Appetizer/Hors D'Oeuvre/Starter Ideas

[helen jackson]

thanks so much lizziee -

I will definitely try these.

I normally do oysters in a warm champagne sauce and then serve them on china spoons but will do yours instead.

[PaulaJK]

-I did a quite similar oyster prep and served it in a shot glass. This allowed

a one swallow approach for both flavors.

-Upmarket around here might include

-any of the rare seared or tartares [tuna,etc] w. pickled ginger

-something beef w. a marmelade [eg red onion]

-blini or small potatoes w caviar

-a chinese dumpling w. sauce/on spoon

-corn fritters w. caviar or smoked salmon

-peking duck pancakes

-something with a tropical fruit salsa or dip

-duck confit quesadilla

-ale battered shrimp w. an interesting sauce

-Am inspired to find the Indian Forum after reading all of these ideas.

Let us know what you choose to do.

[Dana]

Brush 4 sheets phyllo with melted butter and layer them on a cutting board. Cut into squares and fit into mini muffin tins. In each, place 1/4 t. good quality raspberry preserves and 1 small piece of brie. Bake 8 minutes till golden. Delish!!!

They stay crispy and keep well.

I've made these several times - my 22 year old son loves them

[lizziee]

An incredible, dramatic appetizer is Hubert Keller's stuffed eggshells. He made 800 for the Aspen Wine and Food Festival and over 500 for The Merci Julia event. One recipe can be found in his cookbook, The Cuisine of Herbert Keller. The other is unpublished, which I have. In any case, hallowed out egg shells are filled with cooled scrambled eggs and topped with a number of different fillings - provencale ratatouille, cauliflower puree, blue prawn pasta salad, or curried duck and sweet onions. The egg shells are decorated with white and black sesame seeds around the rims.

Other ideas (just to name a few) from The Merci Julia event would be:

Venison in Puff pastry (Claude Alrivy)

Lobster sausage (Jean Banchet)

Mini Brioche with Foie Gras (Alain Giraud)

Corn Blinis Sandwich with Marinated Salmon (Joachim Splichal)

Again, I am happy to supply recipes.

[southern girl]

Lizziee,

I would love the recipes for the lobster sausage and the mini brioche with foie...Do you use mini muffin pans for the mini Yorkshire puddings...oh heck, I'd like the mini Yorkshire recipe too, if it's not too much trouble. Thanks!

[lizziee]

southern girl,

I have to type the lobster sausage and mini brioche with foie so that will be forthcoming.

Here is the yorkshire:

INDIVIDUAL YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS WITH RARE ROAST BEEF

For this recipe you will need three mini-muffin pans, each containing twelve

1 3/4- by 1-inch cups.

For Yorkshire pudding batter

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

(Sometimes I use the above recipe and sometimes I use the following which is actually Neiman Marcus high hat popover recipe:

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups milk - room temp

1 14 cup flour

dash salt

dash pepper

Beat eggs with whip or hand mixer until lemon colored and foamy. Add milk and stir until well-blended, but do not overbeat. Add flour all at once. Hand beat until smooth on top.

3/4 cup vegetable oil (this is called for in the original recipe. However, I go to my butcher and ask for the fat from a standing rib roast. I then slowly melt the fat in a small saucepan over low heat and use that instead of the oil.)

3/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon drained bottled horseradish

1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley (wash and dry before chopping)

1/2 Pound cooked rare roast beef, slices 3/8 inch thick and slices cut into

1-inch pieces

Garnish: 36 small fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves

Make batter:

In a blender blend batter ingredients until smooth and transfer to a bowl.

Let batter stand, covered, 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Put 2 mini-muffin pans on 1 baking sheet and put remaining pan on another

baking sheet. Spoon 1 teaspoon oil (roast beef fat) into each cup/ Put first baking sheet in

middle of oven 3 minutes to heat oil in cups. Working quickly, pour 2

teaspoons batter into hot oil in each cup and bake in middle of oven 18

minutes, or until pudding shells are golden and puffed. Remove shells from

cups with tongs and cool on racks. Repeat procedure with other baking sheet.

Shells may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered, or 1 month ahead and

frozen in airtight containers. Bring shells to room temperature and recrisp

in a 300°F. oven 10 minutes.

In a small bowl stir together sour cream, horseradish, and parsley and

transfer to a small pastry bag fitted with 1/8-inch plain tip.

Fold a few beef slices into each shell and pipe 1 teaspoon horseradish cream

onto each pudding. Garnish puddings with parsley.

Makes 36 hors d'oeuvres.

Gourmet

January 1997

[lizziee]

I have not made this recipe and I am copying it exactly as Alain Giraud wrote it. It is not in any cookbook or has it been published so it hasn't been tested.

Mini Brioche with Foie Gras (Alain Giraud)

This recipe is an adaptation of the French Classic dish "Foie Gras in brioche." We have been using the small brioche at Citrus for many things. One of the most popular appetizers we serve is Quail Egg in brioche.

To the foie gras recipe you can add fresh truffle and fresh truffle juice into the brioche dough or into the foie gras mixture. This will give you a brilliant effect and fantastic taste, but it is expensive!

I cook the foie gras in a "vacuum cooking bag." This is a modern way to heat the foie gras, keeping more flavor and losing less fat.

For 20 appetizers:

1 baked brioche, 12" length X 2" width

6 oz cooked foie gras

2 oz butter (at room temperature)

For the foie gras -

Blend gently in a mixer using the paddle. When it is of soft consistency, add the butter (at room temp). Season to taste with salt and pepper. For best results, cook the foie gras two to three days in advance.

Cut the brioche into 3 equal parts. Using an apple cutter (shaped like a long cylinder), "core" through the center.

Put the foie gras mixture into a pastry bag using a #8 tip. Fill the brioche gently with the mixture.

Roll in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

To serve, use a sharp knife (warm the blade for two to three seconds in water). Slice into 3/4" pieces.

Serve on a cold plate and season with black pepper.

[lizziee]

This is Jean Blanchet's recipe from Ciboulette in Atlanta, Georgia. It is also an unpublished recipe and as such has not been "tested."

Lobster Sausage

Ingredients:

2 lb fresh raw lobster meat

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 egg white

2 cups fish stock

1 cup sherry

1 cup white wine

1/2 cup cognac

1/4 cup chopped shallots

1 tbsp fresh tarragon

Blanche lobster meat, set aside to cool.

Reduction:

Combine fish stock, sherry, wine, cognac, shallots, tarragon and boil for 5 minutes. Strain and return to saucepan. reduce til syrup or 3/4 to 1/2 cup. Set aside and cool.

Mousse:

Put 1/2 of the lobster meat in cuisinart and blend. Add slowly egg white, reduction and cream. Cut remaining lobster in small chunks, fold under mousse and refrigerate until firm.

Place mousse on 10 x 5" sheets of parchment paper. Roll into sausage form. Then roll sausage in aluminum foil and close tight on both ends. Poach for 10 minutes and let cool. Take sausage out of aluminum foil and paper and cut with electric knife into half inch slices for hors d'oeuvres.

[helen jackson]

Don't put that much pressure on youself  kiddo.  Julia never did.  They will be throwing back a few.  ;-))  Go with some egullet suggestions and Beluga doesn't hurt I guess.

NZ and Australia have a ban on caviar - so no Beluga for us!

It has been in place now for a couple of years or so and there are no suggestions of lifting it at this stage.

[southern girl]

Lizzie,

The recipes look wonderful. Can't wait to try them out!

[Adam Balic]

Thai fish cakes

Helen, for my last party I served these items, all well received.

grilled Vietnamese beef in mint leaves

grilled monkfish skewered on rosemary stalks and wrapped in panchetta

venison terrine

chicken liver pate

salmon eggs on buckwheat blini with creme fraiche

various middle eastern filo pastry things

mini pizza with queen scallops, pesto, cherve.

various chicken Asian things (mini-drumsticks, various flavours)

californian rolls

vegetarian nori rolls

steamed pork buns (bought, not made)

mango salsa with prawn crackers

Cevapcici (Croatian skinless sausage)

Vietnamese spring rolls

Vietnamese rice paper rolls

Almost everything can be pre-prepared.

[Jinmyo]

Adam, you only bought the pork buns? I'm impressed.

edit:

Oh, further to pease pudding. I made thumb sized pease puddings, wrapped them in prosciutto with a mint dipping sauce. Quite interesting.

[Adam Balic]

Adam, you only bought the pork buns? I'm impressed.

edit:

Oh, further to pease pudding. I made thumb sized pease puddings, wrapped them in prosciutto with a mint dipping sauce. Quite interesting.

Bah, I'm not all talk you know ! This was nearly a year ago, time for another party.

Pease puddinettes? So you cooked the pease, made them in mini-pud's,wrapped them and grilled them(?). Was the mint sauce like, mint, vinegar, sugar or something else. Very interesting, I have to cook some game soon and I think that these maybe just the ticket. Much nicer (or is that 'better", subjectively) thengame chips, bleach!

[Jinmyo]

Yes, Adam, but I sauteed them in EVOO. Mint sauce was shallot, champagne vinegar, Dijon, fresh mint, s&p. No sugar.

[Adam Balic]

sauteed eh, tricky, very tricky. I would be afraid they would burst. Nice sauce.

[Jinmyo]

Never fear, Adam. In fact I flipped them a few times. The prosciutto (and a tooth-pick removed before serving) held the puds well.

[Heather]

Perhaps too late an addition to be useful - given that you're doing a tasting plate for tuesday, which it now is here in Australia - but will contribute anyway.

Tetsuya's cookbook has excellent recipe for oysters dressed with soy sauce-rice vinegar vinaigrette, then topped with a little salmon caviar - abundant here in Australia, land of Beluga ban.

My favourite local Thai restaurant - Emerald Buddha, South Melbourne - serves a fantastic snacky-sized appetiser on their mixed entree plate. Squid ball in tamarind sauce. The squid ball comes in tiny shot glass, is doused with liberal amount of sauce, and impaled on a stick for easy removal. Squid ball, btw, is minced-up squid, seasoned lightly, but sauce carries most of the flavour.

If you want to do a little sushi, can't go wrong with a spicy tuna roll. Men, especially - even men who aren't great sushi fans - seem to love them. If you want to outdo yourself, tempura-battered spicy tuna roll, served topped with a little squeeze of Japanese mayo. Has to be Japanese mayo - the stuff that comes in squishy bottle with red lid.

Tuna empanadas, as served at tapas. Dough encloses a mixture of cooked tuna, green olives, maybe some mashed potato. Another tapas favourite, for a sweet finish - churros! Stick-like Spanish donuts, which could be served with choice of caramel or chocolate dipping sauce.

Back to savoury - Asian style sticky rice balls. I make mushroom sticky rice parcels. The sticky rice is flavoured with a mushroom mix that includes black fungus, white fungus, dried shiitake, fresh swiss browns, oyster sauce, coriander. Would probably work as little balls, too.

Let me know if you'd like me to elaborate, or provide recipe for any of the above.

[coffeetaster]

I like deep fried (crispy) ravioli. you can make them with different fillings and dipping sauces.

Cheers!

Coffeetaster

[helen jackson]

wow so many wonderful ideas - thankyou.

Menu is done and all are happy.

This is some of what I am doing............

Thai fish bites skewered with sugar cane

risotto cakes flavoured with spinach and gorgonzola served topped with capsicum chutney and shaved parmigiano

Beef, guiness and mushroom pies with anchovy & thyme scone topping

Australian king prawns in coconut wonton wrappers with mango and chilli salsa

Porcini & olive tapenade served on warm potato gallette & drizzled with truffle oil

Mini spring onion pancakes filled with Chinese bbq’d duck and hoisin sauce

Creamy new season asparagus and dill soup served in demitasse cups

Thai Beef noodle salad with basil & mint served in Asian tea cups

Freshly shucked Pacific oysters shots

New season scallops served on silver spoons with chilli jam and creme fraiche

[helen jackson]

have heaps of new recipes from your posts to try out for future

[mixmaster b]

I read this thread with great interest because I was planning to do hors d'oeuvres for a friend's engagement party.

Thanks for all the great ideas, and especially thanks to liziee--we used the mignonette sauce, which was a big hit, and also the horseradish sauce. The horseradish sauce was used on roast beef served on tiny savory palmiers. (I wanted to try the popovers but needed someting I could do a bit more in advance.) THANKS!

Helen-the final results sound marvelous!

[Varmint]

Our firm is having its annual pot-luck "Fall Feast" next week. I've been assigned to bring an appetizer. Folks, I hate these things, because I have to figure out something that I can make the evening before that can be served at room temperature (or colder -- we have refrigerators to keep things cold but only microwaves to warm them up). Plus, there will be about 100 people there (no, I only have to make enought to feed 30 or so in appetizer portions).

I have absolutely no desire to think about what to make, so I'm begging y'all to help me with ideas for a decent pot luck appetizer.

[Dave the Cook]

I did this for the office Thanksgiving party last year. It's pretty easy, but just sophisticated enough to ensure your continued reputation as the office food geek. You can roast the peppers two days ahead, then assemble and bake the night before, using pre-made pie shells. It makes ten servings as a side dish; I would think you could get 15 app-sized portions, and it works at any temperature. I think the original recipe came from Joy of Cooking, but I wouldn't swear to it.

Roasted Pepper and Onion Tart

2 small red bell peppers

2 small yellow bell peppers

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups chopped red onion

pie crust

1 teaspoon all purpose flour

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

scant cup whipping cream

3 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/8 teaspoon pepper, or to taste

1. Char peppers over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Wrap in paper bag and seal, or place in a large glass bowl and cover with plate. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and seed peppers. Cut into 1/3-inch-wide strips and set aside.

2. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and season with salt, pepper and half of thyme. Sauté until just beginning to color, about 12 minutes. Transfer to bowl and cool. (Bell peppers and onion can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)

3. Preheat oven to 425°F.

4. Roll out crust to about 12–1/2 inches in diameter. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon flour over surface of crust.

5. Place crust, floured side down, in 11–inch–diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Fold crust edge in, forming double-thick sides. Pierce dough all over with fork. Bake until light golden, about 10 minutes. Cool crust about 15 minutes.

6. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F.

7. Arrange onion in crust. Top with bell pepper strips in spaced rows or in a criss-cross pattern. Sprinkle with basil. Whisk cream, eggs, salt and pepper in medium bowl to blend. Gently pour custard over vegetables.

8. Bake tart until custard sets, about 20 minutes. Cool tart 5 minutes in pan on rack. Remove pan sides. Cut tart into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 10.

[Schielke]

Check out the PacNW Cocktail Party thread, there was an amazing array of tasty treats in that format. The bacon candy might be good, but I dont know about the refrigeration issues with that one.

Ben

[tommy]

chicken wings. everyone loves chicken wings. i don't care what they say. make 'em out of breast strips and put them on a skewer to be fancy and neat.