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Category: Appetizers & Snacks

Rhubarb Bacon and Chili Marmalade on Avocado Toast

Rhubarb Bacon and Chili Marmalade on Avocado Toast

Rhubarb Bacon and Chili Marmalade on Avocado Toast

 

In a saucepot, combine 2 cups diced rhubarb, 2 cups diced red onion, 1 cup diced strawberries, 2 T. minced ginger, 1 tsp. minced garlic, 4 cups sugar, 2 minced Fresno chilies and 1 cup water. Bring contents to a boil and let simmer for 1 hour. When the hot marmalade has thickened, whisk in the following: 2 T. rough chopped Thai basil, 1/2 bunch of rough chopped scallions, 1 T. Sriracha, 1 T. kosher salt and the zest of 1 lime. Finely chop 4 pieces of bacon and fold into marmalade. Chill overnight if possible. Toast 2 pieces of sprouted bread and cut off crusts. Cut into toast points and top with 1 fork-mashed avocado. Spoon marmalade over top.

BLT Towers

BLT Towers

BLT Towers

 

Bread slices, cut in rounds (better if cut the same size as the tomatoes)

3 T. butter, melted

2 packages fresh Mozzarella cheese, cut in ½-inch slices

10 small tomatoes, ends cut off, sliced in ½-inch slices

1 large bunch bib lettuce, cut in rounds

6 slices maple-glazed bacon, fried crispy

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a circular cookie cutter, press into bread slices and create crustless bread rounds. Brush the rounds with butter, and toast in oven for about 8 minutes or until crispy. Add Mozzarella to the bread round, then layer with tomato, lettuce, and bacon, making a tower. Repeat until all ingredients are used. Secure the towers with a toothpick if desired, and place on platter. Easy and colorful!

Rhubarb Bacon Jam & Ricotta Toast

Rhubarb Bacon Jam & Ricotta Toast

Rhubarb Bacon Jam

 

3 – 5 slices bacon

2 cup finely chopped red onion

2 cup chopped fresh rhubarb

⅓ cup pure maple syrup

3 T. apple cider vinegar

1 lemon (1 tsp. zest; 1 T. juice)

Crusty bread

Whole milk ricotta cheese

 

Heat a large skillet over medium. Add bacon; cook about 8 minutes or until brown and crisp. Remove, reserving 2 T. drippings; drain bacon on paper towels. Add onion to skillet, stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 8 to 10 minutes or until onion is soft and slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, chop cooked bacon. Return to skillet. Stir in rhubarb, maple syrup, and vinegar. Continue cooking over medium-low 5 to 8 minutes or until rhubarb is soft, stirring occasionally. Stir in lemon zest and juice. Use a potato masher to slightly mash the mixture. Serve warm with bread and ricotta. Makes 14 servings.

Anchovy Puffs

Anchovy Puffs

Anchovy Puffs

 

100 gm anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry

1 sheet (375gm) butter puff pastry

2 tsp. finely chopped thyme

To serve: basil and goat’s curd

 

Preheat oven to 230C. Pound anchovy fillets with a mortar and pestle to a coarse paste and set aside. Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to 36cm square. Spread with anchovy paste, sprinkle with thyme, then cut in half. Cover and refrigerate one piece and cut the other half into six 15cm x 6cm rectangles. Roll up each rectangle lengthways to form a cylinder, brush edges with water and seal. Cut in half and place cut-side down on a baking tray lined with baking paper, pressing lightly to flatten. Cover and refrigerate. Repeat with remaining pastry, then bake both batches until puffs are puffed and starting to turn golden (5-10 minutes), then reduce heat to 170C and bake until golden and crisp (5-10 minutes). Set aside to cool slightly, then serve with basil leaves and goat’s curd.

Roasted Peppers with Capers, Olives and Anchovy

Roasted Peppers with Capers, Olives and Anchovy

Roasted Peppers with Capers, Olives and Anchovy

 

4 red bell or other large sweet peppers, such as Corno di Toro

Kosher salt and black pepper

Pinch of red-pepper flakes

1 small garlic clove, grated

Extra-virgin olive oil

12 anchovy fillets, rinsed and blotted

1 tsp. capers

12 black olives

Basil leaves, for garnish

 

Roast the peppers: Place each pepper directly on the flames of a stovetop burner or under the broiler as close to the flames as possible. (Alternatively, place the pepper on a hot charcoal or gas grill.) Turning frequently with tongs, allow the skin to blacken and blister all over; About 10 minutes should suffice. Remove from flames and leave to rest on a plate until cool enough to handle. Ideally, you should cook all the peppers at once rather than one at a time. Cut the roasted pepper in half lengthwise. Using a small knife, scrape away and discard seeds. Turn over and scrape away the blackened skin. Wipe with a paper towel, if necessary. Do not rinse — a little char is fine. Leave the pepper halves in one piece or cut into strips 3/4-inch wide. Place in a small bowl, toss with salt and pepper, red-pepper flakes, garlic and a little olive oil. Leave to marinate at least 10 minutes. Lay pepper halves or strips flat on a plate and add 3 or 4 anchovy fillets per serving. Garnish with a few capers and olives. Sprinkle with a little more salt and olive oil, and scatter basil leaves over the top.

Apple Cheese Wraps

Apple Cheese Wraps

Apple Cheese Wraps

 

1 granny smith apple

1 slice lemon

2 slices cheddar cheese, cut in half

2 slices deli turkey or ham, cut in half

 

Slice the apple into 1/2 inch thick slices. Rub the apple with the lemon wedge to prevent from going brown. Slice the cheddar cheese into 1/2 inch wide slices and the ham in 1/2 or in 1/4 (the ham needs to be large enough to wrap around the apple). Place an apple slice and a cheese slice on top of the deli meat and fold over deli meat to wrap.

Tuscan-style White Bean Spread with Capers

Tuscan-style White Bean Spread with Capers

Tuscan-style White Bean Spread with Capers

 

1 15-oz. can cannelini beans, drained (or use 2 c. cooked white beans)

1 medium clove garlic

1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 1/2 T. lemon juice

3 T. olive oil

1 T. capers (or more if you adore them like I do)

1-2 T. parsley, minced (optional)

 

Put beans, garlic, salt, thyme, lemon juice and olive oil in food processor and process until smooth. Using a spatula, scoop bean purée into medium-sized bowl and add capers and parsley. Stir to combine and adjust salt. Serve with bread, pita or crackers.

Honey Ricotta Toast with Roasted Blackberries

Honey Ricotta Toast with Roasted Blackberries

Honey Ricotta Toast with Roasted Blackberries

 

4 slices bread of choice I used a whole wheat sourdough, but use what you like!

1 cup ricotta, room temp I used lowfat, but use whatever type you like.

3 cups blackberries fresh

4-6 leaves fresh mint

½ cup honey maybe more for drizzling

microgreens if using for topping

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread blackberries over baking sheet and drizzle with about ¼ cup honey. I used parchment paper for easy cleanup. Place in oven and roast for about 5-10 minutes. The berries will start to soften and the juices will run out. While they are roasting, toast your toast. I used an electric griddle and toasted it with a touch of butter. This isn’t necessary, but I like it this way. Thinly slice your mint too while it is toasting. Once the blackberries are done and toast toasted, start assembling.

Spread each piece of bread with about ¼ cup ricotta. Top with ¼ of the roasted blackberries, sliced mint, and microgreens if using. Finish them off with a light drizzle of honey.

Postlapsarian Bruschetta with Parsley, Red Pepper, Olive, and Caper Topping

Postlapsarian Bruschetta with Parsley, Red Pepper, Olive, and Caper Topping

Postlapsarian Bruschetta with Parsley, Red Pepper, Olive, and Caper Topping

 

6 smashed and 3 whole garlic cloves

1 cup packed parsley leaves (washed and plucked from the stems)

2 cups roasted red bell pepper (home roasted or from a jar)

1/4 cup capers, drained

1 cup kalamata olives, pitted

1 round loaf country bread, not too dense, about 8 to 10 inches in diameter

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil (preferably young Tuscan)

Coarse salt

 

Prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire. In a food processor combine the 3 whole garlic cloves (peeled) and the parsley. Process until they are fine. Add the roasted red peppers, capers, and olives and pulse the mixture a few times until it is chunky. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve at room temperature. Cut the middle portion of the round loaf into 6 long slices, each one almost an inch thick. Cut these slices in half, making 12 half slices that are roughly 4 by 3 by 1 inch. When the fire is ready, place the 12 slices over it in a single layer. Cook, turning once, until the outsides of the bread are golden brown (with grill marks, if possible). This should take about 2 minutes per side; check frequently to make sure the bread isn’t burning. When the bread slices are done, rub them along the edges with the smashed garlic cloves. You can rub lightly or heavily, depending on your garlic preference — but you will need about 6 smashed cloves to reach all spots. Place the bread slices on a large platter in a single layer. Sprinkle each slice with 2 tsp. of the olive oil, breaking the surface of the bread lightly with the tip of a spoon to let the oil soak in. Season with coarse salt. Turn the slices over and repeat the oil-and-salt procedure. Top with the parsley-red pepper mixture and serve.