Tag Archives: appetizer

Crostini di Fave

Crostini di Fave (Fava Bean Crostini)

Posted on June 26, 2011 by Angela| 2 Comments

The best thing you can do is get the tastiest olive oil to drizzle, your favorite bread for toast points (I love a good ciabatta) and the most savory, nutty pecorino you can find. Then, with a minimal amount of cooking, you can relish in the the joy of the fabulous fava bean. Continue reading →

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Appetizers and Small Plates, Easy to Prepare, Ode to Orvieto, Vegetarian Dishes

Tagged , , , , , ,

Pao de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Puffs)

Pao de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Puffs)

Posted on May 8, 2011 by Angela| 2 Comments

I’ve had the most success with making the batter and baking these guys pretty much right when I have the craving to snack away. I’ve also had excellent success with a 24 mini-cup muffin tin – it allows a mess of pao de queijo to be baked all at once for aggressive snacking. And, as you know, aggressive snacking is what we were all born to do. Continue reading →

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Appetizers and Small Plates, Baked Goods, Cheese Dishes, Easy to Prepare, Ode to Feijoada Completa, Ode to Uninvited Guests, Spring Has Sprung Feast

Tagged , , , ,

Pulled Boar Panini with Miner's Lettuce and Lemon Aioli

Pulled Boar Panini with Miner’s Lettuce and Lemon Aioli

Posted on April 30, 2011 by Angela| Leave a comment

Although this dish is an appetizer, just know that if you serve this dish first, chances are very good that people will fill up on these suckers with reckless abandon without a thought of saving room for anything else. They are just. that. good. Continue reading →

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Appetizers and Small Plates, Cheese Dishes, Feast of the Seven Boars, Meat Dishes, Sandwiches

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Stuffed Mushrooms © Photo by Angela Gunder

Post-Thanksgiving Stuffed Mushrooms

Posted on January 2, 2011 by Angela| 1 Comment

Thanksgiving leftovers go from absolute wonder to total boredom as the days pass after turkey day. You don’t want to waste, but you’d like a taste profile different from the original meal. While mashed potatoes are easy to repurpose (shepard’s pie, pierogies, croquettes), stuffing get’s old. But yet, with a little bit of ingenuity, you can make a glorious appetizer out of the remnants of the holiday. Continue reading →

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Appetizers and Small Plates, Feast of the Seven Boars, Holiday Dishes, Meat Dishes, Recipes

Tagged , , , , ,

Stuffed Mushrooms © Photo by Angela Gunder

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Posted on January 2, 2011 by Angela| 1 Comment

With sweet blue crab and crunchy panko, these mushrooms are lightened by lemon zest and parsley, along with a healthy dose of cayenne for kick. Make a batch of these for loved ones, and I am sure that your street cred will go through the roof. Homie? Homie. Continue reading →

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Appetizers and Small Plates, Feast of the Seven Fishes, Holiday Dishes, Recipes, Seafood Dishes

Tagged , , , ,

Fresh Tomato Salsa © Photo by Angela Gunder

Fresh Tomato Salsa

Posted on November 11, 2010 by Angela| Leave a comment

This one comes from my grandmother, Vo, who was given this recipe by a friend, who in turn received it from her grandmother – the same recipe that she used back in Mexico. Something as seemingly pedestrian as salsa becomes a celebration of the sweetness of ripe tomatoes and the piquant flavor of jalapeno. Continue reading →

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Appetizers and Small Plates, Recipes, Sauces and Condiments, Vegan Dishes, Vegetarian Dishes

Tagged , , , , , , ,

ricottacrostini2

Ricotta, Prosciutto and Fig Crostini

Posted on November 11, 2010 by Angela| Leave a comment

This one is so simple, it hardly really qualifies as a recipe. The result, however, is no less than spectacular – the perfect amalgamation of sweet and salty, with a pleasing crunch from the toasted bread. Continue reading →

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Appetizers and Small Plates, Cheese Dishes, Meat Dishes, Ode to Bruschetta and Crostini, Recipes

Tagged , , , , ,

charddolmades2

Swiss Chard Dolmades

Posted on October 30, 2010 by Angela| 1 Comment

These noble leaves are the kings of greenery in my book – tender yet hearty, and full of earthy flavor that so much more refined than spinach. Members of the beet family, the stalks vary in shade from paperwhite to golden and garnet (just as you’d see of beets in the market). While I typically love my chard sautéed simply with olive oil and garlic, or luxuriously bathed in locatelli, cream and melted shallots, the leaves are so versatile, you can work them into pretty unique formats. Continue reading →

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Appetizers and Small Plates, Egg Dishes, Gorgeous Greek Feast, Meat Dishes, Recipes, Rice Dishes

Tagged , , , , , ,

albondigas

Albondigas (Spanish Meatballs)

Posted on June 9, 2010 by Angela| Leave a comment

Albondigas are often found as part of tapas, a collection of small plates of both hot and cold nibbles hailing from Spain. You’ll probably want to get a good-quality, crusty loaf of bread to use to sop up this absolutely delicious sauce. Continue reading →

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Appetizers and Small Plates, Meat Dishes, Recipes

Tagged , , , , ,

Har Gow © Photo by Angela Gunder

Har Gow (Steamed Shrimp Dumplings with Bamboo Shoots)

Posted on May 30, 2010 by Angela| 2 Comments

I came across this recipe the other day in finding a cheaper way to nosh on the addictive Crystal Shrimp Dumplings from China Fun here in the city – the darn things are so delicious that when I eat them piping hot, the filling all falls out for lack of letting them sit and chill. Waiting is overrated. Continue reading →

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Appetizers and Small Plates, Friends Recipes and Hacks, Ode to Dumplings, Seafood Dishes

Tagged , , , , ,

Pan-Fried Pork and Chive Dumplings © Angela Gunder

Pan-Fried Pork and Chive Dumplings (Jiao Zi)

Posted on May 28, 2010 by Angela| 1 Comment

The best part of this recipe, and all homemade dumplings, is that the quality is much higher than what you’ll find at restaurants and dumpling joints. You control exactly what is added to the little delicacies, and you still end up keeping the price down. Fresh ingredients at a low price is a hard thing to come by these days, so definitely celebrate a little when you tuck into a plate of these bad boys. Continue reading →

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Appetizers and Small Plates, Impressive Dishes, Meat Dishes, Ode to Dumplings, Recipes

Tagged , , , , , ,

fetaspread2

Creamy Feta Spread

Posted on May 17, 2010 by Angela| Leave a comment

Similar to my fake-me-out Boursin recipe, this dip is a lot more impressive in taste than it’s humble ingredients. Lemon zest and garlic and depth of flavor and brightness, and olive oil smooths everything into a spreadable delight. Continue reading →

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Appetizers and Small Plates, Cheese Dishes, Ode to Uninvited Guests, Recipes, Vegetarian Dishes

Tagged , ,

sweetpotatoes

Sweet Potato Croquettes

Posted on May 15, 2010 by Angela| Leave a comment

This dish is a shout out to my love of Caribbean and Spanish flavors when combined and/or fried. There’s something about spicy, salty, cool, crunchy and sweet that just makes me swoon big time. Continue reading →

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Appetizers and Small Plates, Meat Dishes, Recipes

Tagged , , ,

arancini

Arancini (Sicilian Fried Rice Balls or Supplí)

Posted on May 15, 2010 by Angela| 4 Comments

Arancini are gorgeous – the name itself means “little orange” in Italian and is an homage to the glorious golden color of these tangerine-sized delights as they are removed from the fryer. Crunchy and light on the outside, and creamy and luxe in the inside, these little babies are comfort food at its best. Continue reading →

→ 4 Comments

Posted in Appetizers and Small Plates, Cheese Dishes, Impressive Dishes, Recipes, Rice Dishes, Vegetarian Dishes

Tagged , , , , ,

Tomato Bruschetta © Photo by Angela Gunder

Tomato Bruschetta

Posted on April 2, 2010 by Angela| 2 Comments

There are very few ingredients in this bruschetta, so you have to use the best ingredients possible. Fresh ripe tomatoes, leafy basil and fruity olive oil make all the difference. Continue reading →

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Appetizers and Small Plates, Easy to Prepare, Ode to Bruschetta and Crostini, Recipes, Vegan Dishes, Vegetarian Dishes

Tagged , , , ,

limabean

Lima Bean Bruschetta

Posted on March 28, 2010 by Angela| 3 Comments

This recipe is similar to a popular crostini topping that I used to eat all the time in Orvieto – there it was made from fava beans (or broad beans) and drizzled with fruity, golden olive oil. The lima beans are great because they’re easy to pull out of the freezer in a pinch, and cheaper than fava beans. Continue reading →

→ 3 Comments

Posted in Appetizers and Small Plates, Casual Easter Menu, Easy to Prepare, Ode to Bruschetta and Crostini, Ode to Uninvited Guests, Recipes, Vegan Dishes, Vegetarian Dishes

Tagged , , , ,

olivetapenade2

Olive Tapenade

Posted on March 28, 2010 by Angela| 1 Comment

Olive tapenade is so incredibly easy to make, and versatile as not only an appetizer, but also as a marinade and sauce. It keeps well in the fridge, and can be made from such common pantry ingredients – it’s a good appetizer to add to the mix without adding any extra cooking time. Goodness. Continue reading →

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Appetizers and Small Plates, Easy to Prepare, Ode to Bruschetta and Crostini, Ode to Uninvited Guests, Recipes, Sauces and Condiments, Vegan Dishes, Vegetarian Dishes

Tagged , , ,

Boursin (for Fakers) © Photo by Angela Gunder

Boursin (for Fakers)

Posted on March 22, 2010 by Angela| 4 Comments

A combination of dried herbs, cream cheese and butter, this mock boursin is close enough to the original stuff that I can’t see a reason to spend the money on the real stuff. The whole mess is whipped up in the food processor in mere seconds, and I then get to watch as it’s systematically devoured at parties. The best kind of recipe of all :) Continue reading →

→ 4 Comments

Posted in Appetizers and Small Plates, Cheese Dishes, Easy to Prepare, Impressive Dishes, Ode to Uninvited Guests, Recipes, Vegetarian Dishes

Tagged , , , ,

Vegan Summer Rolls © Photo by Angela Gunder

Summer Rolls (Goi Cuon)

Posted on March 8, 2010 by Angela| 2 Comments

These rolls are truly fresh – no cooking involved and they are eaten at room temperature. This is a good recipe to tuck away for those summer nights when you couldn’t be bothered to slave over a hot stove. Or any night that you’re looking for a satisfying crunch of veggies that come in a different delivery mechanism than a meager salad. Continue reading →

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Appetizers and Small Plates, Easy to Prepare, Recipes, Vegan Dishes, Vegetarian Dishes

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Cha Gio (Crispy Vietnamese Spring Rolls) © Photo by Angela Gunder.

Cha Gio (Vietnamese Crispy Spring Rolls)

Posted on March 8, 2010 by Angela| 7 Comments

In making cha gio at home, you’re doing yourself such a lovely service. The process isn’t complicated or fussy, but the resulting taste is complex and rich – one of those food moments that lends itself to memories. If you have vegetarian and vegan friends in the mix, try out the recipe for Summer Rolls and make both at the same time. The condiments are all the same, and you’ll only have to go shopping once for two distinct tastes. Continue reading →

→ 7 Comments

Posted in Appetizers and Small Plates, Impressive Dishes, Meat Dishes, Recipes, Seafood Dishes

Tagged ,