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Holiday Appetizers at the Brochus' |
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Written by Nancy Horn
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Thursday, 12 November 2009 |
Want a great way to see lots of friends, whoop it up and still have time to get your shopping done? Want to entertain without the formality of a dinner party? Throwing a casual cocktail party is the perfect way to see friends for a quick but festive bite. Since holiday parties and family get togethers usually fall on a weekend, invite your guests over for a weeknight mixer. Set out a few of your favorite vintages or shake up a signature drink. They’ll love the mix and match informality, and the conversation will flow.
Simple but tasty appetizers are a great way to experiment with different tastes and textures you wouldn’t normally think of putting together. When dreaming up your menu, think of putting creamy with crunchy or salty with sweet. Look at brightly colored ingredients for a beautiful presentation. Gussy up your bites with garnishes of freshly chopped herbs, toasted nuts, crumbled cheese, or dried fruit. Your guests will enjoy venturing out of their comfort zones to try new flavors. That being said, always have a few familiar foods on hand. They’ll love you for it.
Nancy Horn opened DISH Café & Catering in 2002. Megan Gilman has been spicing up the DISH for five years.
✣ Tri-Tip Roast
• 1 three-pound tri-tip roast
• 1 envelope onion soup mix
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
1) Preheat oven to 415 degrees (we used the convection setting). 2) Cut roast into 3 pieces to cook quickly. 3) Heat oil in pan on stove over medium heat. 4) Add meat and sear on all sides until browned. 5) Transfer meat to broiler or baking pan and bake in oven for about 30 minutes (for medium-rare). 6) Remove and let rest for about 10 minutes. 7) Slice thin against the grain, pour the juices over the slices, and serve.
✣ Mini Pizzas
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 baguette, thinly sliced
• 1 tub of Stonewall Three Cheese Spread with Pepperoncinis
• 1 package of sliced pepperoni
• 1 package of mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 1 basket of mushrooms, sliced
• Salt and pepper
1) Slice the mushrooms and sauté in butter or olive oil over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. 2) Cover each piece of bread with the cheese spread. 3) Top with a slice of mozzarella, 2 pieces of pepperoni, and a few slices of mushrooms. 4) Place on cookie sheet or broiler pan and pop under the broiler until cheese melts (3-5 minutes). 5) Remove from oven, place on platter, and serve hot.
✣ Lettuce Wraps
• 1 package couscous
• 1 cup boiling broth
• 1 cup raisins
• I head of lettuce (we used romaine, but iceberg works better); leaves pulled apart
• 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
• 6 radishes, thinly sliced
• 2 avocados, peeled, pit removed, and chopped
• Hot sauce to taste (we used Sriracha or “Rooster” sauce)
1) Cook the couscous per the package instructions (usually 1 part couscous to 1 part boiling broth, cover, and remove from heat). 2) Let couscous cool and mix in raisins, peppers, radishes. 3) Add avocado and mix all together. Use your hands to really “smush” the avocado in with the couscous to provide the binding agent to keep everything together.
TIP: To slice an avocado, score lengthwise around the pit and pull the avocado apart into two halves. “Stab” the pit with a blade of the knife and pull it out. Score the meat in a criss-cross pattern. Squeeze the avocado meat out of the skin.
4) Scoop a large spoonful of mixture into each lettuce leaf and place close together in a serving dish to keep from falling apart. 5) Top with a sprinkle of hot sauce.
✣ Spicy Cheese and Grapes on Bread
• 1 baguette, thinly sliced
• 1 tub of spicy cheese spread (we used Stonewall Three Cheese Spread with Pepperoncinis)
• 1 bunch of red grapes, halved
1) Spread cheese on bread slices and top with grapes. 2) Arrange on platter and serve. Garnish with two or three bunches of grapes.
✣ Cream Cheese with Peppers and Onions
• 1 block of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• ½ yellow onion, sliced
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar to taste
• 1 package of your favorite crackers (we used Clubhouse crackers)
1) Remove cream cheese from package and place in the middle of a large plate or platter and set aside. 2) Heat oil in pan over medium heat. 3) Sauté onions until they become caramelized.
TIP: You can caramelize onions by simply cooking over medium heat with a bit of oil until all the moisture evaporates and they begin to brown and turn translucent. If needed, you can add a little sugar or balsamic vinegar for some sweetness.
4) Remove onions from the pan and set aside. 5) Sauté red pepper slices in olive oil over medium heat until soft. 6) Mix together onions and peppers and spoon over cream cheese. 7) Serve with crackers.
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