Christmas inches closer, and it’s been a while since we’ve entertained properly. Though our culinary skills have not waned, we may be overwhelmed with the thought of what to serve. Maybe you’re not ready to have a full sit-down dinner party, and that’s fine. Cocktails and hearty canapés are all you need for a great party. Plus, a cocktail party format allows folks who haven’t seen each other since March 2020 to catch up.

Here are three elegant, no-fuss beef canapés that are sure to impress, satiate and give you, the host, more time to entertain. Each recipe yields two dozen pieces.

Roast Beef and Cucumber Canapés

Ingredients:

2 pounds beef tenderloin

1/3 cup of mayonnaise

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 teaspoons hot pepper sauce

1 tablespoon Butcher Block Private Label Smokehouse seasoning

6 basil leaves, finely chopped

2-3 cucumbers, cut into 24 half-inch-thick slices

2 cloves garlic

Sprig of rosemary

Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

Microgreens, to garnish

Method:

Step 1

Pat steak dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil, rosemary and garlic in a cast-iron skillet until the garlic begins to brown. Add steak and cook until the desired doneness is reached. Remove from the skillet and set aside until cool.

Step 2

Place cucumber slices between sheets of paper towel to absorb additional moisture. Mix mayonnaise with hot pepper sauce, chopped basil, and Butcher Block seasoning.

Step 3

Trim away any fat and thinly slice beef into 24 bite-size slices.

Step 4

Schmear spicy mayonnaise mixture atop each cucumber slice, follow with a thin slice of steak and microgreens for garnish.

Beef Tenderloin and Potato Canapés

Ingredients:

2 pounds beef tenderloin

1 cup coconut oil

½ cup cream cheese

2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium-sized salad tomato, seeded and julienned

24 slices peeled Irish potatoes, cut into quarter-inch thick slices

24 thin shards of Parmesan

Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

Microgreens, to garnish

Method:

Step 1

Pat tenderloin dry and liberally season with salt and pepper. Oven roast until the desired doneness is reached. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Step 2

Wash and peel five to six medium-sized Irish potatoes. Cut into 24 quarter-inch thick slices. Fry in oil and butter until golden. Drain on sheets of paper towel and set aside.

Step 3

Apportion tenderloin into 24 thin slices.

Step 4

Combine softened cream cheese, mustard and cracked black pepper (approximately six cranks of the pepper mill) and schmear atop crispy potato slices. Follow with slices of tenderloin, julienned tomato, microgreens, and a shard of Parmesan.

Steak and Brie Canapés

Ingredients:

2 pounds ribeye steak (approximately 1 ½-inch thick)

1 pound brie (about 2 small wheels)

1 ½ cups fig jam

2 tablespoon butter

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 loaves baguette

2 cloves garlic

Sprig of rosemary

Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

Method:

Step 1

Pat steak dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil, rosemary, butter and garlic in a cast-iron skillet until the garlic begins to brown. Add steak and cook until the desired doneness is reached. Remove from the skillet and set aside until cool.

Step 2

Slice baguettes into ¾-inch thick slices and toast on a baking sheet in a 450°F oven until golden. Slice brie into 24 wedges and set aside.

Step 3

Slice steak into half-inch slices and place one slice on top of each slice of bread. Follow with a wedge of brie and a dollop of fig jam. Return to the oven for a minute to soften the cheese. Serve immediately.