pesto
½ oz. fresh cilantro
1 scallion, trimmed
¾ oz. dry roasted peanuts
1 tsp. sesame oil
1–2 Tbs. olive oil
1 green chile, seeded

Directions:

1. Place the whole, peeled sweet potato in a small pan of cold salted water, bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Drain, cool and coarsely grate the potato onto a plate. In a large bowl, mix together all the rösti ingredients except the oil.
2. Heat a large frying pan with a little oil. Shape 1 rösti into a small patty and fry for 1–2 minutes on each side just to check the seasoning. (This way you can see if more salt and pepper is needed.) 3. Now, fry röstis in 2 batches, using a teaspoon and your fingers to help place the little mounds of sweet potato in the pan. Flatten as they cook. Make sure there is always a small amount of oil in the frying pan. Keep the heat medium-low so röstis do not burn. Allow to cool before topping.
4. For the pesto, place all the ingredients into a food processor or chop finely by hand to combine well. To serve, place a small teaspoon of crème fraîche and some pesto on top of each rösti.

Sesame sushi rolls

Colorful and nutty, these little sushi rolls have contrasting textures, which make them so appealing to eat.

Ingredients:
3 Tbs. sesame seeds, white and black
4 oz. medium shrimp
2 sheets of nori, halved
About 2 cups cooked sushi rice
½ tsp. wasabi paste
½ cucumber, seeded and cut into julienne strips
6 Tbs. shoyu (Japanese soy sauce)

Directions:
1. Toast the seeds in a dry pan over low heat until nutty and golden, 3 minutes. Cool. Cut the shrimp in half lengthwise. Have a small bowl of water ready for moistening your fingers.
2. Cut 1 sheet of plastic wrap just larger than 1 nori half. Place 1 nori half, smooth side down, on a bamboo sushi mat. Moisten your fingers with water, then spread a quarter of the rice in an even layer on the nori. Cover with the plastic wrap.
3. Pick up the nori, carefully turn over, and place on the mat, plastic wrap side down. The nori should now be facing up. Spread a thin line of wasabi lengthwise along the center of the nori with your fingers.
4. Arrange a quarter of the shrimp, cucumber and 1 tsp. sesame seeds on top, making sure the fillings extend completely to each end. Pick up the bamboo mat and plastic wrap and tightly roll rice around the filling, pressing down firmly as you roll. Unroll the mat and plastic wrap.
5. Gently roll the rice in half of the remaining sesame seeds. Roll up tightly in plastic wrap, twisting the ends to secure. Repeat with remaining nori, rice, wasabi, shrimp, cucumber and seeds.
6. Trim the ends of each roll to neaten, then cut each roll into 6 equal-size pieces with a moist knife. Remove the wrap from the cut pieces. Serve at room temperature with shoyu for dipping.

Fennel-marinated feta and olive skewers

As this recipe tastes so fresh and clean, it will work well with richer dishes. It makes a delicious vegetarian option.

Ingredients:
2 Tbs. sesame seeds
8 oz. feta cheese
1 Tb. fennel seeds
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 Tb. lemon juice
2 Tbs. olive oil
1½ tsp. cracked black pepper
¼ cup finely chopped mint
20 mint leaves
½ cucumber, peeled and seeded
10 pitted black olives, halved

Directions:
1. Toast the seeds in a dry pan over low heat until nutty and golden, 3 minutes. Cool.
2. Gently rinse the feta in cold water. Drain on paper towels.
3. Cut feta into ¾-inch cubes. Toss feta with the fennel, toasted seeds, lemon juice, oil and pepper to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours to allow the flavors to combine.
4. Sprinkle the feta with chopped mint and toss to coat each cube well.
5. Cut the cucumber into 20 cubes, ½-inch thick.
6. Thread 1 mint leaf, 1 olive half, 1 cucumber cube and 1 feta cube onto each skewer.
Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Spiced vegetable pakoras with tomato and ginger dipping sauce

These crisp and spicy pakoras are excellent served with raita, mango chutney or this spicy tomato and ginger dipping sauce.

Ingredients:
For the sauce
½ cup ketchup
½ Tb. grated fresh ginger
1 red chile or jalapeño chile, seeded and finely chopped

For the cakes
½ cup gram flour
½ tsp. garam masala
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground turmeric
½ tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. salt
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
1 eggplant
1 zucchini
1 sweet potato, peeled
7 cups sunflower or vegetable oil for frying
Sea salt

Directions:
1. For the sauce, mix all the ingredients together and taste for seasoning. Set aside.
2. For the cakes, place all the ingredients for the batter into a large mixing bowl. Pour in 5 oz. cold water, whisking until smooth. The batter should be thick and creamy.
3. Wash, dry and slice the vegetables into thin discs about ¼-inch thick. Dip the vegetables into the batter, coating well.
4. Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or deep-sided saucepan to 375° F, or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Drop the coated vegetables into the hot oil and fry until crisp, 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve scattered with sea salt and tomato and ginger dipping sauce.