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Holiday Party Starters
Recipes From: Liz Barbour
Brie and Chutney Tartlets
Makes 15
½ pound Brie, frozen for 20 minutes
1 package frozen mini filo tart shells
1 small jar of good chutney or savory jam
1.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2.
Cut the Brie into ½ inch cubes and place into the bottom
of the filo cups.
3.
Put ½ tsp of chutney on top of the brie.
4.
Bake for five minutes or just until the Brie begins to
melt.
5.
Serve hot.
11 oz goat cheese log
8 small vine-ripe tomatoes, about 1-inch across
4 slices white sandwich bread
Extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
1.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut each tomato across through the middle. Place the tomatoes cut-side up onto a foil
covered cookie sheet. Drizzle with
extra virgin olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Put into the oven on the top rack and cook for 10-15 minutes or
until soft and lightly browned on top.
Remove from oven to assemble.
2.
While the tomatoes are cooking, cut the crusts off of the
bread. Cut each piece into 4
squares. Brush each piece with extra
virgin olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Place onto a cookie sheet and toast in the oven for 5 minutes or
just until crispy and light brown.
Remove from oven.
3.
Slice the goat cheese log into sixteen thin slices using
dental floss.
To Assemble:
1.
Put a slice of goat cheese onto each piece of toast.
2.
Place a tomato onto the cheese.
3.
Drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Serve.
8 Jumbo shrimp (8-12 per pound), peeled and deveined
2 Tbs canola oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
4 slices white sandwich bread
¼ cup of basil pesto
Extra virgin olive oil
1.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the crusts off of the bread.
Cut each piece into 4 squares.
Brush each piece with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with a little
salt. Place onto a cookie sheet and
toast in the oven for 5 minutes or just until crispy and light brown. Remove from oven.
2.
Heat a large sauté pan with oil. When the oil is hot add the shrimp and cook until it turns opaque
on the bottom half of the shrimp. This
should take about 2-3 minutes.
3.
Turn the shrimp over and add the garlic, continue to cook
until opaque.
4.
Remove the pan from the heat. Slice each piece of shrimp in half through the middle to make 2
pieces.
Note: You can cut
your bread with 2-inch round cookie cutters for a different shape.
To Assemble:
1.
Spread some pesto onto each piece of toast.
2.
Place a piece of shrimp onto the pesto cut-side down.
3.
Serve hot.
Caviar on Toast with Crème Fraiche
Serves 8
1.7 ounce jar of very good sturgeon caviar (more if you love caviar like me)
1 loaf of thin white bread, Pepperidge Farms is great
1 container of crème fraiche, or sour cream (whole fat)
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Stack a few pieces of bread. With a serrated knife, cut the crusts off. Cut the bread in half diagonally across. Repeat so that you have cut each piece of bread into 4 pieces and have enough for at least 4 triangles for each person.
2. Toast the bread in the oven just until it begins to crisp. It should not be hard or browned. Cool on a rack.
3. Place the toast points onto a large silver platter. Put ½ tsp of crème fraiche onto each toast point.
4. Place ¼ tsp of caviar onto the crème fraiche.
Serve immediately
Placed
Platters
Charcuterie
Serves 8
6 oz Proscuitto
6 oz Hot Calabrese
6 oz Sopresatta
6 oz Hot Capocollo
8 oz cooked Pate (Campgne, Country, Liver Mousse)
½ jar Cornichons, drained
1 baguette (artisan), sliced thin
2 oz grainy mustard
Directions:
Slice all of the meats thinly and arrange on a large platter or wooden cutting board. Serve with pate, mustard, cornichons and slice fresh baguette.
Pinzimonio
Serves 8
4 oz soft goat’s cheese, room temperature
4 oz semi-soft or hard sheep’s milk cheese
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, excellent quality “First Press”
2 bulbs fennel, slice thin
Celery, outer stalks removed, sliced lengthwise
Herb ice cubes
1 baguette, sliced thin
Carr’s crackers, plain
Directions:
Place the cheeses on a large platter or cutting board. Drizzle the olive oil over the cheeses.
Fan the fennel slices on the platter. Place the ice cubes in a clear bowl or pitcher. Stick the celery into the ice.
Serve with the fresh bread.
Herb Ice Cubes
Fill two ice cube trays with cold water. Drop in star anise, pink peppercorns, cranberries, herb leaves or any other combination of items. Freeze until set.