Holiday Appetizers... or anytime really

Back in October I took a trip to Bozeman with my friend Tamara. It was a quick trip and we made quite a few great meals.  My home girl, Sienna, came down to visit from Great Falls.  She is my homie; we have spent our life together and she is as close to me as my own sister.  We love enjoying ourselves and we love making delicious foods; and this visit was the first time in a long time that we had a throw down in the kitchen.  I have already shared one the recipes for our throw down in a previous post and now I want to share something that she made with you - which is reflected in the photo above.

Sienna's Salad Bruschetta with Artichokes and Brie

Ingredients:

1 loaf of Artisan Bread, a nice crispy crust kind
1 can of Artichoke Hearts, drained
1 14 oz round brie
1 bag of mixed green salad
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
a pinch of salt
a few dashes of ground black pepper

Whisk all of the above in a small bowl

For the rest.  Step  1: Make the Vinaigrette and set aside.  Step 2: Add the bag of mixed greens to a salad bowl.  Step 3: Drain the liquid from the can of artichokes and give them rough chop up and set aside. Step 4: Slice the Brie in 1/4" thick slices and set aside.  Step 5: Slice the bread evenly, about a 1/2 inch thick.  This should yield about 1 dozen slices.  Turn the oven to broil.  Put the slices of bread on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven for about 1 minute each side.   Now, do not walk away from the oven because if you do - you will burn the hell out of the bread.  Depending on your oven it can take 1 minute to toast to a nice golden brown or it can take 30 seconds or it can take 2-3 minutes.  I did not realize that my oven would take 30 seconds and I burnt the hell out of the bread.

Step 6: Once done toasting, keep the bread on the cookie sheet and add evenly to each slice artichokes and add a slice or 2 of brie to the top.  Put it back in the oven and broil for about 1 minute.  Again, watch it so it doesn't burn. Once the brie is slightly melted and not quite golden brown in color, take out of the oven and set aside to cool.
Step 7:  Give the balsamic vinaigrette a quick whisk and poor on top of the greens.  Give it a nice toss so the greens are evenly covered in the vinaigrette.
Step 8: Transfer the bread to a serving plate and add the greens to the top of bread and poor yourself a nice glass of wine, if you have not already, and enjoy.
I had made this the other day as an appetizer, but my friend mentioned that it would also make a nice light lunch or dinner along side a piece of grilled meat.  And since Sienna made it the first time, I have made it a half dozen more times.  I have used arugula and spinach instead of mixed greens and one time, I used apples instead of artichokes.  Either way, it's darn delicious and makes a great addition to my arsenal of apps.  Thanks Sienna!

Another from the book

This recipe is a bit long. It doesn't take a really LONG time to make, but the instructions are just...long. This is where an editor would be helpful. But since this is just a blog, who cares.
I made this at Kim and Lee's wedding in 2008 (my sister and brother-in-law). I didn't have a name for it when I made it. After I put it all together, my mother-in-law, Sam says to me "Well, I had something in Belize that looked like that and it was called a Granache." So the whole rest of the time she called them Tuna Granaches and I went with it. Sam was one of my biggest fans. She always loved everything I made her. If she didn't, I never knew - that's how great she was. But this recipe, I know she liked. And Kim and Lee love this one too. I made it for them the last time I visited them in Florida. Try it out, let me know what you think!

Enjoy!


Tuna Granaches

1 lb Sushi Grade Tuna, cut into cubes
1 mango, cubed
2 avacados, cubed
The juice of one lemon
2 tbls chopped cilantro
1 garlic clove, minced
1 shallot, minced
Dash of salt and pepper (or to taste)
1 cup shredded Queso Fresco

Cube the tuna, mango and avacado and put in a mixing bow. Add cilantro, garlic and shallot and squeeze the juice of one lemon over all ingredients and mix lightly. Add a dash of salt and pepper and Set aside

Wasabi Sauce:

2 tbls Wasabi (I used the variety that comes in a tube)
The juice of one lime
1/2 cup Mexican Crema

In a small mixing bowl whisk wasabi, lime juice and Crema and set aside

Tortillas:

You have to get Masa Corn Flour and just follow the instructions on the package to make toritillas (it's easy as pie)

1 cup Masa Flour
2/3 cup water
pinch of salt

Combine the masa flour, salt and water. Mix thoroughly until it forms into a soft dough. If it feels dry, add more water (one tablespoon at a time).
Divide dough into 12 equal, small balls (the tortillas need to be small about 3").
Line a tortilla press with two sheets of plastic wrap. Place each ball between plastic and press until tortilla measures to 3" in diameter. Carefully peel from plastic wrap.

Heat and ungreased skillet or griddle on medium-high heat. Cook tortillas one at a time for 50 sec and then turn and cook another 50 sec. Set tortillas aside to cool.

When tortillas are cooled add vegetable oil to just cover the bottom of a small frying pan. Heat the oil to about 350 degrees. Place the tortilla, one at a time, in the oil and fry for about 1min. and carefully turn it over to fry for another min.

Putting everything together:

Place tortillas on a serving dish. Add 1/4 cup of the tuna mixture on top of the tortilla. Next, sprinkle queso fresco over the tuna and then drizzle the wasabi sauce.

Makes 12 little granaches.

From the actual Cook Book....Appetizer Section

OK, here it goes. I am actually doing this!

I can’t have a dinner party or any kind of party with out having appetizers.
This is a fact about me that almost everyone knows that has come to dinner or a party at my home: I am NEVER on time. I really want to be on time with dinner. I REALLY do. But there is some kind of force of nature that does not allow me to be on time. That is why I always make appetizers. At least when my guests arrive I have something to feed them. They have to have something to eat! I always have something for them to drink and I’ll be damned if their drunk before dinner!
Tip from Michelle: Serve appetizers if you don’t want your guests drunk before dinner.

Curried Shrimp

Ingredients
1 pound Shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 tbls butter
1 tbls Yellow Curry Powder
1 tbls Garlic finely chopped
2 tspn minced fresh Ginger
1/4 cup Rice Wine

In a medium skillet or sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter but do not let it separate. Add the garlic and mince ginger and saute it for about 1 minute. Add the curry and wine, frequently stirring until smooth.

Add the shrimp, folding the shrimp into the sauce and frequently shaking the pan for 5 minutes until the shrimp are pink and firm. Serve immediately with sliced pita bread or baguette.