Spirited Cocktails

We’re thrilled to welcome back guest-blogger Katy, who brings us another easy and delicious small plate to accompany your cocktails!

Eggplant season is just starting here in North America so you may start seeing it at you local farmer’s market. Why not try making Baba Ganoush?  This Arabic staple tastes delicious, is easy to make and fun to say.   Choose eggplants that are firm to the touch, have a smooth and shiny skin and are heavy. Avoid eggplants with brown or soft spots and have a dull color. 

Ingredients:

1 eggplant (either purple or white)

1 tsp. salt

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1/4 c. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. tahini

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1) Wash eggplant and split in half lengthwise.

2) Season both halves with salt and pepper and place on a foil lined baking tray.

3) Roast eggplant at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes – the eggplant should be tender and golden brown.

4) Allow to cool.  Scoop out the flesh and mix in a food processor with the remaining ingredients.

5) Serve with pita, chips or crudite.

Enjoy!

Note: The eggplant may be roasted ahead of time and stored, wrapped in foil,  in the refrigerator until ready for use.

Editor’s Note: Today we’re lucky to have another small plate recipe from guest-blogger Katy. What could go better with cocktails than Prosciutto Palmiers?? That’s right – nothing. Oh – be sure to check out her blog, BirkenMommy.

Palmiers look fancy but are quite simple to make. If your a cooking newbie, I’ve written a more detailed (and photographed) palmier tutorial on my blog, BirkenMommy.

Ingredients

1 sheet of slightly thawed puff pastry  (storebought is fine)

1 heaping teaspoon dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon honey

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

5 slices prosciutto

Method

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1) Mix honey and mustard together in a small bowl.

2) Gently unfold puff pastry onto a floured board.

3) Brush honey-mustard mixture onto the puff pastry all the way to the edges.

4) Lay prosciutto on top of pastry.

5) Sprinkle parmesan on top of prosciutto.

6) Starting from the edge, gently roll pastry to middle. Repeat on other side to achieve palmier shape.

7) Gently slice into 1/2″ slices using a serrated knife. (It will be easier to slice if you chill the log in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up the puff pastry.)

8) Lay slices on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.  Flip and then continue baking for another 8 – 10 minutes.  The palmiers are done when the pastry is puffed up and golden brown.

Note: Don’t worry if there is a little black along the inside edges.  They aren’t burnt – the natural sugars in the honey have caramelized.

Makes 12 – 14.

Editor’s Note: Today special guest-blogger Katy returns with an awesome small plate recipe. This simple yet delicious dish makes for a perfect pairing with pre-dinner cocktails!

This rustic twist on a Provençal classic comes from my sister Kelly who is a classically trained chef. It’s more colorful than a traditional tapenade and requires almost no cooking – great for those days when turning on the oven is too horrible to contemplate. Enjoy!

Ingredients

½ cup pitted Niçoise olives
½ cup softened sundried tomatoes
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp. minced chive
2 – 3 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
¼ cup goat cheese
1 baguette

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F.

1) Put olives, sundried tomatoes, garlic and chive in the bowl of a food processor.

2) Slowly drizzle on olive oil while processor is running. Don’t over-process – it should be a little chunky.

3) Transfer olive mixture into a bowl and gently mix in freshly ground pepper.

4) Fold in goat cheese.

5) Place bread slices on baking sheet. Brush lightly with additional oil. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Spread tomato tapenade on toasts and serve.

Makes 16 – 18

Editor’s Note: We have a special treat this Friday. Katy, our guest-blogger and chef d’cuisine, brings us a recipe for Shrimp Ceviche – the perfect accompaniment for summer cocktails! Enjoy.

Josh’s recent posts on strawberry daiquiris and pisco sours reminded me that the hot, hot days of summer are soon upon us. A cool shrimp ceviche is a great pairing to both drinks and is simple to make.

Ceviche is a traditional South American seafood dish in which fish is marinated in a combination of fresh lime juice and lemon juice. The fish “cooks” due to the acidic combination of lemon and lime juices. Ceviche is traditionally made with red snapper, but can be made with almost any white fish.

This recipe uses shrimp that is lightly pre-cooked. I know, food purists will say that it’s not really ceviche if it’s cooked. While the marinade cooks seafood, it doesn’t kill the bacteria. This isn’t much of an issue with raw fish (think sushi), but it can be with shellfish like shrimp or scallops. So, for safety reasons, it’s a good idea to lightly pre-cook the shrimp.

Note: If you find the ceviche a little too acidic, drain out some of the juices after the marinating, add a little more avocado and/or a little more salt.

Ingredients

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 Tbsp salt
3/4 cup lime juice (juice from 4-6 limes)
3/4 cup lemon juice (juice from 2-3 lemons)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1 Serrano chile, ribs and seeds removed, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cucumber, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 avocado, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

Method

1) In a large pot, bring to a boil 4 quarts of water, salted with 2 Tbsp salt. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute to 2 minutes max, depending on size of shrimp. Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.

2) Drain the shrimp. Cut each piece of shrimp in half, or into inch-long pieces. Place shrimp in a glass or ceramic bowl. Mix in the lime and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for a half hour.

3) Mix in the chopped red onion and Serrano chile. Refrigerate an additional half hour.

4) Right before serving, add the cilantro, cucumber, and avocado.

5) Mix and serve.

Serves 4-6.