New Year’s Eve is the perfect time to offer friends and loved ones an array of eye catching tasty bites. Hors d’oeuvres are the ultimate buffet for any gathering. A variety of these one-bite-two-bite tidbits makes a delightful meal. It’s an enjoyable, relaxing way to entertain.
We often use the terms hors d’oeuvre and appetizer interchangeably, but there’s a difference. Hors d’oeuvres are typically (harder to spell) finger food enjoyed while standing, with cocktails, before a meal (or during a party, as the meal). Appetizers (easier to spell) arrive as a first course while seated at table.
The French term hors d’oeuvre can be translated as “apart from (or before) the meal.” Other cuisines have traditions of savory mouthfuls relished before a meal. Italians have antipasto (bruschetta, liver topped crostini, grilled artichoke hearts, focaccia, marinated mozzarella balls, arancini, salami). Russian delight in zakuski (eggplant caviar, brined mushrooms, pickled beets, smoked fish, blini, sour cream and caviar, brown bread). Spanish and Portuguese adore tapas (shrimp in garlic, fried calamari, potato “tortilla,” albondigas, chorizo and cheese, empanaditas). The Greek invented meze (marinated feta cubes, meatballs, zucchini fritters, dolmades) and the rest of Middle Eastern countries added to the beloved mezze table (baba ganoush, hummus, tzatziki, raw and grilled vegetables, kibbeh, pita).
Consider Martha Stewart’s hors d’oeuvre categories from the fabulous “Martha Stewart’s Hors D’oeuvres Handbook” — Bites and Pieces; Layered and Stacked; Wrapped, Rolled, Filled, Folded and Stuffed; plus Skewered and Threaded.
You might start with some easy Bites and Pieces basics like a bowl of mixed olives, spiced nuts, colorful steamed vegetables, sliced cucumbers or crackers and a cheese board. Add guacamole, spreads and bean dips and a pizza or quesadilla cut into small squares/triangles for a winning buffet. No plates, just toothpicks and napkins.
Layer and Stack crostini, polenta squares, toast squares, pizza squares, rice cakes, potato chips, tostones, toasted French bread slices, crepes, lettuce cups or cooked mushroom tops with seasoned, cooked tuna, crab or shrimp, smoked salmon, roasted red bell pepper strips, seasoned cream cheese, prosciutto, ham, olive tapenade, quick-grilled strips of beef, roasted garlic purée or white bean spread topped with greens; mini Danish smørrebrød.
Wrap, Roll, Fill, Fold and Stuff maki-zushi, dumplings, summer rolls, empanaditas, phyllo triangles, tortilla wraps, tartlets, stuffed cabbage, pierogi, Greek dolmades, mushrooms, lettuce, blanched collards, potstickers, ravioli, endive leaves; phyllo-sticks, pastry-wrapped, baked chorizo or andouille.
Skewer, Spear and Thread chunks of roasted vegetables, grilled shrimp or cubes of roasted chicken, pork tenderloin or fish; small mozzarella balls with tiny tomatoes and basil, pears or melon cubes with prosciutto or crisp bacon, meatballs, Greek lamb kebabs, Thai chicken satay, Tandoori kebabs, smoked oysters, marinated baby mushrooms, roasted baby potatoes, pitted dates filled with lemony goat cheese, grilled or fried small squid, shrimp balls.
Have these lists inspired you yet? Choose what appeals to you. Choose high quality ingredients, vary them by color, texture, flavor and temperature; meats, seafood, vegetables fresh and cooked. Assume a sculptor/architect/artist attitude. Prepare your hors d’oeuvre table in advance so you can enter into the fun. Aim to treat your guests to a table glistening with colorful gems of hors d’oeuvres. It’s a sure way to ring in a brighter New Year.
Mini Danish Smørrebrød
Smørrebrød are typically open-faced sandwiches diners eat with a knife and fork. Cut down smørrebrød into smaller two-bite hors d’oeuvres. Start with a base of thinly sliced, dense rye bread cut into 1-1/2- to 2-inch squares. Spread with butter or mayonnaise. Top with your choices of sliced pickled herring, cold cuts, beef, roast pork, eggs, smoked salmon, pea shoots, cucumbers, capers, cornichon pickles, radishes or roasted red bell pepper. Garnish with parsley, dill or chives. Make them colorful.
Stuffed Collard Rolls
Yields 4 large rolls; 24 hors d’oeuvres
1 C. short grain brown or white sushi rice
1 C. dry morels or other dried mushrooms or 2 to 3 cups fresh mushrooms
4 large collard leaves, stems lightly shaved
Olive oil
6 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 C. chopped dill
1/4 C. chopped Italian parsley
4 oz. soft goat cheese, broken into pieces
Rinse rice well and drain. Place in saucepan with 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, and lower heat to a simmer. Cook white rice 15 minutes and brown rice 40 to 45 minutes. Rest rice 10 minutes and fluff. Turn out rice into large mixing bowl. Keep covered.
If using dried mushrooms, rinse and drain. Immerse them in up to 2 cups hot water until soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and reserve soaking liquid. If using fresh mushrooms, slice and set aside.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Cut off collard stem and shave away stem still attached to the leaf. Plunge collard leaves into boiling water and blanch until stem part is flexible and tender, about 4 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and set collards aside.
Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet. Add shallots. Sauté until tender and browned, about 5 minutes. Add drained or fresh mushrooms and cook until wilted. Remove skillet from heat and stir in dill and parsley. Scrape mixture into rice and fold in along with goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Divide rice mixture evenly into 4 portions. Place first collard shiny side down with stem end nearest edge of work surface. Place one portion filling on bottom center of the stem end like a stuffed cabbage. Roll up leaf once and tuck in ends. Finish rolling all the way up. Repeat with remaining three leaves and rice. Slice each roll like a maki-sushi roll, crosswise, into six rounds. Serve warm or room temperature.
Thai Laab
To prep ahead, keep dressing separate and toss just before serving; otherwise the toasted rice powder will thicken and soak up all the flavors and the fresh herbs will become soggy. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container 2 to 3 days. Enjoy laab cold or reheat gently in a pan over low heat.
Yields 6 to 8 appetizer servings or more as an hors d’oeuvre
3 T. olive oil
4 oz. shallots peeled and finely sliced
2 lb. lean ground turkey, chicken or pork
3 to 4 T. minced ginger root
6 T. water
2 T. fish sauce (Red Boat is the best)
1 T. coconut aminos
2 T. toasted rice powder (see recipe)
1 T. maple syrup
Juice of 2 large limes
1/2 C. packed mint leaves, coarsely chopped
1 C. packed cilantro tender stems and leaves, coarsely sliced
Optional: 3 green onions finely sliced
Optional garnishes: dried red chilis, sliced cucumbers, lettuce or endive leaves, corn chip dippers
In a deep skillet heat oil over medium heat. Stir in shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until fully browned. Transfer shallots and oil to a bowl and set aside.
In a same skillet over low heat, cook ground meat, breaking it up with a spoon, with ginger and water until done. Season with 2 teaspoons salt. Transfer cooked meat to a mixing bowl. Alternatively, leave meat in skillet to stay warm.
Stir in fish sauce, toasted rice powder, maple syrup and lime juice. Fold in shallots and their oil, mint, cilantro and optional green onions. Taste and adjust seasonings. Place in bowl on a platter with sliced cucumbers and lettuce or endive leaves or corn chip dippers. Serve immediately.
Variations
Try minced beef or shrimp.
Pair this salad with jasmine or sticky rice and fresh vegetables like romaine leaves, cucumbers, red bell peppers and tomatoes for a complete meal. Serve warm or cold. Serve with dried chilis as garnish.
Thai Roasted Rice Powder
Use this powder as a seasoning or condiment on top of cooked food.
½ C. white jasmine rice
Select a 10-inch skillet (no nonstick). It should accommodate rice in one layer. Heat pan over medium-low and pour in rice. Shaking pan periodically, cook rice until it transforms from white to golden-brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
Pour rice onto a plate to cool. Grind rice in two batches in clean coffee/spice grinder until its texture resembles sugar. Keep refrigerated in sealed container up to 6 months.
Chive and Lemon Crabcakes
Crabcakes can be made into balls and served on skewers. Makes 4 appetizer-size crabcakes or about 12 one and one-half-ounce hors d’oeuvre
1 lb. jumbo lump crabmeat
1 large bunch chives, finely and evenly sliced
2 eggs, lightly whisked together
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. fresh lemon juice
Zest of two lemons, minced, no bitter white pith
4 T. mayonnaise, more as desired
2 to 3 C. fine, dry breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for frying
1 large hothouse cucumber, peeled and seeded then finely julienned, optional for garnish
2 tomatoes, peeled seeded and finely diced, optional for garnish
Pick through crabmeat very well for shells and shred it with your fingers. Mix crab with chives, eggs, Worcestershire, lemon juice and zest and mayonnaise. Add just enough breadcrumb so the crabcake mixture holds together well—about one cup or a bit more. Reserve remaining breadcrumbs for dipping cakes into before frying.
Form crab mixture into four equal sized 1/2 inch thick (burger-shaped) cakes or twelve 1-1/2 tablespoon balls. (A quick way to do this for a crowd is to press this mixture into a pan 1/2 inch deep. Chill it and use a round cutter to cut out the cakes.) Press cakes into breadcrumbs and set them onto a sheet pan. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes before frying.
Heat 1/4 inch of oil, in a high-sided skillet that comfortably fits the cakes, until it ripples but doesn’t smoke. Add cakes or balls. Fry until they are golden and turn them carefully with a wide spatula to cook remaining sides. Place 1/4 of julienned cucumber on the plate. Top with crabcake. Dollop each cake with aioli. Toss finely diced tomato about on plate. Serve.
Knife Skills 101: To get a beautifully diced tomato, core and blanch tomato. Peel and cut it into four equal sized wedges. Fillet out inside of each wedge and set aside for sauce. Dice remaining outside bit into 1/8 inch squares.
Grilled Beef and Scallion Rolls with Korean Galbi Sauce
Yields 15 to 20 rolls
1-1/2 lb. sirloin tip roast or 1-1/2 pounds thinly sliced beef
2 bunch scallions (green onions) or 1 lb. asparagus
Galbi Sauce
3 T. sugar
2 T. mirin
4 to 5 T. soy sauce
1 to 2 T. toasted sesame seeds
2 T. Asian sesame oil
1 T. minced garlic
Oil for brushing
If you can’t find a market with the meat already sliced, place the sirloin tip into the freezer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours to freeze partway. Meanwhile, prepare scallions (or asparagus). Bring a pot of water to boil. Cut scallions/asparagus into 2 inch lengths. Cut thicker white part of scallion in half lengthwise. Blanch scallions/asparagus until just tender, about 2 minutes. Run cold water over them, drain and blot dry in paper toweling. Set aside.
Mix together sauce ingredients and set aside. Slice meat thinly on a meat slicer across the grain. Alternately get your butcher to do this. Cut meat into approximately 1-1/2 to 2-inch by 3-inch rectangles. Layer meat into a hotel pan and brush with a some of the sauce.
With the narrowest end of a beef slice near you and parallel to the counter edge, lay a couple pieces of scallion parallel to the bottom of the beef slice and your counter edge. (You may sprinkle a little extra sesame seed inside.) Roll up beef and set in another pan seam side down. Push a wooden toothpick through each to secure it. Brush beef rolls with more sauce and refrigerate until you are ready to grill them.
Heat a grill or grill pan. Brush beef rolls with a little oil and grill briefly until just cooked. Set on platter and drizzle with more sauce if desired.