Category Archives: Appetizers

October 7, 2012 · 2:20 pm

Grilled green tomatoes caprese

In this week’s CSA box, I got a big ole’ bag of heirloom green tomatoes along with a note from the farmers saying they decided to harvest the tomatoes early to protect them from an impending frost. I initially had grand plans for coating them in cornmeal and frying them, but I was intrigued when I found a recipe that called for marinading and grilling them. I had never tasted grilled green tomatoes before and figured the window for grilling (without the sleeping bag winter coat) was quickly closing. So the tomatoes and I braved the blustery, 45-degree day. And I’m really glad we did.

Grilled green tomatoes have an almost meaty charred flavor and deliver a substantial crunch. The pillowy mozzarella, lemony basil and sweet-tart sherry vinegar are nice complements to the slightly sour tomatoes. This dish is best served while the tomatoes are still warm–they melt the cheese ever so slightly and warm the vinaigrette enough to enhance the aromas of the herbs and garlic.

Sean mixed Old Fashioneds for my friend Amy and me as we sat at the counter chatting and slurping down green tomatoes caprese. All that chilly grilling deserved a stiff drink.

Grilled green tomatoes caprese
adapted from Southern Living

    2 pounds green tomatoes (4 medium)
    1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
    1/3 cup sherry vinegar
    1 large clove garlic, minced
    1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
    Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
    1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves, divided
    12 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Method: Cut the tomatoes into 1/4-inch slices. In a bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper and half the basil. Pour over the tomatoes and toss to coat.

Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, tossing occasionally to ensure all the tomatoes get a little time with the marinade.

Preheat the grill to 350 to 400F (medium-high). Remove the tomatoes from the marinade, reserving some for drizzling. Grill the tomatoes, covered, 3 minutes on each side or until grill marks appear.

To serve, arrange alternating slices of warm tomatoes and mozzarella on a large, shallow platter. Drizzle with the reserved marinade; season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the remaining torn basil. Serves 3 to 4 as an appetizer.

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September 16, 2012 · 10:00 pm

Little pork purses

Mid-bite

Mmmmm. I love potstickers. I always avoided making them because the idea of chopping vegetables in tiny pieces, then hand-wrapping them in wontons, then frying, then steaming them seemed like far too many steps for an appetizer, especially on a Sunday, when the most strenuous activity I usually do is nail painting (blue!). But this is actually super easy and these little purses filled with fragrant pork and vegetables will make you smile.

I had a hard time putting such a small amount of filling inside the wrappers, but I learned to resist the urge after the first two potstickers burst at the seams when I tried to seal them.

Potstickers

    1/4 small head Savoy cabbage, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
    3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
    1/3 pound ground pork
    1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced (from 1/2-inch knob)
    1 small carrot, shredded (about 2 tablespoons)
    2 scallions, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
    2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
    1 tablespoon soy sauce
    2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
    1/2 egg, lightly beaten
    1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    30 gyoza (square) or wonton (round) wrappers
    Vegetable oil, as needed
    Chicken stock, as needed

Method: Preheat oven to 200F. Blanch the cabbage for 1 minute in boiling water. Rinse briefly under cold water and wring dry with a towel or paper towel.

In a medium bowl, combine the cabbage, salt, pork, ginger, carrot, scallion, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, egg and pepper. Set aside until needed.

To form the dumplings, remove one gyoza wrapper from the package, covering the others with a damp cloth. Brush two of the edges of the wrapper lightly with water. Place 1/2 rounded teaspoon of the pork mixture in the center of the wrapper. Fold the dry half of the wrapper over the moistened half to form a triangle and press lightly to seal. You can leave them this way if you like.

To make them a little more fancy, say if you’re hosting important people like husbands and napping doggies, you can fold them over to make a cute package. To do this, fold the two equal corners of the triangle in toward the center, moistening the underside of one of the corners so it sticks. Press lightly to seal.

Stand the dumpling up on a baking sheet and gently press to flatten the bottom. Cover loosely with a dampened cloth or paper towel. Form the remaining dumplings in the same way.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Film the bottom with vegetable oil once it’s hot. Add 8 to 10 potstickers at a time cook for 2 minutes, without touching them. Once the 2 minutes are up, gently add 1/3 cup chicken stock to the pan, turn the heat down to low, cover, and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the potstickers and place them in the warm oven until the rest are done. Repeat the process, cleaning the pan between batches.

Serve these with a soy dipping sauce. I really like mixing soy with sambal oelek, mirin, scallions and a little toasted sesame oil.

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August 29, 2012 · 6:45 am

Dinner date for one and a half

Sean is out of town this week for work and Penny and I have been on the couch watching a lot of girly TV as a result. We also have been ordering books from Amazon.com for a little late summer reading, including Nancy Silverton’s Sandwich Book, Julia Child’s My Life in France and James Ellroy’s American Tabloid.

Still, I have about a dozen bell peppers from the CSA in my fridge that stare me down every time I open the vegetable drawer. Stuffed peppers? Too lazy to make them. Ratatouille? Way too lazy to make it. Peppers that can be roasted on an open flame without dirtying a pan, served with a side of torn bread? Ahhh, perfect dinner for a lazy couple of gals.

You can omit the anchovies if they make you cringe, but I think they add this great, briny punch to the otherwise mellow, sweet flavors of this little salad. Tear off hunks of bread, scoop up the pliable strips of pepper and anchovy, and sop up a little garlicky oil. Heavenly.

Roasted sweet peppers with garlic and anchovies

    2 medium whole bell peppers (red and yellow)
    1 clove garlic, very thinly sliced
    Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
    1/2 cup torn basil leaves, divided
    Salt and pepper, as needed
    4 anchovy fillets, quartered
    Crusty bread, for serving

Method: Place the bell peppers directly over the flame of a gas-stove burner on high heat or on a grill. Roast the peppers, turning them with tongs, until blackened all over.

Place the peppers in a large ziplock bag and set aside to steam for 15 or 20 minutes. Peel the peppers, discarding the blistery skins. Remove the stems, seeds, and ribs, and cut each pepper lengthwise into strips.

Toss the peppers in a bowl with the garlic and about 2 tablespoons good-quality olive oil. Sprinkle with half the basil and set aside to marinate for an hour, or up to 2 days in the refrigerator.

Just before serving, toss the peppers with the remaining basil. Arrange the peppers on a platter, and lay the anchovy strips on top. Drizzle with a little more olive oil, and serve with torn hunks of crusty bread.

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July 17, 2012 · 6:41 am

Beet red

Beet Juice! Beet Juice! Beet Juice!

I have fuschia-stained fingertips because last night I spent the better part of an hour peeling and chopping several pounds of beets for beet bruschetta.

I started out wearing plastic bags on my hands to avoid stains, but this soon became far too cumbersome. So I decided to embrace ruby-stained fingers and cutting board for the evening. And boy, was it worth it.

I cubed the roasted beets and tossed them with baby arugula leaves in a simple dressing of balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, chives and caraway seeds. Some people would tell you to keep the beets separate from the arugula until just before serving to prevent the juice from staining the leaves, but I disagree with this. I think you should let that lovely juice get all over everything.

But perhaps consider wearing a bib for the meal.

Beet bruschetta

    1 pound beets
    1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
    1 teaspoon caraway seeds
    2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
    1 cup baby arugula
    Salt and pepper
    8 slices baguette or other crusty bread (cut on a bias, 1 inch thick)
    1 clove garlic, crushed
    6 ounces goat cheese

Method: Preheat the oven to 400F. Wrap the beets (skin and all) in aluminum foil and place in the oven for 45 minutes. When done, peel off the skins, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Leave the oven on 400F for the bread.

Combine the beets, vinegar, oil, caraway seeds, chives, arugula, salt and pepper in a bowl. Check the seasoning and adjust as needed.

Place the baguette slices on a sheet pan in a single layer. Drizzle them with olive oil on both sides; rub each side with the crushed garlic and season with salt and pepper. Bake them for 7 or 8 minutes, flipping after about 4 minutes to ensure even browning.

Remove the bread, and smear each slice with a heaping teaspoon of goat cheese. Then spoon some of the beet topping over it. Serves 2 for a light summer dinner or 4 for an appetizer.

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May 11, 2012 · 2:11 pm

The controversial mushroom

My husband Sean’s out of town this week, which would explain why there are four different types of mushrooms in my refrigerator right now. His aversion to mushrooms started when he was little, and has resulted in a heightened awareness of what I’m cooking if there are mushrooms anywhere in the house. Such diligent kitchen surveillance renders it useless to try sneaking them into otherwise beloved dishes, as I’ve learned the hard way. Read: “Marge, I won’t like them just because there’s beef in there. The texture is so awful.”

So in order to keep fungi-induced quarreling to a minimum, I save my mushroom recipe testing for when Sean is away.

This week, I got excited when I came across a recipe for mushroom ragout from Jacques Pépin’s Essential Pépin. His simple version is made up of mushrooms, corn, tomatoes and chicken broth. I decided I’d tweak it by using a few different mushroom varieties–tender oyster, meaty cremini and toothsome shiitake. Plum tomatoes provided some acidity, and a shower of sage and a drizzle of truffle oil enhanced the earthy richness of the mushrooms, which were quickly braised in butter and chicken broth. A final sprinkling of chives added a grassy hint of onion flavor. The hearty, stony polenta absorbed the juices from the quick ragout and made the dish filling enough for weeknight dinner.

Polenta with mushroom-sage ragout

Polenta

    3 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
    1 cup quick-cooking polenta (don’t tell the Italian grandmas)
    2 tablespoons butter
    1/3 teaspoon salt
    1/3 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mushroom ragout

    2 tablespoons butter, divided
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
    8 ounces assorted mushrooms (I used shiitakes, oyster and cremini), cut in 1/2-in. pieces
    1 cup chopped Roma tomatoes (could also use 8 ounces of diced canned tomatoes)
    3 large cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
    2 teaspoons minced sage
    1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
    Salt and pepper, to taste
    1/4 cup minced chives, for garnish
    Truffle oil, for drizzling

    For the polenta: Bring the water or broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Sprinkle the cornmeal on top while mixing it in with a whisk, and stir in the butter, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid to prevent splattering, and cook gently for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the polenta is cooked and has the consistency of a creamy purée.

    Set aside, covered. Note: You may need to loosen the polenta later on with a bit more broth or water.

    For the ragout: Heat oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes.

    Turn the heat up to high, add the mushrooms and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the liquid emerges from them and starts to evaporate.

    Add the garlic, tomatoes, sage, chicken stock, salt and pepper and bring to a strong boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10-12 minutes.

    Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter and the chives, reserving a handful for the garnish.

    To serve, spoon some polenta into a shallow bowl, creating a little well in the center. Fill the well with the ragout and pile extra on top, along with a few spoonfuls of the cooking liquid. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of truffle oil over the top and garnish with a sprinkling of chives. Serves 4 appetizer portions or 2-3 for dinner.

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December 11, 2011 · 1:42 pm

Thanksgiving appetizer project

A chronology of overeating

The two dogs wait patiently for turkey

A perfectly savory spread: olives, marinated mushrooms, salami, prosciutto and gougeres

Bread and assorted cheeses

Thanksgiving at my parents’ house is a daylong eating marathon. Like any long race, it has its highlights (Mom’s sausage stuffing) and lulls, upsets (such as the year underdog canned cranberry sauce vanquished the gorgeous homemade cranberries with orange peel) and victories. The marathon begins at around 11, when the family starts filtering in. The first 20 minutes are a sort of frenzied blur, as my sister, mom and I carefully prep and arrange the appetizers on the prettiest platters we can find, stuffing in bites of everything except the fresh vegetables. When all the snacks have been plated with the proper garnishes an hour or so later, we have lost interest and moved on to the first cocktail of the day, having had our fill of food long before anyone else even got a look at it.

The rest of the day continues much like this–in gluttonous fits and starts. The big meal, which is always scheduled for 3 pm, inevitably gets pushed back as it falls much too close to another snacking frenzy. And although all of us insist we’re far too full for dessert right after the meal, by around 7 pm a craving for a little sweet miraculously appears. I suppose we could try to pace ourselves a bit better, but there’s something really freeing about the reckless way we eat on Thanksgiving.

Naturally when planning my three appetizer contributions, green stuff didn’t factor into the equation. I knew there would be some sort of vegetable platter to counter whatever salty, fatty noshes I came up with. Plus, when else but Thanksgiving is it perfectly acceptable to bring three brown appetizers? I have gone the primarily savory route with all three of my snacks because my family is decidedly a savory one. When given the choice between overeating savory appetizers or depriving ourselves to allow more room for dessert, we almost always choose the former. Maybe that says more about our self-control than our preference, but I still maintain that we prefer savory.

All of these noshes can be prepared ahead of time, which makes them ideal for a family holiday, since you won’t be taking up any of that coveted oven or counter space. These snacks can be plated quite prettily too, so you can work them into any holiday table.

 

Thanksgiving appetizer project, phase 1: Herbed spiced almonds and cashews
Start time 8 pm, Tuesday, Nov. 22

I almost wish I had prepared these three or four days in advance instead of two. In my opinion, they just get better and better with each passing day.

    4 tablespoons unsalted butter
    3 tablespoons light brown sugar
    1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
    2 teaspoons kosher salt
    2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
    1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    1 pound (about 2 cups) raw unsalted mixed nuts (I did almonds and cashews)

Method: Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a medium saucepan, heat everything except the nuts for 2 to 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar melt and the herbs become fragrant. Toss the mixture with the nuts to combine.

Spread the nuts out in a single layer on a sheet pan. Bake for about 12 minutes (tossing after the first 6 or 7 minutes) until the nuts look golden and your house smells like slightly spicy Christmas potpourri.

Allow the nuts to cool completely. They can be prepared up to 4 days ahead of time.

 

Thanksgiving appetizer project, phase 2: Bacon-wrapped breadsticks
Start time 9 pm, Wednesday, Nov. 23

These are truly a crowd favorite. I learned the recipe when I worked for Now Serving, a catering company in LaGrange, Ill., in college. They couldn’t be easier to make, which is a good thing because they are almost always the first appetizer to go.

    16 slices thin-cut bacon
    2 cups light brown sugar
    16 thin breadsticks, broken in half

Method: Preheat the oven to 350°F and position an oven rack in the middle. Cut the bacon strips in half. Sprinkle about 1 cup of brown sugar over a large plate or platter. Roll each strip of bacon generously in the brown sugar, and wrap it around the breadstick, leaving a small “handle” at the bottom. Place the finished bacon sticks on a rack fitted over a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil (trust me, the cleanup will be quite agonizing if you don’t line the pan–think sugar tar.)

Bake the breadsticks for 18 to 20 minutes, until the sugar has caramelized and the bacon has cooked. You may want to rotate the rack 180 degrees after the first 10 minutes to ensure even browning. Remove, and after about 5 minutes, rotate them to prevent them from sticking to the rack. Move to a platter once they’re cool enough to handle. Serve at room temperature.

 

Thanksgiving appetizer project, phase 3: Manchego and black pepper gougeres
Start time 10 pm, Wednesday, Nov. 23

These little one-bite puffs made from pâte à choux dough are typically made using the traditional Gruyère, but this time I wanted to try something a little different. The salty, nutty sheep’s milk Manchego and the subtle heat of lots of freshly ground black pepper makes these the perfect salty bite with a slight twist.

    1 1/2 cups whole milk
    1 stick unsalted butter
    1 tablespoon kosher salt
    1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    4 or 5 large eggs
    1 cup Manchego cheese, shredded
    1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Method: Heat the oven to 375°F and arrange racks in the upper and lower third. Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.

Combine milk, butter, salt and pepper in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Drop the heat to low, add flour all at once, and stir vigorously until well incorporated. Cook, stirring constantly, until the dough no longer sticks to the bottom of the pan, about 3 to 5 minutes.

One way to know it’s done is if you shake the pan vigorously the dough should come together and form a large ball.

Transfer the dough to a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat in eggs one at a time on medium-low speed, incorporating each one completely before adding the next.

You might not need all your eggs to finish the dough. To test it, turn off the mixer, and streak your forefinger deeply through the dough. The dough should just come together to form a crease after you remove your finger. If the two sides stay separated, it isn’t quite ready. Begin using this little test after adding the fourth egg.

Reserving 3 tablespoons of Manchego, add the remaining Manchego and all of the Parmesan cheese to dough. Mix on low until incorporated.

Drop tablespoon-size rounds of dough on the prepared baking sheets, about 1/2 inch apart. Dab the top of each dough round with your finger after dipping it in water to smooth it out. Evenly sprinkle the reserved Manchego cheese over the top of each round.

Bake, rotating halfway through baking time, until puffed and golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes. Note: One mistake I’ve repeatedly made with gougeres is slightly underbaking them because I’ve judged based on the color of the outside of the pastry as it bakes rather than tearing one open to make sure the interior is fully cooked. The only way to prevent this mistake, unfortunately, is to sacrifice one or two to be sure the inside is done. The consolation is you can eat what you’ve sacrificed.

Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

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