Appetizers

Roasted Pepper Salad

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A colorful addition to the antipasti tray.  Little forks would be useful.

Ingredients:

  • 3 red bell peppers
  • 2 orange bell pepper
  • 1/3 c pitted kalamata olives, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 c olive oil
  • 2 Tab drained capers
  • 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat the broiler.
  2. Cover a heavy baking sheet with foil.
  3. Arrange the bell peppers on the baking sheet.
  4. Broil until the skins brown and blister, turning the peppers over occasionally, about 15 minutes.
  5. Enclose the peppers in a resealable plastic bag.
  6. Set aside until cooled to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
  7. Peel, seed, and cut the peppers into 1/2-inch thick strips.
  8. Toss the pepper strips, olives, oil, capers, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to combine.
  9. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.

Source:  A Tasty Tour of Italy – VPWL April 2015

Mozzarella Fonduta

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A “sort of” individual fondue – appetizer course.  Nice change from soup.

Ingredients:

  • 2-  28-oz jar tomato-basil sauce,
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 c chopped fresh basil
  • 8 oz thinly-sliced prosciutto, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2- 7- to 8-oz ball fresh mozzarella, sliced into six 1/4- to 1/3-inch-thick slices
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/4 c (2 ounces) shredded Gruyere
  • grilled bread

Directions:

  1. In a small saucepan, bring the tomato-basil sauce and red pepper flakes to a simmer over medium heat.
  2. Cook uncovered until thick, 20 to 25 minutes.
  3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the basil.
  4. Preheat the broiler.
  5. Place 8 or 10 , 5-ounce ramekins on a baking sheet.
  6. Divide the sauce equally among the ramekins.
  7. Divide the prosciutto among the ramekins.
  8. Place the slices of mozzarella between 3 paper towels to absorb any excess moisture.
  9. Place the slices of mozzarella on top of the prosciutto.
  10. Season with salt and pepper.
  11. Sprinkle the Gruyere on top.
  12. Broil until the cheese is melted and golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes.
  13. Serve with grilled bread.

Serves:   8- 10

Source:  A Tasty Tour of Italy – VPWL April 2015

Wild Mushroom Pate

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This can be make several day ahead, just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.  It also can be placed in a decorative crock. Bring it to room temperature before serving.  (Lacking fancy mushrooms, baby portabellos and white combined will be quite tasty)

Ingredients:

  • 3 Tab unsalted butter
  • 1/2 c finely chopped shallots
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 8 oz wood ear or shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed, wiped clean and coarsely chopped
  • 8 oz fresh morel mushrooms, stems removed, wiped clean, and coarsely chopped
  • 8 oz fresh chanterelle mushrooms, stems trimmed, wiped clean and coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 c dry white wine
  • 1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 Tab chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 tsp truffle oil
  • 4 oz softened cream cheese
  • 4 oz softened goat cheese
  • Toast points and crackers, accompaniment

Directions:

  1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
  3. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until wilted and starting to brown.
  4. Add the wine, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the wine is nearly all evaporated, 5 minutes.
  5. Add the parsley and truffle oil and cook for 30 seconds.
  6. Transfer to a food processor.
  7. Process with the cheeses until well combined.
  8. Adjust seasoning, to taste.
  9. Transfer to a decorative ramekin or bowl, cover and refrigerate until set, 3 to 4 hours.
  10. Serve chilled with toast points (Trader Joes has little bread ovals)

Serves:  8 – 10

Source:  A Visit to Provence – VPWL February 2015

 

Grilled Tri Colored Peppers

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Too easy!  A nice touch to any BBQ dinner.

Ingredients:

2 lb bag Tri Colored Peppers (Use the mini ones for cocktails)

Directions:

Wash the peppers and place them on your BBQ until hot and a bit blistered—that’s it.  You can split them and clean out the seeds if you don’t like hot and spicy.

Serves:  8 – 12

Source:  Villa Park Women’s League:  Exploring the Fresh Tastes of Mexico

Fresh Vegetable Quesadillas with Corn Relish

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Using raw vegetables in these grilled quesadillas yields a crisp-tender texture and a decidedly fresh flavor perfect for a hot day. Plus, it’s a great way to save time.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tab olive oil, plus more for grates
  • 8 ears corn (husks and silks removed), or 1 package (10 ounces) corn kernels, thawed
  • 2 bunch scallions, half of bunch thinly sliced, other half cut into 2-inch lengths
  • 2 Tab fresh lime juice
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 8 flour tortillas
  • 3 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 2 yellow squash, halved crosswise and thinly sliced lengthwise
  • 2 orange bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced

Directions:

  1. Heat grill to low; lightly oil grates.
  2. Cut off tip of each cob.
  3. One at a time, stand each ear in a large wide bowl; with a sharp knife, carefully slice downward to release the kernels.
  4. Discard cobs.
  5. Add sliced scallions, lime juice, and oil to bowl.
  6. Season with salt and pepper.
  7. Toss to combine.
  8. Set corn relish aside.
  9. Place tortillas on a work surface.
  10. Dividing evenly, sprinkle half the cheese on bottom half of each tortilla.
  11. Top with squash, bell pepper, scallion pieces, and remaining cheese.
  12. Season with salt and pepper.
  13. Fold top half of tortillas over filling to close.
  14. Grill quesadillas, turning once, until browned in spots and cheese has melted, 6 to 8 minutes.
  15. Cut into wedges; serve immediately with corn relish.

Serves:
 8 as main or 12 as appetizer

Source:  Villa Park Women’s League:  Exploring the Fresh Tastes of Mexico

Tequila-Grilled Shrimp

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The citrus marinade for these shrimp is spiked with tequila, which makes for a very flavorful grilled appetizer.

Ingredients:

  • 3 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 3/4 c silver or white tequila
  • 3/4 c lime juice (from about 3 limes)
  • 3/4 c fresh orange juice
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
  • Lime wedges (for serving)

Directions:

  1. In a medium nonreactive bowl, stir together shrimp, tequila, lime juice, and orange juice; season with salt and pepper.
  2. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 20 minutes.
  3. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high.
  4. Clean and lightly oil hot grill.
  5. Grill shrimp until opaque throughout, 4 to 6 minutes, flipping once.
  6. Transfer to a platter and top with jalapeno.
  7. Serve shrimp with lime wedges.

Serves
: 12

Source:  Villa Park Women’s League:  Explore The Fresh Tastes of Mexico

 

Baked Scotch Eggs

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Contrary to popular belief, Scotch Eggs have nothing to do with Scotland. Actually, these little, hand-sized snacks originated as a British picnic staple. It is only recently that they have begun to make their way into pubs and restaurants worldwide. The original Scotch Egg is said to have been invented by the British department store Fortnum & Mason in 1738. The name “Scotch” didn’t come as a reference to Scotland at all, rather, it came from the term “scotched” which refers to the preparation method of coating something with breadcrumbs and frying it.

The perfect Scotch Egg is all about layers. A crispy exterior, flavorful sausage, and a slightly soft-yolked hard-boiled egg. The result is a combo that is strangely addicting.  What’s not so addicting is the belly-bomb that the deep-fried version can be. Yes, traditionally all Scotch Eggs are deep-fried,  but the baked version is just as good and certainly easier (especially if you are camping!)  Great as an appetizer (cut in half), for brunch , breakfast or picnic.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb  turkey or pork sausage, with casing removed (can be seasoned if you like)
  • 8 hard boiled eggs, peeled
  • 2 eggs, whisked
  • 1/3 c dry bread crumbs (Panko crumbs would also work very well.)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°. 
  2. Divide sausage meat into eight equal portions.
  3. Pat out one portion to 1/8-inch thickness.
  4. Wrap completely around a hard boiled egg, pressing edges to seal.
  5. Repeat with remaining eggs and sausage.
  6. Roll sausage-coated eggs in whisked eggs, then in bread crumbs.
  7. Place eggs on baking sheet.
  8. Bake in preheated 375° oven until lightly browned, about 20 to 25 minutes.
  9. Serve warm. Or let cool, then refrigerate and serve cold. Serve within three days.

Notes

*To hard boil the eggs: Place them in a large pot full of cold water with 1 Tbsp of salt. Bring the water to a hard boil over medium heat. Turn off the heat and let the eggs stand in the water for 7-10 minutes (depending on how firm you want your yolks). Move the pot to the sink and fill it with a couple changes of cool water, to cool the eggs down. Dry the eggs. Hard boiled eggs can be stored in the refrigerator (be sure to make the container as Hard Boiled) for up to 1 week.
Serves:  Depends – 8 as an appetizer, 4 as a meal
Source:  Cathy Painter, Allison Painter

Rosemary Antipasto Wreath

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This is so easy to make.

For the wreath, you need:

  • about 32 twelve-cm end-sprigs fresh rosemary
  • a long length of bendy vine, stripped of leaves or wire coat hanger bent into a circle and covered with green florist tape.
  • green florists’ wire
  • pliers
  1. First bend the vine into a circle, using your biggest, most beautiful platter as a size guide.
  2. Twist the vine ends around the circle, and secure with florists wire.
  3. Coax the circle into a neat shape if it looks a little wonky.
  4. Now, starting at the top, wire the rosemary sprigs onto the circle, their tips pointing slightly outwards, and overlapping one another by about two-thirds of their length.
  5. Put your wreath on its platter.

Now comes the fun  – add your favorite antipasto ingredients:

  • salami, prosciutto and other meat
  • cubed cheese – cheddar, jack, mozzarella etc
  • marinated artichokes
  • pickled peppers
  • green olives
  •  Kalamata olives
  • Cherry tomatoes

Arrange around the circle.
Fill the center with crostini, bread sticks, sliced baguette

Bonus: If you’re entertaining two days in a row, you can rinse off the wreath and refill it.

Taste of Australia VPWL December 2014

Charcuterie – Meat and Cheese Tray

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Meats and Cheese Platter photographed from the top view

 

How To Make The Best Meat and Cheese Tray

I know what you’re thinking: charcuterie is restaurant food, something your order with your cocktails before the main event. Generally it comes with artisanal, house-made pickles and bread made from wheat ground by tiny elves in the restaurant’s basement, or whatever.

You might ask, what does Charcuterie mean? It is the French term that is used for cold cooked meats collectively. However, a charcuterie and cheese board is much more than throwing a few cheeses and cold cuts on a board and serving it with crackers or bread. While that is certainly acceptable, look at it as a form of art and an opportunity to feed the eyes of your guests before you satisfy their palates.  So you have two options: you can dig deep into the book and make your own charcuterie to serve on a board. Or, you can buy some salamis, pâtés, and cured hams (readily available in gourmet stores, butcher shops, and even regular old grocery stores these days) and make a charcuterie board in less than ten minutes.

PICK YOUR MEAT (AKA CHARCUTERIE):   When picking meats for a charcuterie board, go with the equal number of cheeses.  Mix up the textures. A hard salami, and then something kind of soft and decadent like a pâté, something tangy like a more sour sausage, and then something like some smoked ham or a piece of smoked kielbasa. A good rule to remember with salami: slice it cold, serve it at room temp. Slice salami the thickness of a quarter on the bias, because it’s prettier. For ham and stuff like that, just slice it as thin as possible.

PICK YOUR CHEESE:  Most supermarkets today have a section for a variety of cheeses that goes beyond the usual provolone, mozzarella, and cheddar cheeses. There are also wonderful specialty cheese shops –  just bring your checkbook! When it comes to picking the cheese, think about two things – Taste and Texture:  It is no secret that cheeses come in a variety of taste and textures. Go for an odd number of cheeses and a different texture for each type of cheese. For example slices of an aged Gouda, sharp Cheddar, Gruyere. Try a soft and creamy Brie, Camembert, Epoisses, Burrata, Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella. Cut cubes of firm Parmigiano Reggiano, Manchego, Smoked Gouda.  And don’t forget a Blue: Gorgonzola, Stilton, Roquefort.

When it comes to cheeses, it is best to make sure that they are finger-food friendly. Guests to be able to easily pick it up without needing a utensil or with the help of a toothpick. For that reason, if the cheese is firm, slice it thinly or cut into smaller bite-size cubes.  If the cheese is a soft spreadable cheese, make sure to place a cheese knife alongside so guests can easily spread it on their crackers or bread.

On a final note, cheese taste best when it is served at room temperature so take it out of the fridge 10-15 minutes before serving.

CRACKERS AND BREAD

You need a vehicle to get all this goodness into your mouth. That is where crackers and bread come into play. Thankfully, grocery stores offer a variety of crackers and breads to choose from. Try some of the gourmet crackers that has sweet and nutty notes to them.  In terms of bread, A loaf of crusty French baguette is great because it offers the perfect portion size after it is sliced and can be toasted – or not.

OTHER ACCOMPANIMENTS

In addition to a variety meats and cheeses, a few other accompaniments  add-on and balance the layers of flavors in a charcuterie and cheese board.

  • Sweets: To balance all the salty and umami flavors provided by cheese and meats, use sweet condiments like quince paste fig (or other seasonal) preserves, local honey (with the comb), and fresh fruit in season such as grapes, kumquats, whatever is handy. Sweets not also “sweeten” the board and mellow the flavors, but also add color making it visually impressive.
  • Crunchy: A handful of nuts are good for adding crunch and making the meat and cheese tray look full and abundant.
  • Olives and Pickles: Though they are savory, the tartness coming from olives and pickles are always welcome on a charcuterie and cheese board. Goo for a mixture of black and green olives and cornichon , but feel free to serve whatever olives and pickles you like.
  • Condiments:  Mustards and other “spreads” like bacon jam add to the variety of tastes.  Dish your condiments into small jars or bowls with a spoon to keep things tidy.

How to serve your cheese and meat?

A wooden cutting board, rustic wood cheese plate, wooden lazy susan, or a pre-cut marble set it all up. If you are serving to a large crowd and those options are too small, you can also get a piece of wood cut to your liking at your closest hardware store and use it as your backdrop. You can cover it with parchment paper or use food-safe finish to paint the board.  Small sprigs of fresh herbs elevate the presentation with little effort.  Fresh seasonal fruit is always a plus. Think beyond apples and pears — pomegranate seeds, blood orange, Concord grapes, and kumquats are all fun additions.  Don’ shy away from dried fruits, especially i the winter – cherries, apricots, even mangoes.

What is the best portion per serving?

2 ounces of charcuterie per person. It’s pretty rich.However, if you’re doing it for a cocktail party, where the charcuterie is the majority of the food people are eating, you’re going to double the amount of meat and serve it with plenty of bread. So about 5 ounces per person.

P. S.  Nothing wrong with a straight grocery store tray of easily available foods!  Cheddar, Colby Jack, Gouda, Monterrey Jack, Pepper Jack in slices or cubes. Sliced Black Forest Ham, Smoked Turkey, Deli Roast Beef, Summer Sausage, Peppered Salami, Pepperoni rolled for easy serving.  And all the old favorites -Saltines, Stone Wheat Crackers, Water Crackers, Triscuits, Ritz Crackers , Club Crackers.  Check your fridge and cupboards – instant “Charcuterie”!

 

 

Bacon Cream Cheese Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

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You will need a lot of these.  They are too easy to eat and really good!

Ingredients:

  • 20 cherry tomatoes
  • 12 oz hardwood smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled, reserve some for topping
  • about two-thirds of an 8-oz package cream cheese ( or 6 oz whipped cream cheese)
  • 1 Tab chopped fine chives
  • 1 Tab chopped basil
  • garlic salt
  • ⅛ tsp fresh ground black pepper
  • parsley, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

  1. Bring cream cheese to room temperature.
  2. Using a sharp pointed knife, cut just the tops off the cherry tomatoes.
  3. Carefully scoop out the seeds, being careful not to go all the way through the tomatoes.
  4. Invert the cut and seeded tomatoes onto paper towel and let stand for at least 10 minutes.
  5. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, chives, basil, fresh ground black pepper, and a sprinkle of garlic salt.
  6. Mix well.
  7. Stir in bacon.
  8. Lightly sprinkle the cherry tomatoes with garlic salt,.
  9. Stuff the tomatoes with the bacon/cream cheese mixture using a small spoon.
  10. Garnish with reserved bacon and parsley (if desired)
  11. Chill until serving.

Serves: 24 tomatoes

Source:   VPWL Guess Who is Coming to Dinner