As soon as guests arrive at an outdoor party, they want something to nibble, just a little linger food to get things rolling. You’re busy greeting people and talking with them, not yet ready to begin cooking anything major. This is the time to bring out some tidbits made in advance, usually small treats thrown together in the kitchen earlier in the day.
We focus on foods that have a little pizzazz but aren’t too fussy, that won’t leave you frazzled from prep work, and that will hold their flavor for a few hours until they’re served. The next chapter deals with more substantial starters, often hot off the grill. Mere the emphasis is on cooling, refreshing nibbles, even though some of them feature grilled and smoked ingredients. A relaxed tone is the key—in the food and the presentation. That shows how comfortable and confident you are as the cook and host and makes your guests feel honored to be included.
Simple and sure to please, deviled eggs never go out of style for an outdoor party. Serve these on a platter garnished with watercress or other greens.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Makes 2 dozen
12 large eggs
6 tablespoons mayonnaise or 3 tablespoons mayonnaise plus 3 tablespoons Durkee’s Famous Sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1½ to 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, chives, chervil, or lovage or a combination
½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
Sweet paprika, small herb leaves, or both
In a large saucepan, cover the eggs by an inch with cold water. Over medium heat, warm the eggs, bringing the water to the stage just before a full boil, when bubbles begin to break insistently around the water’s edge. Gently stir the eggs a few times while heating, to help the yolks stay centered. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let it stand for 15 to 20 minutes. Pour off the water and cover the eggs with very cold water, letting them stand for a minute or two.
Drain the eggs, then peel them immediately. Crack each egg at its broader end, where there’s usually an air pocket, and begin to peel from there.
Slice the eggs in half lengthwise. Scoop the yolks into a bowl and set the whites aside. Mash the yolks with a fork and then mix in the mayonnaise, mustard, and enough of the horseradish to excite your tongue. Sprinkle in herbs and salt. Season the eggs assertively to your palate because they will be served cold, which diminishes the flavorings. Spoon or pipe the yolk mixture into the whites, mounding it attractively. Dust generously with paprika or sprinkle with herb leaves and chill the eggs for at least 30 minutes, covering them if they will be refrigerated longer.
a Fourth of July Picnic Supper
Deviled Eggs with Herbs
Saucy Barbecued Ribs (page 509)
Almost-Classic Midwestern Potato Salad (page 478)
Lexington Red Coleslaw (page 476)
Your favorite brownies
Thermoses of iced tea and Strawberry Lemonade (page 83)
Curried Deviled Eggs Leave out the horseradish and herbs. Instead, mix in 1 teaspoon curry powder and 1 tablespoon mango chutney (any large fruit chunks chopped if necessary).
Smoked Salmon-Stuffed Eggs Skip the mustard and horseradish. Stir 1½ to 2 ounces minced hot-smoked or cold-smoked salmon along with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and make the fresh herb dill. If you like, use 3 tablespoons mayonnaise and 3 tablespoons sour cream.
You can make these carrots several days ahead if you wish and should prepare them in any case at least a few hours before guests arrive. Sweetly tart and crunchy, too, but low in calories, they satisfy almost all whims. These are inspired by a version that our friends Cindy and Jim Turner serve frequently at their parties and take just as regularly as hostess gifts to others.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Makes about 2 cups
1 teaspoon salt
½ pound carrot sticks or baby carrots
½ cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon dried dill, optional
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
4 to 6 black peppercorns
2 whole cloves
Pour 2 cups water into a medium saucepan and add the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the carrots and cook for about 2 minutes, just shy of crisp-tender. Drain the carrots, rinse them in cold water, and drain again. Place the carrots in a heatproof nonreactive bowl.
Using the same saucepan, rinsed out, combine the remaining ingredients with ½ cup water and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture over the carrots and let them cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least several hours or up to several days. Drain before nibbling. We prefer to serve them standing upright in short thick glasses.
We always keep at least a couple of varieties of olives in the refrigerator, ready to serve for any occasion. When we have a few minutes in advance to spruce them up, we often take this approach, baking them slow and low with some extra seasoning. The heating turns them velvety in texture, just different enough from the usual to grab people’s attention.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Makes about 2 cups
2 generous cups mixed green and black briny olives
4 to 8 garlic cloves
¼ cup caper berries, optional
1 tablespoon grated zest and 1 tablespoon juice from an orange
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, thyme, or a combination, or 1 teaspoon dried
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
Heat the oven to 250°F (or use the grill if you’re already firing it up for something else).
Toss the olives with the garlic, caper berries, orange zest and juice, and rosemary into a small baking dish just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle the oil evenly over the olives. Push everything down into the oil.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once, until fragrant and plump. Or warm the olive mixture on the edge of the grill over low heat (the precise temperature is not critical). Serve warm.
This is more of a game plan than a recipe. Use any vegetables you like, simply striving for a bright contrast in colors, shapes, and textures. Serve the crudités with a flavorful salt for dabbing and maybe also a dip such as Bagna Cauda Sauce (page 61) or Green Goddess Dip (page 96).
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves at least 6 and up to as many as you like
Leafy lettuces or other greens like red chard, bok choy, tat soi, escarole, or endive or red endive leaves
Long vegetables such as celery ribs, blanched asparagus spears, or cucumbers or zucchini, cut lengthwise into thin wedges
Smaller vegetables with leafy green tops like radishes or young carrots
Other, smaller vegetables of contrasting colors and shapes such as a couple varieties of small tomatoes, halved button mushrooms, peas with edible pods, multihued bell pepper strips, broccoli or cauliflower florets, or blanched green or yellow beans or baby corn
Flaky salt such as Maldon or French fleur de sel
a Moroccan Dinner
Warmed Olives
Dukkah (page 105) with Olive oil and pita wedges
Lamb Kebabs with Cilantro-Mint Sauce (page 596)
Middle Eastern Peppers with Pomegranate Sauce (page 415)
Couscous
Lemon pound cake with lemon curd
lced Mint-Green Tea (page 82)
Pick a basket that fits the size of your group. Line the basket with a nice-looking napkin. Arrange some big leafy greens in the bottom and up, overhanging the sides. Then fill with the other vegetables. Stand or lean the taller thinner vegetables toward the back, then put the short ones up front. We keep each kind of veggie together for maximum color impact, but they can also be arranged in a merry jumble if you choose. Serve with a small dish of salt for dunking.
This classic combination of ingredients always appeals, particularly when you add a little showmanship to the presentation. Make these only with truly soft, ripe seasonal honeydew, cantaloupe, or other melon. Young, hard supermarket melons miss the mark.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Makes 2 dozen skewers
2 medium melons of different colors, such as green honeydew and orange cantaloupe, ripe but not mushy
Bamboo skewers
2 dozen very thin prosciutto slices, halved horizontally
Extra virgin olive oil with a few fresh thyme or Italian parsley leaves or hot red pepper flakes, or an herb or chile oil
Halve and seed the melons. Slice off the rind and cut the melons into pieces of similar size and shape, about 1 inch on all sides. We sometimes make diamonds, but do what pleases you, including scooping rounds with a melon bailer if you wish.
Thread a melon chunk of one color on a skewer, followed by one of another color. Then fold up a prosciutto slice accordion-style, in about ½-inch folds. Skewer through the folded layers and add two more contrasting melon pieces, followed by another prosciutto accordion. Finish with two more contrasting melon pieces. Repeat with the remaining melon, prosciutto, and skewers. Save any remaining melon for your breakfast. Serve cool with a small shallow bowl of oil for dunking, or place the skewers on a platter and swirl a couple of tablespoons of oil around them. If using plain oil, scatter a few herb leaves over the oil or over the platter.
Dried Plum and Prosciutto Skewers Replace the melon with plump dried plums (soaked in water briefly if at all leathery). This combo is especially good paired with fresh thyme.
a Mexican Seafood Supper
Guacamole and chips
ley Oysters in Sangrita
Grilled Fish Tacos (page 190)
Grilled scallions
Red Rice (page 491)
Whole peeled mangoes impaled on forks
Melon and Italian Sausage Skewers Turn the skewers into a meatier tapa-style grilled dish. Skip the prosciutto. Grill 4 sweet or hot Italian sausage links and slice into 1-inch sections. Use bigger skewers and make just 1 or 2 per person, sandwiching sausage pieces between 1 or 2 melon chunks. The sausage can be hot and the melon cold, or both can be closer to room temperature.
Serve this in edible cucumber shot glasses. Cut several cucumbers into 3-inch sections. Starting about ½ inch from an end of a section, peel the rest of it, leaving a ½-inch ring of dark green. Stand the section up on that end. Use a melon bailer to scoop out the cucumber seeds and center, scooping down about 2 inches and leaving at least a ¼-inch rim.
For surefire zest, try oyster shooters Mexican style. The sangrita in the shooter is a traditional chaser for tequila south of the border, as good with the spirit as any margarita mixture.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Makes 2 dozen
Sangrita
1 cup tomato juice
1 cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon Cholula or other Mexican hot sauce, or more to taste
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 dozen small oysters, such as Kumamoto, shucked
Combine the sangrita ingredients in a small pitcher. Place the pitcher and the oysters in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Pop
each oyster into a shot glass or other small glass. Top with about 1 inch of sangrita and slurp it down.
Save this for when you want to start a party with a slam dunk. The cured, lightly smoked salmon will get you a standing ovation every time. In texture it resembles gravlax a bit more than regular hot-smoked salmon. Serve it on crackers or small toasts, perhaps with a small pot of Basil Mayonnaise (page 65) on the side.
COOKING METHOD | SMOKING
Serves 12
One 3-pound salmon fillet, skin on or off, or a full side of salmon, preferably no more than ¾ inch thick (easier to find in wild Pacific than farm-raised salmon)
¾ cup chopped fresh basil
1¼ cups coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons freshly cracked black pepper
Zest and juice (about ½ cup) of 1 large orange
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Fresh basil sprigs, capers, caper berries, cracked black or pink pepper, or orange zest, optional
Begin the marinating process 24 to 48 hours before you plan to serve the salmon. Lay a piece of plastic wrap more than twice the length of the salmon on a work surface. Place the salmon in the middle of it, skin side (or what would have been the skin side) down. Stroke the surface of the salmon, feeling for tiny pin bones. Remove any that you find with tweezers.
Pat the basil evenly over the top side of the salmon. Stir the salt, sugar, and pepper together in a medium bowl. Then mix in the orange zest and juice and the vanilla. Using your fingers, rub the mixture over the top and sides of the salmon. Fold the plastic wrap up over the salmon, sealing it tightly. Wrap the salmon in another piece of plastic, again sealing it tightly. Arrange the salmon in a shallow dish and refrigerate for at least 1 full day or up to 2 full days.
Fire up the smoker, bringing the temperature to 200°F to 250°F. If you have a choice, use a smaller rather than larger amount of wood.
Unwrap the salmon and rinse it well under cold water. Eliminate all of the seasoning mixture from the surface. Place the salmon skin side down on a piece of heavy-duty foil just a bit larger than it is.
Place the salmon in the smoker as far from the heat as possible. Smoke the salmon lightly, for about 30 minutes. You don’t need to cook the salmon through, since it is already fully cured. Cool the salmon, then wrap in plastic again and chill. Cut across the fillet into very thin slices. Serve cold, adorned with basil sprigs or other garnishes.
a Bountiful Appetizer Buffet
Basil-Cured Smoked Salmon
Double-Smoked Ham (page 544) or other ham, with biscuits
Chaired Margarita Wings (page 120)
Goat Cheese Bocconcini (page 92)
Salmon-Caviar Dip (page 95) with chips and crackers
Fruit kebabs
We’ve always loved the baby mozzarella balls called bocconcini. They gave us the inspiration for this dish, which features diminutive goat cheese balls flavored and colored in various ways. If you get stirred by the notion in other directions, take the balls and run with them.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Makes 2½ to 3 dozen
¾ pound creamy fresh goat cheese, softened
About 3 tablespoons finely chopped pecans, toasted
About 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
About 1 tablespoon sweet, hot, or smoked paprika or Penzey’s Tomato Powder (see page 27)
1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, optional
Line a baking sheet or other shallow pan with wax or parchment paper.
Stir the goat cheese to smooth it. Scoop out a small ball, about ½ tablespoon in size. With your palms, roll the cheese into a ball and lay it on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining cheese and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Place the pecans, chives, and paprika each in a separate small shallow bowl. Roll about one-third of the balls in the pecans, another third in the chives, and the remaining batch in the paprika.
Arrange the bocconcini on a platter. Serve immediately or refrigerate again for up to several hours, letting them sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving. Drizzle, if you like, with oil just before serving with toothpicks.
For a stand-up buffet, select only dishes that can be eaten with fingers, toothpicks, or forks. Napkins alone might be adequate for serving if the setting is relaxed and the number of appetizers minimal. Otherwise, offer small plates as well.
Goat Cheese Bocconcini on Endive Spears Separate a couple of large endive heads, red or green, into individual leaves. Arrange a goat cheese ball toward the cut base of one leaf, then drizzle with a touch of oil. Repeat.
Sweet Goat Cheese Bocconcini Use dried cranberries, blueberries, or other easy-to-chop dried fruit to flavor the cheese. Divide the cheese in half and mix about ⅓ cup of one kind of fruit into one portion of cheese. Mix the same amount of a second kind and color of fruit into the second portion of cheese. No oil is necessary on the serving platter, but a few dribbles of a nut oil and strategically placed pecan or walnut halves look pretty.
The taste and texture of cheese improves substantially if you remove it from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature before serving. We allow a minimum of fifteen minutes for small buttons of cheese like these bocconcini and at least two or three times as long for larger chunks or rounds of cheese. Don’t put the cheese in the warm sun, though, or it may develop an unappealing greasy look.
Among the multitudes of dips served across the country, onion versions eclipse all other kinds in popularity. You can see why from this rendition, where we grill slices of onion and shallot first to give them a slight char. Serve the dip chilled with potato or bagel chips.
COOKING METHOD | GRILLING
Makes about 2 cups
1 medium onion, sliced ⅓ inch thick
3 to 4 large shallots, sliced ⅓ inch thick
Vegetable oil
¾ cup sour cream
¼ cup grated pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
Fire up the grill, bringing the temperature to medium-low (6 seconds with the hand test).
Coat the onion and shallot slices with oil. Place them on a small mesh grill rack.
Grill the onion and shallots uncovered over medium-low heat for 18 to 20 minutes, turning several times. The onion and shallots are ready when very soft with lightly charred edges. (The vegetables can be grilled a day ahead.)
Kids’ Post-Soccer-Game Party
Toasted Onion Dip with chips and carrot slicks
Bragging Rights Chicken with Barbecue Sauce (page 277)
Flame-Seared Corn on the Cob (page 456)
Strawberries with brown sugar
Puree the onion and shallots in a food processor, then add the remaining ingredients and continue processing until nearly smooth. Chill the dip for at least 30 minutes. It keeps well for several days.
As good as the previous onion dip, but definitely a different take on the idea. Serve the dip chilled with tortilla chips, sweet potato chips, regular potato chips, or crisp carrot strips. Green chile powder can be ordered from North of the Border (notb@earthlink.net, 800-860-0681).
COOKING METHOD | GRILLING
Makes about 2½ cups
16 to 18 scallions
Olive oil
2 cups sour cream or sour cream and yogurt combined
2 to 3 teaspoons mild to medium green chile powder
2 scallions, green parts only, plus additional scallion tops, sliced into thin rings for garnish, optional
¾ teaspoon minced lemon zest
¾ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
Fire up the grill, bringing the temperature to medium (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test).
Coat the scallions with oil and transfer them to the grill, with their tops positioned away from the hottest part of the fire. Grill uncovered over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, rolling the scallions frequently. When done, the scallions will be tender with some browned spots. Avoid getting blackened edges, though, or the dip will be bitter.
When the scallions are cool enough to handle, chop them coarsely.
In a blender, puree the grilled scallions with the sour cream, green chile powder, raw scallion greens (to deepen the color), lemon zest, and ¾ teaspoon salt. If you taste the dip at this point, it may taste a bit harsh or out of balance. Refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes, then taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Scallion-Wasabi Dip Leave out the green chile and add wasabi paste to taste. To accentuate the style, serve with shrimp chips from an Asian market or rice crackers.
Smoked Clam and Scallion Dip Grill or smoke 1 pound cherrystone or littleneck clams as described on page 250. Pop the clams from their shells, mince them, and mix the clams and any juice into the dip.
This isn’t more complex to assemble than any other dip, but it screams “special.” Use either commercially cold-smoked salmon or nova or your own flaky home-smoked salmon. In either case, mix in a generous portion of orange salmon roe, which pops delightfully on the tongue, but save a few of the little eggs to dress the top of the dip. Serve with crackers, potato chips, bagel chips, tiny roasted potatoes, or sliced cucumbers. Reward yourself for your generosity by squirreling away a little to spread on a bagel the next morning.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Makes about 2 cups
¼ pound cream cheese, in several chunks, softened
2 ounces smoked salmon, chopped
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons minced fresh dill
1 tablespoon minced onion
2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
4 ounces (about 100 grams) salmon caviar
Puree the cream cheese and smoked salmon in a food processor. Add the sour cream, dill, onion, and 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice and pulse until well combined. Scoop out into a bowl. Set aside 1 teaspoon of the caviar and gently fold in the rest. Taste and add more lemon juice if you wish. Top with the remaining caviar. Chill for at least 30 minutes and serve.
When you’re grilling or smoking for a party anyway, add some character to store-bought chips by toasting and seasoning them outside. Place potato or corn-tortilla chips in a grill basket or on a small mesh grill grate. Warm them over the coolest edge of the grill or give them 5 to 15 minutes in a 200°F to 220°F smoker. Then shake on seasonings, maybe flaky sea salt, grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, chili powder, or Cajun Zydeco Rub and Boil (page 29).
Most concoctions that shared the stage with green goddess dressing in the 1950s deserve to be forgotten, but the goddess herself merits a permanent place in an American culinary hall of fame. A San Francisco chef created the blend in a hotel kitchen, but transformed into a dip, it’s a natural for outdoor parties. Serve with cucumber slices or spears and other crisp summer vegetables.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Makes about 1½ cups
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream or yogurt
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar
1 scallion, both white and green parts, chopped
1 to 2 anchovy fillets
Salt
Put everything but the salt in a food processor and add 1 tablespoon water. Process until smooth, then add salt to taste. Chill for 30 minutes before serving.
Aged Asiago is one of our favorite Italian cheeses, not quite as sharp as a pecorino Romano or as salty-sweet as Parmesan, but just right for our tastes. In this dip we mix it with artichoke hearts, which you can grill beforehand to add an extra layer of complexity to the flavor. Serve warm with Melba toasts, crackers, or crusty country-style white bread.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Makes about 2½ cups
1 cup drained marinated artichoke hearts, 1 tablespoon marinade reserved
¾ cup grated aged Asiago or Parmesan cheese
¼ cup mayonnaise or ½ cup mayonnaise plus ¼ cup sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice or white vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon dried basil or, for a different flavor, 1 minced fresh or pickled jalapeño
2 tablespoons dried bread crumbs
Heat the oven to 375°F.
If the artichoke hearts are larger than bite-sized, chop them. In a shallow baking dish, mix the artichokes and 1 tablespoon of marinade with the cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, and basil. Top the dip with the bread crumbs.
Bake for about 15 minutes, until the bread crumbs are brown and the cheese and mayonnaise are melted together. Serve immediately.
Vibrant in color and taste, as befits a party, this makes a refreshing variation from more standard dairy-based dips. Start with heavy peppers with meaty flesh, or add a third pepper if your others are on the light side. Grill the peppers up to two days in advance, perhaps when you’re firing up for another meal. Steam them as soon as they are cooked, without delay, to loosen the peel, but wait to skin them if you wish. Peeled or unpeeled, refrigerate the peppers until you’re ready to assemble this sprightly snack.
COOKING METHOD | GRILLING
Makes about 2 cups
2 meaty red bell peppers, 6 to 8 ounces each
1 garlic clove
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Pinch or 2 of cayenne
½ teaspoon coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt, or more to taste
4 to 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley, basil, thyme, or chives, optional
Fire up the grill, bringing the temperature to medium (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test).
Grill the peppers uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes, long enough for them to soften completely and for the skins to be charred all over. Turn the peppers several times as needed to grill evenly.
Place the peppers in a large sturdy plastic bag to steam. When cool enough to handle, strip away the blackened skin. The steaming loosens the skin, but if it clings stubbornly, try rubbing it with a clean dish towel or dampened sturdy paper towel. Avoid dunking the peppers in water, which rinses away flavor as well as blackened bits. Chop the peppers coarsely and reserve them with any liquid they shed.
With the motor running, drop the garlic into a blender or food processor and mince it Turn off the blender and add the peppers and their juice, lemon juice, cayenne, and salt then puree. With the machine running, slowly pour in the oil, stopping when the texture is very moist and spoonable. Mix in the herbs, if you wish. The dip can be eaten immediately, but it’s best when it has at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator for the flavors to blend. Adjust the seasonings if needed and serve.
“Dips and Sips” with the Neighbors
Green Goddess Dip
Red Bell Pepper Dip
Chips and crackers
The Big Crudité Basket (page 88)
Limoncello Lemonade (page 77)
Pimm’s Cup (page 79)
Red Bell Pepper and Chile Dip We whipped up four dozen versions of this dip one afternoon at the New Mexico State Fair, where we were promoting farmers’ seasonal produce. The variations included at different times every available fresh red chile, from mild to incendiary, in addition to the mellower bells. For your own version, try a fresh red jalapeño, Fresno, or poblano, but avoid superhot varieties like habaneros unless you know your audience can take the heat Leave out the cayenne until you’ve tasted the result after blending.
Orange Bell Pepper Dip Use orange bell peppers in place of the red. Yellows get muddied by the grilling process, and greens taste too grassy.
Nuts always go with blue cheese, so they blend naturally in this spread, where the pecans mellow the sharper edges of the cheese. Serve with buttery crackers and crunchy raw vegetables.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Makes about 1 cups
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 ounces creamy blue cheese, softened
¾ cup pecan pieces, toasted
Pinch of salt optional
Combine the cheeses in a food processor and process until well mixed. Spoon in the pecans and pulse to combine, leaving a bit of remaining nut texture. Taste and add salt if desired.
Spoon into a serving bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to mingle. Remove from the refrigerator at least 20 minutes before serving.
A popular appetizer in northern Mexico, queso fundido resembles a hearty hot cheese spread. We use it in that way here in this American-style backyard preparation. For full flavor, the queso should be a buttery semisoft cheese, like the asadero common to the dish south of the border. Many mainstream supermarkets carry asadero today, and it’s a fixture at Mexican markets, but you can substitute Gouda, Monterey Jack, Muenster, or Chihuahua cheese with good results. Be careful not to cook any cheese for too long or on a fire that’s too hot, to avoid turning it into a pool of grease and sludge.
COOKING METHOD | COVERED GRILL COOKING
Serves 4 or more
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, minced
¾ pound asadero, Monterey Jack, or othermild-flavored semisoft cheese, chopped or coarsely grated while cold, then allowed to sit at room temperature
Flour tortillas, preferably thin ones, or corn tortillas
Salsa, such as Roasted Tomatillo Salsa (page 66), Mexican hot sauce, or both
Fire up the grill, bringing the temperature to medium (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test). Arrange a shallow medium skillet or heatproof dish on the grate while the grill heats. Add the butter and, when melted, stir in the garlic and sauté until soft, about 1 minute. Sprinkle the cheese into the skillet and place back over the heat. Cover the grill to facilitate the melting. Check the cheese after 4 to 5 minutes, stirring it up from the bottom, and then continue cooking for several minutes more, as needed, until the cheese is completely melted and bubby.
Wrap the tortillas tightly in foil, 4 to 6 to a package, and warm them on the side of the grill, turning a couple of times.
When the queso is ready, set the skillet on a trivet. Serve immediately, accompanied by the warm tortillas arranged in a napkin-lined basket and the salsa. Everyone takes a tortilla, tears off and folds a good-size hunk, spoons a few bites of cheese into the pouch, adds salsa, and enjoys.
Queso Fundido con Todo Embellish the queso with as many of these options as you wish: thinly sliced fresh or pickled jalapeño or serrano chiles, diced red-ripe tomato, slivered black or green olives, ¼ pound cooked crumbled chorizo sausage, some sautéed chopped mushrooms, toasted cumin seeds, or strips of roasted and peeled poblano or other mild chile.
Crabmeat Queso Fundido The height of cheese decadence. Substitute ¼ pound creamy fresh goat cheese for the same amount of asadero. Then sauté 6 to 8 ounces lump crabmeat in 1 to 2 tablespoons butter just until warmed through. (If you have fresh or dried epazote, mix a pinch or two into the crab while it is heating.) Spoon the crab over the cheese just as you take the cheese from the heat.
Smoked Queso Fundido Instead of melting the cheese in a covered grill or an oven, place it in a smoker set to 200°F to 250°F. Allow 30 to 45 minutes for the cheese to melt
Dinner in the Greek Isles
Charred Eggplant-Pepper Spread with cracker bread and cucumber rounds
Kalamata or other Greek olives
Spit-Roasted Leg of Lamb (page 594)
Platter of tomatoes garnished with olive oil and feta crumbles
Figs and Oranges with Anise Cream (page 505)
An Aegean delight, this cool creamy mixture can be served with grilled or toasted pita wedges, cracker bread, or crackers. If you think your friends, kids, or spouse won’t eat eggplant, just don’t tell them. With the mix of ingredients, no one’s likely to figure it out before being hooked.
COOKING METHOD | GRILLING
Makes 2 to 2½ cups
1 pound eggplant, peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick slices
Coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt
6 tablespoons flavorful olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
½ large red bell pepper
3 tablespoons yogurt
1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
Mixed greens
Parsley leaves
At least 1 hour and up to the day before you plan to serve the spread, rub the eggplant slices generously with the salt. Transfer them to a layer of paper towels and drain for about 20 minutes, then repeat with the salt on the second side and drain again.
Fire up the grill, bringing the temperature to medium (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test).
Rinse the eggplant slices well. Squeeze them until they release most of their liquid and look a bit wrinkled and sad. Flatten them back out and pat them dry. In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of the oil with the vinegar and brush the eggplant slices and bell pepper with about two-thirds of the mixture, reserving the rest.
Grill the eggplant and bell pepper uncovered over medium heat. Cook the bell pepper for 8 to 10 minutes, until tender, turning once. Cook the eggplant for 12 to 14 minutes, until soft and juicy, turning the slices at least once.
If the slices begin to look dry, brush them with the reserved oil and vinegar.
When the pepper is cool enough to handle, pull off any loose bits of charred skin but otherwise leave the browned skin on for extra flavor. Finely dice the pepper and reserve it.
Transfer the eggplant to a food processor and chop it coarsely. Add the remaining olive oil, yogurt, and garlic and pulse to combine. The mixture should be fairly smooth but still have a little texture. Spoon into a bowl and stir in the bell pepper, parsley, cumin, lemon juice, and a bit more salt if needed. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to blend.
Arrange the greens on a plate or shallow bowl. Mound the chilled spread over the greens, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.
When you want something that looks a little fancy but doesn’t require too much work, puff pastry can answer the need. In this case you’re creating a savory version of a French specialty called palmiers. Simply roll out the pastry, top with fillings, roll up, slice, and bake. In a matter of minutes the crust billows and the filling melts, giving you puffy little pillows of pleasure.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Makes about 3 dozen
One 14- to 17-ounce package frozen puff pastry, thawed
⅔ cup Green Chile Chutney (page 70) or mango chutney
1¾ cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
Lay out the puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface. Cut in half if there is just one pastry sheet Roll out one sheet to a rectangle about 9 by 12 inches. If needed, trim the sides with a sharp knife to even the shape.
If the chutney is too thick to spread easily, thin with warm water added by the teaspoon. If it has any large chunks, mince them so that the chutney texture is fairly smooth. Spread half of the chutney over the pastry to the edges, then sprinkle evenly with half of the cheese. Roll up the pastry snugly from one of the long sides, stopping right at the middle. From the other end, roll up toward the center, meeting the other rolled side. You’ll have something resembling a scroll. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Shortly before baking, preheat the oven to 425°F. Line at least 2 baking sheets with parchment
Slice the still-chilled scrolls crosswise into ⅝- to ½-inch slices and place at least 1½ inches apart on baking sheets. Bake the puffs for about 10 minutes, until raised to about twice their original size and deep golden in color. Cool for about 3 minutes on the baking sheets, then turn out onto wire racks. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Cheddar Chutney Chicken Puffs Between the chutney and the cheese, sprinkle on ⅓ to ½ cup minced smoked chicken, either your own home-smoked or store-bought.
Black Olive Puffs Replace the chutney with purchased tapenade and the Cheddar with Parmesan or pecorino Romano.
Mustard Cheddar Puffs Instead of the chutney, use ½ cup sweet or spicy mustard.
Butter-soft Brie is decked out endlessly in fancy party preparations, many of which score more points on elaboration than flavor. We like the cheese just fine on its own, but when we want to dress it up, we take this simple but tasty approach, inspired by an idea from that doyenne of domesticity, Martha Stewart. This could also fill in as a cheese course finish for the meal.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves about 12
One 2.2-pound or similar size full wheel of Brie, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
About 12 pecan or walnut halves
Cover a baking sheet with parchment, wax paper, or foil. Arrange a baking rack over the parchment and the Brie on the rack.
Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and ½ cup water in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until the mixture forms a rich medium-brown caramel syrup. If/when crystallization forms on the sides of the pan, cover the pan for a couple of minutes so that the steam can wash the crystals down the sides. Avoid stirring unless the sugar is melting unevenly and then only lightly, to avoid creating bubbles in the mixture. When the proper rich color is reached, immediately pour the caramel evenly and thoroughly over the Brie’s edible white rind. Excess syrup will drip off onto the parchment below.
Immediately but carefully arrange the pecans in a ring near the outside edge of the caramel. Watch out for the molten sugar, which will harden within about a minute. The Brie is ready to serve and can be kept at room temperature for a couple of hours. Crack through the caramel with a cheese knife, eating cheese and topping together.
Even if you love the version at your favorite steak house, you can make a better blooming onion at home. You may have to search a bit for the specialized cutter, but we’ve seen them at Williams-Sonoma and several Internet outlets. The dish is a bit on the fiddly side, though hardly out of bounds for an occasional splurge, and everything except the frying can be accomplished before your guests arrive.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 4
1 cup buttermilk
¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or more to taste
1 cup all-purpose flour, preferably unbleached
About 2 teaspoons dry rub, such as Pork Chop Willy’s Grilling Rub (page 24), Southwest Sizzler (page 26), or David’s Special Spices (page 27)
1 teaspoon salt
1 large sweet onion, ¾ to 1 pound
Chipotle-Lime Mayonnaise (page 66), Tabasco Mayonnaise (page 66), or Sticky Tamarind-Orange Sauce (page 56), optional
Pour the buttermilk and Tabasco sauce into one deep bowl. Mix together the flour, dry rub, and salt in another deep bowl.
Slice ½ inch off the top of the onion. Slice any roots off the bottom end, but don’t cut high enough to weaken the base, since it holds the flowering onion together. Following the manufacturer’s directions, secure in the onion cutter and slice. Remove the onion. Use a paring knife to pop out the center core, cutting about three-quarters of the way down into the core. Avoid cutting all the way to the bottom.
Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. You’ll need enough water to cover the onion once its weight displaces some of the water. With tongs, lower the onion, blooming side down, into the water. Boil the onion for about 5 minutes, until tender. Drain and plunge into ice water to chill, which encourages the blossoming. Drain on paper towels, again blooming side down. Rinse and dry the pot to use again. Preparation can be done to this point up to an hour or so ahead.
Shortly before cooking, pour oil into the pot, using about the same amount as for the water in which the onion was boiled, keeping in mind again that the onion will displace a portion of the oil. (The amount will depend on the size and shape of the pot and onion.) Bring the oil to 385°F.
Use one hand to dip the onion, still blooming side down, into the buttermilk. Drain briefly, letting excess buttermilk drip back into the bowl. Then use your other hand to dunk it into the seasoned flour, rubbing the flour between the petals of the flower. Make sure all petals are lightly coated with the flour.
Nudge the onion into the oil, blooming side down, and fry for 5 to 6 minutes, until golden brown. With tongs, transfer the onion to a baking rack over a paper towel and drain briefly. Turn it blooming side up and serve on a plate right away, with a sauce on the side if you wish.
A Pair of Blooming Onions You really need no more ingredients for a second onion other than the onion itself. Simply cut and boil at the same time as the other and dunk in the buttermilk mixture and then into the flour. Fry them separately, though, so that the onion petals can spread widely.
As tasty as these little morsels are, you may not want to fire up a big outdoor smoker just for them. We either add them to the smoker when we’re cooking other foods or simply use our stovetop smoker inside.
COOKING METHOD | SMOKING
Makes 3 cups
3 tablespoons butter, preferably unsalted
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 to 2½ teaspoons lightly crushed dried rosemary
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
3 cups (about 1 pound) mixed nuts, such as whole cashews and pecan and walnut halves
1 teaspoon coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt, or more to taste
Fire up the smoker, bringing the temperature to 200°F to 250°F.
In a skillet, melt the butter with the brown sugar, rosemary, garlic, and cayenne. Stir in the nuts and coat well. Stir in the salt, tasting as you add it.
Transfer the nuts to a shallow baking pan or piece of heavy-duty foil molded into a small tray.
Place the nuts in the smoker and cook until dried and fragrant, about 30 minutes. Transfer the nuts to paper towels to cool. Serve immediately or store in a covered jar or zippered plastic bag for up to several days.
Smoky Rosemary Walnuts Use just walnuts rather than mixed nuts. Leave out the brown sugar. Increase the rosemary to 1 tablespoon and the cayenne to ½ teaspoon. Smoke as directed.
Smoky Spicy Mixed Nuts Eliminate the rosemary. Add Southwest Sizzler (page 26) or Southwest Spice (page 26) along with the sugar. You may want to reduce the salt.
It may sound like an oxymoron, but planning ahead is a great way to be spontaneous. We enjoy making tidbits from scratch, but sometimes we’re too busy with other priorities. In that case we pop into our pantry and refrigerator for store-bought nibbles we keep on hand most of the time. The choices usually include:
* An assortment of nuts
* Olives, at least a couple of varieties
* A selection of cheeses
* Some hard sausages
* Jars of good tapenade or pesto
* Several kinds of crackers
* Dried figs
* Edamame (frozen baby soybeans), shelled and unshelled
A different way to serve nuts, dukkah is a fragrant Middle Eastern mixture of toasted ground nuts and seeds. It’s exotic enough to seem like out-of-the-ordinary party food, but the tastes are familiar enough to appease skeptics. Dunk flatbread triangles, skewered cubes of grilled chicken breast, or fresh vegetables first into olive oil and then into the dry mixture for a double dose of nutty flavor and crunchy texture.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Makes about 1½ cups
½ cup macadamia nuts or hazelnuts
⅓ cup sesame seeds
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
1½ tablespoons cumin seeds
1½ teaspoons mild paprika
½ teaspoon coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt, or more to taste
Extra virgin olive oil
Warm Yogurt Flatbread (page 145), pita bread wedges, or other flatbread sections, grilled chicken breast cubes, or vegetables such as carrot or cucumber sticks
Toast the nuts and seeds one ingredient at a time in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Each is ready when it has colored slightly and is fragrant, a matter of a few brief minutes each. Watch carefully and stir frequently so that nothing burns. Pour each nut and seed variety into its own bowl and let cool. With a mortar and pestle or in a mini-food processor, grind or chop each nut and seed variety coarsely, again separately from the others. With the nuts, avoid processing to the point where they turn to butter.
Dump the ground nuts and seeds into a medium bowl. Stir together with the paprika and salt.
In another medium bowl, pour about half as much oil as you have dukkah. To serve, instruct guests to dip bits of bread or other dunkers lightly into the oil and then into the dukkah, which will cling to the oil.