Hors D'oeuvres

Last night was my last Gourmet Pot Luck dinner in VA. I chose to bring Hors D’oeuvres and may have gone overboard, but all were delicious and I am glad I made them. The first appetizer comes from our new friend Charlotte. I had these at her house and really enjoyed them. The page from the cookbook says Easy Low Fat. It makes 20 wonderful tasting and gorgeous to look at appetizers.
Smoked Salmon Wraps
Ingredients:
4 oz thinly sliced salmon lox
¼ C whipped cream cheese spread
20 small sprigs fresh dill weed
20 fresh sugar snap peas
1 cucumber
Directions:
1. Carefully separate slices of salmon; place individually on work surface. Spread slices with thin layer of cream cheese.
2. Cut salmon into 20 strips (3”x1”) . I had 5 pieces in my package. I cut them in half vertically and then again in half horizontally. Top each strip with dill and place 1 sugar snap pea crosswise on each strip and roll up.
3. Using a sharp vegetable peeler, make ribbons of cucumber by peeling lengthwise on a washed cucumber. Curl up the cucumber and place a salmon wrap on each ribbon.
Appetizer number 2 came from our friend Jane in New Hope, PA. She said it comes from her favorite cookbook called 365 Snacks, Hors D’oeuvres & Appetizers by Lonnie Gandara and Peggy Fallon. This was so easy it will be a standard of mine. It tasted great.
Potted Pecan Shrimp
Ingredients:
1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
2 T minced celery
2 T beer (Jane says she does not add) I added and drank the rest
2 t grated onion
¼ t Worcestershire Sauce
1/8 t dry mustard
½ C chopped cooked shelled shrimp (1/4#)
½ C chopped toasted pecans
Directions:
1. In a bowl combine the first six ingredients. Blend well.
2. Stir in shrimp and pecans. Pack into a crock or other serving container, cover and refrigerate 1 hour or as long as 2 days.
3. Serve with crackers.
At least half of our group will not eat fish. So I pulled out an old favorite from my Williams Sonoma “Spring” Cookbook written by Joanne Weir. Makes 36 puffs. We love this appetizer.
Asparagus-Parmesan Cheese Puffs
Ingredients:
¼# asparagus spears (Take off the tough ends before weighing)
¾ C milk
5 T unsalted butter, cut into pieces.
¾ C all-purpose flour
½ t salt
¼ t cayenne pepper
3 eggs
¾ C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ C shredded Gruyere cheese
Butter spray
Directions:
1. Cut the asparagus spears into ¼” pieces. I cooked them in the microwave. Set aside.
2. Sift together the flour, salt, and cayenne pepper into a small bowl. In a heavy saucepan, combine the milk and butter and bring to a boil. When the milk comes to a boil and the butter is melted, remove from the heat and add the flour mixture all at once. Using a wooden spoon, beat vigorously until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Let cool for 10 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment and lightly butter the paper. I used butter spray.
4. Add the asparagus and cheeses to the cooled dough and stir to mix well. I used a teaspoon size meatball maker to evenly measure out 36 puffs on the two baking sheets.
5. Bake until golden brown. I used the convection setting and it took 20 minutes.
6. Directions say to remove from oven and serve immediately. I could not do that as we were not eating here. When I got to the house, the hostess put them in the microwave to warm.
Finally the world’s hardest appetizer, Stuffed Grape Leaves. This recipe comes from Michael Symon and is in the April Bon Appétit. I’ve never made stuffed grape leaves and I now believe that you have to be born Greek to wrap them properly. These tasted much better than the rice ones I’ve had, but were not firm and took two hands to eat. The full recipe makes 50; I cut the recipe in half. I wish I had made these the day before as they were very time consuming. I started them before I made the other three appetizers and they could have stood more time in the refrigerator.
Grape Leaves with Bulgur and Mint
Ingredients
1 ½ C whole grain quick-cooking bulgur
2 ¼ C chopped green onions (about 14)
2 C chopped plum tomatoes (about 14 oz) I used canned drained
3/4C chopped fresh dill
¾ C chopped fresh mint
½ C EVOO
1T plus 1/4C fresh lemon juice
1 t ground cumin
55 brined grape leaves from two 7-8 oz jars, drained, stems cut off if needed
1/4C EVOO
Lemon slices for garnish
Salt and pepper
Directions:
1. Combine bulgur, onions, tomatoes, chopped dill, mint, ½ C EVOO, 1T lemon juice, 1 ¼ t salt and 1t pepper in a large bowl. Let soak at room temperature for 1 hour.
2. Line the bottom of a large pot with 2 layers of grape leaves, covering bottom completely; set aside.
3. Open 1 grape leaf and lay flat, veined side down, on a work surface (if leaf is small or broken, patch with 1 additional leaf). Place 1 T bulgur filling atop center of leaf. Fold stem end of leaf up over bulgur filling, then fold in sides of leaf over filling and roll up tightly, enclosing filling completely. Tightly is harder than you think as if you put too much pressure the leaf rips. However, not tight enough, and they are not firm when done. Repeat with remaining grape leaves and filling.
4. Place filled grape leaves, seam side down, in the grape-leaf lined pot, flitting snugly together and layering filled leaves atop one another as needed.
5. Pour 6 cups of water over the grape leaves to cover generously, and then pour ¼ C lemon juice and 1/4C EVOO over. Place a pie or tart pan atop the leaves in pot; top with heavy heatproof dish and plate to weigh down.
6. Bring liquid to a simmer. Cover pot and allow grape leaves to cool in liquid to room temperature.
7. Gently remove filled grape leaves from liquid and drain on paper towels. Place on a platter, cover and chill.
8. Can be made 3 days ahead. If I ever do this again, I’d do it at least a day ahead.
I will certainly miss our group.