Into every life a cocktail party or fit of the munchies will fall. They can be particularly difficult as so often the alluring bits of food are placed on pieces of toast, bread, or crackers with wheat. Fortunately, these can be replaced with thin Japanese rice crackers. Word of caution: the crackers crumble easily, which can make clothing a mess if the topping is rather liquid. In such cases, consider endive leaves or other vegetables cut into slices as dippers or bases. Cucumbers sliced across are invaluable. The spicy Chickpea Bonbons (page 181) and Yum Yum Nut Sweets (page 178) can also be great snacks or starters.
Additionally, there are many recipes elsewhere in this book that can be served as first courses: soups and pastas, special vegetables, some salads, some fish and seafood, and other meats. It is mostly a question of portion size. Not all meals require a first course; but they do lend an air of festivity, especially as the table will require more flatware.
It is important that the first course not conflict with or contradict the main course. Balance is critical in ingredients, flavors, colors, and even temperature.
This chapter also contains information on alcohol and includes some recipes for permissible (alcohol-free) drinks.
I love potato chips—British crisps—as much as the next person, but they are not the solution to every drinks party. These, made with commercial rice paper, are lighter and clearly homemade. They last a long time, and the recipe can be multiplied as often as desired and the will to deep-fat-fry holds out.
3 cups safflower oil
2 sheets rice paper
2 teaspoons Lemon Zesty Spice Mix (page 202)
Add the oil to a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring the oil to 325–350°F, then reduce the heat to medium. Fill a large bowl with cold water and soak the rice papers in it. Soak a dishtowel in cold water, wring out, and lay flat on the counter. Gently remove the first piece of rice paper and lay flat on one side of the dishtowel. Fold the dishtowel over it. Remove the remaining piece of rice paper and place it on top of the dishtowel. Blot excess water with a paper towel.
Cut the rice paper into two half-moons, then cut each half lengthwise into ½-inch-wide strips. There will be 30 to 35 strips per sheet of rice paper. The rice paper is quite sticky, so the pieces will not be perfect strips but rather knotty and twisted pieces.
Drop the pieces into the oil 5 to 7 at a time and stir to prevent sticking. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until crisp, and transfer to a paper-towel-lined tray. Repeat with the remaining pieces. Season with the lemon spice mix.
MAKES 60 TO 70 STRIPS (3 TO 4 CUPS)
Come drink time, there is often a need for a spicy snack. This is it, and crunchy too—not for the fainthearted.
3 tablespoons safflower oil
¼ cup popcorn kernels
1½ tablespoons Barbara’s Five-Spice Powder (page 202)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Add half of the oil and all of the kernels to a 4-quart pot with a lid over medium heat. Leave the lid slightly ajar to allow some steam to escape. Cook, shaking the pot occasionally, until the popping sounds start to die down, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the popcorn to a bowl. Stir the remaining oil and the spice powder into the pot over medium heat until it becomes fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the popcorn back into the pot, toss until well and evenly coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
MAKES 1½ QUARTS
When people stop by, whether expectedly or unexpectedly, in ones and twos or in full-size crowds, I want to serve some food along with a glass of wine or another drink. It is always comforting to have a couple of items on hand that can be prepared easily, preferably ahead of time, and set out on a table with pride. The food should look appealing while satisfying most taste preferences.
One favorite is fenneled olives, which taste better when made a week in advance and kept refrigerated. The flavors combine to give an illusion of sweetness.
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 cups Kalamata (preferred) or Gaeta olives
8 strips orange zest, about ½ inch wide and 3½ inches long
6 strips lemon zest, about ½ inch wide and 3½ inches long
2 tablespoons honey
Pureé the fennel seeds, garlic, orange juice, and vinegar in a blender or with a mortar and pestle until a liquid paste is formed. This will take 2 or 3 minutes in the blender and twice as long with a pestle.
With a rubber spatula, scrape every bit of the fennel mixture onto the olives. Stir the orange zest, lemon zest, and honey into the olives.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, stirring or shaking occasionally. The olives will keep for up to a month.
MAKES 4 CUPS
Roasted peppers are a classic part of an Italian antipasto and can go into pasta sauce or be served as a vegetable.
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 recipe Roasted Peppers (page 26), cut into 1- to 1½-inch-wide strips
Three 2-ounce cans oil-packed anchovies, rinsed
6 or 7 chive blossoms (see Note, page 27)
Whisk the vinegar, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl until the salt is dissolved. Add the peppers and their liquid and toss to coat. Let marinate at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours or store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Lay the pepper strips out flat on a large platter. Arrange the anchovy fillets evenly on top. Sprinkle with the petals from the chive flowers.
SERVES 4 AS A FIRST COURSE, 8 AS A SNACK
This quick-to-assemble roasted red pepper spread is a fine accompaniment to crudités. Paper napkins, ice, sodas, and mixers complete the shopping list for a cocktail party.
Three 7-ounce jars roasted red peppers, drained, or 5 home-roasted bell peppers (see sidebar, opposite)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley leaves
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 teaspoons drained capers
2 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled, and crushed into a paste
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Arrange the drained peppers on a double layer of paper towels; let dry.
Process the remaining ingredients in a food processor or blender until the capers and parsley are very finely chopped.
Add the peppers and pulse until the peppers are coarsely chopped. Do not overprocess. Stop several times to scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure the mixture is evenly chopped.
Check the seasonings and adjust as necessary.
Serve with crudités.
MAKES 3 CUPS
I know, I know—it’s ceviche—but I couldn’t resist repeating the s to make scallop seviche. As written, the recipe results in a beautiful first course. Without the avocado, or with avocado cut into small cubes, it can be spooned into clam shells and served as an hors d’oeuvre.
1 pound sea scallops, outer muscle removed, quartered, or bay scallops, left whole
⅓ cup fresh lime juice
½ small red onion (about 4 ounces), chopped medium-fine
¼ cup finely chopped chives
1 large bunch cilantro, stemmed and roughly chopped (about ½ cup)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and cut in half
¼ cup chive blossoms (see Note) if available
Combine the scallops, lime juice, red onion, and chives in a bowl. Let sit for 30 minutes. Add the cilantro 15 minutes before serving. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide into four portions and serve alongside half an avocado. Sprinkle with chive blossoms.
SERVES 4 AS A FIRST COURSE OR MAKES ABOUT 24 HORS D’OEUVRE
NOTE
Chive Blossoms
These pale purple beauties are a rare treat if you are lucky enough to come across them. They are both gorgeous and delicious. Chive blossoms are actually many individual little flowers held together at the top of the stem. To free, grasp the base of the “blossom” with one hand and the purple flowers with the other, twist, and yank off.
A Middle Eastern specialty that is given depth of flavor by the toasted sesame oil and freshness by the mint. If mint is unavailable, substitute 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley. Serve on lettuce leaves and top, untraditionally, with thinly sliced red onion for color. A clear yellow plate makes a lovely background. As a drink with this, you might try Greek ouzo or Turkish raki on the rocks with a splash of water to turn it milky.
One 19-ounce can chickpeas, drained, or 2½ cups cooked chickpeas (see page 224)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
⅓ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
Rinse the chickpeas, drain thoroughly, and place in a food processor. Process, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides, until the peas are coarsely mashed. Add the lemon juice, garlic, salt, and sesame oil and continue processing until the mixture is smooth. With the motor running, pour the olive oil into the hummus and process until incorporated. Put the hummus into a bowl and stir in the sesame seeds and mint. Serve as a dip.
MAKES ABOUT 1½ CUPS
I love tabbouleh. It is always made with cracked wheat, but I wanted to rescue it for our special diet. This is our own gluten-free version of the popular Middle Eastern dish, made with buckwheat, which isn’t wheat at all. When it is a hundred degrees outdoors, this is a delicious first course or even a main with sliced tomatoes and lettuce. When winter comes, I welcome the dish as a side with light foods such as Quinoa-Crusted Chicken (page 87), Basic Roast Chicken (page 86), or Basic Crisp Sautéed Fish Fillet (page 72).
1½ cups buckwheat
¼ cup olive oil
1 bunch mint, stemmed and chopped (about ½ cup)
3 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled, and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, deribbed, and cut into ¼-inch dice (about 2 cups)
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and cut into ⅛-inch dice (about ⅓ cup)
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and cut across into ⅛-inch rings (about 1½ cups)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about two lemons)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the buckwheat, reduce the heat to simmer, and cover. Let cook for 8 to 9 minutes, until tender.
Drain and toss the buckwheat with the olive oil to coat. Stir in the remaining ingredients, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
SERVES 6 AS A FIRST COURSE, 8 AS A SIDE DISH
This is a guacamole with which I have always had a lot of success, and it has followed me from book to book.
1 tablespoon kosher salt
5 medium cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
3 small jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced (about 1½ tablespoons)
5 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 large avocados (1½ pounds)
Sprinkle the salt over the garlic cloves and mince very fine, pressing them into the salt with the flat of the knife from time to time until they form a paste. Add the peppers to the garlic paste and mince again, pressing on the pepper, salt, and garlic mixture to make a fine paste that retains all the pepper juices. Scrape into a small bowl, stir in 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, and set aside.
Just before serving, cut the avocados in half lengthwise. Remove the pit and scoop the meat from the skin with a teaspoon. In a bowl, mash the avocados with a fork. Stir in the garlic mixture and the remaining lime juice.
MAKES 2¼ CUPS
These small meringues are very light and addictive. They work equally well as an hors d’oeuvre snack and as an accompaniment to a simple sweet dessert such as fruit or sorbet.
2 egg whites at room temperature
1½ tablespoons agave nectar
1 teaspoon Barbara’s Five-Spice Powder (page 202)
Heat the oven to 250°F with one rack at the top and another rack in the middle. Cover each of two cookie sheets (not air-cushioned) with parchment paper. Fit a pastry bag with a ½-inch-diameter nozzle and set aside.
Place the egg whites in an electric mixer and start to beat slowly. Beat until frothy. Slowly add the agave nectar. Increase the speed to high and beat until the egg whites are very stiff. Fold in the spice mixture.
Now move quickly or the mixture will not stay ideally firm: Spoon the stiff egg whites into the pastry bag. Squeeze out 1¼-inch-round kisses of meringue onto the baking sheets so that they do not touch. Place both baking sheets in the oven and cook for 20 minutes.
Turn off the oven and leave the kisses undisturbed for 2½ hours. Don’t peek. They should be crisp and dry. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and slide the meringues, still on their paper, onto a flat surface. Slide a metal spatula or thin ham slicer under the meringues to remove them from the paper.
Eat or store the meringues in an airtight box for up to a month.
MAKES 40 TO 42 KISSES
Duck like the Roast Duck with Forbidden Rice gives very few servings. The compensation is the wonderful stock and what can be done with the little bits of meat that can be picked off the bones. Here is one use of the meat that makes a very good hors d’oeuvre.
½ cup leftover meat from Roast Duck with Forbidden Rice (page 98), minced
½ stalk celery, trimmed, peeled, and minced (¼ cup)
½ small shallot, peeled, trimmed of root end, and minced (1 tablespoon)
½ cup Scallion Duck Rice (page 166)
18 to 20 sheets rice paper
3 cups safflower oil
Mix the duck, celery, shallot, and rice in a small bowl until well combined.
Soak two sheets of rice paper at a time in a broad shallow dish of warm water for 1 to 3 minutes or until thoroughly pliable. Put the sheets one at a time on a damp dishtowel. Cut the rice paper in half and then cut a 2-×-7-inch strip from each of the halves.
Scoop 1 to 2 teaspoons of filling into a tight mound at the end of the strip. Grasping the corner of the paper and firmly securing the filling in place, flip the mound over, creating a triangle. Fold upward to create another triangle, then flip to the right to make another triangle. Keep repeating until the packet is a tightly sealed triangular bundle. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Pour the oil into a 3-quart saucepan over high heat. Bring the oil to 350–375°F and then reduce heat to medium. Fry the packets, two at a time, for 2 minutes, turn over, and fry for 1 to 2 minutes more, until crisp. Move to a paper-towel-lined plate. Enjoy immediately.
MAKES 36 TO 40 PACKETS
Not all cocktail snacks need to be spicy. This mild and fruity one is a case in point. It would also be good at a kids’ party.
This delicious combination came about by accident when I was snacking on all sorts of leftovers and random ingredients that didn’t quite get used up. We in the test kitchen agreed that, though not expected, this was a delightful duo of flavors. The striking contrast between the pink and gold made it nice to look at as well.
1 large mango (about 1 pound), peeled, pitted, and cut into 2-×-1-×-½-inch chunks
½ pound good sliced smoked salmon, cut into 1-×-3-inch strips
Wrap each slice of mango in a piece of salmon. Secure with a toothpick. Serve.
MAKES 15 TO 20 PIECES
Pâté is a classic French first course or in smaller pieces an hors d’oeuvre and is comforting to have on hand for guests or a light home meal. Additionally, these pâtés contain no wheat flour as a binder, which is a common problem as the wheat is unseen. In the Chinese Pork Terrine, the soy is gluten-free soy sauce.
All of these keep well wrapped in the refrigerator for several days (meat pâtés for a week). Whole or in chunks, they can be frozen and allowed to defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
Cornichons and mustard are standard accompaniments to meat pâtés.
This is very French in flavor but designed for the busy American. There is no need to bother with timers, water baths, and long cooking times as you would when making a traditional pâté—the entire thing cooks in the microwave. This pairs amazingly well with White Bread (page 17) toast points and cornichons. Don’t bother peeling the skin off the nuts unless you feel like it.
1½ pounds ground pork
2 ounces fatback, cut into ½-inch pieces
¼ pound yellow onions, peeled and cut into quarters
3 medium cloves garlic, smashed, peeled, and sliced
2 tablespoons brandy
2½ teaspoons dried thyme
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
2 ounces shelled pistachio nuts
Place all the ingredients except the salt and pistachio nuts in a food processor and process until smooth. Add salt to taste.
Scrape the mixture into a bowl and stir in the pistachio nuts. Coat a 9-×-5-×-3-inch glass or ceramic loaf pan with nonstick vegetable spray. Scrape the mixture into the pan. Smooth out the surface with a spatula. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Cook in a microwave oven at full power for 8½ minutes. Prick the plastic to release steam.
Remove from the oven and uncover. When cool, weight the pâté with a foil-wrapped brick (see below). Refrigerate overnight. Unmold. Trim the ends and cut into ⅓-inch slices. Cut each slice into thirds.
MAKES ABOUT 6 DOZEN SERVINGS
This delicious terrine cooks quickly and beautifully in minutes. Serve with Chinese hot prepared mustard, hoisin sauce, or even sriracha. Do not make this at the last minute since it needs at least 3 hours to set fully. Plan accordingly and serve the same day to guests, or keep it for yourself and snack on it for a week. The flavors will continue to improve for several days.
1½ pounds boneless pork loin, cut into 1-inch cubes
1½ cups loosely packed cilantro leaves
6 medium cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
3 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
1½ teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
4-ounce can water chestnuts, drained, rinsed, and finely diced
Freshly ground black pepper
Place the pork, cilantro, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the soy sauce and five-spice powder and process until fully combined.
Scrape the mixture into a bowl and stir in the water chestnuts and pepper to taste. Pack the mixture into a 9-×-5-×-3-inch glass or ceramic loaf pan. Cover tightly with microwave-safe plastic wrap. Cook in the microwave at full power for 7½ minutes. Prick the plastic to release steam.
Remove from the oven and uncover. Allow to stand, loosely covered with a kitchen towel, for 15 minutes. Remove the towel. Cover and weight with a foil-wrapped brick (see page 31). Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until chilled. Slice across ¼ inch thick; then cut slices into thirds.
MAKES 108 SERVINGS
The colors and flavors of the pale veal and rosy ham create a lovely duo to start any meal. Serving two slices instead of half a slice transforms it from a first course into a good lunch. This would also be a wonderful passed hors d’oeuvre if placed on gluten-free crackers.
¼ pound thickly sliced slab bacon
6 medium cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1¾ pounds ground veal
1 pound 6 ounces slightly fatty ham trimmings, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons pink peppercorns
Heat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the center.
Reserve a quarter of the bacon slices and cut the remainder into 1-inch pieces.
Place the garlic and parsley in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the chopped bacon, the veal, and the ham. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
Scrape the mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the salt and peppercorns. Cut the reserved bacon slices into 2¾-inch-long strips. If planning to unmold the pâté, place the strips along the bottom of a 12½-×-4¼-×-3-inch pâté mold at 1½-inch intervals. Pack the mixture firmly into the mold. If not unmolding the pâté, place the bacon strips over the top.
Bake uncovered until the internal temperature reaches 160°F, about 35 minutes.
Let stand until cool. Cover with a foil-wrapped brick (see page 31). Refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Unmold if desired. Cut into ⅛-inch slices and then cut each slice in half lengthwise.
MAKES ABOUT 200 HALF-SLICES
Of course, classic crostini are made on slices of Italian bread. They can be made on White Bread (page 17) toasts, but I prefer them and find them more Italian on sautéed Firm Polenta. They cannot be picked up, but they can be eaten with pleasure.
¾ cup olive oil
2 batches Firm Polenta (page 171), poured into two loaf pans each coated with 1 tablespoon olive oil, allowed to cool, unmolded, and cut into 2-×-1-×-½-inch rectangles
3 small shallots, minced (about ½ cup)
2 large white mushrooms, trimmed and cut into ¼-inch dice (about ¾ cup)
2 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled, and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 pound fresh chicken livers, cleaned (see page 34) (about 1½ cups)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Heat ¼ cup of the olive oil in a 10-inch sauté pan over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the polenta pieces to the pan. Fry for 3 minutes per side or until golden brown. Do not overcrowd the pan—work in batches. Move to a paper-towel-lined plate and allow to dry. Repeat with the remaining polenta, adding more olive oil as necessary.
Pour 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil into a 10-inch sauté pan over high heat. Once the oil shimmers, reduce the heat to medium and add the shallots. Cook until soft, 2 to 3 minutes, then add the mushrooms and garlic. Sauté until the mushrooms are soft and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Pour 2 more tablespoons of olive oil into the pan and add the chicken livers in an even layer. Cook until barely firm on one side, about 1 minute, then, using a spatula, turn the livers over and sauté for 1 minute more. Turn off the heat.
Remove the livers from the pan and cut into ½-inch dice. Place the liver cubes back into the pan over low heat. Cook until warmed through, a minute or two. Season with the oregano and salt and pepper to taste.
Put 2 teaspoons of the liver mixture on each piece of fried polenta. Serve immediately or reheat in a 350°F oven until warm.
MAKES 56 CROSTINI; SERVES 10 TO 12
This smooth and silky hors d’oeuvre is safe for us when served with thin plain or wasabi Japanese rice crackers.
1 tablespoon safflower oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about ⅓ cup)
½ pound chicken livers, cleaned (see below) and chopped
1 hard-boiled egg
1 teaspoon Lemon Zesty Spice Mix (page 202)
Pour the oil into a 10-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion and liver until cooked, about 5 minutes. Move the contents of the pan to a food processor and add the egg and the spice mixture. Blend until the mixture is smooth and uniform, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape the mousse into a nice bowl and serve with plain or wasabi rice crackers.
MAKES 1 GENEROUS CUP
I am not an alcoholic; but I do like a good glass of wine or some booze. The wine is no problem for my intolerances; but hard liquor can be, and beer is always taboo. Even when liquor is distilled, there can be traces of gluten, with unfortunate side effects. Drinks made without wheat or barley are generally safe. Attention must be paid. For instance, vodka is usually made from wheat. There are, however, excellent vodkas made from potatoes; choose one of them.
Tequila, rum, grape brandy, Calvados, and the white alcohols such as poire, fraise, and framboise are safe, as are other fruit brandies such as slivovitz.
Nonalcoholic drinks are almost no problem unless they are milk or yogurt based.
Below I offer a very few drinks that are new. I’m sure iced tea and coffee will be no problem. For bottled soda, read labels.
Obviously, in the Muslim world there is no wine with the meal; but the food flavors are strong, and namby-pamby sodas or regular iced tea really don’t do the job.
This beautiful, jade-green drink has enough energy to do the job. The ice can be crushed in a food processor.
1½ cups flat-leaf parsley leaves (about 2 ounces)
½ cup fresh lemon juice
2¾ cups crushed ice
2 tablespoons sugar
Place the parsley, lemon juice, crushed ice, and sugar in a blender. Purée until the mixture is smooth and a bright pea-green color. Pour into small glasses and serve immediately.
MAKES 1 SCANT QUART
Enjoy as a beverage or use as a base for a sorbet.
½ cup ice cubes
½ cup fresh grapefruit juice
2½ teaspoons grenadine syrup
Wrap the ice cubes in a dishtowel and pound with a heavy saucepan. Place the remaining ingredients in a tall glass with the crushed ice. Stir well. Serve immediately.
MAKES 1 SERVING
VARIATION
Blushing Greyhound Sorbet
To make a sorbet, combine 2 cups grapefruit juice, 3½ tablespoons grenadine, and 1 cup Simple Syrup (page 184) and freeze the mixture overnight. Make sure to scrape it periodically with a fork to prevent it from becoming one solid block. Otherwise, pour the mixture into ice cube trays, freeze overnight, and then process in a food processor. Alternatively, use a sorbet maker.
MAKES 1 QUART
This drink is commonly enjoyed in the Caribbean, where the dried flowers are called “Jamaica,” but I have even had it in the Near East. It is a glorious shade of red. Although the hibiscus is acid on its own, it has a faint hint of flowers that is alluring.
Typically mint is not used but I find that it adds a nice forward flavor to this refreshing summer drink.
Hibiscus with a light honey can also make a soothing winter tea.
1 cup dried hibiscus flowers
¼ cup sugar
1 bunch fresh mint (about 1 ounce), stemmed and chopped (about ½ cup; optional)
Combine the flowers and 6 cups water in a large saucepan over high heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Stir in the sugar until it dissolves. Add the mint and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain into a metal bowl and place in the refrigerator. When cool, serve over ice.
MAKES 5 CUPS
