PARTY STARTERS: Holiday Hors D'oeuvres
Goat Cheese Spread with Gremolata
Ingredients
- 4 ounces fresh goat cheese
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- mixed olives (optional)
- toasted baguette slices or water crackers
Ingredients: Gremolata
- 1/3 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
In a small bowl, mash the goat cheese with a fork. Add the lemon juice and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Gremolata: Combine the chopped parsley, garlic, lemon and orange zest in a small bowl. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of gremolata for the garnish and stir the remainder into the goat cheese.
Mound the goat cheese spread on a decorative plate and drizzle with olive oil. Shower the cheese and the rim of the plate with the reserved gremolata. Surround with olives, if desired. Serve with toasted baguette slices or water crackers. Serves 6 to 8.
Prosciutto Rolls with Goat Cheese and Fresh Thyme
Ingredients
- 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, chilled
- 1/4 cup créme fraiche, chilled
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 3 to 4 ounces prosciutto, sliced paper thin
- extra-virgin olive oil
- freshly ground black pepper
- fresh thyme sprigs for garnish
In a small bowl, combine the goat cheese with the créme fraiche, blending with a fork until smooth. Stir in the thyme. Spoon the cheese mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain pastry tip, or a small plastic storage bag. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Cut the prosciutto into portions about 3 inches wide and 4 inches long. Take the chilled goat cheese out of the refrigerator, and if using a plastic storage bag, snip the tip of one lower corner of the bag. Pipe some of the chilled goat cheese mixture across one end of each portion of prosciutto and roll up firmly. When finished, drizzle some olive oil onto a small serving tray just large enough to hold the rolls. Sprinkle with black pepper. Arrange the prosciutto rolls, seam-side down on the tray. Drizzle generously with more olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or more before serving.
Let prosciutto rolls stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs. Makes 10 to 12 prosciutto rolls.
Goat Cheese Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, chilled
- 1/4 cup créme fraiche, chilled
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely minced
- 1 14-ounce jar whole sweet piquante peppers*
- 1 16-ounce jar Greek golden peperoncini
- fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish
In a small bowl, combine the goat cheese with the créme fraiche, blending with a fork until smooth. Stir in the rosemary. Spoon the cheese mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain pastry tip, or a small plastic storage bag. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Remove the desired number of sweet piquante peppers from the marinade and turn cut-side down to drain briefly. Turn over, and if some peppers do not sit upright, slice a very thin piece off the bottom. Drop the cutting inside the pepper. Remove the desired number of peperoncini from the pickling liquid. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise if they are large, or cut a lengthwise slit in one side of the smaller (bite-size) peppers. Remove the seeds using a small spoon or a melon ball cutter and turn cut-side down to drain.
Take the chilled goat cheese out of the refrigerator, and if using a plastic storage bag, snip the tip of one lower corner of the bag. Pipe some of the chilled goat cheese mixture into each pepper.
Arrange the filled peppers on a serving platter, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or more. Garnish the plate with rosemary sprigs and serve chilled. Makes 24 to 30 stuffed peppers.
* Sweet piquante peppers come from South Africa and are tiny, seeded, bright red peppers with a sweet and spicy flavor.
Apple & Black Forest Ham Turnovers
Ingredients: Pastry
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup chilled unsalted butter, diced
- 1 4-ounce package chilled cream cheese, cut into pieces
Ingredients: Filling
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 1/2 cups (approx. 1 large) tart red apple, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 2 tablespoons Major Grey Chutney (mild mango preserve with ginger), to taste
- 1/2 ounce thin sliced Black Forrest ham, finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Pastry: In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter and cream cheese until the mixture is crumbly. Using your hands, form the pastry dough into a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Filling: Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped apple and cook until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the chutney and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to glaze the apples. Off heat, stir in the Black Forrest ham. Cool the filling to room temperature.
To assemble the turnovers: Roll out the chilled pastry dough on a lightly-floured surface as thinly as possible, about 1/16-inch thick. Using a 2 1/2 -inch cookie cutter, cut the dough into circles. Work quickly before the dough becomes too warm. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the apple filling in the center of each circle. Fold the circles in half and press the edges together to seal in the filling. Lay the pastries on the work surface and seal the edges by pressing firmly together with the tines of a fork. Arrange the turnovers about 1 inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet (or a lightly oiled baking sheet).
Combine the egg and water in small bowl. Brush the tops of the turnovers with the egg wash and prick each with a fork. Bake the turnovers in a 375 degree oven for 20 to 23 minutes, until golden. Makes 24 to 26 turnovers.
Mushroom Turnovers with Madeira and Cream
Ingredients: Pastry
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup chilled unsalted butter, diced
- 1 4-ounce package chilled cream cheese, cut into pieces
Ingredients: Mushroom Filling
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces fresh button mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned and cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 1 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons Madeira
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- salt & black pepper, to taste
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Pastry: In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter and cream cheese until the mixture is crumbly. Using your hands, form the pastry dough into a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Mushroom Filling: Heat the butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook until tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Stir in the thyme, Madeira and cream and cook for about 2 minutes more, until the filling is thick and bubbly. Season with salt and pepper and cool to room temperature.
To assemble the turnovers: Roll out the chilled pastry dough on a lightly-floured surface as thinly as possible, about 1/16-inch thick. Using a 2 1/2 -inch cookie cutter, cut the dough into circles. Work quickly before the dough becomes too warm. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the mushroom filling in the center of each circle. Fold the circles in half and press the edges together to seal in the filling. Lay the pastries on the work surface and seal the edges by pressing firmly together with the tines of a fork. Arrange the turnovers about 1 inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet (or a lightly oiled baking sheet).
Combine the egg and water in small bowl. Brush the tops of the turnovers with the egg wash and prick each with a fork. Bake the turnovers in a 375 degree oven for 20 to 23 minutes, until golden. Makes 24 to 26 turnovers.
Shrimp with Spicy Orange-Lime Glaze
Ingredients
- 2 pounds large shrimp (16 to 20 count)
- sea salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2 or 3 large garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- zest of 1 orange
- zest of 1 lime
- 1/2 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, snipped
- orange and lime slices, for garnish
Shell and devein the shrimp, rinse under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Heat the butter over medium heat in a large skillet or sauté pan. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for 1 minute. Add the shrimp and citrus zest and sauté just until the shrimp are pink, 1 to 2 minutes (do not allow the shrimp to cook completely). Pour the orange and lime juice into the skillet and raise the heat to medium-high. Simmer the shrimp until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a bowl. Boil the pan liquid over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about two-thirds (to a glaze).
Return the shrimp to the skillet, lower the heat to medium-low. Turn the shrimp to re-heat and coat with the orange-lime glaze. Transfer the shrimp to a large platter and shower with cilantro. Garnish with orange and lime slices. Serves 6 to 10.
Roasted Chestnuts
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh chestnuts
- salt (optional)
Wash the chestnuts and dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, cut an "X" into one side of each chestnut. This allows the steam to escape when roasting and prevents the chestnuts from bursting in the oven.
Place the chestnuts on a baking sheet and roast in a 425 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the shells begin to open and the nutmeats have softened. Wrap the hot chestnuts in towel and squeeze to crack the shells for easier peeling. Let the nuts rest in the towel for about 5 minutes.
Transfer the warm chestnuts to a serving bowl and sprinkle lightly with salt, if desired. Serve immediately. Serves 6 to 10.
Tom Hodge's wine recommendations: 2005 Alsace Pierre Sparr Gewurtztraminer Reserve, 2006 Reinares Vendimia, 2006 Mercedes Eguren Cabernet Rosado
Recipes by Jayni Carey ©Copyright, 2007.
