Easy Hors D?oeuvre

Stuffed mushrooms ready for baking

And Audrey continues to offer my cooking services around the island.  She recently piped up and promised her mom would be happy to provide hors d’oeuvre for forty and finger food for seventy-five for several holiday and birthday parties.  And by the way, the party is tomorrow.  Yikes.

But I can’t really complain.  The girl likes my food!  She truly believes her mom is a good cook, able to put out a spread for a crowd on short notice.  She’s been paying attention in the kitchen and at the table.  What home cook wouldn’t be flattered at such validation from their loved ones?  Dare I imagine she’s appreciated all the time and effort I’ve put into feeding her all these years?  Probably not, but a mother can dream.  At least I know she loves my gumbo.

Antipasti

Anyway, for those occasions where you may be called upon to provide nibbles for a crowd, I have a few suggestions.  Shrimp are always welcome.  These shrimp with coconut oil, curry leaves and black pepper were scarfed down pretty quickly (if you’re serving them as finger food, just peel and leave them whole…they’re lovely at room temperature too).  Boiled shrimp with cocktail sauce is a Southern standard, easy to prepare and ever popular.  You’ll want something to spread on bread or crackers - chicken liver pâté or pimento cheese would do nicely.  And you can’t go wrong with raw oysters.  All you need is a little mignonette sauce, a few intrepid shuckers and, of course, a source of good fresh oysters.

You can find a few more tips on cooking for a crowd here.  The Academy Awards are coming up, always a good excuse to invite a few friends over for drinks and hors d’oeuvre.  In the meantime, since I don’t really have the space, equipment or the inclination to go into the catering business, I’m going to give Audrey the phone number of a good professional caterer.  And a big hug too. 

Deviled eggs

A Few Easy Hors D’oeuvre

No real “recipes” or quantities here…I don’t know if you’re catering for 8 or 40 or 75.  And we’re not baking a cake so exact measurements aren’t really important.  Just keep tasting as you go and you’ll be fine.

Stuffed Mushrooms - Brush any dirt off the mushrooms with a brush or a paper towel.  Remove the stems and chop them finely.  Gently sauté the chopped stems in a little olive oil together with some finely chopped scallions, and finely chopped red and/or yellow bell peppers.  A touch of pancetta or prosciutto would go nicely too if you don’t need to keep them vegetarian.  Let cool, then mix with grated parmesan cheese, soft fresh breadcrumbs, chopped parsley and salt and pepper.  Stuff the mushrooms, sprinkle with a little parmesan and place a tiny pat of butter on each mushroom.  Bake at 425° for 20 minutes.  Best served warm but you can stuff then a few hours in advance and keep in the refrigerator until ready to bake.

Koftas with Minted Yogurt Dip - Mix ground beef or lamb with good quality curry powder, lightly beaten egg, soft fresh breadcrumbs, chopped fresh cilantro, salt and pepper.  To make sure the meatballs are seasoned to your liking, make a small test meatball, fry it and taste it.  Adjust the seasoning if necessary and form into meatballs about the size of a walnut.  Bake at 350° until cooked through, about 10 minutes for small meatballs.  To make the dipping sauce, mix plain yogurt with a good quantity of chopped fresh mint, a touch of honey and salt to taste.  You can make the meatballs in advance and refrigerate or freeze until needed, then re-warm in a 350° oven.

Asparagus wrapped in prosciutto

Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto – Trim some thick asparagus (not the pencil-thin type) and steam until tender but not totally cooked through.  The spears should stand to attention when you hold one at the base.  Let cool, then wrap each spear in half a slice of very thinly sliced prosciutto.  Serve with a dipping sauce made of mayonnaise, pesto, chopped fresh basil and a little lemon juice and zest.  If you’ve made your own mayo, even better.  This can be made a few hours in advance and kept refrigerated.

Antipasti Platter- Never underestimate the power of the antipasti.  There’s something for everyone - carnivores and vegetarians, kids and grownups.  Antipasti can be as simple or as elaborate as you want and requires very little prep or cooking time.  A no-brainer really, though it does assume a source of good raw materials.  Start with salami, cured ham, mortadella, olives and roasted red peppers (preferably homemade but store-bought will do in a pinch, and I’m often in a pinch).  Add a wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano or aged pecorino or some marinated mozzarella cheese.  Grill some sliced zucchini, squash, eggplant or mushrooms (or a combination) and, while still warm, kiss with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and the barest hint of good aged balsamic vinegar.  Garnish with a little fresh chopped marjoram or some torn basil leaves.  Arrange the antipasti on one large or several small pretty platters or cutting boards.  Serve it forth with sliced focaccia or baguette and Bob’s your uncle.

Quail eggs

Deviled Eggs- Hard boil as many eggs as you need.  Quail eggs are petite and attractive but regular old hen eggs are just fine too.  Peel the eggs and cut them in half lengthwise.  Scoop out the yolks and mix with a touch (just a touch) of Dijon mustard and enough mayonnaise to get a nice creamy consistency.  Season with salt to taste.  A little mashed anchovy or anchovy paste is a nice alternative to the salt, adding both saltiness and depth.  Pipe or spoon the yolk mixture back into the egg whites.  Top with a caper or a slice of pickle, or maybe a cilantro leaf.  But not all three, less is more here.  Deviled eggs can be made a few hours in advance and refrigerated until serving time.  If you’re Southern, you probably have a deviled egg plate with little indentations in which each egg can sit.  If not, serve on a pretty plate but remember that eggs are slippery little devils so try not to send them sliding across the plate and onto the floor.