4 scallions, chopped (including tops)
1 cup canned pitted black olives, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Grease two 9 x 13-inch baking pans.
2. In a medium bowl, mash the beans with their sauce and ½ cup of the picante sauce until well mixed. Divide the tortilla chips between the baking pans, then spoon the bean mixture over them. Sprinkle the Cheddar on top. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the beans are bubbling.
3. Meanwhile, make the guacamole: Peel, pit, and scoop the avocado into a bowl. Mash it, then mash in the lemon juice, ½ cup of the sour cream, the grated onion, and remaining 1 tablespoon picante sauce.
4. Garnish the nachos with the guacamole, the remaining 1 cup sour cream, scallions, olives, and tomato.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Bacon-Wrapped Artichokes with Dijon Cream Sauce
—THE MAIN CORPSE—
One learns quickly in catering that any appetizer including bacon is going to disappear quickly. Artichoke hearts can be difficult to deal with, since the chokes are hairy. So using the artichoke bottoms can make life easier. But if your grocery store does not sell artichoke bottoms, you can substitute canned artichoke hearts or the frozen variety that you steam until just tender. Always drain the artichokes and pat them dry.
6 artichoke bottoms (contents of one 14-ounce can; see Note), drained and patted dry, or 14 ounces artichoke hearts, drained and patted dry
9 slices center-cut bacon
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup half-and-half or heavy (whipping) cream
1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
2. Cut each artichoke bottom into 6 equal wedges. (If you are using artichoke hearts, cut large ones in half, or use whole small ones. You need 36 pieces.) Cut each bacon slice into fourths. Wrap a piece of bacon around each piece of artichoke (it will not completely surround the piece of artichoke), secure with a toothpick, and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp. Drain thoroughly on paper towels.
4. In a small bowl, stir together the mustard and cream and serve as a dipping sauce.
Makes 36
Note: Occasionally cans of artichoke bottoms will contain 5, rather than 6 pieces. In that case, use 7½ slices of bacon to make 30 appetizers.
Tom’s Layered Mexican Dip
—PRIME CUT—
When you’re going to someone else’s house to watch the football game, this is a good recipe to take. Enjoy it within 24 hours of making it, because the guacamole and tomato layers are perishable.
2 avocados
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons medium or hot picante sauce
2 tablespoons freshly grated onion
2½ cups regular or light sour cream
Contents of one 16-ounce jar spicy black bean dip (or the contents of one 16-ounce can of refried beans, mixed with an additional ¼ cup picante)
2 tomatoes, chopped (about 3 cups)
6 scallions, chopped (including tops)
1½ cups sliced pitted black olives
½ pound Cheddar cheese, grated
Tortilla chips, for serving
1. To make the guacamole, peel, pit, and scoop the avocados into a bowl. Mash with the lemon juice, picante sauce, grated onion, and ½ cup of the sour cream until the mixture is smooth. Set aside. (Or you can use 2 cups store-bought guacamole.)
2. Using a large platter or a 9 x 13-inch glass pan, place the bean dip into the bottom of the pan. Carefully smooth the guacamole on top of the bean layer. Place the sour cream on top of the guacamole layer.
3. Layer the tomatoes, scallions, olives, and Cheddar on top.
4. Chill the platter or pan and serve with tortilla chips.
Makes 24 servings
Mexican Egg Rolls with Spicy Guacamole Dipping Sauce
—TOUGH COOKIE—
This is a fancy, somewhat labor-intensive recipe, so you might want to reserve it for when you’re having people over. Once again, you can make your life easier by using prepared refrigerated guacamole from the grocery store.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for shallow-frying
1½ pounds chicken breast, trimmed of fat and chopped into ½-inch cubes
2½ cups chopped onions
1 to 2 tablespoons prepared dry chili mix, to taste
1 cup canned black beans, well drained
Contents of one 4-ounce can chopped green chiles
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Monterey jack cheese
½ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
½ jalapeño chile, seeded and finely chopped
3 tablespoons picante sauce
1 teaspoon salt
16 egg-roll wrappers (from a 1-pound package)
Spicy Guacamole Dipping Sauce (recipe follows) or store-bought guacamole (see Note)
1. In a large skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until the oil ripples, and is hot but not smoking. Add the chicken and onions, stir well, then add the dry chili mixture and stir again. Stir for several minutes, until the onions turn translucent and the chicken has turned white and is just cooked. Remove the pan from the heat and add the beans, chiles, cheeses, cilantro, jalapeño, picante sauce, and salt.
2. On a very lightly floured surface, working with 1 egg-roll wrapper at a time, spoon ¼ cup of the filling into each egg roll. Roll up, following the package directions. Repeat for all 16 egg rolls.
3. Pour vegetable oil into a large skillet to a depth of ½ inch. Using a deep-fry thermometer that does not touch the bottom of the pan, heat the oil to 370˚F. Place no more than three egg rolls at a time into the oil and fry until the egg rolls are golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Serve with the dipping sauce.
Makes 16 egg rolls
Spicy Guacamole Dipping Sauce
1 avocado
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup regular or light sour cream
½ cup medium-hot picante sauce
⅓ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon freshly grated onion
½ seeded jalapeño chile, finely chopped and whirled in a small blender or food processor
Peel, pit, and scoop the avocado into a bowl or food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and either mash or process until well combined and smooth. Chill before serving.
Makes 1¾ cups
Note: If you are using store-bought refrigerated guacamole, use 1 cup of it. Then stir in ½ cup sour cream, ¼ cup picante sauce, ⅓ cup cilantro, freshly grated onion to taste, and one-quarter of a very finely chopped jalapeño. Stir well.
Chile Con Queso Dip
—CHOPPING SPREE—
This is Goldy’s (and my) take on a very simple recipe, good for kids who like Tex-Mex food.
1 pound lean ground beef
12 ounces Velveeta, sharp Cheddar flavor or regular, cut into 1-inch cubes
½ cup medium picante sauce
Corn chips and/or crudités, for serving
1. In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until browned but not overcooked.
2. Add the Velveeta cubes, reduce the heat to medium-low, and stir until the Velveeta has melted. Turn the heat to low and add the picante sauce. Heat just until bubbling and serve with chips and/or crudités.
Makes 8 to 12 servings
Diamond Lovers’ Hot Crab Dip
—CHOPPING SPREE—
People love substantial, hot dips that contain crab and artichokes; they seem very exotic. The buttered bread crumbs provide a crunchy foil for the creamy dip. I developed this recipe when Goldy was called upon to cater a jewelry show.
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, divided
Contents of one 14-ounce can artichoke bottoms, drained and patted dry or contents of
one 14-ounce can of artichoke hearts, drained and patted dry
24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
⅓ cup regular or light sour cream or crème fraîche (for homemade crème fraîche, see here)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound pasteurized crabmeat, flaked and picked over to remove any stray bits of cartilage
2 cups fresh bread crumbs, preferably made from homemade bread (brioche is best)
½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Corn chips and crackers, for serving
1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter an attractive 2-quart gratin dish, preferably a dark-colored one (to contrast with the whiteness of the dip).
2. Place the shallots in a mini food processor and blend until juicy, less than 1 minute. In a medium-size skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and sauté just until the shallots begin to turn golden. This should take less than 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Chop the artichokes into ½-inch dice. Set aside until you are ready to assemble the dip.
4. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until very smooth. Add the mustard, sour cream or crème fraîche, and Parmesan and beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in the crab, shallots, and artichoke bottoms until well combined. Turn the crab mixture into the gratin dish.
5. In a medium sauté pan, melt the remaining 5 tablespoons butter and stir in the bread crumbs. Cook and stir just until the butter is absorbed and the crumbs are beginning to turn golden. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley, and distribute this mixture over the top of the crab dip.
6. Place the dip in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and a small spoonful of dip scooped up from the center tastes very hot. Serve immediately with a choice of chips and crackers.
Makes 24 or more servings
Handcuff Croissants
—DOUBLE SHOT—
This is technically an hors d’oeuvre, because you serve individual portions (croissant halves) with a topping. You can use miniature croissants, if you like, and the portions will be smaller. The herbed crumb crust is divine. I thought the finished product looked like handcuffs, appropriate for a Goldy mystery.
4 large butter croissants, split horizontally (see Note)
1 cup mayonnaise
Contents of one 6½-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained, patted dry, and chopped
1 cup flaked pasteurized crabmeat, picked over to remove any stray bits of cartilage
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
⅓ cup grated Gruyère cheese
4 scallions, chopped (including tops)
Crumb crust:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, crushed through a press
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried marjoram
1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
2. Place the 8 croissant halves cut side up on the baking sheet. In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, artichokes, crab, Parmesan, Gruyère, and scallions. Spread this mixture on top of the croissant halves.
For the crumb crust:
1. In a small skillet, melt the butter over low heat. Add the garlic and sweat (cook without browning) until translucent.
2. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parsley, and dried herbs. Pour in the garlic and butter and mix well.
3. Top each croissant with the crumb mixture and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until heated through, with the crumb crust turning golden brown.
Makes 8 servings
Note: Croissants now come in three sizes: large, medium, and small (or “cocktail”). This recipe is tailored for the large croissants. However, if you can only get medium or cocktail-size croissants, merely adjust the portions as necessary, making sure that the mayonnaise mixture is spread to the edge of each croissant half.
Prosciutto Bites
—DARK TORT—
This is another croissant-based hors d’oeuvre. The crumbly, buttery flavor of the croissant balances perfectly with the prosciutto, plum preserves, and goat cheese.
4 medium butter croissants (see Note)
¾ cup best-quality plum preserves, drained of liquid, with plums reserved
6 slices prosciutto
½ cup soft goat cheese or cream cheese
1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
2. Carefully slice the croissants horizontally. Place the 8 croissant halves, cut side up, on an ungreased baking sheet.
3. Spread each croissant half with 4 teaspoons of the strained preserves, spreading just to the edge.
4. Slice the reserved plums into fourths. Evenly divide them among the croissant halves, placing the plum slices at regular intervals on top of the preserves.
5. Trim the fat from the prosciutto slices. Place the prosciutto slices over the preserves and plums. Trim any overhang. Chop and crumble the goat cheese or cream cheese into ½-teaspoon portions. Evenly dot the prosciutto with the cheese.
6. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is just beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Using tongs, carefully place each croissant half onto a cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut each croissant half into four “bites.”
Makes 32 small “bites”
Not-So-Skinny Spinach Dip
—THE WHOLE ENCHILADA—
At the request of one of our sons, I worked for months on perfecting a hot spinach dip. Unfortunately, the results never came out the same. Ever. This recipe appeared from several sources on the Internet. With very few adjustments, it tested perfectly, and Julian (!) put it here for your enjoyment.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
One 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and patted dry with paper towels
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
One 10-ounce container refrigerated Alfredo sauce
⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated fontina cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Chips and crackers, for serving
In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the garlic and cook and stir until it is translucent. Add the spinach and cream cheese, stirring until very well combined. Add the Alfredo sauce, Parmesan, and fontina. Stir until the cheeses have melted and the mixture is hot. Taste and season carefully with pepper. Serve immediately with chips or crackers.
Makes about 3 cups
Hoisin Turkey with Roasted Pine Nuts in Lettuce Cups
—KILLER PANCAKE—
I first encountered stuffed lettuce cups at a fancy Vietnamese restaurant in Denver, now closed. I did some experimenting, and this recipe is the result. If you are on a low-carb diet, you can leave out the wild rice; just adjust the proportions of hoisin sauce and lettuce accordingly.
½ cup pine nuts
1 pound ground turkey
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¾ cup (7 ounces) hoisin sauce (available on the Asian foods aisle)
2½ cups cooked wild rice
8 large iceberg lettuce leaves
1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
2. On a rimmed baking sheet, toast the pine nuts for 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside.
3. In a large skillet, cook the ground turkey over medium-high heat, stirring, until it changes color and is cooked through. Drain well and return to the pan. Stir in the cornstarch and hoisin sauce. Heat and stir over medium heat until bubbling. Add the pine nuts and the wild rice and stir until heated through.
4. Spoon a generous ⅓ cup of the hot turkey mixture onto each lettuce le
af. Roll up and place, seam side down, on a platter. Serve immediately with tongs.
Serves 8 as an appetizer
Not-So-Secret Cheese Spread
This is a bonus recipe, not in any of the Goldy books. It began at a dinner with a member of my family who shall remain anonymous for his own safety. I asked what was in a recently arrived jar on the kitchen counter. My relative said it was a Cheddar spread that his whole family loved. It had been brought over by a friend who refused to share the recipe. And by the way, Diane, could you please figure out what’s in it?
I said, “Got a spoon?”
Deciphering what was in that spread took more time than I would have thought. You do need to let it sit in the refrigerator several hours or overnight before serving.
½ cup flat wheat beer
½ pound best-quality grated mild Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions (including tops)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon mustard powder
10 to 14 drops Tabasco sauce
Crackers, celery sticks, cauliflowerets, and/or broccoli spears
1. Stir the beer before measuring to make sure it no longer has bubbles.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the Cheddar, scallions, parsley, mustard powder, lesser amount of hot sauce, and beer. Stir until completely mixed.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. Scoop some onto a plain cracker and taste. If you would like more heat, add the extra Tabasco sauce. Chill at least 2 more hours, or overnight.
4. Serve with crackers, celery sticks, cauliflowerets, and/or broccoli spears.
Low-Fat Chicken Stock
—KILLER PANCAKE—
When low-fat cooking was all the rage, readers begged me for low-fat recipes. I performed experiments over many months, and ended up throwing away most of the numerous failures. They just didn’t pass the taste test. Now the scientific experts are telling us that it is simple carbohydrates, not fat, that are the problem. (My immediate thought upon learning this was, You mean I drank all that disgusting fat-free milk for nothing?) That said, homemade chicken stock—which you take the time to de-fat—is an absolutely essential part of any serious cook’s kitchen. For this recipe, I now use all canned chicken broth as the liquid in the stock. I have to pour the finished stock into two or sometimes three large metal or glass bowls, then let it cool, then find room in one or two refrigerators. (When our old refrigerator became too small for our growing needs, we put it in the garage, which has proven very handy for extra refrigeration.) Thorough chilling will make the fat solidify so it can be lifted off. Stir the de-fatted stock before you use it or before pouring it into plastic freezer containers.
Goldy's Kitchen Cookbook Page 3
