We are currently in the midst of preparing for the 1997 Charleston Conference, one aspect of which is an hors d'oeuvres party at our house for fifty or sixty people. With that in mind, we have decided that the one cookbook that is not on the market (or at least not found by us) is one that focuses on appetizers which can be made ahead of time and frozen for later use. Numerous cookbooks have two or three recipes of this type, but very few highlight numerous recipes that adapt to this type of entertaining. In previous columns, we have listed a few of those that we have found, such as Rag Mops and Miniature Shrimp Quiche. Our freezer is already filling up with those favorites and now we are working on some new recipes. In each case, we make a "batch" of the appetizer, freeze a couple of pieces separately and then try re-heating the test pieces to see if they lend themselves to freezing and re-heating. Anything that works well will be made in a larger quantity. We have found several that meet our criteria and they are included in this column. We are working on a few more that may appear in the future. One in particular, a version of the shrimp quiche that uses mushrooms in place of the seafood, looks promising.
If you have any ideas for do-ahead appetizers, please let us know. We still have a week or so left to prepare!
Ingredients:
Combine the grated cheese and chopped green chiles. Separate won ton wrappers and lay on waxed paper. Lightly beat together the egg white and water in a small bowl. Place one-half teaspoon of the cheese mixture on each won ton wrapper. Tightly fold the won ton like an envelope, sealing the edges with the egg and water wash. When all of the wrappers are filled, fry the won tons, two or three at a time in 2 inches of hot oil, until brown. Drain on paper towels. Frying the won tons should be done quickly since the cheese will begin to ooze from the wrapper if left too long in the oil. If the won tons are not being served immediately, place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze. Once they are frozen, place the won tons into plastic freezer bags. When ready to serve, reheat for five minutes at 350°. Serve with guacamole slightly thinned with lime juice or cream. Makes 40 appetizers.
Ingredients:
Preheat oven to 400°. Cut off the ends of the bread loaves and, using a long serrated knife, hollow out the loaves and place the inside of the loaves into a food processor. Process the bread to fine crumbs and reserve.
Heat the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring, just until browned. Add the beef and onion. Cook until the beef is lightly browned, stirring to break up any large pieces. Cool the meat mixture briefly, then add the egg, mustard, reserved bread crumbs and seasoning. Spoon the mixture into the hollowed out bread, packing tightly. Brush the loaves with the melted butter, wrap in separate pieces of foil, leaving a large opening at the top of each loaf. Place the loaves on a cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately, or, if serving at a later time, cool in the refrigerator. When cool, wrap the loaves tightly in foil and freeze. To serve, partially thaw the loaves in the refrigerator before slicing into 3/4 inch pieces. Place the partially thawed slices on a cookie sheet and heat at 400°, turning once, until golden brown.
Thin the Dijon mustard with cream until it reaches a consistency of heavy cream. Serve the bread slices with a small portion of the mustard mixture. Makes 40-50 slices.
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