Cocktail Appetizers

A party doesn't begin without finger food. Appetizers serve the purpose of setting the mood for enjoyment; Nothing better than a bowl chips or family style buffalo chicken and blue cheese dip and a beer to get the flow of conversation started and going. But, sometimes the occasion may call for something a bit more, shall we say, sophisticated? like for a party with your colleagues or a get-together with your in-laws family or simply to accompany a different choice of spirits!

Hors d'œuvres have the unfortunate association with stuffy, stiff necked parties with little room for fun and ofcourse, the pricey tag is ever present. Perhaps because of the French connection!! However, to be fair to these little treats, they neither need break the bank nor be devoid of frivolous pleasure. Indeed, all they need is a little creativity! You can keep the atmosphere casual by using familiar and comfortable ingredients and introducing a bit of fancy by playing with the colors and presentation.

When we host a party at home, most of my time is spent on getting the main meal - soup, entree, dessert - perfect. I spend a lot of time on working the flavors in these courses leaving me with only a couple of hours or so to put together some appetizers. Of course, the easy way out is the aforementioned chips with a quickly whipped up dip. But, these small bite-sized treats offer the best opportunity to put on your creative hat and I try to make some interesting stuff.

So, for a recent house party, I made two easy appetizers that took less than 30 minutes to make, looked beautiful on the table and tasted fantastic. I made caramelized onion with goat cheese canapés and salmon and avocado pastries. The pink of salmon against the green of the avocado just brightens up the table and keeps people coming back for more.

The key to ensuring that the appetizers please is to keep the ingredients simple and the flavors balanced. Complex flavors are not well appreciated when you are distracted by all the socializing and the beer/wine in hand.

I have included recipes for both the appetizers below.The flavor combinations are what my imagination suggested. The best way to have fun while cooking is to indulge your senses and the best dishes are when you are willing to try new combinations.

Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese Canapés

1 medium sourdough baguette sliced thin
1 medium Spanish onion julienned
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 T brown sugar
1 clove of garlic peeled
1 T olive oil and some more for drizzling
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (190 deg C). Place the baguette slices on a baking tray and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Toast the slices for about 15 minutes till they are golden brown. Remove the toasted slices and while they are warm, rub the garlic clove over them. Doing this will release the oil in the garlic onto toast giving it the wonderful garlic flavor. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the onions, vinegar, brown sugar, salt and pepper and saute until the onions are caramelised; approx 20 minutes.

Spread goat cheese onto the toasted slices. I like herbed goat cheese but plain is good too. Pile on some caramalised onions and serve.

Smoked Salmon and Avocado Pastries
(makes 12 pastries)

1 puff pastry sheet, thawed
4 oz smoked salmon slices
1 ripe avocado cored and sliced thin
1 T lime juice
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the puff pastry into 2 inch squares. Place on baking sheet and bake in the oven until puffed into layers and golden; approx 16 mins. Cool the pastry for 10 minutes. Assemble 2 slices of avocado and a slice of salmon on top of the pastry. Season with salt and pepper and add a couple of drops of lime juice. The citric acid in the lime will bring out the flavors of the salmon and round off the creaminess of the avocado. It will also keep the salmon from drying out and avocado from blackening.