The Canny Cook: Beef and stilton sliders

Turn meatballs into mini burgers for brilliantly easy party bites

MAKES 12 SLIDERS - TOTAL PRICE PER SLIDER 70p*

We’re fast approaching party season and, after a few years of dampened celebrations, I feel like Christmas 2023 has great potential. Whether I’m hosting 20 people or just four, I’ll be making sure that no one has an empty glass and that there is more than enough food to go around.

Party food must be substantial, particularly when drinks are flowing. I also try to make sure everything is hand-held, looks pretty and, for the most part, can be prepped in advance.

Mini brioche buns are widely available and are perfect for bite-size sandwiches. I fill them with prawn cocktail, thick-cut ham and chutney or make sliders (see recipe opposite). You can also sandwich them with ice cream and dust the tops with icing sugar for a sweet option (a good tip is to pre-scoop the ice cream into balls and keep frozen until just before serving).

Polenta chips are another favourite (find my recipe on Mail+). Guests unanimously love them, plus they can be made well in advance and frozen, then baked to serve. I also keep puff-pastry pin wheels (with pesto or tapenade) and good old cheese twists in the freezer. They’re always handy for last-minute guests.

When drinks are flowing, party food must be substantial 

Grazing boards have also become popular recently and can look impressive as guests arrive. In next week’s YOU we’ll be sharing lots of ideas for these, so don’t miss your copy!

METHOD

Make the pickled onion at least 1 hour or up to 48 hours in advance. Peel, halve and finely slice the onion. In a small bowl mix 3 tbsp red or white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar or honey and 1 tsp fine salt. Stir in the onion. Cover, chill and leave to pickle, stirring occasionally.

Preheat the grill to high. Take the meatballs and, one at a time, flatten them with the palms of your hands. You want them really quite thin as they’ll spring up while they cook – aim for no more than 5mm thick.

Arrange the beef patties evenly on a nonstick baking sheet and grill for 3 minutes, then turn them and grill for 2 more minutes. 

Split open the buns and place a burger on each of the bases. Top each with a crumbling of stilton and a small heap of pickled onion. Serve immediately.

Do you have a great recipe for eating well and cutting food bills? Email editor@you.co.uk. If we print it here, we’ll send you a bottle of champagne

*This cost assumes you already have some basic store-cupboard ingredients. Prices taken from Tesco and correct at time of going to press.