This was inspired by a Bon Appetit recipe for mini tarts with goat cheese and zucchini, but the tart part didn’t really work for us. So I tried it again with puff pastry (from TJ’s, in the freezer section) and they were delightful. Morgan ate about twenty of them and said “you HAVE to put these on your website, mom.” So here they are.
6 small or 4 medium zucchini, sliced very very thin, on a diagonal (preferably with a mandoline)
1 teaspoon salt
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or lemon thyme
5 oz. soft fresh goat cheese
parmesan cheese
Toss the zucchini with the salt in a sieve and let stand, draining, for 10 – 15 minutes. Pat dry. Place in a bowl and toss with thyme and olive oil and sprinkle with pepper.
Meanwhile, remove the puff pastry from the freezer. Allow to thaw for about 5 minutes, then slice into small squares, 1 – 1 ½ inches wide. Spread out on two parchment lined baking sheets. Spread goat cheese over each square. Top each with a little pile of zucchini slices. Drizzle with oil remaining from zucchini bowl. Grate some parmesan on top. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Showing posts with label APPETIZERS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label APPETIZERS. Show all posts
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
TSATZIKI
Something about all the cucumbers around has made me want to make this Greek stuff. Cool and refreshing – TSATZIKI is great as a sauce in a pita sandwich or as a dip with pita chips or raw veggies, or as a sauce over chicken or lamb. I combined several recipes, none of which are probably traditionally Greek, but it came out pretty yummy and I’ve used it all week.
2 medium cucumbers, shredded (you don’t have to peel it, but not all the peel gets used, which is fine)
salt
1 pint (lb.s) plain Greek yogurt (this is key for the consistency – otherwise you have to do this whole thing with draining the yogurt through cheesecloth)
½ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 splash olive oil
1 – 4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 – 2 teaspoons minced mint leaves
pepper
Place the shredded cucumber in a sieve, sprinkle with salt and toss to coat. Allow to drain for a while (cover with a cloth).
Mix together the rest of the ingredients, cover, and refrigerate for about an hour.
Squeeze as much liquid out of the cucumber as you can, add to the yogurt mix and refrigerate until serving. This makes a pretty chunky dip/sauce. If you want it to be smoother, use an immersion blender to puree a bit more. Lasts in the frig for about a week.
2 medium cucumbers, shredded (you don’t have to peel it, but not all the peel gets used, which is fine)
salt
1 pint (lb.s) plain Greek yogurt (this is key for the consistency – otherwise you have to do this whole thing with draining the yogurt through cheesecloth)
½ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 splash olive oil
1 – 4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 – 2 teaspoons minced mint leaves
pepper
Place the shredded cucumber in a sieve, sprinkle with salt and toss to coat. Allow to drain for a while (cover with a cloth).
Mix together the rest of the ingredients, cover, and refrigerate for about an hour.
Squeeze as much liquid out of the cucumber as you can, add to the yogurt mix and refrigerate until serving. This makes a pretty chunky dip/sauce. If you want it to be smoother, use an immersion blender to puree a bit more. Lasts in the frig for about a week.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
JAMES’S BRUSCHETTA
I had to really beg for this one. It is definitely one of the ways James seduced me when we were dating – this bruschetta is that good. Bruschetta is one of the many reasons I look forward to the summer tomato season. And when my nephew was asked what he was looking forward to at the beach, “Uncle James’s bruschetta and fishing” was his answer. This is best as an appetizer, but it is definitely not a stand-around one. You have to eat it sitting down; its just too messy.
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 – 5 tablespoons anchovy paste
1 ½ lbs. tomatoes (4 large) diced into ½ inch pieces
¼ to 1/3 cup olive oil
large handful of basil leaves, chopped
salt and pepper
large loaf of “crusty” bread – sourdough baguette or ciabatta is nice
a few cloves of garlic, peeled (optional)
8 oz. fresh mozzarella (optional), sliced
In a small bowl, whisk together anchovy paste and vinegar. Combine this with the tomatoes, basil and olive oil in a large bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for a half hour (or more) to let the flavors combine.
Slice the bread, on the diagonal. Brush with olive oil and toast or grill. When just cool enough to handle, scrub both sides of the each piece of toast with garlic clove.
On a serving platter or individual plates, spoon the tomato mixture over each piece of toast. Top with the cheese, if using, and garnish with additional basil if you’re feeling fancy.
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 – 5 tablespoons anchovy paste
1 ½ lbs. tomatoes (4 large) diced into ½ inch pieces
¼ to 1/3 cup olive oil
large handful of basil leaves, chopped
salt and pepper
large loaf of “crusty” bread – sourdough baguette or ciabatta is nice
a few cloves of garlic, peeled (optional)
8 oz. fresh mozzarella (optional), sliced
In a small bowl, whisk together anchovy paste and vinegar. Combine this with the tomatoes, basil and olive oil in a large bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for a half hour (or more) to let the flavors combine.
Slice the bread, on the diagonal. Brush with olive oil and toast or grill. When just cool enough to handle, scrub both sides of the each piece of toast with garlic clove.
On a serving platter or individual plates, spoon the tomato mixture over each piece of toast. Top with the cheese, if using, and garnish with additional basil if you’re feeling fancy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
