5 festive recipes for the ultimate holiday party

1.   Cut the bread into half inch slices, cutting each slice in half again. Brush the bread slices lightly with 1/4 cup olive oil, place on a cookie sheet and dust each slice of bread generously with parmesan cheese. Place into an oven pre-heated to 350 °F, and toast for 6-7 minutes, until the bread lightly browns and the cheese toasts to a crisp finish. The cheese toasts may be cooled and stored in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

2.  Combine the sugar, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper to make the dry rub for the beef. This holds at room temperature for several weeks and may be made in large batches.

3. Season the steaks with the chili rub and cook over high heat in a pre-heated grill pan or over an outdoor fire until the desired internal temperature—about 3 minutes a side for medium rare.

4. Allow the beef steaks to cook for several minutes before slicing crosswise into ¼ thin slices

5. Place each beef slice onto a slice of parmesan cheese toast and pass as an hors d’oeuvres

Remove the salmon from its package and pull the slices apart.

Lay out a tortilla, spread a thin layer of goat cheese, top with a slice of smoked salmon and sprinkle with some chopped scallion. Finish by topping off with a second tortilla, pressing down. This may be done up to a day in advance, keeping the finished quesadilla refrigerated.

Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat, spray lightly with evo oil, add a tortilla and cook till golden, flip and cook the second side.

Serve by cutting each quesadilla into quarters, top each piece with a small dollop of cream fraiche and a few salmon roe eggs. Serve immediately.

Pre-heat oven to 400°f.

1. Place the defrosted artichokes and clean mushrooms into a food processor and pulse till coarsely chopped

2. Add the cream cheese, parmesan cheese and sour cream to the food processor and pulse with the artichokes and mushrooms till well combined, and smooth

3. Add the parsley, mustard, lemon juice, garlic and Worcestershire and pulse for 10 seconds more, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepperpour into a buttered baking casserole and bake for 25 minutes until bubbling and hot

4. Wash and cut vegetables into 2 inch long stick-shapes

5. Serve the hot dip with chilled vegetable crudités