Easy & Elegant Holiday
Appetizer Recipes
Whether your playing hostess or party guest,
one of the best things about holiday parties
are all of the yummy appetizers. These recipes
don't take long to make, and are guaranteed
to be a crowd pleasers.
Crostini with Thyme-Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients
4 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 to 2 teaspoons dried thyme
8 1/2-inch-thick slices baguette, cut on the bias
1 clove garlic
Directions
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Place the tomatoes
cut-side up in a shallow baking dish.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt,
pepper and the thyme. Roast 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours,
or until the tomatoes are very soft and slightly shrunken.
Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees.
Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet,
drizzle with olive oil and bake until golden brown,
about 10 minutes. Rub the crostini with
garlic and top each with a roasted tomato.
Sweet and Spicy Pecans
Ingredients
1 large egg white
2 cups unsalted pecan halves
2 cups unsalted roasted cashews
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Kosher salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Beat the egg white
with 1 tablespoon water in a large bowl until foamy.
Add the nuts, sugar, cumin, cayenne, cinnamon and
1/2 teaspoon salt and mix well. Spread the mixture on a
parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until the nuts are
mostly dry but still slightly sticky, about 40 minutes.
Remove the nuts from the oven and stir. Reduce the
temperature to 200 degrees F. Return the nuts to the
oven and bake until crisp, about 30 more minutes. Stir to
loosen the nuts from the baking sheet; cool completely on the sheet.
Ham & Cheese in Puff Pastry
Ingredients
1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry,
defrosted (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 pound black forest ham, sliced
1/2 pound Swiss Gruyere cheese, sliced
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a
piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.
Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a floured board and carefully
roll it out to 10 by 12 inches. Place it on a sheet pan
and brush the center with the mustard, leaving a 1-inch
border around the edge. Place a layer first of ham and
then cheese, also leaving a 1-inch border.
Brush the border with the egg wash.
Place the second sheet of puff pastry on the floured
board and roll it out to 10 by 12inches. Place the
second sheet on top of the filled pastry, lining up the edges.
Cut the edges straight with a small, sharp knife
and press together lightly. Brush the top with egg wash
and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.
Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve hot or warm.
Blini with Smoked Salmon
Ingredients
1/3 cup buckwheat flour
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 extra-large egg
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, clarified, divided
1/2 pound smoked salmon, thinly sliced
1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
Fresh dill sprig, for garnish
Directions
Combine both flours, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and 1 tablespoon
of the clarified butter, then whisk into the flour mixture. Heat 1
tablespoon of the clarified butter in a medium saute pan and drop
the batter into the hot skillet, 1 tablespoon at a time. Cook over
medium-low heat until bubbles form on the top side of the blini,
about 2 minutes. Flip and cook for 1 more minute, or until brown.
Repeat with the remaining batter. (I clean the hot pan with
a dry paper towel between batches.) Set aside.
To serve, top the blini with a piece of smoked salmon.
Add a dollop of creme fraiche and a sprig of dill.
Crostini with Thyme-Roasted Tomatoes
4 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 to 2 teaspoons dried thyme
8 1/2-inch-thick slices baguette, cut on the bias
1 clove garlic
Directions
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Place the tomatoes
cut-side up in a shallow baking dish.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt,
pepper and the thyme. Roast 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours,
or until the tomatoes are very soft and slightly shrunken.
Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees.
Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet,
drizzle with olive oil and bake until golden brown,
about 10 minutes. Rub the crostini with
garlic and top each with a roasted tomato.
Sweet and Spicy Pecans
Ingredients
1 large egg white
2 cups unsalted pecan halves
2 cups unsalted roasted cashews
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Kosher salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Beat the egg white
with 1 tablespoon water in a large bowl until foamy.
Add the nuts, sugar, cumin, cayenne, cinnamon and
1/2 teaspoon salt and mix well. Spread the mixture on a
parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until the nuts are
mostly dry but still slightly sticky, about 40 minutes.
Remove the nuts from the oven and stir. Reduce the
temperature to 200 degrees F. Return the nuts to the
oven and bake until crisp, about 30 more minutes. Stir to
loosen the nuts from the baking sheet; cool completely on the sheet.
Ham & Cheese in Puff Pastry
Ingredients
1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry,
defrosted (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 pound black forest ham, sliced
1/2 pound Swiss Gruyere cheese, sliced
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a
piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.
Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a floured board and carefully
roll it out to 10 by 12 inches. Place it on a sheet pan
and brush the center with the mustard, leaving a 1-inch
border around the edge. Place a layer first of ham and
then cheese, also leaving a 1-inch border.
Brush the border with the egg wash.
Place the second sheet of puff pastry on the floured
board and roll it out to 10 by 12inches. Place the
second sheet on top of the filled pastry, lining up the edges.
Cut the edges straight with a small, sharp knife
and press together lightly. Brush the top with egg wash
and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.
Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve hot or warm.
Blini with Smoked Salmon
Ingredients
1/3 cup buckwheat flour
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 extra-large egg
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, clarified, divided
1/2 pound smoked salmon, thinly sliced
1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
Fresh dill sprig, for garnish
Directions
Combine both flours, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and 1 tablespoon
of the clarified butter, then whisk into the flour mixture. Heat 1
tablespoon of the clarified butter in a medium saute pan and drop
the batter into the hot skillet, 1 tablespoon at a time. Cook over
medium-low heat until bubbles form on the top side of the blini,
about 2 minutes. Flip and cook for 1 more minute, or until brown.
Repeat with the remaining batter. (I clean the hot pan with
a dry paper towel between batches.) Set aside.
To serve, top the blini with a piece of smoked salmon.
Add a dollop of creme fraiche and a sprig of dill.
Happy Holidays
from AML!
No comments:
Post a Comment