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JANET K. KEELERPass up the formal dinner and instead offer a variety of tasty tidbits for a more casual, inviting atmosphere.
An appetizer party is so much more fun than a dinner party.
A call to "come over for appetizers" sounds like casual clothes and interesting conversation to me. An invitation to dinner makes me think of sitting up straight and trying to remember which way to pass the peas (clockwise, say the etiquette experts).
But a party of nibbles encourages guests to circulate, allowing bits and pieces of conversation to start - and end - naturally. The food, too, invites individuality. Guests can pass up what they don't like without feeling guilty and take seconds of the offerings they do like.
A table of yummy appetizers can break the ice. When there's nothing to say, people will always talk about food.
"Is that artichoke in the dip?"
"Did you taste these?" or "You must try this." One hopes not "What is that?"
A New Year's Eve party or New Year's Day football gathering is the perfect time to try out new appetizers or make old favorites (the cheesy-boozy Beer Dip comes to mind). Anything goes at New Year's, unlike Christmas, when tradition demands certain flavors. We are now officially over cinnamon, peppermint and cranberry.
Don't have a favorite appetizer recipe? Let's take care of that today. I've tested several that can be added to your recipe box.
Creamy Artichoke Dip, a dish served at the Ligonier Tavern in Ligonier, Pa., and printed in Bon Appetit (November 2001), is my new fave this year. Slightly tart, marinated artichoke hearts are swathed in cream cheese, mozzarella and other flavorings, then spiked with minced jalapenos. The mixture is baked until bubbly and served with chunky pita chips.
The artichoke dip can be made a day ahead and then baked when needed. (My husband smeared leftovers on a flour tortilla, popped it in the microwave and called it dinner on a recent busy evening.)
An old favorite is versatile Crab & Cheese Filling from Fast & Flashy Hors d'Oeuvres by Michael Braden (Acropolis, 1988), which can be served hot or cold, smooth or chunky. I've always made this mixture of crab meat, grated Swiss cheese, cream cheese, sherry and capers, among other ingredients, in a chunky style, although the recipe calls for them to be mixed smooth in a food processor. (When I first started making this recipe, I did not have the money to buy a Cuisinart. Didn't hurt the finished product one bit.)
I tried the food processor method this year and was amazed at the difference. The green onions and parsley make the filling green, and the processor turned my chunky dip into a smooth, speckled spread. Whereas I'd always served it as a dip with crackers, this time I mounded the filling in Athens mini-phyllo cups and baked them at 350 degrees for about six minutes.
They were delicious warm, but I suspected they would lose their allure cold. I was wrong; even at room temperature they were delicious. (The filling can also be made a day ahead.) The next time I make this filling, I'll blend all the ingredients in the food processor except the crab, adding the delicate flakes at the end to give the filling more texture and also to let people know they are eating something as special as this sweet shellfish.
The filling can be varied further by using different cheeses, such as Cheddar or Monterey Jack.
The last of the appetizer trio is Walnut, Arugula and Gorgonzola Crostini, also from Bon Appetit (February 1997), which sounds darn fussy and posh but is actually quite doable, though still posh.
Crostini, thin, toasted baguette slices, is simple to make and can be prepared a day in advance. Slice bread a quarter-inch thick on the diagonal and spread butter or brush olive oil on one side. Toast at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes or until golden. Let cool, then store in a zipper-type plastic bag. Now you've got a base for dips, spread or even store-bought bruschetta mix or olive salad.
For this recipe, toasted, chopped walnuts are mixed with minced arugula and Gorgonzola crumbles. You can buy 4-ounce tubs of crumbled Gorgonzola for about $2.50, but you'll get more intense flavor if you buy a small wedge for just a little more and break it apart yourself.
The crostini, unlike the filled phyllo cups, does lose its oomph when the bread goes cold. However, the appetizer can be quickly, and satisfactorily, revived by 10 seconds in the microwave.
I found both Bon Appetit recipes on www.epicurious.com which includes reviews from home cooks. Epicurious' recipe collection is made more interesting by their suggestions for substitutions and adjustments. For instance, several cooks said they added more jalapeno and hot sauce to the artichoke dip.
For an appetizer party, most caterers figure on five hors d'oeuvres per person per hour. So if you're having 30 people for a two-hour cocktail party, you'll need 300 pieces of food. (Sounds like a middle school math problem and a party headache, doesn't it?)
Before you panic at the thought of making 300 handcrafted appetizers, remember that cookies, chips, fruit, cheese or meat platters, nuts and other store-bought nibbles can make up the bulk of your spread. Augment what you buy (or others bring) with a couple of show-stopping, homemade hors d'oeuvres.
This is the year to find your signature appetizer.
Crab and Cheese Filling
11 ounces cream cheese
1 to 2 cups Swiss, Gruyere, Cheddar or Jack cheese, grated
11/2 tablespoons sherry
12 ounces crab meat, fresh, frozen, canned or imitation
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
6 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish
Salt, white pepper and lemon juice to taste
2 dozen frozen mini-phyllo cups
Combine the cream cheese, grated cheese and sherry in a food processor until creamed. Add the remaining ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings. (Can be made one day ahead.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill each phyllo cup with 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling and bake on a cookie sheet for about 10 minutes or until set.
Makes 24.
Creamy Artichoke Dip
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
3 6-ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained, coarsely chopped
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese (about 21/2 ounces)
3 green onions, finely chopped
2 teaspoons minced seeded jalapeno pepper
Using electric mixer, beat first eight ingredients in large bowl to blend. Fold in artichokes, mozzarella cheese, green onions and jalapeno. Transfer to 11- by 7-inch baking dish. (Can be made one day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake dip until bubbling and brown on top, about 20 minutes. Serve hot dip with pita chips.
Source: Bon Appetit magazine, November 2001.
Walnut, Arugula and Gorgonzola Crostini
Butter, room temperature
18 1/4-inch-thick diagonal baguette bread slices
6 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts
3 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons finely chopped arugula
Arugula leaves
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread butter over one side of each baguette slice. Arrange slices on baking sheet, butter side up. Bake until golden, about 12 minutes. Cool.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Mix walnuts, Gorgonzola and arugula in medium bowl. Spoon nut-cheese mixture evenly atop baguette toasts, pressing to adhere. Season toasts with fresh cracked black pepper. Bake toasts just until cheese melts, about 6 minutes.
Cool crostini slightly. Arrange on platter. Garnish platter with arugula leaves and serve.
Makes 18 appetizers.
Source: Bon Appetit magazine, February 1997.
Beer Dip
1 package Hidden Valley dip mix (original flavor)
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
6 ounces beer
6 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
Pretzels
Mix first four ingredients and chill. Use any kind of pretzels for dipping.
Source: www.tailgating.com