Tag: Appetizer
Mexican Street Corn Dip
When referencing major historic events–especially dramatic, unexpected ones–people always say, “I remember exactly where I was when…(fill in the blank).” For my parents’ generation, it’s “I remember where I was when Kennedy was shot” or when the Challenger exploded. For my generation: “I remember where I was when the O. J. Simpson car chase was on,” or when Obama was elected. Well, I’m going to play the “I’m a legit foodie” card and say that I tend to remember exactly where and when I first had particular amazing foods. Apparently certain gustatory experiences are right up there with transformational historical events in my mind. So it is with Mexican street corn, also known as elote: immediate mental time travel to March 2006 at a hole-in-the-wall Cuban restaurant in Manhattan.
My husband and I were on a pre-kids spring break vacation to New York to spend time with his extended family and some friends in NYC. I have glimpses of memories of a boat tour to the Statue of Liberty, a visit to Oheka Castle (later to be used as Taylor Swift’s crazy-lady mansion in her Blank Space video), and the two of us sleeping in a twin bed at Anthony’s friend house (at 23, we were still in Piaget’s We’ll-Sleep-Anywhere-As-Long-As-It’s-Free stage of development). But perhaps over and above these experiences, I remember eating street corn for the first time. Anthony’s friend Rosemary, whose twin bed we were maxing the weight limit on, told us we not only HAD to try this Cuban place, but we HAD to have the street corn. As we waited for a table in the freezing cold of a Manhattan March evening, I recall being a little skeptical. As much as I love mayonnaise, putting it on corn on the cob has never seemed like a natural impulse. It sounded like putting chocolate on carrots. But once I tried it–caramelized roasted corn slathered with a creamy-cheesy-limey sauce–I was a believer.
I think I’ve been chasing that first street corn experience ever since that spring break trip. I’ve tried elote at numerous restaurants here in the Phoenix area (where you’d think we’d really have the hang of all Mexican foods) but none has ever hit the spot quite like the kind at the Cuban restaurant with the long-forgotten name. Hence this recipe for Mexican street corn dip. It’s not really fresh corn season right now, being December, but I’ve been craving that creamy-limey blend of flavors lately and I wanted to try something along those lines for our upcoming annual Christmas party. This dip is my answer–creamy, limey, a little spicy, and super simple to make with frozen corn in the absence of fresh. Nothing may ever live up to my fondly remembered first taste of elotes, but this one comes pretty close. I’m calling it a winner for a crowd-pleasing crunchable appetizer that comes together in under 15 minutes.
Mexican Street Corn Dip
(Adapted from Damn Delicious)
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. butter
12 oz. bag frozen corn (roasted frozen corn, like Trader Joe’s, would be even better)
2 Tbsp. diced jalapeño
3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. crumbled cotija cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
salt, to taste
Directions:
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add corn and jalapeño and sauté 8-10 minutes, or until corn is cooked through and begins to char.
- Remove from heat and stir in all remaining ingredients. Serve warm or cold with tortilla chips (but I think you’ll prefer warm)!
Makes about 3 cups.
Herbed Olive Oil {Carrabba’s Copycat}
Do you ever get into a side dish rut? I know I do. I fall back on things that are quick, easy, and familiar. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Sometimes a weeknight full of kids’ gymnastics, laundry piled high, and spelling homework calls for a bag of frozen peas heated in the microwave, or Trader Joe’s mashed potatoes (which are fantastic, by the way). Other times, though, inspiration strikes and an idea floats down from the kitchen muses of something different to try. Like an herbed olive oil dip from a favorite restaurant.
In general, we are a bread-and-butter-side-dish family. Bread and butter is our bread and butter. I think it was my college summer trip around Europe that first endeared me to the charms of this simple pleasure. You can’t visit France without getting hooked on crusty bread with butter (or, of course, cheese). Similarly, my husband’s relatives, New York Italians, scarcely have a meal without a loaf of bread and stick of butter on the table. I’ve come to embrace that tradition. There’s something so gustatorily delightful about the combination of soft, cottony white bread with cold, creamy butter in your mouth. (There, I said it. I like white bread. The nutritionist-in-training in me hangs her head in shame.) So I don’t mind getting a little stuck in a bread and butter groove sometimes. Recently, though, my husband and I had dinner at the chain Italian restaurant Carrabba’s, and I was reminded how delicious and unique their herbed olive oil is. I wondered if I could make it myself as a restyling of our bread and butter routine.
Well, if course I could! This is 2015 and everything you ever wanted to know is on the Internet. Fast forward fifteen minutes and bam, here we are with a super flavorful dinner accompaniment. I even had all the ingredients in my pantry–you probably will, too, if you have an herb/spice cabinet. We had it with a lentil sausage soup (also a Carrabba’s copycat, soon to be blogged) and it made for a tasty fall dinner that was just a little different. So…easy, quick, cheap, and a familiar favorite from a restaurant? I think I can handle that, even on a busy weeknight.
Herbed Olive Oil (a la Carrabba’s Italian Grill)
(Adapted from Food.com)
Ingredients:
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. black pepper
scant 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. dried rosemary
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1 tsp. olive oil
Additional olive oil for serving (about 1/4 cup) and bread for dipping
Directions:
- In a small bowl, combine all ingredients except olive oil until well mixed. Add 1 tsp. olive oil and stir to incorporate.
- To serve: place 1/4 of herb mixture on 4 individual plates. Drizzle an additional 1 Tbsp. olive oil over herb mixture. Enjoy with crusty bread.
Serves 4.
Avocado Feta Salsa
Today I have a recipe to share that is near and dear to my heart. (At least, it passes near to my heart on its way down, but I also mean it in the metaphorical sense.) I’ve been making this avocado feta salsa for years and have amassed quite a few memories connected with it: Christmas parties, backyard bash pool parties, and some especially enjoyable midnight snacking. I’ve always thought it was pretty unique and delish and have been asked for the recipe on numerous occasions. The salty feta and crisp red wine vinegar give it an almost Mediterranean flair, but the cilantro and red onion keep it firmly defined as a Mexican flavor overall. But NOW, ladies and gentlemen, in addition to calling it unique and delicious, I can officially call it “award-winning.”
Here’s the story: a few weeks ago, my husband’s company, meltmedia, held a salsa competition. (They do stuff like that. They also throw a legit Halloween party and blast each other in Nerf gun wars during office hours.) The avocado feta salsa seemed like an entry just distinctive enough that it might win. When I arrived at the competition, I saw that they had three categories for salsa entries: “regular,” “hot,” and “unique.” (Coincidentally, the same categories apply for the scoring of the “Miss Mesa, AZ” beauty pageant…badum ching!) I was convinced my entry was a shoo-in for the “unique” competition. The lunch hour wore on, complete with some surprisingly decent catering from El Pollo Loco, and soon it was time to vote. It was an tense few moments, with lots of delicious competition–like a Mexican street corn dip I really want to try making–but when the votes were totaled, YES! Avocado Feta Salsa for the “unique salsa” win!!! And the crowd goes wild!! (Or at least, I went wild in my head.)
As a prize, I even received a $20 Sprouts gift card, which I promptly spent on booze organic produce. But more than my tidy gift card, what I really prize is this recipe’s now-official credibility as an awesome, unique salsa!
The great thing about this recipe is that, like many other salsa and pico de gallo recipes, you can (and should) assemble it by taste. Like more red onion? Add it! Not a fan of garlic? Go easy on it. I’ve written it down the way I like it, with a squeeze of lemon for a bright hint of citrus. Incidentally, I have batch in the fridge right now, awaiting some dinner guests tomorrow. We’ll see if it makes it that long. I feel a midnight snacking urge coming on…
Avocado Feta Salsa
(Adapted from Allrecipes.com)
Ingredients:
4 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/3-1/2 c. red onion, diced, depending on how much you like red onion
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
lemon juice, to taste
salt, to taste
4 oz. crumbled feta cheese
2 ripe avocados, diced
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, and garlic. Stir in olive oil and red wine vinegar and a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste and season with salt to your preference. Chill 2-6 hours to let the flavors blend.
2. Just before serving, gently stir in feta cheese and avocado.
Lasagna “Cupcakes”
Before I begin this post, let me just say, YES, I do realize the seeming wrongness of the word “lasagna” followed by the word “cupcakes.” The idea of noodles and tomato sauce combined with cake and frosting is too weird even for me. BUT stick with me–it’s not what it sounds like! Fortunately, the cupcake part of the term “lasagna cupcake” is merely descriptive of the fact that these shrink-rayed lasagnas are baked in a cupcake tin…or a muffin tin. So you could also call them “lasagna muffins.” Equally strange.
I decided to give these miniature entrees a whirl in anticipation of our annual Christmas party. The menu is still in the finalization stage, but these have definitely made the cut. Their small size and overall uniqueness make them an ideal choice for a party buffet, and they’re hearty enough to be a dinner mainstay, not just an appetizer. Piping hot out of the oven, these are gooey, meaty, cheesy bites of Italianate deliciousness. Can you tell I’m smitten?
Lasagna Cupcakes
(Adapted from Tablespoon.com)
Ingredients:
3/4 lb. ground beef or turkey (I used turkey)
salt and pepper
36 wonton wrappers
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 c. ricotta cheese
2 c. shredded mozzarella
1 26-oz. jar tomato-basil spaghetti sauce
Basil leaves, for garnish
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 1 1/2 12-cup muffin tins (18 muffin wells).
2. Brown ground beef or turkey over medium-high heat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Drain.
3. Press 1 wonton wrapper into the bottom of 18 muffin wells. Sprinkle a layer of Parmesan on top of each wrapper, then a thin layer of ricotta and a sprinkle of mozzarella. Using your fingers, crumble a layer of ground meat on top of cheese, then spoon a small amount of spaghetti sauce on meat.
4. Repeat layers again: wonton wrapper, Parmesan, ricotta, mozzarella, meat, sauce. Top with one more sprinkle of mozzarella and Parmesan.
5. Bake 18-20 minutes or until edges are brown. Let stand for 5 minutes, then loosen edges with a knife and remove from pan.
Makes 18 “cupcakes.”
Fig and Goat Cheese Bruschetta
You may have noticed it’s been awhile since my last post, for reasons that are probably obvious–it’s Christmastime! Like everyone else, I have a to-do list longer than Santa’s naughty list every year during December, so writing about food has been pushed from its usual place near the top. Not, of course, for lack of cooking and eating! In fact, so much of my time has been taken up with both these activities the last few weeks that it’s sort of ironic that it’s kept me from blogging. Part of the reason for this, in addition to the usual cookie baking, eggnog drinking, and yuletide haggis feast (your family does that too, right?) is that my husband and I host an annual White Elephant Christmas Party for about 30 of our friends. This may be my favorite tradition of the whole season. We started it when we were newly married, just for fun, and I think about eight people came. Now, nine years later, it’s the biggest event of my year. I start menu planning around Halloween, and prepping and freezing after Thanksgiving. (Someday I’ll write a post about party planning tips/ideas. For now, suffice it to say the top two are Plan Ahead and The Freezer Is Your Friend.) I always provide 8-9 finger food options, as well as a selection of Christmas cookies and one other, more fabulous dessert. Here was this year’s menu:
Crock Pot Barbecue Meatballs
Cherry-Apple-Walnut Chicken Salad Croissants
Mac and Cheese Bites
Puff Pastry Ham Braids with Honey Mustard
Easy Samosas with Mango Chutney
Crudites with White Bean Dip, Tomato Basil Hummus, and Parmesan Ranch
Tortilla Chips with Avocado-Feta Pico de Gallo
Fig and Goat Cheese Bruschetta
While I was happy with the way everything came out, I may have been proudest of the Fig and Goat Cheese Bruschetta. Bursting with flavor from the combination of sweet fig-orange jam with creamy, tangy goat cheese, they definitely make a big impact for such a small appetizer. And look how pretty they are! If these were a fashion accessory, they’d be diamond earrings–small but sparkly. Plus, they’re not too difficult to prep in advance. Make the jam up to three days ahead, then assemble and stick under the broiler for a couple of minutes, and voila! A lovely tiny bite of deliciousness is yours!
As for the rest of the party, my hope is that everyone had a blast. There were certainly some terrible gifts (the more terrible, the better is the idea) and all I can say is I’m glad I didn’t end up with the live goldfish.
And as for you, have a very merry Christmas filled with peace, beauty, and of course lots of wonderful food!
Fig and Goat Cheese Bruschetta
(Adapted from Cooking Light)
Ingredients:
1 1/4 c. chopped dried Mission figs
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. coarsely chopped orange sections
1 tsp. grated orange rind
1/3 c. fresh orange juice (about 1 orange)
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
30 1/2-inch-thick slices French bread baguette
1 1/4 c. crumbled goat cheese
5 tsp. finely chopped walnuts
Directions:
In a small saucepan, combine the first 7 ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes or until figs are tender. Uncover and cook 5 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Preheat broiler.
To assemble bruschetta, top each bread slice with 1 1/2 tsp. fig jam and 1 1/2 tsp. goat cheese. Sprinkle evenly with walnuts. Broil on a cookie sheet for 2 minutes or until nuts begin to brown.
Makes 30 pieces.