Seasonal Appetisers Recipe

Prepare the bread

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Slice the baguette on the diagonal into 12–14 slices about 1 cm (1/3 in) thick. Arrange slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush both sides lightly with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp sea salt. Toast in the oven 8–10 minutes, flipping once, until golden and crisp. Remove and set aside to cool slightly.

Prepare the pears

While the bread toasts, core and thinly slice the pears lengthwise into 24–30 thin slices. Toss the pear slices gently with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and a light pinch of black pepper to prevent browning and add flavor.

Assemble crostini

Spread about 1 tablespoon of blue cheese mixture (crumbled blue cheese) onto each toasted baguette slice. Top each with a pear slice (fold larger slices as needed). Drizzle each crostini with honey (about 1/2 tsp per crostini). Sprinkle the chopped toasted walnuts evenly across the crostini and finish with a light pinch of fresh thyme leaves and remaining freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Serve

Arrange crostini on a platter and serve immediately while toasts are still slightly warm so cheese softens. Leftovers: keep toasted bread separate from toppings for up to 8 hours.

In a medium bowl or jar combine the olives, olive oil (60 ml), the zests of lemon and orange (use a microplane or fine grater to remove only the colored peel), smashed garlic cloves, rosemary and thyme sprigs, crushed red pepper flakes and 3/4 tsp coarse sea salt. Toss or shake to coat evenly.

Cover and let marinate at room temperature for at least 1 hour, ideally 4–6 hours, or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator for deeper flavor. Bring to room temperature before serving if chilled.

Before serving, discard whole rosemary and thyme stems and garlic if desired, or leave for presentation. Transfer olives to a small bowl and drizzle a little extra olive oil if needed. Serve with toothpicks or small forks.

Prepare the dip

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). In a small mixing bowl combine the goat cheese (200 g) and soft cream cheese (60 g). Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped chives, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons milk and 1 teaspoon honey until smooth but slightly rustic — you want some texture. Season with 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper and a pinch (about 1/4 tsp) sea salt if needed.

Bake

Transfer the cheese mixture to a small oven-safe baking dish (about 16–20 cm / 6–8 in). Smooth the top, drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the surface and sprinkle toasted pine nuts over if using. Bake for 12–15 minutes until warmed through and edges are gently bubbling and the top is slightly golden.

Prepare crudités

While the dip warms, wash and cut assorted crudités into bite-size pieces: carrot sticks, cucumber rounds, radishes and any seasonal vegetables you'd like. Arrange on a platter.

Serve

Remove the dip from the oven and let sit 1–2 minutes. Drizzle a touch more olive oil and sprinkle remaining chopped chives and parsley on top. Serve warm with prepared crudités and optional extra bread. Leftovers: refrigerate cooled dip up to 3 days and rewarm gently.