How to make garlic bread – recipe | Felicity Cloake's Masterclass

Once upon a time, an ex and I used to throw an annual party – a non-chic affair with a recycling bin full of ice and bottles – where the star, and the thing that everyone really came for, was the garlic bread: 10 or 15 loaves of the stuff, always demolished while still dangerously hot from the oven. I believe the original recipe was Nigel Slater’s; this is my tweaked version.Prep 15 min Cook 25 min Makes 1 loaf1 ciabatta loaf, or baguette – a slightly stale one, ideally80g room-temperature butter, salted or unsalted4 garlic cloves 1 small bunch parsley, or another herb of your choice (see step 6)40g parmesan, or similar hard cheese, finely grated, plus a little extra for toppingA squeeze of lemon juice, to finishSalt, to taste (if using unsalted butter)You can prepare this ahead of time (and you should, too, if you want to get the smell of garlic off your hands before the festivities begin) – the day before, or even up to a month in advance (in which case, wrap, freeze and bake straight from frozen, though, if you do so, add five to 10 minutes to the cooking time). In both cases, wrap it well in foil before storing.While day-old bread is easier to butter, it must still be soft enough to absorb large quantities of butter (anything too dense or crisp will repel it) and robust enough to maintain its structural integrity once soaked

Festive finger food: how to use Christmas leftovers to make New Year’s Eve canapes | Kitchen aide

What canapes can I make for New Year’s Eve with my Christmas leftovers that will still feel special?Ella, via email Finger food needn’t be fancy, so New Year is a good opportunity to clear the decks. The only real rule is to keep things to just one bite – no one wants to be manoeuvring a fork, after all. “People just want a big hug of comfort food with a decadent twist,” says Max Bergius, founder of Secret Smokehouse in east London. “If you’ve got a bit of smoked salmon left, get that on blinis and top with lumpfish caviar, which is only £2-£3 per 50g pot.” Mini fishcakes would also be just the ticket: “Whether you’ve got leftover smoked haddock or hot smoked salmon, fold it through mashed potato, mix with dill, lemon and fried leeks, then roll in panko and deep-fry

Rukmini Iyer’s quick and easy party platters: halloumi with pineapple salsa and za’atar carrots with labneh | Quick and easy

This hot halloumi platter is such a crowdpleaser that it’s worth making with two blocks of halloumi, even for a smaller group. I like to include this as part of a spread of mixed hot and cold dishes – a jolly, festive update on cheese and pineapple on a stick (which is admittedly hard to improve on). Then, a high-impact, low-effort dish: za’atar roast carrots with labneh and pistachio. On a whim, I hung a carton’s worth of plain yoghurt in muslin for labneh the other week, and now I can’t stop – it takes just 30 minutes for a soft-set, which is what you want here (for a firmer set, leave it to hang for an hour).To get ahead, keep the cut pineapple in a large bowl in the fridge, the chopped mint and chilli in a small bowl, and the red onion and lime juice in another small bowl

Jose Pizarro’s recipe for caramelised brussels sprout and panceta montaditos

Brussels sprouts are perhaps not the first thing you think of when you think about Spanish food, but they do have a little history in my homeland. They arrived in Spain in the 16th century, through trade with Flanders, and were often paired with pork, which we love. Here, however, I caramelise them with onion, thyme and sweet vinegar, then serve on crisp baguette with soft cheese and pine nuts. A small bite with big flavour, and just right with a glass of oloroso – perfect for festive times.Prep 15 min Cook 35 minMakes About 20 canapes1 tbsp olive oil 125g sliced panceta (Spanish bacon), or pancetta, finely chopped1 medium onion, peeled and finely sliced1 garlic clove, peeled and finely sliced300g brussels sprouts, finely sliced3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped2 tbsp sweet apple vinegar 2 tbsp soft light brown sugar Salt and black pepper 20 slices fresh baguette 150-200g soft curd cheese, whipped, or whipped cream cheese50g pine nuts, toastedHeat the oil in a large frying pan, then fry the chopped panceta for about five minutes, until golden and crisp

Tasting 291 Australian supermarket products has taught me there’s no correlation between price and deliciousness

After a year of taste tests, Nicholas Jordan has learned never to judge a food by its packet – including the cooking instructionsImagine going to a work Christmas party and being greeted not by your current workmates and bosses but by everyone you’ve ever worked with. Imagine the mix of dread, nostalgia and excitement that would bring on. That’s how I feel every time I walk into Coles Broadway.After trying 291 supermarket products for 14 taste tests this year (one more than last year’s haul) I feel as if I know all the characters in there and, despite only having relatively short interactions with many, I have strong opinions about all of them.I want to tell everyone my opinions but supermarkets aren’t particularly welcoming places for giddy soap-box speakers

Drinks ideas to get your NYE party fuelled

Oh, you thought it was all over? After all the carolling, gifting and tree-ing (not to mention the eating and drinking) of the actual Christmassy bit, it feels almost cruel to have to do it all again, and on – in my opinion – one of the most stressful nights of the year: New Year’s Eve.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.If you’re not paying over the odds and going out, with long queues and stressed-out staff, you’re the stressed-out one yourself