CHRISTMAS HORS D'OEUVRES

A selection of canapes and crostini from one of my journals. 

At this time of year, it is especially wonderful to invite friends to share your home and your hospitality. Whether a small cocktail party, a large party, a buffet or a sit down dinner. Why not plan several small parties and make enough food to spread out over several of the festivities. 

Here are some of the yummy hors d’oeuvres I have served.

PESTO AND BRIE CANAPES:

From Food & Wine magazine December 1995

Makes about 4 dozen

1/2 cup pine nuts (about 3 ounces)

 8 oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, drained and finely chopped 

2 small garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced

1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound ripe Brie, rind removed, at room temperature

1 long baguette, sliced diagonally 1/4 inch thick

  

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the pine nuts on a baking sheet and toast for about 8 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until golden. Transfer the nuts to a work surface and coarsely chop them.

In a small bowl, combine the sun-dried tomatoes with the garlic, Parmesan, olive oil, parsley, basil and pepper. In a medium bowl, vigorously beat the Brie. Spread 1 rounded teaspoon of Brie on each baguette slice. Top each with 1/2 teaspoon of the pesto, sprinkle with the pine nuts and serve.

Alternately, I have taken a whole round of Brie, sliced it horizontally and spread one layer of sun-dried tomatoes and one layer of pesto. Gently put both halves together and arrange on a platter surrounded by baguette slices. 

GRAVLAX:
serves 8-10

3 lbs fresh salmon filet, center cut;
cut in half horizontaly
2 large bunches of fresh dill
1 cup Kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons crushed white or black peppercorns

In a deep rectangular glass dish, place one half of the fish skin side down. Spread the fresh dill over the fish. Sprinkle the salt, sugar and peppercorns over the dill. Place the other half of salmon on top, skin side up.

Cover with foil and weight down with heavy cans or any other 5 lb weight.
Refrigerate for 48 to 72 hours, turning the salmon and basting every 12 hours with the accumulated juices.

To serve: remove the fish from the juices. Scrape away the dill and spices and pat dry. Slice the salmon thinly on the diagonal. Serve with mustard dill sauce and lemon wedges.

MUSTARD DILL SAUCE:

¼ cup Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

In a small bowl, whisk the sugar, salt and lemon juice together. Drizzle in the olive oil while continuing to whisk. Stir in the chopped dill.

Tip: Can be made one week ahead and stored, covered in the refrigerator.

 TUNA AND BLACK OLIVE TAPENADE ON CROSTINI:

 7-ounce can of Italian tuna, drained

      1- 2-ounce can of anchovies, drained

 1 tablespoon capers, drained

 ¼ pound pitted Kalamata olives

 ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

 1/4 cup cognac.

In the container of a food processor, blend all of the ingredients until pureed and smooth.

Serve with slices of crostini, or fresh veggies, cut up.

BRUSCETTA WITH TOMATO & BASIL:

Makes 30 to 40 pieces

8 ripe plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

¾ cup chopped fresh basil

1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground black  pepper to taste

1 clove of garlic, peeled and halved

1 French baguette

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Combine the tomatoes, basil, garlic and olive oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper

Slice the bread 1/2-inch thick and arrange in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Toast on both sides until golden. Rub one side of the toast with the cut half of a garlic clove

Right before you are ready to serve, spoon the tomato mixture on top of bread slices. Serve at room temperature.

Herring & Beet salad on Pumpernickel bread.

CURRIED HERRING:

8 ounce jar herring in wine sauce

1 tablespoon of Greek plain yogurt

1 tablespoon sour cream

½ teaspoon Madras curry powder

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

MARINATED BEETS:

3 medium beets scrubbed or one small jar of pickled beets

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

12 teaspoon salt

 To make curried herring:

Drain herring, reserving the fish and marinade separately. Chop herring into 1/4-inch pieces and place in a bowl. Add yogurt, sour cream, curry powder, turmeric and pepper. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until chilled

   To prepare beets: 

Simmer beets in lightly salted water   until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain. When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel and julienne.

 In a bowl, combine shallots, vinegar, sugar, salt and 2 tablespoons of the reserved herring marinade; stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the beets, stirring to coat. Cover and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until chilled.

Tip: The curried herring and marinated beets can be made up to 2 days ahead and store, in separate containers, in the refrigerator.

To serve: Cut Danish whole-grain or Pumpernickel bread into triangles. Butter the bread with unsalted sweet butter. Place a few pieces of herring on the triangle. Top with a few pieces of beets. Garnish with sprig of fresh dill.

Happy Entertaining!!!
As Always, xxoo
Sheila

Farm To Table Entertaining

Out picking in the blueberry field at March Farm.

We are in the thick of summer and isn’t it wonderful. It’s what we wait for all year round.

A chance to enjoy everything local and entertain outdoors.

Summer is moving fast, so I thought I would load you up with several menus from my journal entries.

There is such a discernible difference in taste when the ingredients are as fresh as can be. 

It’s blueberry month here in the northeast and we are very lucky to have lots of local farms.  So off I go to pick blueberries, with the thought in mind to bake some free form tarts. It would be a pity not to eat blueberries right now.

Rinse the just picked blueberries and spread on paper towel to dry.

The stainless steel dough scraper is one of the best things you can have in your kitchen. NOT only does it scrape together loose pieces of dough, it lifts ingredients, chopped or minced. Better than with your hand and a knife.

My free form tart before it goes into the oven.

 I made the tarts to freeze and serve another time when I entertain. Now I'll have to go back to the farm and pick more, just for eating. There's probably only another week of picking left.

I made two sizes. These are the 4 inch tarts.

And these are the 6 inch tarts.

Some of the dishes to make every summer: Pesto sauce for pasta or hors d'oeuvres, like my pesto toasts. Or as a sauce on the side of fish or to stuff into chicken breasts. Panzanella, the Italian tomato and bread salad. Gazpacho. Tomato and mozzarella with basil or mixed over pasta. Any kind of tomato salad. Sliced tomatoes and sliced peaches in a balsamic dressing. Peppers, grilled. All kinds of vegetables to grilled  be incorporated into pasta dishes or fajitas, or grilled quesadillas. Grilled vegetables pureed into soups.Vitello Tonnato, a cold dish of veal in tuna-anchovy mayonnaise, garnished with fresh herbs and flowers from the garden, or farm.

 Two Summer Menus from my journals:

Farm to table snapdragons.

Herbs from the garden used in chemists vases for the table. Nasturtiums made into posies. Pesto toasts made from fresh basil and garnished with purple and green basil.

A wedge of brie cheese stuffed with sliced tomato and basil.
Penne, sausage, broccoli and light tomato sauce. Vitello Tonnato, garnished with herbs, anchovies, lemon, capers, olives and pimento.

The bread salad, Panzanella from Marcella Hazan's cookbook. Dessert, a Mascarpone semi-freddo with fresh raspberry sauce.

Summer lunch. Grilled asparagus with smaoked bacon and black olive-caper vinegrette on a bed of home grown mesclun lettuce. A tomato concasse garnish.

Grilled shrimp and pepper fettucine with roasted red bell pepper sauce.

Mixed fruit cobbler with creme fraiche.



There's still more summer and more summer entertaining menus next week. 
If you would like any recipe for the dishes above, please leave me a comment and I will list it for you next week.

As always,
xxoo Sheila