Appetizer Recipes

Tired of the same old crackers and cheese or crudités plate with some creamy dipping sauce? Cannot remember the name or the complexity of that wonderful appetizer you had at your friend’s house? For those of you looking to add some new savory and sweet appetizers to your repertoire for your next dinner party, look no further. Below you will find some of my favorite savory and sweet appetizer recipes and suggestions on what beverages to serve with them. These appetizers cover from the most basic and simple, to the more technical and labor intensive. However, what they all share in common is that they taste great and will be a huge hit at your next dinner party.

Empanadas Criollas de Argentina

These are probably my all time favorite appetizer, partly because they come from my home land (Argentina) but also because they just seem to pack so much flavor in one bite. These pastry turnovers have a traditional Argentine meat filling of ground beef, onions, green olives, raisins, and hard boiled eggs. I do realize this is a strange combination of ingredients (as most of my customers say when I tell them) but when combined and baked together it is a glorious combination of savory and sweet. Every customer has not only served themselves seconds and thirds, but they all ask me how to prepare them. Although they do require extra work in the kitchen, they are well worth it.

Ingredient List:

• 1lb ground beef (80% lean) – remember fat equals flavor
• 1 Spanish yellow onion – diced fine
• 2 sprigs of fresh green onions – chopped
• 1 – 12 oz jar of green olives (preferably with pimento) – roughly chopped
• ½ cup of raisins
• 2 eggs – hardboiled and roughly chopped
• 1-2 cups of beef stock – depending on the moisture of the mix
• 2 packs of Tapas Las Saltenas (for baking) – can be found at Phoenicia Bakery or Fiesta Supermarkets
• 1 egg plus 2 tbs of water – beat egg with water to create an egg wash

Cooking Steps – Serve with Argentine Quilmes Beer or Argentine Malbec wine

1. Pour a couple of tablespoons of olive oil into a large and deep pan and turn to high
2. Add beef all at once looking to crumble the meat into small pieces –  then season with salt and pepper
3. Remove the beef into a very large mixing bowl – Do not discard the fat
4. Use the same pan to cook the onions – once seasoned, cooked and translucent add to the meat
5. Add all ingredients (green onions, olives, raisins, and eggs) to the  meat and onion mixture
6. Add enough beef stock to the mixture so that it stays moist
7. Very important – Taste the mixture and re-season if necessary
8. Let the mixture cool completely (use the refrigerator to speed up the process)
9. Set on a table the mixture, a glass of water, and the Tapas
10. Take one tapa at a time and dip your finger into the water so that you can moisten one half of the outer edge of the circular pastry dough
11. Take about 2-3 tablespoons of mixture and place into the center of the tapa
12. Grab both ends of the circular dough and press them together so that there are no holes or open spaces in the empanada
13. Once sealed, you may crimp the edge of the empanada with a fork or the more technical finger method. If crimping with a fork, simply lay the empanada flat and press the fork tongs onto the dough. If using the finger method, take your pointer finger and thumb on both hands and press the dough between the fingers. Then maneuver your right hand up and over towards the left and crimp. It may be a bit difficult at first but with practice you will get the hang of it.
14. Pre heat oven to 450 degrees, place 10 empanadas on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper
15. Take the egg wash (beaten egg and water mixture) and brush it conservatively on the empanadas and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden in color
16. Once cooked, let them cool down a few minutes and then serve – may be served with a traditional Argentine Chimichurri salsa of finely chopped fresh and dry herbs (oregano, parsley), finely chopped garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, paprika, and salt and pepper

Alsatian Mini Tarts

These simply prepared appetizers are very elegant and take very little time to prepare. The mini phyllo dough pastry rounds are essentially filled with a creamy mixture of leeks, topped with French goat cheese, and then baked until golden brown.

Ingredient List:

• 3 tablespoons of good French butter – El Presidente is a good one
• 2 stems of fresh Leeks – chopped finely
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 1 pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 package of mini phyllo pastry cups – can be found in the frozen food section at Central Market
• 1 package of French goat cheese – Montrachet is a good one – cut into small cubes

Cooking Steps – Serve with an Alsatian Pinot Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc

1. Once leeks are chopped, place in a large bowl with water covering the leeks – this will clean the leeks and allow all the dirt and sand to fall to the bottom of the bowl
2. Remove leeks from the water and  pat dry
3. Add the butter to a  large pan (set on medium), add the leeks, season with salt pepper, and nutmeg
4. Cook leeks until wilted and translucent, add cream and continue cooking until mixture has thickened
5. Pre heat oven to 450 degrees, place 12 phyllo cups on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper
6. Fill each tart with about 1 tablespoon of filling and top with a cube of goat cheese
7. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden in color, let cool for a few minutes and serve!

Mascarpone al cucchiaio

These individual, espresso-infused lady fingers topped with a chocolate mascarpone cream and white chocolate shavings are absolutely amazing! This dessert is a take on the classic Italian dessert Tiramisu which means “pick me up.” It may mean pick me up because it can be so heavy to eat that you fall over. My version has been broken down into a bite size piece that still packs a punch. Additionally, it still has all the flavor of the original but maintains diverse textures with the creamy mascarpone and crunchy lady fingers.

Ingredient List:

• ¼  cup of milk
• ¼ cup of powdered sugar
• ½ cup of cocoa
• 1 package of Mascarpone – can be found at Mandola’s & Central Market
• 1 package of Lady Fingers –  Savoiardi – Alessi brand can be found at Central Market
• ½ cup of good strong espresso
• White chocolate – shaved

Cooking Steps – Serve with Prosecco (Italian Sparkling wine) or Vin Santo (Italian dessert wine)

1. Add the Mascarpone to a bowl and beat with a whisk until creamy and soft
2. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa, and part of the milk to the bowl and whisk until incorporated
3. If the mixture is still too stiff, add some more milk and whisk until incorporated and manageable
4. Dip each lady finger (non sugared side) into the espresso for 4-6 seconds (so they do not get mushy)
5. Take a large tablespoon of the mascarpone mixture and smooth it out the entire length of the lady finger (same side that was soaked in the espresso)
6. Sprinkle with the white chocolate shavings, serve, and enjoy!
7. * Note – Be creative and add your touch such as adding bananas for the kids, Godiva White chocolate Liquor for the adults, or raspberries for an elegant look.

Strawberry Shooters

This dessert appetizer of fresh strawberries macerated in Grand Marnier, orange juice, sugar, and orange zest can be served in martini or shot glasses for extra flare. It is a wonderful spring and summer dessert when strawberries are at their prime and we are all watching our figures. It is quick, easy to assemble, and has a ton of citrus flavor.

Ingredient List:

• 4 tablespoons of Orange Liquor – Grand Marnier
• 2 cups of fresh strawberries – cut into ¼  inch slices
• ¾  cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
• ¼ cup of sugar – you can use regular sugar or use a vanilla bean pod to infuse your sugar container for vanilla sugar – if you have not tried it I recommend you do so.
• Zest of 1 large orange

Cooking Steps – Serve with Cava (Spanish Sparkling wine)

1. Add strawberries, liquor, orange juice, sugar and zest to a bowl and let macerate for 20-30 minutes
2. Distribute into individual martini or shot glasses
3. Top off with more Grand Marnier, serve and enjoy!

Whether you are planning your next big cocktail party or just looking to have a few friends over, I hope you try some of these appetizers. I assure you your guests will be asking you for the recipes.