Appetizers

I'm looking for recipes of some fabulous and yet easy to make appetizers / finger food. Who would like to share? Thanks!

huge fan of wings - especially if you have an oven. If you have an oven - this one is really easy and tastes great. (better make a lot - 4 adults and 4 kids consumed 120 of these at my house one day.


Soy Balsamic Glazed Wings

2 kg wings - drummettes and the wings mixed is fine. (if yours is the full wing - then cut at the joint.)

olive oil, salt and pepper


Toss wings in olive oil salt and pepper and put on a heavy pan. (line with foil to make cleanup easy.) Cook in a preheated oven (200 degrees C) for 30 minutes until crispy and golden. (you may want to raise a temperature a bit at the end to get the crispiness.)


While cookinc chicken - make the glaze.

Glaze

3/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1/4 soy sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

2TB unsalted butter


Mix vinegar, soy, and sugar in heavy saucepan and boil until reduced - about 12-14 minutes. whisk in butter.


When chicken is done, remove from pan and then toss with glaze. Serve.

Thanks Devine & Hkchoichoi, these sound yummy. 120 wings in a day!? I will definitely give it a try!

This recipe is from the Union Square Cafe Cookbook and these nuts were voted the best bar nuts in New York.


Ingredients

500g assorted unsalted nuts, e.g. peeled peanuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans and whole unpeeled almonds

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary (from two 8cm sprigs)

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons dark muscovado sugar (or dark brown)

2 teaspoons Maldon salt or sea salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted


Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.

2. Toss the nuts in a large bowl to combine and spread them out on a baking sheet.

3. Toast in the oven till they become a light golden brown, about 10 minutes.

4. In a large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne, muscovado sugar, salt and melted butter.

5. Thoroughly toss the toasted nuts in the spiced butter and serve warm (not too warm/hot) in small bowls.


Tuna and bean dip

(Serves 4)


400 g cannellini or white beans, cooked or canned

200 g canned tuna in oil

2 anchovy fillets

1 tbsp lemon juice

8 thick slices sourdough bread

1 garlic clove, crushed

handful of small black olives

few sprigs of thyme

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil


Method

1. Drain and rinse the canned beans. Put the beans and the tuna with its oil to a food processor or blender, add anchovy fillets and pepper and blend until smooth - or crush with the back of a fork. Finish with lemon juice to taste.

2. Grill or toast the bread. Toss olives, crushed garlic and thyme in extra virgin olive oil, then brush this flavoured oil on the hot toast and cut into fingers.

3. Spoon tuna/bean mixture onto the toast fingers and top with the remaining olives and thyme.


Other ideas: bruschettas with goats' cheese and tomato, little salami tarts, little tomato and ricotta tarts, smoked salmon parcels with tomatoes and cream cheese, mini blinis with goats'cheese/tomatoes or smoked salmon, tiger prawns with tomatoes & basil, fresh figs with parma ham.

I have this other one - which is always a big hit but incredibly fattening...but so yummy and easy. I don't have exact proportions as I always sort of "eyeball" it but you could experiment.


Gooey, Cheesy, Garlic-hot artichoke dip - great with crackers, celery, bell peppers (all colors) carrots and any veggies you love.


I'm guessing proportions here. sorry


8 oz mozzarella cheese (the preshredded is fine - but you can also shred it yourself.)

1 can of artichoke hearts 14 ozs

4 cloves of garlic (or more)

2 oz parmesean cheese

1/2 to 1 cup of mayo (start with less, and add more if necessary)

finely chopped scallions (optional -but if you like a stronger onion flavor, it's nice.)


mix all ingredients together in a bowl. It shouldn't be too stiff, but not too creamy either. Add more mayo if necessary.


you can bake it BIG in a huge casserole if you like - or what I like to do for a more elegant presentation, is dollop smaller portions in the individual ramekins. I bake the ramekins in my toaster oven until the top is golden brown and bubbly. (usually 10-12 minutes.) Then I serve it with veggies - I always have a fresh hot one on it's way out of the oven - and it does go FAST. If you bake it in a big casserole - it's about 180 C for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.


WARNING -THIS IS VERY HOT! AND ADDICTING!

another note - yes 120 wings for 4 adults and 4 kids. But about 20 went home in take away container for the other family as the husband was addicted but too full to eat anymore.

Thanks Claire. I'm crazy about nuts, can't wait to try your first recipe.

Hkchoichoi, I usually do cold dips. Will go for this hot one next time, thanks!

this is always popular. proportions depend on how many people you are serving but this is easy and yummy for finger food type.

Pears

Prosciutto Ham

Whole Halfed Walnuts

Some kind of garlic and herb flavored cream spread.


Take the pears and wash and slice leaving the skin on but removing core.

Take the spread and put a dollop of it on one side of the pear slice

Place one walnut half on top of the dollop

Finish by simply wrapping the prosciutto around the pear and laying on a plate to serve.

Of coarse we are wrapping the pears hamberger bun style not hot dog bun style :) meaning short way not long way.


I have also sean somone do this with honeydew mellon slices and Prosciutto only as well but never tried that myself.

ENJOY!

Just wrap bacon around prunes, secure with toothpick. Grill a few minutes before serving.

I've done it in all the countries we've lived, always a success.