Category Archives: appetizers

Mushroom-Lentil Pate, The Washington Post, December 26, 2012

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The herb-infused lentils are such a nice element of this pate that you might consider making extra and using the leftovers, including their liquid, to sauce pasta or rice.

Serve the pate with whole-grain crackers or rye toasts, garnished with thyme, if desired.

MAKE AHEAD: The pate can be made, covered and refrigerated 2 days in advance.

Makes 1 1/4 cups (5 servings)

1/3 cup (about 3 ounces) dried brown lentils
2 sprigs thyme, plus more for optional garnish
1 teaspoon medium-grain sea salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 clove garlic, smashed with the flat side of a knife, then minced
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon medium-dry sherry
1/2 cup (about 3 ounces) pecan halves or pieces, toasted (see NOTE)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Cover the lentils with an inch of water in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring almost to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook until tender, about 20 minutes, adjusting the heat so the water is barely bubbling. Remove from the heat, stir in the thyme sprigs and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, then cover and let sit for at least 30 minutes.

Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until warm. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil, the onion and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and cook until translucent, 7 or 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a few minutes longer. Add the mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, toss to coat with the oil, cover partly and cook until the mushrooms have released their liquid, about 10 minutes. Uncover and cook until most of the remaining liquid evaporates. Add the sherry, and cook until it just glosses the bottom of the pan, about 1 minute. Cover the skillet and remove it from the heat.

Pulse the pecans in the bowl of a food processor until they are finely ground. Add the onion-mushroom mixture and process until just combined. Drain the lentils, reserving the cooking liquid for another use, if desired, and add them to the food processor along with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the pepper. Process until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and pulse just until combined. It should be about the consistency of peanut butter.

The pate can be served in a bowl immediately, garnished with additional thyme, if desired. It can also be molded. Transfer the pate into a small loaf pan or bowl lined with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. When ready to serve, unmold the pate onto a serving plate and remove the plastic wrap.Garnish with additional thyme, if desired.

NOTE: To toast the pecans, spread them on a baking sheet and place in a 350-degree oven, shaking the sheet occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully; nuts burn quickly.

Cheese ball — Blake

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1 cup sharp Cheddar; finely chopped
1 cup Havarti; finely chopped
1/2 cup softened Brie
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
chili powder
chopped pecans

Mix the cheeses and peppers together very thoroughly and let it warm sufficiently to form it. Do that and then chill it a while. Roll it in the chili powder and then the pecans.

Fresh Salmon Tartare — Ina

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1 pound skinless fresh salmon fillet
1/2 pound smoked salmon, thickly sliced
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (3 limes)
1/3 cup minced shallots (2 shallots)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
3 tablespoons drained capers
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 loaf seven-grain bread, thinly sliced and toasted, for serving

Cut the fresh salmon and the smoked salmon in 1/4-inch dice. Place the salmon in a mixing bowl and add the lime juice, shallots, olive oil, dill, capers, two mustards, salt, and pepper. Mix well, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a few hours for the salmon to marinate.

When ready to serve, toast the bread and taste the salmon for seasonings. Serve the tartare with triangles of the toast.

Warning: Consumption of raw or undercooked shellfish may substantially increase the risk of foodborne illness.

Chipotle and Rosemary Roasted Nuts — Ina

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Vegetable oil
3 cups whole roasted unsalted cashews (14 ounces)
2 cups whole walnut halves (7 ounces)
2 cups whole pecan halves (7 ounces)
1/2 cup whole almonds (3 ounces)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 teaspoons ground chipotle powder
4 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves, divided
Kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Brush a sheet pan generously with vegetable oil. Combine the cashews, walnuts, pecans, almonds, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, the maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice, and chipotle powder on the sheet pan. Toss to coat the nuts evenly. Add 2 tablespoons of the rosemary and 2 teaspoons of salt and toss again.

Spread the nuts in one layer. Roast the nuts for 25 minutes, stirring twice with a large metal spatula, until the nuts are glazed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 2 more teaspoons of salt and the remaining 2 tablespoons of rosemary.

Toss well and set aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking as they cool. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm or cool completely and store in airtight containers at room temperature.

Baked Fontina Cheese Fondue

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1 1/2 pounds Italian Fontina cheese, rind removed and 1-inch dice*
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon coarse salt (sea salt or kosher salt)
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 baguette bread (French or sourdough bread), sliced into 1/4-inch slices

* Purchase Italian Fontina cheese – not Danish as it is not as creamy and won’t melt as well.

Preheat your oven broiler and position the oven rack 5 inches from the heat source.

Distribute the cubes of Fontina cheese evenly in a 12-inch cast-iron pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the top of the cheese.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic slices, minced thyme, and minced rosemary; sprinkle the mixture over the top of the cheese and olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place the pan under the broiler for 6 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling, and just starts to brown. Remove from oven.

Tip: Don’t heat the cheese beyond its melting point as cheese tends to ball up at higher temperatures. Also don’t let the cheese cool down too much before serving, as it tends to get stringier and tougher as it cools.

Serve the Fontina Fondue family-style (right out of the oven in the cast-iron pan) with baguette bread slices for everyone to dip. You may have to reheat the fondue on low occasionally to keep it melted and smooth.

For individual servings, divide the fondue among four 6-inch cast-iron pans.

Yields: 4 to 6 servings
Prep time: 15 min
Fondue cook time: 6 min

 

Mushroom Ragout

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2 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 shallots minced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp. fresh sage, minced
6 ounces white mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
8 ounces porcini mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
8 ounces shitake mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 tbsp. light soy sauce
1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp. corn starch dissolved in 1/2 cup cold water (try flour instead of corn starch)
2tbsp. parsley

In a large skillet, heat the oil and add the minced garlic. Stir over medium heat until slightly golden. Add the onion, shallots and sage, and stir until the onion is softened and translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add all the mushrooms and the soy sauce. Continue cooking until the liquid from the mushrooms cooks off, about 5-10 minutes.

Add the wine and vinegar and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes. Add the starch mixture and boil for 1 or 2 minutes more, stirring continuously. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste and parsley. Serve over toast points as an appetizer, over rice or pasta as a main course.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Salmon Rillettes – Laura Calder

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1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces/170 g salmon, cut into large cubes
1/3 cup/70 g butter, softened
1 tablespoon creme fraiche
1 tablespoon chopped shallot
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, juiced

Heat the oil in a saute pan and gently cook the salmon, leaving the pieces slightly pink in the center, about 5 minutes. Cool. In a food processor or using two forks,shred the salmon and mix with the butter. Add the creme fraiche, shallot and tarragon Season the mixture with salt, pepper and lemon juice Pack into ramekins or similar small pots. Keep in the refrigerator, but before serving, take it out to soften because you want it nice and smearable.

Blue Cheese and Dried Fruit Terrine – Laura Calder

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1 pound/450 g blue cheese, such as Roquefort or gorgonzola, at room temperature
8 ounces/225 gm mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1 tablespoon honey, optional
Freshly ground pepper
Handful chopped dried apricots
Handful currants
Handful chopped dried figs
Handful chopped green pistachios
Handful chopped toasted walnuts
Rustic country breads or crackers, for serving

Mash the blue cheese and mascarpone together with the honey, if using, and pepper. (You can do this in the food processor, too, but it will cream the blue cheese so much that you get a greenish terrine. (Not the end of the world, but just warning you.) Stir in the apricots,currants figs, pistachios and walnuts. Season with pepper. Wrap in plastic and shape into a terrine. Refrigerate for several hours until firm. Serve with an assortment of rustic country breads or crackers and decorate with some whole dried fruits and nuts, if you like.

Maple Pecan Baked Brie — cooking channel

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    • 1 (16-ounce) wheel of Brie
    • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
    • 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
    • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
    • 1 cup toasted and chopped pecans
    • 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
    • Crackers, to serve

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Shave off the top rind of the Brie (it is easiest to do this after it has been in the freezer for about 20 minutes). If the Brie came in a wooden box, return it to the original container. If not, create a makeshift “box” out of a few layers of aluminum foil, leaving the top of the Brie exposed.

Place the cheese on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until warm and gooey, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes before serving. Carefully transfer to a serving platter; you do not want the rind to puncture, if possible.

While the Brie is cooling, make the praline sauce. Melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar maple syrup, and pecans. Cook, stirring constantly, until all of the ingredients are well combined, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in coarsely ground black pepper and remove from heat. Allow the mixture to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, until it has thickened up just a bit. Dollop the warm sauce over the baked cheese. (There may be extra praline sauce.) Serve with assorted crackers.

Cook’s Note: The praline sauce can be made the day before. To reheat, microwave in increments of 20 seconds, or heat in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until warm.

ONION TART BY: JOSH AND BRENT

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Even when I was a little boy I was a champion of diversity.   I didn’t care if the onion was white, yellow or red.  I liked them all.

My favorite meal at grandma’s house was the onion sandwich… thin slices of onion, two slices of bread, and a generous layer of Duke’s mayonnaise.

Fortunately for all of you, my tastes are a little more sophisticated now, but sophisticated and simple are not mutually exclusive when it comes to good recipes.

Have you ever thought about combining savory caramelized onions, tangy bleu cheese and sweet, juicy slices of apple?   I hadn’t either until Sandy Gluck made the suggestion.

The result was a delicious and decadent onion tart that will impress every single person at your table.

6 tablespoons  olive oil

21/2 pounds yellow  onions, halved and thinly sliced

1 large sweet apple, peeled and cut into thin wedges

Coarse salt

All-purpose flour

3/4 pound storebought or homemade pizza dough

8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

1/3  cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

In a large skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of  the oil over low heat. Add the onions, cover the skillet and cook,  stirring occasionally until the onions are tender, about 25 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking, stirring frequently until the onions are golden brown, about 20 minutes more. Stir in the apple, season with salt and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes longer.

Preheat the oven to 500. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to a 14 inch round. Transfer the dough to a large baking sheet and brush the top with the remaining  2 tablespoons oil. Scatter the caramelized onion-apple mixture over the top, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Scatter the cheese and nuts on top. Bake on the lowest rack in the oven until the crust is crisp and the cheese has melted, 12 to  15 minutes.