David's Birthday Bites
My lovely husband turned 33 recently, and we decided to have a little get-together to celebrate his surviving another year. In typically over-ambitious fashion, I picked out a bunch of fun-looking appetizers to try to make. I would definitely like to make each one of these on its own some evening, so I can really get a chance to appreciate them (parties by their nature are fairly whirlwind, so most of these were only sampled briefly).
Recipes
Pancetta crisps with goat cheese and pear
from Bon Appetit: Fast Fresh and Easy CookbookMakes 1616 thin slices pancetta16 tsp soft fresh goat cheese2 very ripe small pears, halved, cored, cut into ¼" thick slicesPreheat oven to 450 F. Place pancetta slices in single layer on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with pepper. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Using spatula, slide pancetta crisps onto platter. Top each with 1 tsp goat cheese and 1 pear slice.
Musings
So these were amazing. Hands down. Super simple and yet crazy delicious! This fabulous combination of salty, sweet and creamy. I desperately want to make these again.
Camembert with blue cheese, figs and Port
from Bon Appetit: Fast Fresh and Easy CookbookServes 61 8-oz firm Camembert cheese with rind1 large egg, beaten1 cup fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless French bread1 cup ruby Port1 cup dried black Mission figs, halved lengthwise1 tbsp sugar2 tbsp butter⅓ cup crumbled blue cheese1 baguette, sliced into rounds, lightly toastedBrush Camembert on all sides with egg, then coat with breadcrumbs. Place coated cheese on foil-lined plate and cover. Bring Port to simmer in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Add figs; simmer until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer figs to small bow. Add sugar to Port in pan; boil until reduced to thick syrup, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Pour syrup over figs.Melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium high heat. Add Camembert and cook until breadcrumbs are brown and cheese is warm, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to platter. Top with blue cheese, figs and syrup.
Musings
Another not difficult to make appetizer, that was also quite delicious. I think breading the camembert is a really interesting idea, and the sweetness of the figs were a nice touch.
Warm spinach-Parmesan dip
from Bon Appetit: Fast Fresh and Easy CookbookMakes about 3 cups2 tbsp butter2 tbsp olive oil1¾ cups chopped onion6 large garlic cloves, minced2 tbsp all purpose flour½ cup chicken broth½ cup heavy whipping cream1 9-oz bag fresh spinach leaves1 cup (packed) grated Parmesan cheese¼ cup sour cream½ tsp cayenne pepperMelt butter with oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is tender, about 6 minutes. Add flour; stir 2 minutes. Gradually add broth and whipping cream, whisking constantly until mixture thickens and boils, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in spinach, cheese, sour cream and cayenne (spinach will wilt). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer dip to bowl and serve with toasted baguette slices.
Musings
Another lovely appetizer, though ultimately quite onion-y in flavour (perhaps not surprising given the abundance of onions in the dish). The cayenne also gave it a surprising amount of heat, which you might not expect at first glance.
Honey-baked coconut shrimp
from Bite MeServes 4-6½ cup honey1½ cups panko1 cup flaked sweetened coconut½ tsp ground cumin½ tsp salt¼ tsp ground black pepper26 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveinedApricot dipping sauce⅔ cup apricot jam3 tbsp Heinz chili sauce2 tsp Dijon mustardPreheat oven to 425 F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. For the shrimp, pour honey in a medium bowl and warm on high in the microwave, 20-25 seconds. On a large plate, combine panko, coconut, cumin, salt and pepper. Taking shrimp one at a time, dip in honey and then coat in coconut mixture. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake 14 minutes, gently flipping shrimp halfway through baking.For the sauce, place jam in a medium bowl. Warm in the microwave for 45 seconds. Add chili sauce and Dijon mustard, stirring to combine. Serve with baked coconut shrimp.
Musings
A few notes on preparation: We used Asian chili-garlic sauce instead of Heinz chili sauce in the dip. We also ran out of cumin, so we used chili powder instead.The breading was not as crispy as I might have liked and did have a tendency to fall off as you flipped the shrimp. I think I could see broiling them for a bit to crisp up the topping. Otherwise, quite a nice little bite-sized appetizer!