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allwayshungry · 6 years ago

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Mark Bittman: Asparagus 12 Ways

The recipes below assume 1 ½ to 2 pound of asparagus, which will feed four, but adjust up or down as necessary. Both thin or thick asparagus will work here; it’s really just a matter of preference. The thin ones cook almost instantly and you don’t have to peel them; the thick ones are sturdier and have an incredible snap, and are better if you take the time to peel them (but honestly, I don’t always). Whichever you use, you’ll want to cut the bottoms off; I snap one by hand to see where the natural break is, then chop the rest of the ends off with a knife in one fell swoop. I prefer crisp-tender asparagus to soft, but either way, it’s done when you can pierce the thickest part of a spear with a sharp knife without much resistance. This might take less than five minutes for very slender asparagus, twice that for thick ones.

The first recipe in each category is the main recipe, then the two that follow are variations. All the ingredients are in bold, so you can easily see what you’ll need. Salt and pepper are assumed.

STEAMED 1. Steamed Asparagus with Brown Butter Put asparagus in a covered pot with 1 inch of water (it may stand, lean, or lie flat) and turn heat to high. Put 2 to 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; stir occasionally until the foam subsides and the butter turns nut brown. When asparagus is done, drain, drizzle with butter, and serve.

2. Steamed Asparagus with Aioli Skip the brown butter. Put a large egg yolk in a food processor with 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1 to 4 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest. Turn it on and drizzle in 1 cup olive oil; an emulsion will form. Serve asparagus dipped in aïoli.

3. Steamed Asparagus with Fried Eggs and Ham Skip the brown butter. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 4 slices good ham and warm gently on both sides; remove. Add 2 more tablespoons butter to the skillet and fry 4 large eggs until whites are firm. Serve the asparagus topped with ham, eggs, and any pan juices.

ROASTED 4. Roasted Asparagus with or Without Bacon Heat the oven to 450°F. Toss the asparagus with 2 tablespoons olive oil (more if you don’t use bacon) and 4 ounces bacon, chopped (optional) in a roasting pan. Roast, turning the asparagus once or twice, until done. Garnish: grated Parmesan.

5. Roasted Asparagus with Carrots, Sesame, and Soy Skip the bacon. Substitute sesame oil for the olive oil, and add 2 thinly sliced carrots to the roasting pan. After 5 minutes of roasting, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sesame seeds. When asparagus is done, drizzle with soy sauce and toss. Garnish: crumbled toasted nori.

6. Roasted Asparagus with Blue Cheese and Bread Crumbs After 5 minutes of roasting, turn the asparagus and top with 1 ⁄ 2 cup fresh bread crumbs and 1 ⁄ 4 cup crumbled blue cheese. Continue to roast without turning until the asparagus is done. Turn on the broiler and broil until the tops brown, about 1 minute.

STIR-FRIED 7. Stir-Fried Asparagus with Shallots and Fish Sauce Cut the asparagus into 2-inch pieces. Put a large skillet over high heat for 3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons peanut oil, then the asparagus and 10 halved shallots. Cook, stirring, until the asparagus and shallots are dry and beginning to brown. Add 2 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon fish sauce; continue to cook until done, 2 or 3 minutes more. Garnish: chopped peanuts.

8. Stir-Fried Asparagus with Scallops and Black Beans Soak 1 tablespoon fermented black beans in sake or white wine to cover while the skillet heats. Substitute 1 tablespoon minced garlic for the shallots and soy sauce for the fish sauce. Add the black beans and 1 ⁄ 2 pound sliced or cubed scallops to the pan along with soy sauce and water and cook just until the scallops are cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish: chopped chives.

9. Stir-Fried Asparagus with Chicken and Shiitakes Skip the shallots. When the skillet is hot, add the oil, then 1 ⁄ 2 pound cubed chicken thighs. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned; remove. Add the asparagus and 1 ⁄ 2 pound trimmed and sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms; sauté, substituting oyster sauce for the fish sauce, then add the chicken along with the oyster sauce and water, and cook until the chicken is cooked all the way through, 3 or 4 minutes. Garnish: more oyster sauce.

GRILLED 10. Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Marinade Heat a grill; position the rack 4 to 6 inches from the flame. Combine 2 tablespoons olive oil and the zest and juice of 1 lemon; brush onto the asparagus. Grill the asparagus, turning once or twice and brushing with sauce until done, 8 to 10 minutes. Garnish: lemon wedges.

11. Grilled Asparagus with Grape Tomatoes and Pesto Skip the lemon; skewer 1 pint of grape tomatoes and grill with the asparagus, brushing all with olive oil. Purée 1 cup fresh basil leaves, 1 small garlic clove, 1 tablespoon pine nuts, 1 ⁄ 4 cup (or more) olive oil, and 1 ⁄ 4 cup grated Parmesan in a mini food processor. Serve the vegetables with the pesto.

12. Grilled Asparagus with Red Pepper Glaze Substitute lime zest and juice for the lemon; add 1 tablespoon honey and 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon (or more) hot red chile flakes. Grill 1 yellow bell pepper—cut into thick strips—and 4 trimmed whole scallions along with the asparagus, brushing all with the glaze. Garnish: lime wedges.

#asparagus #mark bittman

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stempisces83-blog · 6 years ago

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focaccia sandwiches for a crowd

Last year, Alexandra Stafford published a very good book about bread. It sprang from a recipe for the peasant bread her mother made often when she was growing up. When she shared it on her site, it went viral, which is no surprise given that it’s no-knead, comes together in under five minutes, rises in about an hour, and after a brief second rise, you bake it in buttered bowls that form it into a blond, buttery crusted bread that she boasts is “the antithesis of artisan.” Because there are no hidden tricks; no steam ovens, special flours, lames to score the crust, or bannetons to shape the loaves. Her central tenet is that “good bread can be made without a starter, without a slow or cold fermentation, without an understanding of bakers’ percentages, without being fluent in the baking vernacular: hydration, fermentation, biga, poolish, soaker, autolyse, barm.” (None of those words appear in the book.) She knows that there are a lot of no-knead breads out there, but this is the only one that can be started at 4pm and be on the dinner table at 7.

I realize you’re thinking, as I briefly worried before I read it, how does one write an entire cookbook based on one recipe? But Stafford is a gifted recipe developer, and there isn’t a thing in this book — one part breads (with all types of flours, grains, and shapes, including pizzas, flatbreads, rolls and buns), one part toasts (including sandwiches, tartines, stratas, panzanellas, soups, summer puddings and so much more), and one part crumbs (a celebration of crunchy gratin toppings, stuffing, burgers, eggplant parmesan, fish sticks, meatballs, and brown bettys) — that I didn’t want to make. (I suspect that having four kids to feed ensures that these recipes were vetted by the most finicky of reviewer classes.) It’s also a gorgeous book, with a focus and format that my inner, long-surrendered organized person finds deeply pleasing.

My favorite thing in the book, and the one that I come back to again and again, is using the core bread recipe to make a focaccia that can be split and filled to make a sheet pan’s worth of sandwiches.* File this under things I never thought about pre-kids but obsess over now: Picking up sandwiches to go to the beach/park/pool/wherever your summer weekend takes you for a family or group of friends can be staggeringly expensive. I might even forgive the price if the sandwiches were usually better, but I’m sorry-not-sorry, they’re usually not. Either the bread is lousy and processed to the hilt, or they just don’t make them the way I want them, which is heavy on the vegetables and with a good mix of fresh, salty, crunchy, and pickle-like ingredients. Let’s fix this.

Below is the recipe for the simplest, quickest focaccia you’ll ever need to make and several sandwich filling suggestions (many vegan, too) I hope you’ll find good jumping off points.

* If you have Smitten Kitchen Every Day at home (do you? I bet you’d love it, I’m just saying) you probably already know about my slab-sized sandwich fixation. In the book, I use roasted tomatoes and more to stuff a focaccia *before* it is baked, inspired by a foccia ripiena we ate in Rome several years ago. This is concept is similar, but there’s no need to pre-commit to fillings.

Previously

One year ago: Blackberry Blueberry Crumb Pie Two years ago: Summer Squash Pizza and Peach Melba Popsicles Three years ago: Raspberry Crushed Ice Four years ago: Three-Ingredient Summertime Salsa and Blueberry Crumb Cake Five years ago: Charred Corn Crepes and Burst Tomato Galette with Corn and Zucchini Six years ago: Pink Lemonade Bars Seven years ago: Tomato Salad with Crushed Croutons Eight years ago: Nectarine Brown Butter Buckle and Sweet and Smoky Oven Spare Ribs Nine years ago: Best Birthday Cake, Arugula Potato and Green Bean Salad and Peach and Creme Fraiche Pie Ten years ago: Garlic Mustard Glazed Skewers and Huevos Rancheros Eleven years ago: Quick Zucchini Saute

And for the other side of the world: Six Months Ago: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies and Slow-Roasted Sweet Potatoes 1.5 Years Ago: Broccoli Pizza 2.5 Years Ago: Spaghetti Pie with Pecorino and Black Pepper, Banana Puddings with Vanilla Bean Wafers, and Taco Torte 3.5 Years Ago: Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Biscuits and Charred Cauliflower Quesadillas 4.5 Years Ago: Garlicky Party Bread with Cheese and Herbs and Fennel and Blood Orange Salad

Focaccia Sandwiches for a Crowd

Servings: About 12 sandwiches

Time: 2 hours

Source: Bread Toast Crumbs

Servings will vary by how you cut the focaccia, of course. Here I show 12 small/medium sandwiches. Depending on how hearty your fillings are, each person may eat 1 to 2 sandwiches.

You can choose your own schedule with this bread, by proving it for 1 to 1 1/2 hours at room temperature, overnight in fridge, or 10 hours at room temperature. For the last option, you want to make the bread with cold tap water.

To use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, add it directly to the lukewarm water with a pinch of sugar to proof it for 10 minutes (it will get foamy) and then add it below where you will the water.

For more of a traditional focaccia flavor, you can sprinkle 1 tablespoon chopped or minced fresh rosemary over the top with the salt before baking it.

4 cups (520 grams) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon instant yeast

2 cups lukewarm water, made by mixing 1/2 cup boiling water with 1 1/2 cups cold water

4 tablespoons olive oil

Flaky sea salt

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Add the water. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the water is absorbed and the ingredients form a loose, sticky dough. Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and [choose your schedule]:

Quickest rise: Set aside in a warmish spot for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled.

Overnight in fridge: Set inside your refrigerator overnight, about 8 to 10 hours.

Overnight at room temperature: For this method, you will need to use only cold, no lukewarm, water. Leave the bowl on your counter at room temperature for 10 hours.

When you’re ready to make your focaccia: Pour 3 tablespoons oil onto a rimmed sheet pan (can use a 13×18, or half-sheet pan, but if you have something more 11×17-ish, as I use here, will make for slightly thicker loaf; you can line it first with parchment paper for maximum nonstick security).

Heat oven to 425°F.

Using two forks, deflate the dough by releasing it from the sides of the bowl and pulling it toward the center. Rotate the bowl in quarter turns as you deflate, turning the mass into a rough ball. Use the forks to lift the dough onto the prepared sheet pan. Roll the dough ball in the oil to coat it all over.

Let dough rest for 20 minutes (for Quickest rise or Overnight at room temperature) or 1 hour (if you used the Overnight in the fridge rise, so it warms up) without touching it. Then, drizzle last 1 tablespoon of olive oil over and use your fingertips to stretch and press the dough to the edges, leaving it intentionally dimply. If your dough resists being stretched all the way, get it as stretched as you can, wait 5 minutes, and return to stretch it the rest of the way, repeating this rest if needed.

Sprinkle with flaky sea salt all over and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, checking in on the earlier end, until lightly puffed on top and golden and crisp underneath. Remove from oven and let cool completely (this will go faster if you transfer the bread to a cooling rack) before assembling sandwiches.

To make sandwiches: If you’d like, you can trim off the very outer edges — this exposes the crumb and makes it a little easier to halve. (I didn’t do this because I like to make things hard, also I like edges.) Stafford recommends you begin the halving process by cutting through each corner, then running the serrated knife through the short end until you get to the midway point, then starting from the other short end until I get to the midway point. A sharp, serrated knife is helpful. Try to keep your knife as parallel to the bread as possible. She says she finds if she hugs the top layer as opposed to aiming for the center, she gets a more even cut.

Some ideas for sandwich fillings:

Avocado + Crispy Kale [Shown]: First, crisp your kale. I used a 5-ounce clamshell of curly kale leaves, tearing out and discarding any thick ribs. Rub/toss them with 1 tablespoon olive oil, spread them on a large baking sheet in one layer, seasoned them with salt and pepper, and baked them at 375&#176F for 10 to 15 minutes, until crispy and just barely brown at the edges (keep an eye on it). Then, scoop out and slice 4 avocados, fan the slices across the bread and mash/spread them smooth. Coat with olive oil, lemon juice, flaky salt, and red pepper flakes (like we do here). Spread crispy kale over avocado.

Hummus + Cucumber + Pickled Carrots [Shown]: First, coarsely grate 1 pound of carrots. Pour 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup cold water, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 to 2 teaspoons (to taste) of granulated sugar over it and stir to combine. (You could also add mustard or dill seeds or fresh chile peppers here.) Chill in the fridge for as long as you have — 30 minutes, an hour, and up to a few days. Carrots will get more pickled the longer it soaks. To make your sandwiches, schmear the bottom half of the bread with about 1 1/2 cups hummus (storebought or homemade). Squeeze out little handfuls of pickled carrot and sprinkle this on as your next layer. For you final layer, use a y-peeler to shave long ribbons off 1 large (1/2 to 3/4 pound) seedless cucumber. Tousel these on top; season them with salt and pepper.

Walnut pesto + grilled zucchini ribbons (skip the parmesan in the pesto to make it vegan)

This grilled pepper and torn mozzarella panzanella, minus the croutons

This crunchy asparagus and egg salad

Pickled vegetable sandwich slaw + anything else you love on sandwiches

This salsa verde + any grilled or roasted vegetables

This zucchini carpaccio salad, as a sandwich filling

Any of the sandwiches from the archives

Many of the salads from the archives, such as this egg salad, this chicken salad (not vegetarian, of course), that chicken salad, or even (I love this as a sandwich) this chicken caesar, with the dressing spread on both sides of the bread, the chicken thinly sliced, and the romaine cut into thin ribbons. I wouldn’t be sad to have a broccoli or cauliflower slaw between bread, either.

Or, of course, endless slices of peak-season tomatoes + mayo + salt, or the same plus sliced mozzarella + basil pesto

Source: https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/08/focaccia-sandwiches-for-a-crowd/

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foursprout-blog · 7 years ago

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21 Artichoke Recipes That Aren't Just Dips for a Change

New Post has been published on http://foursprout.com/health/21-artichoke-recipes-that-arent-just-dips-for-a-change/

21 Artichoke Recipes That Aren't Just Dips for a Change

Artichokes are supposed to be good for gut health and full of antioxidants, but it’s hard to look at a can of these funky-looking veggies and be instantly inspired. This roundup helps you think beyond spinach and artichoke dip, including recipes for bruschetta, pasta, burgers, soups, and salads. Whether they’re canned in water, marinated in olive oil, or fresh from the produce section, there’s an awesome way to prepare them.

Appetizers and Snacks

1. Avocado Pesto Roasted Artichokes

Photo: Little Bits Of

When you’re scooping out the inedible central portion of an artichoke, don’t let all that empty space go to waste. Fill the cavity with this creamy, cheese-free avocado and walnut pesto. It’s a fun-to-eat appetizer that doesn’t even require a plate.

2. Italian Stuffed Artichokes

Photo: Italian Recipe Book

No baby artichokes allowed here—the bigger, the better for this stuffed appetizer. Not only do they make an impressive statement to kick off a meal, but they allow for much more of that buttery, breadcrumby, cheese filling in each bite.

3. Overloaded Bruschetta

Photo: My San Francisco Kitchen

Piled high with chopped tomato, basil, and artichoke hearts, these baguette slices are not your average bruschetta. Pro tip: Make the topping ahead of time so that the ingredients get a chance to soak into each other and really make for a flavor overload.

4. Homemade Artichoke Hummus

Photo: Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog

We know we said no dip in this roundup, but we promise, this is one veggie-packed hummus you don’t see too often at the store—or anywhere else, for that matter. Made with canned chickpeas, canned artichokes, and olive oil, this 10-minute recipe is a perfect example of the power of pantry staples.

5. Roasted Artichokes With Creamy Cashew Aioli

Photo: Hummusapien

It’s not uncommon to find artichokes steamed and served with a mayo-based aioli, but this blogger tweaks the classic appetizer by roasting the vegetable and ditching the dairy for a cashew-based dipping sauce. Everything about this is easier and tastier than the original recipe.

6. Antipasto Turkey Rollups

Photo: The Gourmet RD

Try these savory bread-free pinwheels the next time you’re feeling snacky, where marinated artichokes, black olives, and sun-dried tomatoes lend plenty of flavor to the turkey and cheese combo. Light but protein-packed, a few of these could even pass for a low-carb lunch.

Soups and Salads

7. Roasted Artichoke Salad

Photo: Sunday Supper Movement

Despite the sprinkle of capers here and slivers of roasted red peppers there, this salad is really all about the artichokes. Drizzled with olive oil and roasted until perfectly golden, all they need is a light vinaigrette and they’ll be ready to overshadow the main dish at any table.

8. Mediterranean Cobb Salad

Photo: Averie Cooks

This healthier Cobb salad swaps out traditional iceberg lettuce, bacon, and chicken for a meatless mix of feta cheese, roasted red peppers, and olives. But even with all its robust fellow ingredients, there’s still no upstaging the artichoke hearts, which manage to make their presence felt with their distinctive look and unique taste.

9. Chicken Artichoke Lemon Soup

Photo: Viktoria’s Table

Artichoke hearts bring an extra tangy twist to this Bulgarian-inspired comfort dish. Packed with rice, chicken, veggies, and even eggs, it may fall under the soup category, but it passes as a full meal on its own.

10. Israeli Couscous Salad With Artichokes and Olives

Photo: Cadry’s Kitchen

This salad may have fewer than 10 ingredients, but each one, from the garlic to the basil to the tangy marinated artichokes, brings so much to the table that you really don’t need to bother with additional items. Bonus points if you use whole-wheat couscous for even more fiber.

11. Jerusalem Artichoke and Carrot Soup

Photo: Jo’s Kitchen Larder

Kinda starchy and almost spud-like, Jerusalem artichokes are perfect for giving this soup a thick, hearty texture without the need for actual potatoes (or dairy, for that matter). Pair them with carrots, celery, and parsley for a soup that proves just how good plant-based eating can be.

12. Artichoke Salad With Goat Cheese

Photo: The Home Cook’s Kitchen

Welcome spring (or reminisce about it, at least) with this bright, fun salad. With hard-boiled eggs and goat cheese for protein, veggies in several shades of green, and artichoke hearts for saltiness, it delivers in the flavor, appearance, and nutrition departments.

13. Creamy Vegan Artichoke Soup

Photo: Tasting Page

Cauliflower florets provide bulk and slivered almonds lend some satiating fats, but the mild, slightly lemony flavor in this soup is all thanks to over four cups of artichokes. Rich and silky smooth without a hint of actual cream, this is better than any condensed cream-of-anything you’d get in a can.

Main Dishes

14. Garlic Asparagus and Artichoke Pasta

Photo: Pumpkin and Peanut Butter

All it takes is some garlic and lemon to liven up canned artichokes in this five-ingredient pasta—a perfect example of how veggies really don’t need a ton of doctoring up to taste amazing. Doesn’t matter whether you’re working with the scraps of your fridge or you’re cooking to impress—this is your dish.

15. Chicken Artichoke Olive Skillet

Photo: Running to the Kitchen

Chicken and veggies may sound like a pretty basic meal, but not when you’re getting creative with the spices and produce. Boasting artichokes and olives, plus cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon to flavor the meat, this eclectic skillet is anything but bland.

16. Greek Spaghetti Squash Bowls

Photo: Fit Mitten Kitchen

With squash, spinach, bell peppers, and of course, artichokes, these veggie-packed “bowls” make getting your fiber both easy and delicious. Ground turkey lends a good bit of protein too, making this a perfect low-carb meal on nights when you want something not as heavy as a pasta and more filling than a salad.

17. Lemon Artichoke Baked Salmon

Photo: The Healthy Maven

A garlicky lemon and artichoke mixture is both the side and the marinade for this ridiculously easy salmon dinner. It doesn’t get simpler, cleaner, or healthier than this.

18. White Bean Artichoke Burgers

Photo: A Virtual Vegan

When your fridge is looking bare, frozen veggie burgers might be your go-to solution, but why compromise with processed soy when you can make something much more wholesome with pantry items? These patties don’t require much more than rolled oats, canned artichokes, and canned white beans, and take maybe five minutes longer than reheating fake meat.

19. Jerusalem Artichoke Risotto

Photo: Histamine Friendly Kitchen

Creamy, savory risotto that’s also good for your gut? Bet you never thought that could be a thing, but this recipe makes it possible. Using prebiotic-rich Jerusalem artichokes, inflammation-reducing bone broth, and lots of kale, this dairy-free risotto manages to combine all the richness of comfort food with stuff our doctors are always telling us to eat more of.

20. Smoked Gouda and Turkey Artichoke Quesadillas

Photo: With Salt and Wit

No more picking between a salad and a grilled cheese. Packed with smoky Gouda and tons of veggies, including meaty artichoke hearts, these quesadillas satisfy picky and healthy eaters alike, and the addition of ground turkey gives them that decisive boost from appetizer to entrée status.

21. Shrimp and Artichoke Cakes

Photo: The Craveable Kitchen

If your stomach is saying yes but your wallet is saying no to crab cakes, opt for these shrimp-based patties instead. They’re less expensive and score more points for managing to sneak in a full can of artichokes, so don’t think of this as a consolation prize; it’s actually an upgrade.

#Health

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sloan01 · 7 years ago

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New Post has been published on http://www.cooksutopia.com/simple-and-quick-appetizers-the-city-cook-inc/

Simple and Quick Appetizers | The City Cook, Inc.

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Simple and Quick Appetizers | The City Cook, Inc.

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Charcuterie Board With Cheese

We’re heading fast into holiday entertaining time and whether you’re planning a big dinner or just inviting friends over for a drink, choosing and making hors d’oeuvres can be a confounding part of the cooking and hosting.

So here’s a list of appetizers that are not very complex and most are very easy to make. I’ve tried to avoid expensive ingredients. No foie gras in sight, but there is a little prosciutto and some smoked salmon, as well as popcorn and bacon (although not together). I’ve included some buy-it-take-out options, which can make a cocktail party really simple to produce. Add a case of wine or prosecco or set up a serve-yourself bar, and everyone will be happy.

Remember it’s the guests who count. And the food!

Mix crabmeat with tiny diced celery and shallots and a little mayo (I find regular lump or backfin work better in this than the more expensive jumbo lump) and serve on crackers or individual endive leaves.

Place a dab of fresh goat cheese on a slice of seedless English cucumber or cracker. Sprinkle with a little freshly ground black pepper or paprika.

Bruschetta. Small slices of baguette or good country bread. Lightly toast the bread, rub it with a piece of cut garlic, drizzle with a little olive oil (don’t soak it!), and top with halved cherry tomatoes or room temperature cooked spinach or broccoli rabe that have been tossed with a little olive oil and rough chopped so that it’s easier to eat. Most bruschetta end up being a two-bite hors d’oeuvre.

Wrap pitted dates that have been stuffed with a shard of Parmesan and wrapped with a half slice of bacon. Skewer with toothpicks and broil, turning once, until the bacon is cooked.

Arrange a charcuterie platter, with slices of salami, prosciutto, soppressata or chorizo. You can add a cheese selection, some grapes, and also some accompaniments like honey to drizzle on the cheese, fig jam, or slices of fresh pears.

Cook a pork tenderloin by first pan searing it until brown on all surfaces and then oven-roasting at 400° F until it’s medium-rare, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes and then slice into 1-inch slices and cut again in half so that the pieces are bite-sized, and top with a thin piece of cheddar or manchego and a small slice or cube of membrillo (quince paste). If they don’t hold together, secure them with a toothpick.

A dish of good olives and another dish for the pits. Do not serve pitted olives because there’s always an errant pit and no one will be expecting it if they think they’re all pitted. I know this from experience.

A big, generous bowl of the best pistachios you can find, plus a little dish for the shells.

Baby caprese on a little skewer: a little mozzarella bocconcini, plus a cherry tomato, and a basil leaf. Drizzle with a little olive oil and a tiny pinch of salt and pepper.

You can do the same thing with the popular flavor combo of prosciutto and melon by stacking a cube of cantaloupe with a piece of prosciutto folded small enough to sit on top and then placing a basil leaf on each end.

Most people love shrimp cocktail. You can buy shrimp already cooked and peeled (or do it yourself) and serve with a dish of cocktail sauce (1/2 c. chili sauce, 1/2 c. ketchup, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a heaping teaspoon of horseradish, plus a few shots of Tabasco) or buy prepared pesto. Or you can turn the shrimp into canapés by placing a shrimp and a dab of the cocktail sauce or pesto on shrimp-sized slices of baguette.

Generous bite-sized pieces of candied bacon, like Julia Reed’s recipe that we have. See our link.

Buy slices of paté at a good specialty market like Zabar’s or its equivalent (not that there is an equivalent to Zabar’s). Include a salmon or vegetable paté for those who don’t eat meat and serve with slices of baguette, some coarse mustard, and a dish of cornichons.

Good pizza made by your favorite pizza joint, gently re-warmed and cut into two-bite pieces. Keep the pizza thin and simple because it will re-heat more successfully than ones with complex toppings, plus simple ones are less messy to eat. A plain white pizza or margherita are good choices. If you’re anywhere near Sullivan Street Bakery in Chelsea, their potato pizza is ideal and re-heats beautifully, but if that’s inconvenient, investigate choices near you.

Also made by someone else — a selection of sushi rolls, combining vegetable ones with those with fish. Just be sure to get them as close as possible to the time of your event because they do not refrigerate well (they dry out). Remember to provide a little dish of soy sauce and wasabi for dipping.

Meatballs. Easy to make in advance and then re-warm in a little tomato sauce. Make them one-bite-sized and serve with toothpicks. Or buy them already made, but only if they’re not too big because that can be a mess to eat without a knife and fork.

Smoked salmon is luxurious and popular. Cut slices into squares and place on small pieces of pumpernickel or 1/4-inch slices of seedless English cucumbers. Make pretty with a little piece of fresh dill.

Another deluxe hors d’oeuvre is small slices of filet of beef roasted to medium rare and served in generous 3/4-inch slices, on thin pieces of baguette with a dab of horseradish sauce. You can buy the sauce already made at many delis (Boars Head makes a rather nice one) so all you have to do is roast the beef. Medium rare is usually best.

Another way to serve the filet of beef is to slice it thin and serve it on equally thin slices of rye bread with a little mustard.

Wrap steamed asparagus in a slice of prosciutto.

Wrap scallions in a slice of pancetta and broil it until the pancetta is cooked, about 5 minutes on one side and 2 on the other. Drain briefly on a paper towel and serve warm.

Crudités. Bite-sized raw vegetables are always popular, even if there are more glamorous options nearby. Arrange a large platter of them, using some less common vegetables like raw fennel. You can also serve a dip like one made with feta (see our recipe) or store-bought hummus, which almost everyone loves.

Hummus needn’t be just a sideshow to raw veggies. It’s also nice with small wedges of fresh pita or fingers of toasted good bread.

Popcorn can become fancy by serving it in a big bowl and while it’s still warm, toss it with melted butter and grated Parmesan, or a drizzle of truffle oil.

Cheese board. Choose a variety of cheeses — good cheddar, gouda, and other firm cheeses do well here, plus include a chevre and a blue cheese like Stilton — and either pre-cut them into small pieces or let your guests cut their own. Arrange the cheeses on a cutting board, perhaps alongside your crudités, some jam or fresh fruit, and slices of dry salami. Have toothpicks handy so that folks don’t have to pick up the cheese with their fingers.

Make a cream cheese dip by adding minced fresh chives, minced red peppers and a tiny dice of red onion and mix with some cream to loosen it until it’s soft (or else buy a flavored cream cheese at your deli and whip this one, too, with a little cream or half-and-half until it’s softened into a dip instead of still being a spread) and serve with bagel chips.

A bowl of mixed nuts or the luxury of good toasted pecans halves or cashews, warmed and tossed with melted butter, a pinch of cayenne, and tiny mince of rosemary.

Potato chips. Who doesn’t love them? (I consider them one of the world’s most perfect foods.) Serve the best quality you can find — or make your own by baking them with olive oil (see our recipe).

Cheese sticks are quick to make by using store-bought puff pastry. Defrost it, roll it out a bit, cut into strips and twist, dust with grated cheese and bake. Here’s a recipe from TheKitchn.com.

My favorite dips are from Ina Garten who makes a luscious one with salmon caviar, another with sun-dried tomatoes, and a third with pan-fried onions that is reminiscent — but so much better! — than the one we used to make with Lipton Soup mix. Her dips are worth a web search or the price of one of her terrific books.

A few tips on serving appetizers:

Try to keep each item or each piece a single or double bite. Beyond that and people will want a plate and fork and it sort of becomes dinner.

Make the presentation attractive by putting each type of hors d’oeurve on its own serving platter.

Use a cutting board to present things that need to be cut, as with your cheeses and charcuterie, even if you’ve already cut them.

Have lots of napkins since most hors d’oeuvres are eaten with our fingers.

If anything is remotely messy, offer small plates in addition to napkins.

If you have a big selection of appetizers, give each its own serving tools.

Cheese tastes best at room temperature so if you’re doing a cheese board, remove the cheese from the refrigerator about a half-hour before your guests arrive.

As folks mingle and eat, make sure you or someone periodically makes a sweep to clean up dirty napkins, bowls of olive pits, and any other debris that may be collecting. You want to keep things neat and, well, appetizing.

Save a couple of bites for yourself, stashed in the kitchen. Otherwise the cook will lose out!

Happy entertaining!

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nielsencooking-blog · 7 years ago

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Simple and Quick Appetizers | The City Cook, Inc.

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