Ditch the crisps and make these simple tasty canapés with wow factor for your Christmas drinkies, created by Dorset-based chef and food writer Lesley Waters

Savoury Biscotti: These stylish biscuits will store in an airtight container for several days. Serve as a base for canapés, paté or dips or with your favourite cheeseboard. I love to serve these topped with the Artichoke Dip topped with some crisply fried air-dried ham and sage leaves.

Makes about 20

50g butter

225g self-raising flour

pinch salt

60g caster sugar

50g walnut, chopped

50g pistachio nuts, chopped

2 tbsp black sesame seeds

1 tsp black pepper

2 eggs, beaten

Method: Preheat the oven to 190°C/ gas mark 5. Place the butter in a small pan and melt over a gentle heat. Set aside to cool. Sieve the flour into a large bowl and stir in the sugar, walnuts and pistachios. Add the melted butter to the eggs, pour into the dried ingredients and mix well to a form dough.

Divide the dough in half and on a lightly floured surface roll out each half into a cylinder shape approx. 22cm long. Place on baking parchment on a baking tray and flatten each roll to approximately 6cm wide. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Allow to cool for a few minutes, then with a serrated knife, cut each piece on the slant into about 10 slices. Arrange the biscotti back on the baking tray spaced slightly apart. Return to the oven and bake for a further 5-10 minutes until golden. They are now ready to be used as a canapé base.

Great British Life: Savoury biscotti topped with artichoke dip and a sliver of crispy fried air-dried ham and a sage leafSavoury biscotti topped with artichoke dip and a sliver of crispy fried air-dried ham and a sage leaf (Image: timmacpherson.com)

Artichoke Dip

285g jar artichoke antipasti, drained really well from oil

110g full fat cream cheese or ricotta

zest and juice of a small lemon

1 clove garlic crushed

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method: Place the artichokes, cream cheese (or ricotta), lemon zest, garlic and olive oil in a small to medium food processer and blitz until thickened but not too smooth. Add lemon juice to taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Use as a dip or spread some on top of the biscotti the top with fried air-dried ham and a fried sage leaf.

Great British Life: Rye bread topped with beetroot hash, horseradish cream and smoked salmon - one of the five canapes we made in our cookery lesson with Lesley WatersRye bread topped with beetroot hash, horseradish cream and smoked salmon - one of the five canapes we made in our cookery lesson with Lesley Waters (Image: timmacpherson.com)

Beetroot Hash with Horseradish Cream and Smoked Salmon

This delicious beetroot dish can be served with seared salmon or pan-fried mackerel fillets as a main course or simply as a canapé on buttered pumpernickel squares topped with a hit of the horseradish cream, and some smoked salmon.

Serves 16/ 20 for canapés or 4 for a main course

425g raw beetroot

1 red onion, finely chopped

salt and black pepper

1 tbsp blackberry vinegar* or balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

175g crème fraîche 

1 tbsp horseradish sauce  

To finish

rye or pumpernickel bread

smoked salmon strips

Method: Peel the beetroot and shred it through the food processor or hand grate it on a coarse box greater (wear rubber gloves if you don’t want stained hands!)

In a medium sized bowl combine the shredded beetroot with the finely chopped onion, vinegar and olive oil. Season to taste. In a small mixing bowl combine the crème fraîche and horseradish sauce, season to taste. To make the canapés cut your rye or pumpernickel bread into bite-sized squares, top with a teaspoon of the beetroot mixture, a teaspoon of the horseradish cream and some smoked salmon.

*From Dorset With Love’s Blackberry Balsamic Vinegar is ideal for this recipe.

Great British Life: Grilled halloumi topped with warm pomegranate, Puy lentil and orange saladGrilled halloumi topped with warm pomegranate, Puy lentil and orange salad (Image: timmacpherson.com)

Warm pomegranate, Puy lentil and orange salad with griddled halloumi

Serves 12 for canapé topping

100g Puy or beluga lentils, cooked

1 red onion, finely sliced

1 garlic clove, crushed

3 tbsp olive oil

1 pomegranate, seeds removed

1 large orange, segmented and any juice reserved

1 small bunch flat leaf parsley, roughly torn

For the griddle halloumi

2 X 250g halloumi cheese, drained

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

Method: Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl along with any reserved orange juice. Season to taste. Carefully cut each block of halloumi into approx. 4 thick pieces, season both sides with black pepper. Heat a large griddle or frying pan over a high heat with the rapeseed oil. Griddle the cheese for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden and crisp, place on a board, you will need to do this in a few batches. Cut the warm (not hot) halloumi into squares place on a board or platter and top with a spoonful of the pomegranate lentil salad.

Click here for Great British Bake Off contestant Maggie's Dorset Apple Cake

Great British Life: Lesley WatersLesley Waters (Image: Tim MacPherson)

To book a cookery lesson with Lesley at home with your friends email info@lesleywaters.com, find more details at lesleywaters.com where you can buy Lesley’s book Deliciously Dairy Free