Endive Boats filled with Goat Cheese
1 pound soft fresh goat cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon zested and squeezed
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
8 long slender heads of Belgian endive
Very small fresh cilantro sprigs (for garnish)
6 grape tomatoes, cut crosswise into very thin slices, slices halved (for garnish)
• Using on/off turns, blend goat cheese, olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and lemon peel in food processor just until smooth and creamy.
• Transfer mixture to medium bowl.
• Stir in chopped cilantro and chives.
• Season cheese mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
• Cover and refrigerate until cold.
• If desired, transfer cheese mixture to pastry bag fitted with small plain tip.
Cook’s Note: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.
• Cut off and discard root ends of endive.
• Separate leaves.
• Cut cores, with some smaller leaves still attached, crosswise into thin strips.
• Toss sliced endive with remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice in large bowl to coat. Arrange sliced endive on large platter.
• Pipe or spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese mixture at wide end of each endive leaf.
Place 1 very small sprig cilantro and tomato slice atop each.
Arrange leaves in concentric circles atop sliced endive.
Cook’s Note: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
Yield: 60 pieces.
Red Pepper and Hummus Crudités Platter
You can get these vegetables all prepared from the supermarket.
1 (14 to 18 ounce) jar roasted red pepper, drained
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, cracked from skin
1 1/2 cups prepared hummus spread Chopped parsley leaves, for garnish
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, for garnish
1 teaspoon coarse salt
20 carrot sticks
1/3 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
1 medium zucchini, cut into sticks
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1/2 pint grape tomatoes
1. Coarsely chop peppers and place them in a food processor with lemon juice and a clove of garlic.
2. Pulse grind the peppers to get them going, then scrape in the prepared hummus and process until dip is smooth and evenly red in color.
3. Transfer dip to a bowl and garnish with parsley and crushed pepper flakes.
4. Serve with vegetables.
Simple and Delicious Crudités Platter
1/3 cup sesame seeds
11 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup curry powder
1/4 cup paprika
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Assorted fresh vegetables such as: yellow wax beans, pink radishes, slender asparagus, sweet bell peppers, and an assortment of teardrop, cherry, and grape tomatoes.
• Place sesame seeds in small nonstick skillet set over medium heat.
• Stir until toasted and golden brown, about 3 minutes.
• Cool completely.
• Place in a spice grinder with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
• Process until finely ground.
• Transfer mixture to small ramekin.
• Mix curry powder and 5 teaspoons salt in small bowl.
• Transfer mixture to another small ramekin.
• Mix paprika and 5 teaspoons salt in small bowl.
• Transfer mixture to another small ramekin.
Cook’s Note: Flavored salts can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and set aside at room temperature.
• Pour oil into small bowl or ramekin.
• Place vegetables decoratively on platter.
• Serve, passing oil and salts separately.
• To serve: Dip the veggies into the olive oil first, then the salt.
Serves 8
Beef Tenderloin Cocktail Sandwiches with Five Different Flavored Butters
This looks lovely on a large tray with the butters in different small bowls for guests to choose themselves or spread them yourself on different sandwiches.
Use unsalted butter.
3 baguettes
Choose 3 of the butters
1 oven roasted Fillet of Beef, thinly sliced
1 red onion sliced thin for garnish, and several tiny grape tomatoes
• Slice the baguettes in half lengthwise.
• Spread a flavored butter on both side of the cut baguette and arrange the think slices of beef on one half before putting the sandwich together.
• Use a serrated bread knife to cut the baguette.
Yield: 12 mini sandwiches
Five Butters
1. Horseradish butter
8 Tbs. (I stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tbs. prepared horseradish
¼ tsp. coarse salt
• Place the butter in a small bowl and add the above ingredients.
• Chill until needed.
• Allow it to come to room temperature before spreading.
2. Roast Garlic Butter
4 cloves garlic, skins on
1 tbs. olive oil
½ tsp. kosher salt
8 tbs. (1 stick) butter at room temperature
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the garlic on a small sheet of foil and pull up the edges of the foil to create a pouch.
• Pour the oil over the garlic and sprinkle it with about ¼ tsp. salt.
• Roast for 35 minutes.
• Allow it to cool.
• Place the butter in a small bowl.
• Squeeze the garlic out of its skins onto the butter.
• Add the remaining salt and mash it with a wooden spoon to combine.
• Chill the butter until needed and allow it to come to room temperature before spreading.
3. Parsley Butter
8 tbs. (1 stick) butter at room temperature
¼ cup fresh parsley, minced
¼ tsp. coarse salt
• Place the butter in a small bowl.
• Add the parsley and salt and mash with a wooden spoon until combined.
• Allow it to come to room temperature before spreading.
4. Blue Cheese Butter
8 tbs. (1 stick) butter at room temperature
¼ tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ cup crumbled good quality blue cheese
• Place the butter in a small bowl.
• Add the mustard and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
• Mash in the blue cheese.
• Chill the butter until needed but allow it to come to room temperature before spreading.
5. Red Current Butter
8 tbs. (1 stick) butter at room temperature
3 tbs. red current jam or preserves
¼ tsp. coarse salt
• Place the butter in a small bowl and add the salt and the jam and mash with a wooden spoon until combined.
• Chill the butter until it is needed but allow it to come to room temperature before spreading.