Appetizer/Hors D'Oeuvre/Starter Ideas

[col klink]

Just bring the bacon candy, it will instantly promote you.

[Nick]

For last year's annual watershed meeting and potluck I smoked some garlic sausages and bratworst. In case that's not too handy for you, I also made some things I don't have a name for.

Just take a slice of roast beef, part of a slice of swiss cheese, and a sliver of dill pickle. Wrap the cheese around the pickle and the roast beef around the cheese. Experiment with the amount of cheese and pickle until you get the right balance. I used "Old Neighborhood" rare roast beef, Rupp swiss cheese, and Claussen pickles - all from the local Hannaford's. Also, I cut them in half to go further. Quick and easy and no cooking.

Both items were well-received and gone in no time.

Edit: I put the roast beef flat on the board, place the swiss on it a little off center, the pickle on that, and roll up. Then secure it with a toothpick.

[maggiethecat]

For easy and good at room temp, I suggest frittata wedges. Cheap, easy, filling, yummy.

[Varmint]

Somebody help me with this bacon candy thing. I saw the rough guide for making it, but what is the final texture? Crispy/crunchy? Chewy? How's the salty and smokey go with the sweet? Details, please!

[heyjude]

Varmint, all of the above. Crispy, smoky, chewy, salty and sweet. The out come depends on how crisp you get the bacon before coating with the nuts/brown sugar mix. Cook whole slices and then slice in squares, about 5 or 6 per slice. They can be served hot or at room temp. Invite Klink.

[Suzanne F]

Has anybody tried it using maple sugar? And maybe a touch of allspice? Kind of like a bacon maple-walnut sundae. Or would that be overkill?

[Kim WB]

are you using commercial bacon, or butcher cut from the slab? Anything else in the sugar except brown sugar and walnuts?

[col klink]

Yeah bacon! Heyjude's bacon was of an artisnal variety from Whole Foods, pre-cut but from the deli. A very fine, exceptional bacon. I'm going to be making these for Thanksgiving!

[heyjude]

One of the recipes I tried had a tsp of flour mixed into the one cup of brown sugar/walnuts. I assume it's supposed to create a streuselly topping, but the effect was barely discernable. One I didn't try had cayenne.

[Jaymes]

The flavor of this is beginning to sound similar to Marlene's "pigs in a blanket with a twist" suggestion - For which she was unceremoniously skewered.

I find that amusing!

[heyjude]

Wishing to be neither skewer nor skeweree, I'd say you are probably right Jaymes. However, whenever I serve Bacon Candy, people swoon and say they've never tasted anything like it before. In fact, Klink is now in my power and will smoke anything I ask.

[Jaymes]

Wishing to be neither skewer nor skeweree, I'd say you are probably right Jaymes. However, whenever I serve Bacon Candy, people swoon and say they've never tasted anything like it before. In fact, Klink is now in my power and will smoke anything I ask.

I think your Bacon Candy sounds, (dare I say it?) sublime. And, in fact, I plan to hie myself to Whole Foods immediately and get that exact kind of bacon, and have Bacon Candy be my new "thing" here in my small suburb. I predict I'll be a smash hit.

What I was commenting on is that the flavor of bacon/sausage with the nut/brown sugar thing sounds similar. And, I actually thought Marlene's suggestion was kind of intriguing, but she was roundly trounced.

I just find it amusing, that's all... I mean, it's all in the presentation isn't it? And, in who's doing the presenting.

[heyjude]

Yes, Jaymes. At the same party where I served the bacon, I told the sophisticated eGulleteers about a prize winner from the Pillsbury Bake-off that is made with marshmallows and crescent rolls and they all were very polite. I'm sure they were inwardly groaning, because no one has asked me for the recipe.

[Nanmeade]

I don't know if I missed something but can someone post a link to the bacon candy recipe?

[Jaymes]

Yes, Jaymes. At the same party where I served the bacon, I told the sophisticated eGulleteers about a prize winner from the Pillsbury Bake-off that is made with marshmallows and crescent rolls and they all were very polite. I'm sure they were inwardly groaning, because no one has asked me for the recipe.

This is the most amazing coincidence. I've been looking for a recipe that combines marshmallows and Crescent Rolls! And, a prize winner to boot.

I'd love to have it. For one thing, my daughter is a counselor/teacher at a private boarding school, and she is always looking for fun treats to make for her kids.

You can PM me with it if you'd like!

(And I'm serious. I DO want it.)

[Jaymes]

I don't know if I missed something but can someone post a link to the bacon candy recipe?

Check out the PacNW Cocktail Party thread

This is the thread about the Cocktail Party in the PacNW. There are several good recipes there, not to mention a complete "how to" if you want to throw a chic cocktail party your own self.

The recipe for Bacon Candy is in there somewhere - actually several posts describe it, I think, as well as a couple of posts in this thread.

I've never made it, but am looking forward to trying it as soon as possible!!

[elfin]

I have to bring an appetizer (one plate will do) to share at a Christmas party on Sunday. I am cooking a leg of lamb this weekend and will have plenty left over. Before I start cooking, any suggestions for some yummy and pretty appetizers I can make with lamb? I always like to have the dish everyone talks about (don't we all?) so I am on the hot seat so to speak.

[ruthcooks]

Here is one I have made in my cooking classes, origin unknown. Everyone liked them unless they simply refused to eat lamb. Very pretty, tasty and extremely unusual.

Sweet and Sour Lamb Rolls

1 1/2 lbs. lamb shoulder chops (or leftover lamb roast)

1 onion

Few sprigs parsley

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

1 medium head (gasp!) iceberg lettuce

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Cover lamb with water and add onion, parsley, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Cover and cook until lamb is tender, about one hour.

Drain lamb and finely chop, reserving broth. Taste for salt and pepper and add enough broth to make it slightly moist. The lamb should be well seasoned.

Core lettuce and plunge head into boiling water. Outside leaves will soften immediately, so keep removing them until you have separated the entire head.

Cut out center rib of lettuce at the bse for easier rolling. If leaves are very large, you may cut in half, keeping in mind that you want the rolls to be approximately the same size.

Heap lamb in the center of leaf and roll up tightly, tucking in ends. Place in a single layer in a serving dish. I use a shallow, wide glass bowl.

Combine vinegar, lemon, sugar and salt, and pour over lamb rolls. Cover tightly and chill 6-8 hours or overnight.

A warm appetizer I do with lamb leftovers is miniature Lahmahjoon, little pizza-like rounds, but that cookbook is in storage and I don't have access right now.

[Jaymes]

The Lamb Rolls sound great.

I have taken Lamb Curry for appetizers before. Cut your left-over lamb into chunks. Whip up a curry sauce in the skillet. Toss lamb cubes in skillet until flavorful and well-coated and seasoned. Arrange on baguette slices topped by individual different types of condiments: tomato chutney, mango chutney, peanuts, coconut, slice of green bell pepper, piece of pineapple, slice of green onion, etc., whatever. That'd look pretty as well, with all the different options laid out on the tray.

Or, you can just leave the lamb curry in a chafing dish, and set some bread slices or large crackers alongside, and a dish of toothpicks, and some condiments so guests can sprinkle on whatever they choose.

[Suzanne F]

I vote for the Lahmahjoon! Grind the cooked meat, season it well, add some zataar (either green or red), maybe a little crumbled cheese, some pine nuts, sesame seeds, whatever. Spread a little on the cut side of split mini-pitas (the really really small ones, no more than 2" in diameter) and bake until the meat is hot and the bread slightly toasty. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and serve.

But, then, the lamb rolls do sound good ... as does the curry .. and you could always make little lamb-filled empanadas, or pot-stickers, or fillo triangles or boerek, or ???

[VivreManger]

I don't think lahmajun made from left-over lamb is a good idea. Various curried dishes do work well with previously cooked lamb, but lahmajun should be made with freshly ground lamb, mixed with tomato paste, olive oil, plenty of garlic, to create a tatar-like paste that is spread on the dough or pita bread (here I do cheat) and then dotted with small tomato and green pepper bits -- an appropriate -- albeit obvious Xmas color combo -- and put in a 350 oven for about ten minutes or less. As a garnish you can have some lemon wedges along with parsley sumack dusted onion slices. You could cut some lamb off the leg and reserve it for lahmajun.

I just re-read the original post and see that the weekend is past and that it is too late to reserve raw lamb for the lahmajun. By all means you should play with a curry. The simplest thing would be to make a tikka paste with some onions and tomatoes and throw the lamb in to simmer long and slow. Then serve it on an open mini-pita slice garnished with fresh coriander and lime juice.

Edited December 16, 2002 by VivreManger (log)

[KateW]

Help! I was just asked yesterday to bring a couple appetizers to my mom's birthday party. If it doesn't rain, we're going to have chicken, burgers and ribs on the grill, and my uncle is going to bring his homemade Caesar salad and God knows what else, because he land his family love to cook and we always have way too much food at our gatherings. I've looked through my cookbooks and I can't find much that appeals to me.

I'd like to make at least one thing. Meaning, I don't want to grab a couple bags of chips and salsa and call it a day. Any ideas? I can go to the grocery store and probably will have to because I don't have anything here to make appetizers with. Also I would like to make it today and have it keep until mid-day tomorrow. Thanks so much!

[tommy]

slaws are usually a nice compliment to ribs and whatnot.

red and white cabbage

dressing:

rice wine vinegar

miso paste

s/p

some sugar

a bit of oil

garnish with cilantro

[MatthewB]

Buy chips & make your own dips . . .

Guacamole

Salsa

Roasted red bell pepper dip

[Rachel Perlow]

Hmm, make ahead apps:

Spanikopita

Stuffed Mushrooms

Crudite with Spinach Dip or Hummus

Crab or Artichoke Dip with crackers

Pigs in Blanket

There are many recipes for Hors D'oeuvres and Appetizers in the eGullet Recipe Archive (click eG Recipes, above).