The Hors D'oevres Thread

[Mr. Lucky]

Ohhh, Mr. Lucky. I think I'll be needing that restaurants name.....

Caffee Carrera. Just south of Wilshire on La Cienega. Ask for Armando.

 

[pennycarrol]

As a lot of loungers said, this thread makes me really hungry!!! I learned a lot of things!!! Thank you!!! I'm going to try some of your recipes!!! I know, I know, I know, I know, I know.... but my favourite "hors d'oeuvre" is snails in a "persillade".... lol!!! I also love dips of any kind, with uncooked vegetables!!! Smoked salmon is one of my favourite too!!!!!

 

[Rosie]

When I was a kid, I LOVED deviled eggs. My mom would make them for dinners when guests were over, get-toethers, etc. When she found out how much I liked them, she would make me two or three eggs on the weekend for snacks.

My mom is a BIG fan of fried calamari. I am rather partial to the mini crab cakes served at this great restaurant in my neighborhood.

I had an entire box of ready to bake hors d'oevres left over after my Holiday party late last year. Over the course of a week, I ate the entire box for dinner. Potato puffs, chiken and cheese puffs, spinach and cheese puffs, mushroom and something puffs and crab puffs, BJs brand. They were pretty good too.

 

[Miss Crisplock]

Smoked Salmon. Crackers. Repeat.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Black caviar on Bremer crackers

Stuffed mushrooms

Oyster shooters like I used to get at Fishmart in San Diego: a big oyster, some lemon juice and tabasco sauce, with a shot of vodka in it. I just stir and upend it, right down the throat. Then, I grin, feeling no pain.

Shrimp cocktail

Ikura (large salmon roe) with raw quail egg, sushi. That is sheer ecstacy

karol

 

[Decodence]

We've had quite the success with the following appetizers on numerous occasions:

Sweet corn cakes with tomatillo salsa, spicy cream, and fresh avocados.

Avocado eggrolls.

Bacon wrapped scallops with grilled asparagus.

 

[Josephine]

We've had quite the success with the following appetizers on numerous occasions:

Sweet corn cakes with tomatillo salsa, spicy cream, and fresh avocados.
Avocado eggrolls.
Bacon wrapped scallops with grilled asparagus.

I showed The Husband your post, for the last picture (I love bacon!), and this was the response:

Him - Gah! My Tummy is now Rumbly! Damn you woman!!!
Me - That might be nice to have Valentines Day.
Him - All 3! Tonight! Make it so! Yes, V-Day would be good too.
Me - Heehee! I'll try and get the recipes.
Him - Please.

So in the interest of domestic tranquility, could you please post the recipes?

 

[Decodence]

I showed The Husband your post, for the last picture (I love bacon!), and this was the response:

Him - Gah! My Tummy is now Rumbly! Damn you woman!!!
Me - That might be nice to have Valentines Day.
Him - All 3! Tonight! Make it so! Yes, V-Day would be good too.
Me - Heehee! I'll try and get the recipes.
Him - Please.

So in the interest of domestic tranquility, could you please post the recipes?

I'll dig them out when I get home as the proportions of ingredients eludes me W/O having the recipe in front me. The corn cakes are absolute CAKE to make, quick and easy. The spicy mayo is cake too. The tomatillo salsa is a bit more of a pain, especially if you don't have tomatillos fresh, but whatever sauce/avocado/garnish you use is completely up to you.

The eggroll dipping sauce takes quite a bit of ingredients. The eggrolls are pretty simple, but you have to play with the sundried tomatos to see how much you prefer as they can easily overpower the other ingredients. It also pays to have a deep fryer.

The scallops are the simplest of course. I half-cook the back ahead of time, and set it aside until the scallops are ready to go into the oven. I use EXTRA jumbo scallops. They are about a 10-count. Rinse them off, and pat dry. Wrap bacon around, and skewer as necessary (I use 6" bamboo skewers"). Put on rack with baking sheet to catch drippings. Only cook 10-12 mins at 350 (KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THEM AS SCALLOPS ARE VERY EASY TO OVERCOOK). I usually start checking them around 9 mins time. Take out, cool slightly, eat.

Here are some other shots of the scallops for comparison/prep.

(that is a nickle for scale).

Cooking rack

Grilled asparagus, just toss it with EVOO, S&P, and toss onto grill (gas or charcoal, doesn't matter). Turn once, and plate.

 

[Josephine]

I'll dig them out when I get home as the proportions of ingredients eludes me W/O having the recipe in front me.

w00t! I thank you, The Husband thanks you, our stomachs thank you.

 

[MissHuff]

Why did you have to post those bacon wrapped scallops? :eusa_doh: Now I reeeally want some.. and by some I mean 50

 

[Decodence]

We've had a house guest for the last week, so I didn't get a chance to sit down and type out the recipes last night, but will get to them this afternoon for sure. Sorry.

 

[Josephine]

That's ok, D, I have until the weekend after Valentine's Day to gather up everything.

 

[Joli7211]

Thinly sliced baguette with triple cream brie, lavender honey, and hazelnuts.

Tres muy.

Oh wow! That sounds heavenly!

 

[Decodence]

Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes

Salsa Verde
2 Tomatillos, chopped (remove papery skin)
1 4-ounce can mild green chilies
1 green onion, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1 ¼ teaspoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Tomato Salsa
1 medium tomato, diced
1 tablespoon minced Spanish onion
1 tablespoon minced, fresh cilantro
¼ teaspoon lime juice
¬? small fresh jalapeno, minced
Dash salt
Dash ground black pepper

Southwestern Sauce
¬? cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon water
¾ teaspoon granulated sugar
¬? teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder dash salt
Dash garlic powder

Cakes
1 ¬? cups frozen sweet corn
¬? cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt ¬? cup masa harina (corn flour)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Garnish
¼ cup sour cream
¬? avocado, chopped
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped, fresh cilantro

1. Prepare salsa verde by combining all ingredients in a food processor on high speed. Cover and chill.
2. Prepare tomato salsa by combining all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill.
3. Prepare southwestern sauce by combining all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
5. Prepare the tamale cakes by chopping 1 cup of the frozen corn in a food processor until it’s coarsely pureed. Combine pureed corn with softened butter, sugar and salt. Blend well with electric mixer until smooth.
6. Add masa and flour and blend well. Mix in the remaining ¬? cup of frozen corn kernels by hand.
7. Measure ¬? cup portions of the mixture and form it into 1-inch wide patties with your hands. Arrange the patties on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cake are lightly browned on the bottom. Carefully flip all cakes with a spatula and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the other side is browned.
8. While the cakes are baking, spoon a portion of the salsa verde onto a plate or platter (you may want to heat your plate in the oven for a bit to help warm the sauce). Arrange the tamale cakes side-by-side, top with sour cream, drizzle southwestern sauce, sprinkle with tomato salsa, avocado and cilantro.


Avocado Eggrolls

Dipping Sauce
¼ cup chopped cashews
2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, quartered
2 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
¬? teaspoon tamarind pulp
¬? cup honey
¼ cup olive oil

Eggrolls
1 large avocado
2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes (bottled in oil)
1 tablespoon minced red onion
¬? teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
Pinch salt
3 eggroll wrappers
1 egg, beaten
Vegetable oil for frying

1. After you peel the avocado and remove the pit, dice it into bite-size pieces
2. In a small bowl, combine the avocado with the tomatoes, red onion, cilantro and salt. Be careful not to smash the avocado.
3. Prepare the eggrolls by spooning 1/3 the filling into an eggroll wrapper. With the wrapper positioned so that one corner is pointing toward you, place the filling about 1 inch from the bottom corner and 1 inch from each side. Roll the bottom corner up over the filling, then roll the filling up to about the middle of the wrapper. Brush the remaining corners and edges of the wrapper with the beaten egg. Fold the left and right corners over the filling and “glue” the corners to the wrapper. Finish by rolling the wrapper and filling up over the top corner. Press on the wrapper to ensure it is sealed. Repeat these steps with the remaining two eggrolls and keep them covered in the refrigerator while you make the dipping sauce. You can easily double (or triple!) this recipe for larger servings.
4. Prepare the sauce by combining the cashews, cilantro, garlic, green onions, sugar, black pepper, and cumin in a food processor or blender. Blend with short bursts until the mixture is well blended, and the cashews and garlic have been chopped into pieces about half the size of a grain of rice.
5. Combine the vinegars, honey tamarind, and saffron in a small bowl. Heat the mixture for about one minute in a mircrowave, then stir until the tamarind pulp dissolves completely.
6. Pour the tamarind mixture into the blender or food processor with the cashew mixture and mix with short bursts until well combined.
7. Pour the blended sauce into a small bowl. Add the oil and stir by hand. Cover and refrigerate the sauce for at least 30 minutes before serving.
8. Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep pan over medium heat. The oil should be deep enough to cover the eggrolls.
9. When the oil is hot, fry the eggrolls for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
10. When the eggrolls have cooled enough to touch, slice once diagonally across the middle of each one and serve them arranged around a sauce dish filled with the dipping sauce.

 

[Josephine]

Decodence, thank you again, I do appreciate your typing all that out. I'll let you know how The Husband liked them.

 

[Lady Day]

For me, raw veggies. Rarely anything cooked. I like going into the main corse with a clean taste in my mouth

LD

 

[pennycarrol]

[/QSweet Corn Tamale Cakes

Salsa Verde
2 Tomatillos, chopped (remove papery skin)
1 4-ounce can mild green chilies
1 green onion, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1 ¼ teaspoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Tomato Salsa
1 medium tomato, diced
1 tablespoon minced Spanish onion
1 tablespoon minced, fresh cilantro
¼ teaspoon lime juice
¬? small fresh jalapeno, minced
Dash salt
Dash ground black pepper

Southwestern Sauce
¬? cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon water
¾ teaspoon granulated sugar
¬? teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder dash salt
Dash garlic powder

Cakes
1 ¬? cups frozen sweet corn
¬? cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt ¬? cup masa harina (corn flour)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Garnish
¼ cup sour cream
¬? avocado, chopped
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped, fresh cilantro

1. Prepare salsa verde by combining all ingredients in a food processor on high speed. Cover and chill.
2. Prepare tomato salsa by combining all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill.
3. Prepare southwestern sauce by combining all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
5. Prepare the tamale cakes by chopping 1 cup of the frozen corn in a food processor until it’s coarsely pureed. Combine pureed corn with softened butter, sugar and salt. Blend well with electric mixer until smooth.
6. Add masa and flour and blend well. Mix in the remaining ¬? cup of frozen corn kernels by hand.
7. Measure ¬? cup portions of the mixture and form it into 1-inch wide patties with your hands. Arrange the patties on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cake are lightly browned on the bottom. Carefully flip all cakes with a spatula and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the other side is browned.
8. While the cakes are baking, spoon a portion of the salsa verde onto a plate or platter (you may want to heat your plate in the oven for a bit to help warm the sauce). Arrange the tamale cakes side-by-side, top with sour cream, drizzle southwestern sauce, sprinkle with tomato salsa, avocado and cilantro.


Avocado Eggrolls

Dipping Sauce
¼ cup chopped cashews
2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, quartered
2 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
¬? teaspoon tamarind pulp
¬? cup honey
¼ cup olive oil

Eggrolls
1 large avocado
2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes (bottled in oil)
1 tablespoon minced red onion
¬? teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
Pinch salt
3 eggroll wrappers
1 egg, beaten
Vegetable oil for frying

1. After you peel the avocado and remove the pit, dice it into bite-size pieces
2. In a small bowl, combine the avocado with the tomatoes, red onion, cilantro and salt. Be careful not to smash the avocado.
3. Prepare the eggrolls by spooning 1/3 the filling into an eggroll wrapper. With the wrapper positioned so that one corner is pointing toward you, place the filling about 1 inch from the bottom corner and 1 inch from each side. Roll the bottom corner up over the filling, then roll the filling up to about the middle of the wrapper. Brush the remaining corners and edges of the wrapper with the beaten egg. Fold the left and right corners over the filling and “glue” the corners to the wrapper. Finish by rolling the wrapper and filling up over the top corner. Press on the wrapper to ensure it is sealed. Repeat these steps with the remaining two eggrolls and keep them covered in the refrigerator while you make the dipping sauce. You can easily double (or triple!) this recipe for larger servings.
4. Prepare the sauce by combining the cashews, cilantro, garlic, green onions, sugar, black pepper, and cumin in a food processor or blender. Blend with short bursts until the mixture is well blended, and the cashews and garlic have been chopped into pieces about half the size of a grain of rice.
5. Combine the vinegars, honey tamarind, and saffron in a small bowl. Heat the mixture for about one minute in a mircrowave, then stir until the tamarind pulp dissolves completely.
6. Pour the tamarind mixture into the blender or food processor with the cashew mixture and mix with short bursts until well combined.
7. Pour the blended sauce into a small bowl. Add the oil and stir by hand. Cover and refrigerate the sauce for at least 30 minutes before serving.
8. Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep pan over medium heat. The oil should be deep enough to cover the eggrolls.
9. When the oil is hot, fry the eggrolls for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
10. When the eggrolls have cooled enough to touch, slice once diagonally across the middle of each one and serve them arranged around a sauce dish filled with the dipping sauce.UOTE]

Thanks for sharing your recipe!!! I'm definitely going to try it!!! I just hope that I can find all the ingredients here!! My friends are going to be very impressed (well if I succeed in doing this lol lol lol!!!)!! Very original!!

 

[Decodence]

Thanks for sharing your recipe!!! I'm definitely going to try it!!! I just hope that I can find all the ingredients here!! My friends are going to be very impressed (well if I succeed in doing this lol lol lol!!!)!! Very original!!

As I mentioned before though, you may want to take it easy on the sundried tomatos. They pack quite a flavor wallop, and I cut back on them after taste-testing the filling. These are both rediculously easy to make, and require next to no technical food prep skills. Just take it slow and easy, and they will turn out great.

 

[Decodence]

Were you able to pull those off?

 

[Josephine]

Were you able to pull those off?

I'm doing the scallops tonight for The Husband's birthday. He wanted my Linguine with Shrimp and Clam Sauce for dinner too.