Rachel Khoo: Omelette pinwheels

The problem with canapés is that they inevitably require a bread or pastry base to make them remotely practical for handing around with drinks. This is fine if you’re attempting to line your stomach for the Christmas excesses of mulled wine or champagne, but not so great if you’re watching your figure or saving room for dinner. These omelette pinwheels are fairly low-maintenance as canapés go, and the standard omelette recipe can be used with all sorts of spreads and cured fish or meat.

Omelette pinwheels

Makes 16

For the omelettes:

6 medium free-range eggs

2 tbsp chopped chives

Sea salt and black pepper

50g butter

For the pesto pinwheels

(makes enough for 2 rolls):

25g basil leaves

50g pine nuts, toasted

2 cloves of garlic, peeled

25g Parmesan, grated

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Black pepper, to taste

For the salmon pinwheels:

100g smoked salmon

Juice of ½ lemon

Blitz the pesto ingredients together in a blender or food processor and set aside.

Beat the eggs in a bowl with the chives and seasoning. Heat a large non-stick frying pan (or crêpe pan) over a medium heat. Add ¼ of the butter and melt to coat the base of the pan. Once the butter is hot but not coloured, add about ¼ of the egg mixture — just enough to coat the base of the pan, a touch thicker than a crêpe.

Cook for about 1 minute or until totally set on the top. Ease the omelette away from the pan with a spatula and slide on to a plate. Repeat with the remaining egg mixture to make 4 thin omelettes. Leave to cool slightly.

Take the first omelette and spread the pesto thinly over the top. Place another omelette on top and roll up tightly. Set aside. With the next omelette, lay the smoked salmon evenly over the base and add a squeeze of lemon. Put the last omelette on top and roll up as before. Slice each of the rolls into 8 and serve.