A Condo Building Get-Together

Sunday night we finally threw a long over-due get-together, and had up all our fellow condo dwellers to share some snacks, sips and treats.  I can pretty surely speak for everyone when I say, it was an absolute blast!  With loads of laughs, tons of food and lots (and lots!) of wine, the festivities lasted late into the night.  The wine flowed, courtesy of all our guests.  But the food, well of course that was my happy contribution.

DIPS: Hot Crab & Artichoke Garlicky White Bean with Mustard Greens & Bacon with French bread crostini     BITES: Roasted Jalapeño & Hot Pickled Peppers, Filled with Whipped Feta Deviled Eggs Two Ways:  with Cumin & Curry, with Fines Herbs Puff Pastry Tart with Gruyere, Bacon, Scallions & Herbs Rosemary Salted Nuts   TREATS: Mini Chocolate-Orange Cupcakes with White Chocolate-Espresso Ganache Frosting

Reflecting on this menu again, I can look back and remember getting raving compliments on each and every dish.  Everyone had their own favorite, and it feels good knowing that each dish too was a favorite!  The hot crab and artichoke dip was one of mine, I think.  It starts with some truly gorgeous jumbo lump crab, sweet and plump and incredibly fresh.  (I still am in awe by how good this canned lump crab is, which I find a Costco, a pound for about $18.)  Folded together with sweet sautéed onions, red flecks of bell pepper and tender pale green artichoke hearts, then cloaked in a lemony sauce of cream cheese, Parmesan, parsley and chives.  Baked ‘til bubbling with a crisp and buttery, golden brown breadcrumb crust, it’s seriously tasty, incredibly, totally good.    

The white bean dip is seriously good too.  Very similar to the garlicky white bean puree I fixed nearly a year ago – silky smooth, with lots of soft sage flavor, a bit of bright lemon, and huge notes of creamy, mellow garlic – but with the delicious addition of something that never hurts, bacon.  And on top of that, bitter flecks of mustard greens, tenderly sautéed in the bacon fat.  Oh yeah, an extra bit of bacon is always a recipe for success!

Ah, peppers stuffed with whipped feta.  Heavenly.  And this divine recipe has successfully transformed itself through three delicious reincarnations.  Saveur Magazine originally published this recipe with much larger Fresno or Anaheim chile peppers in mind.  It was the cover recipe from a few months ago, and my friend Ralph, whose word on food I always take to heart, made them right away then promptly texted me with a photograph and a strong recommendation.  A few weeks later, I tasted them for myself at my friend Cary’s house party.  And Cary had the ingenious idea to use mini, multi-colored bell peppers (which one can more or less usually find at places like Costco) to achieve perfectly bite-sized hors d’oevures.  I didn’t luck out this week – Costco was all out of baby peppers.  But at the last minute I decided to try the recipe with lightly roasted jalapeños, and some hot pickled yellow peppers.  They turned out fabulously!  Both were pretty spicy, the pickled peppers more than the jalapeños, but neither were too wickedly hot.  And with the silky feta filling of tart yogurt, bright lemon, full oregano and fresh parsley, the cool balance was right on target.  Sensational!

And oh, deviled eggs!  They’re becoming one of my signature items!  In the summertime months, I’m always in the mood to make them as classically as possible, with nothing more that mayonnaise, mustard and a bit of parsley for color.  But come the cooler months, I like to dress them up with special ingredients.  A little fancy twist is all they need to turn them from basic picnic fare into elegant cocktail party hors d’oeuvres.  Tonight I prepared two special twists.  The cumin and curry deviled eggs were Ben’s favorite, with warm, exotic spices added to the yolk mixture, lending a rich yellow hue.  And the fines herbs deviled eggs – heavily speckled with fresh tarragon, chives, chervil and parsley, a classic and utterly perfect combination of herbs – was the fan favorite in the category of deviled eggs.  I’ve made both of these versions over and over, and every time, they are the hugest of hits!

I know I said the crab dip was one of my favorite dishes of the night.  But the tart below took the title of my absolute fave.  Tender, golden, crisp puff pastry.  With nutty melted gruyere cheese over a rich sauce of creamy ricotta.  Sweet, smoky, thickly sliced bacon, a little crunchy, a little chewy.  Floral undertones of lightly sautéed leaves of fresh thyme.  Mellow flecks of sautéed scallions, with a perfect level of pungency.   And a final sprinkling of fresh bright herbs, of the fines variety again, tender green leaves of tarragon, chervil, parsley and chives.  Each delicious bite made me crave another, and it took all my hostessly etiquette, to keep from hogging the entire thing!

And the last savory snack – a mixture of rosemary-scented nuts.  Sweet, salty, slightly spicy, and huge with fresh rosemary flavor.  The nuts I used were pecans and hazelnuts, because they were what I had lingering in the cupboards.  But any sort of toasted nuts will do splendidly – walnuts, cashews, almonds.  And talk about addictive!  There’s just something about the rich, full flavor of rosemary that’s so completely alluring.  Combined with sugar and salt and a bit of cayenne pepper – the captivating flavor is heightened even more.  
  

And finally, a sweet treat.  Mini bites of my favorite cupcake.  From the pages of my favorite chocolate cookbook, Chocolate Obsession, by Michael Recchiuti.  The man’s a genius, on the scale of Willy Wonka.  Every single recipe I’ve tried has been over-the-top delicious.  If you’ve got a foodie on your holiday shopping list, I’d definitely recommend this book.

Anyways, these cupcakes.   The cupcake part itself is a result of the best all-around chocolate cake recipe I know of.  But with the incredible addition of orange zest.  I’m sure you know by now, I love the chocolate-orange combination.  (As does Recchiuti, by the way.  This lovely duo graces many a page in his book.)  The effect of the pairing in this recipe is even more fantastic than ever – tender, moist crumb with deep chocolate and bright orange flavor.  And for the frosting, a white chocolate ganache with a touch of espresso! 

Chocolate!  Orange! White Chocolate! Espresso!  Can you think of anything better?  Didn’t think so.  These are bites of pure perfection! 

 

Hot Crab & Artichoke Dip Makes about 4 cups       2 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil 1 large yellow onion, peeled & chopped 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped 1 15-oz can artichoke hearts, chopped 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 to 2 lemons) zest of 1 lemon 1/2 tsp hot sauce (such as Tabasco) 1/2 cup plus 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley 1/4 cup sliced chives 1 # canned jumbo lump crab meat, drained (I highly recommend this brand) 1 cup fresh bread crumbs 2 Tbl butter, melted   Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.  Arrange a rack in the middle oven position.   Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, then swirl in the olive oil and add the onion.  Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the bell pepper and cook, about 2 minutes longer.  Add the artichoke hearts and continue to cook, about 2 minutes longer.  Remove from the heat, and cool at room temperature until needed.    Using an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a hand-held electric mixer), beat the creamed cheese on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, hot sauce and 1/2 cup Parmesan.  Mix on medium-high until incorporated and smooth, about 1 minute longer.  Add the parsley and chives and stir by hand with the rubber spatula to combine.  Add the crab meat and the slightly cooled vegetable mixture to the cream cheese mixture.  Fold together, gently but thoroughly with the rubber spatula.  Transfer the mixture into appropriately sized casserole dish, smoothing the top with the rubber spatula.    In a small mixing bowl, toss to combine the fresh bread crumbs with the melted butter.  Add the remaining 1/2 cup grated parmesan.  Season with salt and pepper, then toss to combine.  Evenly sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the crab mixture in the dish.   Bake until golden brown on top and bubbling, about 30 minutes.  Serve warm with toasted French bread crostini.

 

Garlicky White Bean Dip with Mustard Greens & Bacon Makes about 4 cups        1 1/2 cups dried great northern beans 12 garlic cloves, peeled 2 bay leaves 1 bunch mustard greens, washed, stems removed, and torn into large pieces 10 fresh sage leaves about 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 lemon, juiced 12 slices bacon First, cook the beans: Sort through the beans and discard any wayward pebbles. Then, either cover with cool water and soak overnight at room temperature, or cover with boiling water and soak one hour. Pour off the soaking liquid.  Add the beans to a medium pot, along with the sage and bay leaves and about 1 tsp salt.  Cover with water and simmer gently until very tender, about 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally. When tender, remove the bay leaves and drain, saving the cooking liquid. While beans are cooking, prep the garlic: Pull apart the head of garlic into separate cloves.  Slice off the tough bottom ends of each clove, and remove the peels, leaving the garlic cloves whole.  Place peeled garlic cloves in a small sauce pot and cover just barely with extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 cup’s worth.  Turn heat to medium and simmer until garlic is tender and lightly golden brown, 30-40 minutes.  Set aside until needed   Cook the bacon:  Roughly chop the bacon, then add to a hot sauté pan and cook until just crispy.  Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, and place atop a bed of paper towels.  Set aside until needed.    And cook the mustard greens:  Return the pan with the bacon fat to the heat (about medium-high).  Add the prepped mustard leaves to the pan, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender.  Then remove from the heat and set aside until needed.  Now, make the dip:  Add the beans (along with the sage leaves), 1/4 cup of the garlic-cooking oil, 1 tsp salt and about half of the cooked garlic to the bowl of a food processor.  Puree to smooth, then taste it.  If you’d like more garlic, add a little more, or even all if it.  (The strength of garlic can vary widely, so make sure you go by taste.)  Puree for about two minutes, until the mixture is incredibly smooth.  Add bean cooking liquid as needed, to give a spreadable consistency.  Add the bacon and the cooked mustard greens, then pulse a few times to evenly distribute the greens and bacon, dicing them up a little bit but not pureeing them.   To store, refrigerate in an air-tight container.  Will keep about five days.  Should be served at room temperature or slightly warm.

 

French Bread Crostini This recipe is a repeat from a previous dinner party.  (It’s that good!)  Check it out here.

 
  

Peppers Filled with Whipped Feta Adapted from Saveur Magazine, August/September 2010 issue Makes about 20 bite-sized hors d’oeuvres        20 small jalapeño peppers OR 20 pickled peppers 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled 1 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil 1 Tbl Greek yogurt 2 tsp minced fresh parsley leaves 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest pinch dried oregano 1 egg yolk 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese kosher slat & freshly ground black pepper, to taste   If using fresh jalapenos:  Pre-heat the oven to 475°F.  Place the whole peppers on a foil-lined baking pan and roast 5 minutes.  Shake the pan to turn the peppers, then roast again for 5 minutes longer.  Place the peppers into a small mixing bowl or container, then cover with plastic wrap or a lid. Let stand 15 minutes to steam, then remove the covering.    Now, for both the jalapeños or the pickled peppers:  Slice each pepper, length-wise from top to bottom, not exactly in half, but slicing from just above the stem, to just above the bottom tip.  You’ll remove about a third of the pepper.  Discard this part, along with the seeds from inside the pepper.  Use a sharp paring knife to also remove and discard the inner membranes from the pepper (which along with the seeds, are responsible for much of the pepper’s heat).  Reserve the prepped peppers until needed.      To make the filling:  Combine the feta, olive oil, yogurt, parsley, lemon zest, oregano and egg yolk in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  (You can also use an electric hand-held mixer.)  Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper, then beat on medium-high until well combined and smooth, about 2 minutes.      Transfer the feta mixture to a pastry bag or heavy-duty plastic bag.  Slice the tip to create an opening about 3/8-inch wide.  Pipe the mixture generously into the prepared peppers, then arrange the peppers on a foil-lined sheet tray.  Sprinkle the stuffed peppers evenly with the grated parmesan cheese.  Refrigerate, covered with plastic, until ready to cook.   When ready to serve, pre-heat the oven broiler, and arrange an oven rack about 10 inches beneath the broiler.  Broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes.  Transfer the peppers to a platter and serve warm.

 

Deviled Eggs with Cumin & Curry Makes 24 deviled eggs       12 large eggs  3/4 cup mayonnaise 1 Tbl whole grain mustard 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp curry powder, plus more for garnish 1/2 tsp turmeric cumin seed, for garnish kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper First hard-boil the eggs: Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Using a slotted spoon, carefully lower the eggs into the boiling water.  Lower the heat to maintain a bare simmer – If the water bubbles too vigorously, the eggs will knock into each other and crack.  Simmer gently for 14 minutes.  Lift the eggs from the simmering water with the slotted spoon and transfer them to a bowl filled with ice water.  Allow the eggs to rest in the ice water until cool, about 10 minutes.  Peel the eggs. Slice a small sliver off the top and bottom ends of each egg.  Slice the eggs in half, width-wise.  Scoop out the cooked yolks and reserve in a mixing bowl.  Carefully rinse the whites under cool running water and place on a double layer of paper towels to dry.  Thoroughly mash the yolks with a potato masher, or push them through a mesh sieve.  Add the mayonnaise, mustard, ground cumin, curry and turmeric to the egg yolks, and stir until well combined.  Taste the egg yolk mixture and season as needed with salt and pepper.  Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a medium star tip, with the egg yolk mixture.  Pipe the yolk mixture into the egg white cups, filling them in a circular motion and forming a small dollop rising above the egg white.  Garnish with the cumin seeds and a sprinkling of curry powder.  Serve at room temperature.

Deviled Eggs with Fines Herbs Makes 24 deviled eggs     12 large eggs 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 Tbl whole grain mustard 1 Tbl finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 Tbl finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves 1 Tbl finely chopped fresh chives 1 Tbl finely chopped fresh chervil leaves kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper First hard-boil the eggs: Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Using a slotted spoon, carefully lower the eggs into the boiling water.  Lower the heat to maintain a bare simmer – If the water bubbles too vigorously, the eggs will knock into each other and crack.  Simmer gently for 14 minutes.  Lift the eggs from the simmering water with the slotted spoon and transfer them to a bowl filled with ice water.  Allow the eggs to rest in the ice water until cool, about five minutes.  Peel the eggs. Slice a small sliver off the top and bottom ends of each egg.  Slice the eggs in half, width-wise.  Scoop out the cooked yolks and reserve in a mixing bowl.  Carefully rinse the whites under cool running water and place on a double layer of paper towels to dry.  Thoroughly mash the yolks with a potato masher, or push them through a mesh sieve.  Add the mayonnaise, mustard, parsley, tarragon, chives and chervil to the egg yolks, and stir until well combined.  Taste the egg yolk mixture and season as needed with salt and pepper.  Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a medium star tip, with the egg yolk mixture.  Pipe the yolk mixture into the egg white cups, filling them in a circular motion and forming a small dollop rising above the egg white.  Serve at room temperature.

Puff Pastry Tart with Gruyere, Bacon, Scallions & Herbs Adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques by Suzanne Goin Makes about 24 bite-sized squares         1 sheet frozen puff pastry 2 egg yolks, divided 1/2 pound thickly-sliced bacon 3 bunches scallions 1 Tbl fresh thyme leaves 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta 1/4 cup sour cream 1 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil 6 oz gruyere cheese, coarsely grated 1 Tbl parsley leaves 1 Tbl tarragon leaves 1 Tbl chervil leaves 1 Tbl sliced chives kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste Prep the tart shell: Allow the puff pastry to defrost in the refrigerator, for about 2 hours or so, until it can be unfolded easily without ripping. Unroll onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Score a 1/4-inch border with a paring knife along the edge of the pastry. Make an egg wash by mixing one yolk with 1/2 tsp water.  Brush this egg wash along the border, only using as much as you need. Place in the freezer until you are ready to use. Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.    Slice the bacon cross-wise in 1/4-inch wide slices.  Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, then add the sliced bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy.  Add the sliced scallions and the thyme and stir to combine.  Cook for about 1 minute longer, stirring occasionally.  Transfer the bacon-scallion mixture to a baking pan or plate, to cool.    In a small mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, sour cream, olive oil, remaining egg yolk, and about a third of the grated gruyere.  Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and mix with a rubber spatula until smooth.  Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the puff pastry, keeping within the borderlines.           Scatter the remaining grated gruyere, and then the bacon-scallion mixture, evenly over the tart.  Bake until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is golden brown, rotating the baking pan half-way through, for a total baking time of about 25 minutes.  Be sure to lift up the edge of the tart and take a peek at the bottom side, to make sure the crust is cooked through.  Remove from the oven, and transfer the tart to a cutting board.  Slice six by four, to get bit-sized pieces.  Sprinkle with the parsley, tarragon, chervil and chives, then season with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.  Serve right on the cutting board, for a rustic presentation.

Rosemary Salted Nuts Makes 2 cups        2 cups mixed nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, etc…) 2 Tbl butter 1/4 cup light brown sugar 2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves 2 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp cayenne   Toast the nuts:  Spread the raw nuts on a parchment-lined baking pan and roast in a 350°F oven until toasted and aromatic, about fifteen minutes or so, rotating the pan about half-way through.  Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.    Combine the butter, brown sugar, rosemary, salt and cayenne in a medium-sized saucepot.  Stirring frequently, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then add the nuts and stir to combine.  Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid is reduced and the nuts are coated.      Spread the nuts evenly over a parchment-lined baking pan and allow to cool to room temperature.  When cool, carefully break apart the stuck-together nuts.  These nuts can be stored in an air-tight contained at room temperature for about 1 week.

Chocolate-Orange Mini Cupcakes with White Chocolate-Espresso Frosting Adapted from Chocolate Obsession by Michael Recchiuti Makes a little over 4 dozen mini cupcakes (or 1 dozen regularly-sized cupcakes)       For the cupcakes: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 cp granulated sugar 1 extra-large egg 1/2 cup whole milk 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1 Tbl espresso powder, dissolved in 1/2 cup boiling water finely grated zest from 1 orange   For the frosting: 12 oz white chocolate (I like this brand, and it’s easy to find in most grocery stores.) 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbl heavy whipping cream 2 Tbl espresso powder   To make the cupcakes: Pre-heat the oven to 325°F.  Arrange the oven racks in the upper and lower third positions (for the mini cupcakes) or one in the middle position (for regularly-sized cupcakes).    In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar.  Set aside.   In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk combine the egg, milk, oil, vanilla extract, the dissolved espresso powder and the orange zest.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.    Either line a mini (or regularly-sized) muffin pan with mini (or regularly-sized) cupcake liners, or spray with vegetable-oil spray.  (It’s best to spray at the last minute.  Keeps the sticking to a minimum.)   Evenly divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups.  For the mini cupcakes, use a scant tablespoon per cup.  For regularly-sized cupcakes, fill each cup about 2/3 to 3/4-way full.  Bake until puffed and springy to the touch, about 12 minutes for mini cupcakes and between 15 and 20 minutes for regularly-sized cupcakes.  Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.  (Cooling completely also keeps the sticking factor down.)  When cool remove the cupcake from the muffin cups.       To make the frosting:  Place the white chocolate in a medium-sized mixing bowl and set aside.    In a small saucepot set over medium heat, whisk together the cream and the espresso powder, and bring to a boil.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk until melted.    At this point, depending on the brand of chocolate you use, you may need to cool down the frosting a bit, in order for it to keep it’s shape atop the cupcakes.  Place the bowl of frosting over a large bowl filled with ice water, and stir with a rubber spatula until thickened to a spreadable frosting-like consistency.  Then transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star attachment (smaller star for the mini cupcakes, and a larger star for the regularly-sized ones).  Top each cupcake with frosting by piping it in a circular motion, starting from the outside, and curling your way in, ending with a pointed tip.    Refrigerate until needed, but be sure to bring to room temperature before serving.