Category Archives: appetizers

Crushed Peas with Smoky Sesame Dressing from smittenkitchen.com

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1 1/2 pounds fresh peas in pods or about 1 1/2 cups already shelled or frozen and defrosted
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika, smoked if you have it
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 scallions, thinly sliced
Toasted pitas, cut into wedges, for serving

Cook peas: Have ready a colander and an ice bath, and bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Blanche peas for 30 seconds (if you like them with a real residual snap) to 1 minute (for a slightly more yielding pea) and drain them, then immediately shocking them in the ice water. Drain the peas again and pat them dry on a large towel.

Crush peas: Using a potato or egg-masher (and hopefully not an annoying one like mine, with holes the exact size of peas!), muddler or meat pounder (be gentle!), lightly crush the peas. Aim for mixed textures, some left whole, most in halves and a few a little more broken up. Put them in a large bowl.

Make dressing: Whisk together tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, water, cumin, paprika and salt. You might be tempted, as I was, to swap the water with olive oil but don’t do it — it makes a horrible curdled mess you will be sad to have to toss.

Assemble: Mix peas with about 3 tablespoons of the dressing, to start, then add more to taste. Sprinkle with scallions. Heap pea mixture on toasted pita wedges.

 

Baked Kale Chips – allrecipes.com

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1 bunch of kale
olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper.

With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.

Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

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Smoked Salmon & Potato Wonton Pierogies from the Brown Eyed Baker

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For the Pierogies:
1½ lb russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
4 ounces smoked salmon, chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
Salt and pepper to taste
1 package round dumpling wrapper (about 55)
Canola oil

For the Sauce:
6 ounces Greek-style plain yogurt
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill

To Make the Pierogies:
1. Place potatoes in a large saucepan of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes, then spoon back into the saucepan set over medium heat to dry the potatoes, about 1 minute. Transfer the potatoes to a medium bowl and mash with 2 tablespoons olive oil until smooth.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small skillet set over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until they are tender and starting to brown. Stir the shallots, smoked salmon and dill into the potatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Working with one dumpling wrapper at a time, place one rounded teaspoon on one half of wrapper. Using your finger, rub water around edge of the wrapper. Fold over the wrapper and pinch the edges together well. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling, placing filled pierogies on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Add pierogies, filling the skillet without overcrowding, and brown on both sides. Add ½ cup warm water, cover and cook for 4 minutes. Serve immediately with yogurt sauce. Repeat with remaining pierogies.

To Make the Sauce:
5. In a small bowl, mix yogurt, salt and dill.

*Recipe Note: Make ahead! Pierogies can be stuffed up to 24 hours in advance. Cover with damp paper towel and plastic wrap and store in the fridge

yield: About 55 pierogies and ¾ cup sauce prep time: 1 hour 30 minutes cook time: 20 minutes total time: 1 hour 50 minutes

beer-cheese pimento – from being dead is no excuse

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8 oz. grated extra-sharp cheese *
8 oz. red rind cheese (colby) or mild American cheese, grated *
2 cloves fresh garlic
1-1/2 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 Tbsp. dry mustard
1/2 cup beer (not “lite”)
Several splashes of Tabasco
4 oz. jar diced pimientos
Mayonnaise to taste and to make spreadable +/- 2 tbsp.

Using a food processor, blend the above ingredients.  Chill.  This always improves with age.  Makes 1 quart.

First time I made this is used 1/2 tbsp salt it was WAY TOO MUCH, try starting with 1/4-1/2 tsp.  if it is too salty add 2 tbsp sour cream and more tabassco

NOTES: *  I used 16 oz sharp cheddar and it was fine.

Cucumber-Feta Toasts, Martha

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1/2 baguette
2 teaspoons plus 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 ounces feta
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 small English cucumber, thinly sliced crosswise

Preheat oven or toaster oven to 450 degrees. Split baguette lengthwise and lightly brush cut sides with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Bake until golden around edges, 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mash together feta, 4 teaspoons oil, and lemon juice with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. Spread feta mixture evenly over toasted baguette and top with cucumber. Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and a drizzle of oil. Cut into pieces to serve.

Jumbo Lump Crab Cake Bites

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16 ounce container fresh jumbo lump crab meat
1 large egg
½ cup regular mayonnaise
½ cup Italian bread crumbs
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
⅛ teaspoon fines herbs
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
optional: dijon mustard for serving

Set the oven to broil and place the oven rack near the top.
In a medium sized bowl, gently pick through the crab meat to remove any shells. Try not to break up the lumps.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg and then whisk in the mayonnaise until well combined.
Add the breadcrumbs, Old Bay, fines herbs, garlic powder, mustard and Worcestershire sauce, stirring until well combined.

A little bit at a time, gently fold the wet mixture into the crab meat. This part takes some patience because you really want to avoid breaking up the lump meat.

Using a kitchen scale, weigh out 1 ounce bites and gently shape them with your hands.
Lightly grease the bottom of a baking sheet (baking spray works well) and place the crab cake bites on the sheet.
Place a small piece of butter on top of each crab cake bite.

Broil for 7-10 minutes, keeping a close eye to make sure they don’t burn. Allow them to cook on one side the entire time (the lack of filler makes them very delicate). If the tops seem like they’re going to burn, lower the oven rack or switch the broiler to a lower setting. You’re not cooking the meat but you want the filling to solidify and the egg to cook through.

When the tops are golden brown, remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool. Place a toothpick in each crab cake bite before serving.  approximately 21 bites

Foul Mudammas

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A deliciously seasoned fava bean, onion, and tomato dip recipe! Traditionally served with pita bread for breakfast in Egypt.
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 15 oz. can Fava Beans
2 tspn. ground cumin
1/4 cup Italian Parsley, minced
scallions for garnish, optional can use parsley or both
1/2 medium tomato, chopped
1 lemon
ground red pepper, to taste or minced jalapeño
salt and pepper to taste

pita bread

Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a small pot, then add onions and cook 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and cook til lightly browned and onions are translucent. Open the can of fava beans and pour out 1/3 of the liquid. Add the beans and remaining liquid to the pot along with lemon juice. Put half of the parsley in the pot and cover – bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Garnish with tomatoes, olive oil, remaining parsley and or scallions and jalapeno.

Chicken Liver Mousse Mirabelle

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2339621 pound chicken livers
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Quatre Epics (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
4 sage leaves
2 shallots, sliced
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon Cognac
1/3 cup port
1/3 cup marsala
8 ounces unsalted butter, softened

Quatre Epics:
3 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons whole cloves
Clean the chicken livers of any bile residue, cut out the nerves, and season them with salt and pepper and the quatre epics.

Put the grapeseed oil into a large hot skillet and add the livers, sage, shallots, garlic and thyme. Toss the mixture well and cook over moderately high heat until the livers are medium rare. Add the Cognac, flambe the mixture, tossing it well, and transfer it to a sieve set over a bowl and refrigerate the mixture for 1 hour.

Add the port and marsala wines to the skillet and deglaze the pan, stirring well. Reduce the liquid by three-fourths and transfer to a small bowl.

When the livers are cold, transfer them to a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the reduced wine and softened butter and pulse to combine. Taste for seasonings.

Force the mixture through a fine mesh sieve, transfer it to a small terrine lined with plastic wrap and refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap. The mousse is ready to serve when it is fully chilled.

Serve the mousse with cornichons and toasted sliced French bread. The mousse makes a perfect hor d’oeuvre for cocktails.

This recipe was provided by a chef, restaurant or culinary professional and may have been scaled down from a bulk recipe. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

Quatre Epics:
In a spice or coffee grinder, grind the spices to a powder and store it in a small sealed container. Yield: 5 tablespoons.

Shaved Asparagus Pizza

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5-6 thick asparagus stalks (~1/2 lb)
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper
1 lb pizza dough
Cornmeal, for dusting the pizza peel
1 clove garlic, pressed
3 large basil leaves, finely chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup shredded asiago cheese
½ cup ricotta cheese

Preheat your oven to 475F. If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven now so that it is also preheated by the time you’re ready to bake.

Shave the asparagus into thin slices by hold them by the woody bottom end and running a sharp vegetable peeler along the stalks from bottom to top. Transfer the shaved asparagus to a mixing bowl, and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and a little salt and pepper until well coated
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Roll out the pizza dough into a 12″ round, and place it on a pizza peel generously dusted with cornmeal. (Or, if you don’t have a pizza peel, the back of a baking sheet will also do.)

Brush the dough with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, leaving a 1″ border around the edges, and sprinkle with garlic and chopped basil. Sprinkle with an even layer of mozzarella and asiago, then arrange the shaved asparagus overtop.

Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the asparagus is wilted and slightly charred, the edges of the crust are golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Remove from the oven, and immediately top with dollops of ricotta cheese. Let stand for a minute or two, then cut into slices using a very sharp knife and serve immediately.

Read more: http://www.crumbblog.com/2013/04/shaved-asparagus-pizza.html#ixzz2vKHHZHNq