November 2019 Appetizer Class
As some of you know, I love to travel and, while traveling, I love to try the local cuisine and get inspiration to try and replicate a dish when I get home. Inspired by our recent travels to Morocco and Spain, two favorites made it onto our 2019 Holiday Appetizer menu! Can you guess which ones??
You can make all five recipes and throw a wonderful aperitivo cocktail party, or each recipe is perfect on its own if you need something to take to a holiday party, bunco, or just for yourself! All of these recipes have a huge make-ahead component, which is something I strive to do in all my recipes and menus to help make entertaining so much easier. They can be doubled for a crowd and are easy to transport, making them the perfect way to start a party.
Lamb Briouats:
The lamb is spiced with cumin, paprika, and cinnamon. It is slightly spicy and slightly sweet at the same time. They are traditionally wrapped in pastr but I thought wrapping them in phyllo dough makes them cute, quick and easy to make. They freeze beautifully so you can make a bunch of them ahead and have them at the ready. Once baked, they are crispy and crunchy and are sure to become as big a hit to you and your guests, just as they were to my son Peter who had them at almost every meal we had at the El Fenn in Marrakesh.
Zaalouk, Moroccan Eggplant:
My newest obsession! Zaalouk, means in Arabic to smash or purée. The eggplant is roasted and then added to tomatoes that have been cooked down into a jam-like consistency. Spiced with cumin, paprika, and a dash of lemon, it is a positively addictive dip served with pita or crackers. But it is also equally delicious as a spread on sandwiches or eaten as a cooked salad. Even if you don’t like eggplant, I’ll bet you’ll love this dish!
Butternut Squash Soup with Spicy Pepitas:
Have you ever served soup as an appetizer? As we learned in Spain, It’s the perfect little morsel to satisfy your hunger, but not get you or your guests too full. My favorite fall soup is butternut squash. Sautéed onions, squash, apple and sage are puréed into a creamy consistency….but there’s not a drop of cream in it! Top with spicy pepitas to add just a little extra pop of flavor and crunch and be sure to make and extra batch of them, as they are an excellent snack on their own!
Goat Cheese Truffles:
I’m always joking that I’d rather have cheese than chocolate for dessert. And this is my inspiration for this dish. It’s all in the presentation. Goat cheese is combined with a little Greek yogurt and herbs d’ Provence, then rolled into “truffles” and then coated with a variety of fun and different toppings. To serve them, we place them in little paper cups as you would a truffle. Serve with crostini’s or crackers, they are the perfect way to begin or end your meal.
Chocolate Pearls:
These little gems are slightly chocolate-y, but not too sweet, and are the perfect way to end a meal. They are so easy to prepare! The batter is made ahead, and then you roll the cookie in King Arthur pearl sugar to give them a beautiful crunchy white appearance like a pearl. Be careful! they will become as rare as pearls as they will disappear off your table!
Wishing much joy & gratitude this holiday season!
