Holiday Party Hors d'oeuvres

by Mark R. Vogel

Whether you call them appetizers, hors d'oeuvres, canapés, amuse-bouches, or amuse-gueules, they are the scrumptious little morsels served before the start of a full course meal.

They can vary from simple presentations such as cheese and crackers to complex preparations with exquisite ingredients requiring as much work as the main course. Hors d'oeuvres can also function as the primary food such as at cocktail and holiday parties.

Below are a variety of ideas for hors d'oeuvres for your holiday get-togethers. I hesitate to call them recipes, simply because I haven't listed exact measurements for each ingredient.

First of all, exact ratios are not necessary for the forthcoming preparations. Second, by freeing yourself of the measuring spoons and cups and relying on your eyes and your taste, you can whip up these concoctions much quicker. This is a party atmosphere. Go with your gut and indulge your creativity.

The following list of hors d'oeuvres spans a breadth of culinary complexity and ingredient extravagance. Choose the ones that suit your budget, culinary zealousness, and your personal taste.

ROASTED PEPPER & ANCHOVY CROSTINI

Crostini are small thin slices of toast. Roast a red pepper in the broiler and remove the seeds and stems. Chop it up with some anchovies and garlic. Add either some basil or sautéed spinach for color. Finish with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Slice a long thin loaf of French bread, drizzle some olive oil on the slices and toast. Spoon the mixture onto the toasted slices.

SMOKED SALMON CRUDITES

Crudités, (cru-Dee-TAY), are raw vegetables served as a hors d'oeuvre. Finely mince a little red onion and some dill. Mix it into sour cream. You can also add some capers if you like. Add salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Peel and slice a cucumber into inch rounds. Bundle a piece of smoked salmon on the cucumber and then top with the sour cream sauce. Place a tiny sprig of dill on top of the sauce or if you really want to get fancy, some caviar.

WATERCRESS DIP

Take 2 batches of watercress and about a pint of sour cream. Chop up the watercress with some red onion and mix in the sour cream little by little to you achieve the desired consistency. Add horseradish, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crackers and/or raw vegetable sticks.

BLACK OLIVE & SUN DRIED TOMATO TAPENADE

Place an equal amount of black olives and sun-dried tomatoes in a food processor. Add a bunch of parsley, a squirt of lemon juice and some salt and pepper. Pulse the mixture a few times.

Then slowly add a stream of extra virgin olive oil with the processor on until a smooth paste is achieved. Check for additional salt or pepper. Place dollops of the tapenade on Belgium endive leaves.