Cheat's Recipes - Appetizers
Figs Stuffed with Gorgonzola and Walnuts
Ingredients: (Serves 8)
12 Figs
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt
225 grams of Gorgonzola, room temperature
1/2 cup walnuts, quartered and toasted
How to Prepare:
Preheat the oven to 180 degree C.
Slice the figs in half lengthwise, place them on a baking sheet, and dig a little hole in the middle with your pinky finger. Drizzle the fig halves with 2 or 3 drops of balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with salt.
Fill each fig with Gorgonzola and top with a quarter of a walnut. Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Orange and Fennel Marinated Olives
Ingredients: (Makes 1 1/2 Cups)
1 cup large green brine-cured olives
1/2 cup kalamata olives
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/8 teaspoon crushed red chilly flakes
2 (4-inch) strips fresh orange zest (removed with a vegetable peeler)
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
How to Prepare:
Rinse the green olives under cold water for 5 minutes, then soak them in cold water for 2 hours. Drain well.
Combine the green and kalamata olives in a medium bowl.
Toast the fennel seeds in a small pan over medium heat until fragrant, for about 1 minute. Add the chilly flakes and toast until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and add the orange zest and oil. Let it cool.
Pour the oil mixture over the olives. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 6 hours or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Feta Dip with Cucumber and Pita Chips
Ingredients: (Makes 1 1/2 Cups)
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
3 to 4 sprigs of oregano leaves , stripped
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
2 bags store-bought pita chips
1 roasted red pepper
Handful of Kalamata olives
24 slices seedless cucumber , sliced thinly
How to Prepare:
Combine the feta, milk,walnuts, oregano and black pepper in a food processor until smooth. Garnish with chopped roasted red pepper and kalamata olives.
Serve with store-bought pita chips and sliced cucumber.
Crostini with Wild Mushrooms and Mozarella
Ingredients: (Serves 6)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic , chopped
450 grams button or wild mushrooms (such as porcini, cremini, shiitake) with stems removed, chopped
1/4 cup white wine (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
24 small crostini's
450 grams fresh salted buffalo mozzarella , cut into 24 slices
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
How to Prepare:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
In a nonstick pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then add mushrooms and sauté 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in wine; increase heat to high and cook, stirring, until liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Mix in salt and pepper.
Arrange crostini on a large baking sheet. Top each piece with a slice of mozzarella. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until cheese is melted.
Top crostini with mushroom mixture; sprinkle with parsley. Serve warm.
Crostini with Goats Cheese and Sun-dried Tomatoes
Ingredients: (Makes 16)
120 grams soft goat cheese
2 sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained
1⁄4 cup snipped chives
1 1⁄2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing on bread
16 slices baguette
How to Prepare:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Brush the baguette slices lightly with olive oil on both sides. Place on a baking sheet and toast until golden in colour.
In a food processor , process the cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, chives and oil until smooth, for about 30 seconds.
Spread each crostini(baguette) liberally with the goats cheese mixture. Place on a baking sheet and grill until browned and melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve hot.
Garlic and Parsley Mushrooms
Ingredients:
250 grams button mushrooms
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
How to Prepare:
Add 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium hot sauté pan. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and allow to sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mushrooms start to caramelize. Add the minced garlic and continue to cook another minute or so until the garlic is toasty brown.
Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter and finish with the parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with toothpicks.
Pizza Popcorn
Ingredients: (Serves 6)
2 tablespoons olive oil
10 cups popped popcorn (made from1/2 cup unpopped kernels)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoons finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
How to Prepare:
In a large bowl, toss the olive oil and popcorn. Then add the remaining ingredients and toss again.
***If you have tried our recipes, please feel free to leave comments or suggestions via our Contact Us page and we will post them below the recipe.***
Ingredients: (Serves 8)
12 Figs
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt
225 grams of Gorgonzola, room temperature
1/2 cup walnuts, quartered and toasted
How to Prepare:
Preheat the oven to 180 degree C.
Slice the figs in half lengthwise, place them on a baking sheet, and dig a little hole in the middle with your pinky finger. Drizzle the fig halves with 2 or 3 drops of balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with salt.
Fill each fig with Gorgonzola and top with a quarter of a walnut. Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Orange and Fennel Marinated Olives
Ingredients: (Makes 1 1/2 Cups)
1 cup large green brine-cured olives
1/2 cup kalamata olives
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/8 teaspoon crushed red chilly flakes
2 (4-inch) strips fresh orange zest (removed with a vegetable peeler)
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
How to Prepare:
Rinse the green olives under cold water for 5 minutes, then soak them in cold water for 2 hours. Drain well.
Combine the green and kalamata olives in a medium bowl.
Toast the fennel seeds in a small pan over medium heat until fragrant, for about 1 minute. Add the chilly flakes and toast until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and add the orange zest and oil. Let it cool.
Pour the oil mixture over the olives. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 6 hours or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Feta Dip with Cucumber and Pita Chips
Ingredients: (Makes 1 1/2 Cups)
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
3 to 4 sprigs of oregano leaves , stripped
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
2 bags store-bought pita chips
1 roasted red pepper
Handful of Kalamata olives
24 slices seedless cucumber , sliced thinly
How to Prepare:
Combine the feta, milk,walnuts, oregano and black pepper in a food processor until smooth. Garnish with chopped roasted red pepper and kalamata olives.
Serve with store-bought pita chips and sliced cucumber.
Crostini with Wild Mushrooms and Mozarella
Ingredients: (Serves 6)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic , chopped
450 grams button or wild mushrooms (such as porcini, cremini, shiitake) with stems removed, chopped
1/4 cup white wine (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
24 small crostini's
450 grams fresh salted buffalo mozzarella , cut into 24 slices
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
How to Prepare:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
In a nonstick pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then add mushrooms and sauté 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in wine; increase heat to high and cook, stirring, until liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Mix in salt and pepper.
Arrange crostini on a large baking sheet. Top each piece with a slice of mozzarella. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until cheese is melted.
Top crostini with mushroom mixture; sprinkle with parsley. Serve warm.
Crostini with Goats Cheese and Sun-dried Tomatoes
Ingredients: (Makes 16)
120 grams soft goat cheese
2 sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained
1⁄4 cup snipped chives
1 1⁄2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing on bread
16 slices baguette
How to Prepare:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Brush the baguette slices lightly with olive oil on both sides. Place on a baking sheet and toast until golden in colour.
In a food processor , process the cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, chives and oil until smooth, for about 30 seconds.
Spread each crostini(baguette) liberally with the goats cheese mixture. Place on a baking sheet and grill until browned and melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve hot.
Garlic and Parsley Mushrooms
Ingredients:
250 grams button mushrooms
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
How to Prepare:
Add 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium hot sauté pan. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and allow to sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mushrooms start to caramelize. Add the minced garlic and continue to cook another minute or so until the garlic is toasty brown.
Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter and finish with the parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with toothpicks.
Pizza Popcorn
Ingredients: (Serves 6)
2 tablespoons olive oil
10 cups popped popcorn (made from1/2 cup unpopped kernels)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoons finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
How to Prepare:
In a large bowl, toss the olive oil and popcorn. Then add the remaining ingredients and toss again.
***If you have tried our recipes, please feel free to leave comments or suggestions via our Contact Us page and we will post them below the recipe.***