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Must Read: Pestos, Tapenades, & Spreads

YumSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:00:48 -0800

Much like PartySugar, I'll be paying special attention to the oft-neglected starters when I host this year's Thanksgiving meal. I've not yet determined what they'll be: should I serve soup? Dip in a bread bowl? So I am excited for a new book, Pestos, Tapenades, & Spreads ($17) by Stacey Printz, which offers up an array of spreads to serve when entertaining on the run. Were its offerings worthy of being on the Thanksgiving table? Find out when you read more.

Skewered Fish With Couscous Is an Easy, Any Season Meal

partysugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:15:59 -0700

In terms of cooking seasonal cuisine, late September and early October can be a confusing time. The farmers markets are still overflowing with heirloom tomatoes, while butternut squash and apples begin to appear, too. I can't help but wonder, am I supposed to make Caprese salad or butternut squash soup?

Instead of obsessing over what to make, I like to select dishes that are virtually season-less, like this skewered fish with couscous. The fish chunks are coated with a store-bought tapenade before being cooked under the broiler. Served with a quick-cooking couscous, it makes for a healthy, balanced meal that comes together in minutes. To offer it to your family, check out the recipe and read more.

Mahi-Mahi Skewers With Tapenade and Couscous
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

1 cup plain couscous (about 6 ounces)
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, divided
1/3 cup purchased tapenade
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound mahi-mahi fillets, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup purchased pico de gallo, drained
Special equipment: Metal skewers

Directions

Preheat broiler.
Bring 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Stir in couscous and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand until water is absorbed and couscous is tender, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir tapenade, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt in small bowl to blend.
Transfer 31/2 tablespoons tapenade mixture to another small bowl and reserve for couscous.
Thread fish pieces onto 4 metal skewers; arrange on broiler tray. Brush fish on both sides with remaining tapenade mixture. Broil fish until just opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side.
Fluff couscous with fork. Gently stir in reserved tapenade mixture. Stir in pico de gallo or serve it alongside. Mound couscous on plates. Top with fish skewers.

Serves 4.

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Yummy Links: From Bacon to Imitation Crab

partysugar — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:50:56 -0700

Has bacon mania run its course? - The Feedbag
Kelly Choi's twittering is out of control - it might be time for a twittervention. - Eater
The pastes of Provence: learn the difference between tapenade, pistou, and aioli. - Serious Eats
Grub Street, New York Magazine's food blog, has gone national. - Grub Street
Celebrate Bastille Day by making a French 75. - Gourmet
Can you really seal the juices into meat? - Chow
A traumatizing behind-the-scenes look at imitation crab manufacturing. - Eat Me Daily

Celebrate With Fig Tapenade, Goat Cheese Amuse-Bouche

YumSugar — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:00:23 -0800

New Year's Eve is an ideal time to serve simple appetizers that can withstand hours of partying. After making Roquefort and Walnut Canapés, I had leftover walnuts, so I looked for another amuse bouche that could use up the nuts.

With its easy fig and olive tapenade, this delicious bite is served on a cracker with a small dollop of goat cheese and a roasted walnut topping. The tapenade can be made three days in advance, and the whole thing is quick to assemble just before party time. Every bite is the perfect combination of sweet, salty, creamy, and crunchy. To celebrate with these appetizing hors d'oeuvres, read more.

Fig Tapenade and Goat Cheese Amuse-Bouche
Adapted From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

1 cup chopped stemmed dried Calimyrna figs
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon drained capers, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
3-4 ounces logs soft fresh goat cheese
1/2 cup toasted walnut halves
1-2 boxes of crackers or 1-2 baguettes cut in rounds and toasted
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Place walnuts on a cookie sheet. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until fragrant. Watch closely as they can burn quickly.
Combine chopped figs and 1/3 cup water in heavy medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until liquid evaporates and figs are soft, about 7 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl.
Mix in olives, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, capers, and chopped thyme. Use a hand mixer to better incorporate all ingredients. Season tapenade to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
Arrange crackers and top with 1 1/2 teaspoon goat cheese and 1 teaspoon of tapenade. Garnish with walnut halves and thyme sprigs, if desired.

Makes 36-42 appetizers.

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Come Party With Me: Tree Trimming - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:41:43 -0800

I've invited some friends over this Friday for a holiday cocktail party. Since everyone (including moi!) will be attending a jewelry sample sale before, the snacks must be prepared in advance. Crostini with lentil and green olive spread can be made the night before the party. My dad will bake the brie with mango chutney twenty minutes before we arrive, so it's warm and gooey the second we walk in the door. A smoked salmon platter with dill sour cream waits chilled in the fridge and mini beef slider patties cook quickly.

To look at these recipes, which would be awesome for any holiday event, read more.

Crostini With Lentil and Green Olive Salad
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

1/2 pound lentils, preferably from Abruzzi, rinsed and picked over
1 small onion
1 garlic clove
1 bay leaf
1/2 dried red chile
1/2 pound green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1 large celery rib, thinly sliced
1 large shallot, minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
24 small thin slices crusty country bread
1 small fresh red chile, very thinly sliced lengthwise

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°. In a medium saucepan, generously cover the lentils with water. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf and dried chile and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the lentils, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid; discard the bay leaf and chile.
In a medium bowl, mash 1 cup of the lentils with a potato masher, then stir in the remaining lentils.
Add the olives, celery, shallot, 1/4 cup of olive oil and the vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the reserved 1/4 cup of cooking liquid.
Arrange the bread slices on a cookie sheet and bake for about 8 minutes or until thoroughly crisp. Drizzle the crostini with olive oil and generously spoon the lentil salad on top. Garnish the crostini with slivers of red chile and serve.

Serves 6-8.

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Brie With Chutney
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

1 8-ounce round Brie cheese
5 tablespoons mango chutney
Assorted crackers

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Split brie in half horizontally.
Snip any large pieces of chutney. Place bottom half of cheese in a small shallow ovenproof dish. Top with 4 tablespoons of the chutney. Top with remaining cheese half. Spread remaining 1 tablespoon chutney over top of cheese.
Bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is softened but not runny. Serve with crackers.

Serves 4 - 6.

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Smoked Salmon Platter with Dill Sour Cream
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

1 pound sliced smoked salmon
1/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
Crackers or bread

Directions

Arrange salmon slices on large platter.
Mix sour cream and dill in small bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Spoon sour cream mixture in center of salmon. Sprinkle shallots and capers over salmon. Serve salmon platter with crackers or bread.

Serves 8.

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Mini Beef and Sage Sliders With Gorgonzola
From Every Day With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

12 mini dinner rolls, split
1 garlic clove, halved
Extra-virgin olive oil for liberal drizzling
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
10 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups baby spinach, thinly sliced
3/4 pound Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Directions

Preheat broiler to high. Place the rolls on a broiler pan and toast until golden. Rub with the garlic and drizzle with olive oil.
In a medium bowl, combine the beef with the Worcestershire sauce, sage, shallot and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Divide into 4 equal pieces and form 3 sliders from each piece, 12 mini sliders total.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil.
Cook the sliders for 3 minutes on the first side and 1 to 2 minutes on the other side for medium.
Top each bun bottom with some spinach, a slider and a few cheese crumbles. Place under the broiler to melt the cheese a bit, about 30 seconds, then set the bun tops in place.

Makes 12 sliders.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Antipasto Salad

partysugar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 06:45:42 -0700

Packed with cheese, olives, and salumi, an antipasto platter is one of my favorite Italian appetizers. So imagine how excited I was when I discovered this recipe for an antipasto salad!!

Fresh balls of mozzarella mingle with salami, olives, and pepperoncini in this hearty, crunchy salad. Be sure to serve it with a chunk of ciabatta to sop up the vinegary dressing. A cold Italian white is also a lovely companion to this delicious dish.

For the recipe, read more.

Antipasto Salad
From Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

3 tablespoons green-olive tapenade from a jar
1/4 cup peperoncini-stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups bocconcini (about 9 ounces)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small head of iceberg lettuce, halved, cored and finely shredded (4 cups)
6 ounces thinly sliced Genoa salami, cut into thin strips (1 1/2 cups)
6 small basil leaves
1/2 cup green olives, such as Lucques or Picholine

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix the green-olive tapenade with the peperoncini and 1/4 cup of the oil. Add the bocconcini and toss.
In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the vinegar, garlic and oregano. Whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and season the dressing with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, combine the shredded lettuce and salami. Add the marinated bocconcini and half of the dressing and toss well.
Transfer the antipasto salad to a large platter. Top with the basil and olives.
Drizzle the remaining dressing around the salad and serve at once.

Serves 8.

Make ahead: the recipe can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Grilled Greek Pizza

partysugar — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 10:15:19 -0700

This scrumptious grilled pizza is so packed with layers of flavor, one would never guess it's quite simple to put together.

Ideal for entertaining, this recipe combines store-bought shortcuts with highly seasoned ingredients like lamb sausage and smoked mozzarella. Instead of a classic tomato sauce, black olive tapenade is slathered on the dough.

To learn how it's made, read more.

Grilled Greek Pizza
From The Nest

Ingredients

12 ounces raw spicy lamb sausage (ideally Merguez sausage)
1 small zucchini, cut lengthwise into thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler or mandoline
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided Kosher salt to taste
1/4 cup uncooked grits or polenta, for rolling the dough
1 ball prepared pizza dough, at room temperature
1/4 cup store-bought olive tapenade
1 1/2 cups grated smoked mozzarella cheese
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Leaves from 4 sprigs fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the sausage from the casing and “scramble” in the pan, breaking up any clumps, until fully cooked. Drain on paper towels and reserve for topping.
Preheat the grill.
Brush the zucchini with 1 tablespoon of the oil and lightly salt. Gently place on the cooking grate directly over the heat and grill until soft and well marked, about 3 minutes. Reserve for topping.
Roll out and shape the dough, then grill the first side of the crust per the master instructions. Use tongs to transfer it from the grill to a peel or rimless baking sheet. Flip the crust to reveal the grilled side.
Spread the entire surface with the olive puree, then top with the crumbled lamb.
Sprinkle with the mozzarella, then add the onion rings, zucchini, and tomatoes. Sprinkle the feta over all.
Finish grilling the pizza.
Remove from the grill, sprinkle with the oregano, and season with salt and pepper. Slice and serve immediately.

Makes 1 pizza.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Skewered Swordfish Rolls

partysugar — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 06:45:21 -0700

This summer, I'm trying to experiment with different types of fish. Although I cook with plenty of seafood, usually I make salmon or shellfish. When I found this recipe for skewered swordfish, I couldn't help but get excited. The fish is rubbed with a lemon garlic herb mixture before being pounded thin. Next a thick orange tapenade coats the fish. It sounds delicious and exciting with a wonderfully pretty presentation.

To get the recipe and expand your fish horizons with me, read more.

Skewered Swordfish Rolls
From Rachael Ray

Ingredients

Grated peel of 2 lemons, plus lemon wedges for serving
2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
3/4 cup green olives, chopped
1/2 cup basil leaves, chopped or torn
3 tablespoons capers
Grated peel of 1 orange, plus orange wedges for serving
Four 1/2-inch-thick swordfish steaks (about 2 1/2 pounds total)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Large slices of crusty bread

Directions

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high.
Using a food processor, pulse the lemon peel, garlic and parsley until finely chopped.
In a bowl, combine the olives, basil, capers and orange peel.
Remove the skin and dark flesh from the swordfish steaks and discard.
Drizzle the fish with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and rub with the lemon mixture. Place the fish between 2 layers of wax paper and gently pound out to 1/8 inch thick.
Cut the fish into twelve 3-inch-wide strips no more than 5 inches long. Spread the orange-olive mixture on the strips. Roll up the fish strips and thread 3 rolls at a time onto skewers.
Grill the swordfish skewers, turning frequently, until firm to the touch and opaque, about 7 minutes.
Grill the bread and serve alongside the skewers, with lemon and orange wedges for squirting on the fish.

Serves 4.

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Definition: Tapenade

partysugar — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:15:47 -0700

Tapenade
A thick paste-like condiment with origins in France's Provence region. The classic paste is usually made from olives, capers, anchovies, olive oil, lemon juice, and seasonings. However, these days you can find many other varieties, including garlic, sun-dried tomato, or artichoke. Excellent when paired with crisp toast, fish, or meat.

Source

Photo Gallery: Pestos, Tapenades, & Spreads

YumSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:12:32 -0800

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