Appetizer/Hors D'Oeuvre/Starter Ideas

[heidih]

My mom used to do these as a pass around bit for dinner parties - with cocktails. I think just mayo and green onion thinly sliced. I have the recipe somewhere..

[blue_dolphin]

One of the "recipes" in Renee Erickson's Getaway is this one for Goat Cheese with Honeycomb, Chipotle and Salt served with charred tortillas or tortilla chips.

 

The combo of warm charred tortillas, creamy goat cheese, smoky-hot chipotle and sweet honey is delicious and the delicate crispness from the bits of honeycomb make it special. 

Any flatbread, toasted for a bit of char would easily sub for the tortillas. 

 

[MaryIsobel]

2 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

One of the "recipes" in Renee Erickson's Getaway is this one for Goat Cheese with Honeycomb, Chipotle and Salt served with charred tortillas or tortilla chips.

 

The combo of warm charred tortillas, creamy goat cheese, smoky-hot chipotle and sweet honey is delicious and the delicate crispness from the bits of honeycomb make it special. 

Any flatbread, toasted for a bit of char would easily sub for the tortillas. 

 

Definitely sounds like a winning combination!

[JAZ]

On 4/23/2023 at 2:41 AM, Katie Meadow said:

Whatever Gabrielle Hamilton puts on a cracker I'll try at least once. She has a knack. Recently I read her "recipe" if you can call it that for fried saltines with dijon mustard, cheddar and white onion. You briefly fry saltines in oil until golden, let them drain and cool,  then spread a modest amount of mustard on, topped with a saltine sized slice of cheddar and a few wisps of thinly sliced white onion. Low-brow ingredients, high payoff! Of course she's absurdly fussy about all her combos, and in this case she instructs you how to cut the onion: in half-moons, not semi circles! We devoured them.

 

 

I was intrigued with the idea of fried saltines so I tried them, but topped mine with pimento cheese instead. Definite keeper.

[Kerry Beal]

I fried a sleeve of saltines this evening in sunflower oil with a bit of olive oil. They don't take long - so some where a bit (OK a lot) overdone. 

 

Topped with some old cheddar and a bit of something I found in the fridge which might have been red pepper chutney. 

[gfweb]

On 7/10/2023 at 8:11 PM, Kerry Beal said:

I fried a sleeve of saltines this evening in sunflower oil with a bit of olive oil. They don't take long - so some where a bit (OK a lot) overdone. 

 

Topped with some old cheddar and a bit of something I found in the fridge which might have been red pepper chutney. 

 

Does a fried saltine differ from a squared ritz?

[Kerry Beal]

Squared ritz?

[JAZ]

On 7/10/2023 at 8:11 PM, Kerry Beal said:

I fried a sleeve of saltines this evening in sunflower oil with a bit of olive oil. They don't take long - so some where a bit (OK a lot) overdone. 

 

Topped with some old cheddar and a bit of something I found in the fridge which might have been red pepper chutney. 

 

I love the combination of aged cheddar (or aged gouda) with roasted red peppers, so I can see that working quite well.

[Maison Rustique]

I made this Dirty Martini Dip to take to a party today. It is so good! I tried it with potato chips and I could sit and eat them all day. Very easy--I think I'll be making this again!

[MaryIsobel]

3 hours ago, Maison Rustique said:

I made this Dirty Martini Dip to take to a party today. It is so good! I tried it with potato chips and I could sit and eat them all day. Very easy--I think I'll be making this again!

I saw that recipe. Since I love a dirty martini, I'm sure I would like it. I'll have to make it next time I have company.

[blue_dolphin]

4 hours ago, Maison Rustique said:

I made this Dirty Martini Dip to take to a party today. It is so good! I tried it with potato chips and I could sit and eat them all day. Very easy--I think I'll be making this again!

You could make these Dirty Martini Stuffed Olives to go along with the dip. They’re stuffed with what’s basically a Jell-O shot. 
I'd use gin instead of vodka but each to their own!

[Katie Meadow]

On 7/10/2023 at 5:11 PM, Kerry Beal said:

I fried a sleeve of saltines this evening in sunflower oil with a bit of olive oil. They don't take long - so some where a bit (OK a lot) overdone. 

 

Topped with some old cheddar and a bit of something I found in the fridge which might have been red pepper chutney. 

Yes, the only challenging part to fried saltines is adjusting the heat and getting the saltines the hell out of the pan quickly. When they sit on paper towels after frying they continue to darken. We've tossed a lot of mistakes into the garbage.. 

[blue_dolphin]

I used one of the little Dorothy's cheeses I got at Trader Joe's to make this Throwback Baked Brie with Spicy Honey Upgrade from The Global Pantry Cookbook and really enjoyed it. 

The recipe calls for brie, honey, sour dried cherries, Calabrian chiles, thyme and toasted black walnuts.  I say it's a great template for either a baked cheese appetizer or even a very upgraded grilled cheese sandwich  Pick a soft, ripened cheese, a sweet syrup, a tart, dried fruit, something spicy, a compatible herb, a toasted nut and it will be delicious!   I used that Dorothy's Garden Secrets cheese, a mix of unsweetened dried cranberries and dried sweet cherries, Bomba sauce, thyme and toasted walnuts. The recipe says to serve with crackers and apple slices.  I say bread rules but the apples are good, too.

 

[RWood]

I haven’t made these in years, but I found some really nice sun dried tomatoes at the Buford Hwy Farmers market. 
These are soaked in vinegar with sliced garlic, herbs, parm, olive oil and capers. Really good with goat cheese or burrata and grilled bread.

[Maison Rustique]

14 hours ago, RWood said:

I haven’t made these in years, but I found some really nice sun dried tomatoes at the Buford Hwy Farmers market. 
These are soaked in vinegar with sliced garlic, herbs, parm, olive oil and capers. Really good with goat cheese or burrata and grilled bread.

That looks amazing!