Appetizer/Hors D'Oeuvre/Starter Ideas

[amccomb]

I know Thanksgiving is still a ways away, but it's my favorite holiday, and I start to plan early!

I don't have a fancy stove or double ovens, or even an extra freezer, so space and time are always an issue. I like to start cooking about a week in advance and do as little as possible on the actual day, so I can enjoy myself.

Does anyone have any ideas for delicious, classy hors d'oeuvres that I can make ahead? Last year I did some phyllo triangles filled with ground lamb, pine nuts, dried currants, and spices that I froze, then thawed, and then popped in the oven right before people got there. I also used some puff pastry cut into small squares, filled with a chunk of brie, and popped into a mini muffin tins and topped with some of my rosemary, port, and shallot cranberry sauce. I popped those in the oven at tha last minute, too.

I also had some spiced assorted nuts that I made a couple of days before

I was hoping for some new ideas this year. I always like to go with as much seasonal stuff as I can, and I don't mind just ordering pre-made stuff if it's really good quality. I was actually thinking of ordering some dry aged sausages or something along those lines.

A few vegetarian ideas would be welcome, as well!

Thanks!

[bleudauvergne]

Your ideas for the filo are nice. With thanksgiving, it's the good things that get repeated year after year, for us. If it worked last year, do it again is what I say! We've taken to serving a stuffed salmon as a first course, cut into slices and served with a lemon vinaigrette. A nice elegant way to begin the meal.

This year, I am going to do Thanksgiving differently and break it all down into courses. It gives people a better chance to really understand and discuss what's being served. Thanksgiving for me is usually for a full table of mostly French people, and normally I serve a starting course, something I never did before we came to France, and then the rest all at once. The starting course gets the meal off to a good start, it's something they're comfortable with. However, I have noticed that people get overwhelmed with all that's on the table and don't try everything. The first time this happened (people not taking stuffing, etc.) I was suprised but I realize that they really don't have a history with these things and even if you say "You must have some stuffing" they nod and smile and sometimes still don't take it. So this year I am going to think of how I can compose the meal in such a way that it's a nice step by step intoduction to our traditional Thanksgiving foods without force feeding the guests and not straying too far from the all out feast aspect - I usually have at least 3 or 4 Americans at the table, I can't let them down!

A discussion of hors d'oeuvres is welcome here - I'd love to see what other members are serving!

[Toliver]

Here were some previous discussions on make-ahead appetizers:

"Hors d'oeuvres, what can I make ahead of time?"

"Freezable Finger Foods"

Lots of good ideas!

[Suzanne F]

Here's one I just did: tiny meatballs en croute, that worked well right out of the oven and also at room temp after cooling and transport.

Edited with toliver's help, because I'm still finding my way around the new tech stuff.

Edited October 7, 2004 by Suzanne F (log)

[herbacidal]

Get a nice cut of beef. Grill it, serve it in little pieces on crostini with good parmesan, arugula, and oil of olives or truffles.

Can be eaten at room temperature.

Edited October 7, 2004 by herbacidal (log)

[chow guy]

Try stuffing mushrooms with crabmeat, scallions, a splash of hot sauce, cognac and parmesan cheese.

[Toliver]

Here's one I just did (scroll down to post #8): tiny meatballs en croute, that worked well right out of the oven and also at room temp after cooling and transport.

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Suzanne, just an FYI...you can link directly to your post (instead of having to scroll). Find the post you want to link to and click on the post number located in the upper right corner of the post. A little window will then pop open displaying the exact URL of that post.

Use that as your link and it will go directly to your post...no scrolling needed.

Ta-da!

[Cusina]

I have a challenging Thanksgiving dinner this year. My Mother in law, who is usually a pretty reasonable person, has gotten it into her head that we need to give thanks with most of my husband's family in my poor brother-in-laws bachelor city boy 2 bedroom apartment. Whoo boy. He is, understandably, kind of in a panic as he doesn't cook much beyond omlettes and toast. So, he and I get to make the dinner in a very cooking challenged space. Yikes. Most of it needs to be made ahead and transported, so I'm glad for these ideas.

I'm thinking lots of snacks need to be around, as the dinner is likely to be of unpredictable timing. Maybe some sort of blue cheese stuffed mushroom, some of those meatballs Suzanne posted (thank you!) and a cheddar ale spread (basically sharp, aged cheddar and good ale in the food processor for a long time till smooth) with some locally produced sausage on toast points. Since brother in law can make toast that seems like a good idea. I know, not as elegant as they might be, but I figure they fit the circumstances.

I also made roasted pumpkin seeds for the first time in years this past week. They were delicious. Just drizzled with butter and salt before baking. They'll be great for snacking and easy to make ahead.

[Swisskaese]

I have a few really nice recipes. It depends on how extravagant you want to be:

Ducklava - It is duck almonds, pecans, walnuts, dried cherries, bourbon, etc. in filo. I can PM the recipe if you are interested.

Mushroom Stuffed Brie en Croute

The Envelope Please I have made this as a starter and a side dish.

[Swisskaese]

Here is the recipe for Ducklava. I realised that I copied it directly from RecipeGullet, so there shouldn't be a copyright enfringement. Enjoy!

Ducklava

Servings: 6 as an appetizer

If you buy a whole duck and separate it into magrets and legs for separate preparation, poach the carcass and remove remaining meat for this recipe. Or just use meat leftover from a roast duck. Ducklava is an elegant and thematic prelude to a duck main course, for duck fanatics.

2 c cooked duck meat

1/2 c almonds, pecans, or walnuts

1/4 c bourbon

1/2 c dried cherries

2 T minced shallot

1 T honey

1/2 pkg phyllo, thawed

1/2 c melted butter

Soak cherries in bourbon for 1/2 hour. While cherries soak, pulse nuts and duck meat in food processor until combined (or chop by hand). Add cherries to duck/nut mixture, reserving bourbon. Briefly pulse to combine. Add shallots and three tbsps. bourbon to mixture, pulsing to incorporate. Add more bourbon by the tbsp. until mixture coheres in a thick, chunky spread. Taste for salt; mix in scant tbsp. of honey to flavor, if desired.

Preheat oven to 375.

With a pastry brush, brush butter on the top layer of two sheets of phyllo. Fold in half to form a long rectangle. Brush top lightly with more butter.

With your hands form a "log" of duck mixture about as long as a short end of phyllo, using about 1/2 cup of mixture. Place duck log one inch from short end of phyllo, leaving about 1/2 inch on each side. Roll duck and phyllo into a thick cigar. Place seam-side down on baking sheet, tucking in phyllo at ends. Brush lightly with butter. Repeat until mixture is depleted.

Can be prepared in advance to this point; wrap ducklava on baking sheet tightly in cellophane and refrigerate for up to 6 hours. Bake ducklava about 20 minutes until golden, or according to phyllo package directions. Remove from oven and slice cigars into two-inch sections, if desired. Serve hot.

[Gifted Gourmet]

The earth moved for me when I read this recipe! Much appreciated!

But duck before turkey? Maybe I'll just skip the turkey!

[Andrew Fenton]

"Ducklava."

Ladies and gentlemen, I have a new favorite recipe. (And not just because of the name, but it's close.)

[Roejimmy]

For a number of years now, we have solved the hors-d'oeuvres question by deep frying the turkey.

First and foremost, this is a great way to cook the bird. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it gives all the home chefs at the dinner a chance to play with a cooking method that many people don't regularly do at home - Deep Frying!

We have had a number of fantastic dishes passed around including

Buffalo Style Quail

an assortment of Spring Rolls

Shrimp Toasts (to die for!)

deep fried Orange Soy Duck (so good a chef friend specialed it at his restaurant!)

tempura shrimp and Scallops

tempura - everything else we could find in the house (the brie was the best)

We basically treat it like a big ole fondue pot!

[Toliver]

We basically treat it like a big ole fondue pot!

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I know fifi has done the same thing and so has my family. We had put a rub on the turkey before deep frying it which ended up seasoning the hot oil. We ended up throwing just about everything into that oil to make on-the-spot hors d'ouevres.

[tanabutler]

Spicy roasted herb nuts, my single most-requested recipe for Thanksgiving. Easy, and don't say I didn't warn you of their addictive properties. Good luck making them three days beforehand and having any left.

[Amy Viny]

How about a crosstini bar? This couldn't be easier. Serve fresh home-toasted bread rounds with your choice of homemade or store bought toppings on lovely platters. Just get some nice french breads, slice and brush one side with good olive oil. For extra flavor use an herb or garlic infused oil. Then toast on both sides. Now make the toppings of your choice. You can take some good oil packed sundried tomatoes, whirl with a bit of choped garlic and fresh basil in the food processor. I recently made a delicious topping with sliced button and baby bello mushrooms tossed with chopped garlic, balsamic, and olive oil. Just roast at 400 for about 20 min. drain and coarsely chop. Chopped artichoke hearts are also nice with some fresh chopped parsley, garlic, olive oil and a squirt of fresh lemon. You can really make a colorful and abundant presentation with the different toppings. Store bought jarred items would also work well if you're short on time.

[Abra]

Tanabutler, I just made your wonderful herbed nuts. I had all of the herbs in my garden except the savory, which had to be Penzey's, and I made just a couple of little changes. I used walnut oil instead of olive oil, and about a teaspoon of Marash pepper instead of the cayenne. They're scrumptious and now must go rest in a far away place until Thursday to ensure their survival. Maybe I should just mail them to myself to keep them out of the house?

[bloviatrix]

My new favorite is slices of toasted baguette topped with either onion confit or piperade. Both toppings can be prepared ahead of time so you don't have to go crazy the morning of.

[Cucina]

I was just looking through my cookbooks yesterday trying to decide on the same thing! Wow! Great ideas - especially that Ducklava.

Two that have made it on my list are a hot onion dip (which is actually better if it's prepared ahead of time and then just heated up right before serving) and stuffed green olives wrapped with pastry which actually freeze well too.

[pam claughton]

I'm hoping this crowd might have a new 'to die for' appetizer recipe? I'm looking for something new to make this X-mas eve. What's the one recipe that you always HAVE to make, that people don't let you in the door without? Or a new one you've tried that you will put at the top of the list?

I'll share mine, it's ugly as hell, but taste is out of this world. It's also an easy make ahead, you can make the mushroom/blue cheese saute mix the night before, and then just spread it on baquette slices and bake the next day. If you can find them, I sometimes like to use the little mini toasts, about one inch square, kind of like Melbas...but thin sliced, toasted baquettes or ficelles are great too.

Crostini with Mushrooms, Blue Cheese and Proscuitto

Super fast and easy as well. Have made with Gorgonzola and Maytag blue, both are delicious. When I spread and bake, I sprinkle a little parmesan on the top.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/107462

**edited to add this note, the recipe calls for bread slices 1/2 inch thick. I would suggest as thin as possible, 1/4 at most because this is very filling and rich, it just works better it seems. Also, you can substitute Fat Free half and half for the heavy cream. Normally, I'd NEVER suggest that, but one year it's all we had, and the result was better, it cut the richness and brought out the flavor more. But, either way is excellent.

Pam

Edited December 22, 2004 by pam claughton (log)

[rooftop1000]

Somewhere on tv last week I saw an assortment of Apps on sticks...we all like to play with food on sticks right

definately going to do the ...cherry tomato, basil leaf, mini fresh mozz... one here

they also did salami and prov with a pepperoncini on a stick too

my personal favorite hell is Crab Rangoon cream cheese- soy -garlic -ginger and imitaion crab meat in a wonton wrapper deep fried...its easy but take forever to fold and fry

tracey

[Dejah]

Spiced beef cigars:

Lean ground beef browned and simmered with onions, garlic, tomato sauce, seasoned with cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and paprika. Once cooled, add egg, honey and bread crumbs.

Make cigars with a tbsp. of meat mixture, rolled up in phyllo pastry that's been brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with bread crumbs( each sheet pre-cut into 3 pieces). Brush with melted butter, sprinkled with sesame seeds and baked at 400F for 20 minutes.

You can make these ahead and freeze without baking. When you want to serve them, bake from frozen state and add an extra 10 minutes to the baking time.

For a dip, mix curry paste in yogurt.

I also like to eat mine with spicy salsa.

Edited December 23, 2004 by Dejah (log)

[pam claughton]

Spiced beef cigars:

Lean ground beef browned and simmered with onions, garlic, tomato sauce, seasoned with cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and paprika. Once cooled, add egg, honey and bread crumbs.

Make cigars with a tbsp. of meat mixture, rolled up in phyllo pastry that's been brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with bread crumbs( each sheet pre-cut into 3 pieces). Brush with melted butter, sprinkled with sesame seeds and baked at 400F for 20 minutes.

You can make these ahead and freeze without baking. When you want to serve them, bake from frozen state and add an extra 10 minutes to the baking time.

For a dip, mix curry paste in yogurt.

I also like to eat mine with spicy salsa.

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Dejah,

These sound really good, thanks!

Tracy,

I've made crab rangoons like this without frying, and they come out excellent. You can pan saute them, just fold a little diferently, more like a square or burrito, so there are flat sides, and saute up. If you use a spicy chile oil, they come even better!

Pam

[woodburner]

Every party, be it holiday's or a backyard bbq.

This is killer and soo simple.

Hot Artichoke Dip

woodburner

[snowangel]

Why, Larb, of course.