Posted on 05/31/2019 4:19:23 PM PDT by Jamestown1630
Freeper Lizma2 requested an appetizer thread last month; and since appetizers are one of my two favorite things to cook, I’m happy to oblige. I’ll repost some of my favorites and a new one I’ve found, and hopefully others will have contributions.
This pastry 'Sunflower' - or 'Tarte Soleil' - is visually beautiful, but not that difficult to make. You can do it with a wide variety of fillings, and sweet or savory.
Here’s a recipe from ‘Italian Food Forever’
http://www.italianfoodforever.com/2016/07/sunflower-spinach-puff-pastry-tart
and from ‘Entertaining with Beth’, a video showing the technique:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIF-6CFsYxk
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A couple of decades ago, when chef Jean Georges introduced his Seared Scallops with Cauliflower and Caper-Raisin Sauce, it became a great hit here in DC, and I guess everywhere he had restaurants; and I think it's still a favorite. It’s a little fussy to make, but a wonderful combination of flavors:
https://www.foodwine.com/food/special/jeangeorges/raisin.html
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One of my standbys – great with drinks – are these Cheese and Olive Puff Balls. I’ve made these without olives for those who don’t like them, and they’re still a hit. As with anything, the better the cheese you use, the better the dish; but this is usually a hit even with standard supermarket cheddar. (I think this recipe may go back to the 1950s):
Olive Cheese Puffs
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Ingredients:
2 Cups grated, sharp Cheddar Cheese
¼ lb. Butter (one stick from a pound)
1 cup of Flour, salted to taste (I usually don't use salt; the olives and cheese are enough)
pinch of Cayenne
Jar of Pimento-Stuffed Olives
1.Blend together in a food processor the grated cheese, butter, and flour.
2.Process until dough comes together in a ball.
3.Chill, covered, for about 20 minutes before forming puffs. (You don't want it to get too hard. When I've tried making the dough the day before and doing the balls the next day, it's been very subpar. You want to make the balls the same day that you make the dough, and chill just a bit, to get it firm enough to handle well.)
4.Pinch off a ball of dough, about an inch in diameter, and pat it into a thin disc in your palm; then place an olive in the middle. Pinch up the dough to cover the olive, and roll between your palms until smooth. (Or, dough can be rolled out to ¼ inch thickness, cut into 2 inch squares, and each square wrapped around an olive - but that's too much trouble for me, and usually results in too much dough.)
5.Place puffs on a cookie sheet and bake 15 minutes. ( I usually use parchment paper on the sheet.) Then remove to a wire rack to cool.
(To freeze unbaked, freeze on cookie sheet and remove to freezer containers when hard. When ready to bake, allow 3-5 minutes extra baking time.)
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This recipe for something called 'Mushroom Julienne' could be an actual dinner course, or an appetizer, depending on how you present it. I love watching this elegant, joyful Armenian lady on the YouTube 'Heghineh Cooking Show’:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ4CTmb5gGo
-JT
In my young bachelor days, I decided to bake a chocolate cake. And I wanted twice the frosting, so I doubled the frosting ingredients. Strangely, using twice as much baker’s chocolate gave an icing similar to coating the cake in Hershey bars. I still don’t under stand why two times two equals five.
You live......you learn.
Baking is weird. It’s not like other cooking.
I’m not an accomplished baker; but sometimes things just turn out well.
LETTUCE HAND ROLLS / LIME SAUCE
VEGGIE FILLING on med-low, saute minced gar/cl, tb ol/oil oil til fragrant 2 min. Add lb chp portobello
(can also use cooked grnd pork or turkey), tsp five-spice powder, 2 tb br/sugar, tb soy sauce. Reset heat to
high; cook 8-10 min to meld flavors.
ASSEMBLY fill 8-10 crisp lettuce leaves. Plate. Add shredded carrot, julienned cucumber, chp peanuts, lime wedge.
SERVE w/ Lime Sauce: 2 tb sugar, four tb lime juice, chp garlic, dash soy sauce.
I love it when baking turns out glorious with little or no work.
Reminds me of when I made my first jelly-roll.
The results were spectacular......my initial hesitation thinking it was going to be difficult was unfounded.
I think the jelly roll was the first thing we learned to bake in Home Economics. Very nice presentation with little effort - a good practice for kids.
My exquisite “jelly roll” recipe instructed us to sprinkle the towel with granulated sugar before rolling.
This gave an added sweet crunch to the finished product.
Since I dont particularly like jelly, I’ve used chocolate and even lemon filling in my “jelly rolls.”
Lemon sounds good.
My Mom did a fabulous lemon dessert ...... no baking required.
She'd layer in an oblong pan whole sheets of grahams (not crumbs) and lemon pudding.
Crumbs came at the top as a garnish.
Then it was chilled....the chilling turned the Grahams into a cake-like layer.
I've served it.....people never guess they're eating graham crackers.
Sylvester Graham was an interesting guy. He seemed to love health and hate pleasure; and I guess I have a love/hate relationship with him :-)
ARTICHOKE HEARTS STUFFED W/ MUSHROOMS IN COGNAC CREAM
PREP par-boil 6 artichoke hearts, chokes removed, kept warm in broth
METHOD COOK 2 tb melted sweet butter, 2 c 1/2" diced dry mushrooms. Add tb cognac; flambe/cook 30 sec.
Add 1/4 c h/cream, s/p, herbs; BTB. Thicken w/ cornstarch/slurry, boil a bit. Set offheat.
ASSEMBLY Whip 1/2 c h/cream stiff. Rapidly fold into mushroom mixture, immediately fill
6 cooked drained artichoke bottoms. Sprinkle w/ Romano cheese; broil/brown 2-3 min.
SERVE as first course.
ING 2 tb unsalted butter, 2 cups mushrooms in 1/2" thick dice, tb cognac, 2/3 cup heavy cream,
1/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper, tb chp mixed fresh tarragon/parsley, 1/2 tsp potato starch or cornstarch slurry,
1 1/2 tsp Pecorino Romano.
I’ve never eaten rhubarb in any form, but I’ve seen it in the stores lately and want to try it (they want $5 per pound for that sucker, here!)
I was thinking of trying this recipe; but wonder if anyone on the thread has a recipe they like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnK7vLb0ywk
I think I suggested it. Great vegetarian sandwich! They uses grated Parmesan cheese, salty and crispy. I loved that sandwich and the shop. It was in the little strip shopping center where Lush Life florist and gift shop was.
Used not uses.
Sorry——you should have been attributed.
It’s OK. Your post reminded me of happy days in Atlanta. I catered then. Loved trying new places for lunch!
The sandwich shop sounds nifty.....do they have a menu online somewhere?
Be fun to persue their offerings.
Carbers missing the crunch? These crispy, almost zero carb cracker cradles high fat dips; good with soups and salads.
Swap cheese and herbs to create your favorite flavors.
Italian = Mozzarella and Parmesan + basil and oregano.
Mexican = Hot pepper cheese + cilantro or taco seasonings.
French = Gruyère + garlic, rosemary and thyme.
All American = Add chopped bacon.
METHOD Grate cauliflower or use riced cauliflower (some markets sell bags of this). Add finely chop parsley and rosemary. Toss well, then mix in Parm, garlic, s/p. Form loose one inch balls; place them on a parchment lined sheetpan. W/ bottom of tumbler, press each ball flat. Bake 400 deg 5 min, turn; bake golden 5 min. Remove to counter; cool a few min til crispy.
Recipe also makes Crisps for snacks or sandwiches....not as thin as crackers.
Those look tasty! I am on low carb and miss crunchy foods.
They have closed. :( The owners were a young Oriental couple, who were really ahead of the curve in their sandwich offerings. My fave was the PLT, parmesan wafers with tomato and lettuce. They got their produce from The DeKalb Farmer’s Market and bread from 9th Street Bakery. Everything was fresh and delicious.
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