Appetizer/Hors D'Oeuvre/Starter Ideas

[RETREVR]

If you like blue cheese, you might like this. I put them on the menu the other night.

Blue cheese truffles

Mix blue cheese with just enough cream cheese to get a good consistency.

Cover a red grape with the mixture and roll it in your palms.

Roll in chopped toasted nuts. Walnuts or pistacio are my favorites.

You can use the type of blue that you prefer and can season the cheese or add an herb element if you wish. Trust me, they have enough flavor and texture variety as is.

Another one is rissoto croquettes. Take a cooled rissoto(anyflavor you like...wild mushroom is good) and form into a ball. Insert a chunk of cheese, roll in breadcrumb and fry. For home cooks, it might be better to make more of a cake than a ball. Then pan fry them. Way better than the best crab cake and a hell of a lot cheaper to make. I like to use goat cheese. Fontina might be another good choice. That reminds me...we used to make brioche(sp) with goat cheese in the middle. The texture of the cheese is like shaving cream when it comes out of the oven.

[Marlene]

Baked Brie in either phyllo or puff pastry

[chefreit]

As simple as it may be!

Domestic mushrooms with Italian sausage stuffing, or herb cream cheese.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Jaymes]

Take some Norwegian smoked salmon and carefully lay it out.

Combine some room temperature cream cheese and a little butter and some chopped chives. You can add a squeeze of lemon juice, a little fresh dill, and a dash or two of Tabasco or other favorite hot sauce, if you wish. Mash it up good and form a log about 3/4" diameter. Lay it down onto the smoked salmon and then roll it up to make a salmon log with the cream cheese mixture in the middle. Slice the salmon log into rounds about 1" long. Turn each piece up so that the white part is on top (and bottom) and set each one onto a substantial round cracker. Get the best caviar you can afford and put a dollop of caviar on the white cream cheese in the center of each. I think black looks best ... more dramatic against the white ... but red is pretty too. Garnish with lemon wedges.

These things are spectacular looking and spectacular tasting. You can't beat them.

Edited December 23, 2004 by Jaymes (log)

[zilla369]

I like to cut fully cooked andouille sausage into bite-sized pieces and toss it in a little black pepper, fresh thyme and olive oil. Then i wrap puff pastry purses around them, egg wash, and bake until golden. Best served very warm, though.

[esperanza]

BAKED PANELA

At your favorite Latin market, buy a whole queso panela. It will weigh about a kilo (2.2 lbs).

Preheat oven to 375* Fahrenheit.

Pour 1 Tbsp EVOO in a square glass baking dish and spread it around. Place panela on top of EVOO.

Poke holes every inch or so over and through the entire panela. I use a chopstick.

Squeeze 1/2 key lime (or both halves, the recipe is very forgiving) over panela. Pour another Tbsp or so of EVOO over that. Sprinkle panela with sea salt and crumbled dried Mexican oregano.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until slightly golden brown on top. A lot of water will have come out of the panela; that's what's supposed to happen.

Using two spatulas, transfer baked panela to a serving dish.

Serve with crackers or crusty bread.

[Ling]

Leek and goat cheese phyllo tart

Love this recipe! http://foodtv.ca/recipes/recipedetails/recipe%5F3593.asp

[Gifted Gourmet]

Take some Norwegian smoked salmon and carefully lay it out. 

Combine some room temperature cream cheese and butter and chopped chives.  Mash it up good and form a log about 3/4" diameter.  Lay it down onto the smoked salmon and then roll it up to make a salmon log with the cream cheese mixture in the middle.  Slice the salmon log into rounds about 1" long.  Turn each piece up so that the white part is on top (and bottom) and set each one onto a substantial round cracker.  Get the best caviar you can afford and put a dollop of caviar on the white cream cheese in the center of each.

These things are spectacular looking and spectacular tasting.  You can't beat them.

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I have made this with great success, Jaymes, and I made it with a Boursin filling, thus cutting out a step, and then added freshly chopped scallions before rolling up .. it was really amazing, as you so correctly note! Simple yet elegant, looking like a million times more work than the reality dictated ...

[KarenS]

Sashimi is sooo important in Hawaii, and it needs to be ahi (yellowfin). I would go also with seared fois gras on toasted vanilla bean brioche (I really love foie gras AND vanilla beans.

[JAZ]

Most of the classes I teach are on appetizers and cocktails, and one of the appetizers that consistently gets the best reviews is a roasted red pepper and caramelized onion spread on crostini, topped with aged gouda cheese.

2 red peppers

1 large onion, sliced thin

2 tablespoons sherry

salt and pepper

Aged gouda cheese, sliced thin

Caramelize the onion slices: over low heat, saute in butter or oil until soft, then cook, covered, stirring every 5-10 minutes, until they turn dark golden brown.

Roast the peppers, seed and peel. Chop roughly and add to the onions. Add the sherry and cook briefly to reduce. Puree with a stick blender or in the food processor until chunky but spreadable.

Spread on crostini and top with a small slice of aged gouda or other grana style cheese.

[lovebenton0]

These will keep you warm.

Fireballs!

several finely minced jalapenos (your discretion, but three or four at least)

1 finely minced medium onion

1/2 pound each ground beef and pork

1 pound baked potatoes, grated

1 egg

salt to taste

mix together and form as for meatballs (about an inch in diameter)

deep fry in hot oil until nicely browned

or you can pan fry as for meatballs, but deep fry is so quick and easy!

serve with dijon mustard as dip

have plenty of beer on hand

[Jaymes]

BAKED PANELA

At your favorite Latin market, buy a whole queso panela.  It will weigh about a kilo (2.2 lbs).

This looks just wonderful. I know I'll be making it. Thanks.

[Jaymes]

Take some Norwegian smoked salmon and carefully lay it out. 

Combine some room temperature cream cheese and butter and chopped chives.  Mash it up good and form a log about 3/4" diameter.  Lay it down onto the smoked salmon and then roll it up to make a salmon log with the cream cheese mixture in the middle.  Slice the salmon log into rounds about 1" long.  Turn each piece up so that the white part is on top (and bottom) and set each one onto a substantial round cracker.  Get the best caviar you can afford and put a dollop of caviar on the white cream cheese in the center of each.

These things are spectacular looking and spectacular tasting.  You can't beat them.

←

I have made this with great success, Jaymes, and I made it with a Boursin filling, thus cutting out a step, and then added freshly chopped scallions before rolling up .. it was really amazing, as you so correctly note! Simple yet elegant, looking like a million times more work than the reality dictated ...

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I think this recipe has all of my favorite attributes....it's easy. It's elegant. It's beautiful. It tastes fabulous.

And you get all kinds of "Wow, you shouldn't have!" points. Because it also seems so luxurious and just plain special. Folks feel really pampered when you bring it out and set it before them. And to emphasize the 'special' part, I serve it on doilys on a silver tray. Even when the main course is going to be burgers from the grill.

[Bacchusrogue]

Thanks to the surreal gourmet, this is always a hit at my place

Cucumber Shooters

4 x cucumbers

1 clove garlic, minced

1 x shallot, minced

1 x jalapeño, stemmed and minced

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

1 tbsp freshly squeezed limejuice

2 tbsp champagne vinegar

4 tbsp extra virgin oil (I usually just use 1 1/2 Tbsp)

Directions:

Cucumber Shooters

Cut 2 1/2 inches off both ends of the cucumber. Reserve.

Peel middle sections, cut in half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scrape out seeds. Discard seeds.

In a blender, puree the middle sections of the cucumbers along with the garlic, shallot, jalapeño, mint and lime juice. Strain through a fine strainer. Stir in oil and vinegar. Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Take reserved cucumber ends and slice off bottom 1/4 inch so that they can stand solidly on their ends. Use a zester or pairing knife to create designs in the peel, then use a small melon baller to scoop out most of the cucumber, creating a cucumber shooter glass. Serve the chilled cucumber gazpacho in the shooter glasses.

[cakewalk]

BAKED PANELA

At your favorite Latin market, buy a whole queso panela.  It will weigh about a kilo (2.2 lbs).

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This might need another thread, but what is panela? I tried looking it up on google, but everything is in Spanish! From what I could gather, it seems to be some sort of sugar. That can't be right, can it? Many thanks for some learning on this.

[Jaymes]

Cheese. Depending on where you live, you might even find it in regular supermarkets.

[CindyG111]

YUM!! I'm making Jaymes' salmon, cream cheese, caviar app tomorrow night when we do seafood base appetizers for dinner. Gracias Jaymes!

For Christmas dinner, I'm making my Mom's famous stuffed mushrooms:

Mushrooms to stuff,

Filling: 1 T chopped onion, 1 t oil, 1/4 c finely chopped salami, 1/4 c cheese spread, 1 T ketchup, bread crumbs

Wash & hollow out mushies. Cut up the mushroom stems and cook with the onion in the oil. Stir in salami, cheese & ketchup. Drain off oil. Add bread crumbs to thicken. Stuff mushroom crowns and sprinkle with extra bread crumbs. Place mushrooms on baking sheet - bake at 425 for 6-8 min or nuke till barely cooked.

Serve these greasy yummy babies with lots of napkins. Drool!

[Gifted Gourmet]

I think this recipe has all of my favorite attributes....it's easy.  It's elegant.  It's beautiful.  It tastes fabulous.

And you get all kinds of "Wow, you shouldn't have!" points.  Because it also seems so luxurious and just plain special.  Folks feel really pampered when you bring it out and set it before them.  And to emphasize the 'special' part, I serve it on doilys on a silver tray.   

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I serve it on a glossy black square tray/platter which sets off the pink and white with flecks of green onions and the topping of a tiny dab of caviar? Exquisite!

The secret being that the fat content of the cheese and lox gives it a decadently creamy mouthfeel ... Heaven, I'm in heaven, and my heart beats so that I can hardly speak ... sorry for the excessively sentimental lyrics but, hey, this is quite a sensual experience .. to me ...

[Jaymes]

Wow. What great ideas and recipes.

This is rapidly turning into one of my favorite threads of all time!!!

Stuffed mushrooms, cucumber shooters!, fireballs, beef cigars, crostini, and more....

Terrific thread.

Thanks to you all!

Edited December 23, 2004 by Jaymes (log)

[Jaymes]

I think this recipe has all of my favorite attributes....it's easy.  It's elegant.  It's beautiful.  It tastes fabulous.

And you get all kinds of "Wow, you shouldn't have!" points.  Because it also seems so luxurious and just plain special.  Folks feel really pampered when you bring it out and set it before them.  And to emphasize the 'special' part, I serve it on doilys on a silver tray.   

←

I serve it on a glossy black square tray/platter which sets off the pink and white with flecks of green onions and the topping of a tiny dab of caviar? Exquisite!

Okay. So now I've got to get me one of those. I can tell it'd be just sensational.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Okay.  So now I've got to get me one of those.  I can tell it'd be just sensational.

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Not even expensive! Think someplace like Pier One .. or even a black glass plate will make it look tres chic and very expensive ... which is the idea, no??

[fiftydollars]

I just had to chime in to say this is a great thread!

[Jaymes]

... which is the idea, no?? 

But of course.

[Gifted Gourmet]

I just had to chime in to say this is a great thread!

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So we have found on many an occasion here at eGullet!

Thanks for chiming in!

[reesek]

jaymes that sounds sooo good. i will definitely do that at my next party instead of my recipe which (while awesome) is a terrible pain in the ass.

baby latkes with creme fraiche (or variations) and smoked salmon or caviar.

the 9 page latke thread has lots of great tips - but mine are super easy and very crisp.

one large-ish russet usually makes 8 or so small latkes - adjust accordingly.

grate potatoes into big bowl of salted cold water. let soak for a while (30 min?) meanwhile grate an onion into a separate bowl. don't drain the potatoes, but scoop out handfuls at a time, squeezing every bit of moisture possible out of those potatoes - wring em in a towel - squeeze - salad spinner - whatever. add to onion (the bit of onion juice is ok) and more salt and lots of pepper. some people like to use the starch from the potatoes, but i think it makes the cakes a little gluey.

i fry in peanut oil. about an inch in a big skillet. if i had a cast iron - i'd definitely use that. i just take a bit (1 tbsp or so) and flatten in my hands (hard) they stay together just fine without binder. i usually put the raw cake onto my spatula and sort of slide it into the oil. fry on medium. leave them alone until you can see the golden thing happening on the edges. flip. repeat.

drain on paper towels - these can easily be made, cooled and stored in separated layers a couple days ahead. reheat in a 450 degree oven. or held in a barely warm oven while you keep on frying.

to top - i use chives, dill, & parsley and mix them into cream cheese thinned with milk, creme fraiche, sour cream & horseradish...boursin would be lovely too and top with smoked salmon, romanoff crap caviar or (once some lovely osetra)

every party i have they go first. whenever i'm invited to a party of a close friend, they ask me to bring them.

for a while, a good friend was vegan and i created a tofu-horseradish dip. extra firm tofu sliced and well drained/pressed to remove liquid. lots of prepared horseradish, salt, pepper and rice wine vinegar. blitzed in the cuisinart. i topped those with green onion.