Volume 7, Issue 153 - December 29, 2004

Hello Recipe Club,

Yesterday we talked about having a buffet style party for New Year's Eve. It was fun...but maybe too formal for your tastes. How about a cocktail party with hors d'oeuvres? That sounds like fun and in many cases you can have most of the prep work done well in advance. One benefit of this type of service is that you can keep food in front of your guests for the duration of the party, which is not a bad idea if there is cocktailing going on!

SKGourmet Seasonings for the Season. Boost flavor and save time this holiday season with SKgourmetblends. NEW seasonal blends and featured RECIPES.

Shrimp with Prosciutto in Fillo

Makes 24 pieces of shrimp

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 cloves minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons minced fresh lemon thyme
5 tablespoons vodka
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
24 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
12 thin slices prosciutto ham, cut in half lengthwise
12 sheets Athens Fillo Dough thawed
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preparation:

In large mixing bowl, combine oil, ginger, garlic, rosemary, thyme, vodka and pepper. Add shrimp, toss to coat with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours. Remove shrimp from marinade and wrap each in prosciutto. Butter and layer 3 sheets of fillo per shrimp. Cut width-wise into 1-inch-wide strips. Wrap fillo around shrimp to form natural shape of shrimp. Brush outside with butter and refrigerate for 1 hour. Place fillo-wrapped shrimp on ungreased cookie sheet and bake in preheated 350 degree F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or golden brown. Serve hot with Southwestern style relish such as Papaya-Tomato Relish (recipe below).

Papaya-Tomato Relish

Ingredients:

1 medium papaya, cleaned and diced
1/3 cup (1 medium) ripe red tomato, cleaned and diced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped chives
1/4 cup chopped sweet gherkins
1/4 cup diced red peppers
3 tablespoons small capers
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 large clove minced garlic
1/3 cup virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In medium bowl combine papaya, tomato, parsley, chives, gherkins, red peppers and capers. In small bowl combine vinegar and garlic. Whisk in olive oil and blend well. Pour over papaya mixture, toss and add salt and pepper to taste.

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Country Pate with Provencal Herbs

Country pate is standard picnic fare in France - probably because it carries well and tastes so good. "Tho you can now find delicious pates in gourmet stores across the USA, making your own can be quite gratifying, and is always more delectable. It does take a bit of effort and prep, but it takes no longer to make a double or triple batch. Since it freezes so well, and makes a welcome holiday gift, I recommend it!

Makes 2 9x5-inch pates (approximately 3 pounds each)

Ingredients:

3 pounds livers - pork liver imparts incredible flavor, but chicken liver is also yummy
3 bay leaves
2 whole heads garlic, coarsely chopped
1 cup dry French vermouth
2/3 cup Cognac
1 1/2 pounds garlic and herb pork sausage, removed from casings
3/4 pound smoked ham (nitrate-free if possible), coarsely chopped
2 cups hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons each chopped fresh thyme and marjoram
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
5 shallots, finely chopped
1 pound prosciutto-type ham, julienned and hand cut into tiny chunks (weigh after all fat has been removed)
16 ounces crustless bread, processed with 3/4 cup milk
3/8 cup Sercial Madeira
1/2 teaspoon each ground mace and allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup well-drained nonpareil capers (if you can only find large ones, coarsely chop them)
fresh sage leaves for decorating the pates

Preparation:

Put the livers in a glass bowl with the bay leaves, garlic, vermouth and Cognac. Cover. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, allow the mixture to come to room temperature. Purée everything in a food processor fitted with the metal blade, then pour into a large bowl you can use to assemble the whole mixture.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the sausage from its casings and cook over medium-high heat, separating it, until it is crumbled and cooked through (make sure there is no pink meat). Process the sausage by using short pulses, until a coarse texture has been achieved. Add to the liver mixture.

Process the smoked ham until it is like coarse meal. Add to the liver and sausage mixture.

Add all the remaining ingredients to the bowl, stirring to make sure everything is well blended. Cook a teaspoonful of the mixture and taste for seasoning.

Arrange 3 or more fresh sage leaves attractively in the bottoms of 2 9x5-inch terrines or loaf pans (I prefer ceramic or glass). Pack the pate mixture evenly into the pans. Cover each loaf with aluminum foil (shiny side in).

Position the oven rack halfway down in the oven. Place the prepared pans in a large baking pan, which you have placed on that rack. Pour in enough very hot water to come halfway up the sides of the loaf pan (bain-marie). Bake for 1 1/2 hours.

Remove the pans from the water and allow to cool on an oven rack for 30 minutes. Then weight the pates (in their pans) overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, unmold the pates and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. If you want to freeze them, place these packages into zip-lock freezer bags. (Stored this way, it keeps almost indefinitely!)

Teacher's Tip: I do hope you'll serve your pate with crisp rusks, a crock of the best Dijon mustard, and little cornichons (miniature sour pickles).

Wine Tip: I recommend this pate for New Year's Eve, with the best Champagne you can afford!

Source: Chef June Jacobs, CCP

Mexican Shrimp Council - Less is More, More than Ever. When you've got something this good, why cover it up? Find Out More!

Marinated Olives

For best results use good quality Spanish olives (not the ones with the stuffed pimento).

Ingredients:

5 ounces olives, drained
1/2 to 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper, coarse grind
1 teaspoon green peppercorns, slightly mashed if in brine, cracked if using dried
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
zest of 1/2 orange

Preparation:

Zest the orange peel directly into the bowl or container you are going to use, this way you catch most of the essence of the fruit that sprays out while zesting it. Remove, mince the zest and return to the bowl. Combine the rest of the ingredients in the same bowl. Mix well. Transfer to a sealable jar.

Refrigerate. Best if left for at least a day, but ready to serve in four hours.

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Baked Oyster and Pancetta Empanadas

This version of the empanada incorporates the classic flavors of Oysters Rockefeller and makes great holiday finger food.

Makes 20 empanadas

Ingredients:

Empanada Dough:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup masa harina (finely ground cornmeal)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 to 3/4 cup of water
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Filling:

1/2 pound pancetta (or a high quality bacon)
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
1/2 fennel bulb, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Pernod
4 cups chopped fresh baby spinach
20 shucked oysters and their liquid
salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation:

To Make Dough:

In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Stir in the melted butter. Gradually work in the water with your hands; the dough should be easy to handle and not sticky. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes.

Lightly flour a rolling pin and counter. Divide the dough in half and roll it out to 1/8 inch thickness. Using a 4 inch cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out 20 circles of dough; repeat with the other half.

To Make Filling:

Cut pancetta into a small dice. Cook in a skillet on medium heat until slightly crisp, about 10 minutes. Stir while cooking to prevent sticking and scorching. Remove pancetta and reserve. Discard half of the rendered fat. In the remaining fat, sauté onion and fennel on high heat until soft. Add garlic, deglaze the pan with Pernod, then add the oyster liquid. Add spinach and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the crispy pancetta. Allow mixture to cool.

To Assemble:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay out all pastry circles on a lightly floured work surface. Working one at a time, brush egg wash around the outer edge of the circle. This will help seal the edges. Place a raw oyster in the center of the pastry. Top with a tablespoon of the spinach-pancetta mixture. Fold the pastry into a half-moon shape and pinch the edges together with your fingers. Crimp the edges with a fork. Brush each one with egg wash. Place on baking sheet in the middle of the oven for about 8 minutes or until nicely browned. These can be served as is or with a spicy remoulade of hollandaise sauce.

Source: El Farol Tapas and Spanish Cuisine, Chef James Campbell Caruso