appetizers & snacks Archives • Page 2 of 2 • Ant & Anise

Roasted Blackberry and Brie Crostini

I have no doubt it will be a good year for blackberries. We’ve had a stretch of warm weather that’s extended out for several weeks, to the point that I almost can’t remember the last time it rained in Vancouver. Almost.

Even with all the sun and heat, though, blackberries do take their time to ripen. It’s mid-August already, but over the weekend the two spots that Bob scoped out for picking had bushes mostly full of hard, light red berries that won’t be ready for at least another week.

There were a few juicy ones, though, the kind that practically fall off into your fingers when you give them a gentle tug.

We had to be selective, not only because of the few really ripe berries. For some reason, we both were wearing too few clothes to venture too far into the prickly bushes. (Shorts and a tank top for picking blackberries, and Bob shirtless? What were we thinking?)

In our defense, it was a very hot afternoon. And it was our first time out this season. More of a blackberry reconnaissance mission, since we weren’t sure what state the berries would be in once we got up close. We’ll know better next time, or at least we’ll bring some long sticks to push away the prickly shoots.

At the risk of duplicating your triple cream brie and honey dessert too closely, Eve, I experimented with an appetizer of roasted blackberries, lightly melted brie and toasted crostini. So we could have blackberries before and after dinner. It makes perfect sense in August, doesn’t it?

The roasted berries have a savory twist — a splash of olive oil and some salt and pepper before you roast them. (I love a sweet-salty flavor combination. The ripe, sweet berries together with the salt were rather moreish, as Bob would say.) Aahhhh, summer.

Roasted Blackberry and Brie Crostini

Yield: 24 crostini

A savory twist on blackberries, this cheesy fruity crostini is a delicious start a summer evening. Even better with a glass of crisp rose wine.

Ingredients

1 baguette, sliced 1/4 inch thick into 24 pieces
6-8 ounces brie cheese, cut evenly into 24 pieces
48-60 blackberries
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

For the crostini:

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Slice baguette into 1/4 inch slices and place on an unlined baking sheet. Bake until tops are lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. Turn crostini over and bake until lightly browned, another 3-4 minutes. Move crostini to a cooling rack and let cool.

For the roasted blackberries:

Place blackberries on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 5-8 minutes, or until just warmed through. (Keep an eye on them so they don't get too soft or start to burn!)

When you're ready to serve:

Set your oven to broil. Place the crostini on an unlined baking sheet. Top each with one slice of the brie and broil until the brie is slightly melted. Remove from oven. Top each crostini with 2-3 roasted blackberries and serve immediately.

The Paleo Diet Challenge: Day 23

Hmmm, on the Paleo Diet Challenge Day 23, how timely: I run across an entertaining article on Scientific American’s website about why the Paleo diet doesn’t make much sense. Now you tell me.

Most of the article is about explaining how the human “gut” works and about the evolution of our digestive tract, which has evolved to eat grains, along with vegetables, fruits, nuts, and meat, and pretty much anything else we toss into it. Judging from the comments so far, he’s touched a nerve from Paleo defenders. Hmmm, I guess I can’t be sure until the challenge is over, but I think I know which camp I’ll end up in, eventually. Hint: it’s not the die-hard Paleo one.

One of the things that I am missing, more than I thought I would, is tortilla chips. Plain, salted, corn tortilla chips, preferably the blue, organic ones from Que Pasa. (Not sure why I like the blue ones so much, but they’re my favorite. Maybe because of the novelty? It’s not like there’s a lot of naturally blue foods out there.)

But since corn tortilla chips are off the menu for the next 8 days, I thought I’d try my hand at oven baked yam chips for a pre-dinner snack. Now, Paleo-friendly nuts are great, and I love them, but they’re not something I’d would want to be dipping in my guacamole.

I’ve done thicker yam fries in the oven before, and they are very, very difficult to get crispy. Almost impossible, really. I blame the high sugar content. But armed with my mandoline to make paper-thin slices, I was confident I’d end up with a crispier result.

Well? They looked very bright and pretty, and tasted great, but even though they were as thin as the mandoline could make, they weren’t nearly as crispy as I had hoped. The burnt ones were the best for crispiness, and got eaten first.

I think I’m officially starting my countdown until the end of the challenge. Crispy tortilla chips are in sight.

More on the Paleo diet challenge:
Why I’m doing it in the first place
My plan for the 30 days

The Paleo Diet Challenge: Day 9

I’m trying to keep a phrase from The Paleo Mom in mind today: It’s only effort until it becomes routine.

How very true. When I reframe my thinking from egads, this is hard to looking at all the foods that are Paleo friendly, I realize that much of my pre-challenge diet was, in fact, not so far off from Paleo. (Well, the less strict versions, anyway.) Lettuce substitutes for bread for a quick lunch — like julienned ham or chicken wrapped in butter lettuce leaves, with a touch of mustard. Yum. Main course salads with grilled chicken or salmon on top, along with other vegetables or some nuts. We do that already. So what’s so hard about this again?

With this mind shift, I set out to make a Mexican-themed dinner, something we do pretty regularly. Guacamole (always homemade) is a regular pre-dinner nibble, and assemble-your-own quesadillas or fajitas let even the pickiest eater find a combination of ingredients that work. With no crispy corn tortilla chips to help, ahem, hoover down the guacamole like we normally do, I decided it would work as an accompaniment to the main dish: Deconstructed steak fajitas. With the strip loin, and a few grilled peppers and asparagus that we had kicking around in the fridge begging to be used up, this felt like a 4 star dinner in an upscale Mexican cantina. I honestly didn’t miss the tortillas at all.

Kris' Guacamole

Yield: 1/2 cup

I've been making this for years and really don't measure the ingredients anymore, so use this recipe as a general guideline. The keys to success are to start with fresh ingredients -- bottled lime juice or prepared garlic are definitely out -- and make it just before you eat it.

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado, cubed
1 clove garlic, minced
1 fresh lime
dash of Tabasco sauce (or substitute a pinch of ground cumin and chili powder)
kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
optional add-ins: a couple tablespoons of minced red onion, chopped cilantro, or chopped tomato

Instructions

In a small mixing bowl, combine the avocado and garlic with a fork (or spoon, if you prefer a chunkier consistency).
Squeeze the lime into the bowl along with a dash of Tabasco sauce and mix together. Season with salt and pepper and taste it. Don't be shy with the salt.
Once you're happy with the seasoning, feel free to add in some minced red onion and cilantro, or some chopped tomato. Serve immediately.

Notes

It's preferable to make guacamole just before serving, as the surface will start to oxidize (turn brown) as it sits. If you do make it ahead of time, refrigerate it and cover the surface directly with parchment to minimize oxidation. This recipe easily doubles as written but if you're making a big batch (over 3 avocados), scale back the garlic a little...unless you're looking to ward off all the vampires in your neighborhood.

More on the Paleo diet challenge:
Why I’m doing it in the first place
My plan for the 30 days

The Roasted Tomato Revelation

Ah yes, that family barbecue last August, when I thought I was being entirely rational in what I was cooking:

my go-to puff pastry appetizer, from John Bishop and Dennis Green’s cookbook, Simply Bishop’s: Easy Seasonal Recipes
smokies on the barbecue, with baked tomatoes, caramelized onions and a couple of mustard choices on the side
salad
fresh berries and ice cream for dessert

How hard could that be?

And then, as usual, I found myself running behind, all because I’d been diverted by a very big, very inexpensive bag of only slightly soft tomatoes that I found in Granville Island Market that morning.

Since I’d just been looking at the slow-roasted tomatoes recipe in Fine Cooking Magazine, it seemed like Fate had stepped in, and I’d better play my part.

I can’t say I’m sorry, even though, as usual, I had to press you into service in the kitchen.

Roasted tomatoes have been a revelation, and they just keep getting better and more useful as the months go by.

Even on the first night, they showed some sign of what was ahead.
I started out thinking of them as a relish for the smokies, but they looked and smelled so good that they crept into the puff pastry recipe too.

At the time I thought they’d be seasonal, a use for over-ripe tomatoes in August and September.

But it turns out that over-ripe tomatoes show up all year long. In the past, I stopped buying tomatoes in the winter, because they aren’t very good, and I don’t feel like eating them in cold weather.

But now that I roast them, tomatoes in winter are a whole different food. Whenever I see soft ones, deeply discounted, I stock up.

Like you, I’ve stopped using the cup of olive oil, and I love your tip about pressing the liquid out halfway through cooking to redistribute it in the pan.

So now I’m using your roast tomato recipe. Funny how that works.

Here’s the recipe for the puff pastry appetizer, with a few changes from John Bishop’s recipe: baked tomatoes instead of the romas he calls for, and basil pesto instead of olive oil and chopped fresh basil.

Roasted Tomato Tart with Asiago & Red Onions

Ingredients

8 ounces frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 small red onion
8 ounces roasted tomatoes
4 teaspoons basil pesto
1 cup grated Asiago cheese
Olive oil for drizzling
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil leaves for garnish, rolled and cut into chiffonade

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out puff pastry to form an eight-inch square, 1/8th of an inch thick.
Cut into four four-inch squares. Prick pastry all over with a fork and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Peel onion and slice as thinly as possible, preferably with a mandolin.
Brush pastry squares with pesto.
Press any extra liquid out of baked tomatoes. Arrange tomatoes in a layer.
Place a layer of onion slices over the baked tomatoes and top with grated Asiago cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a grinding of black pepper.
Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake until pastry is puffed and golden, about 15 minutes.
To serve, place each tart on a warmed plate and garnish with basil threads.

And for ways they’ve moved into my life:

angel hair pasta with caramelized onions, prosciutto, Italian parsley and a sprinkling of goat cheese
cheddar cheese omelette with basil or chiives
with green beans and caramelized onions

By the way, thanks for the tip on refreezing puff pastry. I bought a one-pound package from Whole Foods, and only used half when I last made the Warm tomato and Asiago Tart.

But I rolled it all out, and cut it into squares. I froze the extra on a cookie sheet and then slipped them into a freezer bag.

This is dangerous knowledge – I’ve already whipped up a quick mango puff-pastry tart, just because I had a mango, and with the puff pastry all ready in the freezer I knew it would take no time at all.

Mini Gorgonzola and Caramelized Onion Crostini with Pear

Ant,
These were delicious. And festive too, a fitting complement to the bubbly we started the evening with.

One thing I particularly liked was that the gorgonzola, caramelized onion and pear crostini were impressive, yet simple. Once the onions are done, assembly is quick and (bonus points!) can be done ahead of time.

Something we talked about at Thanksgiving dinner (or was it before?) was that the ingredients in dishes we like best have two things in common: There are only a few of them, and they’re good quality. This crostini fits the bill on both counts.

If I were making these crostini, I’d make three changes to your recipe:

Thyme instead of rosemary in the onions (with some sprinkled on top just before serving).
A denser bread that’s cut in thinner pieces so you get a crispier base. The fig and anise demi-loaf from Terra Breads was a particularly good complement to the onions and cheese.
Finally, I’d use Gorgonzola rather than Gorgonzola Dolce. It’s firmer, so it can be sliced instead of spread.

For presentation, I’d make them bite-sized. Slices from the demi-loaf were perfect when cut in half. It’s true, I love small canapés! Makes for easier eating if you’re mingling with your cocktail too. So, mini gorgonzola and carmelized onion crostini with pear it is!

Mini Gorgonzola and Caramelized Onion Crostini with Pear

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions, cut in half and thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch sugar
cracked black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoon thyme, divided
24 slices fig and anise bread, or a dense sourdough bread
3-1/2 to 4 ounces gorgonzola, sliced
1 pear, sliced

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add onions, salt, sugar and pepper and cook for 16-18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until evenly browned. Remove from heat, stir in 1 teaspoon thyme and let cool. Makes about 1-1/2 cups. (This is a little more than you will need, but it keeps well and makes a delicious addition to sandwiches or flatbread. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.)
Preheat your broiler to high. Cut the bread into 24 pieces about 1/8” thick and 2” around. Place pieces on a baking sheet and toast each side until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
Set the oven to 350F. Slice the gorgonzola into 24 pieces about 1/8” thick. Top each crostini with about 1 tsp of caramelized onion and a slice of cheese, and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake for 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.
While the crostini are in the oven, slice the pear into 24 pieces about 1/8” thick and 1 1/2” around. Once the crostini are out of the oven, top each one with a slice of pear and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 tsp thyme. Serve immediately . . . and wait for the kudos to pour in.

Gorgonzola and Caramelized Onions with Pear: Big or Small?

Dear Anise,

Here’s the recipe for the appetizer I brought to Thanksgiving dinner. I’ve made it twice since then, each time to rave reviews.

I’m always on the lookout for party food that has substantial protein – something to sop up the alcohol. Not only is this one fast and easy, at least once the caramelized onions are made, you can make it ahead, and just do the baking and topping with pears at the end.

This makes 24 pieces, which should easily serve eight. The original recipe called for rosemary, but I used variegated oregano, because what’s on my back deck and still green. With two pounds of onions, I ended up with 2/3 of a cup left over. I know I should change that quantity to a pound and a half, but leftover caramelized onions are such a bonus I can’t bear to do it. Gorgonzola Dolce is milder, sweeter and much softer than regular gorgonzola.

Gorgonzola and Caramelized Onions Crostini with Pear

Yield: 24 crostini

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds onions, about four medium, sliced 1/8-inch thick (a mandolin does it best)
Salt and pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons finely chopped oregano
1 4-inch wide baguette (14 oz/400 g)
8 ounces Gorgonzola dolce
1 large ripe pear
Fresh oregano for garnish

Instructions

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and brown, turning frequently. When it begins to soften, season generously with salt and pepper; reduce heat to medium. Continue cooking for about 15 minutes, until nicely caramelized. Add the rosemary and transfer to a bowl to cool to room temperature.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the bread in the toaster until lightly browned, then lay the slices on a baking sheet. Spread about an ounce of Gorgonzola on each toast, then top with a tablespoon of the onion mixture.
Bake on the top shelf of the oven until bubbling and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
While the crostini bake, halve the pears, take out the cores - preferably with a melon baller - and slice horizontally into thin slices.
Top the crostini with pear slices, then cut each one into three pieces. Serve immediately.

So here’s the question: remember I came with the caramelized onions and gorgonzola already spread on the toasted baguette? I’d made the sections of baguette big enough that once they were baked and topped with pears, I could cut them into smaller pieces, maybe four per slice, because it was faster.

You said you’d have made mini ones – citing your well-known love of tiny food.

Want to mess with the recipe? What do you think would be the optimum bread?

How would you rewrite the recipe for a mini-mini crostini?

More on Gorgonzola Crostini?

Mini Gorgonzola and Caramelized Onions with Pear