This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Kraft.
When I was growing up, my mum and I would occasionally fix ourselves a real afternoon tea, complete with fine china, sandwiches and a full pot of Orange Pekoe tea. We set to work cutting the crusts off of multiple slices of soft, white bread. Some were filled with egg salad and others were rolled around gherkin pickles with pimento cream cheese. Ham, Mango Chutney and Pecan Tea Sandwiches would be a welcome addition, too. We would sip our tea, chat about the day’s happenings, and pop those little sandwiches into our mouths, one after the other. To me, the act of making food together and enjoying it with someone you care about is what makes a good meal memorable.
We discovered that those little sandwiches needn’t be relegated to these elaborate tea times, which were few and far between. When set out as an hors d’oeuvres at a dinner party, the plate was often empty within minutes. I am not sure if it harkens back to the time of our ancestors or we just think it is fun, but people seem to love eating with their hands. Little tastes of multiple flavors in one meal satisfies cravings far more efficiently than a large meal of similar flavors. At least that is how it works in my world.
When I was set the task of developing a recipe using Philadelphia Cream Cheese, I immediately thought back to those tea times with my mum. If you browse the appetizer pages of the Real Women of Philadelphia site, you will find many recipes that would fit the bill at your next cocktail or dinner party. One of the wonderful things about the recipes is that they hail from various places around the United States, offering regional flavors as well as original version of international dishes. If you have any tried-and-true appetizer recipes using Philadelphia Cream Cheese, be sure to enter it in the Real Women of Philadelphia contest contest for a chance to win $25,000.
In this recipe, cream cheese is mixed with butter and curry powder to make a compound butter, which is spread on lightly toasted pieces of bread. Each slice is layered with thin slices of cucumber, fresh cilantro and cooked shrimp before the crusts are cut off and they are cut into pretty, bite-sized pieces. This makes an beautiful, savory appetizer with little effort and, if you are like me, you will find yourself popping these into your mouth, one after the other.
The recipe:
In a medium bowl, mash together butter, cream cheese, curry powder and kosher salt with the back of a fork until combined.
Heat canola oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Season shrimp with salt. Add shrimp and sear until shrimp is just cooked through, about 30 seconds on each side. Remove shrimp from pan and cut each one in half horizontally.
Lay bread slices on a baking sheet in a 350 degrees oven and cook until bread is very lightly toasted. Transfer bread slices to a rack and cool.
Spread 1 tablespoon curry cream cheese on each slice of bread. Cut cucumber into slices that are the length of one side of bread and 1/4/-inch thick. Place 2 slices cucumber, side-by-side, on each piece of bread. Top with 4 springs of cilantro (set up in a square) and then place 1 shrimp piece on each sprig of cilantro. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Cut crusts off bread and then cut each slice in four squares. Serve.
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Shrimp, Cucumber & Curry Cream Cheese Canapes
Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Hors D’Oeuvres Handbook
Curry Cream Cheese:
4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Canapes:
2 tbsp canola oil
20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 tsp kosher salt
10 slices white sandwich bread
1 large English cucumber
40 small sprigs fresh cilantro
Curry Cream Cheese:
In a medium bowl, mash together butter, cream cheese, curry powder and kosher salt with the back of a fork until combined.
Canapes:
Heat canola oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Season shrimp with salt. Add shrimp and sear until shrimp is just cooked through, about 30 seconds on each side. Remove shrimp from pan and cut each one in half horizontally.
Lay bread slices on a baking sheet in a 350 degrees oven and cook until bread is very lightly toasted. Transfer bread slices to a rack and cool.
Spread 1 tablespoon curry cream cheese on each slice of bread. Cut cucumber into slices that are the length of one side of bread and 1/4/-inch thick. Place 2 slices cucumber, side-by-side, on each piece of bread. Top with 4 springs of cilantro (set up in a square) and then place 1 shrimp piece on each sprig of cilantro. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Cut crusts off bread and then cut each slice in four squares. Serve.
Makes 40 canapes.
Sabera of OneLifeToEat says
OMG… yum…. YUM!! I can hardly wait to try this. I just realized I’ll be making some shrimp thai curry this weekend and most probably will have a few shrimp leftover for these canapes! Love the curried cream cheese too. I must try it on my breakfast toast. And you are so right about eating with our hands! Back home in India, we only ate with our hands and honestly, food tastes so much better that way…
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thanks, Sabera. That Thai shrimp curry sounds fantastic. I’m going to be checking back to your blog to see that recipe. You’re so right about food tasting better when eaten with your hands.
Joyti says
Ooo, this looks delicious. Very nice appetizer…
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thanks so much, Joyti.
Katrina says
Whoa! These are so elegant and pretty. Great appetizer 🙂
claudia lamascolo/aka pegasuslegend says
These really do look delicious, perfect for a Wedding orderve just in time for the summer weather as well!
Yuri says
Curry cream cheese sounds delicious! Your canapes look great, Dara 🙂
Pretend Chef says
I love tea sandwiches and these look amazing. These would be perfect for a Mother’s Day brunch as well. Yummy!
Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen says
These are so pretty and what a great flavor combo.
Gourmantine says
These canapes look so cute, simple yet elegant!
Delishhh says
YUM YUM! I am a huge open sandwich, canape person. Actually i only eat open sandwiches 🙂 That is how i grew up. But these are gorgeous. Picture perfect and delicious looking 🙂
Jenny Flake says
Those are just so pretty Dara! Mmm 🙂
Maris (In Good Taste) says
Perfect for Mothers Day or any day! These are beautiful
Robyn | Add a Pinch says
These are just absolutely gorgeous, Dara.
Shaina says
These are so creative, and they sound delightful as well.
Serendipity is Sweet says
Yum! Love it. Thanks 🙂
Wenderly says
These just look like little pieces of edible art.
So very lovely, Dara!
Happy Mother’s Day to you!
Lora @cakeduchess says
These are lovely for Mother’s Day, Dara:)How sweet that you and your mum used to have a real tea time together. Curry cream cheese sounds incredible!
Nancy@acommunaltable says
I am such a sucker for this kind of food – beautiful and bite size!! These are the perfect little nibble with a good glass of bubbly!!!
I am so glad that you were at Camp Blogaway – just wish we didn’t live so far apart!!
Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. says
These are fabulous!
Kitty says
I will be treating myself to these soon. They’re so elegant!
HeatherChristo says
Very pretty and lady like!
Sutapa (alwayswinner786) says
Very soothing and healthy appetizer!
fooddreamer says
These look delicious, elegant and perfect for a party.
Belinda @zomppa says
Um. Gorgeous, elegant, and ueber delicious? How can a girl get some?
Amanda says
How cute are these shrimp canapes? What a fabulous appetizer!
Maria says
So fresh and pretty! Perfect for a shower or party!
Rochelle says
These look so good! I’m curious about the curry cream cheese but with the shrimp and cool cucumber I’m certain it’ll be delicious.
Lori @ RecipeGirl says
How the heck did you get those to look so incredibly perfect and cute??
Becky at VintageMixer says
This would have been perfect to eat while watching the updates of the Royal Wedding! I always thing of cucumber sandwiches as being very British.
Great seeing you today! I look forward to collaborating more as a team. Sometimes the blogging world can be a little lonely 🙂
Megan says
When my daughter was young, I would take her to all the tea parlors I could find. They are far and few between in my neck of the woods. What a great little tea sandwich (0r appetizer). They really are perfect looking. I know I would gobble them up too! 🙂
Marla says
Dara, these canapes are so pretty & I bet so tasty too!
Lana @ Never Enough Thyme says
Little tea sandwiches like these are very much part of my background, too. We couldn’t have a wedding shower or party in the South without a selection of wonderful bite-size sandwiches. Now I have a new one to add to my repertoire! My friends are going to love this one!
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective says
What an elegant little snack–perfect for Mothers Day!
Tracy says
Love this appetizer! So yummy and elegant!
Jennifer (Savor) says
Very creative Dara – I say make them for a cocktail party ( I am invited right?)
Elle says
I’m pretty sure I could polish off a plate of these all by myself. 😉
Kim | a little lunch says
Dara, I was searching for a salmon mousse canape (preferably served on cucumber slices) and lo and behold, there was your recipe amongst Huffington Post’s finest. 🙂 I can always count on YOU for flavor w/simplicity (and healthy eatin’), even this many years later! Hope all is well with you… and sorry to be so incommunicado lately. Much respect… xo… ~ Kim
Kim | a little lunch says
Oh yikes… might as well add a lil’ crow to those canapes, LOL! Just realized (in my recipe printing frenzy) that your appetizers involved shrimp (not salmon) — sorry ’bout that! But, they sound delish, I STILL love your recipes, and I intend to make (and enjoy every bite) o’ these!!! 🙂