Mediterranean Baked Olives October 26, 2011

Imagine the best olive mix you’ve ever bought.  The marinated olives you can make at home are infinitely better.  Combine a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your house (garlic, wine, bay leaf, oregano, etc.), bake them with your favorite mix of olives, and serve them with crusty bread for a simple tapas-style appetizer.  The smell of these olives cooking will elicit moans from anyone in the vicinity of your kitchen.

Mediterranean Baked Olives

1 cup Kalamata olives

1 cup green olives, such as Picholine

1 bay leaf

3 cloves garlic, 1 sliced and 2 minced

1 tsp. oregano

1 Tbs. parsley

1 ½ Tbs. olive oil

½ cup dry white wine

1 ½ Tbs. olive oil

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1.            Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Combine olives, bay leaf, sliced garlic and wine in baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Bake in single layer, covered, for 45 minutes or until olives are fragrant and swollen.

2.            Meanwhile, combine minced garlic, parsley, oregano and olive oil in mortar and pestel until it resembles a thick paste.   When olives are done baking, pierce each olive with a knife or fork, and add parsley mixture, along with olive oil and crushed red pepper, tossing to combine.  Serve immediately or cool and store at room temperature for up to a week.

Serves 6-8

Sundried Tomato & Pesto Torta January 16, 2010

Rather than a making a dip, give this torta a try.  Similar to a savory cheesecake, the bright flavor of pesto and sundried tomoatoes are layered with creamy deliciousness.  This hearty spread will serve a large group and is a true crowd-pleaser.

It’s a bit time consuming to prepare and requires a fair amount of patience, but the end result is well worth it.  The torta can be prepared up to three days in advance and kept refrigerated.  It also freezes well and can be frozen for up to one month and defrosted in the refrigerator for 1 day before serving.  Be sure to make neat layers so each color is separate once inverted.

This recipe is adapted from a recipe originally found in Bon Appetit (August 1999).

Sundried Tomato & Pesto Torta

4 garlic cloves

1 1/2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup pine nuts

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 2/3 cups cream cheese, room temperature (about 21 ounces)

1 cup goat cheese, softened

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/3 cups oil-packed sundried tomatoes, drained

1/3 cup tomato paste

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Fresh basil sprigs

Toasted pine nuts

Sourdough baguette slices, lightly toasted

To make pesto:  With the motor running, put garlic cloves through the feeding shoot of a food processor until garlic is minced.  Add basil, ¼ cup pine nuts, olive oil and lemon juice and process until well combined.  Add ¼ cup parmesan cheese and 1/3 cup cream cheese and pulse with basil mixture until mostly smooth and blended.  Transfer to a medium bowl.

To make sun-dried tomato pesto:  Puree tomatoes in food processor until smooth.  Add tomato paste and mix into tomato mixture.  Add 1/3 cup cream cheese and pulse with tomato until mostly smooth and blended.

To make goat cheese mixture:  Using electric mixer, beat 1 cups cream cheese, 1 cup goat cheese and softened butter in large bowl until fluffy.  Season with salt and pepper.

Spray 6-cup soufflé dish with nonstick spray.  Line with plastic wrap, extending plastic over sides.  Spread 3/4 cup goat cheese mixture into an even layer on the bottom of prepared dish.  Freeze for a few minutes to harden and help evenly spread next layer.  Top with half of tomato pesto, then 1/2 cup goat cheese mixture, then half of pesto mixture, using the back of a spoon to spread each layer and freezing for 2 minutes between each layer.  Repeat layering and freezing with 1/2 cup goat cheese mixture, remaining tomato pesto, 1/2 cup goat cheese mixture and remaining pesto.  Top with remaining goat cheese mixture.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.  (Can be made 3 days ahead and kept refrigerated, or frozen for up to 1 month and defrosted 1 day in advance.)

Invert torta onto platter by gently pulling edges of plastic wrap to lift torta out of prepared dish.  Peel off plastic and smooth any wrinkles with the edge of a knife run under hot water.  Top with sprigs of fresh basil and toasted pine nuts.  Serve with sourdough baguette slices.

Panini Party January 22, 2009

Paninis make a great appetizer or addition to a casual spread (think Super Bowl party).  You don’t need to own a panini maker to get in on the panini fun.  I use a double-burner griddle for large paninis and a grill pan for smaller versions.  To create your own panini press, place a cookie sheet on top of your panini and top with a heavy pan (like a cast iron casserole) or some canned goods.  Press down periodically to flatten the bread and flip your panini after a few minutes of cooking (when the bottom of your bread is crisp and golden).  Cook your panini until both sides are toasty brown and the cheese is melted.  Serve paninis cut into small pieces an an appetizer or as part of a buffet spread. 

 

If you have a panini press, break that bad boy out and invite some friends over.  Put the press in an accessible spot -on a breakfast bar or buffet table with an outlet close by.  Set out plates of assorted deli meats, cheeses, cooked and raw veggies and flavorful spreads (pesto, sun-dried tomato paste, tampenade, mustard, hummus) and have a Make-Your-Own-Panini Party.  Your friends will have fun concocting different combinations.  You can stick to some of the traditional toppings, or put out some non-traditional panini toppings like pepper jams, chutneys or even dark chocolate.  Giada De Laurentiis has a recipe for a panini that combines two of my favorite ingredients – chocolate and brie.  Try that combination for a dessert panini or serve it as an appetizer with champagne at a cocktail party.     

 

Here are some of my favorite panini filling combinations:

Savory

Soppresatta, arugula and goat cheese (shown above)
Pesto, roasted red peppers and fontina
Mozzarella and olive tampenade
Chicken, sun-dried tomato pesto and spinach
Prosciutto and smoked gouda
Portobello, roasted red peppers and goat cheese
Sharp cheddar and green apple
Bacon, avocado and Monterey jack cheese

Sweet

Bananas and Nutella
Peanut butter, semi-sweet chocolate and banana
Brie and dark chocolate
Camembert and raspberry preserves
Fig jam and goat cheese

 

Do you have any combos that you love?  Do share.