Whatever the meaning may be, I adore appetizers and would rather go to a soiree where only appetizers are served, rather than dinner. You get to pick and choose between a number of delicious little nibbles and if your hostess or caterer is adventuresome or creative there is no telling what exciting creations they can come up with.
Jerry and I enjoy entertaining and as you probably guessed, my favorite items to prepare are appetizers. Here are a sampling of appetizers I hope you will also welcome.
Easy Baked Brie with Cranberry Sauce and Almonds
1 large round of brie
1 can whole cranberry sauce (or better yet, make your own)
Sliced almonds, lightly toasted
Preheat oven to 350. Place brie on baking sheet and cover brie with cranberry sauce and sprinkle with toasted almonds. Bake until brie starts to melt. Serve with crackers, baguette slices or sliced apples.
One of my all time favorite appetizers - actually a blast from the past at Trader Vic's restaurant is Rumaki. I have always loved chicken livers which I know a lot of people dislike. The combination of chicken livers, bacon and water chestnuts marinated and broiled is simply blissful.
Trader Vic's Rumaki - from a vintage Trader Vic's cookbook
Marinade:
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbl. dry sherry
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger root
1 tsp. brown sugar
Rumaki:
12 large chicken livers
12 slices bacon, halved crosswise
24 canned whole water chestnuts, drained patted dry
Combine soy sauce, sherry, ginger and sugar in a small bowl. Trim the chicken livers of any sinews and cut them in half so you have 24 pieces. Put the chicken livers in the marinade and refrigerate for half an hour. Preheat oven to 450. Spread the cut bacon on a baking sheet and cook until the bacon is translucent and sizzling, but not yet crisp, about 7 minutes. Take the bacon out of the oven and drain the pieces on a cooling rack over paper towels to absorb the dripping fat.
Next, distribute the marinated liver pieces and the chestnuts evenly between the half-strips of partly cooked bacon and working with one piece at a time; wrap the bacon strips around the livers and chestnuts securing each bundle with a toothpick. Place the rumaki on a broiler pan and bake on the upper rack of the oven until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Serve hot. Note; if you can't find your broiler pan, place a cooling rack over a baking sheet and place rumaki on top and broil.
Ham and Onion Rolls (so simple, so good and you can't eat just one!) My former roommate Deanne and I made these all the time in the late 70's and I still make them today.
1 package rectangular style deli ham sliced thin - Black Forest is good (pat dry with paper towels)
1 medium sweet onion, minced finely
packages cream cheese, softened
Italian parsley, chopped
In a bowl, add cream cheese, minced onion and parsley and mix until smooth. Lay one piece of ham on cutting board and spread with cream cheese mixture. Roll from short end and cut into 3 pieces. Place on garnished tray and refrigerate until serving.
Smoked Salmon Party Sandwiches
Smoked salmon or lox
1 thin French baguette, sliced in half lengthwise
cream cheese, softened
Tabasco
freshly ground black pepper
chopped chives
chopped fresh dill
whole chives, place in warm water to wilt, pat dry
capers, drained and patted dry
Mix cream cheese, Tabasco, pepper, chopped chives, dill and capers together. Spread on each side of baguette. Lavishly add smoked salmon or lox, place top baguette on and slice into small sandwiches. Take a whole chive and tie around sandwich in a knot.
Roasted Eggplant Spread
1 medium eggplant
2 red bell peppers, seeded
1 red onion
3 garlic cloves, sliced
3 Tbl. olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
dried oregano
Tbl. tomato paste
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
Preheat oven to 400. Cut the eggplant, peppers and onion into 1-inch chunks. Toss them in olive oil with salt and pepper. Spread on baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes, just before they are done toss in garlic and continue roasting until vegetables are lightly browned and soft. Cool slightly and place vegetables in food processor, add tomato paste, oregano and olives and pulse for 3 to 4 times to blend. Taste and readjust seasonings. Serve with grilled pita bread.
Brandied Wild Mushrooms with Sour Cream -from a former College Food Director, Fred D. Thanks Fred
2 cups onion, minced
6 Tbl. olive oil
2 lbs. wild mushrooms, halved or sliced if large
1/2 cup brandy
salt and pepper
2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
2 cups sour cream
4 Tbl. Italian parsley, minced
Saute onion in olive oil until soft. Add mushrooms and saute stirring until moisture has evaporated and mushrooms begin to brown. Pour on brandy and standing away from pan ignite and shake pan until flames die down. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss with lemon juice and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Mix with sour cream and sprinkle with parsley. Place in a crystal serving bowl.
Baby Red Potatoes with Caviar - this recipe comes from a friend in Florida, thanks Ethel
1 1/2 lbs. baby red potatoes
2 Tbl. olive oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. fresh chives, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
Garnish;
1/4 cup sour cream
2 oz. caviar
Fresh dill, chopped
Preheat oven to 475. Place potatoes on baking sheet and bake for 45 - 50 minutes. Prick with skewer to test for doneness. They should be cooked through and slightly crisp. Remove and let cool. Cut in half and scoop out pulp (using a small melon baller works well) leaving a thin layer of pulp attached to skins. Brush potatoes with oil and place skin side down on baking sheet. Bake for 10 -15 minutes until crisp.
Mix together potato pulp, sour cream, chives, salt and pepper. With a pastry bag fitted with medium star tip pipe potato pulp back into crisp shells. If you don't have a pastry bag, just use a small spoon to fill. Reduce oven temperature to 425 and place potatoes in oven for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with dollop of sour cream, some caviar and sprinkle of dill.
Julia's Tortellini and Creme Fraiche - can make 6-8 hours ahead
Blend and chill;
Creme Fraiche
1 lemon, juiced
2 lemons finely zested
1/2 to 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cook; 1 package fresh cheese filled tortellini "al dente". Drain and cool. Take bamboo skewers and put 3 tortellini on each skewer. Put creme fraiche mixture in attractive serving bowl on a platter and arrange skewers around it.
Julia's Cold Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
In a food processor add; 2 packages softened cream cheese, zest of 1 lemon, fresh chopped dill, a little white Worcestershire sauce, few dashes of Tabasco, diced scallions, including green part, salt and pepper to taste, crab meat and fresh dill. Pulse slightly until blended. Taste and adjust seasonings. Using large button mushrooms that have been cleaned ans stems removed add heaping spoonfuls of crab mixture on each mushroom. Serve on lettuce lined serving tray.
Petite Leek Pancakes with Tomato Chutney (about 24 pancakes)
1 cup finely slices leeks (use only white part) wash well and dry
1 oz. butter
salt and white pepper
1 egg
3 1/2 oz. all purpose flour
2/3 cup milk
Cut the leeks in half lengthwise and wash well. Slice crosswise into very fine slices. Sweat leeks in butter until the leeks are tender and all moisture has evaporated. Season with salt and white pepper. Cool completely. Beat the egg in a bowl. Sift the flour. Beat the flour, egg and milk together to make a thin batter and stir in leeks. Heat a nonstick pan over moderate high heat. Spoon 1 Tbl. of leek batter into pan and make a small pancake. Cook until slightly set and lightly browned on the bottom. Turn over and cook a few seconds longer. Turn oven on warm, place finished pancakes on cooking rack and hold in oven until all pancakes are made. To serve; spoon a little tomato chutney over each and serve on platter.
Tomato Chutney - makes 1 pint (to serve with leek pancakes)
1 oz. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 oz. onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbl. fresh ginger, grated
1 lb. tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
salt and black pepper
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/8 tsp. cayenne
3 oz. golden raisins
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 oz. red wine vinegar
Heat oil in stainless or nonreactive saucepan. Add the cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds, until they begin to darken. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and brown lightly. Add the remaining ingredient's. Simmer slowly until somewhat reduced and thickened about 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings with additional salt and vinegar if necessary. The chutney should not be too tart, but should have enough acidity to balance the sweetness of the raisins.
Melon Wrapped in Prosciutto - simple
1 honeydew melon
10 to 15 slices prosciutto
Peel and slice the melon into 1/2-inch semi-circle slices. Wrap a slice of prosciutto around each wedge and arrange on a platter.
Red Pepper Hummus
1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup tahini
2 Tbl. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup or more roasted red peppers
1 tsp. juice from jar roasted red peppers
salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a food processor, combine beans, tahini, lemon juice, pepper liquid and olive oil. Process until smooth. Add red peppers and garlic until desired consistency. If too thick, drizzle in a little more olive oil while processing. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve with warm grilled pita bread. Store in refrigerator covered up to 3 days.
Savory Cheesecake - this is really good!
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, room temp.
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup blue cheese (I like Maytag)
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup cooked crumbled bacon
1 cup lump crab meat
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup red pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
1/4 cup assorted fresh herbs chopped (thyme, parsley, dill)
Preheat oven to 325. Spray an 8-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Sprinkle pan with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Place cream cheese, eggs, blue cheese and whipping cream into a mixing bowl and mix with hand mixer until smooth. Add crumbled bacon, crab meat, onion, red pepper, chives and assorted herbs. Stir gently with spoon to combine and try to keep crab meat whole. Pour in prepared springform pan. Bake for 55 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Refrigerate. When ready to serve unmold on platter and garnish with Italian parsley. Serve with crackers or baguette slices.
Port and Cheddar Spread
1 (15 1/2 oz.) can crushed pineapple
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups sharp shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup port
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
2 Tbl. minced parsley
Lightly oil a 3 1/2 cup mold. Drain pineapple in a colander gently pressing out as much juice as possible. In a bowl with mixer beat the cheeses and port until blended. Beat in the garlic and mustard. Fold in the parsley and drained pineapple. Pack into the mold, cover and refrigerate overnight. Unmold onto beautiful serving platter and garnish with pesticide free flowers; geraniums or pansies. Serve with crackers.
Spicy Shrimp
2 lbs. large raw shrimp
1 lemon thinly sliced
1 medium red onion thinly sliced
1 cup pitted black olives, drained well
2 Tbl. chopped pimento
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
Tabasco, few good dashes
pinch of cayenne
3 Tbl. Italian parsley, chopped
1 Tbl. dry mustard
1 Tbl. salt
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbl. red wine vinegar
1 bay leaf, crushed
Shell and devein shrimp. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil and add the shrimp and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and refresh in cold water a few times. In a large bowl combine lemon slices, onion, olives and pimento. Combine the oil, garlic, mustard, salt, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, bay leaf, cayenne, Tabasco and parsley and whisk well and add to bowl of shrimp. Allow all of this to chill about 2 hours then arrange on a serving platter lined with lettuce leaves. Remember to remove bay leaf.
You can always make a beautiful cheese and fruit platter by arranging your cheeses and fruits on pesticide free lemon leaves, placed on a cutting board or platter. You will need an assortment of cheeses; hard white cheddar, soft creamy ones (brie) and a blue cheese (we love Maytag blue) or any cheeses of your choice. You will also need an array of lushly arranged fruit; strawberries with their stems, figs, bunches of grapes. Serve with crackers or slices of baguettes or a variety of different breads. You can also add a little bowl of warmed chocolate to dip those berries in.
The ideas for appetizers are endless; Swedish meatballs, spanakopeta, little quiches, dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) canapes, dips, spreads, whole poached salmon, bowls of ice filled shrimp, pot stickers, crudites, filo shells filled with crab, chicken or shrimp salads. Little sandwiches, bowls of different olives, nachos, empanadas, bakes cut into little morsels, bruscetta, oysters on the half shell, savory tartlets, mini pizzas, deviled eggs, pates, mousses, satays, antipasto, etc.
I was hired for a catering one evening (midnight to be exact). The hosts had gone to a concert with a group of friends and wanted to end up having breakfast at their home. The request was breakfast foods that could be eaten off small plates in the living room by the fireplace. This is what I came up with; petite chive and cheddar biscuits with country glazed ham pieces, crisp mini hash brown cups filled with thick sausage gravy, little shot glasses filled with chilled mocha coffee topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, millionaires bacon cut into pieces wrapped around small halved figs; small discs of white bread grilled with a spoon of scrambled eggs mixed with scallions and smoked salmon with a dollop of hollandaise and petite fruit skewers with a yogurt honey dipping sauce. It was a success and great fun. I also served them coffee and chilled champagne.
Bon Appetit
"Fear not, for I am with you... I will uphold you with
My righteous right hand".
Isaiah 41:10
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