Cold Hors d’Oeuvre for Cocktail Parties
Constant workouts with various types of appetizers have given me a chance to try almost every type of equipment for making hors d’oeuvre and spreads and butters and sandwiches. I feel that a few hints in that direction may be of value to you in preparing for your guests, so here you are:
♦ You need plenty of sharp knives in all sizes including at least two that may be sharpened to almost razor sharpness so that things may be cut paper thin.
♦ At least one set, and preferably two, of the metal tubes or cylinders which are commonly called decorating or pastry sets. You will find them in various shops in different types of metal. For most women, the smaller and less expensive sets will be easier to handle. The metal cylinders are somewhat handier than cloth pastry bags.
♦ A curved-blade hand chopper and wood chopping bowls in varying sizes, for parsley and other herbs and for hard-cooked eggs. Or else good sharp knives and your regular chopping board.
♦ A mortar and pestle for making pastes and pulverizing.
♦ Nowadays, an electric blender is a necessity, not a luxury.
♦ I made a very successful rack for holding cornucopias upright with one of the open wire-mesh cake coolers, attached with small legs to a tray. Spools make admirable legs, or wire legs may be welded to the rack and to the tray for very little. Cornucopias of meat or fish will stand supported in the openings of the mesh and keep in perfect condition till they are ready to be served.
♦ Canapé cutters, sharp ones, of all sizes and in many shapes.
♦ Several of the ball-shaped vegetable scoops in various sizes, for they have many uses.
♦ Shredders and graters; choose your own type.
♦ Spatulas; they are most accommodating tools.
♦ A pair of wooden butter paddles.
♦ A pepper mill if you don’t already have one, for freshly ground pepper improves any mixture that calls for that spice.
♦ A salt mill to grind coarse salt. Coarse salt in cooking adds flavor, and once you use it, you will never switch back to the old, commercial type.
The following recipes for small snacks are some of my favorite bits of cold cocktail food. They are served without bread or crackers and are easily eaten with the fingers. They are decidedly decorative and may be arranged to make a most appetizing tray.
As a rule, the quantity in these recipes is for about twelve pieces.
DANISH HAM ROLLS
Trim the excess fat from six paper-thin slices of Parma ham or prosciutto, the delicately flavored Italian ham one may buy in almost any Italian grocery carrying smoked meats. Spread thin slices of smoked salmon over this till the ham is completely covered. Roll very tightly and cut into rolls about one inch long. Spear with toothpicks and chill before serving. A little freshly ground black pepper will do a lot to flavor the ham.
BEEF ROLLS WITH PÂTÉ
Six slices of rare roast beef one eighth inch thick; sirloin or “eye” of beef is best for this particular roll. Cut beef into strips one to one and one half inches wide and three inches long. Spread each slice with some pâté de foie gras or any good liver paste. Salt to taste and roll. Secure with toothpicks and chill before serving. The ends may be dipped in chopped parsley before serving.
BEEF ROLLS CHINOISE
Prepare dry mustard with the syrup from preserved kumquats or with orange marmalade, using one teaspoon of mustard to one and one half teaspoons of the syrup or marmalade. Prepare twelve slices of beef, the rarer the better as before; spread them very thinly with the mustard sauce. Salt well and sprinkle a teaspoon of chopped chives or finely chopped onions on each. Roll tightly and secure with a toothpick. Dip each end in a mixture of one tablespoon of chopped parsley and one of chopped chives. These rolls make one of the most drink-provoking hors d’oeuvre known to man.
This same treatment may be given to slices of cold smoked tongue cut to a thickness of about one sixteenth of an inch and trimmed carefully to about one by three inches.
TONGUE WITH ROQUEFORT
Prepare twelve tongue slices as described for the other meats above. Spread them very lightly with Roquefort-cheese butter (the recipe will be found in the chapter on canapés); roll and secure with a toothpick. If you trim the edges carefully, this roll will need no garnishing, for the contrast of light and dark gives a well-tailored appearance.
TONGUE WITH ASPARAGUS NO. 1
Spread the squares of tongue with a little mayonnaise mixed with dry mustard, about one half teaspoon of mustard to a tablespoon of mayonnaise. Roll around an asparagus tip; trim and secure with a toothpick.
TONGUE WITH ASPARAGUS NO. 2
For this one you will need infinite patience. Cut the squares of tongue a little larger, two inches by three and one half inches. Round them out till they are uneven ovals. Use the rack I spoke about at the beginning of this chapter for making cornucopias. Take a one-inch asparagus tip and fold the base of the oval of tongue around the end of it; you may secure it with a bit of raw egg white. Place it in a wire-mesh rack in an upright position, and allow these to chill in the refrigerator for at least one and one half hours. (Season as in preceding recipe.)
BEEF WITH ANCHOVY
Roll beef slices around fillets of anchovy and secure with a toothpick. Roll them in chopped egg and chill before serving. Egg white will simplify the process of coating with chopped egg or parsley. Brush the rolls with white of egg and the garnish will adhere much more easily and will not have a tendency to drop off.
PIQUANT VEAL SLICES
If you have some cold roast veal, you may make a very interesting and unusual snack. Slice it very thin and cut as many rings as possible from each slice with a Canapé cutter or small biscuit cutter. You will need two rounds for each individual appetizer. Spread half of them with the fines herbes butter (the recipe for this is given below) and place the other slices on top. These may be garnished with a tiny border of the butter or dusted with paprika or chopped parsley. The border is made with your smallest pastry-tube nozzle.
FINES HERBES BUTTER FOR VEAL
Rub a small bowl with a clove of garlic. In it cream two tablespoons of sweet butter. Add one tablespoon of chopped parsley, one of chopped chives, a teaspoon of chopped, fresh tarragon or chervil, if they are available, and one finely chopped anchovy fillet or one half teaspoon of anchovy paste. Beat this to a paste with a fork and season to taste with freshly ground black pepper and salt.
The same process is employed with cold roast lamb, save that the butter differs. Slice the lamb and prepare as for the veal slices. Spread with mint butter (below) and garnish with mint leaves or freshly chopped mint.
MINT BUTTER FOR COLD ROAST LAMB
Cream two tablespoons of butter. Add one teaspoon of chopped parsley, one tablespoon of chopped mint that has marinated for an hour in two tablespoons of wine vinegar with one teaspoon of salt, and two teaspoons of sugar. Drain the mint before adding to the butter and beat the mixture with a fork till thoroughly blended.
CHICKEN ROLLS
Cut cubes of cold chicken or turkey about one half inch square. Mix one-half cup of mayonnaise with one teaspoon of chopped, fresh tarragon or the equivalent amount of dried tarragon which has first been soaked in white wine or, failing that, fresh water. Dip the chicken into the mayonnaise and roll in paper-thin strips of prosciutto or Parma ham. If this is not available, you may try baked ham if it will roll, or cold, baked Canadian bacon from which the fat has been removed.
PORK ROLLS
Spread slices of cold roast pork or fresh ham with mustard mayonnaise.* Cut in strips one by four inches and roll around medium to large pickled onions. Secure with toothpicks and chill thoroughly.
Cut slices of cold turkey breast or chicken breast one half inch thick. Trim well so that you have a perfect oblong of meat. Cut in strips one half inch wide and make them as uniform as possible. Dip the strips three quarters of their length into a very stiff mayonnaise which is well seasoned with lemon juice and tarragon. Roll in slivered, toasted Brazil nuts and chill thoroughly before serving. Arrange them on a tray or plate, with a small bowl of the mayonnaise and an additional bowl of the nuts in case any of your guests want an extra dunk.
Another variation of this delightful snack is to dip the turkey straws into a well-seasoned Russian dressing and then into finely grated Switzerland Swiss cheese. The important thing to remember is to leave one end unclipped so that the guest does not have dressing all over his fingers.
CHICKEN ROLLS WITH TONGUE
Cut thin slices of tongue and trim them well in oblong shapes. Spread with a well-seasoned liver paste or pâté de foie gras; place a thin slice of chicken or turkey on this and a few chopped pistachio nuts. Roll tightly, secure with toothpick and chill.
SALAMI WITH HERBS
For the following recipes you will need the wire-mesh rack described in the introduction to this chapter, which holds these tiny cones in an upright position. You will also need a fine-grained salami; the coarser-grained has large bits of meat and fat which will break through. Have the salami sliced to paper-thinness at the delicatessen where you buy it. If they are large slices, each slice will make two cornucopias. If it is the small size salami, one to a slice. The large size, if properly sliced, will be found the more practical.
Fold the slices of salami around your finger to form a cornucopia. Pinch the edges together well and place in the rack. If they are pressed firmly and securely, they will stick together, but a brushing of white of egg will surely hold them. Chill the cornucopias in the refrigerator for half an hour then fill them from a pastry tube (one of the metal ones mentioned in the preceding chapter is best for this purpose) with the following:
For fifteen to eighteen cornucopias, one cup of cream cheese, one tablespoon each of chopped parsley and chives, one teaspoon each of fresh dill and chopped chervil, and three-fourths teaspoon of salt. If fresh herbs are not available, soak dried chervil and dill and chop them with a little chopped raw spinach for color. You will of course measure a teaspoon of each herb after soaking, for a teaspoon of dried ones would give a far greater yield. Blend the herbs with the cream cheese and fill the pastry tube. Let the filled cornucopias set in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.
These may be made in the morning and left in the refrigerator, for they never seem to spoil. I have experimented with them and found that they are quite as good the next day. These cornucopias are delicious with champagne and with almost any kind of cocktail.
SALAMI PARMIGIANA
Mix one half cup of cream cheese, two tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, one tablespoon of chopped chives or one tablespoon of chopped pickled onions, and one teaspoon of anchovy paste or one half teaspoon of chopped and mashed anchovies. Fill the cornucopias as in the preceding recipe and chill.
If you are unable to find a good salami in your community, you may use these same recipes substituting summer sausage or bologna.
BOLOGNA WITH CHEESE
Have your butcher or delicatessen salesman slice bologna for you to an almost transparent thinness on the electric slicer. Cut the slices in half and form into cornucopias. Brush the edges with egg white and allow them to set in the refrigerator for an hour. Fill with tiny balls of grated American cheese which has been mixed with French mustard and Worcestershire Sauce in the following proportions: three fourths of a cup of coarsely grated soft cheese to one teaspoon of Worcestershire Sauce and three fourths of a teaspoon of French mustard. Mix well and form into tiny balls or cones that will fit into the cornucopias.
TARTAR BALLS
1 pound of chopped raw sirloin or tenderloin steak (see Editor’s Note, copyright page)
½ cup of chopped onions
1 small clove of garlic, grated
1½ teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
White of egg
Chopped parsley
Chopped toasted walnuts
Mix the beef, onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Work well with the fingers and form into tiny balls. Dip in white of egg, chopped parsley, and nuts.
These are tantalizing, filling, and a good antidote for over-indulgence. If you notice someone getting out of control, give him half a dozen!
PARMA HAM OR PROSCIUTTO
Parma ham or prosciutto is one of the most versatile and one of the most delicious of all cold meats. It should be cut to a transparency and is delicious when served on a platter in its virgin state. Or there are many variations which may prove useful to you:
♦ Slices of prosciutto rolled around well-spiced sweet gherkins are simple and delicious.
♦ Rolled around a finger of cold turkey or chicken, with a little freshly ground black pepper sprinkled over it.
♦ A slice of prosciutto rolled around a finger of Switzerland Swiss cheese is unbelievably good.
♦ Rolled with Roquefort butter and chopped chives.
♦ Spread a slice of Parma ham with chopped mushrooms and cream cheese and roll.
♦ Spread slices of Parma ham with fines herbes butter and roll.
♦ A slice of prosciutto rolled around a whole, boneless and skinless sardine and bountifully sprinkled with chopped parsley.
♦ Roll slices of prosciutto around sprigs of fresh watercress so that there are tiny clumps of leaves at each end.
FORCEMEAT SANDWICH
If you have a good recipe for meat loaf which you feel is the best in the community, this may appeal to you: For a dozen sandwiches, slice twelve thin slices of the cold loaf and cut them with a small round or crescent-shaped cutter. Spread lightly with a pickle-and-olive butter made by creaming together two tablespoons of butter with one teaspoon of finely chopped olives and pickles. Press pairs of slices together and roll the edges in a mixture of paprika and freshly ground black pepper.
For the following recipes you will need tiny shells: clam shells of various types or oyster shells if they are not too well covered with growth from the sea.
SWEETBREADS IN SHELLS
Blanch and trim one pair of sweetbreads; let them soak in cold water for an hour. Drain them well and poach for about twenty minutes in boiling, salted water. Drain and place in cold water again until you are ready to mix the salad.
1 cup of diced sweetbreads
1 cup of cold boiled chestnuts, diced
½ cup of finely diced cucumber
Mayonnaise
Toss the ingredients together lightly and add mayonnaise to bind. Arrange in the small shells in little mounds and chill in the refrigerator. Truffle slices or finely shredded ham are good garnishings for this salad.
A salad of cold diced chicken or turkey or duck may be prepared with similar ingredients and served in the shells. This makes a delightful summer snack.
CHICKEN OR DUCK SALAD FOR SHELLS
1 cup of diced chicken or duck
⅓ cup of chopped almonds
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
Mayonnaise
Mix the chicken or duck and the chopped almonds and parsley with enough heavy mayonnaise to bind. Fill the shells and decorate with capers and watercress.
If there is a really fine Chinese restaurant in your immediate neighborhood or in your community, a very easy and delicious variation for your cocktails may be bought there. Buy some of their roast pork, which is one of the specialties of Chinese cooks. Have the chef slice it for you and ask him for a little of the Chinese hot mustard which outdistances the English mustard by several degrees. Arrange the pork on a plate and have a tiny dish of the mustard and one of French mustard for the more cautious guests. I advise warning signs about the hot mustard.
Chinese roast duck is another delicacy that you may buy from your restaurateur. Again, have the chef cut it for you into dainty bits, and serve it with a grinder of coarse salt at hand for seasoning.
Cheese is probably the friendliest of foods. It endears itself to everything and never tires of showing off to great advantage. Any liquor or, I may say, any potable or any edible loves to be seen in the company of cheese. Naturally, some nationalities choose one type of companion and some another, but you very seldom find clashes of temperament in passing.
An assortment of cheese is a welcome addition to any party no matter what else is served. A huge board or tray may hold two to ten different varieties to be sliced or scooped at will, and although you have the most tempting bits of lusciousness in your repertoire, you will find there is a steady, appreciative audience at the cheese board.
Good cheese needs good companions. Fine mustard is desired by some cheese fans, so have a selection of the French and the English and the very hot Chinese varieties. Provide thin bread and butter and biscuits and crackers. The Tunbridge Wells water biscuits are to me the ultimate in cheese biscuits, but there are also really excellent American brands today.
And don’t forget, some people want butter with cheese.
These are a few of the more popular types of cheese which are easy to find in all parts of the United States and which please most palates:
♦ Canadian Cheddar, full and ripe in flavor.
♦ New York Herkimer County Cheddars, excellent.
♦ Famous Oregon and Wisconsin cheeses of several varieties, all good.
♦ Switzerland Swiss and Gruyère; and be sure you get the imported, for the flavor is subtle and the texture fine.
♦ Fine French Roquefort, the queen of all cheeses; and its cousins, Gorgonzola and Danish Bleu.
♦ England’s prize contributions: Stilton, Cheshire, and Cheddar.
♦ The luxurious Brie and Camembert of France, which should be the consistency of thick cream. A fine American Brie that should be more appreciated than it is, is now made in Illinois and is available in many markets.
♦ A rather close relative is the Canadian Oka made by monks in northern Canada, a truly distinguished cheese.
♦ Taleggio from Italy and Bel Paese, one rich and full-flavored and the other delicate as an orchid.
♦ The typically American store cheese, large and round, cut in wedges, which, if properly aged, is a delicious tidbit; and the Monterey Jack cheese which is mild in flavor.
♦ The cream cheese brick that is a refined offspring of the Limburger family.
♦ Danish Tilsit, which is in a class all by itself.
♦ Liederkranz, made in America.
♦ Goat cheese.
These are only a few of the countless varieties to be found everywhere nowadays. Whatever cheese you select, be sure it is the good natural product. Processed cheeses are rubbery in texture and uninteresting.
Cream cheese is a boon to hors d’oeuvre, for it is a bland and accommodating binder that takes on almost any flavor that is mixed with it. Consequently, it is one of the most convenient items in this family and one that should never be absent from your refrigerator shelves.
Cheese balls are a delightful appetizer with most drinks. Mix the ingredients and make the balls with a pair of butter paddles which have been soaking in ice water for several hours before you use them. After the balls are made and garnished, give them an hour or two to harden in the refrigerator. Serve only a few at a time, on a bed of parsley or lettuce leaves and refill the plates often, not only from popular demand, but to keep the balls cold and firm as long as possible.
CHIVE BALLS
Cream well one cup of cream cheese, one half cup of chopped chives, or chopped green onions if chives are not available, one teaspoon of French mustard, one half teaspoon of salt and two thirds teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Shape into balls.
OLIVE CHEESE BALLS
Cream well one cup of cream cheese, one half cup of chopped ripe olives (the tinned ones are excellent for this), one tablespoon of butter. Form into balls the size of a marble. Roll in coarsely chopped walnuts.
CURRIED CHEESE BALLS
Chop one tablespoon of India chutney very fine and mix well with one tablespoon of butter and one teaspoon of curry powder. Mix this with one cup of cream cheese; form into balls and roll each one in freshly grated coconut.
Combine one cup of cream cheese, three tablespoons of grated Switzerland Swiss cheese, two tablespoons of freshly grated horseradish, and one half teaspoon of salt. Mix these ingredients till they form a solid mass that may be rolled into balls. You may find you have to add an additional amount of cream cheese or thick cream to bind this, depending on the consistency of the grated cheese. Form into balls and roll each in coarsely ground cooked ham.
MEXICAN CHEESE BALLS
Combine one and one half cups of cream cheese, one tablespoon each of chopped green pepper, pimiento, and onion, and one half teaspoon of salt. Mix well, form into balls and roll in pignolia nuts, or you may call them pine nuts or Indian nuts.
ROQUEFORT CHEESE BALLS
Mix together four ounces each of Roquefort cheese and butter. Add to this one half teaspoon of dry mustard and blend well. Form into balls the size of a marble and roll them in a mixture of finely chopped parsley and chives. I suggest a mixture of two parts chives to one part parsley.
MUSHROOM CAPS FILLED WITH ROQUEFORT
Select twelve perfectly shaped, raw mushrooms and peel them very carefully in order to keep the smooth quality of the cap. Stuff them with the Roquefort mixture given above and sprinkle the cheese with chopped chives. The raw mushroom flavor has a peculiar sympathy of flavor with the Roquefort.
I think it delightful to have large bowls of cheese mixtures which are of a consistency that permits “dunking.” Cream cheese mixed with chopped chives and sour cream, and perhaps a little green pepper and a great deal of parsley, is always welcome.
Roquefort cheese or Gorgonzola mixed with cream cheese and sour cream, with a flavoring of chopped chives and chopped raw mushrooms, is another good dunker.
Cream cheese, sour cream, and grated fresh horseradish and a few chopped chives is another delightful addition to this family.
You may have your choice of dunkers—potato chips, pretzels, crackers, Italian bread sticks—any of them.
A plate of cold seafood with a delicious dressing is always a very welcome addition to any cocktail party. I favor one of the sectional hors d’oeuvre trays, which will hold six or eight different types of fish and a bowl of sauce. For example:
♦ Cold, boiled shrimps which have been poached in white wine with a bay leaf, peppercorns, and coarse salt.
♦ Crawfish tails. Cook the cleaned crawfish in water, red wine, with allspice, bayleaf and a little tarragon and thyme.
♦ Cubes of cold boiled lobster.
♦ Crab legs. If you get the marvelous Dungeness crab from the Pacific coast, so much the better, for it surpasses any other crabmeat in the world.
♦ Smoked oysters. The small ones are the most delicate.
♦ Tiny slices of smoked salmon.
♦ Squares of smoked sturgeon.
For a sauce I suggest a green mayonnaise, or a lobster mayonnaise (mayonnaise rouge), or a Louis dressing.
GREEN MAYONNAISE
2 cups of stiff mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of chopped chives
1 tablespoon of chopped tarragon
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
1 teaspoon of chopped chervil
1 teaspoon of chopped dill
Fold the chopped herbs into the mayonnaise and let it stand for two hours before serving.
Pound a lobster coral in a mortar or force it through a fine sieve and add to one cup of mayonnaise.
LOUIS DRESSING
Combine two cups of mayonnaise with one tablespoon each of pickle, egg, olive, onion, green pepper, and parsley, all finely chopped. Add two tablespoons of chili sauce.
A variation of this sauce is to add one half cup of stiffly whipped cream to the dressing.
For service of this type of hors d’oeuvre you will need either small plates and forks, or toothpicks and plenty of napkins. I really prefer the former, for it is by far the kindest to your floor and to the clothes of your guests. Besides, it is far more attractive in the complete setup of your table or party. I really feel that small plates are almost a must for any gathering where hors d’oeuvre are being served. It is rather sad to see anyone balancing a glass in one hand and a couple of snacks in another and trying to talk and get through the room at the same time.
SALMON ROLLS
For one dozen rolls you will need twelve thin slices of smoked salmon. If it is not sliced beautifully thin and even for you at the market, I think it is safer to buy the smoked salmon in a piece and slice it yourself with a very sharp knife. Trim into oblongs about one and one half by three inches. Lay them out on a board and spread with the following mixture:
Two thirds of a cup of cream cheese, one third teaspoon of salt, one third teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, two tablespoons of freshly ground horseradish or two tablespoons of horseradish. Blend well and spread.
Roll the thin slices very carefully, as they tend to tear apart very easily. They will hold without a toothpick, but you may secure them if you wish. There should be a very attractive jelly roll effect on the ends with the contrast of the deep pink salmon and the white cheese mixture. If you want a garnish for them, mix a teaspoon of paprika with a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper and dip the ends into this.
Individual Aspics for Cocktails
These are among the most decorative and delightful tidbits you can serve with cocktails. A tray of them is certainly a most decorative adjunct to your buffet table; they are simple to make and may be made a day in advance and merely kept in the refrigerator till you are ready to serve them.
You will have to shop kitchen and restaurant equipment stores for the tiny molds that are used for pastry shells and tiny cakes. These can be found in a variety of designs and sizes from peanut-shell size to three inches in diameter. I think the small, scalloped design, the very tiny fish mold, the star, crescent, and shell are among the most attractive. These are often available from food equipment mail-order catalogs, such as those offered by Williams-Sonoma and Sur la Table. Plastic egg trays or plastic ice-cube trays for round ice cubes are also excellent for these little aspics.
A basic recipe for aspic which may be used for any of the fish aspics calls for fish broth. By this I mean the broth in which a fish was cooked, always in the company of an herb bouquet tied in a small piece of cheesecloth. For most fish you will find a blend of dill, allspice (whole), tarragon, bay leaf, parsley, and chervil desirable.
ASPIC FOR FISH
Dissolve two tablespoons of gelatin in one half cup of cold water and three cups of fish broth, strained and clarified with egg white. Add one teaspoon of salt, one half teaspoon of pepper, and one half cup of Chablis.
After you remove the fish from the broth, strain the broth through a fine sieve, return to the pan with the white and shell of one egg, and let it simmer. Strain again through a cloth and return to the pan. Bring it to the boiling point, pour in the gelatin, and stir till it is well mixed. Allow the jelly to cool and then add the salt, pepper, and wine.
Have your aspic molds arranged on a tray with your fish in them: a tiny whole shrimp, a small bit of crabmeat, a cube of lobster, a tiny cube of salmon or halibut. Two or three capers, a tiny round of pimiento or truffle, or a thin slice of gherkin or olive on the bottom of the mold will make a more festive appearance. Fill the molds with jelly and set them in the refrigerator. Unmold. Serve with a bowl of green mayonnaise or mayonnaise rouge.
INDIVIDUAL MOUSSE MOLDS
Make one half the aspic recipe given above and allow to jell in the refrigerator. When cooled, beat to a froth with an egg beater or in the electric mixer. Add one and one half cups of finely chopped or pounded cold fish or shellfish and one half cup of cream, beaten stiffly. Fold together; fill tiny molds and set in the refrigerator. Unmold.
Serve these on a tray with a bowl of green mayonnaise.
Halibut, salmon, shrimp, lobster, smoked salmon, or crabmeat may be used.
FISH EN BROCHETTE
This is a most satisfactory service for a leisurely party, for it gives the guest a substantial bit of food each time he is served and allows the host to sit and enjoy his guests without jumping up every two minutes to pass the trays. It is basically a finger service, but plates will help out a great deal.
Bits of fish and garnishes strung on small metal or bamboo skewers can be arranged attractively on a large plate lined with Romaine leaves, shredded lettuce, or a bed of watercress or parsley; in the center a large, flat bowl of Russian dressing or green mayonnaise or a divided bowl which holds both. The following suggestions are but a few of the endless number of combinations possible with the aid of a riotous imagination and a satisfactory market:
♦ Crabmeat cubes alternated with cubes of avocado which have been marinated in lemon juice to keep them green. If you are within hailing distance of the Dungeness or Seattle crabs, use the whole legs on the skewers.
♦ Lobster cubes alternated with tiny red or yellow tomatoes, the cherry size.
♦ Lobster cubes with cubes of marinated celery root, or knob celery, as they may call it in your neighborhood.
♦ Small rolls of smoked salmon alternated with cubes of crisp cucumber.
♦ Smoked salmon rolls with small cubes of baked ham and thin slices of cucumber.
♦ Shrimp, small cherry tomatoes, and avocado cubes.
♦ Shrimp, tiny white onions or pickled onions, and cubes of orange.
♦ Shrimp, smoked oysters, and cucumbers.
♦ Smoked oysters, small ones, and cubes of chicken.
♦ Shrimp, button radishes, and anchovy fillets.
♦ Lobster cubes, shrimp, smoked-sturgeon cubes.
♦ Crabmeat with cucumber and bits of crisp celery.
♦ Crabmeat and shrimp with pickled onion.
♦ Shrimp, olive, and anchovy fillet.
JEANNE’S ANCHOVIES
For years this dish has been a great favorite with guests of Jeanne Owen. More than one person who had never liked anchovies has become a true devotee after trying them this way once.
Open a large size can of anchovey fillets, drain the oil into a bowl, and place the fillets on a plate. Mix the oil with enough chopped parsley to make a thick paste. Add a chopped shallot or two according to taste and about a tablespoon of tarragon vinegar. Arrange the anchovies in an oblong dish and pour the sauce over them so that just a tip of each fillet shows. Serve with a fork and have plenty of Melba toast at hand for foundations. These are really a sensational dish and one everyone will like.
CAVIAR
The roe of the Russian mother sturgeon has probably been present at more important international affairs than have all the Russian dignitaries of history combined. This seemingly simple article of diet has taken its place in the world along with pearls, sables, old silver, and Cellini cups.
Just as with pearls and fine silver, many imitations of the original have come on the market. Herring and salmon mothers have given their all to imitate their Russian cousins, but there still remains but one real and satisfying caviar, the fresh Beluga, unsalted, from the Caspian Sea and the River Volga. If this is available, banish all other from your menus; use the fresh Beluga when you can get it for a special party and for special and truly appreciative guests.
As there is only one caviar, so there is only one service for it. Let us, with a great care and sentiment, bury all the caviar Canapés and the caviar sandwiches, and the mixtures of caviar and smoked salmon, and place a steel and stone slab over them; inscribe on it “Requiescat in Pace.”
Serve caviar in a glass bowl or a silver one and rest this in a bed of chopped ice, in a larger bowl. Or scoop out a hollow in a whole block of ice to hold the caviar bowl. Place on a tray and surround with tiny dishes holding: chopped hard-cooked egg, whites and yolks separate, chopped onion, quartered lemon. Thin slices of Russian black bread (to be found in most delicatessens or foreign bake shops) or pumpernickel (and the canned pumpernickel is excellent), some buttered and some not, and a few slices of Melba toast arranged on a plate complete the accessories. Your guests will dip the caviar out with a spoon or ladle and season it to their taste. You will of course need plates for this service.
Since you are splurging on this party, with caviar at a price which runs to the pinnacle of food prices, you might as well go the limit and have a choice of the two drinks most complementary to the dish—fine champagne and vodka. Serve the champagne properly cooled, and serve plenty of it. The vodka is served straight, in tiny glasses similar to a liqueur glass. If you are sure of an appreciative audience, with your caviar and champagne properly iced, your vodka of the best and your accessories perfect, you may rest assured you have given the best party of the season and one that will be appreciated for months to come.
OYSTERS
Many combinations have been suggested for oysters on the half shell, but to enjoy them at their best white wines are outstanding to complement them. They are a favorite of gourmets the world over. Your guests will appreciate such a thoughtful delicacy if you are within reach of good oysters.
Your oysters should be opened in the kitchen as needed and arranged on large trays well packed with ice. Your local caterer or hotel will be glad to rent you deep trays for this service. Or you might rent for the afternoon what is known as an ice cradle, which is filled with chopped ice with the trays placed on this. A servant can serve the guests, and offer them horseradish, salt, pepper, lemon, or cocktail sauce as garnish. Trays of thin bread and butter, light and dark, may also be passed.
Instead of liquor, a fine Graves or Chablis, chilled, may be served, or a very dry champagne. Stout and ale are also very compatible with the oyster.
To me, this is a particularly civilized idea for entertaining and if the oysters in your section of the country are good, nothing could be more appreciated, especially at the beginning of the oyster season.
I enjoy toying with the idea that the so-called “old eggs” from China were the original ancestor of the hors d’oeuvre. If that is true, it was certainly a most auspicious beginning and a flattering compliment to the hen. For those mellow and flavorful bits of egg packed in clay have come down through untold ages and are as much in favor today with Chinese people (those who can still get them) as they were centuries ago.
No matter what else is served at a cocktail party, you will always find that a tray of stuffed eggs (not old!) will be one of the most popular items. These disappear more rapidly than anything else.
Cut such eggs either the long way of the egg or crosswise, and trim the bottoms so they do not roll around. The crosswise cut is by far the most decorative and will be found easier to handle. A pastry tube or metal icing set will be the most efficient method of filling the halves. This is simple and much more attractive than filling them with a spoon. (We must never forget the eye-appealing possibilities of all hors d’oeuvre.)
The following recipes are planned to make one dozen halves. Always be sure to boil one or two extra eggs, for the temperamental hen sometimes upsets your plans with a misplaced yolk or an inferior white.
DEVILED EGGS
Remove the yolks from six hard-cooked eggs and force them through a fine sieve. Add one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of dry mustard, one half teaspoon of freshly ground, black pepper, one teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, one and one half tablespoons of chopped parsley, and at least a tablespoon of mayonnaise. Beat well with a fork till the mixture forms a firm paste, adding more mayonnaise if necessary. Fill the white halves, using a pastry tube, and garnish with chopped parsley or tiny strips of pimiento.
ANCHOVY EGGS
Force the yolks of eggs through a sieve and add three tablespoons of chopped anchovies or two tablespoons of anchovy paste, one half teaspoon of ground pepper, one teaspoon of salt, one tablespoon of chopped pickled onion, and enough mayonnaise to form a stiff paste. Fill the hard-cooked white halves.
PÂTÉ EGGS
Mix one and one half cups of liver paste or pâté de foie gras, one tablespoon of creamed butter, and salt to taste. Fill the white halves of six eggs with the pâté mixture. Decorate with chopped egg white or yolk and mayonnaise mixed together to a paste and forced through a tube. These are extremely rich and should be served with plenty of green things to complement them.
Fill twelve hard-cooked halves with a mixture of chopped, smoked turkey and cold wild rice mixed in equal quantities. I should advise a cup of each with the addition of one teaspoon of salt, one half teaspoon of black pepper, and enough mayonnaise to make a good binder, at least a quarter cup. Fill the white halves with this, smooth them down, and decorate with tiny strips of smoked turkey.
CURRIED EGGS
Melt one tablespoon of finely chopped onion in one tablespoon of butter over a very low flame. Add one and one half teaspoons of fine Bombay curry powder and two tablespoons of thick cream and stir vigorously till this becomes a paste. Cool, and add to the yolks of six hard-cooked eggs which have been forced through a sieve. Add one teaspoon of salt and two teaspoons of finely chopped chutney and cream to a paste. Fill the egg whites with this mixture and top with grated fresh coconut.
Variations: To the curry paste you may add two thirds of a cup of either pounded cold chicken, lobster, shrimp, salmon, or crabmeat. This is added to the egg mixture, then proceed as for the plain curried eggs.
EGGS VIRGINIAN
Mash the yolks of six hard-cooked eggs and add four tablespoons of finely chopped cold ham, one teaspoon of Dijon mustard, one tablespoon of finely chopped gherkin, and enough mayonnaise to bind and form a paste. Fill whites of the eggs and garnish with finely chopped ham mixed with paprika.
Variation: Four tablespoons of chopped tongue instead of the ham.
Mash one cup of boneless sardines very fine and add one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of lemon juice, and a tablespoon of mayonnaise. Cream this with one cup of hard-cooked egg yolk that has been passed through a sieve, and fill the whites of the eggs. Garnish with more sieved yolk mixed with chopped parsley.
SEAFOOD EGGS
Chop one and one half cups of either cold crabmeat, shrimp, or lobster; add two tablespoons of chopped parsley and one of chives. Mix this with one and one half tablespoons of Russian dressing and fill the whites of six eggs. Garnish with chopped egg yolk or thinly sliced sweet gherkin.
CHEESE EGGS
Mash the yolks of six hard-cooked eggs. To this add two tablespoons of creamed butter and three tablespoons of grated Switzerland Swiss cheese. Blend these well and fill the whites from a pastry tube. Tiny squares or triangles of Switzerland Swiss cheese are an appropriate decoration for this one. And an extremely good egg this is, too.
EGGS TARTAR
This is a real “he-man” version, one that should go with much Scotch or Irish whiskey or with that delicate little number known as the French 75. (See Editor’s Note, copyright page)
Chop, do not grind, one half pound of lean, raw steak, tenderloin preferred. Mix this with one raw egg and two teaspoons of salt, one of black pepper, and two tablespoons of chopped onion. Fill hard-cooked whites cut the long way with this mixture and garnish with chopped chives. Serve them very cold.
Chop one cup of cooked chicken with one half cup of blanched and lightly toasted almonds. Add one teaspoon of salt and one tablespoon of chopped tarragon. Allow this to marinate in two tablespoons of white wine for two hours. Pour off any liquid and bind with mayonnaise. Fill the whites and garnish with shredded almonds.
FISH EGGS
Put hard-cooked egg yolks through the fine sieve. Add one half cup of well-pounded tuna fish or cold salmon, one tablespoon of chopped cucumber, one teaspoon of salt, and bind with mayonnaise. Fill the whites with this and top with a thin slice of cucumber.
AVOCADO EGGS
Rub a bowl with garlic. In this place one half of a large (or one whole small) avocado, one teaspoon of salt and one of black pepper, and a half teaspoon of dry mustard.
Mash the avocado very well and add the puréed hardcooked egg yolk gradually till you have achieved a fine textured paste for forcing through a tube. Fill the whites with this mixture and decorate with chopped egg yolk and sprigs of fresh watercress.
EGGS FINES HERBES
Chop together some parsley, chives, tarragon, chervil, and green onion till they are practically a paste. You will want about one half cup of chopped herbs when you are through, so gauge accordingly. Sprinkle well with salt and a little cayenne. Mix with puréed hard-cooked egg yolk till the mixture forms a fine paste, adding, if necessary, a little olive oil to bind it. Fill the whites with this mixture forced through a pastry tube.
I suppose even with drinking and gaiety we must still think of vitamins, but when there are such good vitamins and such pleasant, intimate friends of good cheer, who cares?
The variety of raw vegetables waiting to take a place on your hors d’oeuvre table is almost unbelievable! The array may be perfectly arranged on a huge tray of silver or glass, wood or tôle, and makes a colorful, decorative addition to your table. With this type of service, you will want two or three bowls of dressings which inspire dunking. Mayonnaise with chopped herbs, Russian dressing, and a bowl of thick sour cream with chopped chives in it can grace the center of your tray and be decorative and functional at the same time. Perhaps you have a huge pottery or glass bowl which holds plenty of cracked ice on which to arrange the vegetables. A long shallow bowl filled with finely chopped ice is ideal for green onions and radishes, which can be stuck into the ice and produce a lively effect.
One of the most charming ways to serve these raw tidbits is to have a large tray or buffet with a number of matching bowls, some holding neatly arranged mounds of vegetables, others the sauces. All the vegetables should be washed thoroughly and iced for several hours before servingtime. They may be sliced in thin slices or served in strips or, in the case of the small items, served whole, depending on the vegetable.
The following are all complementary to cocktails and pleasing to the palate: raw young turnips; young carrots; tender zucchini (or Italian squash, to some); green pepper; sweet red pepper; scallions; sliced sweet onions; cauliflower buds; broccoli buds; tiny Brussels sprouts; radishes of all descriptions; celery; Chinese cabbage; fennel, or Italian celery, as it is sometimes called; Belgian endive; tomatoes of all types, currant, cherry, tiny red and yellow pear tomatoes; large red and yellow tomatoes, sliced; raw mushrooms; raw asparagus tips; cucumber.
Let your imagination run riot in arranging them and use as many kinds as you will.
Suitable dressings: sour cream with chives; French dressing; Roquefort dressing; Russian dressing; green mayonnaise; or plain mayonnaise seasoned with curry, chutney, or mustard. The recipes for some of these are given below; others you will find in the index.
Celery, fennel, and endive may be stuffed and arranged on the trays. Suitable stuffings are listed here; you will find the recipes in the chapter on canapés: fines herbes butter, anchovy butter, shrimp butter, chicken spread, and ham spread; and of course all kinds of creamed cheese mixtures.
FRENCH DRESSING
Three parts olive oil
One part wine vinegar
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Mix well.
ROQUEFORT DRESSING I
Add crumbled bits of Roquefort cheese to French dressing.
ROQUEFORT DRESSING II
Add crumbled bits of Roquefort cheese to a rich mayonnaise.
2 cups of mayonnaise
1 teaspoon of dry mustard
2 tablespoons of finely chopped onion
2 ounces of caviar
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce
Mix together thoroughly and chill for at least one hour.
CURRY MAYONNAISE
Add two teaspoons (or to taste) of Indian curry powder to one cup of mayonnaise.
CHUTNEY MAYONNAISE
Chop chutney fine and add two tablespoons (or to taste) to one cup of mayonnaise.
MUSTARD MAYONNAISE
Add one tablespoon (or to taste) of Dijon mustard to one cup of mayonnaise.
STUFFED ARTICHOKE BUDS
These are particularly delightful snacks and are seasonable in the early spring when the tiny artichokes are available in the markets. You may have to go to the Italian markets to find the buds, for most Americans insist on the huge full-grown artichokes.
Choose the tiniest artichokes you can find; boil them for twenty-five minutes in salted water to which you have added one or two kernels of garlic, a tablespoon of peppercorns and one half cup of vinegar. Be sure to chill them thoroughly, and then very carefully pick off the first two or three layers of leaves. With a sharp knife cut vertically through the whole artichoke to within a half inch of the bottom. If you use a non-stainless knife, be sure to keep it carefully wiped; the acid will cause a stain. Scoop out the choke in the center with a tiny vegetable scoop such as those used for melon balls. Trim the bottom so that it will stand alone and is neat and even looking. Fill with any of the following mixtures and garnish with chopped egg or parsley or with a bit of thinly sliced pickle or chopped pepper.
FILLINGS FOR ARTICHOKES
Chopped chicken and almonds mixed with mayonnaise; crabmeat flakes with Russian dressing; chopped ham with hard-boiled-egg garnish; pâté de foie gras; chopped shrimps with an onion mayonnaise and chopped chives.
STUFFED BEETS
Tiny young beets make a most colorful addition to the hors d’oeuvre tray and are a welcome change from other types of snack. They may be included in a vegetable arrangement. They are cooked in water to which a little vinegar is added. They must be peeled and trimmed so they will stand. Scoop out the tops and fill with chopped marinated herring and hard-boiled egg. A bit of chopped deviled ham mixed with chopped parsley is also a most complementary filling for the beets. Any of the egg fillings found in the section devoted to stuffed eggs will go well with beets, the strange, sweetish flavor of which is enhanced by various savory mixtures.
CRISP CUCUMBER RINGS
These form a delightful base for several things and are always a refreshing bit to find on a vegetable tray. For the rings choose cucumbers which have a definite slenderness—the long, thin silhouette in other words. Score them lengthwise with a fork and wash thoroughly. The scoring gives a streak of the white flesh between the dark green strips of the skin and makes a very attractive contrast. Slice them in one half inch slices and scoop out a cup in the center of each slice. Fill with one of the following:
♦ Shreds of smoked salmon molded into a ball. Surround with a line of finely chopped parsley so that you have the green of the skin, the white of the flesh of the cucumber, the green line of the parsley and the brilliant pink of the smoked salmon.
♦ Finely chopped crabmeat mixed with salt, chopped chives, and mayonnaise. For one dozen cucumber rings you will need about one cup of the crabmeat paste. Lobster meat may be treated the same way.
♦ Cubes of cold lobster surrounded with a line of finely chopped egg and topped with mayonnaise rouge.
♦ A tiny mound of cold boiled salmon with a ring of chopped parsley and topped with green mayonnaise.
♦ A mound of chopped tuna fish and chopped sweet gherkins. A small can of tuna and two gherkins will be ample for twelve rings.
PEPPER SLICES
Green peppers have their place as appetizer bases, too. Choose the long, thin ones rather than the round, luxurious, dowager type. If you search the markets well, you will find them in varying greens. In the Italian markets, you find them in a chartreuse shade and often red-and-green-streaked ones. Cut out the stem ends, core the peppers, and remove the seeds and fibers.
Mix two cups of cream cheese with one half cup of chopped chives and two teaspoons of prepared French mustard. Add one and one half teaspoons of salt and four tablespoons of Switzerland Swiss cheese cut into tiny cubes. When all this is well mixed and blended, fill your peppers with the mixture; press in well so that it reaches to the farthest corner and chill in the ice box for two to three hours. Just before serving, slice with a very sharp knife in slices about one quarter of an inch thick. Arrange on a plate and serve.
STUFFED TOMATOES
If you have the time, and the patience, you will find that tiny stuffed tomatoes will make one of the most decorative and delightful appetizers you can possibly serve. They may be stuffed with any chicken, tuna fish, salmon, lobster or crab mixture and garnished with chopped parsley or chopped hard-boiled eggs. They are truly one of the most refreshing bites one can eat with cocktails or highballs.
You will find an assortment of small tomatoes in the markets from June till October. The small, red cherry variety and the red pear and plum tomatoes are in for several months. The yellow ones seem to come in later, but you will find them in the early part of August and usually until October or November. I advise that when you are stuffing the tiny ones, you do not peel them unless they are quite firm. Scoop out with a small vegetable scoop and fill with your pet mixture; I favor chopped chicken or ham.
STUFFED DILL PICKLES
Small-size dill pickles—homemade ones please—are delicious when they are filled with a tiny bit of crabmeat mixed with Russian dressing. The seeds must be scooped out with a coffee spoon, or a larding needle, or other long sharp instrument (the tool depends on the size of the pickle). Leave only the firm outer rim of the pickle. Force the dressed crabmeat into the pickles and allow them to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour so they will be crisp and cool to the taste. They always encourage another round of drinks.
PEGGY’S RADISHES
Spread sweet butter around the middles of young, red radishes. Wrap an anchovy fillet around each radish and secure with a toothpick. Simple, but something to remember.
Along with summer comes the round of delightful, cool long drinks so conducive to lounging and lengthy conversation. A porch or terrace or garden bench, with a tray of frosty glasses and a few congenial individuals, offer a great deal to the appreciative soul.
But what of food? The rich and spicy bits that tempt us during the colder months seem revolting at this time. For summer, one classification of foods most unusual and delicious of all—fruit hors d’oeuvre. Champagne, Tom Collins, rum drinks, and most of the summer drinks complement fruits and you need not be told that there is nothing more refreshing during the hot months, or at any time in the tropics.
If you are entertaining a large number of people, here is your dish; and have reserves, for I guarantee that it will melt like summer snow. Eye-filling? Yes! Appetite-provoking? Yes!! Thrilling to taste? Yes!!! It’s called:
MELON MÉLANGE
Find the largest watermelon you can; chill it well; cut it lengthwise in halves. Scoop out the meat with ball cutters of various sizes. Put these balls in a separate bowl and chill them well. Smooth the inside surfaces of the melon halves and fill them with ice. Build one or two beds of ice, depending on whether you are using one half or two, on a huge tray or on a table which is waterproofed—an oval bed of ice larger, considerably larger, at the base. Fit the melon half or halves into this ice bed. A twin arrangement will look much more festive.
Resting in your refrigerator alongside the melon balls should be four cans of pineapple fingers, or two peeled fresh pineapples which have been cut into fingers and sprinkled with sugar (brown sugar is more flavorful; allow two or three tablespoons per pineapple, according to size). Also, have one quart of fresh ripe strawberries which need not be hulled if they are large and firm and recently picked, one quart of ripe cherries, one quart of apricot halves, and, if you wish, one dozen ripe, firm peaches that have been peeled and quartered and covered with lemon juice and water to keep them from turning brown. Scoop out two melons, a honeydew and a cantaloupe, with the ball cutter, and squeeze the juice of two limes over the meat.
Remove the ice and water from the watermelon shells and arrange grape or strawberry leaves around the edges. Arrange your fruits in them with an eye both for effect and proper blending of flavors. When they are piled high in the shells, pour a cup of kirsch over each half, or if they are very large melons, one and one half cups. If you prefer the flavor of white wine with fruit, pour a pint of fine French Sauternes over each shell. You may prefer cognac, in which case you will need one and one half cups for each shell. If you are feeling very flush after a successful day at the races or are on the verge of making a startling announcement, wait till your guests arrive and drench each shell with a good, non-vintage champagne.
In any event, you will find the mounds disappear as I warned you like snow in the summer sun. Have plates for those who want them and many toothpicks or tiny skewers so that people may spear a bit of this or that at will.
This is as gay as a strawberry festival in the Nineties and much more fun, and it is a glorious accompaniment to summer libations.
STRAWBERRIES
A famous English hostess who entertained a great deal in the summer at her large country place had a very simple idea which was always extremely popular. It was this: in addition to large trays of tempting canapés and hors d’oeuvre she always served huge bowls of strawberries, plenty of sugar, and heavy cream, arranged on tables in various parts of the garden and in the house. These were replenished after each attack by the horde; and they were always in the direct line of attack, I can assure you. Simple but satisfying.
STUFFED PINEAPPLE
The formal-looking pineapple may be scooped out with a ball cutter, after the top is sliced off and put in a safe place (it makes a decorative hat for the finished piece); fill this shell with a variety of things and plant it in a bed of ice.
Rum-soaked balls of pineapple and large ripe strawberries are most congenial neighbors in this type of dwelling. Cherries that have been poached in a sugar syrup and plentifully drenched with cognac, and peaches treated in the same manner, mix well with the bits of fresh pineapple.
Whole or halved apricots that have been lightly poached in syrup and well steeped in cognac have a natural affinity for pineapple. With this combination a few blanched and salted almonds are delicious, or better yet, if it is summer, accompany the fruit with a dish piled high with fresh, green almonds. As you probably know, green almonds are eaten when they are well formed pods. You cut the pod open with a fruit knife, peel the tender green kernel very carefully and devour it. A lot of trouble but it is well worth the effort.
Bits of preserved ginger, pineapple, and melon balls are a particularly nice group to meet on a hot day. Soak the pineapple in a little of the ginger syrup before putting it back in the shell. Whole, fresh kumquats add a bit of gay and exotic color to this combination.
Or just a large, well-iced pineapple well filled with nothing more than strawberries and blessed with ¼ cup of kirsch will be a satisfying treat to greet any guest.
I object strenuously (as before noted!) to a large glass, filled with fruit and a little whiskey and bitters poured over it, and called an Old Fashioned cocktail. If you want fruit with an Old Fashioned, why not serve an attractively arranged citrus plate?
For this, slice two or three limes, depending on their size, and two large, ripe oranges; peel a large, pink grapefruit, and wash a small basket of kumquats. In the center of a large plate, place a bowl of powdered sugar or honey diluted with lemon juice (juice of two lemons to a cup of honey). Arrange the lime slices, orange slices cut in half, grapefruit segments and whole kumquats around it.
PICKLED AND SPICED FRUITS
If you have a stock of your own or your cook’s pickles and preserves, don’t hesitate to use them with cocktails. Pickled watermelon rind is one of the most delightful accompaniments possible, and if you have pickled crabapples and peaches and prunes with the pungent sweet-sour syrup that surrounds them, arrange them all on a dish and let your friends descend on it.
The Italians have a method of preserving fruit in a very hot mustard syrup that is one of the most unusual treatments you can imagine. These are ideal for cocktail time, served alone or with thin slices of prosciutto arranged on a plate.
The melon is an age-old and natural ally of prosciutto or Parma ham. The traditional method of serving a large section of melon with slices of ham wrapped around it presents some difficulty to the guest who has a cocktail in one hand. Besides, a roomful of people standing around plunging into great slabs of melon and trying to manage the ham is not the most attractive picture in the world. Therefore, I have streamlined this dish for the cocktail public.
HAM WITH MELON
1 large ripe melon; I prefer honeydew or Persian
24 slices of prosciutto or Parma ham
1 lemon
Freshly ground black pepper
Peel and seed the melon and cut in fingers about two and one half inches long and one half inch square; you will want twenty-four fingers for this quantity of ham. Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the pieces and grind a little fresh pepper over them. Wrap each finger in a slice of prosciutto and serve within half an hour. It is wiser to make these in two or three rounds, for the melon seems to tire very quickly and is not attractive when this happens.
You may prefer to have the melon fingers in a bowl set over cracked ice with a plate of sliced ham nearby and let your guests “roll their own.” Some like chopped mint with this; use it if you care for the flavor combination.
Jeanne Owen, of the Wine and Food Society of New York, the author of A Wine Lover’s Cookbook and one of America’s truly great cooks, has a fruit curry which is one of the most thrilling dishes anyone can eat. With her permission, I am presenting her recipe with certain adaptations for its place on the hors d’oeuvre table.
CURRY OF FRUITS
The sauce:
1½ cups of rich chicken broth, or one can of consommé
2 tablespoons of curry powder
1 small bottle of white wine
2 tablespoons of arrowroot
⅔ of a cup of seeded raisins puffed in warm water
2 cups of finely chopped toasted Brazil nuts
2 cups of freshly grated or packaged grated coconut
Heat the broth; add the curry powder and stir till dissolved or blended. Add the white wine and allow to simmer for one half to three quarters of an hour. Mix the arrowroot with a little water or broth; add it to the mixture and stir till thick. Throw in the raisins and place the sauce in a double boiler to keep warm.
The fruit:
20 pineapple fingers, canned or fresh
20 melon slices or fingers
5 peaches, peeled and quartered
20 mango slices, fresh or canned
Bananas are also delicious with this. If you can get the tiny, finger bananas, place some of them on the plate in their skins. Large bananas may be halved or quartered and left in the skins so they do not get brown.
Prepare these fruits and place them in the refrigerator to become thoroughly chilled. Serve them on a plate resting on a bed of chopped ice.
Place the plate of iced fruit on a tray with a bowl of grated fresh or desiccated coconut, a bowl of chopped or shaved almonds and a bowl of shaved, blanched Brazil nuts and, finally, a bowl of the hot curry sauce. Your guests will dip the fruit into the hot sauce and then into the nuts or coconut or both. A truly wonderful experience at any time.
You have full leeway with fruits; anything in season or something canned or preserved which appeals to you may be included in this group. But remember the fruit must be icy and the sauce must be hot.
Plates and forks for this one, too.
*Note: Here and elsewhere we have made appropriate substitutes for Escoffier Sauce Robert, a product that’s not readily available in retail stores. —Ed.