I found it! I truly did. THIS is the perfect starter ever. The flavor of a pear on creamy brie is to die for. You will not have enough. Serve with a toasted baguette or flatbread.
- 1 x 8 oz. round of double cream Brie
- 1 tbsp. chopped pistachios, toasted
Caramelizing the Pear
- 2 tsp. butter
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 pear, thinly sliced
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup pear juice
- 1 tbsp. pear liqueur
- 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tsp. brown sugar, packed
In a non-stick skillet, melt the butter of a medium heat, cooking the shallot, pear, salt and pepper until the shallot is cooked (about 5-6 minutes).
Add the pear juice, liqueur, thyme and sugar, bringing to a boil. Stir occasionally until no liquid remains and the pear has softened (again, about 5 minutes). Let cool.
Brie
Place on a foil lined pie plate, top with the pear mixture . Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the toasted pistachios over the top.
Serve with toasted baguettes. OG this is sooooo good!
Nine Ways to Upgrade Crostinis
Entertaining can be a puzzle sometimes. Always wanting to not serve the ‘same old – same old’ munchies. Try these. Just make sure you slice the bread on the thin side, and diagonally, toast lightly and enjoy.
You certainly don ‘t want to make all of these at the same time, unless you are entertaining about 50 people – as if!
Sauted kale with a garlic soft-cooked egg. Simply boil water, add some eggs – cook for 5 minutes. Drain. Done! This one must be eaten at the table. The soft boiled egg will drip. Don’t despair and not try this. It is very yummy.
Homemade is best here. I say this because if you live in B.C., raspberries are a real bounty. Spread raspberry jam on the crostini and top with an aged goat cheese.
Brush the crostini with coconut oil (lightly). Slice a banana on the diagonal to attain long strips. Sprinkle with coconut flakes. Here also, you could also replace the coconut oil with a chocolate spread OR peanut butter (smooth). Endless ideas.
Spread the crostini with a honey mustard (my preference), add thin slices of cooked ham (either honey ham or Black Forest). Top with dried apricots, sliced to make it easier to bite into.
Cherry tomatoes, smashed and placed on the crostini. Top with cooked bacon and snipped basil.
Spread the crostini with maple syrup and top with chopped, toasted, pecans. YUM!
Spread the crostini with chevre cheese and top with grapes, sliced lengthwise, and chopped almonds.
Spread the crostini with cream cheese, top with smoked salmon, sliced thin, and a few capers.
Lastly, (for me anyways) spread a grainy mustard on the crostini, top with thin slices of salami and very thin slices of cucumber with peel on.
Mini Mozzarella Cheese And Red Pepper Pops
This is the last one for awhile. Give it a whirl, truly yummy in flavour and refreshing colour will perk the old taste buds.
- 1 tub mini mozzarella
- 2 tbsp. prepared pesto
- pinch of pepper
- 2 roasted red peppers, patted dry, skin removed
- aged balsamic vinegar
Drain the cheese and pat dry, set aside.
Whisk together the pesto and ground pepper in a bowl. Add the cheese and toss to coat evenly.
Slice the peppers into 1/4 inch wide strips. Wrap each strip around a cheese ball and skewer onto a toothpick. Repeat with the remaining cheese.
Getting ready to serve, skewer 2 cheese balls on each toothpick, and alternate with a pepper strip. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar. Makes up to 36 pieces.
Oyster And Mushroom Kebabs
Continuing on with the tidbits to serve over the holiday season, here is another one. You just have to remember to serve a minimum of two different types (perhaps one hot and one cold).
- 2 tins smoked oysters,
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 24 petite button mushrooms
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- pinch of dried thyme
- 3 tbsp. sweet vermouth
- 2 tbsp. chopped Italian parsley
- 24 grape tomatoes
Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a frypan over medium heat. Cook the mushrooms, shallots, garlic and thyme for about 5 minutes, stirring often until they begin to turn golden.
Add the oysters, vermouth and half of the parsley. Cook, constantly stirring until the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Skewer 1 mushroom, 1 oyster, 1 grape tomato onto a toothpick. Repeat until all used and place now on your prettiest platter.
Add the remaining oil to sauce in the frypan and spoon over the kebabs. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve.
Make sure you have napkins and small plates at the ready.
Asiago Prosciutto Puff Sticks
With Easter around the corner, it usually means entertaining with family and friends. The next couple of days I will be showcasing tidbits to serve when everyone arrives.
Use frozen puff pastry (butter flavoured) and make sure to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- 1 pkg. frozen butter puff pastry, thawed as above
- 1 tbsp. mustard
- 12 thin slices of prosciutto
- 2 tbsp. grated Asiago cheese
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Unroll one sheet of the pastry and place the remainder in the refrigerator. Brush pastry with half of the mustard.
Cut 1 slice of prosciutto lengthwise into 2 strips
Cut pastry in 12 x inch strips.
Place half of the prosciutto on one of the pastry strips. Fold the uncovered half of the pastry over the meat to cover. Twist the strip slightly and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with all the remaining pastry strips and prosciutto. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Bake on the center rack for about 15 minutes, until golden in colour and crisp. Cool slightly.
Remove from the baking sheet. Now remove the pastry from the refrigerator and repeat the steps above. It should make 24 sticks.
Fish Tacos In One Bite
This recipe will show you what the Tortillo Scoops can be used for (in case you wondered). The perfect ‘one bite-no fuss’ nibble to serve on the weekend while enjoying a beverage of your choice. Ta da!
- 1/4 cup sour cream,
- 2 tbsp. water
- 1 tsp. lime zest
- 1 Serrano chili, seeded and minced
- 1 cup coarsely grated red cabbage
- 1/4 cup grated red onion
- 2 tbsp. lime juice
- 1/3 cup flour
- pinch of salt
- 10 oz. cod fillet
- 2 tbsp. Crisco Oil
- 1/2 cup finely diced fresh pineapple
- 40 cilantro leaves
- 40 tortilla scoop chips
Stir the sour cream with water, lime zest and chili in a small bowl. Set aside.
Combine the cabbage with the onion and lime juice and set aside.
Stir the flour with salt, season lightly with pepper. Cut the cod into 1/2 inch cubes. Toss with the flour mixture until covered completely.
Heat a large fry pan over medium heat. Add the oil then the fish. Cook until browned. 1- 1 1/2 minutes per side.
To serve – put a tsp. of pineapple, add the cabbage slaw then the cod cubes. Top with the sour cream, a cilantro leave and serve immediately.
How clever….enjoy!
Toasted Pecan And Blue Cheese “Truffles”
Okay , the word truffles is a bit of a push, but a fresh grape tucked inside a rich cheese wrap and crusted with toasted pecans make them little treasures. These are best made ahead and refrigerated to allow the flavours to meld. Simply bring to room temperature and serve. Trust me! Your guests won’t know what hit them when they see and taste these beauties.
- 4 oz. Blue Cheese at room temperature
- 8 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 tsp. fresh basil, finely chopped
- pinch of black pepper
- 30 seedless red grapes
- 1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
- For garnish, fresh basil leaves and more grapes
Mash together the cheeses, basil and pepper until really well blended.
Scoop 2 tsp. of the mixture and insert 1 grape. Mold the cheese around the grape to completely cover. Roll in the nut mixture and lightly press to ensure it adheres to the cheese. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat until all the grapes have been used. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
To serve: bring to room temperature and set out on a platter. Garnish with basil leaves (stems removed) and grapes. Have a pretty container on the table with fancy picks and cocktail napkins at the ready.
Your Own Crispy Vegetable Wontons
Here you go again….damn you can do this! Fun to make, more fun eating these. Great for a Friday night of movie watching. You may want to double this recipe and freeze half for another night of just relaxing and nibbling.
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 tbsp. minced garlic
- 2 tbsp. fresh chopped ginger
- 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
- 1 cup chopped baby bok choy stems
- 1 1/2 cups Cremini mushrooms, all stems removed and chopped
- 1 1/2 cups white button mushrooms, all stems removed and chopped
- 2 cups chopped baby bok choy leaves
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1 pkg. wonton wrappers
- Crisco oil for frying
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the onion, cooking for about 2 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, ginger and chili flakes and saute until fragrant (60 seconds).
Now add the bok choy stems and saute until softened. Add the mushrooms, cooking until juicy. Add the leaves and cook until just wilted. Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Cool to room temperature.
Lay out the wrappers, a few at a time and spoon a generous tbsp. of filling in the middle of each one. Moisten the edges with water and fold in half to form a triangle – now bring together the 2 farthest points together. Finish all the wontons, making sure to pinch the edges together.
Heat about 2 inches of oil in a wok over medium heat and working in batches, cook 3-4 wontons at a time until golden in colour and crisp. (3 minutes). Drain on paper towels and be sure to serve with the dipping sauce. This will make about 22 wontons.
Dipping Sauce
- 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
- 2/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil
- 1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
Stir this together and put in a small bowl for dipping. The only things needed now are small plates, napkins and friends to share this with.
Pancetta Cups With Pickled Pear And Stilton Cheese
This one will make your guests go “Wow!”. Not difficult to make but certainly raises your status as hostess/host with one and all.
- 1 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp. kosher salt
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 2 inch cube of fresh ginger, sliced really thin
- 1 tsp. coriander seed
- 1/2 tsp. pink peppercorns
- 1 large unripe Anjou, cored and cut in 1/2 inch cubes
- 24 slices pancetta
- 1 cup frisee lettuce, washed and dried
- 1/3 cup Stilton cheese
In a small pot on high heat, stir the vinegar, water, salt, sugar, ginger, coriander and peppercorns to make a pickling liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the hear and let cool down to just lukewarm. Place the pear in a glass bowl and pour the lukewarm liquid overtop. Let cool completely to room temperature before placing in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
When ready to proceed, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Press a slice of pancetta into each cup of a mini muffin tin. To help keep the shape, place a ball of tin foil and place in each cup. Bake now for 12 minutes. CAREFULLY remove the pancetta from the muffin tin and throw away the tinfoil balls. Place the cups on a paper towelled rack to completely cool. Just before serving set them on a serving platter. Fill each cup with some frisee lettuce and a small spoonful of the pears and a sprinkling of Stilton.
Oh, by the way, did I mention it would be perfect if served with a Pinot Noir?
Baked Brie With Sun-Dried Tomato and Pistachio Topping
When entertaining, Brie is the ‘go to’ food to serve with crackers and, of course, some wine. Just have napkins, small plates and utensils for serving.
- 1/2 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, drained
- 1/3 cup finely chopped pistachios (shelled of course)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 3 tbsp. grated Asiago cheese
- 2 tbsp. oil from the tomatoes
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 lb. round Brie cheese
- crackers/toasted baguette slices
Combine the first six ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place the cheese on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and carefully pile the tomato-nut mixture on top. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, until the Brie feels soft on the edge. Using a large spatula (or two) carefully transfer to a serving platter and surround with crackers/toasted baguettes.
You soon will have the reputation of being the ‘hostess with the mostess’. Go for it.
Lamb Pops For Game Night
The Oscars are on tonight or maybe you prefer to wait for game night, but these will definitely steal the show. It serves a small group of 10-14. Got the room?
- 2 x 600 g pkgs lamb (Frenched, rack)
- 300 ml jar whole, sweet red peppers, drained
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tsp. Harissa spices (spicy chili paste), divided
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp. lemon zest
Pat the red peppers dry, then chop and set aside.
Preheat a fry pan over medium heat and add the oil, onion and garlic. Cook until the onion starts to brown, but stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn. Stir in the peppers, tomato paste, lemon juice and 1/2 the harissa blend. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes. Pour into a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer to a medium size bowl and stir in the parsley and lemon zest. Set aside.
Trim the lamb and cut into chops. Sprinkle both sides with freshly ground pepper. Heat a grill pan over medium heat and oil the pan.
Grill the chops 4-6 minutes each side for medium rare. Brush the red pepper mixture over the pops and serve warm.
Have small plates and tons of napkins on hand. Oh yeah, chilled beverages help as well.
Smoked Paprika Shrimp With Special Lime Dip
If you are planning company for Easter or perhaps planning a Bridal shower, this would be the perfect nibbler to have on hand (and show off)!
Shrimp
- 2 tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 tbsp. smoked paprika (Hungarian is best)
- 2/3 cup Chardonnay wine
- 1 lb. jumbo raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tbsp. chopped Italian parsley
In a large non-stick skillet, heat the oil over a medium high temperature and saute the shallots for about 2 minutes or until just starting to turn golden,. Add the wine and return to the boil and boil for 2 minutes or until reduced by half. Add the shrimp stirring constantly for approximately 4 minutes until the shrimp is pink and firm.
Lime Dip
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp. mayonnaise (not salad dressing)
- 1 tsp. lime zest
- 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
To make the dip, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, lime zest and juice until completely integrated and smooth.
Put the dip in a very pretty bowl, along side the platter of shrimp. Be sure to have a separate bowl for the shrimp tail so people don’t put them in your plant pots. This will serve 8 so adjust accordingly to the number of people will be eating.
It goes without saying have on hand a container of party picks and napkins. Oh, did I forget to mention a glass of chilled wine as well? Silly me!