Home » Beverages » Top Ten Delectable Hors d’oeuvres

Top Ten Delectable Hors d’oeuvres

  • Spence Cooper
  • August 10, 2009
Reception Room

Even though hors d’oeuvres are normally thought of as being served prior to a meal, and at receptions and cocktail party events, if you’re interested in entertaining a few friends for lunch or dinner, why not just serve a few savory hors d’oeuvres. What you spend in preparation time, you may save on food costs(maybe using some food coupons), and still impress your guests with a gourmet-style presentation.

Top Ten delectable Hors d’oeuvres

1. PESTO CROISSANT APPETIZER
Simple and savory, you can prepare these treats ahead of time and reheat in the microwave or oven. However, because they are so quick and easy you can just make them whenever you want them.
Ingredients

1 can of refrigerated crescent roll dough
2 ounces prepared pesto sauce
2 ounces grated Asiago or Pecorino Romano cheese
3 Tablespoons pine nuts
Cracked black pepper

Directions

Pesto Croissant Appetizer:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Open the crescent roll dough according to package directions and separate the dough into eight triangles, laying them flat on an ungreased, nonstick baking sheet. Spread about one and a half teaspoons of pesto evenly on each triangle. Grind a bit of black pepper over each triangle. Top with the grated cheese and pine nuts, pressing the toppings into the pesto sauce and dough gently with the back of a spoon. Starting at the wide end of each triangle, roll the up dough into crescent shapes. Allow an inch or so of space between each croissant on the baking sheet.

Bake for 11 – 13 minutes or until golden brown at 375 degrees.
Variations: A sprinkling of bacon bits or chopped prosciutto can be added with or instead of the pine nuts.

2. COACH FARM MARINATED GOAT CHEESE HORS D’OEUVRES
Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon white peppercorns
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
3 plain goat cheese buttons (small rounds, about 2 ounces each), halved horizontally
1 to 1 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
2 bay leaves
6 thin slices French bread, toasted lightly
6 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil

Directions

COACH FARM MARINATED GOAT CHEESE HORS DOEUVRES:

With a mortar and pestle, or by hand, crush thyme and rosemary. Transfer herbs to a small bowl and stir in peppercorns and coriander seeds.

In a 1-pint jar carefully place 3 cheese halves and sprinkle with half of herb mixture. Add remaining cheese and sprinkle with remaining herb mixture. Add enough oil to cover cheese completely and slide bay leaves down opposite sides of jar. Cover jar tightly and chill, covered, 4 days.

Let mixture come just to room temperature and preheat broiler.

Top each bread slice with a tomato and a marinated cheese half and arrange on a baking sheet. Broil about 4 inches from heat until cheese is golden, about 3 minutes.

3. ESCARGOTS A LA BOURGUIGNONNE
Ingredients

1 small garlic clove
3/8 teaspoon table salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons finely minced shallot
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon dry white wine
12 to 16 snails* (from a 7- to 8-oz can)
About 2 cups kosher salt (for stabilizing snail shells)

Special equipment: 12 to 16 sterilized escargot shells*
Accompaniment: French bread

Directions

ESCARGOTS A LA BOURGUIGNONNE:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450F.

Using a heavy knife, mince and mash garlic to a paste with 1/8 teaspoon table salt.

Beat together butter, shallot, garlic paste, parsley, remaining 1/4 teaspoon table salt, and pepper in a small bowl with an electric mixer until combined well. Beat in wine until combined well.

Divide half of garlic butter among snail shells. Stuff 1 snail into each shell and top snails with remaining butter. Spread kosher salt in a shallow baking dish and nestle shells, butter sides up, in salt.

Bake snails until butter is melted and sizzling, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve immediately.

Cooks’ notes:
The escargots can be prepared, but not baked, up to 30 minutes ahead and kept at room temperature until ready to bake.
If you don’t have an escargot serving dish, serve the snails on a bed of kosher salt (to stabilize shells) on a platter.

4. CALIFORNIA ROLLS
Ingredients

1 avocado, halved lengthwise, pitted, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch slices
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
six 8 x 7-inch sheets of asakusa nori
3 cups vinegared rice
1 tablespoon wasabi powder, combined with 1 tablespoon cold water
2 frozen Alaskan king crab legs, thawed, shelled, and thick sections halved lengthwise, or 3/4 pound frozen Alaskan king crab meat, thawed and drained

For the sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine or scotch

Directions

CALIFORNIA ROLLS:

In a small bowl toss the avocado gently with the lemon juice. Dry roast each sheet of asakusa nori over direct heat, holding it at opposite corners with tongs and waving it back and forth over the burner, for 30 seconds, or until it turns green.

Lay a dry sudare (a bamboo mat used for rolling sushi and other foods) on a work surface so that the slats run horizontally. Put a piece of the nori on the sudare with a long side facing you and with dampened hands spread 1/2 cups vinegared rice onto it, leaving a 1-inch border along the top edge. Spread a small bit of the wasabi paste horizontally across the center of the rice. (Use the wasabi paste sparingly as it is very hot.) Arrange 3 avocado slices overlapping slightly in a horizontal line over the wasabi paste and top them with one sixth of the crab meat. Grasp the edges of the nori and the mat from the side facing you, lift the nori and the mat slightly, and roll the nori evenly and tightly away from you, pressing down slightly with each quarter turn. Seal the roll with a drop of water on the far edge of the nori, press the seam closed, and transfer the roll to a cutting board. Make 5 more rolls in the same manner. With a serrated knife dipped in hot water trim the ends of the rolls and cut each roll crosswise into six 1-inch sections.

Make the sauce:
In a small serving bowl combine the soy sauce, the vinegar, and the rice wine.

Arrange the rolls cut side up decoratively on a platter and serve them with the sauce.

5. CRAB CAKES WITH SPICY AVOCADO SAUCE
Ingredients

For sauce
1/2 ripe medium California avocado, pitted and peeled
1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 fresh jalapeno or serrano chile (including seeds), stemmed and quartered lengthwise
1/4 cup fat-free (skim) milk

For crab cakes
1 lb jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over and coarsely shredded
3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

CRAB CAKES WITH SPICY AVOCADO SAUCE:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Make sauce:
Pulse avocado with mayonnaise, lime juice, salt, sugar, and one fourth of chile in a food processor until chile is finely chopped. Add milk and purre until smooth. Add more chile if desired, processing until smooth. Transfer sauce to a bowl and chill, covered.

Make crab cakes:
Stir together crabmeat, mayonnaise, chives, lemon juice, mustard, pepper, and 1 tablespoon panko in a large bowl until blended well, then chill, covered.

Melt butter in a medium nonstick skillet over moderate heat, then cook garlic, stirring, until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add herbes de Provence, salt, and remaining 7 tablespoons panko and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer crumbs to a plate to cool. Discard garlic.

Divide crabmeat mixture into 4 mounds on a sheet of wax paper. Form 1 mound into a patty, then carefully turn patty in crumb mixture to coat top and bottom. Transfer to a baking sheet and repeat with remaining 3 mounds, then sprinkle remaining crumbs on top of crab cakes. Bake until heated through, about 15 minutes. Serve crab cakes with sauce.

6. ARTICHOKE HEARTS WITH GARLIC OLIVE OIL AND PARSLEY
Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
2 8-ounce packages frozen artichoke hearts, thawed

Directions

ARTICHOKE HEARTS WITH GARLIC OLIVE OIL AND PARSLEY:

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and 1 tablespoon parsley; stir 30 seconds. Add artichokes and stir to coat. Cover skillet; simmer until artichokes are tender, about 12 minutes. Uncover; simmer until juices thicken and coat artichokes, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley.

7. CHICKEN LIVER PATE WITH FIGS AND WALNUTS
Ingredients

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 pound chicken livers, trimmed
1 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon Cognac
1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 cup dry red wine
3/4 cup dried black Mission figs

1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
Fresh chives (for garnish)
Red leaf lettuce (for garnish)
1 French-bread baguette, sliced, toasted

Directions

CHICKEN LIVER PATE WITH FIGS AND WALNUTS:

Spray 3-cup souffle dish or terrine with vegetable oil spray. Line dish with plastic wrap; spray plastic. Combine chicken livers, broth and onion in medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer until livers are cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Drain cooking liquid; transfer chicken livers and onion to processor. Add butter, Cognac and salt to processor. Puree until smooth. Transfer to prepared dish. Cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours.

Bring wine to simmer in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add figs. Let stand until figs soften, about 15 minutes. Drain wine. Quarter figs. (Pate and figs can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep pate refrigerated. Transfer figs to small bowl; cover and refrigerate.)

Unfold pate onto platter. Press walnuts onto sides of pate. Garnish top with chives and some figs. Arrange lettuce on platter with pate. Place remaining figs atop lettuce. Serve with toasts.

8. GARLIC SHRIMP WITH RED PEPPERS AND WILD MUSHROOMS
Ingredients

3 large red bell peppers
12 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces oyster mushrooms
6 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped red jalapeno chili
1 1/4 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

GARLIC SHRIMP WITH RED PEPPERS AND WILD MUSHROOMS:

Char peppers over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Transfer to paper bag and let stand 10 minutes to steam. Peel, seed and quarter peppers. Arrange peppers on platter.

Heat 6 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and saute until tender, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange on platter with bell peppers. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)

Heat remaining oil in same skillet over medium-high hat. Add garlic and chile and saute 2 minutes. Add shrimp and saute until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Mix in parsley. Spoon shrimp over mushrooms and peppers.

9. ROASTED BROCCOLI FLORETS WITH TOASTED BREADCRUMB GREMOLATA
Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 shallot, chopped
1/2 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless French bread
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

2 pounds broccoli, stems removed, tops cut into 2-inch-long florets
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

ROASTED BROCCOLI FLORETS WITH TOASTED BREADCRUMB GREMOLATA:

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot; saute until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add breadcrumbs; toast until golden, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to small bowl. Mix in lemon peel. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Gremolata can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Preheat oven to 425F. Toss broccoli with remaining 3 tablespoons oil in large bowl to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Spread out onto large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until stems are crisp-tender and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Transfer to serving bowl. Sprinkle gremolata over and serve.

10. GARLIC ROASTED POTATO SKINS
Ingredients

3 lb russet (baking) potatoes (6 to 8 medium; preferably organic)
1 small head garlic (2 inches in diameter)
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Accompaniment: onion and spinach dip

Directions

GARLIC ROASTED POTATO SKINS:

Preheat oven to 350F.

Prick each potato once or twice with a fork. Cut off and discard top fourth of garlic head, then wrap garlic tightly in foil. Bake garlic and potatoes on same rack in lower third of oven until potatoes are tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove potatoes from oven and cool on a metal rack 15 minutes. Continue to bake garlic until tender, about 15 minutes more, then cool in foil on rack.

While garlic cools, halve potatoes lengthwise, then quarter each half (to form short wedges). Scoop out potato flesh (reserving it for another use), leaving 1/4-inch-thick potato skins.

Increase oven temperature to 425F.

Squeeze garlic into a small bowl, discarding garlic skins, and mash to a paste with butter, salt, and pepper using a fork.

Divide garlic paste among potato skins (about 1/2 teaspoon each), spreading evenly, then roast skins in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) until golden and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments