Serves 10 to 12 Makes 48
1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 scallions, minced
½ cup minced water chestnuts
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon soy sauce (light, if possible)
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
12 slices firm sandwich bread
Unseasoned bread crumbs
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Peanut oil
Snipped fresh chives
1. Grind the shrimp in the food processor, but don’t over grind. The shrimp should be ground but not paste-like.
2. In a large bowl combine the shrimp with the next 8 ingredients.
3. Trim the crusts off the bread and cut each square into 4 circles, using a small round 1¼-inch cutter.
4. Spread the mixture evenly over the bread rounds and dust them with the bread crumbs. Sprinkle lightly with the sesame seeds.
5. Heat ¾ inch of peanut oil in a large frying pan and cook the coins shrimp side down over medium-high heat until they are golden brown. Cook only about 8 to 10 at a time. Turn the coins and brown them on the bread side. Remove and drain on paper towels. Cook the remaining shrimp coins.*
6. Put all the shrimp coins on a baking sheet and heat in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes. Garnish each with the snipped chives.
Serves 10 Makes 30
This recipe can easily be doubled to serve 20 to 24 people.
1 pound shrimp, shelled, deveined, and coarsely ground
½ cup finely chopped water chestnuts
2 scallions, minced
1 tablespoon Oriental sesame oil
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 large egg yolk
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
30 wonton wrappers
Water
3 cups peanut oil
1 cup hoisin sauce (available in Oriental grocery stores)
1. In a large bowl combine the filling ingredients well.
2. Lightly moisten a ¼-inch border of 2 adjoining sides of 1 wonton wrapper with a finger. Place a rounded teaspoon of the filling in the center of the wonton and fold it over. Press the edges together firmly. Fold the center flap down against the middle and press the two corners, one moistened lightly with water, together. Prepare the remaining wontons in the same manner.
3. Heat the oil to 375 degrees in a wok or large frying pan. Fry the filled wontons, about 10 at a time, until they are golden brown all over, stirring often. Drain well on paper towels and serve with the hoisin sauce.
Serves 4 to 6 Makes 12 hors d’oeuvres
48 bay scallops, about 1½ pounds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and coat them with the flour. Thread 4 scallops onto each of 12 rounded wooden toothpicks.
2. Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan and brown the scallop kebabs over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes per side, or until they are golden brown. Drain and serve. Serve with lemon or lime wedges, if desired.
Serves 12 Makes 28
1 2-ounce can anchovies, drained
¾ cup unpeeled minced apple
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1. Soak the anchovies in cool water to cover for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry. Chop the anchovies very fine and combine them in a bowl with the apple, mayonnaise, and lemon juice.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the sheet of pastry to approximately 8 by 12 inches. Cut the sheet into 4 2-inch lengths.
4. Spoon ½ teaspoon of the mixture at ½-inch intervals in the center of each strip. Fold the strips over crosswise and press the ends together and the space between each filling.
5. Cut the strips into 12 filled tidbits† and brush with the melted butter. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden.
Serves 6 Makes 12
6 small baking potatoes (about 3 inches in length)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2½ cups chopped cooked lobster
½ cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 scallion, minced Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Prick each potato once and bake them in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until they are tender.
3. Meanwhile, combine the salad ingredients in a bowl and set them aside.
4. Cut each potato in half lengthwise and scoop out the potato pulp with a teaspoon. Leave a border of about ⅛ inch of potato attached to the skin. (Use the pulp for potato pancakes, croquettes, or another use.) Brush the insides of each potato shell with the butter and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
5. Place the shells on a baking sheet under the broiler for a few minutes until they are golden brown.
6. Stuff the shells with equal amounts of the salad and serve immediately.
Variation: Crabmeat can be substituted for the lobster and 2 teaspoons of diced radish or red, yellow, or green pepper can be added.
Serves 4 to 6 Makes 16 canapés
Sardines too often are forgotten by hosts and hostesses as an hor d’oeuvre or for any course. Here’s an unusually delicious sardine starter.
1 2¾-ounce can boned and skinned sardines, well drained and chopped
½ cup chutney, chopped fine
1 scallion, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
16 ½-inch-thick slices French bread
Chopped fresh parsley leaves
1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl.
3. Spread equal amounts of the mixture on the bread slices.
4. Put the canapés on a baking sheet and broil for a few minutes until the tops sizzle and the bread crusts are golden brown. This will only take 3 or 4 minutes, so watch carefully. Sprinkle lightly with parsley and serve.
Serves 6 to 8 Makes 18 cattails
1½ pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
½ cup unseasoned bread crumbs, plus bread crumbs for coating the cattails
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon five spice powder
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon rice wine or dry white wine
All-purpose flour
1½ cups peanut oil
1 bunch scallions
1. Grind the pork cubes and put the ground pork in a large bowl. Add the ½ cup bread crumbs, 1 egg, salt, five spice powder, pepper, cornstarch, and wine. Combine well.
2. Divide the mixture into 18 equal-sized pieces. Roll each between the palms of your hands to form a cylinder resembling the shape of the top of a cattail.
3. Beat the 2 remaining eggs. Put the flour and bread crumbs for coating on separate pieces of wax paper.
4. Roll each cattail first in flour, then in the beaten 2 eggs, and finally in the bread crumbs.
5. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan and fry the cattails until golden all over and thoroughly cooked. Drain. Stick the end of an 8-inch wooden skewer through a single green leaf of a scallion and weave it on for 3 inches of the skewer. Stick the top end of the skewer halfway into the cattail lengthwise. Repeat the procedure for the remaining cattails. If desired serve the cattails with hot Chinese mustard.
Serves 2 to 4 Makes 16
2 Cornish game hens (fresh, if possible)
¼ cup mayonnaise
Italian-style dry bread crumbs
6 fresh parsley sprigs tied together
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut each Cornish game hen into 8 pieces, in the same manner as a chicken. Discard the wing tips and backbones. Rub each piece of game hen lightly with mayonnaise and coat the pieces with bread crumbs.
3. Put the breaded pieces on a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, or until crisp and tender. Serve in a napkin-lined basket garnished with the parsley bouquet. An empty bowl will be necessary to dispose of the bones.
Serves 24 Makes about 60 balls
2 cups mayonnaise
1½ tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons canned cream of coconut
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds (found in Oriental grocery stores)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup milk
2 tablespoons dry white wine
4 slices firm white bread, crusts trimmed and coarsely cubed
4 large chicken breasts, boned, skinned, and cut into 1½-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground white pepper to taste
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
Few gratings of nutmeg
12 ounces Fontina cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 cups all-purpose flour
5 large eggs, well beaten
2 tablespoons water
3 cups unseasoned dry bread crumbs
Peanut or vegetable oil for frying
1. First prepare the dip by putting all the ingredients, except for the sesame seeds and chives, in a bowl. Use a wire whisk to combine them well. Turn the dip into a serving dish and sprinkle half the surface with sesame seeds and the other half with the chives. Cover and refrigerate.
2. In a bowl combine the heavy cream, milk, and wine. Add the bread cubes and stir. Soak for 5 minutes.
3. Grind the chicken in a food processor or meat grinder. Put the ground chicken in a large bowl. Squeeze the liquid from the bread and add the bread to the chicken along with the salt, pepper, butter, parsley, and nutmeg. Combine thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Take a rounded teaspoon of the chicken mixture and shape it into a ball around 1 cube of cheese. Roll each chicken ball in flour and put the balls on wax paper. When all the chicken mixture is used, dip the flour-coated balls in the combined beaten eggs and water and coat with the bread crumbs.
5. Heat ½ inch of the oil in a large frying pan and fry the balls until golden brown all over. Cook only about 12 balls at a time. As the chicken balls are cooked, drain them on paper towels. Put the cooked chicken balls on a baking sheet and heat in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes. Serve with the Lemon–Curry Dip.
Variation: Eliminate the cheese from the recipe and make about 72 small plain chicken balls, substituting 1 teaspoon dried tarragon for the parsley in the recipe.
NOTE: The cooked Chicken Balls can be cooled and frozen in a covered container for up to a month. To reheat the frozen Chicken Balls, put them on a baking sheet and warm in a preheated 325-degree oven for about 25 minutes.
Serves 8
3 large chicken breasts, boned, skinned, and cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour
3 tablespoons peanut oil
3 tablespoons butter
1½ cups orange marmalade
½ cup drained crushed pineapple
2 minced scallions
1½ teaspoons sesame seed oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1. Heat the oven to low.
2. Season the chicken cubes with salt and pepper and coat them with the flour. Shake off any excess flour.
3. Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan and brown the chicken cubes on each side until they are tender, cooking about 16 pieces at one time. Keep the cooked pieces warm on a platter in the oven.
4. Combine the Marmalade Dip ingredients in a bowl and serve with the crisp cooked chicken cubes.
Serves 12 Makes 48
1 pound bulk sausage
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons grated onion
⅔ cup herbed-seasoned bread crumbs
⅔ cup scalded milk, or as needed
12 ounces cubed Monterey Jack cheese
4 jalapeño chili peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 scallions, cut into ½-inch lengths
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ cup diced sweet green or red pepper
1. In a bowl combine the sausage, egg, onion, and bread crumbs well. Shape into 48 small balls.
2. Sauté the balls in a large frying pan, half a batch at a time, until they are evenly browned. Drain well and keep warm in a low oven.
3. Put the cheese, jalapeño peppers, scallions, and cornstarch in a food processor or blender. Turn the machine on and pour the hot milk through the feed tube or the top of the blender and run for 15 seconds.
4. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and stir in the sweet pepper. The mixture should be thick enough to coat a spoon and stir easily. If not, add a little more hot milk. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl on a serving platter and surround the bowl with the sausage balls. Serve with toothpicks.
Serves 12 Makes about 3 dozen puffs
Gougère is cream puff pastry with cheese added. When baked in the shape of little balls it becomes an elegant and savory hors d’ouvre, or an alternative to bread that can be served with any meal, even breakfast.
1 cup water
½ cup (1 stick) butter, plus butter for greasing the baking sheet
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
¾ cup grated Gruyère cheese
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine the water, butter, and salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the flour all at once. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture rolls off the side of the pan and forms a ball. Beat in 1 egg at a time until each is well incorporated into the mixture. Beat in the cheese.
3. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a round tube. Make 1 inch balls about 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the puffs are golden. Turn off the oven and remove the baking sheet. Prick each puff with the sharp point of a small knife. Return the Gougère to the oven, leaving the door slightly ajar, for 15 minutes. This procedure helps dry out the moist centers. Serve immediately.
Variations: Gougère Puffs may also be cooked, cut in half, and stuffed with fillings such as Fresh Salmon Salad. Grated Swiss or Cheddar or crumbled Gorgonzola or Roquefort can be substituted for the Gruyère.
Serves 4 to 6
½ pound ground chuck
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chili powder
4 8-inch flour tortillas
½ cup fresh or canned tomato sauce
1½ cups shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
16 stuffed green olives
1. Put the ground chuck, scallions, and chili powder in a frying pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, for about 10 minutes.
2. Preheat the broiler.
3. Put the tortillas on a baking sheet. Spread equal amounts of the tomato sauce over each tortilla. Sprinkle the tops with equal amounts of the meat mixture and the cheese. Run under the broiler until the cheese sizzles. Cut each pizza into 4 equal-sized wedges and roll each up from the pointed end. Secure each with a toothpick and top each toothpick with an olive. Serve immediately.
Serves 8 Makes 32 canapés
3 tablespoons large capers, well drained and patted dry (see Note)
1 cup peanut oil
8 slices toast, crusts trimmed and cut into 4 squares each
16 sun-dried tomatoes, drained and patted dry
6 ounces mozzarella, shredded
1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan and fry the capers, stirring often, until the flowers open and the capers crisp. Drain and set aside.
3. Place the toast squares on a baking sheet. Top each with half a sun-dried tomato. Sprinkle with equal amounts of the cheese.
4. Run under the broiler until the cheese sizzles. Top each canapé with 2 or 3 fried capers. Serve immediately.
NOTE: Sun-dried tomatoes are available in specialty food stores or Italian markets.
Serves 10 to 12 Makes about 36 canapés
Olive oil
1½ cups well-drained finely chopped canned tomatoes
4 tablespoons tomato paste
6 anchovy fillets, drained and finely chopped
2 tablespoons drained capers
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 long loaf French bread (ficelle, the thin loaf, is best), cut into ½-inch slices
12 ounces mozzarella, thinly sliced and cut to fit the bread slices
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the tomatoes, tomato paste, anchovy fillets, capers, oregano, thyme, and pepper. Spread the mixture over each bread slice and top each with a slice of mozzarella. Sprinkle the canapés lightly with Parmesan cheese and drizzle a few drops of olive oil over each.
3. Put the canapés on a baking sheet and run under the broiler until the cheese melts and the tops sizzle. Serve immediately.