Category Archives: Appetizers & Snacks

Pita Crisps

Posted in Appetizers & Snacks by

These are incredibly easy to make and are perfect with dips or as an accompaniment to soup. They look gourmet, so they would be great so serve to guests (try them with the Red Pepper Puree) — but they’re so simple that you could just make them for yourself.

Pita bread
Olive oil
Salt (sea salt if you have it)
Pepper
Dried oregano

Preheat the oven to 375F/190C. Carefully separate the two halves of the pita bread, then cut into triangles. The size of the triangles is up to you.

Spread the triangles on a baking sheet (don’t let them overlap). Drizzle a touch of olive oil on each one, then spread the oil around with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with salt, freshly ground pepper, and oregano, and bake until lightly toasted, about 8 minutes.

Red Pepper Puree

Posted in Appetizers & Snacks, Pasta & Rice Dishes by

This is a miracle recipe. It’s simple to make, and you can use it for so many things — atop crackers or toasted French bread for an appetizer (ooh — try it with goats cheese!), as a topping for chicken or fish, or mixed with chopped tomatoes for a pasta sauce. All you need are four red bell peppers.

Heat the oven to 475F/245C.

Arrange the whole peppers in a roasting tray and roast for 35-40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes as the peppers blacken. Remove when peppers have collapsed.

Cover the tray with foil and let the peppers cool.

Working over a bowl to catch the liquid, remove the peppers’ skin, core, and seeds. Put the pulp in a food processor, add a large pinch of salt, and puree.

You can easily adjust the flavors by adding cumin, grated ginger, minced garlic, chili pepper, fennel… or whatever you like.

Yield: About 1 cup.

Camembert, Goats Cheese, and Tomato Tart

Posted in Appetizers & Snacks, Breakfast/Brunch, Casseroles & Savory Pies by

This is an easy recipe using puff pastry. The camembert and goats cheese work together perfectly, but you can easily vary them. I made this tart when some friends came over for lunch one day, but it could also work as a savory brunch dish, or as an appetizer, cut into small pieces.

250g puff pastry, defrosted if frozen
3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard (don’t overdo this)
3 flavorsome tomatoes, thinly sliced and drained of as much juice as possible
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 large basil leaves, roughly torn
125g camembert cheese
100g goat’s cheese
2 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, or 1 Tbsp. dried
Olive oil

On a floured surface, roll the pastry out large enough to line a 10-inch pie plate. Line the plate and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, then trim the pastry neatly around the edge.

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F degrees. Spread the mustard all over the pastry base, then top with tomatoes in concentric circles. Season to taste and scatter the basil on top. Cut the camembert into thin slices and arrange a circle around the outer edge. Cut the goat’s cheese into thin pieces and arrange in the center. Sprinkle over the thyme and a few drops of olive oil (any more than this and the pastry will be soggy).

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the cheese is tanned and bubbling. Best served room temperature.

Deviled Eggs

Posted in Appetizers & Snacks by

Going back through the recipes I posted on Facebook in 2007, it seems I was on quite a cook-off kick. I had several recipes for this 1970s classic, but this one — originally from The New York Times — was the winner.

1 dozen hard-boiled eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and white pepper to taste
Finely snipped chives for garnish

After carefully peeling the eggs, cut them in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks (tip: press lightly from beneath to pop them out), put in a bowl, and mash with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, mustard and butter; mix until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice, cayenne, salt and pepper. Place in Ziploc bag.

Cut a tiny corner off the bag and squeeze the bag to fill the whites. Sprinkle with chives.

Yield: 24