Appetizer/Hors D'Oeuvre/Starter Ideas

[liuzhou]

7 hours ago, Bernie said:

I think you get arrested these days for tampering with a tart...🤫

 

Not if you have negotiated the appropriate fee in advance. Or so I'm told!

 

I really think you can't beat smoked fish as a starter. My preference is smoked sturgeon, bu tpretty much any smoked fish.

[liuzhou]

Of course, starters should whet the appetite, but also compliment the main course (I refuse to call it an entrée).

This one was rather robust in flavour but I felt worked with the main.

 

烟熏牡蛎 (yān xūn mǔ lì) - smoked oysters, 裙带菜 (qún dài cài) - Undaria pinnatifida or in Japanese, ワカメ (wakame), 玉环菜 (yù huán cài) - Chinese artichokes (pickled).

 

 

Edited February 20, 2023 by liuzhou (log)

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Chinese artichokes, aka crosnes, are one of my favorite vegetables.     Readily available in season in France, not so in Northern California.

[liuzhou]

3 minutes ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

Chinese artichokes, aka crosnes

 

Yes. I wrote about them and their history in this post. I first ate them in my French grandmother's kitchen in southern France a very long time ago. I've eaten them in Crosnes, too!

[TicTac]

The combination of smoked oysters, wakame and pickled artichokes has to be one of the stranger amalgamations I have seen on these boards as of yet.  Won't knock it till I try it though.....not sure when that might be, though....lol 🤣

 

For a upcoming 40th celebratory meal I am planning (a tasting menu) I am concocting a smoked duck bite - crisp toast, smoked duck breast slice, and a counter point - most likely a sweet and sour tomato/chili jam of some sort....though I am still playing with ideas.

 

 

[liuzhou]

3 minutes ago, TicTac said:

pickled artichokes

 

The Chinese artichokes aren't actually artichokes. More here. The acidity of the pickles does cut the robust smoky taste of the oysters well, though. I agree it's not an obvious pairing, but I like it!

Would love to hear about your smoked duck starter when you finalise it.

 

[OlyveOyl]

Toasted sourdough bread, local ricotta, spritz of olive oil, radish slices, pea shoots and nigella seeds.  This is something I make frequently with different toppings atop the ricotta, a drizzle of puréed preserved lemon in oil is lovely for a simple topping. This is a larger one requiring a knife but smaller slices of toasted baguette are easier to eat by hand.

[TicTac]

The other 'starter'(s) I am doing (though I suppose with a tasting menu of small bites, each one can be considered a starter!) that I know of -

 

Tuna tar tar - 2 ways in this case.

 

1, marinated in bonito infused soy (a prep we had at a great sushi spot in Vancouver)

2, avocado/lime/chili/sesame oil

 

If I can find them, I will do a fava bean/ricotta gnocchi/porcini bite -

 

 

[SusieQ]

20 hours ago, liuzhou said:

Of course, starters should whet the appetite, but also compliment the main course (I refuse to call it an entrée).

This one was rather robust in flavour but I felt worked with the main.

 

烟熏牡蛎 (yān xūn mǔ lì) - smoked oysters, 裙带菜 (qún dài cài) - Undaria pinnatifida or in Japanese, ワカメ (wakame), 玉环菜 (yù huán cài) - Chinese artichokes (pickled).

 

 

What an interesting combination. So what was the main?

[SusieQ]

14 hours ago, OlyveOyl said:

Toasted sourdough bread, local ricotta, spritz of olive oil, radish slices, pea shoots and nigella seeds.  This is something I make frequently with different toppings atop the ricotta, a drizzle of puréed preserved lemon in oil is lovely for a simple topping. This is a larger one requiring a knife but smaller slices of toasted baguette are easier to eat by hand.

What an absolutely enticing photo! 

[liuzhou]

57 minutes ago, SusieQ said:

What an interesting combination. So what was the main?

 

I was waiting for someone to ask that! 麻婆豆腐 (má pó dòu fǔ).

 

Edited February 21, 2023 by liuzhou (log)

[heidih]

On 2/20/2023 at 7:10 AM, TicTac said:

For a upcoming 40th celebratory meal I am planning (a tasting menu) I am concocting a smoked duck bite - crisp toast, smoked duck breast slice, and a counter point - most likely a sweet and sour tomato/chili jam of some sort....though I am still playing with ideas.

 

My mind leapt immediately to the pickled cherries I have. I did apple cider vinegar w/ ginger & orange zest, and balsamic with rosemary sprig.

[Katie Meadow]

Maybe it makes sense to define these terms? I know it's murky, but generally hors d'oeuvres means finger foods served with cocktails before sitting down to dinner. Although I don't think "finger foods" is really a good definition, since some cocktail foods are served with little plates and utensils. The main thing is that you are standing up or sitting in the living room or a more casual venue.  Apps and starters are often used interchangeably to refer to the first course of a sit down meal, especially so when you consider restaurant menus.

 

Hors d'oeuvres are something my husband can put out in between making cocktails, while I'm at the stove finishing up my starter, which could be a composed salad, a soup or almost any very small plate. My father in law used to refer to hors d'oeuvres as "pupus," with a nod to Hawaii. My mother's go-to hors d'oeuvre was celery root remoulade, so she served it with little plates and forks but always before sitting down to dinner. My father's favorite was chopped chicken liver on crackers. Both were accompanied by martinis.

 

So what is an amuse bouche? My sense is that it is something the restaurant kitchen sends out to you while you wait for your starter. It isn't on the menu, so there's an element of surprise. I always suspected it was a way to divert your attention if the kitchen was busy and slow to get out the first course. Everyone in the restaurant gets the same one. so it serves several functions at once: a diversion, a signal that the chef is "creative" and the restaurant is "generous."  If it isn't on the menu that means it's "free." All this is not to say it isn't often fun. Okay, nuff a that.   

 

 

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Some random bites, beets with smoked trout and horseradish cream

 

Stuffed squash blossoms before plating

 

 

"Pascade", a pancake kind of thing from the Aveyron, topped with fresh mozzarella and salad

 

Pork rillettes and cornichon

 

Curried rutabaga soup with a fried oyster

 

 

Edited February 21, 2023 by Margaret Pilgrim (log)

[liuzhou]

14 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

Maybe it makes sense to define these terms?

 

Always a good idea.

My go to definitions are:

 

Appetizer - Anything taken to create appetite or relish for food; a whet or stimulant to appetite.

 

Hors d'œuvre - An extra dish served as a relish to whet the appetite between the courses of a meal or (more generally) at its commencement. So they are an appetizer. The plural in French is also 'oevre'. No /s/. French rarely uses the term, preferring amuse-gueule,  which also means "amuse the mouth". "' Gueule" is also the origin of 'gullet'.

 

Starter - A dish eaten as the first course of a meal, before the main course.

Of course, in most of the world, 'entrée' means 'starter'. Littré, the major French dictionary, explains entrées as ‘mets qui se servent au commencement du repas - 'dishes that are served at the beginning of the meal'.
 

Edited February 22, 2023 by liuzhou (log)

[blue_dolphin]

2 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

Maybe it makes sense to define these terms?

I wondered about that myself but decided there was enough overlap in what's actually being served that it might not be necessary.

 

2 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

The main thing is that you are standing up or sitting in the living room or a more casual venue

If the main distinction is your posture and surroundings or the plates and utensils, I'm not sure it's that important to parse out definitions if what we're going to talk about is the food and cooking aspects.

Customs like cicchetti and tapas have their own distinctions regarding posture and surroundings but one could certainly steal a recipe and serve it as a starter at home.  

[SusieQ]

On 2/21/2023 at 1:08 AM, liuzhou said:

 

I was waiting for someone to ask that! 麻婆豆腐 (má pó dòu fǔ).

 

My fave. Or I should say, the dish I keep trying to duplicate from a particular restaurant where I first had it. Because it was one of those really stunning first taste sensations. 

 But as to whether this is a good combo with your oyster starter, I reserve judgment. I would have to taste the combination first. The only smoked oysters I'm familiar with (my taste buds are familiar with) are the canned variety (always a big treat for our "relish" tray at Thanksgiving and Christmas). 
 

[liuzhou]

2 hours ago, SusieQ said:

The only smoked oysters I'm familiar with (my taste buds are familiar with) are the canned variety

 

Mine are also canned.

 

 

[blue_dolphin]

Baked Camembert with Armagnac Prunes, Mushrooms and Thyme from Taste & Technique

 

I was curious about this combination of savory mushrooms sautéed with shallots and the sweet prunes but it turns out to work quite well. 

Trader Joe's had some little 5 oz rounds of goat cheese Brie from Laura Chenel in Sonoma so I subbed that in for the Camembert. 

Leftovers are shortly to be turned into a grilled cheese sandwich. 

[heidih]

22 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

Baked Camembert with Armagnac Prunes, Mushrooms and Thyme from Taste & Technique

 

Trader Joe's had some little 5 oz rounds of goat cheese Brie from Laura Chenel in Sonoma so I subbed that in for the Camembert. 

Leftovers are shortly to be turned into a grilled cheese sandwich. 

Your substitution sounds great - a little more oomph than the camembert

[blue_dolphin]

Burrata with Dandelion-Golden Raisin-Pistachio-Pistou from Taste & Technique

Nice bitter/sweet/tart/creamy/crunchy contrasts

[Katie Meadow]

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. Take note @Kim Shookand other saltine aficionados who never thought to fry them.

 

Some of her other ideas for apps or snacks include sardines on Triskets (and Triskets only) also with mustard. Then there's her celery toasts with blue cheese (cambazola only, please)  which are a little more elaborate, but very good. 

 

 

[blue_dolphin]

Thanks for reminding me of that one!  I remember reading it and was tempted but never actually broke down and bought the saltines.  

8 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

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!

 

She was even more fussy than that:

Quote

Slice the onion into thin crescent moons (not half-moons), cutting from root to shoot ends so the ribs fall apart more easily, are shorter and, therefore, more manageable to chew and swallow.

 

Here's the recipe for anyone interested: Fried Saltines With Cheddar and Onion

[Katie Meadow]

2 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

Thanks for reminding me of that one!  I remember reading it and was tempted but never actually broke down and bought the saltines.  

 

She was even more fussy than that:

 

Here's the recipe for anyone interested: Fried Saltines With Cheddar and Onion

I made them because I always have saltines around and I had good chunk of sharp cheddar left over from making mac n cheese.

Yes, GH always makes me laugh. I love her! Pre-pandemic I ate at her restaurant every time I was in NY. As far as I know her kitchen was all-women and the atmosphere of the place was always fun and cozy, The tables were very small and you were practically in your fellow diners' laps. But your fellow diners were always friendly and had good laps. In summer if you were lucky you could sit by a window that opened out onto the street and the village people would smile at you and even try to see what you were eating. 

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Shared by my s-i-l some 60 years ago, simple baguette slices topped with minced onion and mayo, broiled until bubbly and slightly brown.    

A more sophisticated take here.    DH and I used to make these to confront middle of the night "hungrys".